2003 DALMAC report

DALMAC 2003
5 Day route

A few views from down low

(For a larger image, right click and select view image.)


The lowracer squadron: L-R Me, Don, and Chris, Starting out from CMU on Thursday morning (Day 2.) In the background is a socked EasyRacer, getting ready for takeoff. As you can see, the grounds are almost deserted. We left late and I promptly got a flat, so we had lots of bikes to pass in the morning.	Day 2 scenery Chris: "Hey look! I found a quarter!" Don: "Shut up and pedal. Foltz is getting away!"

New pavement! If you look closely at the grass, you can tell that this is already a climb. Ahead, the hill gets steeper and there's bikes to pass! Life just doesn't get any better...	Lake George Campground: Day 3 lunch stop for most riders. We only stopped for a minute, then kept going several miles further to downtown Lake George. This area features some awesome rollers, custom made for lowracers.

Day 4 was the hilliest day. Looking north from the top of the Kidder Road detour, a 35 mph downhill beckons. The real hill is behind us at this point, but that pic didn't turn out and this one did.	Co-worker Bob Rose, at lunch, with East Jordan Iron Works in the background. If you have manhole covers in your town, they were probably made here. Bob rides my old wedgie and is waiting for me to sell my V-Rex. He wants it bad!

TCRR member Fred Kopf pulled in for lunch in East Jordan, just as we were leaving. Fred is a first-year rider. Contrary to conventional wisdom, he sent in his DALMAC application first and then bought a bike.	OK, I wimped out. This is the Advance (emphasis on the first syllable) route, which bypasses The Wall and then follows the southern shore of Lake Charlevoix. I'd never done it, and I was curious. I found it more enjoyable. Either way, there were very few cars seen. Here, John Killips gives chase. Further back, Bob knows better than to challenge the lowracer. John learned his lesson and now rides a highracer.

Day 5 My Baron, parked in a primo spot along the school wall at Elk Rapids. Man, that sun is bright!	Day 5 Co-worker Jokay, another first-year cyclist, pulls into the rest stop at Good Hart. Only 30 miles to go!

This year's DALMAC enjoyed nearly perfect weather for riding. Well, we did have that headwind on Thursday, and the somewhat vigorous thunderstorm at McBain on Thursday night, but none of that bothered me. The only one to get wet was Lee, our Route Leader, who was warning us about the storm. During the riding hours, skies were clear and temps were pleasant.

The 5-day route that I did this year is popular with beginners, as well as those who want an extra day of cycling. There were very few speed demons, and they were us. In recent years I have done the East route, the 4 Day West, and now the 5 Day. Next year, 2004, I will do the Quad Century, purely in the interest of journalistic fairness!