One Week to PALM!!!

Good morning fellow PALM friends,

I can’t believe we are but a week away from PALM 2026! I would like to take a moment to welcome all of you to this year’s adventure. Attached are videos explaining what to expect when you arrive at 7:30 am in Oscoda to start your journey or after 12 noon in Pentwater and a typical day on PALM. Parking in Pentwater is not all located at the school. Please be sure to follow the signage and map to ensure that everyone is parked in the correct location for the overnight and week long term parking.

Find your perfect overnight camping spot and pitch your tent. CPAP users can find the designated CPAP camping area for access to power squids (please use the power for only CPAPs). If using the Comfy Campers tenting service, check in at their awning/tents for the night. RV/camper parking is available on the road in front of the school. Note that campers cannot be plugged into the school, though generators are allowed but must be turned off during quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM.

Registration check-in will be from 3-5 pm arranged by rider bib numbers. All participants must have a signed waiver to check-in; blank waivers will be available on site. If traveling with a minor without a parent or guardian, their waiver must be signed by a parent beforehand. After check-in, dinner is on your own. The first nightly meeting is at 7:30 pm for riders and volunteers to find dinner in Pentwater, with subsequent meetings at 7 pm for the rest of the week. Check-in will reopen for an hour after the Saturday meeting and again from 7:30-8:30 am on Sunday. Note that it is not a water bottle gift year, so please bring your own from home.

As we prepare for the week, remember that Michigan’s weather is unpredictable, so pack accordingly. A suggested packing list is available on our website (All About PALM section). To keep your clothing dry in case of rain, use plastic baggies for packing (wet tents in the trucks can get everything wet). Ensure bags weigh 40 pounds or less and are manageable by one person. Don’t forget to bring cash in small bills for tips, bike shops, and some stores along the route. As an early childhood educator, I enjoy spirit week (during the ride and/or at camp), and here are the daily themes: Nature Made Sunday (nature-inspired shirt/jersey), Make a Joke Monday (shirt/jersey with funny sayings), Talk About It Tuesday (wear something representing an organization), Wear It Wednesday (previous PALM gear), Theatrical Thursday (be creative!), and Friday is for PALM 2026 shirts and parade gear.

Don’t forget your helmet! Helmets MUST be worn by all riders at all times while on your bike, including in school parking lots. Riders may be asked to leave the ride for helmet violations, as this can void our ride insurance coverage.

✨✨ This year, we will have a share table. Bring clean, good-condition bicycling clothing to offer to other riders. ✨✨

For those riding the bus from Oscoda, please arrive by 7:30am to start loading bicycles before the busses arrive. Riders must remove pedals (wrenches available), computers, bags, water bottles, and other removable items. Ebike batteries should remain on the bike and not be loaded under the bus due to fire hazards. Once the busses arrive, load your luggage beneath the bus and board. Get comfy and enjoy your ride to Pentwater.

I look forward to riding the northern route with all of you! These routes are my favorite, and with them come more hills. As Gene says, hills build character, and I can’t wait to build character together this year.

See you Saturday,

Jess Rasmussen (@JessRasmussen-bikemom on YouTube)

2026 PALM Chair