Riding through the woods as fast as you can shows the inner child you thought was lost forever.Spring Cyclocross?
What do you do if it's not road season or mountain biking season, but ski season? What do you do if you want to ride? Well, ride!
Today, my friend, Pat, and I took our cyclocross bikes out for a road ride. We stopped off at McLain State Park and road some snow and enjoyed the view.
Di riding with her Kona Jake the Snake and Pat's Redline cross bikes. Lake Superior is covered with snow in the background with deep blue waters in the greater depths.
After a brief stint at McLain, we headed up Calumet Water Works Road for a much needed spring climb. It is a two mile gradual climb with some varying grades and no descents. Pat and I made it to the top in good form. This is a great road to ride down on a hot day. There is usually a breeze coming off of Lake Superior, and the view is absolutely spectacular!
The road to the right is Calumet Water Works and M-203 is to the left. You can see Lake Superior on the horizon of both roads. Pat is riding up M-203.
We returned to McLain State Park via M-203, a nice, rolling ride. I drafted Pat and had a nice ride all the way down as Pat broke the wind for me. Once we got to McClain, he veered off the road onto the trail that is packed with ski tracks. "What are you doing? You're crazy!" I said as I pondered turning my bike around to follow him.
"What? It's rideable. Come on." I directed my bike off the pavement and onto the snow trail. Ever hear of crust skiing? It's when skate skiers enjoy the crusty, springtime snow and can skate in fields rather than rolled trails without sinking. Well, this was crust cycling.
Pat riding the McLain State Park trail. We were riding on a trail packed with about one to two feet of snow. Still, it's easier than riding through the sandy cyclocross courses in the UP.
We hit the pavement again and headed for Waasa Road. The special thing about Waasa is the super steep hill where it meets M-203. It's one hell of a climb. I tackled it in my uncle gear - that's what I call the easiest gear on my cross bike that isn't nearly as easy as the granny gear on my mountain bike. It was an incredible challenge for me. I've made it up once before. I huffed and puffed and pulled back on the handlebars with each pedal stroke using my whole body to muscle up the hill. As I was huffing and puffing and at my max and using all the brainpower I could to get to the top of that hill, I was watching Pat bunny hopping, trackstanding, and doing wheelies as he slowly climbed with me.
"That wasn't so bad," Pat said as we reached the top of the hill.
"Ya, sure," I said. "I'm huffing and puffing and giving it all I've got and you're bunny hopping up the hill!" Pat let out a jovial laugh. He loves laughing at my pain. I wish you could've seen it.
After that climb, we geared down and took an easy ride back to my house. Twenty-six and a half miles in just under three hours. The weather was wonderful in the heat-strokish 30s Fahrenheit and we were in our glory as the sun beat down on us. It was just another day in the Keweenaw.
Today, my friend, Pat, and I took our cyclocross bikes out for a road ride. We stopped off at McLain State Park and road some snow and enjoyed the view.
Di riding with her Kona Jake the Snake and Pat's Redline cross bikes. Lake Superior is covered with snow in the background with deep blue waters in the greater depths.
After a brief stint at McLain, we headed up Calumet Water Works Road for a much needed spring climb. It is a two mile gradual climb with some varying grades and no descents. Pat and I made it to the top in good form. This is a great road to ride down on a hot day. There is usually a breeze coming off of Lake Superior, and the view is absolutely spectacular!
The road to the right is Calumet Water Works and M-203 is to the left. You can see Lake Superior on the horizon of both roads. Pat is riding up M-203.
We returned to McLain State Park via M-203, a nice, rolling ride. I drafted Pat and had a nice ride all the way down as Pat broke the wind for me. Once we got to McClain, he veered off the road onto the trail that is packed with ski tracks. "What are you doing? You're crazy!" I said as I pondered turning my bike around to follow him.
"What? It's rideable. Come on." I directed my bike off the pavement and onto the snow trail. Ever hear of crust skiing? It's when skate skiers enjoy the crusty, springtime snow and can skate in fields rather than rolled trails without sinking. Well, this was crust cycling.
Pat riding the McLain State Park trail. We were riding on a trail packed with about one to two feet of snow. Still, it's easier than riding through the sandy cyclocross courses in the UP.
We hit the pavement again and headed for Waasa Road. The special thing about Waasa is the super steep hill where it meets M-203. It's one hell of a climb. I tackled it in my uncle gear - that's what I call the easiest gear on my cross bike that isn't nearly as easy as the granny gear on my mountain bike. It was an incredible challenge for me. I've made it up once before. I huffed and puffed and pulled back on the handlebars with each pedal stroke using my whole body to muscle up the hill. As I was huffing and puffing and at my max and using all the brainpower I could to get to the top of that hill, I was watching Pat bunny hopping, trackstanding, and doing wheelies as he slowly climbed with me.
"That wasn't so bad," Pat said as we reached the top of the hill.
"Ya, sure," I said. "I'm huffing and puffing and giving it all I've got and you're bunny hopping up the hill!" Pat let out a jovial laugh. He loves laughing at my pain. I wish you could've seen it.
After that climb, we geared down and took an easy ride back to my house. Twenty-six and a half miles in just under three hours. The weather was wonderful in the heat-strokish 30s Fahrenheit and we were in our glory as the sun beat down on us. It was just another day in the Keweenaw.
Labels: Cyclocross, Kona, Road, Snow, Winter
posted by Di at
4:33 PM
2 Comments:
I so have to come up and ride with you again this summer, Now that I am in better shape. Maybe you can take me to enjoy some of those great views up at copper sometime. Great blog by the way. Great one that got me in the mood to go ride this morning.
Good! I'm very happy that my blog is inspiring you! :-) If you choose to go by bike, the splendid views of the Keweenaw are definitely a lot of work.
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