a week’s worth

Sunday night was another town night behind the brewery.

Monday Rebecca’s gang from Du Pere drove up to Marquette for a ride. Paul joined us for the first ride then left for work. We rode 3 separate loops from the parking lot. Colors have appeared up here. Marquette is an IMBA ride center. Some trails have extensive berming. There are several serious downhill trails that were best left unseen. Changed clothes we all sat at 1 big table, all 11 of us, at a Mexican restaurant. We dallied till almost dark then headed to Du Pere in the dark. Windy, van rolls. I visited w/ Dave and Rebecca till eyelids drooped. I spent the night in their driveway. Rebecca signed the poster. We visited some more in the morning before I left. They have 2 dogs that I have met several times since 2010. Dave said their behavior with me indicated that they remembered me. An example of recognition.

Tuesday was a big drive day heading to Brown County and Phil’s place. I found Walnut Point SP for the night near Oakland, IL. Paid campground.

Wed I finished the drive to Norman, IN and Phil’s place. I found a laundromat on the way and did my wash on Wed instead of Thurs as I would need clean riding clothes after riding 6 days in a row.

Thurs Phil loaded us up in his Honda element and we zipped the back roads to Brown County State Park. On the way we saw what Phil said was a bobcat. Perhaps, I made no identification.

Brown Cty trails are growing. Phil is the local. We met his friend Sally who runs a bike skills training. We met in Sedona this spring and maybe a previous year.

Phil took us on a newly made trail, Bobcat. Phil said that an ideal post title would be ” 2 Bobcats and no cougar”. The terrain has nice vertical relief and ravines that the designers have used well. Challenging w/ some walking spots. I was thrown by the sharp turns in and out of a wash, short length makes for front wheel stick on the far side. I learned that I need to bunny hop stuff taller than my bottom bracket.

Phil at Brown County
Phil at Brown County

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We visited Gonzo’s shop outside the park. I know Gonzo from Sedona. My replacement treking poles were there but no RaceFace dropper post. Post should have been there.

Back at Phil’s he asked for me to fix my burritos for dinner which I did.

Corn is being picked. Corn fields surround Phil’s.

at Phil's
at Phil’s

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Thurs I drove east to Versailles SP for a ride. I used MTBProject for navigation successfully.

Versailles
Versailles
gully and vert relief
gully and vert relief

Clean water

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA13.57 miles climbing 837′ Twisty and windy thru the open deciduous forest. Acorns rain down, scampering squirrels gathered what they could stuff in their pouch leaving way more than they could consume or store.

Out of the hills to finish the drive to sister Lynn’s place at Celina, OH on Grand Lake. I visited 2 days. On Sat we went for a tourist drive. The Miami Erie canal ran nearby, Grand was a feeder. Amazing amount of work that was short lived as the railroad arrived. We visited the Bicycle Museum that as per a museum had many bikes on exhibit, none really of the modern mtn bikes, actually hardly a mtn bike. However, the first “bicycle” was on display.

first known bicycle
first known bicycle

On the way to Lynn’s I spotted a historical sign for Annie Oakley’s grave. Gotta go visit it.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAShe performed in Buffalo Bill’s wild west show. He is buried near Denver, CO. I visited his grave while biding my time for darkness to sleep in a closed restaurant parking lot. Before wake up I was rousted by a sheriff telling me to move on. It was my first roust.

 

I left Sunday morning heading east to Mohican. I drive back roads at slower speeds reaching Mohican later than I wanted to to be able to ride the big loop. I dropped off my bike and geared up. At the start of every ride I work the controls checking performance. Shit, the Lev wouldn’t go down. WTF? I removed it and installed the Reverb then went for the short loop ride. I camped in the electric hook up part of the XG, packed in w/ the land yachts. Hot shower. Cost $30. I installed new rear brake pads which caused the brake lever to engage the brake w/ a very short pull, too touchy. I put back on the old chain. Between the 2 chains I have 2092 miles on the same cluster.

Chilly night.

This morning was 41 degrees w/ a high of 61. I drug my feet waiting for sun warmth. I drove out to the bike TH which was shaded by trees. I waited until I was full sun on before venturing forth. Great trail, typical of the midwest rides so far with more vert .

fallen leaves
fallen leaves

Roots are the take away for this trail. 24 miles climbing 2312′ in 3 hrs. I started out strong but withered as the miles piled up. 2 racers just blew by me. I was young like them once.

I poached a shower at the XG.

My ride took longer than I planned. I wanted to make PA south of Pburg. Took far. I drove Lincoln highway, hwy US rt 30 for scenery.

I stopped at Guilford XG before dinner.

Tomorrow is Raccoon SP in PA. This time Trailforks is the gps source.

Ohio lacks the neighborhood bars and is starting to pick up churches.

Sunday eve I listened to the town hall. Driving in Ohio I notice way yard ornaments displaying trump’s name w/ very few Clinton name. Some yards have just down ballot republican names.

Appalachian mountains are just down the road. Trailforks shows way more PA rides than MTBP

Fall colors

This year I traveled the country clockwise arriving in the middle America deciduous forests as they are turning colors. What a nature’s palette of stand out reds from the maples here in Marquette and Cable. Further west it was the sumac showing their true brilliant reds.

Thursday I did my wash, Dan showed up, he said that he concussed from his fall yesterday on the slippery bog boards.

Clean clothes some dried, others hung inside. Clothes are taking 3 days to line dry out because of the lower temps and higher humidity. I parked behind the abandoned Cable school building, the parking lot is a TH for the Cable trails. I pedaled south crossing the Namakagon river pedaling to the North TH and the Objibwe trail which is the first mtn bike trail CAMBA built. Old school, many places the tread was on the flat and eroded below grade. Several timber harvests, aka clear cuts, butted against the trail. The trail was a mix of old school and new improved building.

clear cut hardwoods county forest on Objibwe
clear cut hardwoods county forest on Objibwe
purpose built bermed tread
purpose built bermed tread

I hit my head on a fallen oak branch that stuffed my neck. Didn’t see the end among the brown leaves. Stayed on my bike.

Cable trails are fun and challenging. 18.44 miles climbing 1844′, 100 feet per trail mile.

Mic and Beth: I stopped at the Eatery hoping to catch you. I entered Marquette in the gps and learned that I had a long drive ahead and would arrive after dark. I decided I needed to get down the road. Mic, you asked me what i like in people. I read the quotes in the restroom which are thoughtful and provoking. I like that and whomever posted them. I attribute the characteristics to you.  I look forward to connecting w/ y’all in Arkansas. The Rivers Eatery is a very cool and warm place to visit. I sat at the bar and engaged various sitters in conversation. Last was Eric who works for the USFS.

I headed east. Road passed thru the Ottawa NF and free camping, if I could find access to the forest. I saw a brown and white sign usually federal property and followed it to Bond Falls Flowage and found a free fee campsite right on the shoreline.

Bond falls flowage
Bond falls flowage

Sat I finished the drive stopping in Ishpeming to ride their trails. During my last visit 2 years ago local Paul guided me on a ride. Today I pulled up Trailforks and followed the gps track. Trails are in old iron ore mining: open pits and old shaft. Chunky ore rock covered by fallen leaves and interrupted by slippery roots. I heard a noise that was of concern. I stopped and looked over my bike. OI discovered an unthreaded spoke on the rear hub. I zip tied it to its neighbor and bailed on the ride gingerly picking my way  till I hit pavement then pedaled back to the van. I chose Quick Stop bike shop in Marquette for repair. I needed to be there before closing at 4. I set them up to be my hero and they performed. Rethreaded and checked truing of wheel. No harm, all round again.

Shower at close in anytime and dinner next door at a grill. Next stop was Blackrocks brew pub for beers. Popular establishment. I asked permission to sleep in the parking lot. Cool I was told. I read a sign in the lot that in essence said just remove your car by 8:00AM. Once the lights were turned off I had dark and peace. Good beer also and conversation.

Today, Sunday, is the church service ride that I hoped Paul would be on and that I could find him. I guessed that they would be riding the Ishpeming trails. I went to the brewery where Paul previously told me they meet for ride. Nobody there. Next choice was to make the place where we had parked before. I got trapped in a dead end. Phooey. OK, I have a gps track. I geared up and pedaled out. Marquette is an IMBA Ride Center. I followed the epic course. The system had been ridden last weekend during a race. I was able to identify the course as it was swept free on leaves. No surface damage. Low and behold I heard voices, there was Paul and John. Way cool catching Paul and riding w/ him. He’s a Yopper.

Paul

Paul
Paul

The trails here are like ridden in, not as rocky as some of Cable, still with slippery stuff. Fall colors are spectacular.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAPaul kept a running description of trail conditions only his voice projected forward and I was behind him. He rode his snow bike as he is waiting for frame replacement. Interesting riding the line of a fat bike. Great guy.

creative trail signage
creative trail signage

I bid Paul adieu and headed back to Marquette for a shower and a drive out to Lakenland to view the weld artist’s creative art work, some speaks of his life’s views:

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The highway travels along an edge of Lake Superior

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERArebecca from Green bay will be here tomorrow for a group ride on South Mtn trails.

Next stop is short visit w/ Rebecca and Dave in Green Bay then long drive down thru IL to near Brown County IN for rides w/ Phil. Next weekend Ohio to visit w/ sister Lynn. Ride Mohican then head to the Appalachians.

To date I have ridden in 12 states this year. 2,0xx miles on the RFX.

Going to find dinner.

blue sky day

Rain fell until yesterday mid morning. Dan from Canada had been in contact w/ me while I was here. Yesterday we rode together out near Telemark resort. Esker, Danky Dank, and Treasure cove out and back. The tread is sandstone / sand which water soaks thru quickly. Well built sustainable trails playing the topography. Some bermed corners, a few mud puddles, tread sprinkled w/ fall fallen leaves. Still enough leaves still attached to create dense shade. Cloud cover blocked the sun. We parked at the N end of Esker then rode to the southern start. Just after we got on single track a bog boardwalk spanned a swamp. A slight turn to the left part way along spilled Dan as the boards were surface finish and vey slippery. I watched him slide out. He landed in a bog slopping up his clothes and gloves, he missed hitting the boards landing in the soft stuff. He needed dry gloves so we rode back to our cars then returned. We walked the board. I was able to stop before the corner, my locked rear wheel put down a skid track thru the slime. Dan is 51, I’m 67. I can pedal prolly pretty good for my age. Dan is in good shape. He prolly rode at the same effort level for his age as I did mine. He being younger he was faster. I pushed to stay with him. My HR data was 154 max and average 131 bpm with 132 being my threshold. A fun slightly tech trail made more interesting by slippery stuff. 23.19 miles in2 hrs 58 mins climbing 2126′. The trails are pedal trails, short ups and downs, lots of arounds. I rode some of what Shrimper built.

Dan on Esker
Dan on Esker

I drove back to Steve’s. Tools were in the yard and doors were left open w/ nobody around. Situation to me indicated an emergency leave. I put the stuff away and shut doors then called Steve to tell him I took care of things in case he just needed to come back. He said thanks and he would be coming back to work.

I stopped at Mic and Beth’s at 9AM for them to show me their van. Pretty cool: a Dodge Tradesman and WInnie conversion. Lots of good stuff inside.

Today was laundry in the Cable laundromat. I walked over to the Chequamegon race head quarters seeking a past poster for the race. Dave texted me the poster which captured his wife, Rebecca, head to head with Sue Haywood. The woman found a poster and gave it to me.

Fog burned away revealing low clouds with scattered breaks. Forecast said so. I drove down to Seely and up to the pass to ride the trail heading N. The trail has a green difficulty. I was seeking a less demanding trail to recover from yesterday’s hard ride. The smooth tread made it green as it still had hte ups and downs and arounds. It crossed the Birke trail

Berke trail
Birke trail

14.34 miles in just under 2 hours  out and back. I stopped at the turn around point other wise I rode non stop. GPS reported 1385′ climbing.

Clouds cleared off when I returned to the parking area.

Seely Pass
Seely Pass

Dinner at The Eatery.

Tomorrow I will ride here then drive to Marquette for the weekend and Monday.

Phil, I should be your house say Wed to ride before the festival.

Bed time.

The Snap fitness here in Hayward requires and additional membership card to get a shower, an extra $5 per month. First ever.

I have noticed many roadside taverns up here but no churches. In the SE the opposite.