Two GHTF events raise over $1,000 in advance of Ride with Leinie July 26

Two Ride with Leinie fundraising and promotional events were held at Greenhill’s Log Cabin in Conover and Andy’s Pontoon Saloon in Eagle River last week in advance of the 14th annual bicycle ride set for Saturday, July 26, in Conover.

The popular ride on the Conover-Phelps Trail and local backroads is a fundraising event for Great Headwaters Trails Foundation (GFTF).
The two Let’s Talk Beer & Biking with Dick Leinenkugel events at the Log Cabin last Thursday and Pontoon Saloon Friday were designed to build interest for the Ride with Leinie and raise funds for GHTF, according to Laura VanValkenberg, GHTF president.

“We had a strong turnout at both locations,” said Van Valkenberg. “We raised $1,057 in raffle ticket sales — $712 of that was money raised from raffle tickets sold for $1each, and winners had a chance to win Leinenkugel merchandise like hats, T-shirts, pint glasses, signs and an autographed DickLeinenkugel canoe paddle. The additional $345 was from the Ride with Leinie bicycle raffle ticket sales.”

The 14th annual Ride with Leinie will return to Conover Saturday, July 26, and will include five ride options for bicyclists in the scenic North Woods of Wisconsin.

The ride features the Conover-Phelps Trail (C-P Trail) in eastern Vilas County. The C-P Trail, completed in 2021, is 10.2 miles long and connects the towns of Conover and Phelps. The surface on the first 8.7 miles is hard-packed crushed stone with flat terrain as it travels the former bed of the Chicago Northwestern Railroad. Riders cross bridges over two creeks and travel through scenic wetlands and woodlands. The final 1.5 miles is paved and hilly as it descends into Phelps.

Participants may choose from a 20.4-mile trail ride from Conover to Phelps and back led by beer legend Dick Leinenkugel, a shorter 10.4-mile trail ride on the C-P Trail, and 20-, 40-, and 62-mile road-ride routes. The 62-mile ride, or Metric Century Ride, will take riders from Conover to Star Lake, Eagle River, Phelps and back to Conover.
The registration fee to ride is $55 per person and includes a T-shirt (shirt not guaranteed for day-of registrants), three beverage tickets for Leinenkugel beer, root beer or canned water.

“Following the ride, participants will gather at the Conover Town Park for the after-ride party where Leinenkugel will emcee the festivities with plenty of Leinenkugel’s on tap and raffle drawings for three bicycles and other prizes,” said VanValkenberg.

While the ride will be limited to 450 participants, VanValkenberg said everyone is welcome to join the festivities at the Conover Town Park.

The Ride with Leinie raffle drawing, open to the public, will take place at 2:30 p.m. at Conover Town Park. Tickets will be available to purchase on that day for $5 each or three for $10. First-place prize is an Aventon Sinch.2 Foldable E-bike, second prize is a LIV Embolden Mountain Bike, and third prize is a Cannondale Optimo 2 Road Bike. Winners need not be present at the time of drawing to win the Class A raffle prizes.

This year’s Ride with Leinie event also will feature a bucket raffle drawing where people will have an opportunity to purchase a sheet of 10 tickets for $10 or three sheets of 10 tickets for $20 for a chance to win prizes such as a Leinenkugel Calloway golf bag, an inflatable stand-up paddle board, cool biking and outdoor gear, Leinenkugel swag, and much more. Drawings for these prizes will begin at 1 p.m. and winners will need to be present at the time of the bucket raffle drawing to win.

GHTF is a nonprofit, volunteer organization based in Eagle River. Its mission is to develop and support a system of family-friendly community bicycling and walking trails in eastern Vilas County.

GHTF is currently working on developing the River Trail, which will connect Eagle River to St. Germain and the 55-mile Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail System.

For more information about the Ride with Leinie event or GHTF, visit ghtrails.org.