Paul's Plunge

I went to Copper Harbor with some friends one day in the early summer of 2007. We were going to ride Copper Harbor. I was nervous after my first racing experience there the previous summer. I knew I was a better rider because I began seeking out technical trails in the fall. In the spring, while road riding with my friend, Pat, I was reading mountain bike books and perusing through magazine articles in search of advice that would make me a better rider. I had a couple months of hard work under my belt and I was ready to test my skills.

Arlyn and Sandy led our ride. I enthusiastically followed, barely making it up the long climbs, enjoying the long descents and finding great excitement in the technical aspects of those trails. I was riding at a new level, a level well beyond that of the previous season. Before I knew it, I was clearing most of the Red Trail! We ventured onto Paul’s Plunge. Arlyn had me lead the way.

“Let me know when we get to the Plunge,” I told Arlyn.

“Ok, just lead. We’ll follow you,” he replied.


The actual plunge part of Paul’s Plunge. It’s impossible to capture the whole plunge and the degree of difficulty with a photo.

I was carefully crossing long, narrow bridges, riding over slabs of bedrock, and smiling the whole way. I yelled to Arlyn, “Are we almost to the Plunge?”

“You’re on it!” he replied.

Oh, shit.

I was nervous, to say the least. I rode it. I hugged the right side of the trail, slowly descending down the loose rocks with my butt hanging off the back of the saddle. I came to the second section of the Plunge and stayed to the right as I descended down some natural steps and . . . which way do I go? Where is my line? I couldn’t decide where to go, lost most of my momentum, and by the time I decided to move forward, I fell over to the left. I almost made it down Paul’s Plunge. I got off the bike to assess the hill. Arlyn and Sandy came up behind me on their tandem and I studied their line as they approached. Next time I would conquer this hill.


Paul’s Plunge – the point where I came to a stop and fell over.


Arlyn and Sandy riding their tandem, Simba, down Paul’s Plunge.

My heart grew three sizes that day.

Copper Harbor became a big part of my life that year. I traveled up there many Sundays for trail work. I rode up there almost every week. I delved into the life of Copper Harbor.