Bicycle Dreams: Gitchee Gumee Socked it to me (Copper Harbor Race)

Last weekend, was Bell's Brewery Copper Harbor Festival 29 miles, in Upper Michigan (UP). It is my new favourite race of the year and look forward to the awesome energy, screaming spectators and awesome post race party.

It is the only mountain bike race where you can line up mass start 500 people with Pro Brain Matter one one side and a shirtless man in short shorts on the other. The race started at a blistering 28mph--29 mile race up nasty road climb/wall and into sweet 15min downhill trail called the flow. ring ring ring blah blah blah roadie holding up the line. The race course had a lot of leg crushing climbing and scary fun very technical downhills.

Above elevated Corner Bridge Wrap Around Flow

The Flow.

Pushing the limits of my ninja vision, as it had not rained in a really looong time! Just put a blind fold on and get after it! Dusty. The trail has change in the last year, due to increase trail volume users to the area, lots exposed razor sharp volcanic rocks was like rolling over ninja stars. Unfortunately I went from having a strong race lap to no lap--tore a huge hole in my tire, it was unfixable. I was sad, but definitely not alone. This trail eats a lot of people and bikes. No more playing here with my hard tail.

Bells Brewery giving out some sweet green sunglasses with Jan Roubal, Greg Prodan and Trevor Smela

Cold Gitchee Gumee (Lake Superior)

I think this is my new favourite festival and place to ride close(r) to home. We even got to stay in the cute little rustic cabins. This little town has not change much thankfully and I am sure that it will someday lose its rustic charm to internet and cell phone service! There is plenty of wine in the only grocery/hardware/bootleg store with surprising and sizeable selection of alcohol (I guess it is a long winter and snow really piles up at that end of the earth).