Mud, Dust and good times at Ore to Shore

A good friend of mine, Joe Perry, and i headed up to Marquette early Friday morning. We wanted to setup camp at Van Riper State park and head into Marquette to pickup packets prior to the race on Saturday. The weather was pleasant driving up, and we made good time to camp. After setting up the tents, we unloaded the bikes and ventured north from camp following the Peshekee river on a rough and tumble road. It felt good to breathe the cool north country air and stretch the legs out. The sights were enjoyable as well, with the river meandering close to the road for most of our ride.

Posing for posterity near the Peshekee river

Since my first time attending Ore to Shore in 2011 I've been itching to get back and race it again. Much has changed over the two years since my first time there, and it showed on this years edition. In 2011 i raced the hard rock on a single speed 26er, mid-pack start position, medium fitness and very little experience. Jump forward two years and I'm on a decked out carbon 29er 1x10, lined up behind the preferred start gate, much better fitness and feeling like a veteran. It's also nice to come into a race you've done before knowing what to expect, what the trail/terrain is like, and how the conditions will come into play. The weather this year couldn't have been more perfect, and the rain that was had in the area days before had done a good job of tamping down the nefarious iron riddled dust and loose dirt. The rain also did a nice job of stocking some healthy mud puddles and keeping the grassy areas slick.
The roll out was pretty much standard practice with one small pile-up near the front around a turn on the pavement. Per usual, people were drilling it to get into position and move as far up as possible. Once things left the road the dust began to rise and then sure enough, pile-up in the first large puddle. I managed to skirt around without having to dismount and was on my way. I slowly moved up to where i wanted to be, and just when i started settling in i felt a slight nudge from behind and before i knew it i was on the deck. The slick grass had gotten the best of me and racers were flying by as i was trying to collect my bottles. I wasn't down long, but i managed to go down at the base of the first large climb which was unfortunate. The adrenaline served me well in gaining the summit, and once i again i was able to settle in to a good pace and eventually form a group of a few strong guys to work with.
The ATV trails and two tracks rolled by uneventfully, and soon enough the power lines came into sight. For those that have done this race, you know what I'm talking about... For those that don't, just know that a climb titled "misery hill" is included in this section. The hike a bike went by painfully, and soon we were over the top negotiating some of the fine rocky terrain that Marquette is so well known for. The group more or less stayed together through the road section, and myself and Ryan Kennedy worked well keeping the pace nice and high. Some may see this section as a nice respite from getting work done, but i see it as an opportunity to hammer out a hefty pace and draw some time back.
It was pleasant racing with the familiar faces i had been battling throughout the season both on and off the road. Aaron McCready offered up kind words when i had slipped from the pack and later regained the group.I feel like breaking the silence while in a pack does a good job of distracting from the suffering that is taking place. As we got farther into the race, some began to drift backwards as they say and eventually our group was down to 4 near the finish. I took the opportunity to attack through a long sandy downhill and hammer through the conifers and up Kirby Hill. My pursuant were reluctant to let me go easy though, and soon they rejoined me on the trail. Things were heating up, and just when i was feeling in control with 3 miles to go down i went. I was coming around a slow rider from a short race and came in too hot on a soft turn. The two guys that were behind me managed to blow by and create a gap. Quickly i regained the bike and pulled them in with 2 miles to go. The rest of the way was just a battle of wills, and no one was willing to coast in. An attack was thrown with a quarter mile to go that i just didn't have the legs for. I sprinted my heart out, but came up shy at the line.
I was thrilled however to see the clock read 2 hours 35 minutes and change. My hope was to finish top 20 and withing 10 minutes of the winning time, and I'm happy to say i finished 17th and approximately 9 minutes behind numero uno! Joe had a strong race and posted a solid time for his first Ore to Shore showing. He managed an awesome finish, catching up to some of my Freewheeler racing teammates, and did so in spite of being stuck behind a train early on! I stayed near the finish to congratulate many of the folks i see often and to chat with my teammates about their respective races.

Finish line relief is one of the best feelings!

Here's a link to my race Strava if that sort of thing interests you

Joe looking relieved and satisfied with his race!

The remainder of Saturday was spent getting the car, cleaning bikes, cleaning off the iron rich dirt and getting some grub. We managed to score an awesome camping spot in Christmas which is just west of Munising. We put our tents down less than 20 feet from the lake, setup folding chairs on the beach and regaled each other with the events of the race. I always enjoy a good race, but it's that much better when you have good company! As always, i have to give props to my awesome sponsor, Freewheeler bike shop out of Grand Rapids, without those guys hooking me up on all the gear, nutrition and kit i need it wouldn't have been the same race. Special shout out to Curt and Jason for always keeping up with my many demands, and to my teammates and their families for the cheers, support and camaraderie that make these races so memorable!

View from Saturday night's campsite of Grand Island