Horseshoe Harbor.
I had to ride my mountain bike the last day I was in Copper Harbor. It would simply be wrong to do otherwise. The problem was that I didn’t feel like climbing all the way up the hill just so I could ride back down. I wasn’t in the mood for climbing-climbing-climbing, although I am usually in the mood for descending-descending-descending. I chose to take a ride towards the tip of the Keweenaw, instead.
I ventured down some singletrack, through Ft. Wilkins State Park, and down to the end of US-41 to reach the dirt roads. I took the path to Horseshoe Harbor. I expected it to be fun. I had driven out there for a camping trip a couple of years ago. The road wasn’t exactly vehicle-friendly, although we had all made it safely.
The ride started with some gentle climbing followed by some fast descending. It was fairly smooth. As I got closer to Horseshoe Harbor, the road got more technical. There were slabs of bedrock across the road. They weren’t just smooth slabs, but chunks of uneven rock. I chose some interesting lines through those sections of road. There were many technical uphills and equally exciting downhills. It wasn’t your typical two-track, and the return trip was just as fun.
This picture was taken during a camping trip, two years ago. I admired this same view, on a sunny day, when I reached the harbor.
As I admired the rocky road, I thought to myself, “Oh my God, this is SO COOL! It’s like a buffet of lines!” I could choose the easier line, the harder line, or one of many in between. It was a lost adventure long forgotten by the mountain bikers.
When I arrived back into town, I saw my friend, Sam, and eagerly expressed my excitement about the ride. He echoed that he loves riding out that way and would like to take some group rides out there, but we’ve all become singletrack snobs.
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