Bike Tour heads north, trying out the helmet cam, and the service industry still exists

The tour headed north this past week to...pedal some more! The fun started on Sunday the 20th at the Short's Glacial Hills Challenge in Bellaire. One of my favorite trails, the 11 mile (22 for the experts) race loop had some hills but no ball breaking ones and some beautiful views. I got caught a bit with some day dreaming while enjoying said views but am pretty happy with my 6th place finish in my age group. A few "wo-wo" call outs but no falls and the bicycle performed like a 6th place champ!

Short's Glacia Hills Challenge - start line

The tour left the Dave/Judy Lake Skegemog palace (big thanks for the lodging, as always!) Monday morning to the top of the U.P. for some Copper Harbor riding. I took the scenic route in getting there and recreated the U.P. bicycle ride Gus and I embarked on in the early 1990's; the Mackinac Bridge to the Keweenaw Peninsula. It sure is easier in a vehicle but the saddlebag pedal was just as enjoyable looking back on the ride. One road back in the 90's that wasn't enjoyable on the ride was County Road H58, or 'Hell Road 58' as I called it during that trip. Out of Grand Marais into Munising, it was 40 miles of part dirt road and part sand dune road. To make matters even better, Gus' derailleur fell apart about half way to Munising. More on said derailleur later in this post but we somehow put it back together so the bike could function and the tour pedaled west. So that is the evolution of Hell Road 58's nickname.

Fast forward 20-something years and Hell Road 58 is now paved (before and after pic below) and one of the most beautiful drives out there. Hell is now heaven!

County Rd H58 - 1990-something

County Rd H58 - present day

Tuesday came and to the top of the U.P. the tour went to pedal the Copper Harbor trail system. Gus and I had ridden the trails there about 10 years ago but missed a good portion of the entire trail network. A local company drives riders up Brockway Mountain or over to Keweenaw Mountain Lodge to meet the trails for a small fee or riders can pedal up (it is a climb) to pedal down. 

I had them drop me off at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and my ride started off fine until I took a wrong turn, backtracked for a bit and then my derailleur exploded!!!! Dragging a disabled bicycle through the woods with no cell phone coverage; not the vision I had when I planned the trip. Life wouldn't be any fun without a few kicks in the ass so no pity parties for this rider. Looking at the glass half full though, I was thankfully not too far from US41 and a lady at the lodge called the service to pick my sorry ass up. The local bicycle shop didn't have the part I needed but I was not going to leave the area without some more riding so I rented a bike and had them take me up Brockway Mountain for a pedal down 'The Flow.' That trail intersects with a double black diamond (expert rating) trail called 'Overflow' that has the noted jump below looking off onto Lake Superior. I am an experienced rider but this was one serious jump; almost Fonzie-like in the distance you needed to clear for a safe landing. No, I did not try it.

I made a new purchase for the trip to try out so below you will see some links to my new helmet cam. My hair got in the way a bit but it gives a good perspective on the ride; and just how crazy this ramp is live!! 

Copper Harbor - "Overflow"

Copper Harbor - "Overflow"

Copper Harbor - holy shit ramp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnapCAi1ciQ

Copper Harbor - the flow - mid way down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XdbDhFqCs8

Copper Harbor - final descent to the road

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsYGIt1oVB0

The Copper Harbor pedal was enjoyable but I still had a disabled bicycle with the Marquette Noquemanon Trail Network still to hit on Wednesday. There was only one bicycle shop I was going to consider when I arrived in Marquette late Tuesday afternoon, Quick Stop Bike Shop. Queuing the way back machine to the early 1990's when the previously mentioned derailleur for Gus was on life support, it was Quick Stop in Marquette who came to the rescue as they dropped everything and fixed his bike. While most of the current employees probably were in diapers or not even born yet at that time, Quick Stop came to the rescue again this past week as my bike was ready to go Wednesday morning. There is still great service in this world! 

The Marquette Trails had something for every type of rider; easy flowing to "you have got to be fu##ing kidding me" which the 'Flow' trail should be called. My favorite of the helmet cam videos below is the 'Down Dogger' trail. You have to pedal up a bit to get to the beginning but it is worth it. The other videos give a good perspective as well; even one of me falling. 

In the "its a small world" category, I was speaking to a rider with Ontario plates and it turns out she was from Kingsville where we used have our cottage. She didn't recognize any of the names I threw out there but she knew of our place as the stone wall entrance stands out a bit. Pedal on Jennifer K.!  

Trail Head

Marquette Noquemanon Trail Network - Down Dogger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ur1P2JNvJU
Marquette Noquemanon Trail Network - river view
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXRhpBS9g_Q
Marquette Noquemanon Trail Network - ridge ride

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saeXTtAnVuQ

Marquette Noquemanon Trail Network - river bank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCa0yyBV12o

Marquette Noquemanon Trail Network - serious ledge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R05MHmMc2e0

Marquette Noquemanon Trail Network  - Tim down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkDk3iWR3c

Marquette Noquemanon Trail Network - very rock portion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF93sWUXy1k

Baggs Rd near Williamsburg, MI

bus near downtown Bellaire, MI

coming into Grand Marais

Copper Harbor (had to take the tourist pic)

Shanty Creek - Bellaire, MI

a must stop for any Keweenaw Peninsula trip

Challenge Complete

The Tri-Chapter Trail Challenge is complete for this large melon-ed rider.  All the SE Michigan MMBA/IMBA sanctioned trails have been ridden. As everyone loves a list, I ranked the trails below. It doesn’t have to be an expert or beginner trail to be ranked higher or lower. I am looking at the whole body of work. Some of these I have ridden quite a bit over my 25+ years of pedaling; some for the first time. Regardless of where your favorite trail falls, we all are very fortunate to have so many riding options in the area.  

One of my pet peeves during the challenge (heck, anytime) are trail map links that produce a ‘page not found’ response. I’m talking to you Poto chapter!! And it wasn’t just one trail link that this occurred. The little things make a difference.

Another pet peeve I have but really can’t point fingers is the lack of trail markings on certain trails. Some are probably the result of some uneducated wanderers removing said markings and being idiots. It sucks though being at a fork in the trail and ending up backtracking because you took a left when you should have taken a right.

Being a Motor City Mountain Bicycling Association (MCMBA) member, I am obviously biased but give all our chapter volunteers (including yours truly) a gold star for the trail maintenance and signage. As a whole, the MCMBA trails are second to none in the area.

I'd like to thank my sponsor, Chamois Butt'r, for keep my ass un-chapped during the rides as nobody likes someone with a chapped ass. I laughed when my mom bought me a bottle of it awhile back for Christmas but it really makes a difference!
Butt cheek lotion talk aside, my trail rankings, best to not-so-best:

Potawatomi (Pinckney) - Poto Chapter

The 16+ mile granddaddy of them all has it all, including the ‘really’ hills. The hills where you come up to them and say, “A hill here. Really!?!” The Crooked Lake and Silver Lake trails offer some shorter loops but don’t send a boy here. Post ride dips in Silver Lake are a treat.

DTE Energy Foundation Trail (Chelsea) - Poto Chapter

As witnessed by the parking lot always being crowded, the outstanding trail design and the clear markings, this one is a must for every rider to experience. On a side note, the trail is part of Waterloo Recreation Area but don’t try to drive to the Waterloo Recreation Area headquarters like I did; you will drive some back roads for quite a while and not find any resemblance of a trailhead.

Brighton (Brighton) – Poto Chapter

One of my favorites in the area as the Poto chapter seems to add on each year. If my recall is correct, they now have the Appleton (beginner), Murray Lake (intermediate),  Found (intermediate), Lost (intermediate), and Torn Shirt (most difficult) loops. All are well designed and allow for all riding types to get their endorphin release in.

Island Lake Recreation Area (Brighton) - MCMBA

The trail for all. The Strava-addicted riders can zoom-zoom in search of beating yesterday’s time while the beginning riders can get through either the Blue or Yellow loops without cracking their helmets (well, most beginners…).

Highland Recreation Area (Highland Township) - MCMBA

One of the first trails in the area when it was on the east side of Duck Lake Road (now on west side), I always compare it to the prom date dressed to the nines that nobody seemed to like. So very beautiful but what a bitch. Hills, logs, rocks; more hills, more logs, more rocks. Don’t send your beginning riders as I saw a pair in Capri pants with kickstands a few weeks back asking where the trailhead was. I didn’t hear of any bicycle accidents later that day so I assumed they got through it somehow with a splash of F###!!! and Holy F###!!! for good measure.

Pontiac Lake Recreation Area (Waterford) - CRAMBA

A challenging 9-10 mile loop that will have you enjoying the post-ride beverage or a jump in Pontiac Lake. The first four or five miles, including the heart attack hill right around mile two, are the hardest. If you get through that, you get to finish with a ‘kind of hard’ four to five miles.

Holly-Holdridge Mountain Bike Trail (Holly) - CRAMBA

The Potawatomi of the CRAMBA chapter as Gruber’s Grinder allows for a 15+ mile journey with smaller loops via North, East and West trails. Hardcore or softcore riders are covered either way. I am, however, waiting for one of those large trees on Hess Road leading up to the trailhead parking lot to fall and trap everyone in there. We’ll just have to ride if that happens!

Lakeshore Park (Novi) - MCMBA

The trail has come a long way since the very early days of “I think the trail goes this way.” Well marked with a very dedicated group of volunteers keeping this trail up there in there in terms of riding enjoyment. It still doesn’t dry the quickest but has improved in that area.

Addison Oaks County Park (Leonard) - CRAMBA
The closest resemblance to Island Lake for the east side trail riders. Zoom-zoom.

Heritage Park (Adrian) - Poto Chapter

A great trail layout and thankful to the Poto chapter for riding with a bunch of MCMBA’ers and showing us the way. It was worth the drive down.

Maybury State Park (Northville) - MCMBA

The former sanitarium (kick that tuberculosis and breath the fresh air!), Maybury is not necessarily the longest trail in the area (6-10 miles depending on one loop or a loop and a half) but makes up for it on the number of switchbacks. A technical trail so make sure the brakes are in good working order.

Milford Trail (Milford) - MCMBA

A great trail for all riding types with the paved option if you aren’t feeling it or the storm clouds have soaked the dirt. A guarantee you will come upon one of the many tame deer drifting in from Kensington.

Hickory Glen Park (Commerce Township) - MCMBA

A beautiful beginner trail that is incredibly well maintained by volunteers and the trail coordinator. I miss the teeter-totter that used to be in there that you could ride over but that was unfortunately an MCMBA insurance claim waiting to happen and we don’t need any of those. Don’t park too close to the ball fields during baseball season unless you want a foul ball to the windshield.

Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Lake Orion) - CRAMBA

North unit. Put your climbing shoes on because you will be climbing. One of my favorite east side trails; it will challenge you.

Bloomer Park (Rochester Hills) - CRAMBA
Loved the ledges; and almost fell off of said ledges.

Stony Creek Metropark (Shelby Township) - CRAMBA

I have ridden Stony Creek a handful of times and get flustered each time I ride it. Some great terrain to work with but horribly mapped out as one (or two) large loop(s) versus 10 or so very small ones makes for too much stopping and crossing paths with others.

Hines Park (Plymouth Township) - MCMBA

My first time riding it this year and would say it is the Clinton River/River Bends of the MCMBA chapter with better markings. I enjoyed it.

Clinton River Park Trails (Sterling Heights) - CRAMBA & River Bends Park (Shelby Township) - CRAMBA

I lump these two together as they are very similar. Both beautifully designed but wish there was some more terrain.

Ruby Campground (Avoca) - CRAMBA

A great little trail that is out there; wayyyy out there. I’ll be happy to donate to the CRAMBA chapter and help but the creek crossings over rocks are an ankle break waiting to happen. As the Zeppelin song says, “Where’s that confounded bridge?” It needs one.

Seven Lakes State Park (Holly) - CRAMBA

Has some great potential and some beautiful terrain but didn’t like the lack of signage when the trail crossed paved portions.

Ortonville Recreation Area (Ortonville) - CRAMBA

The mountain bike trail only encompasses maybe 1/20th of this large park. So much potential to push that three mile loop to many more miles. 

Rolling Hills (Ypsilanti) - Poto Chapter
The trail has some great potential with a little more TLC to it.

Proud Lake Recreation Area (Commerce Township) - MCMBA

The red-headed stepchild of the MCMBA. It just doesn’t get the traffic that other trails not even five miles away receive. There have been preliminary talks of separating the mountain bike and horse trails but unfortunately it is just talk at this point.  Sharing with the horses doesn’t help (look out for the poo!!). It might rise up in list one day and would love to see it but I’ll be riding the big tire tricycle at the old folk’s home by then.

Olson Park (Ann Arbor) - Poto Chapter

Nice little beginner trail with the soothing sounds of a pond on one loop while also experiencing the soothing sounds of M-14!! Yes, you are pretty close to the highway.

Munson Park (Monroe) - MCMBA

A basic beginner trail that works well with its limitations but honestly, I wouldn’t have ridden it if it weren’t on the challenge. The orange and red loops are well marked and enjoyable. I wouldn’t waste time on the plowed field trail areas as they are more or less a mirror of Sharon Mills in Manchester. Get some General Custer history while you are in town.

Rouge Park (Detroit) - MCMBA

It is limited to three miles; one large oval on the west side of the park through the woods. Not bad but not one I'd try to ride more than once.

Holly High School (Holly) - CRAMBA
Great design and a good beginner trail but too short.

Orion Oaks County Park (Lake Orion) - CRAMBA
If you like two-track riding, this park is for you. I don't.

Kensington to Proud Lake Connector (Milford Township) - MCMBA

Yes, it is a trail but should probably be lumped in with Proud Lake as it is so short. A nice change I guess for those riding the paved Kensington Trail and want to take a short dip in the mountain bike waters across Milford Rd.

Hewen’s Creek (Ypsilanti) - Poto Chapter

The trail recently had an addition put on but unless the addition has an additional five miles of well-marked/traveled terrain, it needs one more addition. Traffic. It has potential but can only call it a nice parking spot to pedal over to Rolling Hills up the road for now.

Morton – Taylor (Canton) - Poto Chapter
Similar but not as bad as Sharon Mills. Great jogging area; not so great to pedal.

Sharon Mills (Manchester) - Poto Chapter

Unless the Poto chapter has plans to add something to it, you might as well donate the land to a jogging group as it really has no mountain bike purpose at this time.

Bald Mountain Music Festival & Pig Roast

Fifty years on the planet calls for a celebration and celebrate we did yesterday at the second (last one in 2012) Bald Mountain Music Festival & Pig Roast. In the form of Woodstock/Bethel, NY dairy farmer Max Yasgur we have Laura and Greg O. with a home with such nice acreage (read: no neighbors) that plugging in the amps was not going to be a problem. 

Three outstanding bands, good friends, and a pig. You can't ask for more.
Leading off the festivities were a band out of Fowlerville, Angry Spider Syndrome. Or ASS as they are sometimes known. A great sound with a little rock, a little country and a little grunge.  

The second group on were the Leechbombs; a group that in their early years had a difficult time with closure. As in they just couldn't end a song. I am happy to report that this issue has been corrected and an outstanding set they had. I was fortunate enough to sit in on a few songs with the band as the musically challenged one blew a bit (very small bit) of harp. My favorite for the set was probably Folsom Prison Blues. Some good toe tapping and the band nailed it.

The headliner of the night was 3LD, or Three Legged Dog. Bass player Roger's family has a three legged dog so there is your background story on said name. All members of the band live in Roger's neighborhood. A clean sound they had and am glad these neighbors reached out to each other and found out they had a common goal of wanting to rock. The band had better make sure they keep keyboardist/vocalist Jackie along for the ride as she is the glue of the group.

The hardest working man in show business wasn't James Brown last night. That label goes to Roger as he played in all three groups and never let up one bit. 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Mike W. acoustic play during each intermission. I don't think I've heard anyone do Jim Croce or James Taylor any better besides the individuals themselves.

I have no violent stomach pains as I write this so I am guessing the pig was cooked properly. It was quite delicious. A gold star to Gus for the basting/cooking of Porky.

Let's not wait another five years to do it again.

Trail Head

Leechbombs

Three Legged Dog

Three Legged Dog

Angry Spider Syndrome

Mike W. band

dinner

Leechbomb drummer Kevin in front of pole barn

Mike W. band

Greg - aka Max Yasgur

Angry Spider Syndrome

west siders 

sound check

Mike W. band

Greg/Roger - The Weight (The Band)

Bike Tour Alumni Visit

post ride trailhead view

One of the Molson Bike Tour founding fathers joined the festivities tonight at Island Lake as Mark C. got the two-wheeler out and tore up the trail like he hadn't missed a beat.  

Just like riding a bike, eh Mark? 

Trail Head

just like riding a bike for M.C.