Marquette, Michigan.
Ever been there? It's not bad for a "city." I mean, it's next to Lake Superior. It's pretty progressive. It's not scary to drive in (even I can do it without fainting). It's got good places to eat and drink. And it has great trails.
I rode them for my first time last weekend while I coached some ladies on their mountain bikes.
Here's the first wall of wonder that hit me:
We rode the Carpe Diem Trail from Marquette Mountain upon arriving just for fun. And, yes, the trail was actually fun -- both ways -- but it was also visually stunning.
Wildflowers carpeted the entire forest. False Solomon's Seal leaves hung by the thousands at all the same angle so it was a little bit trippy on the eyes. Patches of magenta gaywings spattered in the distance. Pink lady slippers were just about to pop. Wild lily of the valley leaves lined the edges of the trail. Star flowers twinkled among the greenery.
The waning sun cast sheens on our bicycle frames and helmets like blinking lights through the trees as we meandered down the valley and panted up the hills. And when we got to our turnaround spot, we saw a waterfall.
The falls with a biker chick pedaling along the top
Oh, lordy. Talk about capturing this Copper Harbor girl's heart! I was at home away from home in those woods! Take me back!
It's not often that I feel so enamored somewhere besides this little place at the end of the road, but that day and place did it for me. And not only was I enjoying the scenery, I was there on a mission to educate, inspire and encourage other women to improve their mountain bike skills and believe in themselves at a higher level.
Well, already being high on life sure helps with that.
Thanks, Marquette! And thanks to all the ladies that told me I was a great teacher. It's one of my favorite things to do!