DALMAC
Dick Allen's Lansing to MACkinac bike ride
a tour of the Tri-County Bicycle Association, Lansing, Michigan
DALMAC stands for Dick Allen's Lansing to MACkinac bike tour.
There are several different routes taken, mainly because as you go further north in Michigan, there are no places big enough to host all 1,800 riders or so in one place, and because it provides for a variety of different needs for different riders.
The routes seem to vary from year to year, depending on the number of volunteers available and other factors. But usually there is one or two 5 day routes, two 4 day routes, and a Quad Century (4 day) route. Twice there has been a Quint Century route, celebrating the 25th and 30th year of DALMAC.
All routes converge on Mackinac City on the Sunday before Labor Day and have the option of riding the bicycle across the Mackinac bridge to St. Ignace.
Nina and her recumbent by our tent at Houghton Lake High School, 2nd day out in
2002.
Goodie table in Gaylord on 3rd day out, 2002.
This year (2005) I had one of my best years ever, riding the 4 day East route on my tandem with my daughter, Dolly. This was her first DALMAC, and on the last day we did the century option. Although we took several breaks along the way, our actual riding time was just under 6 hours.