The UP of Michigan is a treasure, especially in winter...

We, the nuclear family (sans gecko and cat) just spent the last five dayz skiing and cycling up in the UP of Michigan. We stay every year @ around this time in a totally picturesque cabin in the woods near Ironwood. Actually the wife and off-spring did the alpine ski thang @ Powderhorn and Indianhead and I rode my bike [equipped with studded tires from Finland] on beautiful and isolated back roads. The cycling was great and very uncrowded, in fact on the first day out [4 degrees above with 27 below windchill] I did not see any other riders out at all. Come to think of it, I did not see another cyclist the whole time I was up there in the UP, weird? I thought a little bit about skiing and snowshoeing but it seemed too practical, too healthy, too much wellness, plus I have turned into a one-trick pony ( I ride my bike cuz thatz what I do...I really can't do anything else, for me there is only THE ROAD).

Note: The picture above is from the Black River National Forest...There is an amazing National Forest Park road that I biked two times while on our vacation. It starts near Powderhorn ski resort and winds along the hilly terrain and ultimately dead-ends at a beautiful natural harbor on Lake Superior. The road was basically all mine to ride, with the exception of a few logging trucks, I was alone. I have my old Merlin set up with 700c wheels and the Nokian tires and it worked great. Going at a good, albeit steady pace, it was about a four hour round trip training ride each day...WOW...it was just great!!!! For the four dayz, I got 17 hours in on the bike...the sickness of the insatiable rat feeding!!!!