TART Super Bikers

Local cyclists Kate White and Wes Sovis share the joys of getting out on two wheels

By Ellen Miller | May 24, 2025

For those who love being outdoors (and during Traverse City’s beautiful and fleeting spring, who doesn’t?), the TART Trails are a well-known community asset. This local network includes several multi-use trails in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, as well as a cross-town bike route. From the Boardman Lake Loop to the Leelanau Trail, TART offers opportunities for recreation as well as safe and easy bike commute pathways.

While the TART Trails aren’t exclusively for use by cyclists (many walk the trails too!), cyclists are some of the biggest advocates and users of the system. We chatted with two of them, Kate White and Wes Sovis, to learn more about their favorite systems, gear recommendations, and advice for newbies to trail riding.

Cycling = Community

Kate White has been biking since she could walk. A Traverse City local, White would ride around the neighborhood and woods surrounding Holiday Hills, where she grew up.

“I’m passionate about cycling because it gives you a different perspective on the world,” says White. “It gives you a freedom and confidence that you don’t have in a car. You see things that you would never have seen, and you feel things you’d never feel when you’re in a car. It’s a different perspective on life.”

When she moved back to Traverse City after college, she joined some cycling organizations, including the Cherry Capital Cycling Club, where she served briefly on the board as the alternative transportation director.

“Somewhere along the way I got more into mountain biking than road riding,” says White. “I also still ride a lot for transportation.”

White has been on a couple of different race teams over the years and currently serves on the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association (NMMBA) board. The organization is 100 percent volunteer and advocates for the trail system, including building and maintaining trails.

“I live downtown and I like to ride out to the VASA single track,” says White. “There are 15 miles and an unmarked trail system; it’s over 100 miles. It’s really a ‘choose your own adventure’ where you can weave together a different ride with the dirt roads. Riding out on the TART and connecting up to the woods, you can have a different route every time.”

White says you don’t need much beyond your trusted bike—“dependable and mechanically sound”—to get started cycling. She recommends carrying a flat kit, and says a good fender can be the difference between an uncomfortable ride and an enjoyable ride, as it can keep you dry in damp conditions.

Beyond the basics (gloves, helmet, glasses), “I love a good vest with some pockets in the shoulder season,” she enthuses. “Having things that are versatile is great; it’s got enough pockets to carry snacks and I can take it off in 10 minutes if I’m overheating.”

For those newer to the sport, White advises looking into local bike groups and talking to your local bike shop, who can help you find a group of people at your comfort level to ride with. “Anyone who rides a bike is a cyclist,” she stresses. “You don’t have to have a certain level of fitness or a certain skillset. If you are on a bike pedaling, you are a cyclist.”

A single mom, White finds new joys in sharing cycling with her son, who started in Norte Youth Cycling’s original balance bike group; he’s now almost 12 years old and on Norte’s race team.

“For my son and I, it’s just the two of us. The bike community is our family. In Traverse City it’s still small enough that we can foster that sense of community through this sport and recreation,” she says.

Several local groups offer weekly rides; White says to pick one that works for your schedule and keep going. She reels off the “four cycling pillars of the community” in Traverse City: NMMBA, TART, Cherry Capital Cycling Club, and Norte.

Also, she encourages others to consider volunteering. “You’re doing something for your community, you’re going to feel good about it, you’ll meet people and opportunities will come up,” she says. “In general I feel like cycling is better from a holistic view. Yes, one of the main components is fitness, but another is community. Get involved in trail work and advocacy. If you participate, your cycling experience will improve and your sense of belonging will increase. It’s not just you, it’s a whole community.”

How Lucky We Are

Wes Sovis also grew up in Traverse City and got started riding young, too. “When I was like four, we lived on Ninth Street with my dad and we rode everywhere,” he recalls. “If you were going to the beach, you rode your bike. If you went to get ice cream, you rode your bike. It started that interest of riding bikes, which grew into mountain biking...”

When Sovis moved back to Traverse City after college, he lived downtown again, relying on his bike to commute. “Now with all the construction and traffic, it’s way faster to ride a bike and also way more fun,” he says. “It’s the perfect way to destress from your day. Riding down the TART Trail by West Bay on a sunny day… yeah, the perfect way to destress. I get home a happier, healthier person by riding my bike around.”

Sovis, who owns a number of bikes, considers himself an e-bike convert. “When they first came out I was skeptical; I thought, ‘just pedal!’ Now, it’s far and away my favorite bike. I can get to where I want to go without being absolutely disgusting,” he says with a laugh. “It just makes it so much better.”

Between April 1 and October 31, Sovis is on the TART near daily, either running or riding his bike.

“I absolutely love that stretch [currently under construction] between Clinch Park to Tom’s West Bay… that’s the coolest thing,” he says. “Where else do you get to ride by water? When I have friends up from downstate who ride bikes come visit and we ride over to Leelanau County, they are just flabbergasted that there’s a protected trail off the road and you can just cruise it. We kind of forget how lucky we are.”

Sovis touts the accessibility of getting around, even in a rural area, thanks to TART and other trails. “Back when I started riding, we would ride to Suttons Bay all the time,” he reflects. “Now that it’s paved, it’s so much more accessible to people who are new to cycling.”

Sovis references a quote about how “bikes are fast enough to get you there but slow enough to enjoy the view… I think that’s pretty apt.” When riding around, Sovis is more likely to notice that a neighbor is moving or to stop and say hi to a dog. “If you want to see your community, it’s really hard to do it in a car,” he adds. “If you want to see people, run into people, and see what’s going on in your community, get on a bike.”

Part of that community spirit is giving back. Sovis, who previously worked for Norte, has been coaching with Norte since 2016.

“Adventure Bike Club is the most rewarding three hours of my week,” he says. “You get a bunch of awesome second graders from all over. Darrow Park is the start and finish, and we have kids from different schools, kids who are homeschooled, and we teach them how to ride safely and about basic bike maintenance. Last practice I blew their minds when I taught them how to put their chain back on. It’s really cool, you just see their confidence grow,” he reflects.

Even though the trails have grown and changed since his youth, Sovis can’t imagine northern Michigan without them.

“Just think how different our area would be, specifically Traverse City if we didn’t have TART. The Boardman Lake Trail, that’s the coolest thing, the TART along the water… Our town would look a lot different and be a lot less active if we didn’t have TART trails,” he says.

“TART is for everybody,” Sovis concludes. “Old, young, people riding for fun, people commuting for work… You want to see the diversity of our community, it’s on full display on the TART.”