Winter may be quieter for visitors to Belle Isle, but it holds special majesty for many who revel in its arctic breezes.
Whether the weather is fine or frigid, Detroit’s island paradise is open to all. Once you move out of home and hearth, you’ll see its historic sites and vast out-of-doors vistas.
Tour the grand buildings such as the Casino, Belle Isle Aquarium, one of the world’s oldest, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, where tropical plants abound, the Belle Isle Nature Zoo, the Dossin Museum, and the U.S. Coast Guard Station.
For more sporting types, dress warmly and head out to join all the people sporting caps, warm gloves or heavy coats as they walk, run or bike around the island.
Some people hardly miss a day all year, says Jacob Brown, unit supervisor of Belle Isle Park for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Among the ardent exercisers is Tish Davenport-Ezell, 58, who runs nearly every weekend on Belle Isle as long as there isn’t ice on the pavement.
“I can get long miles on the island. I run the bridge, cut off at the beach area, back out to the Canadian side, do the bridge again and have my 10 miles,” Davenport-Ezell says. “I’m good with winter.”
What follows her 10-mile run?
“Lap swim,” says Davenport-Ezell, who said she limits her swims to the indoor pool during winter months (no coast guard search of the Detroit River required).
When you are dressed right, the weather doesn’t matter, she says. If people think they need big puffer coats as wide as the Michelin man, she begs to differ. Suiting up with enough layers made of moisture-wicking fabric keeps the body comfortable at a healthy temperature.
“The body heats up once you get moving,” she says. Experts say that makes the heart work harder to distribute blood, which make the heart muscle grow stronger so it can perform better in all situations.
Davenport-Ezell is a veteran of 18 full marathons and 20 half marathons. She hopes to run a race in all 50 states and tackle a long run in seven continents.
Jeff Spakowski, 52, bicycles Belle Isle several times a month. In winter he has a sense of open space. Congestion is at a minimum. Even the cars wave at the runners and cyclists knowing they share a special enjoyment of winter when their fair weather friends are bundled up near the fireplace.
“I love cycling the Canadian side of the island. I can see the last apartment my grandparents had in Windsor. Then I go around and see the marvelous Detroit skyscrapers,” says Spakowski, who is part of the Bike Belle Isle group that travels all over the city on two wheels. He rides a Trek hybrid that keeps him stable both on and off the road.
The downside is making friends in winter. On chilly days people seldom stop for a chat. People hunker down to stay warm. “Your face is covered with a mask, you are bundled up with layers to control temperature, so you don’t look as familiar to others,” he says.
The island offers a whole host of activities for winter fun. The Riverside Kayak Connection at the Flynn pavilion offers snowshoeing. Next year it will rent ice skates, but for now people come out and play “drop-in” hockey or figure skate when weather permits.
Other people cross-country ski the back trails, but Brown warns it isn’t groomed. It’s still fun for the adventurous skier.
The Detroit Boat Club has hours for public rowing at a fee. Rowing can work the legs, core strength, heart and upper body.
The Belle Isle Nature Center is open Wednesday – Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and has short trails families can walk. Experts say you burn more calories exercising out-of-doors because your body works harder to regulate its core temperature.
Some people do single and double loops, others just walk around Scott Fountain.
The best reward is to work out then visit one of the wonderful venues on the island to warm up. The Conservatory is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. and the Belle Isle Aquarium hours are Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. till 4 p.m.
“I take myself to Starbucks at Mack and Woodward after my workout. This is my reward for maintaining my exercise schedule,” says Davenport-Ezell. She also buys presents for the homeless people she meets along her routes. They look out for her and keep her safe.
For more information on what to do on Belle Isle visit: belleisleconservancy.org
Photos by Paul Engstrom
WINTER ACTIVITY TIPS
TheHUB asked the health experts over at Health Alliance Plan (HAP) about their suggestions on how to stay safe while exercising in the winter.
We got plenty of tips from its Director of Wellness & Community Programs Tom Spring.
This certified clinical exercise and health fitness specialist and cardiac rehabilitation fellow knows a lot about winter exercise. When he’s not attending HAP-sponsored winter events, he often can be found enjoying outdoor activities on his own.
One of his favorite recommendations for winter activity is walking.
“Walking doesn’t require expensive equipment and only requires a good pair weather-appropriate shoes and clothing that can stand up to chilly temperatures,” he says. “Beginners should start by walking 10 to 15 minutes daily and then work to add time each week. They can even use free apps like Google Fit or gadgets like a Fit Bit to monitor their steps.”
He also recommends mixing up activities and trying something new like ice skating or skiing. Many area parks offer free or low cost rental equipment that make it easy to try out a new activity.
Among his other tips:
Stay warm. You need the right gear to avoid hypothermia (lowering body temperature) and frost bite. Remember heat can escape from any exposed part of your body and make it harder to control body temperature. So keep your head, feet, hands, ears and other extremities dry and warm. It is the best defense against the cold.
Stay hydrated. If you’re exercising for more than 20 or 30 minutes and feel thirsty at all, that’s the first sign of dehydration. Get out the water or other sports drinks.
Heed winter warnings. Pay attention to warnings and using your best judgement when temperatures dip below zero or windy and extreme icy conditions occur. This type of weather may lead to unsafe situations on lakes and ponds, which can result in accidents. Go to the gym on days like this.
Listen to your body. Take a break when you feel you’ve overdone it or are overheated. That’s particularly important when shoveling snow. Shoveling heavy wet snow creates overexertion very quickly. When combined with cold air and poor fitness levels that may lead to heart attacks or a stroke. If you are at risk for heart disease, with hypertension or pre-existing heart conditions, get someone to help you. It you are the one doing the shoveling be sure lift with your knees and not with your back. Remember to push forward rather than throwing the snow over your shoulder to avoid straining and twisting.
Warm-up to Winter: Outdoor activities abound on Detroit’s Belle Isle added by Maureen McDonald on
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