
Colorful Dragon Boat Head
photo © Kenny Louie

Dragon Boats at Rest
photo © Andrea_44

Lake Phalen Dragon Boat Race
photo © spikenheimer

Australian Dragon Boat Race
photo © asands
Amateur mountain biking is a great way to combine beautiful scenery and fresh air with adrenaline-pumping activity. Why not combine a popular mountain bike race and a much-needed lake vacation? We provide suggestions for an unforgettable vacation. And, even if you don’t want to compete, you can still be an enthusiastic race observer.

Serpent Lake at Cuyuna Lakes
photo © Amy Meredith

Mountain Biking at Lake Tahoe
photo © dhReno
Lake Tahoe, the quintessential four-season lake, is one of North America’s largest and deepest lakes. Straddling the border between California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a favorite of mountain bikers, and the community is actively working toward creating a series of connecting bike trails to circle the 122,000-acre lake. The 2014 Lake Tahoe Mountain Bike Race is scheduled for Saturday, June 21st. Participants can choose either the 4-Hour or the 8-Hour race. Another well-known race held here each year is the Tahoe Trail 100K, a 33-mile loop on Tahoe’s northwestern shore. The 2014 race is scheduled for Saturday, July 19th. Tucked within the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Lake Tahoe is renowned for its incredible beauty and diverse recreational offerings both on and off the water. Come explore both the California and Nevada sides of the lake by water, car, bike, or on foot.

Chillin' at Big Bear Lake
photo © Konrad Summers

Reflections at Mammoth Lakes
photo © Frank Kovalchek
So, pack up the mountain bike (or rent one at your destination) and enjoy some wind in your hair and water between your toes. Mountain biking around the lake will make for one of your most memorable vacations ever.
Soon after the two-wheeled bicycle became the standard for transportation available to the masses, bike racing became a popular sport. Organized bicycle racing began in 1868 and has grown in popularity ever since. Now a recognized division of the Summer Olympics and coming to widespread appreciation with such popular European events as the Tour de France, professional-class cycle racing continues to grow both in terms of events and spectators. Adding to the appeal are the scenic backdrops against which well-trained, dedicated athletes display their prowess. Some of the most popular races feature lakes around the world. These events become the perfect venue for enjoying a lake-based vacation while cheering your favorite cycling hero.

Tour De Singkarak 2012
photo © Doni Ismanto

Dal Lake Houseboat
photo © Basharat Alam Shah

<BRTour of Utah 2013
photo © nuestrociclismo.com

Cascade Cycling Classic 2011
photo © Jerrad Miller

Fox River Autumn
photo © anneh632
Although the Fox Chain O’Lakes and the Fox Waterway extend across 118 miles of Illinois wetland and prairie, there is another part of the Fox River to the north in Wisconsin. Sometimes confused with the better-known Fox River of northern Wisconsin which flows into Green Bay, the Wisconsin-Illinois Fox River actually begins near Menomonee Falls, west of Milwaukee. The Wisconsin portion of the Fox River meanders for 84 miles through lakes, across dams and a 1,132-acre reservoir called Tichigan Lake before it reaches the Illinois state line and widens into the famous Fox Chain O’ Lakes. Tichigan Lake and the adjacent Fox River offer over 1,200 acres of water and are two of the busiest waterways in southern Wisconsin. The rest of the Wisconsin Fox is a favorite among kayakers and canoeists, with several wildlife refuges and natural areas protecting the shoreline. The Wisconsin Fox River is a destination in its own right worthy of a look-see. The Wisconsin portion travels through several popular residential lakes in Southern Wisconsin before crossing the state line and entering 1,360-acre Grass Lake.

Aerial View of Fox Chain O'Lakes
photo © dsearls
The Fox Chain O’Lakes area offers everything a weekend visitor could want; many vacation lodgings, water-accessible restaurants and marinas dot the shorelines of the biggest lakes. The 2,794-acre Chain O’ Lakes State Park and adjoining 32,320-acre conservation area give boaters and campers access to 488 miles of shoreline on the Chain. Hiking trails, mountain-bike trails and nature paths offer something for every visitor. The park even offers equestrian campsites and horse-friendly trails. The area is dotted with rare bogs holding endangered plants and a large number of birds. Fishing is excellent on the Chain, with certain lakes being better known for fishing than for boating. Walleye, white bass, perch, channel catfish, crappie, northern pike and bass can all be caught just a short distance from one of the numerous public boat launch sites. All boating permits and regulations are available at the Fox Waterway Agency office on Pistakee Lake. Their waterway maps are a must as the maze of waterways and channels can confuse the most experienced boater. Many of their maps and services are available on their webpage, and some permits can be purchased online.

Fox River Fishing
photo © James Jordan

Jumping Silver Carp
photo © USGS
The Great Lakes Commission’s analysis concludes that preventing just one invasive species from entering the Great Lakes watershed could save as much a $5 billion over a 30-year period. Already 10 species have been identified that are poised to enter the watershed from the Mississippi River if they are not divided. Also at stake are the environmental health of the world’s largest fresh water supply and the $7 billion in economic benefits provided by the sport fishing industry on the Great Lakes. The possible impact on tourism dollars hasn’t been calculated. Three possible configurations of barriers were considered in the analysis to prevent the entry of Asian carp and other invasive species, improve wastewater treatment, and still allow commercial and leisure use of the waterways. The three alternatives studied were:
•a down-river single barrier between the confluence of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Cal-Sag Channel and the Lockport Lock
•a mid-system series of four barriers on the Chicago Area Waterways System branches between Lockport and Lake Michigan
•the near-lake alternative of up to five barriers near the lakeshore

Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal, Lockport Lock & Dam
photo © Army Corps of Engineers
A study now being performed by the Army Corps of Engineers is not due to be completed until 2015. Some interested observers say that the administration prefers to wait until the report is finalized before taking decisive action. Meanwhile, the Asian carp are moving north, breeding at a prolific rate and impacting fisheries everywhere they can reach. The Chicago-area waterway is not the only way this unwelcome fish can enter the Great Lakes: some river systems in the Midwest, such as the Wabash and the Maumee, are only separated by wetlands subject to flooding. The Maumee River, emptying into Lake Erie, is feared to be excellent prospective Asian carp spawning grounds if the carp can get to it. In Indiana, crews have finished installing a fence nearly 1,200 feet long and 8 feet high designed to prevent adult carp from using a northeastern Indiana marsh to swim from the Wabash River system into the Maumee River and then on to Lake Erie during floods. Similar to the efforts in Indiana, a 13-mile steel mesh fence splitting the narrow strip of land between the Des Plaines River and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal has been completed to keep the Asian carp from passing between the river and the shipping canal during heavy rains. Other possible entry points are being assessed and projects planned to prevent the spread of these voracious feeders. Asian carp have been caught on Mississippi and Missouri tributaries as far north as Minnesota and South Dakota where the problem is also being assessed.

Bighead Carp Infestation Map
photo © USGS
The North American effort to halt the northward march of these fish has caught the interest of large numbers of Chinese internet users, where they are endangered and considered a desirable food fish. Schemes to harvest the carp, considered a delicacy by many Asian cultures, have not been very successful as it is now illegal to ship live Asian carp across state lines. Markets catering to Asian clientele are often far removed from the source of the fish, and their patrons prefer live fish for purchase. Areas in the Mississippi delta regions where the carp were previously raised for sale have been stuck with ponds full of the now-unmarketable fish. Some have resorted to selling the dead fish as fertilizer. Efforts at developing a commercial cannery operation have thus far not been very successful due to lack of adequate facilities for processing. Although the mildly-flavored fish is considered a good source of protein, the bony carp are hard to filet and traditionally unpopular in the United States as home-prepared fare. Some deep-south chefs have offered schemes to prepare mechanically-deboned fish for domestic markets as fish sticks and filets but are unable to proceed to profitability of scale due to financing. Some have explored the feasibility of shipping the live fish to Asia, where they are considered a preferred species and are declining due to overfishing and polluted waterways.

Silver Carp Infestation Map
photo © USGS