Last Wednesday at the Caberfae trailhead was the start of the spring version of Hop Sings Rendezvous. The organizer and head cook is a fellow named Bob, hence the name of the group. There where seven of us on this trip, 6 old boys and one young Ted. At the start of each days ride we always stack hands and have a blessing of sorts, that we have fun and return safely. This is followed by the call of - When Ted says we ride, we ride. Gene then announces that he will give $25 to the first one to roost Tim. The afternoon was sunny, cool and comfortable as we set out for the MCCCT junction. What few puddles there were didn’t bother a thing. Since I had mentioned the trail was tighter going north than south, north we went. This is part of Woodsy’s lovable Boon trail and I had been through here in early April with him. But now the snow was gone and the leaves were out, so I didn’t recognize anything particular. To me it’s another Michigan trail, best in the world, until they get logged out. Due to the time situation we turned around still south of the RR tracks. Tim is the fastest and best rider, doing most of the leading. He can get far enough ahead to find a photo op spot and set up to wait for the rest. At a break stop Gene provides entertainment by juggling rocks or you name it. He would be the winner at a class clown contest. For group nut it would be a seven-way tie. We got back with no problems but a little tight on our time schedule. It was a good warm up of things to come as we left for Wolverine, which would be our headquarters.
The others have never ridden in the UP so Thursday morning it was Trout Lake here we come. After we go over the Bridge, the clouds take over and on M-123 the drizzle starts. By the time we get to the north trailhead, the rain is light but steady. Inca is in the trailer and accessible so I get everything ready before he is put outside. One by one the rest get unloaded and some start to change clothes. By the time we get set to go, the rain has stopped. Call it bragging if you will, but I say it doesn’t dare rain when I go riding. Take this as gospel and you’ll get wet too. The short connector to the top of the loop is sandy and free of water. It’s also a little hilly. At a partial clearing Tim stops to let some type of heron maybe, get out of the way. It flew a few feet and then walked off into the pines. Not much farther we come up on several owls just looking at us. All kinds of wildlife in the woods and some of it was on two wheels. Someone says turn right and we head down the west side CCW. The sandy soil becomes slippery wet dirt and the rocks show up too. On this type of trail I ride on the conservative side and therefore usually last in line. At a two track I can open things up a little and coming around a wide curve I meet the others coming back. The area to the left is logged over so it becomes a find the trail thing. We do and go along the edge of the woods over all the mess that was left. Next thing we know we’ve made a loop back to the woods edge. This time Tim sees a trail to the left instead and that gets us back to the marked part. Why remarking the trail isn’t part of the logging deal is beyond any of us. Dig up a road and see if you can get away without putting it back the way it was. There were some downed trees that didn’t give any trouble, as the area was rather flat and open. When we got to the area where the trail follows the two track there was a lot of water. Not impassable, just wet and muddy. In an open grassy area I was running third and saw grooves in the trail. There was roosting going on, no other explanation. This was confirmed once back in the woods when I came up behind Gene waving a white rag at Tim, who was a safe 50 feet further ahead looking back. At the pace we were going it was decided to return rather than loop as originally planned. Our handicapped rider Jim was under the dictum of – if you get hurt, don’t come home. He had broken his collarbone and some ribs about 7 weeks back. He was also to be roost free but was accidentally a little too close and got dirt in one eye. The return for me was slower for after going down a few times and picking Inca up, my arms tire and I don’t have the reaction to go very fast on slippery footing. At times like this Bob will follow to make sure I’m OK. I’ve known him since he was in first grade with my son Bruce and is one of our ‘adopted’ boys. For excitement on the return, Gene’s throttle stuck and he wound up on the ground OK but with the bike headed back the other way. A little later he had to change a fouled plug. We eventually made it back and everyone was pleased with the ride. The UP will be on the schedule for a future Rendezvous.
Friday is another fine day, as they all are, and it’s off to Tomahawk for the favorite trails of many riders. We start out on B loop CW and soon get to a section of new trail that has been put in. There are only cardboard arrows up but we had no trouble seeing where to go. It is broken in and still quite tight. About five miles out a steep hill that washed into a ravine has been closed off and rerouted. Some places have a few whoops, but not bad at all. At one point a new trail has been put in to the right and the original is not blocked. Tim and Mike C. were flying and never saw the arrow for the new trail. For a few minutes we were separated, not knowing which way they went. Somehow we make things like this into fun and laughs. When Jim and Mike M. want to stay behind me, I have to wonder why. No deviltry involved at all. Mike C. is using oil that bothers the eyes and nose both. This was the first Rendezvous that he has been other than last behind me. The statement – we’ll have to talk to him – has been made. After one of Tim’s photo ops at a wet area, he relaxed in the wrong place. Bob managed to get his rear wheel in a little mud and Tim had a dirty jersey. Gene rode up, shook hands and later made good on his offer. Such is the life of trail riding, hard to beat. After stops of playing on the hill at the Kings Rd. pit and the big one by the cut-off, we finished the 40 miles OK.
After some lunch we took off on C loop CW to get in some more seat time. Five miles out Jim wasn’t feeling well enough to continue and made the 180 with Gene back to the trailhead. The rest of us continued on and had a few challenging downed tree go-arounds to conquer. They aren’t really hard; you simply come up on them quick and can get in the wrong place. Another five miles and it was turn around time once more. I try to keep a good pace and can do so only in some places. Going down twice in a hundred yards is the signal to back off and cool it. Bob and Mike M. are behind me to make sure I’m all right. We finish the ride with no physical or mechanical problems, just a lot of fuel for the engine of life.
Young Ted
The others have never ridden in the UP so Thursday morning it was Trout Lake here we come. After we go over the Bridge, the clouds take over and on M-123 the drizzle starts. By the time we get to the north trailhead, the rain is light but steady. Inca is in the trailer and accessible so I get everything ready before he is put outside. One by one the rest get unloaded and some start to change clothes. By the time we get set to go, the rain has stopped. Call it bragging if you will, but I say it doesn’t dare rain when I go riding. Take this as gospel and you’ll get wet too. The short connector to the top of the loop is sandy and free of water. It’s also a little hilly. At a partial clearing Tim stops to let some type of heron maybe, get out of the way. It flew a few feet and then walked off into the pines. Not much farther we come up on several owls just looking at us. All kinds of wildlife in the woods and some of it was on two wheels. Someone says turn right and we head down the west side CCW. The sandy soil becomes slippery wet dirt and the rocks show up too. On this type of trail I ride on the conservative side and therefore usually last in line. At a two track I can open things up a little and coming around a wide curve I meet the others coming back. The area to the left is logged over so it becomes a find the trail thing. We do and go along the edge of the woods over all the mess that was left. Next thing we know we’ve made a loop back to the woods edge. This time Tim sees a trail to the left instead and that gets us back to the marked part. Why remarking the trail isn’t part of the logging deal is beyond any of us. Dig up a road and see if you can get away without putting it back the way it was. There were some downed trees that didn’t give any trouble, as the area was rather flat and open. When we got to the area where the trail follows the two track there was a lot of water. Not impassable, just wet and muddy. In an open grassy area I was running third and saw grooves in the trail. There was roosting going on, no other explanation. This was confirmed once back in the woods when I came up behind Gene waving a white rag at Tim, who was a safe 50 feet further ahead looking back. At the pace we were going it was decided to return rather than loop as originally planned. Our handicapped rider Jim was under the dictum of – if you get hurt, don’t come home. He had broken his collarbone and some ribs about 7 weeks back. He was also to be roost free but was accidentally a little too close and got dirt in one eye. The return for me was slower for after going down a few times and picking Inca up, my arms tire and I don’t have the reaction to go very fast on slippery footing. At times like this Bob will follow to make sure I’m OK. I’ve known him since he was in first grade with my son Bruce and is one of our ‘adopted’ boys. For excitement on the return, Gene’s throttle stuck and he wound up on the ground OK but with the bike headed back the other way. A little later he had to change a fouled plug. We eventually made it back and everyone was pleased with the ride. The UP will be on the schedule for a future Rendezvous.
Friday is another fine day, as they all are, and it’s off to Tomahawk for the favorite trails of many riders. We start out on B loop CW and soon get to a section of new trail that has been put in. There are only cardboard arrows up but we had no trouble seeing where to go. It is broken in and still quite tight. About five miles out a steep hill that washed into a ravine has been closed off and rerouted. Some places have a few whoops, but not bad at all. At one point a new trail has been put in to the right and the original is not blocked. Tim and Mike C. were flying and never saw the arrow for the new trail. For a few minutes we were separated, not knowing which way they went. Somehow we make things like this into fun and laughs. When Jim and Mike M. want to stay behind me, I have to wonder why. No deviltry involved at all. Mike C. is using oil that bothers the eyes and nose both. This was the first Rendezvous that he has been other than last behind me. The statement – we’ll have to talk to him – has been made. After one of Tim’s photo ops at a wet area, he relaxed in the wrong place. Bob managed to get his rear wheel in a little mud and Tim had a dirty jersey. Gene rode up, shook hands and later made good on his offer. Such is the life of trail riding, hard to beat. After stops of playing on the hill at the Kings Rd. pit and the big one by the cut-off, we finished the 40 miles OK.
After some lunch we took off on C loop CW to get in some more seat time. Five miles out Jim wasn’t feeling well enough to continue and made the 180 with Gene back to the trailhead. The rest of us continued on and had a few challenging downed tree go-arounds to conquer. They aren’t really hard; you simply come up on them quick and can get in the wrong place. Another five miles and it was turn around time once more. I try to keep a good pace and can do so only in some places. Going down twice in a hundred yards is the signal to back off and cool it. Bob and Mike M. are behind me to make sure I’m all right. We finish the ride with no physical or mechanical problems, just a lot of fuel for the engine of life.
Young Ted
