Author Archives: Molly

Cycling Tour – Poised and Ready

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Tomorrow’s the day.  Finally!  I hate to think of it as wishing the summer away, but I have been looking forward to our Trans-Superior Cycling Tour all summer long, and now it’s here.  So how do I feel?

Ready – I’ve done the training.  We’ll see if it’s enough, but I’m confident I can handle the 500 miles of the trip.  I suspect my bottom will be more sore than my legs.  Our bikes are tuned up and we’re prepared for basic repairs, but hoping we won’t need those skills  much.

Excited – I can’t wait to be outdoors, do the cycling, meet people, see things along the way and stop for ice cream or coffee – depending on the weather.  And it’s vacation after all. It may not be everyone’s dream vacation, but to us it’s a great adventure.

Anxious – Weather probably holds the greatest unknown for me.  Now that the heat has broken, it looks like we will have chilly mornings, comfortable days and cool evenings.  Did I pack the right layers to be warm enough?  This is beginning to feel like the night before a marathon.  Only it’s a lot harder to predict 9 days than 4 hours.

Practical – I think I can take pride in my packing.  We’re talking bare bones – two sets of cycling clothes on the “wear one, wash one” plan.  Little in the way of civilian clothes.  And my iPad, of course.  I still have excess room in my panniers.  How did that happen?  The trick will be not to fill them up before our departure.

Curious – What will it really be like, cycling all day every day for 8 of the 9 days?  Will it really be “500 Miles of Love” as it says on our shirts?  Time will tell.  Starting tomorrow.

Cycle Tour Statistics

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We have had our route for the Trans-Superior Cycling Tour planned for months.  And Rich has mapped it out mile by mile.  “What about the elevations?”  I ask.  I’m curious.  We’ll be going through the Porcupine Mountains – doesn’t that imply some pretty impressive hills?  I kind of like to know what I’m getting into.  Not Rich.  “It is what it is” he says.  I agree that knowing ahead of time won’t change anything, but I’m still unable to leave it alone.  Gmaps-pedometer will calculate that data, so here it is:

Interesting.  The day in the Porcupines has one of the least elevations gains, and it is a net loss in elevation for the day.  It looks like Day 5 heading up to Copper Harbor is where I’d better be prepared for those hills.  Particularly since it is a shorter day’s ride – check out the average gain per mile, a measure of my own calculation.  Good thing we have a rest day following that leg of the trip.

So far these are just abstract numbers.  Pretty meaningless, really.  Best to look at some of my training rides.  I’ve been doing hills, right?  Average gain per mile should be a good way to compare.  Hmmm…   Even my hilliest routes are below the “easiest” day of our tour.  This may be more challenging than I realized!  At least I know beforehand.  Just don’t tell Rich.

It’s Farmers Market Season!

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I love the Farmers Market. The sights, the sounds, the colors, and smells. Being there first thing in the morning is the best.

I remember going to the Duluth Farmers Market with my mom or dad early on Saturday mornings. The humble structure filled with friendly farmers and all their freshest produce was humming with activity. Being regulars meant knowing each stall, talking to the vendors and finding out what was best to buy that morning.

Living in the Twin Cities for many years, I frequented the Minneapolis Farmers Market. Although everyone seems to flock to the market on Saturdays, it feels more like a festival than a market to me. The craft vendors and extras all detracted from the experience. And it’s really crowded. I prefer weekday mornings. In the cool temperatures of the early morning, with the sun shining in at a low angle, it’s just the real farmers, tables of vegetables and rows of flowers. I’m competing for space with only a few shoppers inspecting the goods and making their selections. Even though I was usually on my way to work, it was the ideal time out. I could never feel hurried, and I felt inspired by all the fresh and wholesome goods surrounding me.

I’m pleased so see a resurgence of Farmers Markets. They are cropping up in small towns, suburban communities and roadside stands. All the better for the farmers and shoppers like me. I’m eager to get reacquainted with the Duluth Farmers Market. Maybe one day I too will know all the locals selling the wonderful fresh produce.

Cycling Trip Final Preparations

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We’re in the home stretch! The Trans-Superior Cycling Tour is  just 10 days away and we are checking off our final tasks in preparation for our trip.

We made a costly but necessary trip to the bike shop to get our bicycles tuned up and replace worn parts. It’s amazing how all those training miles can add up and cause wear and tear. I only bought my bike in February, but I have logged 2,500 miles on it already! While we were there, we found some additional gear we needed. Can you hear it? Ka-ching, ka-ching. A new foot pump, a traveling pump, repair supplies and a new pair of biking shorts all came home with us. I also invested in a rear-view mirror for my helmet. I find I just can’t look behind me without swerving into the road. So that expense was in the name of safety. I hope it works.

We have made our initial transport arrangements. True confessions, we are starting in Superior not Duluth. That saves us the tedious extra miles required to travel over the Bong Bridge and get back to our route. So our friends will ferry us and our bikes over to the Bong Museum and provide us with a proper send off. They have to be very good friends, as we requested a 6:15am pick-up.

True to form, I have a detailed packing list. I can’t go anywhere without a list. Space is very limited, so at this stage I’m more likely to strike items than add more. But I shouldn’t forget anything – assuming I do a final check on that list before concluding my packing.

Rich has created a 59 page PDF file with detailed maps of our route. It is annotated with daily mile markers courtesy of gmaps-pedometer, and he has drilled in to capture detail where we need to take turns. The idea is that we can review it before each day’s ride, and if we’re really in need, we will stop and pull up a copy already stored on an iPad.

Now it’s just a matter of time.  10 days to go, and it’s so hard to wait.

All Things Lake Superior

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There are plenty of commercial websites and publications about the Lake Superior region. But sometimes personal accounts, photos and tips are more interesting and entertaining. This is information provided by people enthusiastic about the lake and with no incentive to sell you anything. Now there is a website that has been created to lead you to just such a collection. The Lake Superior Waves website is a repository of personal, non-commercial resources about Lake Superior.

Need some examples?

  • Photography – there are numerous amateur photographers who share their Lake Superior area pictures on the web
  • Blogs – personal accounts that focus on our beloved lake, ranging from weather to outdoor activities
  • History and Information – educational resources on various lake themes

In addition, the site is searchable. So if you have an interest in cycling, a search on this site will render results for cycling out of all the material linked to the site. And by definition, it will be information on cycling in the Lake Superior area.

If you have a blog, website, photos or other material that would fit this category, there is a form to submit to be included on the site. The more material included, the richer this site will be.

My SuperiorFootprints blog is included. But then – truth be told – the site was created by my husband. We’re both Lake Superior lovers. With this site he hopes to create a growing repository to appeal to like-minded lake enthusiasts.

Check it out!  Lakes Superior Waves

Bicycle Maintenance 101

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It started with a squeaky chain. My bike is still new, so it should purr and whir not rattle and clank, right? But I admit that I’ve been neglecting it. I knew virtually noting about bicycle maintenance. But I wanted to take care of my bike, so I returned to Erik’s Bike Shop where I bought it and was entitled to minor adjustments. It didn’t take them long to confirm that my chain was indeed dry and in need of lubricating. Nor did it escape them how dirty my bike was, and how low my tires were. My negligence was pretty obvious. I admitted not only my lack of care but also my desire to learn and improve. While they graciously restored my bike to its former glory, I received kindly advice and patient answers to my questions.

I’d already been thinking about taking a class in bicycle maintenence. Finding out that Erik’s offered such classes sealed it. I immediately signed up for the Novice Class. This past week I devoted my Tuesday and Wednesday evenings to this endeavor, and it was just what I needed.

My bike ready for maintenance

Although the class held up to ten students, there were only five of us, which made for a great ratio with the two instructors. We brought our own bikes to work on, and each had our own bike stand, work bench and extensive set of tools. Not only were we taught for the advertised 6 hours of class, but the instructors made themselves available before and after each class for as long as we liked. I’m sure I availed myself of at least 8 hours.

Since I’m not exactly handy with tools and mechanics, I had no illusions about coming out of the class able to do my own repairs. My goal was to understand the major components of my bike, how they worked, and just what the issue might be if something went wrong with it. That and how to repair a flat – while I’d been lucky to date, I knew the day would come when I found myself in trouble out on a bike ride far from home. Due to the diligence and patience of the instructors, I exceeded my objectives. We covered basic bike cleaning and daily maintenance, tubes and tires, wheel truing, chains, deraillers and brakes. I got advice on types of biking shoes and pedals, and an adjustment on my seat height. I changed my front tire three times… admittedly it took that many times to get it right, but all in the name of good practice. I confess to getting somewhat lost in the intricacies of the two derailler systems, but I did glean enough to make a necessary adjustment to the limit screws at home this weekend. What a coup that was!

Even though my husband is capable of making most of the repairs we might need on our upcoming Trans-Superior Bike Tour, I feel a lot better knowing I am more self-sufficient than before. And truth be told, when he was frustrated by having multiple flat tires this past week, I was able to give him some good advice on his repair process. And it worked!

A Not-Quite Century Ride

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My friend has been a cyclist for ages. Now that I have taken up cycling, we've been talking all summer about going for a ride together, and today we finally made it happen. Our first hurdle was the start time. She informed me that my proposed time of 6:30am was the middle of the night. I retorted that her 9:00am suggestion was the middle of the day. We compromised on 7:30.

We chose to ride on the Munger Trail. Since the start of the trail was closed due to the flood damage, we drove to Carlton to start there. Numerous times I tried to pin her down on the distance. She was interested in a long ride, but I didn't know what that meant in the context of her cycling experience. So we set off and decided to just see how it went.

Munger Trail

While the start of the Munger Trail climbs out of Duluth, by Carlton it flattens out. We cycled for miles and miles in a long, straight, flat and smooth trajectory. There were few other cyclists on the trail, making it easy to ride side by side and talk the whole way. We have never been known to run out of material to talk about and today was no exception. And as we talked, the miles flew by. It turned out that our paces were perfectly matched, and we were loving the beautiful sunny day which was perfect for flying down the trail.

As the miles mounted, so did our ambition. It was an out and back ride, so we had to judge when we felt we'd gone half way and turn around. That's always tricky – how do you know when you are half spent? Should we set a max, I suggested? Nah, let's just go a little further. There's one hilly spot that's fun to ride – let's not stop before that. As the 40 mile mark loomed, a bigger question presented itself… Should we make this a Century Ride? It suddenly became soooo tempting!

Now I am rarely the one to hesitate when it comes to a challenge. But I have to own up to being the voice of reason this time. It was hot, we'd gotten a late start (!), and I had a husband expecting me back before dinner. So pledging to return for the full century ride soon, we did an about face at around 41 miles. It did give us time to take in a town festival at Willow River, and make the requisite stop at the Dairy Queen in Moose Lake. And neither of us complained when we reached the car at the end of 83 miles.

But next time we won't let that century mark elude us. Even if we have to start earlier to make it.

Dividing Mom’s treasures

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We just weren’t ready to do it right after the funeral.  We knew we’d have to divide up Mom’s worldly goods among us four children, but emotions were high and the loss was too recent to do it then.  There were plenty of other arrangements to make, practical matters to attend to, and a house to sell.  We put it off until later.

Nobody really wanted to face the task.  There was too much at risk, and family relationships at stake if it did not go well.  But with two siblings coming from far reaches of the country at the same time this summer, we all knew it was inevitable.

I mentally set aside three days for the task.  Being the family organizer, I set the meeting time for the first day at 9:00am with dire warnings not to be late.  “Do we really need to start so early?” my sister asked.  “How long do you think this will take?”  How I wanted to share in her optimism!  I generously allowed everyone an extra half hour in the morning, but we didn’t have any spare days.

We had family heirlooms handed down through multiple generations, and favorite items that meant a lot to each of us.  All of it was treasured, used and cared for lovingly by our parents.  And memories were wrapped around everything.  How ever could we respectfully divide these things among us?  But time is a great healer.  The tempers that flared in the aftermath of losing Mom had mellowed and been replaced by a generous spirit.  “I want” became “who would like this?” and “I think you should have it.”  Even the few items with the strongest contention were ultimately resolved gracefully.

While it was a herculean job, and the hours of identifying, hunting, sorting and deciding were tiring, we also managed to have fun.  We were easily sidetracked, lured off task by the items we discovered that led to stories, questions and often a lot of laughs.  There were things whose purpose totally escaped us.  We learned some new terms – nappie, compote, candlewick, fretted.  We delved into old books, and sifted through memorable record albums (yes, the old vinyl variety).  We played with the wind-up toys we’d given Mom over the years.

We did manage to get through all the main stuff.  And best of all, nearly everything of importance found a new home.  Just knowing that the family treasures were staying in the family made me happy.  My oldest sister walked away with her “take” in one shopping bag.  My brother will have to come back with a U-Haul.  A big one.  My kids will have some furniture to flesh out a new apartment, china and silver to remind them of Grandma’s love for entertaining.

Everyone is happy with their selections and we’re all still talking to each other.  Mom would be proud of us.

Cycle Touring

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I admit I tend to be a bit hard core. Put a goal out in front of me and I develop tunnel vision.  It becomes a mission.  I push to the max to reach that target or higher.

Preparing for our Trans-Superior Cycling Tour has been a bit like that. I’d never done long distance cycling before, but as soon as the snow melted I was out there training day after day, increasing my distances in rapid succession. Just like in marathon training, I like to press on. Mile after mile, no stops.

So when my husband, Rich, and I set out for a bike ride this weekend, I found my style challenged. Why does he keep stopping, I kept asking myself? Time for a photograph. Time for water. Time to take in a nice view. Time to slow down and look around while we cycle. Harumph – let’s get going!

We had selected a new route that would take us over roads we’d never traveled before. It’s always nice to see new territory, and we had a gorgeous sunny day on which to do so. We cycled inland from Two Harbors and around to Beaver Bay surrounded by beautiful farms and forest. Road surfaces were good, and the lack of cars made any lack of shoulder a non-issue. Not even the eight miles of unexpected dirt road in the middle could spoil the route. If only we could just keeping going. But I was informed in no uncertain terms that on our upcoming cycling trip, Rich had every intention of sightseeing and stopping along the way. Just get used to it.

Upon our arrival in Beaver Bay, Rich headed straight for The Big Dipper. Ice cream in the middle of the morning? Didn’t seem too outrageous to me – weren’t we cycling 50 miles on a hot day? The smoothies on the menu instantly appealed to us, and they were the best tasting ever! Hmmm, I began to feel my attitude shifting slightly. Perhaps this stopping thing had some merit? The remaining miles took us down the North Shore, largely on the Gitchi-Gami State Trail which kept us blissfully separate from the car traffic. Lake Superior was at its best, brilliant blue and sparkling in the sunshine. It was a glorious sight and eased my resistance to this new leisurely pace. Silver Cliffs provided a terrific view, and yes, we stopped, got off our bikes and took pictures. I even took the time to read the information boards. And enjoyed it.

I think I get it. The Tour in Trans-Superior Cycling Tour. I hope the scenery is good.

Trans-Superior Cycling Tour Update

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It’s just one month away! After all these months of planning and training, we are in the final countdown to the Trans-Superior Cycling Tour. Mentally, I’m ready – I’d be happy if we were leaving tomorrow. Well, except for the packing. I haven’t even started that list yet. The trick there will be what not to bring, as we have only 2 paniers each to fill for 9 days’ worth of travel. But since we are not camping, we need only fit in our clothes and a few personal items. Simple enough, right?

I’m feeling good about my preparations so far. I’ve logged over 2,000 miles of cycling this year. I cycle nearly every day of the week (okay, I still consider myself a runner and can’t resist running now and then). I’ve done a number of 50+ mile distance rides, and have been out in cold and rain as well as hot humid weather.

As far as logistics go, our itinerary is set and we have made all of our lodging reservations. We did discover one important detail – the ferries between Isle Royale and Grand Portage only run on certain days of the week. So we had to shift our start date by one day in order to make it work. It pays to do one’s homework on these things. There is no wiggle room on this trip – hotel rooms and ferries are not flexible! We’re in for the distance each day, no matter what the conditions.

So, what’s next? I think it’s time to attach and fill my paniers to get used to riding with the extra weight on my back wheel. That will be entirely new to me. And I have signed up for a bicycle maintenance class at Erik’s bike shop. This week I will spend two evenings in the Novice Class working on my own bike learning to do basic repairs. I figured it was time I learned more about my bike and how to take care of it. Not to mention recovering from the inevitable breakdown on one of my rides.

The only thing remaining between now and our trip is time. And more training miles!