Maidei goes on a world tour-Part 1 of the Bicycle Mystery Tour

[Melalvai]

Maidei arrived back in Missouri yesterday. Opening her box and looking through all the postcards, maps, notes, and trinkets was so exciting. I wonder what we'll add to the box.

Maidei joined me this morning biking out to pick blueberries. She is excited about participating in Bike Across Kansas next week!

Maidei rides in the basket


Maidei helps Nell pick blueberries


Maidei tries a few blueberries herself. Yum!

[Melalvai]

Maidei's jayhawk hat

I got her cleaned up and repaired her mouth--she looks much happier now! I'm going out of town and my flight leaves in a couple hours so I won't have a chance to ship her until early next week. Hopefully, over the weekend I'll get some of our adventures posted. In the meantime, here's some of the stories I've been posting about the trip:
http://www.kemenel.org/melalvai/

My favorite story from the trip, about riding a tandem for a day (edit: warning-- this will bring tears to your eyes)
http://www.kirksvilledailyexpress.co...37/The-BAK-End

A Kansas "breeze":
http://www.kirksvilledailyexpress.co...-Kansas-breeze

[Melalvai]

Here's a post that is just about Maidei. I have a lot more pictures of her! Slowly I will get them sorted and put the interesting ones up. Funny how her trip in Kansas generated more pics than her visits to more interesting places...or maybe that's just me, I take lots of pictures and I talk a lot about them.

Today I was just too busy but I'm hoping tomorrow to get her shipped to her next host.

If you don't want to visit the blog post, here are the pictures:

Joe couldn't come, so his family brought Flat Joe!


The biggest ball of twine in the world (Cawker City, KS)


Historic limestone castle...gas station?

[Trek-chick]

Maidei arrived in Michigan Saturday. Last time I had her it was January so, we did not get to do any cycling. I am excited to show her some great cycling spots in SE Michigan

She just missed a mountain biking camping weekend with us. We got home late Sunday night and there she was waiting on my porch. Been busy unpacking so, she has just had some rest time between trips for now.

[Catrin]

I would love to have her back in Indianapolis. We were limited to indoor activities when she was here last time so she never got to ride. I don't know what her itinerary is but I wouldn't mind hosting her again

[Trek-chick]

Catrin, I will gladly send her to you after she hangs out with me in Michigan for a bit.

[Catrin]

Catrin, I will gladly send her to you after she hangs out with me in Michigan for a bit.

Cool - no rush

[shootingstar]

Looks like Maidei will experience some heat/humidity and fall colour later.

[Trek-chick]

Well, Maidei has been enjoying her time here in Michigan. We have been kind of sidelined indoors, with this heatwave we had. It was over 100* for like 5 days in a row (maybe more). So...we just stayed inside and rode the trainer together most days Boring and I was going crazy but Maidei was good company.



I have the Bianchi on the trainer for now. Need to get a spare rear wheel for the trainer tire soon.



FINALLY on Sunday the weather broke!!!!!! And with highs in the 80's we hit the road to the local park. One of my favorite places to ride. I grabbed my Cyclocross bike. Sorry, Bianchi but the CX bike is my go to bike now....It is the most comfortable bike I have and it even has an aluminum fork too. Must be those beefy CX tires that keep the ride smooth.

I added a Salsa Cowbell bar--LOVE these handlebars-- I highly recommend them. They will be awesome once Cross season starts up. I also changed out the pink for blue bartape and black/blue carbon bottle cage. I love the new look to the bike--all black with a touch of blue.

We did 20 miles at the park Sunday...



Stopped on the bridge to take some pictures...


Then, we made a sidetrip out to the nature center....Here we rested, refilled water and enjoyed the great weather for a bit.

[Trek-chick]

Well, we had a great vacaton in Michagan's UP. We saw tons of wildlife...2 black bears, an Elk, eagles, and ospreys to name a few. Maidei had lots of fun mountain biking through the Seney National Wildlife Refuge.

I need to get totally unpacked and go through my photos. We took over 300 so, I will go through them and post some up on Monday.

Catrin, I will get Maidei organized and sent out Monday as well....please PM me you address.

[Melalvai]

She's so cute on the trainer. I miss her!

[Trek-chick]

Well, I actually do not have any pictures of maidei from our vacation. We lost one camera card that had over 100 pictures on it I hope to find it stuffed in a pocket or somewhere but, I looked everywhere this weekend and can not find the maidei photos

I do have other pictures I can post. Maidei made a friend when we were there...a barred owl that we named Barry. He is in some of the photos. We even saw a barred owl one night on the trip.

The trip was awesome and DH and I mountain biked every other day in the Refuge, and we took a side trip to Grand Island-- and circumnavigated the entire Island by bike. It was a blast!!! Maidei loved it. She and Barry are cycling buddies now so, he will go in the box to her next destination.

Here are the photos from the Refuge...



Here's Barry


...time to hit the trails.






We drove to Marquette (the UP's largest city) one day and I had to get a photo of their cool bike racks around the city--they had several like this one...

[Trek-chick]

Next stop Grand Island

The views and cliffs are stunning here. We did the 26 miles around the island in about 2.5-3 hours with stops. Lots of kayakers around the Island too. Also, it is close to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore--kayaker paradise We did a boat tour of the pictured rocks but, the weather was not the greatest and we had to turn around half-way through. I think maidei got sea-sick. Lake Superior can be nasty.

Lake Superior was sooooo BLUE!!!




..on the trails/fire roads around the Island. Only a few roads can be used by cars, the rest is for cyclist and hikers--gotta love that!!




Good view of a beach area by the lake.


Barry hanging out by the lake


Barry on a bridge--ther are a bunch of kayaks in the background--hard to see though


Cliff views...