Dan Frayer without the
Traveling Circus
Fueled with home brewed coffee granola bars, I made the 8 hour voyage into Michigan’s better top half for my 2nd attempt at the Ore 2 Shore Mountain Bike Race.
A point to point 48 mile grind from Neguanee to Marquette, this race winds up and down and over and through iron mining towns via two track, gravel roads and long paved climbs.
Think of this race as the IceMan’s less popular, but far naughtier best friend. The one that puts out every time, but you really have to work for it.
Steady rain on Friday made the sandy sections fast and the red dusty sections muddy, providing me with 2014 IceMan flashbacks between the views of Lake Superior and Fat Bikers roaring past on the downhills.
I spent the day trading spots with IceMan legend and Bunker Hill Bikes’ Chad Schut. His 29+ Michigan made machine pulled away on the rough descents and I would pull him back one gritty miserable climbing pedal stroke at a time.
I finished the day just over 3 hours and 14 minutes, which bested my 2013 time of 3 hours and 22 minutes.
I made the drive home on Saturday reflecting on the $4 toll you pay after crossing the mighty Mackinac Bridge. Well worth the price of admission.
