Activity in the age of the Plague

       Everybody is a bit fed up with this disease crap to say nothing of the politics which have developed around the issue of our health.  I went to a properly socially distanced/masked meeting of our bike club at an outdoor pavilion and most people are limiting their bike riding because of the lack of social support that exists.  Riding alone is not enough fun.  People like me are still out on the street and using bikes everyday, but most of the time I have no place to go.  There's only so many safe destinations out there and the lack of social interaction takes the fun out of the bike rides. 

       In addition, I've had to hobble away from the bike a bit lately because of an injury.  I didn't get hurt falling off my bike and skinning my knee or nothin'.  I hurt myself playing golf.  There you go.  Who could think golf is dangerous.  I hadn't played for a few years because of a shoulder injury, when I started again I kinda over did it and beat up my left foot real bad.  I can walk, but it hurts and I guess it will take a long time to heal.  I actually drove my car on a few errands in town the other day.  I was reminded why I ride. 

I felt in much more danger driving my car, and will probably have to put gas in it twice this month.  Driving in the city limits should be illegal, it sucks, how  do people even live?   

       All this  has kept me off the bike more than the past few years.

but it hasn't kept me from buying new bike shit!  

That new saddlebag from Rivendell on the blue Hillborne is really beautiful.  It adds enough room to carry some groceries (a 12 pack) on the way home, or a few days of clothing if I make a credit card trip.  The leather accents really pimp out the look.

I went a little overboard on a new raincape from Cleverhood but have no buyer's remorse.  It has only rained one day since I bought it but it is the bomb!  The real advantage to a rain cape is ventilation.  Unlike a jacket, it allows air flow underneath and doesn't force you to drown in your sweat getting clammy and uncomfortable .The fabric is beautiful,

 there are real reflective threads woven in,

 it's totally waterproof and looks classy at any destination.  Of course it's not for spandex hamsters, it will slow you down in the wind.  If you're determined to sacrifice for  speed, get wet.

The real upgrade for the year has been the Brompton.  There is no way to describe how useful this weird looking toy can be.  It is shockingly comfortable to ride.  

The main tubes provide nifty places to stash tools and a spare tube,

and routine shopping trips become a pleasure without leaving it with all the department store bikes at the bike rack.  A much better machine than the Dahon Expresso I owned, it has expanded my horizons of urban cycling and I can't wait to try it out this winter with studded tires.  

Getting away from the plague.

These days it's a little hard to get away from the things we are avoiding.  Staying home is more dangerous than getting out.  I wanted to get outside somewhere else.  On the county map of Michigan's Covid data, Oscada County is one of the few "green" zones.  You can see why.  No people.  Just a comfortable place away from infection.  I chose a more secluded campground than I did on my first trip to the Huron forest.  The Pine River Campground is 6 miles from the nearest paved road

                    

and the river runs right past it.  150 years ago this was the sight of a hatchery where Rainbow Trout was imported into Michigan from the Rocky Mountains.  I expected the fishing to be at least fun for a novice fly fisherman type guy.  It probably is.

The fact that I didn't get any interest from the fish is testimony to my incredible ineptitude with a fly rod.  It's fun, casting away into the burbling waters expecting a violent clash with a wild fish at any moment.  I was more successful at enjoying the change of scenery for my isolation and was successful at chasing Rainbows, never catching one.

I'm better at chasing rainbows on my bike.  I can catch beautiful views from the asphalt.  The paved roads in the area are excellent for biking and provide great views of the forest as well as some overlooks of the Au Sable River valley.

The gravel roads are more pleasant and less challenging than those of the Manistee forest.  Outside the river valley the roads are less hilly and less sandy than the west side of the state and miles of quiet forest provide an idyllic experience with virtually no traffic.  One afternoon riding three hours, I experienced a car.  It was parked on the side of the road, I suppose while somebody was out hunting whatever is in season.  

There's plenty of variety out there for the more adventurous.  A network of marked and maintained snowmobile trails provide even deeper isolation and more challenge to those who want to beat themselves up a little more.  

                         

They begin with a two track and lead to plain grass or sandy single tracks but get you farther into the forest to the simple beautiful places to let loose of your concerns for a bit.

                              
After few hours on the bike and a couple of trips to the river to find a feisty fish, who continued to elude me, I was pretty worn out each day.
                             

The afternoons were perfect in the 60's, temps dropped at night when the sky cleared off leaving a magnificent array of stars to look at over a warm campfire.  The mornings were, shall we say, brisk being in the 30's, but I didn't notice until I tried getting up at a normal hour.  Walking outside changed my mind completely and made a good excuse to take a leak, crawl back into bed and read until I fell back asleep and things warmed up a bit.

it's as quiet as it gets.

Just as I expected the Huron forest provides a variety of roads.   Most of the gravel is easier to navigate than the Manistee.  It's not as hilly or as sandy.   They make for pleasant 20-30 mile rides. 

Found a place to lose myself. ..

At least for a few days.   I was looking to get back to the Huron Forest, so I went to a more remote camping spot to get away from ItAll, explore the gravel roads, catch a few trout and enjoy a lack of anxiety among the trees.   I wonder if the news will be different when I get back.