Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Cadillac ride

Hey, first post finally. My family and I were up North at the family property in Osceola county over the fourth of July weekend. I got out for a Saturday morning ride on 7/3... rode up to the Cadillac pathway and back. Great ride! Lots of different surfaces and terrain... the Cadillac Pathway is a set of single track loops just east of town. A lot more climbing than I am used to.

A mile or so from the farmhouse:

On top of Jeffrey Hill:



Took Hibma road east, it was basically sugar sand:
Nice view at the top though:
Made it into Cadillac, ended up taking the hill route through town:
Cadillac Pathway trail head at Thirteenth and Crosby:
The Cadillac Pathway is about 10 miles of single track over 3 loops.  Fun trail... 
not sure I would drive from SE MI just for it, but it's the closest trail to our property.  If you are in the Cadillac area, definitely give it a shot.  The Clam River Greenway spurs out to the 13th and Crosby Trailhead, and the Clam River Greenway in turn 
links through to the White Pine Trail.  That is the route I headed back on...

White Pine Trail State Park Cadillac staging area:
The White Pine Trail State Park is a rail to trail that extends from north part of Grand Rapids up to Cadillac, about 92 miles in total.  Various sections are 
paved, but most of it is packed cinders.  The surface is pretty solid, no problem for an all terrain bike, but a road bike equipped with some fatter tires would 
have no problem.  Cyclocross bikes would be right at home.  
At the staging area:
Tunnel underneath M-115:
On the trail:
Going underneath 131:
Getting close to the farmhouse:
 

All in all a really fun ride... it had it all, country roads, gravel, single track, urban riding, rail trail.