Most avid mountain bikers that visit the Mitten roll into Marquette or Copper Harbor, both epic trail systems. Copper Harbor is an IMBA Silver-level ride center, and Marquette is just a little behind with a bronze designation. What does that mean? IMBA ranks...
Mountain biking is better…when you are actually in the mountains! The biking we do at home in Michigan, at sea level, on dirt trails with no rocks, on gently rolling hills, I pondered. Is that really mountain biking? Of course, the genre encompasses a wide range of...
It was the neighborly thing to do: pop one state over to Wisconsin's CAMBA mountain bike trail system. You may not be able to say the name (Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association), but I guarantee you'll want to return. I cheated and took the cross-lake ferry from...
Reflecting on a visit to Canada's heartland in the Manitoba province, I am struck by the diversity of experiences: bikes, bison, baseball, and beauty, to name a few. We found adventure in the wilderness and the city of Winnipeg. The vast outdoor spaces were inspiring...
Most mountain bikers are men, 70% according to current demographics. That means my fellow femme shredders make up the other 30% or less. I’d love to see this stat continue to change, and I hope more women will take up this unique and adventurous sport. Change is a few...
Bella Vista in the Northwest Arkansas Ozarks is an outdoor epicenter where golfing and mountain biking are intertwined – golf course fairways intersect with rolling ribbons of singletrack trails. Golfers in khakis and collared shirts traverse fairways in power carts...
February arrives in Michigan with the hope for Spring, but winter typically holds us in its clutches for longer than we would like…especially for biker types. Not in the mood to wait, Josh and I drove five hours south to Nashville, Indiana, in search of Spring...
With mountain bike trail names like these... any guesses where to find them? Back 40, Tunnel Vision, Tweety Bird, Blowing Springs, Little Sugar, Danger Will Robinson, Whiskey Tango, Shock & Awe, Lago Vista, Tavistock Canyon, Snack Attack, Stagger Wing, Ruth’s...
You like to ride your mountain bike. It's nearing year end so it's time to put a travel wish list together for 2023. Tis' the season for giving so I've compiled a 2022 recap to aid in your planning. Here's five destinations around the country and one right here in the...
The canopy was still showing off in late October; crisp and vibrant reds and oranges melded in with the evergreens for an outstanding Blue Ridge outdoor feature. Our drive from Michigan to western North Carolina and Etowah Valley Golf & Resort was a stunner. I...
Michigan's Dragon Trail at Hardy Dam Once complete, this ambitious project will feature 47 miles of professionally-built single-track trail around Hardy Dam Lake designed for mountain biking, hiking, or running experiences. Current status, 24 miles and rolling, that’s...
Why is Flagstaff a must-visit Arizona destination? At 7,000 feet above sea level, the desert terrain and cactus spikes change to towering 200’ Ponderosa pines, the trademark foliage of the towering San Francisco mountain peaks. Fittingly, Flagstaff’s name is derived...
Georgia is a peach, but there are a couple of other reasons to PICK Ellijay, the northern corner of the state. It's prime apple orchard country and Georgia's mountain bike capital. Here, the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains extend into the Chattahoochee National...
Bella Vista, translated from Spanish to English, is simply a beautiful view. There is plenty of beauty, and it’s a beautiful thing to pedal right from your yard into a world-class mountain bike trail system. Drive less, ride more in this mid-south mountain bike mecca....
Bike tourism is on the rise as communities understand the benefit of increased trail usage and rollover effects for related businesses, not to mention the inherent health and wellness perks. So yeah, it’s hip to plan entire vacations around destinations that cater to...
In Michigan, mountain bike trail expansion projects are in progress all over the state. The pandemic has spurred a rapidly expanding sport, and riders are eager to get outdoors and explore. Bikers have a thirst for adventure, so typically, they seek single track…....
Ladies and gentlemen….start your pedals! With a signature downhill mountain bike trail named the Devil’s Racetrack, bikers, race fans, and lovers of speed and adrenaline take note. The Racetrack is just one of many sculpted dirt highways in Knoxville’s...
Like the mineral-infused red dirt in Cuyuna Lakes area, Minnesota, the color matches the personality of the people and the place. Red symbolizes passion, primal forces, energy, and adventure. It's an apt description for a community that has been transformed from...
Drip…. Drip…. Drip…. I am in my office, tapping keys to the rhythm of the snowmelt dripping off the roof and soaking into the saturated ground. The birds are back, too, even Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal. Their calls mix in with the drip, and a chorus begins, announcing the...
News flash - people plan entire vacations around cool places to ride a bike! You've heard of ski-in-ski-out condos, but the new trend is bike-in and bike-out! Bike-centricity is the hot new amenity to type in the search box, and trail accessibility is the new black....
Trail usage is on the rise for runners, hikers, and bikers of all levels… especially the mountain bike niche. Dirt shredders and their two-wheeled creatures have come out of their homes from the COVID coop-up ready to roll. Trail builders, DMO’s (Destination...
Lake Superior whipped up a September gale and slowed the RV down considerably as we made our way across the Mackinaw Bridge, to Marquette then to Copper Harbor at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Four important appendages (mountain bikes) were racked on the back of...
As a travel writer, I get this question a lot: Where’s your next trip? Usually, it’s a quick top-of-mind answer, but now, my answers are nebulous and messy. “Well, we were planning a Lake Superior Circle Tour road trip, but we have to wait because the Canadian border...
Travel, road trips, and vacation planning have all taken a detour from our usual route. As May pushes into June and almost three months of the COVID Stay Home/Stay Safe order in Michigan, the travel pivot will continue. A staycation has become a bad word because we've...