Mathew's bike tours.

[Mathew Fy]

@Mathew Fy it seems to be a picture.

Who went on the half pipe in the background with their V?

That would be something to see!
Yes, the attached file is a picture of the four Vendettas preparing for the last day's ride of the CNC M2C. The video is accessed by clicking the link:

 

[benphyr]

... The video is accessed by clicking the link:

Wow, that was a serious newbie error... but I'm not such a newbie anymore. Maybe one day I'll be old enough to use the age vs. technology (ahem) excuse. Does 40 count? 50? 60? When can you make that claim?

Anyway, nice video.

 

[3bs]

there are so many rides and routes in michigan. i never run out of new places to ride.

GLTLT Route #1: South Haven to Port Huron just opened. https://michigantrails.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/GLTLTOverviewMap-5-10-2018.pdf

i am trying to get a couple cb'ers to ride it with me. its easy to ride on the t50, a little sketchy on the v20.

 

[Mathew Fy]

there are so many rides and routes in michigan. i never run out of new places to ride.

GLTLT Route #1: South Haven to Port Huron just opened. https://michigantrails.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/GLTLTOverviewMap-5-10-2018.pdf

i am trying to get a couple cb'ers to ride it with me. its easy to ride on the t50, a little sketchy on the v20.

Thanks for the info, I'll keep that in mind. I've been exploring https://greatlaketolaketrails.org. There's a cool interactive map with points of interest, food, lodging, etc. There's also a RideWithGPS page. Amtrak with Carry-On Bicycle is available from K'zoo to Port Huron. I think four days would be adequate for such a tour, maybe three.
For the more ambitious, there's ODRAM for a one-day crossing, raising money for JDRF.
I've also entertained the thought of doing the Michigander and the Palm. They both seem like a good time.

 

[benphyr]

@3bs: Help, I'm going to need some of that brown water to wash down all of @Mathew Fy's acronyms.

Footnote: For those who don't know: acronyms are attempts at simplification for those in the know that result in confusion to everyone else (in the world). My favourite is TLA. TLAs are Three Letter Acronyms of which TLA is one, it includes the number three and the identifier letter, and the word acronym which is hidden within its acronym to describe itself.. Ontario is rife with TLAs. Semantic arguments abound about the difference between initialisms (first letter pronounced as letters-eg. TLA) and acronyms (pronounced as a word-eg. LASER). I submit that any short form that squishes together more than one word for the sake of short-form-ness falls into the general category of acronym just like dogs are dogs and wolves are dogs. GPS, Amtrak, K'zoo, ODRAM, JDRF... - I digress - Back to your regular programming.

Cheers,

Ben.

 

[Pollock]

@benphyr ha! My daughter was just arguing with me about acronyms vs initialisms. I used TLA just to annoy her

 

[3bs]

@benphyr ROTFLMAO (rolling on the floor laughing my ass off)
Kzoo - Kalamazoo a town in Michigan - the kal part of the kal haven trail
Gltlt Great Lake to Lake trail
Odram -one day ride across Michigan
Rain - ride across Indiana
Palm - pedal across lower Michigan

My preferred brown water is actually an inexpensive Tennessee blend - gentleman jack
No reason to waste good stuff on me, but I am happy to share.
On my annual ride, I am expected to bring two friends and a pet: Tito, jack, and the kraken.

 

[Mathew Fy]

I had planned to ride Bike Virginia, but it was cancelled. Then I planned a week-long loop to include Pittsburg, but my wife suggested I cancel as well due to persistent Covid spreading. So, it's mostly stay-cation time.
I did get out to enjoy a Sumer Solstice ride doing an out-and-back on the Akron-Cleveland segment of the Ohio To Erie Trail. I parked my car at the mid-point so serve as a refueling station. The V20 performed well, but this section would be more comfortable with tires larger than the 28 mm I had up front.
Here's a shortened video of part of that ride:

 

[3bs]

wow you ride really fast!! LMAO

 

[Brad R]

Matthew, thanks for posting that video. Brings back good memories of a trip my wife and I took to Cleveland a few years ago to celebrate our anniversary. We rode that trail and several others in the Cleveland area. That was a favorite trail.

Brad

 

[Mathew Fy]

I’ve had plans to do join the 326 club and ride from Cincinnati to Cleveland over a few days, staying in hotels or B&Bs. Maybe some day. A couple days ago I did the other end, riding a (almost) century out-and-back style south from Xenia. I didn’t take many pics or processe video, just rode fast. Posted here:
https://forum.cruzbike.com/threads/cruzbike-time-trial-challenge-2020.13343/page-17
This southern end is on a paved rail-trail so is much smoother than the canal towpath of the northern section.

 

[Mathew Fy]

Well, Covid-19’s caused many cancellations this year, the latest is North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Coast.

Bike Virginia June 19-24 (canceled)
August 6-9 Unsponsored Cruzbike Retreat in Western Michigan (canceled)
Official Cruzbike Retreat (canceled)
Cycle North Carolina Mountains to Coast October 3-10 (canceled)

 

[3bs]

Anyone want to do the ferry loop over a weekend? Badger and the Lake Michigan fast cat and ride between ferry’s on both sides. Like 70 on one side and 90 on the other

 

[benphyr]

Yes!
But I school starting is going to have me much less enjoyably engaged in prep and cleanup.

 

[Mathew Fy]

Anyone want to do the ferry loop over a weekend?

I'd probably want 3-4 days for this. While a century ride is reasonable, the logistics of timing the ferry rides would make splitting the Wisconsin side into two days better.
Badger
Ludington 09:00 (ET) -> Manitowoc noon (CT)
Manitowoc 14:00 (CT) -> Ludington 19:00

Lake Express
Milwaukee -> Muskegon
06:00-09:30
12:30-16:00
19:00-22:30 (summer only)
Muskegon -> Milwaukee
10:15-11:45
16:45-18:15
23:00-12:30 (summer only)


Manitowoc - Milwaukee 92.5 miles, about 6 hrs
Muskegon - Ludington 66.3 miles, about 4+ hrs

Clockwise
Day 1 drive to Muskegon, hotel
Day 2 boat to Milwaukee, bike some starting a bit after noon, hotel Sheboygan
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33984343
Day 3 bike to Manitowoc before 13:00, boat to Ludington, hotel
Day 4 bike to Muskegon, drive home
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33983875

Counter-Clockwise
Day 1 drive to Muskegon, bike to Ludington, hotel https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33983875
Day 2 boat to Manitowoc, bike to Sheboygan, hotel https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33984343
Day 3 bike to Milwaukee, boat to Muskegon, hotel
Day 4 drive home

 

[3bs]

There are a couple great little places to stay half way on wisc side.
Bummer that badger is not renting overnight cabins this year due to night cleaning.
Then with less trips per day on badger it is more problematic.

Wonder if we could do it yet this year.

the other loop that would be fun is what I call the top loop. Ludington to mantowoc then ride to st. Ignace. Ferry too Mac island Ferry mac island to Mac city. Ride to ludington.

 

[Mathew Fy]

I planned a week-long loop to include Pittsburg

I decided to cut it down to five days, staying in hotels.

Day 1: Home to Cambridge, 75 miles. I was on familiar roads until I got to US-40 (formerly The National Road.) It’s smooth, lightly traveled, and has a decent bike lane.

Zanesville is where Zanes Trace (later The National Road, then US-40) and a spur of the Ohio-to-Erie Canal intersect.


Leaving Zanesville, I was clearly in the Appalachian foothills. I eventually got to a long 10-15% incline. It required 250 watts to keep me going 5 mph. I had to bail and walk that one.

This Mail Pouch Tobacco sign is in Claysville on Clay Pike Rd. Not quite the Clay Capital of the World, but there’s some history.
Then to Cambridge for overnight. Home of John Glen and Hopalong Cassidy.

 

[Mathew Fy]

Day 2: Cambridge to Massillon. 78 miles

Today started with some Appalachian foothills riding, followed by some river valley riding, ending with canal towpath.








Bridge to Zoar. (Read to learn the cost per person to repair the levee.)



One of 14 aqueducts carrying the canal over a river.

 

[Mathew Fy]

Day 3 loop to Canton

“People all over the world, join hands. Start a love train.”


“The next stop that we make will be” the McKinley National Memorial.


The NFL was founded in Canton.

 

[Mathew Fy]

Day 3 to Millersburg. Rolling farmlands and a rail-trail in Amish country.


It’s much nicer when there’s no rain. See this photo from another ride. That’s not mud!