Churning Rapids - Hancock, MI

We rode our rigid bikes on the Churning Rapids bike trails in Hancock County, MI. What a beautiful day for riding--50 degrees and sunny. We saw seven people and two dogs in our three hour adventure on the sign-filled trails.

Bill had some rear derailleur trouble in addition to rear break rubbing early in the ride. About half-way through the ride he wrenched on his cranks and his rear wheel popped out of the dropout on one of the pieces of trail. He says he is going to swap out the Easton skewers.

There were many different trails that intersected throughout the trail area -- both single track and two tracks. The IMBA (recognized?/certified?) trails were well maintained and as more people ride them, the better they will be. The trail system reminded us a lot of the Kettle Moraine trails in southeastern Wisconsin with the baby head sized rocks along the river trail. You can even work on your ratcheting skills while crossing the river.

What we rode: He rode his new Bianchi SOK and I rode my Gary Fisher Rig.

Where we rode: http://www.keweenawtrails.com/trails/maasto_churning_2009_10_lg.jpg
We started at the Christianson Road trailhead in the north part of the Churning Rapids: Great Oak Trail south to Oaks Cross Cut, south on Spring Creek, east on Sunset Trail to the River Trail. Somewhere along the River Trail we popped out onto the highway M203 where we rode the road back north to Brooks Road. At Brooks Road we turned back into the trails which meant climbing Brooks Road --similar to the Mount Marquette road (steep). At the top there was more single track that wrapped around a biker's house (Bill saw an Indy Fab bike leaning on the house). We got back on the Sunset Trail then headed north backwards from the way we rode south. The trails (thank goodness) were smoother and more flowy on the way north.