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

[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...

[Catrin]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing the lovely pictures!

Maidei landed back in Indianapolis today, and it was good to see all of the new additions to her traveling memorabilla! I wasn't too surprised to see that she no longer fits in her box AND she has a buddy now, how cool is that!

Thankfully her stay can be longer this time AND it isn't in the dead of winter Among other things, she is going to be helping out at a Super-D (downhill) mountain bike race next weekend!

[shootingstar]

Hope you find your camera Trek-Chick! Great adventures in humid/hot Michigan there!

We have to see Maidei's new companion in that care-box that she travels with each fellow TE cyclist in her onward journey with Catrin and beyond.

[Trek-chick]

Thanks, that is the problem with bringing two cameras i guess but, one is really nice and just too heavy to tote around. thankfully i did not lose that one.

[Catrin]

There will be more pictures over the next week or so, but here are a couple.

I went to Bosu class Friday morning before heading out for a weekend of mountain biking and camping, Maidei really wanted to go as well. Maidei was curious about this "Bosu" thing. Her companion wasn't interested in leaving home at 5am!

After checking out the list of exercises for the hour long class she sat down for a few minutes to conserve her energy Then she had to try one of them for size and thinks she might have to take off her jersey for the class.

[Catrin]

Here are a couple of photos from the Sub-9 Super-D mtb/camping weekend two weeks ago. I had hopes of having Maidei and her new friend help with my volunteer activities, but the organizer has a 3 year old who was quite taken with her. I am unsure what would have happened to the two companions if they had gone adventuring

In the first picture, Maidei is catching some rays before the bike ride, while her companion was checking out possible nesting places on the bike.

[Catrin]

I seem to keep forgetting to actually take my camera on the trail, so here is another shot of our fearless globe-trotting duo checking out a friends mountain bike when we returned from our ride this past weekend.

As you can see, they are both ready for action! Either that, or they are resting and thanking their lucky stars they survived my crash on the trail! Not to worry fearless duo, you were quite safe in my hydration pack - certainly safer than I was

Maidei requested I add a map of the wonderful trail system at Brown County State Park before sending her to her next hostess, and I will do that. We have more activities planned for the Labor Day weekend, rain permitting, but after that it is probably time for her to travel to her next stop.

Who wants her next? I do want to take her road riding with me and hopefully I can remember my camera this time - and to actually stop to provide her a photo op!

[shootingstar]

Maybe the 3 yr. old could have considered a tricycle ride with Maidei.

[Catrin]

Maybe the 3 yr. old could have considered a tricycle ride with Maidei.

My concern was more about where they would wind up if we lost track of her - that little one moves FAST BTW, that 3 year old has already had her first mountain bike ride - on her Strider - at age 2

[shootingstar]

Yea, young children can whip around all over the place with not a care in the world.