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Recreational Activities
Despite Ann Arbor's "four seasons a day" weather, its numerous
parks and sports venues provide ample opportunity to work up a
sweat, or just get out and about. The Calendar covers them all.
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Chime Concert: Kerrytown Shops.
"Back Roads Ramble": Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society.
"Monday Chelsea Ride": Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society.
 Monday
July, 2008
 8 a.m.
"Back Roads Ramble":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Monday. Slow-paced ride, 12-35 miles, along dirt and gravel roads to Independence Lake and other low-traffic destinations.
meet at 960 Forest Rd. (off Country Club Dr.), Barton Hills. Free. 761-2885, 663-5060.
9 a.m.
"Monday Chelsea Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Monday. Slow/moderate-paced ride, 35-45 or 55-65 miles, to either the Munith or Stockbridge area.
meet at Aberdeen Bike & Fitness, 1175 S. Main, Chelsea. Free. (517) 285-6830.
6 p.m.
"Paved Roads Country Roads Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Monday. Fast-, moderate-, and slow-paced training ride, 18-24 miles, along country roads west of town.
meet at Royster Clark, 885 Parker Rd. at Pine Cross Lane (just south of Jackson Rd.), Scio Twp. Free. 426-5116.
6:30 p.m.-dark.
Volleyball:
Parents Without Partners. Every Monday. All single parents invited for casual games of volleyball.
Buhr Park, 2751 Packard Rd. Free. 973-1933.
7 p.m.-dark.
"Volleyball in the Park":
Ann Arbor Ski Club. Every Monday. All adults age 21 & older invited to join a volleyball game. All skill levels welcome. Postgame socializing at CUBS' AC.
Burns Park (just east of the picnic pavilion), corner of Wells & Baldwin. Free. 973-2136.
7 p.m.
"The Civilized Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Monday. Slow-paced ride, 12-18 miles, to Dexter, with a possible stop for ice cream.
sharp, Wellington Park, Alice at Bruce St. (off Arborview from Miller). Free. 213-2908.
 Tuesday
July, 2008
6 p.m.
"Huron River Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Tuesday. Slow/moderate-paced ride, 18-40 miles, to Dexter and back.
meet at Forsythe Middle School, 1655 Newport Rd. Free. 662-0205.
6 p.m.
"Big Sky Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Tuesday. Moderate-paced ride, 20-35 miles, along flat, relatively quiet picturesque roads south of Ann Arbor.
meet at York Baptist Church, 1220 Stony Creek Rd. at Platt. Free. 971-5763.
6:30 p.m.
Ann Arbor Front Runners. Every Tuesday & Thursday. Gay, lesbian, and straight runners invited to choose a distance of 3-5 miles to run with Front Runners members.
meet at Furstenberg Park, off Fuller Rd. across from Huron High School. Free. 741-1763.
7-9:30 p.m.
English Country Dancing:
Ann Arbor Council for Traditional Music and Dance. Every Tuesday . Historical and traditional English dancing. Today: callers Bronwen Gates and Meisner with music by the Scalar Scalawags. All dances taught. No partner or experience needed. Dress comfortably and bring flat, nonslip shoes (running shoes OK).
Chapel Hill Condominium clubhouse, 3350 Green Rd. $7 (students, $4; children age 13 & under, free). 665-7704.
 Wednesday
July, 2008
Noon-12:30 p.m.
Chime Concert:
Kerrytown Shops. Every Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday. All invited to play one of 100 songs, with melodies transcribed in numbers, on the 17-bell tower's numbered keys. Ambitious players can add chords. Local chimemaster Heather O'Neal demonstrates.
Kerrytown. Free. 369-3107.
6 p.m.
"Saline Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Wednesday. Slow/moderate-paced ride, 30 miles or more, south to Milan and then west to the area around Britton-Macon.
meet at municipal parking lot on Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. south of Michigan Ave., Saline. Free. 645-5840.
6 p.m.
"West Side Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Wednesday. Slow/moderate-paced ride, 22-25 miles, and a slow-paced ride, 13-18 miles, to the Dexter Dairy Queen and back. Now in its 31st year, this ride is a favorite with newcomers and casual riders.
sharp, meet at Sweepster parking lot, 2800 N. Zeeb Rd. Free. 426-5116 (longer ride), 665-4552 & 761-2659 (shorter ride).
9:30-11 p.m.
Wednesdays @ Michigan Union:
Swing Ann Arbor. Every Wednesday. Swing dancing to prerecorded music. No partner needed. Bring casual or nicer shoes that stay on your feet when you're active. Preceded by beginning Lindy (6:30 p.m.), intermediate swing (7 p.m.), progressive Lindy hop (8 p.m.), and beginner East Coast (9 p.m.) lessons.
Michigan Union Pendleton Room (occasionally Ballroom or U-Club). $5 (includes lessons). 945-8428.
 Thursday
July, 2008
9 a.m.
"Jackson County Brunch Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Thursday. Moderate-paced ride, 25-50 miles, along the less traveled roads of scenic Jackson County.
meet at Cavanaugh Lake Park, Cavanaugh Lake Rd., Waterloo Recreation Area, 3.2 miles west of Chelsea. Free. 994-5908.
6 p.m.
"Chelsea Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Thursday. Slow/moderate-paced ride, 20-30 miles, to either Dexter, Grass Lake, Munith, Stockbridge, or the Waterloo Recreation Area.
meet at the north side of Aberdeen Bike & Fitness, 1178 S. Main, Chelsea. Free. (517) 285-6830.
6:30 p.m.
Ann Arbor Front Runners. Every Tuesday & Thursday. Gay, lesbian, and straight runners invited to choose a distance of 3-5 miles to run with Front Runners members.
meet at Furstenberg Park, off Fuller Rd. across from Huron High School. Free. 741-1763.
6:45 p.m.
"Thursday Evening Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Thursday. Fast/moderate-paced 25-mile ride around northeast Ann Arbor that includes some good chances to improve your climbing skills.
meet at the Fuller Pool parking lot, Fuller Rd. Free. 996-9122.
7 p.m.
5K Summer Fun Runs:
Concordia University All runners invited to race on the Concordia University campus. Ribbons to the
top ten runners.
(6:30 p.m. registration), Concordia University, west of the Concordia
Gymnasium, 4090 Geddes Rd. $5 (kids age 13 & under, $3). 502-4809.
7 p.m.
"Frank Lloyd Wright Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society . Every Thursday . Slow-paced 15-mile ride on mountain or wide-tired road bikes over the lightly traveled, hard dirt roads behind Domino's Farms.
meet at 2722 Georgetown Blvd. (north off Plymouth Rd.). Free. 995-5017, 663-5060.
7:30-9:30 p.m.
Tartan & Thistle Scottish Country Dancers. Every Thursday. Instruction for intermediate-level dancers in a wide range of traditional and contemporary Scottish dances, followed by social dancing. Soft-soled shoes recommended. Refreshments.
location TBA. $5. 769-4324, 426-0241.
 Friday
August, 2008
9 a.m.
"Huron River Bike Trail Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Friday. Slow-paced ride, 13 miles or more, along the Huron River from Bandemer Park to Parker Mill, along with some alternate routes.
meet at Gallup Park Canoe Livery, 3000 Fuller Rd. (west side of Huron Pkwy.). Free. 663-4498.
6 p.m.
"Dexter DQ Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Friday. Slow-paced 26-mile ride to the Dexter Dairy Queen for a snack.
Abbot School, 2670 Sequoia Pkwy. (off Maple 1 block south of Miller). Free. 662-0205.
8:45-11:45 p.m.
Friday Night Swing:
Ann Arbor Swing Dance Association. Every Friday. Swing dancing to prerecorded music. No partner needed. Bring hard-soled shoes. Preceded at 8 p.m. by beginning lessons.
Dakota Bldg., 1785 W. Stadium. $5 (includes lessons; students, $3). 972-9141.
 Saturday
August, 2008
6:28 a.m.
"Sunrise Saturday Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Saturday. Very slow-paced 22-mile ride to Dexter for breakfast. Begins at sunrise.
(Aug. 2), 6:35 a.m. (Aug. 9). 6:43 a.m. (Aug. 16), 6:50 a.m. (Aug. 23), & 6:57 a.m. (Aug. 30), meet at Wheeler Park, N. Fourth Ave. at Depot St. Free. 665-6327, 913-9851.
7:30 a.m.
Bird Hike:
Hudson Mills Metropark Interpretive Nature Programs. Hudson Mills naturalist Jennifer Hollenbeck leads a morning hike to look for
birds in a variety of habitats and record their locations. Bring binoculars and a
field guide.
Hudson Mills Metropark Activity Center, 8801 North Territorial Rd. (between
Dexter-Pinckney Rd. & Huron River Dr.), Dexter. $2. Preregistration required. $4
vehicle entrance fee. 426-8211.
8 a.m.
"Dexter Breakfast Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Saturday. Beginner-friendly slow-paced (22 miles) and moderate/fast-paced (30 to 80 miles) round-trip rides to the Dexter Bakery. A very popular ride. After the bakery stop, a fast/moderate-paced swim extension ride (40 to 60 miles) continues to Silver Lake for a swim. Also, a slow-paced 8-mile prebreakfast ride to Zingerman's for coffee & conversation leaves 842 Greenhills Drive at 7 a.m., with a noon return. Note: Riders should be prepared to take care of themselves on all AABTS rides. Carry a water bottle, a spare tire or tube, a pump, a cell phone or change for a phone call, and snacks. For a schedule of AABTS rides that begin outside Ann Arbor, see aabts.org.
meet at Wheeler Park, N. Fourth Ave. at Depot St., or at Barton Park, Huron River Dr. Free. For information, call 769-1025 (Aug. 2), 662-0205 (Aug. 9), 761-9894 (Aug. 16), 996-9461 (Aug. 23), 996-4985 (Aug. 30), 971-1065 (swim extension), & 775-1156 (prebreakfast ride).
9 a.m.-noon
"Volunteer Stewardship Workday":
Ann Arbor Parks Department. August 2, 9, & 23 (different locations). All invited to help city parks
natural area preservation staff maintain the natural areas in various city parks.
Wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Followed by short nature walks. Today: help
remove invasive herbaceous plants at Barton Nature Area.
meet in the Barton Dam parking lot on Huron River Dr. at Bird Rd. from Newport
Rd. (Huron River Dr. is under construction between Main and Bird rds.). Free.
996-3266.
Noon.
Draw Doubles:
Local 101 Disc Golf Club. Every Saturday. All invited to play disc golf at one of Hudson Mills Metropark's 24-hole disc golf courses. Beginners are paired with advanced players to create parity. Prizes. Golf discs available free from the Hudson Mills Metropark office.
Hudson Mills Metropark Activity Center, 8801 North Territorial Rd. (between Dexter-Pinckney Rd. & Huron River Dr.), Dexter. $5 per player; free for spectators. $4 vehicle entrance fee. 449-4300.
2-4 p.m.
Ann Arbor Juggling Arts Club. Every Saturday. All invited to practice their juggling skills. Beginners welcome. Indoor location TBA in case of inclement weather.
U-M Diag. Free. 761-1115.
2:30 p.m.
Ultimate Frisbee:
Ann Arbor Ultimate. Every Saturday (tentatively). All invited to join a pickup game of this spirited team sport played with a flying disc. Note: Overly aggressive players are politely asked to leave.
Fuller Field. Free. info@a2ultimate.org
8 p.m.
1st Saturday Contra:
Ann Arbor Community of Traditional Music and Dance. Contras with callers TBA to music by Tom Allen and friends. No partner needed;
all dances taught. Wear cool, casual clothes and flat, smooth-soled shoes for
dancing. Also, a free open jam for string and other musicians, 3-6 p.m.
Pittsfield Grange, 3337 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. (1/2 mile south of I-94). $9
(members, $8; students, $5). 769-1052.
9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Singles Dance:
Parents Without Partners. August 2 & 29. All singles invited for an evening of dancing and socializing. Recorded 70s to contemporary dance music played by DJ John Brown. Cash bar. Smoking allowed in designated areas. Preceded at 8 p.m. by free dance lessons.
Grotto Club, 2070 W. Stadium. $8 (PWP members, $6). 973-1933.
 Sunday
August, 2008
8 a.m.
Marathon Training Run:
Tortoise and Hare. 10- and 20-mile training runs over a well-marked course, with aid stations along the way. Postrun refreshments.
Tortoise and Hare, 2631 Plymouth Rd. Free. 623-9640.
9 a.m.
Wamplers Lake Swim Ride:
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Fast/moderate-paced 80-mile ride to Wamplers Lake for a swim and lunch.
meet at Wheeler Park, N. Fourth Ave. at Depot St. Free. 994-0730.
10 a.m.-noon.
"A Summer Visit to the Beech Trees":
Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. WCPARC naturalist Faye Stoner leads a hike through the preserve.
Kosch-Headwaters Preserve, 3268 N. Prospect Rd., Ypsilanti (1'da4 mile south of Ford Rd.). Free. 971-6337.
10:15 a.m.
Ultimate Frisbee:
H.A.C. Ultimate. Every Sunday. All invited to a very relaxed pickup game of this spirited team sport played with a flying disc. Note: Overly competitive players are politely asked to leave.
Mitchell Field. Free. 846-9418.
1 & 3 p.m.
Sharon Mills Tours:
Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. August 3, 17, & 24. WCPARC naturalist Faye Stoner leads 30-minute tours around this park on the River Raisin that features a newly operational hydroelectric generator, a beautiful multicolored stone house, a wooden mill, and a former winery, plus spots for fishing, canoeing, and picnicking.
Sharon Mills Park, 5701 Sharon Hollow Rd. (between Pleasant Lake & Sharon Valley rds.), Manchester. Free. 971-6337.
1 p.m.
"Kids in Creek Stream Ecology":
Hudson Mills Metropark Interpretive Nature Programs. All kids invited to join Hudson Mills naturalist Jennifer Hollenbeck to collect and
observe some of the large and small inhabitants of the Huron River ecosystem.
Wear boots and be prepared to get your feet wet.
Hudson Mills Metropark Rapid View area, 8801 North Territorial Rd. (between
Dexter-Pinckney Rd. & Huron River. Dr.), Dexter. $2. Preregistration required. $4
vehicle entrance fee. 426-8211.
3 p.m.
Ann Arbor-Motown Hash House Harriers. Every Sunday & occasional Saturdays. The local chapter of an unorthodox running club for people who like to make a game of running. Each runner's task is to follow a trail designed to be confusing. The usual result is that the lead (i.e., fastest) runners run the longest distance, so that runners of varying abilities complete the course in nearly the same time. Each run includes at least one pit stop (with beer & pop hidden along the way) and is followed by a trip to a nearby restaurant.
location TBA. Free. Weekly locations available at a2h3.org.
6-8 p.m.
Ann Arbor Morris Dancers. Every Sunday . All invited to try this boisterous, jingly English ceremonial dance based on the 15th-century Spanish moresca . Wear athletic shoes.
location TBA. In case of rain, under the Dental School overhang, 1011 North University. Free. 747-8138.
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