Moronacity

Today was the second day of snow accumulation in the Keweenaw. I drove Amanda home to Copper Harbor. It was a little tricky. The roads were getting covered and the snowplows were out.

We found ourselves traveling behind a Keweenaw County snow plow on the covered road leading to Copper Harbor.

Amanda and I decided to have a little fun and go for a hike. We took the dogs to the cemetery in Copper Harbor and walked around. It really didn’t take much time. There aren’t very many grave markers in the tiny cemetery, but there were markers that were waiting for certain people to pass on. This was quite odd because we know many of these people and have had a beer or many with them.

Our next stop was the park right in Copper Harbor. This is the park where many events take place, including the Copper Harbor Fat Tire Festival. A little one-room schoolhouse sits next to the park, and is the home of a great display of playground equipment, including monkey bars, a merry-go-round, and teeter totters. We teeter tottered for a while, then moved onto the slides – they have a twisty one and a little straight one. It was great fun playing in the park in our snow pants and coats. It was just like being a kid, again.

Beauty can be found even in the harshest weather. Here, the trees surrounding the Copper Harbor cemetery offered protection from the wind blowing off of Lake Superior.

We put the dogs in the car and walked across the street to the Mariner. I wanted to see who was there. It was only a handful of people, but the conversation was light-hearted and enjoyable while I enjoyed my iced tea and Amanda sipped on her Sprite. The weird part was when we walked out. Walking out of the Mariner is something we’ve done a lot of this year. We would open the door and see a parking lot with cars and trucks sporting snazzy bike racks with expensive bikes. We didn’t expect to see them, but it hit us both funny when we didn’t see the hustle and bustle of mountain bikers in town. It was dead.

We ended our weekend with a healthy and tasty dinner before I set off for home down the lonely, snow-covered road. While driving to and from Copper Harbor, I found myself amazed at the beauty of this transformational event. The snow-covered trees and cliffs were almost divine, while the windy, snow-covered roads were to be respected.

The Keweenaw offers spectacular views and plenty of opportunities for fun, outdoor activities. A snowmobile trail goes along the cliffs seen here from Cliff Drive.

I couldn’t help thinking, however, about cycling. Winter riding isn’t really a sport that is embraced up here, mostly because it is difficult to find safe winter roads and the trails are covered with several feet of snow. Many of the area cyclists are skiers who mountain bike in the summer to keep in shape. Then there are people like me who are mountain bikers who ski to stay in shape.

One thing is for sure – while I look for different ways to keep my legs cycling-ready, I fully intend to feed my adventurous side by taking in all that the Keweenaw has to offer. It is truly a winter wonderland.