Challenging Times on two wheels

Manistique's
East Breakwater
Lighthouse

The road to Manistique, Michigan is for the most part a serene stretch of backcountry roads. There's the requisite climb out of Munising but we had already conquered that on prior days forays so it wasn't much of a wake-up call even at the crack of dawn when most of the bike tribe set out from camp for the 65 mile jaunt from Lake Superior to the shores of Lake Michigan. After the first climb the route profile showed a mostly downhill grade most of the way which was music to our ears. Downhill grades and tailwinds are two things you won't hear cyclists complain about. 

Sandy, rocky, gravely road surface on the other hand is the kind of stuff that haunts bicyclists dreams and on this day there was some of that and it caught up with a couple of folks who felt the effects of gravity and poor traction. Couple of trips to the hospital, some stitches, some broken (collar) bones, some of that famous road rash (cyclist or not, you haven't lived until you have experienced the joy of road rash) and you have a tour director's worst nightmare. Tour Directors spend an inordinate amount of time planning routes and trying their best to keep us safe but still accidents happen. The good news was that no one was hurt too seriously and all the riders who were injured continued on the ride though their view of the rest of the trip was from inside a SAG vehicle (SAG vehicles drive along the course and help stranded cyclists to the next town if they can't continue). One of those injured was a study in courage named Fran. Fran is 75 years young and up until the trip to Manistique was doing quite fine, thank you, making her way on down the highways of Northern Michigan. So a tumble off the rocky shoulder of a road was not going to knock Fran out of the Tour. And neither were 12 stitches to her chin, a large hematoma on her arm, and a goodly dose of miscellaneous road rash to boot. She's quite a character even when not injured (as are many of the folks who bike tour which is part of the fun of doing these rides) and her mishap didn't cause her to miss a step. Of course, when we heard about her crash and ambulance trip to the E.R. the real question was how was her bike - skin and bones generally heal, but not so much a bent and cracked two-wheeled steed. Fortunately, apart from some road rash of it's own, her bike survived and will be ready and waiting for Fran to start riding again once her doctor gives her the all clear. 

The crack of dawn means the Tour Director
has already been up for hours

 A Tour Director's job during the actual Tour involves thousands of details, long hours, sleepless nights, and as mentioned above the nagging worry that someone under their care for the week will get hurt. This being the first Tour since the start of the pandemic, COVID was also lurking in the background. Four vaccinations were required of all participants, and according to Neal (our T.D. for this ride) only one rider ended up getting tested during the ride, and the test turned up negative. That's a good thing because there were very few masks being worn. This Tour was Neal's first foray into the Directing side and he did a remarkable job having to overcome all sorts of hurdles leading up to the ride and then some more during it. He'll also be directing the Michigander and Shoreline West tours (also put on by the League of Michigan Bicyclists) in the next month or so so his work is really just ramping up. 

Marking the route every day
is just one of the things
volunteers do

Volunteers for the MUP Ride were a little scarce but the ones there were did an admirable job from route marking, luggage truck duties, SAG support and all the other behind the scenes work that takes place to make a successful tour. We've got two more legs to go - one from Manistique to the little town of Chatham, and then from Chatham back to Marquette completing our loop through the U.P. (Upper Peninsula). Hopefully the accidents that did happen will serve as a reminder to all of us to be careful out on the roadways. The generally quiet roads of Michigan certainly don't need the sound of sirens and the whirl of flashing lights disturbing the quiet tranquility of peaceful summer days spent turning the pedals.

By this time in a Tour everyone's getting a little tired as well as a little hungrier by the time dinner rolls around at 5:30. The same caterer who was used pre-COVID is back for this ride and she and her crew know how to set a table full of good eats and lots of treats. Pro tip when cycle touring: don't be late or you'll have one empty plate as the food doesn't last for long against the onslaught of a couple of hundred ravenous riders. All the meat and potato options are there but vegetarians aren't left out either. Once all that

Working hard at not working -
post-ride/pre-dinner

wonderful sustenance has been partaken of, most evenings there is a Ride Meeting where the Tour Director gives updates on everything from the weather to road conditions. Then for most of us it's a slow mosey back to our tents to relax before hitting the sack and dream of tomorrow's adventure. 

The average age of bike tourer's is sadly getting older with each passing year and the two-year COVID hiatus didn't help. Unfortunately, the younger generation doesn't seem inclined to fill the ranks as older cyclists bow out of active touring. Who knows if bike touring will survive into the future. Maybe the kids and grandkids of our children will rediscover the joy that comes with wheeling down the road of a summer's day. To them we'll bequeath the still undiscovered backroads and less traveled lanes of America. But best not wait too long. Nothing lasts forever.