Yesterday my left knee was just sooo sore and hurting from the 2 days of hard effort riding. I made it a rest day and wandered around. I went to Lakenland

I introduced myself to this guy who was driving a truck, it was Tom, the creative mind behind what I was going to absorb from what I viewed of his 80 sculptures that are made from scrap metal. Same view of  the state of America

Just a creative mind using offcast metal to make a statement.

I stopped @ a roadside pullout to grasp the size and magnitude of big Lake Superior.

Back in town I made it back to Blackrocks, a brew pub in town. Good beer and socializing. Then drove out of town to sleep spot.

I worked over my knee from patellar movement to several foam roller crushers. Knee felt less painful today. It causes almost no discomfort while riding, just off the bike.

Today I drove out to South mtn trails for a solo ride a recreation type ride. Crowded parking lot @ 10:30 on a work day. Only encountered 1 rider. Back @ TH a Channel 6 news car pulled into the  lot. Young man got out and set up a camera. I asked what he was up to, he said Marquette just received some award for the trails and he was here to take some footage. I volunteered to be his riding subject. I told him that I was previously interviewed by his station. I pulled up the video on my smart phone. Interview was dated 8/4/12, almost to the day 2 years ago. Oh, Marquette is now a Bronze IMBA Ride Center which establishes this place as a featured place to ride in America. Put this place on your bucket list.

I rode the blue trail on the other side of the road which had some old hand built legacy tread. Then back across the road to ride the same red trail again.

Back @ the TH a man and woman rode up on a tandem. A DeVinci which has independent pedaling. I asked if they knew Aryln and Sandy who have the same bike. Know them? they bought their demo bike. As the story continued they know Rick from GR, and Alex from Indy. How about small world Aryln?

Marquette area has enough miles and diversity of trails to settle down to. But then there is the winter and salted roads.

Drove back into town to laundromat. Marquette has numerous laundromats. NMU is here, college students needing clean clothes?

Shower @ Anytime. Dinner & social time @ Blackrocks.

Tomorrow is van service then 187 mile drive to Cable. Shrimper is still there.

Yesterday I drove back into town from Harlow Lake where I have been sleeping. I parked in a city provided parking lot offering the first 2 hours free then walked about downtown. I bought a piece of smoked lake trout, looked @ docked sailboats, and shared the bike path with bikers.

Back @ the van I checked my tires and the pavement for meter maid chalking connoting time check. i didn’t find any. Internet signal was strong so I sat inside on my balance ball working on the computer. I heard a greeting and looked out to see a meter maid who told me I was past the free 2 hours and she could write me a parking ticket like she was going to do to other cars. I said I would leave. Somehow a conversation was started and the ticket failed to be written. She was interested in my stickers and we talked about places we had been to. She mentioned this crazy art work outside of town and pulled a flyer from her pocket. It’s her brother’s welding art. Crazy, Paul from Sunday’s ride told me about his work. I will go see his stuff. She told me I could stay longer w/o a ticket.

Time came for me to leave for my 4:00 meeting w/ Don for a ride on the west side trails. Don built a yurt outside Ishpeming. From there we drove thru town out to a parking spot to access the trails. These trails are all built by whomever where ever on former iron ore mining sites. Turns out the trails are old school purpose built tough trails. Need a local to navigate. Don’s GF Margret, 62yo, and Paul from Sunday’s ride joined. Ya gotta know the trails to know what’s around the next bend. How long does the climb last? Make proper gear change in time. Some tight bar banging trees. I missed perceiving a log w/ broken stickers sticking out to the edge of the trail @ handlebar height. My left grip hit it which stopped me dead and pitched my off my bike directing me to a trajectory down a 15′ steep slope. Time stands still as I was comprehending my flight. Reflexively I grabbed a small tree while still in the air that kept me from the drop. Sheesh. Trails here are not machine built but old school handbuilt sustainable. Punchy little climbs.

There is a ski jumping facility

We encountered a sandhill crane that was talking. Don said it is the oldest bird.

They took me up a steep slope to view and exposed vein of iron ore

During the ride I learned more about the meter maid from hell. She wrote a parking ticket for the governor and wouldn’t back down. She let me slide.

The terrain is riddled w/ ore shafts from olden days. There are occasional fences in the regrowth to keep people away from the caving in of the ground.

Paul is a 5th generation ore worker and loaded w/ local lore. Back when the ore deposits were discovered there was a lot of hanky panky behind the big players staking out claims. The ore deposits are mostly gone.

back into Marquette and a shower @ Anytime. Cleaned and fed I drove back to Blackrocks brew pub for socializing. I regaled the bartender w/ stories that kept thirsty customers dry and engrossed. Happening place later in the evening. I left @ 11:00 for bed.

I have a van service appointment @ Dodge dealer in Negaunee just up the road on Thurs. Oil and filter changes and a computer diagnostic exam.

I have a ride invite for tonight from Quick Stop bike shop for the South Mountain trails and another group ride on Wed for the West side trails. My knees hurt. Too much fun to turn down.

I have until the end of the month to buy additional medicare insurance. I keep putting off digging into the material and make choices.

Marquette is a lot of fun. I looked for the young woman I fell for last time here to no avail.

Paul has this wonderful Yupper accent that some people describe as Canadian. The accent must be shared by north country lake people. Sometimes difficult to comprehend but enjoyable to listen to.

 

 

I rolled into Marquette, MI this AM driving straight to the South Mtn trails. During my several day visit here back in ’12 I rode 3 days of the trails. There was some duplication justified by the quality of these trails. Back in the chunky, rooty, and machine built features. Tight trees required unwavering faith in my ability to hold a steady line.Tight and twisty but flowie. The first ride I caught up w/ a group of older men and joined them for a pounder. I exerted anaerobic effort. The group finished in the parking lot while I still wanted more. Hung in the parking lot for a while swapping stories, several guys had previous knowledge of me. I was told the green trail will be super and was just opened. I pedaled out several minutes when a light rain down pour fell and thunder in the distance. The forecast was for t storms after 3, past my finish time. I bailed and “sprinted” back to the van and shut the vent and turned off the fan. I waited a short while till the rain quit then headed back out on the green trail that was not all a greener ability level. Fantastic use of topography, much trail cut full bench into steep hill side. It seems the topography is either on steep slope or flat. Steep was needed to shed the water. Trail hasn’t been winterized. The rain held off to a nice afternoon.

Paul, a recovering motorcycle rider, shared some local knowledge. His accent is straight local. So refreshing to hear.

I learned that some of the Red trail  is on golf course land using the way out of bounds woods. Several places signs are posted cautioning rides to be quiet.

Thurs I rode the Glacial Hills trail system out side Bellaire. Sandy tread. Machine built, IMBAized. Some sections perhaps made w/ like a small bulldozer as the tread was wider than like a Ditch Witch. Used the terrain well. I was loosing my joy of riding.

At the TH I heard from several people to check out Shorts in town which is a brew pub w/ great popularity. I drove back into town. By the time I arrived there was not an empty chair to be had, packed crowd. I talked to a seated woman until she just had to leave, darn, but I scored her seat. 2 groups of riders showed up, 1 I chatted w/ after my ride and the start of theirs. They said they would hit the brewery afterwards. I spoke w/ them @ Shorts. They told me about group #2 and that they wanted to talk to me. I visited to much spirited conversation. They pumped up the High Country trail from Clear Lake to Rattlesnake Hills as being primo.  No camping @ the TH. Plan B was the airport. On the way I spotted a parking lot right off main street. Just the right kind and it was. In the morning I got up then drove away to fix breakfast. I read official signs saying no on street parking from 3 to 6AM. I almost slept on the street.

Under way I drove to Atlanta then North to Clear Lake. Shit. Deja vue. This is the same section I attempted back in ’08. I chose a different place to park however. This time the trail was marked w/ fading shaped blobs of dark blue paint and the tread was cleared except for several freshly fallen knock downs. Sandy, hiking trail, big 80 mile loop. Annual brushing is required

Can’t find it? The tread was below grade slightly that guided my steering front wheel.

Forests are harvested w/ the feller buncher machine that is self propelled skidder w/ a hydraulic chain saw built into the base of the tower. The tree is cut almost flush w/ the ground leaving a small reminder that a tree grew there. The resulting clear cut sprouts fern gardens like above and below

Quiet desolate camp spot. Tepid solar shower. No internet unfortunately.

Sat I joined the weekenders heading north. I drove thru Cheboygan then over the Mackinac Bridge onto the Upper Peninsula, the Yuppers. I drove US 2 along the north shore on Lake Michigan. I did stop and walk on the sand dune to the water. I wet my lower legs, too chilly for full immersion in my sense. I left on MI 94 heading into the Hiawatha NF to find a primitive camp spot. I ended up driving on a sandy one laner going up Indian River. I found 1 spot and walked about. In a short while mosquitoes in quantity had discovered my flesh. Out of here. I drove on and found a second spot. Mosquitoes are part of the lot. My netting  leaves gaps that the suckers exploited. Their bites at times were painless as evidenced by the satiated females trapped inside of the netting. My blood stains the white netting. I called in the mosquito coil punk stuff. I lit it on both ends and put it on the stove cover. While it was burning I read the package which said for outdoor use. Oppps. I put it outside on the ground in front of the open side door. Air currents wafted it inside so strongly that I couldn’t sleep. I poured water on it and the air cleared. Mosquitoes were no longer out. This AM was upper 50s, too chilly for all but the hungriest. I fixed bfast, cleaned up, then go back to the top to catch back up.

My van needs oil and filters changed. I have a break down sense that the van has undiscovered issues. I need to find a garage that has Bosch computer system tester to learn of the van’s health. I am seeking service up here.

Quick Stop bike shop has a white Sprinter here in town. I met them here 2 years ago then again in Sedona last year. I will ask their advice.

Hopefully my van can be serviced here. The trails are worth riding several more times. Next stop is Cable, WI. Shrimper is still building trail there. I started route planning to Denver, lots of open space. The Black Hills in S Dakota is appealing. I will prolly skip Switchgrass in Wilson, KS for WY.

Off to brew pub in town then a shower @ Anytime Fitness, then find a sleep spot.