Way Back Machine - The riots and painting

The way back machine today takes us back to July of 1967 when young Tim was just a bump in the belly of his mother. As I was not alive yet, my sources for this story are the many family members who have told various versions of it over the years so here goes.

As has been written about extensively in the papers recently, the Detroit riots occurred in late July of 1967, the 50th (don't want to call it an anniversary) year since this week. This is not a story about 12th and Clairmount though; my story takes place in Farmington, Michigan when Hugo, Donna, Colleen and Dan moved there from Nankin ("don't call it Westland" as my dad would say) Township prior to this scribes arrival in November. The riots were in full mode and young Hugo was painting a room. And what is a requirement for painting? A cold beer. One hiccup in getting said beer for Hugo was that all the beer stores in the city and burbs were closed due to the riots. The man would not be denied and drove to Ohio to purchase said beer, came back and finished his paint job.  

Outstanding perseverance Dad!

Trail Head

Tree Farm Relay - a different kind of race

I've witnessed a handful of mountain bike races this year but got to come face to face with (and patrol) the race experience like none other yesterday; the Tree Farm Relay in Novi. Each team has four riders (some co-ed divisions) and each rider has to do roughly a 10 mile loop. The race starts with the riders atop a 40 or so yard hill with their bicycles at the bottom. The race starts and the riders run down the hill to their bicycles and as noted below, not all the riders make the run down the hill clean; rider down!!!! The 10 mile loop yesterday was unfortunately completed with a bit of rain and some heat in the area so yours truly lost some serious poundage looking for down riders (a few injuries reported but nothing major). The post event jump in the lake was quite refreshing.

Seems like your normal race, however, there is a costume contest with said costume wearers (pictures below) riding in the race. There is nothing like seeing Wonder Woman on a fat tire through the woods!

Another nugget to the festivities is an area of the trail called "The Crater." It literally is a big hole and can be quite a challenge to ride down for inexperienced riders. Needless to say, we patrolled that area quite a bit during the day. Manning the crater and cheering (read: heckling) the riders was what looked like the reincarnation of wrestler George "The Animal" Steele. You have to see the picture at the bottom to see and I'm not sure that does the scene justice.  

A great event by the MCMBA; happy to be a part of it.

Trail Head

start is a downhill run to your bicycles at the bottom of the hill

rider down on the hill!!!

 

team Don Cherry

chairman of "The Crater" 

The Crater

Potawatomi Trail - Sometimes we fall...

Yep, sometimes we do and yesterday I did on the Potawatomi Trail at Pinckney Recreation Area! Joining me on the loop were the father/son duo of Eddie and Nick P.. Nick was making his first pedal on this beautiful, yet challenging trail. 

A 16-18 mile loop that has you up and down, over bridges around some crystal clear inland lakes with hills that will have you cussing but relief enough after said cussing to catch your breath on some coasts. Nick took a shot to the lungs early on the ride while doing a face plant right around mile five. A few scrapes but he was a trooper and rode on. Not to be outdone, right around mile 11, yours truly was pedaling grandma speed, looked at something in the woods (shiny object - ha) while a log grabbed my front tire and over the handlebars, super slow motion, Patroller Tim went (setting a great example, eh?). Ed was fortunate enough to see the show. Skin loss aside (SERIOUS skin loss), bike and body survived to pedal on and complete the beautiful journey.

Trail Head        

Nick P.

Eddie

Ruby Ride

Eddie P. at Ruby

The bike tour headed east (wayyyyyyyyy east) yesterday to the town/township of Ruby (or Kenockee or Avoca; not exactly sure but about 10 miles NW of Port Huron) to pedal what turned out to be a little jewel in the middle of the corn fields; the Ruby Campground. 

East sider Eddie P. joined me on the terrain and was a big help in trying to decide when to go left or right as one downside of the trail is that it wasn't marked very well. The other downside (maybe not a downside depending on if you like to walk in water) is there are two creek crossings that interact with the trail. The crossings are not bridge covered; you are literally walking across the water to meet the trail on the other side. The distance across was about 20 feet with two feet or so of water depth. Rocks lined the creek bed. I took the shoes off and was ready to cross but rationalized (love a good rationalization) that although it was slim chance I would fall in, I had a cell phone and camera in my pack that I wasn't in the mood to replace so no water interaction on this beautiful summer day. 

Lack of signage and water cross crying aside, the trail was beautiful with some outstanding forest views and ledge/ridge coasts.

Right on Ruby.

Trail Head 

Girl Power

A shout out today to Jill C. who caught the attached monster fish last Friday evening at Lake ***** right off of north Route ***** (Did you really think I was going to give you the lake information????). Here nor there, Jill's co-captain/husband Roger said it was his best net assistance since the bass run on Oxbow Lake back in '76.
Fish On Wonder Woman!
Trail Head

Challenge On!

Who doesn't love a challenge besides when your friends dare you to 'beer bong' some jungle juice or to jump a very large fire pit the week before your wedding? 

No, I wasn't the moron who gulped down 40 ounces of colored booze in a matter of 10 seconds; and subsequently had their stomach pumped by the paramedics...or the one who had to try and not limp down the aisle as the fire pit jump fell short. This challenge (https://www.bikereg.com/michigan-tri-chapter-ultimate-trail-challenge) involves pedaling 34 different mountain bike trails in the metropolitan area; and I'm ready for the attempt to hit them all!

A group ride Saturday crossed off two from the list at the bottom of this post as we first ventured down to Adrian, Michigan to pedal Heritage Park. A thank you to the Potowatomi MBA Chapter for being our trail guides as while the trail was marked clearly (and was quite enjoyable), it had four different loops that could easily have the newbie rider not getting their money's worth. Besides one flat tire by a rider, nothing to report for this patroller.

The second loop Saturday was at Sharon Mills in Manchester. It is on the Challenge list and needed to be pedaled, however, it will be my last time riding it as it was more or less a mowed opening in a hay field. Maybe a nice place for a jog but no fun on a bicycle.

East side, Clinton River Area trails, here I come!
Challenge on.

Trail Head

Heritage Park - Adrian, MI

Heritage Park - Adrian, MI 

Heritage Park - Adrian, MI

Heritage Park - Adrian, MI

Heritage Park - Adrian, MI

Heritage Park - Adrian, MI

Tri-Chapter Challenge Trail List

Motor City MBA Chapter
Hickory Glen Park (Commerce Township)
Highland Recreation Area (Highland Township)
Hines Park (Plymouth Township)
Island Lake Recreation Area (Brighton)
Kensington to Proud Lake Connector (Milford Township)
Lakeshore Park (Novi)
Maybury State Park (Northville)
Milford Trail (Milford)
Munson Park (Monroe)
Proud Lake Recreation Area (Commerce Township)
Rouge Park (Detroit)

Potowatomi MBA Chapter
Brighton (Brighton)
DTE Energy Foundation Trail (Chelsea)
Heritage Park (Adrian)
Hewen’s Creek (Ypsilanti)
Morton – Taylor (Canton)
Olson Park (Ann Arbor)
Potawatomi (Pinckney)
Rolling Hills (Ypsilanti)
Sharon Mills (Manchester)

Clinton River Area MBA Chapter
Addison Oaks County Park (Leonard)
Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Lake Orion)
Bloomer Park (Rochester Hills)
Clinton River Park Trails (Sterling Heights)
Holly-Holdridge Mountain Bike Trail (Holly)
Holly High School (Holly)
Orion Oaks County Park (Lake Orion)
Ortonville Recreation Area (Ortonville)
Pontiac Lake Recreation Area (Waterford)
River Bends Park (Shelby Township)
Ruby Campground (Avoca)
Seven Lakes State Park (Holly)
Stony Creek Metropark (Shelby Township)
Optional - Stony Creek Trolley Trails and Skills Park (Shelby Township)