Hey Mophuka - hope the ribs are OK. Been there done that to many times myself. With the closed down North loop, you missed the REALLY deep stuff. A few years ago, I went swimming - as in TOTALLY underwater on my FIRST ride on a new to me bike. Then got snowed on as we tried to get it running...and ended up having to rebuild it from the main bearings on up just before a race. Not much fun!
You will likely find a lot more responses to posts on stuff like this thread if you put them into the Michigan Trail Riders section itself. Where it is now, is just kinda on the doorstep to where all the Michigan Mafia hang out..