Wilderness Cycling

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I have to compliment my tour planner and co-cyclist, Rich, on today’s route. It was stunning! If you like wilderness and quiet scenery, this is the itinerary for you. And I think even Rich was awed by the perfection of today’s ride. In fact I know so – he said as much!

After a necessary 10 miles on Highway 2, we turned away from traffic and civilization and headed into the wilderness. The first 15 miles were on a road leading to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. It could have been a bike path. We shared the road with only a few passing cars and traveled undisturbed down the tree-lined lane as mile after mile of smooth pavement uncurled in front of us. We were prepared to find hills, which we did, but most were reasonable grades alternating between up and down.

We then turned onto South Boundary Road, which traverses the perimeter of the park. Our near-solitude continued as did our appreciation of the sun, the trees, the rivers and the wilderness. Having hiked in the area, we had vivid memories of clambering down and up the steep sides of the ravines in our path. We were relieved to find that road construction techniques alleviated such dips. Nevertheless, the road began to climb steadily, and looking into the distance we could see the high ridge of trees defining the summit – a sobering sight. It was a solid 10 miles uphill, mostly a gentle grade, but a challenging pitch at times. It gave us great pleasure to top the hill and begin our descent, which lasted 15 miles. We faced a strong headwind as we neared Lake Superior, but had no complaints mixing that with our downhill rush.

We rejoiced to see Lake Superior in the distance, and the view upon arrival was impressive. The pristine sand beach was enhanced by trees and white crested waves rolling into shore. What a difference from the rocky coastline we are accustomed to on the North Shore, yet beautiful in its uniqueness. Our final 15 miles closely followed the shore. Our view of the lake disappeared when private land intervened, but the water was close enough that we could get a glimpse of it down the driveways and periodically between properties. For us it was enough to know the great lake was there. Traveling lakeside also had the advantage of being blessedly flat. This time at the end of the day we left the hard work behind us and glided up to our motel near Ontonagon.

This trip just keeps getting better.

Cycling sights – a purple cow?

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It felt a lot milder when we set off from Bayfield this morning, and indeed at 52 degrees was nearly 10 degrees above yesterday’s start. We saw a beautiful sunrise over Lake Superior and enjoyed a quiet ride alongside the lake down to Ashland. It was a good start to day 2 of our Trans-Superior Cycling Tour.

Not even the early morning hours can deter Rich from his tourist stops. This morning as we passed what appeared to me to be a junkyard, he shouted out, “Look! A purple cow!”. Surely he wasn’t going to stop for that? I should have known better. He eagerly dragged me back to see this creature, which stood among other large scale wood carvings, and required a picture. Before we could make our retreat, we were scrutinized by a man who materialized in the drive. Once he determined that we were harmless, he offered to show us around his father’s studio. He led us back to a fairy tale-like set of buildings in a garden setting, and a workshop full of intricate carvings. Who would have guessed? Perhaps Rich’s weird taste has merit now and then.

Along our way we discovered a distinct phenomenon. Each rise brought us nice warm air, and on each downhill the temperature plummeted. Soon I felt as chilled as yesterday! I eagerly anticipated the hot breakfast that awaited us somewhere in Ashland, and was ultimately rewarded with hot coffee and pancakes. We exited the restaurant to an entirely different day. The looming clouds overhead had dissipated, leaving sunshine in their wake. Once we turned inland, away from the lake, the temperatures rose quickly and we cycled through a real summer day. We had a solid tale wind, which provided little relief from the warmth, but we readily traded that for the extra boost it gave us.

I have decided that each day’s cycling on this trip poses a unique challenge. Today’s was highway miles. I knew we had 40 miles of cycling along Highway 2, which is a main thoroughfare, and was apprehensive about the traffic. It then became 50 miles when our alternate route to avoid a section of highway was torn up for repair. Thankfully, my fears were for naught. A large portion of the distance was on new pavement with wide shoulders, the traffic was very reasonable, and trucks gave us a wide berth whenever possible. Probably the larger downside was that it was a long, straight road with little diversion in scenery. Woods dominated over farms this time, and we passed few sights that gave us reason to pause our ride. We did find the Hanka Finnish Homestead Museum outside of Ironwood to be a pretty and peaceful park with a fun giftshop of Scandinavian goods.

Today’s destination was the Black River Crossing B&B outside of Bessemer. We’d been there last winter, and enjoyed it so much we were eager to return. Our hosts Sue and Stan greeted us like old friends and saw to our every need, as before. We spent a peaceful afternoon in the lovely garden surroundings, with the sounds of waterfalls, light breezes, and sunshine playing on the beautiful plantings and flowers. We’ve already been invited to their evening barbecue with friends, so we needn’t even venture out for dinner. And we’re more than happy to be pampered. We feel we’ve earned it.

First Day Cycling – Idyllic

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We could not have asked for a better day to start our Trans-Superior Cycling Tour! Well, okay, I readily admit that it was a might chilly when we set off. A bank temperature reading confirmed that it was only 43 degrees. And I shivered and stiffened up during those initial miles. But the sun rose quickly and warmed our bodies and my attitude.

Traveling along highway 13 to Bayfield was a cyclist’s dream. The road surface was excellent, there was a good shoulder, and traffic was light. Add to that a perfectly sunny day, the wind mostly at our backs, and pastoral farmland scenery interspersed with forest and views of Lake Superior and you have a ride that can’t be beat. I might not have chosen to have the hilliest portion of the route in the last 20 miles, but even that could not detract from the experience. Probably the biggest drawback to the day was knowing that we could never replicate its perfection.

True to the nature of this tour, we made several stops along the way. An historical site with a Finnish homestead and windmill caught our attention, and proved to be beautifully cared for and well preserved. The first wayside rest with a view of Lake Superior demanded a visit. We couldn’t pass up the “Best Food on the Circle Tour” so we paused at Ruxy’s Cottage Cafe in Port Wing for a fresh cinnamon roll. The harbor in Cornocopia was a scenic diversion, with picturesque boats and little shops. And everything was enhanced by the beautiful sunny weather. Probably our most interesting stop came about completely by accident. I happened to spot the Lake Superior Binational Forum Symbol – the same one that adorns our cycling shirts – on the door or a roadside building. Returning to investigate, Bruce Lindgren stepped outside, and we soon learned that he is a member and co-chair of the Forum! He was pleased to learn of our association with the Forum and a lively conversation ensued, fueled by our mutual care for Lake Superior.

Arriving at our destination, the descent into Bayfield was a picturesque (and welcome) sight. Sailboats and other vessels dotted the deep blue waters of Lake Superior as the quaint buildings of this pretty town came into view. At the first available cafe, we deserted our bikes and emerged with lake berry breeze smoothies and consumed them in the warmth of the sunshine. Oh, were they good.

I would have to say that this was a most successful start to our trip. We’ve enjoyed a delicious and ample dinner and are now resting in our motel with a lovely view of the lake and the setting sun. We’re tired, but happily so. And tomorrow’s another day on the Tour.

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.