Clear skies greeted my eyes. My ears picked up the sounds of strong winds. All per forecast.
Bfast and clean up, everything in its place I headed to Duluth. Since my previous visit there new trail work has occurred with purpose of linking the 3 city trails. I was hoping to ride the Traverse. MTBProject showed me the trail system and a trailhead. Google provided my w/ explicit directions to it. Turns out I rode from here during that visit. Area is known as the Piedmont and is the most tech of the 3 trails that will be linked. Again the joy of following a gps track. I had something to follow. Locals might have different spins on what to ride I relied on what someone else had ridden. New construction of machine bladed bermed tread. I rode it attempting to get into the berms. I sought out the old trails that were like mostly just ridden in over time. ROOTS are the norm. And wet sort of slippery dirt and the rocks have green growth for added slipperiness. Good short playful ride. The Northern Traverse has not been completed. These trails are on a high hillside above Lake Superior. Noticeable white caps caused by high winds.
I found a snap nearby for a shower. Next stop Cable, WI and Rivers Eatery, home of Mic and Beth. I really enjoy all about Cable and have looked forward to returning. Very windy drive while exposed to the open water. The land is not quite tabletop flat but there isn’t “much” relief. Fall is changing leaf colors. No Ponderosa Pine. Birch.My route used back country roads. Close to Cable a white car followed me for a great distance, not tailgating but not passing me. Finally the car passed. The guy;s left hand was raised outside the window, a digit was extended, I couldn’t tell which. He continued ahead of me. At the next intersection he turned on his left turn signal then got out of his car and walked to me. WTF? Was the digit the middle finger and he is going to make it right, No, Steve stopped to tell me that he really digs what I am doing. He asked where I will stay. I said the woods. He said he just closed on a house and it’s right outside Cable. He would lead me there and let me decide. Amazing. And the place is off the main road, is in the country, is level, and has an outhouse that’s in a shop building. We continued chatting. He builds small houses. I told him I was heading to the Eatery. He told me Emily who is the wife of Scott who does landscaping works at the eatery. I made the Eatery. What a wonderful warm welcome I received and gave to Mic and Beth. I like this place and what they have created.I said Hi to Emily. I sat at the bar and engaged people on each side of me. Chris is a local just packed up 1,000 pounds of winter squash that has to home to go to. He was an XC ski racer. He left, I turned to my left and talked w/ Bill who is up for riding. He left and a Salsa guy grabbed me. I finally bid adieu at 9:15. Place was very crowded but cleared out by 9. People are doing something in the morning and go home to prepare.
I learned that emails were being rejected on my end. I learned from a blocked sender that the error message was mailbox was too full. Yeah, lots of stuff that should have been thrown out long ago.
I called Hesitation Point bike shop just outside Brown County, IN trails about my dropper post being sent to them. I got Gonzo. Cool. He said the Race Face had called about an hour before as he said he would do. I’ll be there tbd.
Tomorrow I’m going to ride the Rock Creek IMBA epic and research other rides. I want to ride what Shrimper built 2 years ago. This is another place that is hard to leave from.