Wednesday, December 31, 2008

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!!!!

2 comments:

  1. Charlie,
    Congrats on getting away and out there. Sometimes it feels good to ride in some different area. I wish you and your family a happy new year!
    Ari

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  2. Charlie, I found this on Velonews. Wondered if Mr. Steinbeck was talking about you? Am I really that far off? Can you comment?

    "For I have always lived violently, drunk hugely, eaten too much or not at all, slept around the clock or missed two nights of sleeping, worked too hard and too long in glory, or slobbed for a time in utter laziness."— John Steinbeck, “Travels With Charley”

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