Watching my sweet puppy get more comfortable in the water. She bounds in and out of the lake now, retrieves like a champ and is working up the courage to jump off the dock and the boat. And she's a cuddler even in the water: she loved nothing more than floating in Mitch's arms in the middle of the lake.
Riding the motorcycle to the Crystal Lake fireworks. When the official show was over, fireworks were still shooting into the sky. Some of them seemed to explode right above us as we made our way around the lake.
Laughing at our car, loaded down with bikes. Non-cyclists might not understand why we need to take four bikes on vacation with us, but you never know when a good road ride might pop up in the middle of a mountain bike vacation. Mitch really took advantage of a new guidebook we purchased in Boyne City by doing some challenging rides in the Keweenau.
Spending time with Mitch's siblings. Christa and Brian were in from Ohio, Minda and Derek from Colorado, and of course, Dave and Mariah were there, too. With all the kids, plus Grandma and Grandpa Heyd, my in-laws' shady front lawn was the perfect spot for a picnic. I wish we all had more time together.
Last-minute plan changes, all in the interest of getting a great margarita. Weighing the likelihood of getting a table at Traverse City's Red Mesa, we decided to drive to the Boyne City location instead. Oh tasty passion fruit margarita, you are amazing and were worth the restless night we spent on one of Bay View's not-so-comfortable mattresses...
An aborted ride with the judge. Grandpa's "cottage neighbor" at Bay View is a judge in Flint and an avid roadie. We joined him for a hilly ride, though I had to turn back six miles in when my chain started sticking to the chewed up teeth of my middle chainring. Our only mechanical of the entire trip.
Experiencing the other side of Pictured Rocks - from a kayak. We've hiked (or attempted to hike, despite the rain that always seems to follow us) the top of the cliffs a few times, but they were positively breathtaking from the bottom. Just one more of God's wonders to remind you of His great gifts for us.
Swimming - truly swimming - in Lake Superior. Perpetually cold and usually forbidding, this majestic lake was calm and refreshing. I completely expected to fly in and out for a quick, cleansing dip...but instead, I took my time and could have been even more leisurely.
Meeting cool people in bike shops and at trails. LBS folks in Marquette, Houghton and Copper Harbor were amazingly generous with their time and tips. Their passion for riding is evident. Likewise, the friendly faces we met on the trail - the guy who rode with us on the Tech Trails, for example - affirm that we are involved in more than just a sport. We're members of a sort of extended family, where spandex is appropriate attire for all functions and no one complains if they can smell you.
Riding the sweetest trails of my life. Marquette was cool - though muddy after the night's downpours - and Tech could keep my busy for a long time, but the trails in Copper Harbor were so different than anything I've ever done. There was climbing, but the trails were so well-built it hardly felt like we were gaining as much altitude as we did. We rode along cliffs...we rode directly on rock...we rode down drop-offs and onto bridges and down the "Stairway to Heaven," a fast, swooping bridge all the way back to the trailhead. One day was not enough. It takes nine hours to get there. It's worth it.
