More Photos Below!Gallery
[Posted in early April, I think.] We got back from up north yesterday and I had some “small road fever.” Then I saw the weather forecast for days of rain. But today was blue skies and 40F. I got my chores done and found a map of my new favorite area: Waterloo.
I never did get to ski the whole trail this winter. It got the best of us and broke my favorite ski in the end.
So today I drew a circle around it, on as many dirt roads as the map offered for a nice loop and I headed out for a three-hour cruise…a three-hour cruise…
It looked more like a 2-hour loop to me. But maybe a fiesty, group-ride two hours. Who knows how I’d do on my first outing.
I drove in and parked in the town of Waterloo itself. Waterloo is shorthand for the Waterloo State Game Area, the biggest park in lower Michigan. 20,000 acres of rolling hills, hardwoods, creeks, ponds and wetlands. A 22-mile hiking trail and lots of dirt roads. But there is a little town there, too. Driving into it I encountered a couple sections of delightful, tiny dirt roads that I’d never been on before. They looked to be in a good shape.
I brought along my RB1 with 30mm front tire, 35mm rear. Should offer good cush for gravel and bumps yet lightness for swiftness.
I quickly was riding the most glorious roads. In short order I was even in my first gear, going up some steep climbs along hardwood ridges. Oh yeah! Not the usual riding for this area! I wasn’t warmed up and wasn’t in shape and didn’t know how long I’d last but I was diggin’ it.
I drank most of my water and ate most of my Snickers bar on the drive. At the halfway point of the loop I was feeling fine but clearly needing some fuel. No towns nearby so I rode a few miles out of my way to find a party store and snack up. Good call.
I thought about cutting the loop short at 2/3’s of the way. But the thought of the days of rain ahead…and the stunning blue skies and the wonderful dirt roads just pushed me along. My legs were shot, but who cared. I put it in an easy gear and spun along.
I rode by a road on my route without seeing it, then rode by it again. No road here at all. I looked closer then saw a gate across an old road. Hey, a closed road! No motor vehicles. But signs of foot traffic around the gate. Darn, it’s a straight looking road going right through some woods and farm fields, but closed to cars. So I hopped on. For a splendid mile I rode on a leaf covered old road, through forests and wetlands. Then back onto our regularly scheduled gorgeous dirt roads. Depaving in action! Heck, de-roading of any kind. Well, it’ll probably always be there for the humans.
Shortly after that wild section, I saw a blaze orange blob jostling toward me down the lonely road, in the distance. When I finally got close I saw that it was an 80-year-old woman jogging along in a heavy-weight blaze orange and black camo hunter’s parka, with the hood on over a knit hat, and wearing purple sweat pants. She seemed relaxed and smiled as she shuffled by. I waved.
I need to find a topo map of this area and be sure to include ALL the roads that go through hilly spots. When the terrain goes up around here the roads get so nice, twisty and tiny. But the farmland/wetland roads were nice, too. But I want ALL the tiny steep twisties next time! I’m greedy for em!
It ended up taking me 3 hours. I had a good half hour detour off the route on a paved road to a lame non-town. I plan to host a group ride here in early May. We’ll plan to bring all our own food and picnic at some glorious overlook. Snacks and 2 bottles are plenty. Sadly, wherever most of the people are around here, it gets ugly real quick. But, hey, ya get what ya pay for, right? Still, there are some nice old farm houses.
No bad dogs and maybe a couple cars passed me.
I was in my first gear a few times.
Can’t beat it!
I think we’re set for a great spring OYB First Annual Waterloo Wander!
(I was thinking it would be best after the ride to include a short hike on some of the best trail. To unlimber the legs and see things differently. Then have another snack maybe maybe maybe even do a little paddling. This area is a slice of heaven—why pass up any of it? Here we have worldclass dirt roads and mtbike trails—the local Poto—and lovely, intimate green hilly forests full of small things to marvel at, and pick—like morels!—and also lush ponds and creeks. Ya gotta do all 3 when you stop by. Make a full afternoon of it. Or, start at 10 a.m. and end up on some sunny lakeside bar patio somewhere…does the Dam Site Inn at Hell have one?)
Road and wetland.
Another road and wetland.
Part of the Wild Road.
Another part of the Wild Road.
There were maybe a couple miles of muddy road all told. Plus some sections of big-rock gravel. But mostly smooth dirt.
