I was Ojibwe-ed and Makwa-ed, driving north to Duluth for some communing with Lake Superior. It was to be perfect north shore summer days–sunny, blue skies and temps a delightful 80s something. I had two mtb trails on my list if there was time to squeeze them in while not hiking the Superior Hiking Trail and Gooseberry Falls, and wandering around town.
A little after rush hour, if there is one in Duluth, that same day, I was at Spirit Mountain Recreation Area. The local skiing hill, complete with a summertime gravity-fed rollercoaster car ride, is trying to incorporate mountain biking into their offerings. Rudimentary maps can be found online.
Still, the going wasn’t worth it. Lacking flow, needing better cut-ins, and unmapped intersections made for a grinding, mental and pedal-powered, almost sixty minutes. Give it a few more years and let things get better established, and I’d bet they’ll turn out a nice system. The view up there was nice:
The following day was all about feet on trail recreation:
How nice it is to walk in the arms of Mother Nature! I only wished that I had a backpack on and was able to camp out that night. Maybe next time…
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The following morning, I would ride with my favorite tree: White Birch.
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