Sat night at Harrison State Campground just across the Michigan / Ohio state line. Heading south still in the wet and the temp is back to shorts and short sleeve shirts. Sitting in XG w/ door open and no sweater.
So as remembrances arise this is my story and I am sticking to it.
On Wed I dropped Lynn off at the Marquette airport. Shitty weather, no way interested in riding. Lynn likes my blue oatmeal for van breakfast. This day picked South Mtn trailhead at Marquette. raining. Lynn told me at the airport to leave her to the airlines and homeland security. Weather caused her plane to land somewhere else. Long day for her to get back home in Ohio.
Me, rain and wind and chilly, long underwear chill. Paul and I made a ride date at 4:30 in Ishpeming before the group ride at 6:30 same area. I canceled. Rain. I did drive to the meeting place for 6:30 meet, Cognition Brewery. rain fell, gulley washer. Nobody rode. Drank beer. Tornado warning. I slept in a parking lot shared by an over the road semi. Rain and wind. Roof leaked still. Thursday I did my wash and dried my comforter at the laundromat in the same mega parking lot. On Wed I bought a roll of 6′ of the something like Eternal Bond tape. After wash I drove into Marquette to Quick Stop bike shop to use their step ladder again to apply the next fix, the tape. Sunshine and windy dried the roof off. The 6′ covered just the left side suspected leaking body joins. I checked out the right side to see broken paint which was prolly the source of the rear leak as the water traveled the paneling until low spot over my bed. I laid a good bead of sealant, tape application at another time. Several good rains since failed to find its way inside.Not cocky, just dry.
I needed to move on. I never rode Marquette or visited with Paul.
Red color of the turned leaves to me really sets off the deciduous forests.
Reader Dan recommended Hanson Hills under the bridge as the trails are sandy. The ride was in my destination. I drove east on back roads avoiding controlled access roads. I chose a dirt road off the south bound highway, actually a snowmobile trail just off the road. I crossed the Mackinac Bridge to become one who lives under(south) of the bridge, hence a troll.
Rolled into Grayling stopping at a heart propelled store to ask about damage to trails my wheels would have. Bullet proof. Guy was stocking XC skis: what changes since I last held a touring ski. Didn’t get into the boots. Completed drive to TH.
As stated: the trails were drained as the tread was just that: sand. 3 guys ahead of me riding fat bikes loosened the sand. I experienced several pieces of wobbles as each wheel tried its own way over the sand.
I did get to ride after lay off.
Weather forecast keeps calling for more rain all the way south. I am unable to drive out of the wet. I stopped at Cadillac to ride the Big M hoping that the trails were fit for bike tires. I drove out to a FS XG several miles off the main road following the brown signs. After Labor Day which is when many FS XGs close for season. No closed info on web site. Turned into entrance to a locked gate. Season closed. I checked out google maps and trailforks for public land and a camp spot. I found a FS TH for atvs. Gravel spot. Forecast for more rain with a window early AM. rain fell just before sunup and went from showers to rain and repeated. No riding. I noticed many knocked down trees and cleaned up ones in peoples’ yards. nasty wind event maybe 2 days prior. Rebecca sent me a web address of a weather report from Marquette area showing snow on the ground. I made it out just ahead.
So, 1 ride in Michigan. Now in Ohio and forecast calls for rain. Standing water during today’s drive. Mohican is my next ride down near where I grew up. may the trails be dry.
recall from cable. Mick was tight with Steve Tilford, a former pro mtn bike racer who was hit and killed by a runaway semi last year. Mick started a pie business right next to Rives eatery, named Tilly’s pies in honor of Steve. Steve’s widow makes the pies in a pie bar. I resisted the pie shake.
This is the machine used to haul logs out
Going to bed. No heat needed tonight. No mosquitoes. Colors are not as far along as up north. Just wet.