Parking Fee at Sterling State Park

This year's PALM ends in Monroe. The last time PALM ended in Monroe the end site was Monroe Community College. It was nice, there was plenty of parking, but it was about 15 miles from Lake Erie with no easy way to get there. We had our usual parade but it circled around campus. We like to go from Lake Michigan in the west to water in the east. Most of the time the optional route on Saturday takes you to Lake Michigan so that you can dip in your tire at the start. Generally the end site is within easy biking distance from whatever water there is so that you can dip you tire at the end. (Last year the water was the St. Clair River. It was beautiful but you would have had to tie your bike to a long rope and lower it over the sea wall to be able to dip your tire.)

Monroe also has a State Park, Sterling State Park. It's this year's end site for PALM. It's been newly refurbished, is the only State Park that has access to Lake Erie, and is big enough to have a parade in it. However it is a State Park and Michigan is in a budget crunch. Cars have to pay an entry fee: $6 for residents (ie cars with Michigan plates), $8 for non residents. So whoever picks you up will have to pay to do it. If you are planning to take the bus to New Buffalo on June 21 so that your car will be there at the end of the ride, you will need to pay for weeklong parking. Specifically you will need a annual MVP: $24 for residents, $29 for non residents, and $6 for senior (65 and over) residents. This will allow you access to all of Michigan's State Parks for 2008. That will be good for me. I live in Michigan and plan to take the bus to the start. It's not so good for non resident riders. See here for the official State Park fee information.

One way to avoid this parking fee is park at the start site in New Buffalo and take the bus back there on June 27 at the end of the ride. There is no parking fee but the buses get back to New Buffalo at about 6:30 and you will still have to drive home. For me the prospect of having to drive back home in SE Michigan starting at 6:30 after a week of bicycling is too daunting.