Good ride today, though we tended to get a bit bogged down during the stops. Certainly wasn't my fastest ride, with pulling Ava on the tag along. We ended up skipping Elmwood, and instead took Heidelberg to Gratiot and the Eastern Market. City wasn't as busy today compared to last Saturday.
The family and I cut the ride a bit short, taking a shortcut on Belle Isle, and we cut out quite a bit of Cass & 2nd. Went back to the Fort and drove over go Los Galanes. Pozole soup was great! Thanks for the idea Don.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
BTT 091810 post2
BTT 091810
Pretty good crew today, we have Jay, Don, DaveS, JimS, Mike, Dave, John, Carmen, Ava, Drew, Bill, Kevin, Kevin, AndyL & Linda, Jeff, John, Rosalyn, Jim & Joe, (Black Sheep) Bob, Turner, & myself. At Tim Horton's currently.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Marquette, Mich mtn biking, post1: Harlow Farms Connector
One aspect I really like about Marquette riding is being able to ride to the trails, particularly the South Marquette trail system. Better yet, the Noquemanon Trail Network (http://www.noquetrails.org), which oversees the trails, has created the Harlow Farms Connector (HFC) trail which links into the Pioneer Loop. The HFC extends off of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail (IOHT) just south of US-41... basically a person in downtown Marquette can ride up the IOHT to McClellan (and if they like, just ride down McClellan to the trail head). Then cross McClellan, pick up the trail, which uses the old railroad bridge to get over US-41. Just across the bridge on the left (as you head south) is the entrance to the HFC.
Iron Ore Heritage Trail, coming from downtown Marquette; view from the old train bridge. |
The IOHT, over US-41 on the old railroad bridge, looking west and south. The HFC is just across the bridge to the left. |
Sign for the Holiday Inn on the IOHT, near the bridge over US-41. The sign faced south, or would be most visible to people on the trail going to Marquette. |
Trail from the Holiday Inn parking lot to the IOHT. This linker is on the far east side of the Holiday Inn, across the property from the vehicle entrance. |
Looking at the Holiday Inn from the link over to the IOHT. The vehicle entrance is on the other side of the building. |
This put the kibosh on HFC exploration. |
Trail markers along the Harlow Farms Connector. |
Saw a barred owl while on the gravel road. |
Continuation of the HFC off of the Grove Well Field road. |
At the top of the first hill in the gas line corridor. The trail cuts left into the woods in the middle of the next hill. |
The day I was investigating and crashed, I had taken the trail to the right, which emerges onto a small dirt road, I turned left and was looking for single track heading to the right. I found a trail off to the right, a sandy course that went down a hill, and there had my crash. Not sure exactly why I crashed, though I suspect my wheel may have had some problems to start with. In any event, I still didn't find the rest of the connector, is likely going to have to wait until next summer (or maybe a hike in the winter). Despite this, the HFC is a fun adventure to get the South Marquette good times rolling... as a bonus, after joining the Pioneer Loop from the gravel road, it is basically all down hill to McClellan on sweet, flowing single track.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
BTT 091110 post2
Good ride today! Everything went pretty smoothly, no flats, mechanicals, or crashes (except for Jimmy's self inflicted crash). Group got a bit spread out at some points, but overall we maintained a decent pace.
Did mostly the standard route, but also hit Parker street, went up to Mack on the way to Heidelberg, back to Lafayette via Meldrum, and skirted Eastern Market on the north and west edges.
Lots of activity downtown today... Rivard had something going on, circus on Atwater, a bunch of trucks on Belle Isle, MSU football game @ Ford Field, trucks @ the Masonic Temple, and I found out later there was some street fair at Forest & Third.
Breakfast was great as usual, and thanks much to Mike for the post ride refreshments! Until next week...
BTT 091110 riders
We have JimmyH, Jay, Guy, Mike from Mexican town, DaveS & Shelby, Ralph, Mike, Dave, Tom, Turner, Merrill & Dick for a time, Krissy; Bob, John, Amber, Chris (all first timers), Rosalyn, James, Jesse, Jimmy & Jimmy, myself