Let`s Ride - Oxon Hill Bicycle And Trail Club

Transcript

September 2013 ohbike.org Let’s Ride Southern Maryland Century The Indian Head 100 Sunday, September 8 Club Forums OHBTC members have access to online forums where they can start discussions and comment on different topics. Go the forums by clicking on “Forums” under “Community” at http://ohbike.memberlodge.org or by going to http://ohbike.memberlodge.org/forums. Club members can discuss supported rides they have done or plan to do on the forum at http://ohbike.memberlodge.org/forum/events. If you have recently done a supported ride, share your experience and comments about the ride with other club members on the forum for “Discussion of Bicycling Events.” Members can read and comment on safety tips from the Safety and Education Committee at http://ohbike.memberlodge.org/forum/safety. OHBTC’s Indian Head 100 is a bicycle ride with a distance for every rider – 16, 29, 43, 60 or 100 miles. Register today to enjoy a wonderful, supported ride in Southern Maryland. Go to www.ohbike.org/century to register online with a credit card, PayPal or with a check to OHBTC, Box 81, Oxon Hill, MD 20745. Riders leave the Village Green in Indian Head between 7:00 am and 9:00 am. All routes visit the Mattawoman Creek Art Center at Smallwood State Park. Longer rides go to Riverside, St. Ignatius and Thomas Stone. Relax after your ride with a picnic on the Village Green in Indian Head. This year’s t-shirt features the rest stop at the Thomas Stone National Historic House with a watercolor painting by Pete Ulrich. Want to sell something related to bicycling? Go to http://ohbike.memberlodge.org/forum/ads. Join other OHBTC members for a preview ride of the Indian Head 100 route on Monday, September 2nd. See the ride schedule at www.ohbike.org for details. Featured in this Issue Prez Sez Calvin Conyers…………………..… page 3 From the Road Captain Ron Leak............... page 4 Annual Picnic Michael Butler………………. page 6 Giving a Helping Hand Mark McGibbon….. page 7 Michigander Bike Tour Janell Saunders….. page 8 2 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club Do You YAHOO? September 2013 Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club OHBTC members use the Yahoo group’s email list to share clubrelated information. Joining the OHBIKE Yahoo group is free and easy. Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ohbike. The OHBIKE Yahoo group is for OHBTC members only. When you join, please include your name in the box for “Comments to List Owner.” As a member the ohbike Yahoo group, you can send e-mail to the list at [email protected]. Club Officers President Vice Pres. Road Capt. Secretary Treasurer CC CC B B CC A C B,MB B,C CC B B,C B,MB B C,CC A,B CC C D D B C B,CC AA,A Calvin Conyers Blake Altman Ron Leak Holly Carr Mimi Newcastle [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Ride Coordinators Class AA Class A Class B Class CC Class C Class D Mountain Bike Overnighters Welcome, New Members Kathleen Bailey Washington, DC Natasha Craig Waldorf, MD Kennard (Sean) Dixon Waldorf, MD Edwaun Durkins Waldorf, MD Denise Edwards Port Tobacco, MD Mike Edwards Port Tobacco, MD Ronald Farrar Chesapeake Beach, MD Michael Flynn California, MD Horace Franklin Clinton, MD Ronaldo Gonzales Fort Washington, MD Theresa Hall Upper Marlboro, MD Tyre Hawkins Annapolis, MD Mannix Hernandez Brandywine, MD Steve Levine College Park, MD Jessica Livingston Alexandria, VA Theodore Lucas Coronado, CA Casey Moton Sunderland, MD Novelette Murray Clinton, MD Raymond Salvagnini Waldorf, MD Dolores Smith Charlotte Hall, MD Justin Smith Charlotte Hall, MD Paige Smith Charlotte Hall, MD Rebecca Smith Charlotte Hall, MD Robert Smith Charlotte Hall, MD Richard Tepel Arlington, VA Leonard Thompson Indian Head, MD Chris Zabriskie Port Tobacco, MD ohbike.org Charles Sidwell Darin King Michael Saizan George Martin Herman Young Randy Schoch Judy Mutty Barry Howard John Early [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Standing Committees Program Public Relations Newsletter Advocacy Safety/Ed Jerseys Mike Butler Jim Hudnall Jane Hudnall Jane Hudnall George Martin Claire Chiamulera Janell Saunders [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Handy Telephone Numbers SHA Md Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator Dustin Kuzan 410-545-5656 24-hr tape 800-252-8776 M-NCPPC Trails and Bikeways Information Fred Shaffer 301-952-3661 Prince George's Co. Bike/Ped Coordinator Victor Weissberg 301-883-5650 City of Bowie Bike/Ped Information Frank Stevens 301-809-3053 Pothole Repair Hot Lines: Alexandria 703-838-4488 Calvert County 410-535-0905 Charles County 301-932-3450 Prince George’s County 301-499-8520 St. Mary’s County 301-863-8400 September 2013 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club ohbike.org 3 Prez Sez by Calvin Conyers It is a great pleasure to provide this month’s “Prez Sez” for a number of exciting reasons. To mention a few, our club continues to grow significantly in new membership, group rides, new leaders and active participation! Our continued growth in these areas reflect the positive direction of the club and our unyielding emphasis on providing safe and enjoyable riding experiences for all members. On the issue of safety, our club’s safety committee continues to post very important information in our online forum that is being referenced by our members and riders of other clubs. Our Safety Committee is chaired by Claire Chiamulera and George Martin, and they should be commended for their contributions. On the issue of new ride leaders, we do want more, but I must point out the fine job already being performed by our Road Captain Ron Leak and all Ride Coordinators and experienced Ride Leaders to recruit, assist, and mentor new leaders. As the club grows, we will need more people willing to lead. Club President Calvin Conyers On August 10th, we had our club Annual Picnic and Rides at Fresh Meadows Farm. What an amazing job done by a number of our volunteers, but most notably, Mike Butler, our Program Chairman, Linda Molesworth (owner of Fresh Meadows Farm) and Troy and Mary Anne Eddy, who prepared and cooked the chicken and ribs for all to enjoy. We do know how to put on a party! Kudos to all members and volunteers for making the picnic another huge success. Those are accomplishments within our club that we should all appreciate. We will soon sponsor our premier event of the year, The Indian Head 100. This event will be attended by riders from near and far, having grown in popularity every year. This year our plans are to continue to make additions and changes that will attract even more participants and provide a memorable experience for each of them. Thank you to all members who have volunteered to help. Before closing, I will just briefly address my recovery from a recent critical event following my bike ride during the Fourth of July weekend. I suffered a massive heart attack for which I received successful medical treatment from both the Fort Washington Hospital and the MedStar Washington Hospital Center. It was a fellow club member, Reggie Stokes, who made the immediate call to 911, over my own insistence of being just a Linda Molesworth and Larry Peed little tired. I cannot thank him, the first responders and the medical teams enough. Additionally, I cannot say “thank you” enough to the many members who provided well wishes, prayers, cards, emails, ride reports, text messages, flowers and fruit baskets. Celeste read your messages of encouragement to me each night during my most critical period. You brought me happiness and strength and the confidence that I will be back riding. OHBTC is truly a caring group. Let’s Ride! 4 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club ohbike.org September 2013 From the Desk of the Road Captain by Ron Leak Two members recently crashed when crossing railroad tracks while on a club ride. They both received road rash and bruises, but fortunately no broken bones. Railroad crossing is a huge hazard we have to cross in order to keep moving forward in our journey on the bike. First and foremost, always make sure a train is not coming, and if the gates start to come down, DO NOT CROSS the tracks. In the event there are no gates, slow down to check if a train is coming. One option, if you do not feel comfortable crossing railroad tracks, is to get off and walk over them. There is no shame at all in doing this and for novice riders it is probably the best option. If you are going to ride over the railroad tracks there are some things you need to know. Stand up on the bike. This is to let your legs take the shock of the crossing the tracks. The best way to cross railroad tracks is to take them at a right angle (at 90 degrees) so the front wheel hits the track head on. Perpendicular is the ideal way to cross railroad tracks. Make sure the wheel Road Captain Ron Leak does not turn and there is no reason to worry about the rear wheel because there is no way for it to turn because it just follows where the front wheel is going. It might be best to take the road in order to accomplish this move, dependent on the angle of the tracks to the road. On YouTube, watch this video about railroad crossing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq9LenxS-ug from “Bicycling Street Smarts” http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/chapter5a.htm) When crossing railroad tracks, take the lane, then move toward the centerline as you approach the tracks, then move toward the right as you cross the tracks closer to a right angle. If riding in a group, the group should be single file with enough separation so that each cyclist has space to safely maneuver across the tracks. On page 5 are guidelines for ride leaders and responsibilities for riders. A ride leader decides to lead a ride at a specific pace. If there are multiple rides leaving from a location at the same time, please sign in under the class you plan to ride. If you decide to do the faster or slower ride after you sign in, please let the ride leader know things have changed. This is a courtesy to the ride leader who is ultimately responsible to see everyone gets back and to ensure everyone is safe. See #10 on the list of Rider Responsibilities. If you want to go at a faster pace and there is not a ride posted at that pace, then volunteer to lead a ride at the pace you want to ride. September 2013 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club ohbike.org 5 OHBTC RIDE LEADERS GUIDELINES 1. Prepare a cue sheet and/or map (either new or existing club route) and scout the route before the ride. You may use cue sheets in the club's cue sheet library. Other good places to find cue sheets or to create a cue sheet are www.RideWithGPS.com, www.Bikely.com, and www.MapMyRide.com. 2. Submit the ride to the Ride Schedule with the online Ride Submission Form. Rides submitted will automatically appear on the online schedule. To submit multiples rides, use your browser's "back" button to return to the ride submission form. 3. If you have a cell phone, include its number on the cue sheet and have your cell phone on during the ride. 4. Arrive 10-15 minutes before the ride start time. 5. Have all riders sign a release sign-up form. 6. Give all riders a cue sheet and/or map. 7. Welcome the riders and brief them on details of ride stops, problems, pace, etc. 8. Make sure the riders wear helmets. 9. "Lead from the rear" or appoint someone to "ride sweep!" 10. Ride at the advertised pace! 11. Carry the sign-up sheet with you on the ride so that you have riders' emergency contact information if needed. 12. After the ride, post your ride report at http://ohbike.memberlodge.org/reports. OHBTC RIDER RESPONSIBILITIES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Arrive early to sign-in and be ready to leave on time. Some starting points do not have restrooms, plan accordingly. Make sure your bicycle is in proper working order before you arrive. Carry a spare tube, patch kit, pump, water bottle and snack. Carry identification and emergency money. Sign a ride waiver and get a cue sheet and/or map from the ride leader. Wear a helmet! Practice safety and obey all traffic laws. Do not "bike off" more than you can do. Go on rides within your ability, interest and experience level. If in doubt, phone the ride leader. Riders should maintain the pace as advertised. A rider may ride faster or slower than this pace if s/he knows the route and advises the leader accordingly. In this case the leader will not be responsible for the cyclist’s safe return or completion of the ride. Riders should advise the ride leader if the rider will not complete the ride or deviate from the designated route. Riders should warn nearby cyclists of road debris or, when in the rear, warning leading cyclists of approaching motorists from behind. Riders should as simple courtesy help out others with mechanical problems. Riders will try to help but there is no obligation to wait for cyclists with major breakdowns. Riders should use common sense and courtesy. 6 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club ohbike.org September 2013 Annual August Picnic by Michael Butler On behalf of the entire Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club, I would like to extend our "Thanks" for the continued generosity of Linda Molesworth, the use of her property and for making us feel as though we had been magically transported to an African safari, as we encountered "Zena the Zebra". As for the food, we would like to thank our "Grill Instructor" Troy (USMC Retired) and Mary Anne Eddy for the wonderful Teriyaki Chicken and BBQ ribs. We sometimes take for granted the amount of time that it takes to prepare wonderful food. For instance, did anyone realize that the chicken was deboned and marinated for two days? Tasty, sweet and delicious. Linda Molesworth and Zena the Zebra Ninety-six OHBTC members attended the Annual Picnic. The weather was warm with overcast skies in the morning and showers in the afternoon after everyone had finished riding. Ride leaders for the event were Michie Sidwell AA-48, Broderick Pascual A-48, Linda Molesworth and Michael Saizan B-48, Ron Leak and Sam Perry B-43, Reggie Stokes and JulieAnn Kowalewski CC-29 and Walt Roscello, C-15. Honorable mention goes out to Ride Leader Ron Leak for escorting a new member back to the picnic area, after realizing that she was struggling due to a recent health condition. A special thanks to Sam Perry for stepping up and taking over the ride leader position from Ron. Read ride reports at http://ohbike.memberlodge.org/reports and see pictures at www.facebook.com/ohbike. Thank you to Robin Brungard for copying cue sheets and leaving a sick bed to have them at the ride start. Blake Altman, Michael and Azalia Butler, Larry and Ellen Peed, Walt and Sharon Chambers, Jim and Jane Hudnall helped with setup, drinks and clean up. The rides were fun and the pot-luck picnic was a feast! It was very nice seeing Calvin Conyers as the club continues to wish him a speedy recovery, along with all of the other club members who are nursing injuries or illnesses. September 2013 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club ohbike.org 7 Giving a Helping Hand by H. Mark McGibbon When our children were teenagers our household had many of the neighborhood children filtering in-and-out of our house. Some of the children bounced off the walls, while others were at peace with themselves and preferred being “couch potatoes.” As we got to know each child, we discovered a few of the teenage boys had the potential to be great, if they focused their energies in a constructive manner. Two of these teenage boys in particular possessed a borderline “excessive” behavioral habit. Our concern regarding these boys had to do with their personal choices outside parental supervision. Like many American teenagers, the temptation to try drugs and alcohol was one of their ill-advised choices. My wife and I did not want our children or these teenage boys to fall prey to drugs and alcohol. Therefore, we took it upon ourselves to start an informal neighborhood physical fitness club. As young teenagers, our children and most of the boys preferred riding their bicycles while we jogged. We would typically jog 5 to 10-miles per run. If any of the teenagers became tired, we would help them achieve their Mark McGibbon cycling goals by placing a hand in the center of their back and pushing up-andover challenging hills. As our children and the teenagers grew older, they became stronger and faster on their bicycles; therefore, my wife and I transitioned to our bicycles to stay up with them. The two boys with borderline “excessive” behavioral habits took to bicycling like “fish to water.” Each Saturday morning, we planned a new route for our children and the neighborhood teenage boys. Over the years, our children and the boys looked forward to longer and longer rides. Then came the day for our children and the teenage boys to complete a metric-century ride. At the start of the metric century, the boys were bragging about their cycling prowess and made fun of a group of elderly cyclists who rode outdated bikes. We told the boys that those elderly cyclists would probably pass all of us around the 50-mile mark. We had no idea where these elderly cyclists were heading, but sure enough, when the boys started “losing steam” around the 50-mile mark, these elderly cyclists passed us on a steep hill. The boys gained an appreciation for those elderly folks riding their outdated bicycles. Although the boys stopped to rest many times during the last few miles, they all provided each other with encouraging words to push themselves to complete their first metric century. It has been quite a few years since that first metric century with the boys. One of the boys with the borderline “excessive” behavioral habit, who is now a young man, called us “out of the blue.” He thanked us for all of the fun times he had cycling with us. He recalled the days we provided him with a “helping hand” during his first few rides while we jogged alongside him. He confirmed our thoughts about his personality when he then stated that if it weren’t for us introducing him to sports, he probably would have ended up drinking alcohol or taking drugs like other kids he knew. During his undergraduate years, he experimented with drugs and alcohol, but hated the groggy feeling the next day because it stymied his cycling performance for a couple days thereafter. Now he’s a successful businessman who stated he wants to “pay-it-forward” and help kids find and challenge themselves through sports. The old adage applies to this story: “it takes a village to raise children.” 8 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club ohbike.org September 2013 Michigander BIkeTour by Janell Saunders This year, I opted out of Bike VA and decided to do something different. I don't mind hills, but I'm not a glutton. Last year, I did a bike tour in Napa California, and met a woman from Michigan who told me about the Michigander Bike Tour. I was in. Margaret could be classified as a C/CC rider in our club, but she didn’t let that stop her from tackling the hills of Napa, Sonoma and the hilly coast of California. She said the Michigan tour didn’t have the hills that we were experiencing in sunny California, and it would be cooler since we were in the northern part. Note: Michigan locals term the lower half of Michigan as “the Janell Saunders (3rd from left) and friends mitten”. The northern part of the mitten is “up North”, while the upper half of Michigan is “the Upper Peninsula” or “U.P.” These are important distinctions when discussing the geography of Michigan. When someone from Michigan wants to describe where they live, they lift their hand, as a mitten, and point. That’s all you need. The 2 parts are connected by Big Mac, the Mackinac Bridge (pronounced Mack-i-naw). They blame the spelling on the French, of course. One side of the bridge is Lake Michigan, the other is Lake Huron. The particulars: The ride is the same setup as Bike VA: camping each night, gear is transported by truck each day, and SAG and rest stops along the routes. There are 3 schedule options; 2 day (Sat/Sun), 6 day (Sun to Fri) and 7 day (Sat to Fri). I did the 6 day. Breakfast and dinner are included in the price which was $376.00. I flew into Detroit, where Margaret picked me up. We drove up with her brother to Harbor Springs. I had my bike shipped to Michigan Cycling Charters who provided support to the ride ($60.00 for the service, $65.00 to ship each way). They had it ready for me at the start and took it from me at the end to ship it back, Considering we were riding up North, I anticipated comfortable temps and cool nights. That lasted for one evening before the heat wave that hit the majority of the country settled in. We did not have the intense humidity, but we had the upper 90s. Because much of the route followed either the Lake Michigan shore or Lake Huron, we had breezes to keep us a little less overheated. The route started in the lovely town of Harbor Springs on the Lake Michigan side; lots of boutiques and quaint eateries with of course, a harbor for those large yachts and smaller vessels. I was told this town was definitely a summer getaway for the well-heeled, and it showed in some of the prices. But, we were camping and our breakfast and dinner was part of the purchase for this tour, so not to worry. We did have a couple meals at local restaurants; the Pier in Harbor Springs was one of them. From Harbor Springs, we biked 54 miles to Bellaire. This was the longest route of the tour. The routes allowed for trail (Little Traverse Wheelway) or road travel. The Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance does a fabulous job of creating and maintaining long trails in this part of the state. They are well cared for, smooth – due to tree root removal during construction, and shady. Some are paved; some are crushed limestone. I did both trail and road riding. My skinny tires on my Madone did just fine on the limestone. Rest stops were every 10 miles or so and well stocked. Each had a holiday theme: Christmas, Halloween, Easter, etc. The volunteers did well with the decorations and snacks and always with a smile. This particular route was considered hilly. To be honest, no hillier than Southern Maryland, but my new friends were riding trail bikes and hybrids and don’t September 2013 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club ohbike.org 9 ride as much as I or others here ride, so they considered these real hills. Some were, most were just big rollers. We had a lunch stop in Charlevoix at a bakery café. Another pretty town near Lake Michigan that we spent some time in as it was just so pleasant. That evening after dinner, we went to a Brew pub called Shorts. We had a couple rounds and enjoyed a great duo called Stolen Silver. Two guys, playing guitar, electric violin, electric mandolin and harmonica as well as bluesy, country vocals. A great night to start the trip. From Bellaire, we rode 39 miles to Gaylord. This was all road; the first half a little hilly, the second basically not. And there were some sweet roads on the second half, very smooth, low travel. I found myself just kicking it into gear. This is where I came across th the 45 Parallel, half way between the North Pole and the Equator. My new friends knew I was probably going to beat them to the camp ground, so I always tried to find a good spot. They never liked it though! We had to be closer to the truck so as not to have to carry our stuff too far. For the first 3 nights, we broke camp every morning, so packing up and loading the truck was on the list of things to consider. I learned quickly. This group has been doing the Michigander together for over a decade, a couple have done it over 15 years and more. They’ve got it figured out. From Gaylord, we rode to Indian Springs: 29 miles, all trail on the North Central State Trail. Basically flat, all crushed limestone. There were spots I could move over to the road, but the heat wave had settled in hard and I was loving the shade. They kept telling me that once we got to Indian River, we were going tubing! Oh man, sweet! We couldn’t get there fast enough. And this was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Think “The Lazy River” in Kings Dominion, but for real. We lashed 7 tubes together, dragged a mesh bag of beer and water with us and just floated for 2 ½ hours. Bumping into logs, other tubers and making room (on your left!) for the canoes and kayakers, and with cool water temps, it was awesome. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. Did I tell you this bunch likes to sing? Any familiar phrase would get somebody going, what a hoot! From Indian River, we rode 39 miles to Mackinaw City. Notice the spelling change? They like to do this. Anyway, Mackinaw City is a typical summer vacation beach town. Remember, the Great Lakes are named so for a reason, they’re huge. So, it’s like being at the ocean. This was also a trail ride, but I peeled off after a bit and hit the road. Another great ride along the shores of Lake Huron. We did a bit of window shopping in Mackinaw City and I did a number of taste tests of their famous fudge. I think Salty Caramel was my fave, but I didn’t need to buy anything with all the tastings, I was full! We were spending 2 nights here, so no hurry. The next day, we took the ferry to a rainy Mackinac Island with our bikes. If you’ve never been, you gotta go! The history of the island is incredibly interesting: from the Ojibwa Indians to the Missionaries to the Colonials to the Civil War (the fort is a great tour) and beyond. No cars are permitted (really). Only horse drawn carriages and wagons are used for transport and bikes are everywhere. The road that circles the island is 8 miles 10 The Spoke’n’Word - the monthly newsletter of the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club ohbike.org September 2013 and a gorgeous ride. Another super cute vacation town with some magnificent vacation homes but there are locals that live modestly there year round. I can imagine what winter is like since I grew up in Wisconsin, but I don’t know if I could tolerate it there. The only way off is by boat or ferry and if the lake is frozen, snowmobile. And, there's a small airport as well. My friend Margaret treated us to High Tea at the Grand Hotel; tea, champagne, tiny desserts and finger sandwiches. If you know the movie Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeves, this is where it was filmed. It was built in the 1880s and has been maintained in this fashion. The Tea Room has ornate fixtures, beautiful painted wall murals and a handsomely outfitted staff. In fact, we were in shorts and t-shirts after doing the lap around the island, and a little grubby, but, they waited on us with no second thoughts. However, after 6 pm, shorts and casual wear are not allowed for dining, etc. You MUST be dressed properly; dress slacks or dresses/skirts. I was told that slacks for women is a somewhat recent allowance. We headed back out for more sight-seeing and window shopping. A couple folks headed back on the ferry. The remainder went to the Hotel Iroquois for a small dinner. We shared of caprese salad, calamari, morel mushroom ravioli and wine. The morel mushroom is local to the area and tastes wonderful. A nice topper to the day. And then the clouds started to roll through again. The last day, Friday, started out with a rumble - of thunder that is. Everyone was awakened by rolling thunder about 2:00 am. I went in to use the facilities just in case it would start to rain. Around 4am, it did, and with big winds buffeting the tent. I sat tight and made sure I had my valuables with me in case I needed to make a run for it, but, my tent held tight. Not a leak or rip. Everyone got up around 6 or 6:30, with the rain having stopped. The winds were still blowing, but it was dry. I saw some of the tents had not faired that well; a couple collapsing and hearing about leaks and such. My group was fine. We headed back to Harbor Springs for the last 43 miles. This was all road. After less than five miles, the sky opened again. It rained and poured and sprinkled and stopped, then repeated, the entire ride back until we got about eight miles outside of Harbor Springs. Another beautiful route along Lake Michigan, with whitecaps coming ashore from the storms playing out over the lake. At one point, we started through “The Tunnel of Trees”, which is a lovely road to tour by car or bike, but the rain was so heavy at times we couldn’t even see. I have not had this experience on a bicycle before. Several riders stopped, but I kept going, making sure my brakes worked. As we got close to Harbor Springs, the sun started breaking through and we had a great finish. I got my certificate and my slice of cake. All’s well that ends well! I'm told next year’s route will start in Traverse City and be just as good. Flickr link to more pictures: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjH53EpG