I road first from our new office a few blocks from the Tap Room over to MCB to meet the rest of the crew in anticipation of tonight’s ride. My hope was to get at least 40 miles in tonight. Waiting on Big Mike, we finally left around 6 for our eastside jaunt. Traveling over on well known trails, we made our first stop in Algonquin Park. We parked high up on the hill and enjoyed the sail clubs practice runs. Way cool! Some 50 sail boats practicing maneuvers, cutting tight, chin music to the sound of Mylar sails cracking as they fluttered in the changing wind, looking for a way to fill their sail. Peaceful and amazing.

From there we made a dash on over to the Tap Room, we ordered and headed out onto the back patio reminiscing about Dan and Val’s first meeting each other here at the same room. Their beer orders to me seemed like perhaps the same thing that the ordered/were drinking the night they met first met each other? What magic and after all those years the Spark and Vibe are just as intense.

After a few rounds we mounted up and raced back across town on the Canfield trail. We made an adjustment to the route so we could travel on by the old Pfizer brewing works. I thought to myself this would be a great place for Dan to expand his business. I wondered if any of the original brewing equipment was left inside. From there it was a fun dance all the way back to the brewery parking lot where we sat outside on the guardrail and debated raising the national debt limit for what seemed like a long time.

Bike Detroit! J. Meyers bike explorer.

With three young kids, two Chariots, and a desperate need to get away, we decided to head up north and stay a week on Mackinac Island for our 2011 Family vacation. In a place without cars, full of bikes and horses and if all else failed you still had your two feet to get you around, what else could we really ask for? After going to the island for many years we were finally able to ditch the ‘Tourist Map” and do some real exploring.

Most people are un-aware that Mackinac island’s old Indian foot path/trails offer some of the most challenging mountain bike trails in all of Michigan. Steep climbs, swizzle switch backs abound and are just waiting to be explored. There were even a few places along the trails where I dismounted, as I was not feeling it that day, at least not at that level.

The most amazing find was Eagle Cave, just off of Scott trial. I first went downhill and hiked up to see were many a campfire had occurred, over what period of time? It was really hard to say. My first guess would be thousands of years ago? It was like I could almost see visions of old Indians sitting in the mouth of the cave smoking a peace pipe as they paid there respects’ to ‘Sugar Loaf’. This trip we learned that the ancient Indians held ‘Sugar Loaf’ to be the center of the universe/divine feminine, perhaps a door way from Mother Earth? Interesting, maybe what is going on at Mackinac Island and in turn makes it so special, is a portal or opening a vortices of natural occurring energy. Is that why all the fighting occurred, is that what makes the place so special?

I hiked around and on up to the plateau above the cave below, this was even cooler. Ancient Cedars made a circle around the top rim of the lookout. Ancient hair in friar-fashion- form having a bald center framing an inner circle maybe used for expanded gatherings, wow. I made my descent slowly as not to turn an ankle on the steep and somewhat washed out trail. Back on the bike a slugged through the climb back to the top of the ridge, with a quick right, I was blue streaking it up and down back to the lookout I had just left a few minutes earlier. Noting the entry, I continued on to explore all my way back to Stone-cliff e where the ancient Indian (non tourist trail) was said to end. Here are a couple shots from deep inside the virgin cedar forest. What a great feeling, what a great site, what a great time.

Bike Mackinac Island! J. Meyers bike explorer.