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Thursday
morning, the group gathers for takeoff from my place. The mileage ended
up being nearly the same as it would have been for leaving from the
registration area, and we didn't have to fight rush hour traffic while
riding through Lansing.
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In
this pic, we haven't met up with the main route yet. The roads between
my house and Dewitt were pleasantly devoid of cars. Tight
formations were not the rule on this ride.
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Back
on
the official route, here is Doug Roberts on a very flat stretch north
of Dewitt. Doug is riding a Challenge Jester. Despite the flat
roads, headwinds today kept speeds down. This is farmland, and the only
windbreaks you can count on is the corn!
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At
camp, Chris and I set up on the top of the hill. This got us away from
the noisy street and rowdy students coming back from the bars. It also
put us in the path of all the bikers heading over to the Rose Center
for showers and food. The NoCom drew lots of viewers, especially the
ones who got passed earlier in the day.
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CMU stuck us in the
furthest recesses of their rec center; an unused gym at the back of the
basement. Sounds from the surrounding very
well-used gym floors echoed and was funneled into here, making
it very hard to hold conversations.
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The
first long day over, almost everyone is in their tents by dark.
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We
stopped at Lake George for lunch, but ended up just
getting some snacks. I guess for that we could have stopped
at the Lake George Campground.
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At
Lake City, we got there too early and had to help unload
the truck. At least that meant I got a spot in the shade.
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Another
recumbent rider gets to camp. This is a Force5 pulling
into camp at Lake City.
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We
had a visitor to the school while we were there. I think it was
the
custodian.
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Short rest
stop at the top of a Saturday morning hill. OK, it was
a tree break,
but I'm not going to show that!!!
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Curtis
contemplates the next downhill.
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We lost
Chris and Don, but here are 5 of us taking a
short break at Fife Lake. From here it was just a short jog over to
Williamsburg Road, where we got a nice
lowracer paceline going.
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'Owosso
Bob' Flynn ready to roll out on Sunday morning.
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Sunday
morning is the hilliest of the tour. I hit 51 mph on the first big
downhill east of Central Lake. For a short video, click here.
This pic was taken just before Walloon Lake. This view is looking
back...
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and here's
the view in the other direction.
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The Tunnel
of Trees was as picturesque as ever, but it was slower this year due to
a nice rough coat of chip-seal, on top of last year's chip-seal.
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Doug Jacobs
and I teamed up and tried to chase down Bill Hannon
along Pleasantview Road, but Bill was not going to let that happen.
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After Cecil
Corners, we eased off a little bit while riding on the
final stretch along Lake Michigan.
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With several
hours before the bus arrives at Mackinaw City,
we have time for showers and naps before the trip home.
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Ride
Profile for Day 1
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Ride Profile
for Day 2
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Ride Profile
for Day 3
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Ride Profile
for Day 4
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