Bikelicious Manitowoc: The potential for the small dense Midwest US town

Every winter, my husband and I visit his parents along the shore of Lake Michigan in the charming town of Manitowoc, Wisconsin—arguably one of the most American Apple Pie of states. Manitowoc is a bicycle haven waiting to emerge.  

At a coffee shop, we were watching adults with young children wrangling their wiggly bodies into cars and car seats to “keep them safe.”  We mused, Wouldn’t it be great if they had e-cargo bikes instead?”  Many might dismiss this as “city-slicker thinking.” But to them, we respond: look at Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, and Paris. 

These aren’t just picturesque tourist spots for selfies. They are cities with deep histories of cooperation and, civic pride, where people of all genders and ages bike to work, school, and for leisure.  

Do you still doubt Manitowoc’s potential as a biking hub?

My father-in-law, a professor emeritus and former ornithologist at the University of Wisconsin, commuted by  bike for 35 years from his home along the lake to the UW Manitowoc campus. He and I bonded over our shared love of bicycling and my first name, Lark, which only my parents and in-laws use. He also happens to hold the record for the longest-running bird survey in North America. When we first met, he said, “Your name is great!” Later, my husband showed him a photo of me from Zion National Park in Utah, where a hummingbird mistook my red fingernails for flowers. That moment earned me a permanent spot in his good graces.  

All I Want for Christmas Is a Bike Lane on Bloomfield Avenue

Since moving to New Jersey, I’ve dreamed of effortlessly using my bicycle to get around. I live in a central location—walking distance from NJ Transit heavy rail, which gets me to Midtown Manhattan in 20 minutes (faster than finding parking in Los Angeles, I might add). The light

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One of our dreams is to organize a slow bike ride along Manitowoc’s 13-mile shoreline trail to celebrate cycling and showcase the beach’s natural beauty.  

We want to introduce the U.S. and the world to this hidden gem and prove that bicycle commuting isn’t just for coastal cities. Urban life can take many forms. It doesn’t have to look like New York or LA; it can look like Manitowoc—or, as we could  call it, New Muenster.  

So, who will join us? Brompton, Clip, VELA? We’re ready to start.