My TRAM Week - In Haikus

[Sunday]

Proctor fairgrounds camp
Speedway hid sounds at setup
Beeping noise 'til storm

I pile all the things on the couch and then
decide how to fit them into 2 bags.

I camped next to this fitness center's abandoned van.

Dinner in Duluth the night before we started riding.

It wasn't supposed to rain Sunday night.
On the bright side, the wind, lightning,
thunder, and rain blocked the
noise of whatever alarm beeped every
seven seconds all night long. Something
we couldn't anticipate when we set up 
camp during the very noisy speedway races.

[Monday]

84 miles
Mostly straight and flat 'til end
Chisholm camp was great

My friend Steve and I were the last two to leave
on the first day. Probably not the best way to
kick off an 84-mile ride for the day. But we caught up
to people and weren't the last ones into camp.

Fantastic camp behind the museum. They
left the back door to the museum open so our team
could use flush toilets and sinks - not biffies - 
for our two nights in Chisholm.

The front side of the museum (apologies for
the video screen shot).

In Proctor and in Chisholm, I had daisies under
my rain fly. Cute way to start the morning.

Kellie and I dubbed this the Titanic Schoolbus. 

Deb was a willing participant.

Who can resist a thing like this?

Travis, Deb, Steve, and me on our way back from dinner
on the patio at Jim's Bar.

[Tuesday]

40-mile loop
Mesabi Trail to Hibbing
Same hills: felt okay

Pretty mining pit lakes up there.

Stacy's Cyclers Mon-Weds (Keisha and Kim
joined us for Thursday and Friday).

The absolute cutest girl fortuitously had
a lemonade stand out on this country
road in the middle of nowhere. Hundreds
of riders stopped to buy a glass.

Chisholm waitresses
Worked their asses off for us
Good place to visit

[Wednesday]

Beautiful trails
Downhill beyond Virginia
Wind to Biwabik

From the new bridge in Virginia, MN

Steve and me. Proof!

The wind was nice until we had to
ride into it.

It also misted on and off. Not sure what Steve
did with his camera to make it look like I'm
riding a kid's bike! It's hilarious.

63 miles
Cute little town, nice people
Good band in the park

Lily Tomlin?

Keisha and Alicia joined us Wednesday night,
after setting up their tents.

Kellie taught me the art of holding
my phone upside down for photos like this.

This was my third time staying in Biwabik on a
BikeMS ride. Each time has been great, and with good music!

[Thursday]

70 miles
Scenic route, fast, smooth shoulder
Two Harbors; last night

Major tailwind and smooth roads made for a day of
fast, fun riding in a beautiful part of the state. I lingered
a bit at rest stops to stretch (and goof off).

Better camp than past:
Shore of Lake Superior
Oh! Black flies, black flies!

Lake Superior from our camp.

Two Harbors is a little sheltered, so the lake
is calmer. It is still freezing cold water, though.

Steve and I took the scenic route to go skip stones
with the others on the beach. Partly because it was fun,
but partly to escape the murderous biting black flies.

Escaped to taproom
Back for team competitions
Smaller than years past

Deb and me, two teens on their devices. Trying to
see if black flies were better on pavement than in the grass,
after the always-fun team song and jersey/t-shirt competitions.

Two Harbors camp. My tent is the yellow one.

[Friday]

39 miles
Along the lake 'til the hills 
1600 feet 

Me, making coffee for Alicia in the morning.
I like to make coffee for people. Many thanks to Deb for bringing 
a stove and fuel.

Lake Superior along Highway 61.

Requisite "bike porn" photo.

View from Enger Tower Park, about 2/3 of the way
up the hills from the lake back to Proctor.

Cool walkway gazebo thing and Enger Tower.

I didn't climb the full tower. I was too
busy eating Fritos and slamming a Coke.
The hills to get up there were pretty serious...
for Minnesota, anyhow, on the fifth day of riding.

A great week away
Riding for friends with MS
Thank you for support!

Stacy's Cyclers in blue (other than Travis, who is a safety dude
for the ride). Kellie and Gregg are in yellow. They're from
the team MS is BS, but they're our friends and they
camp and hang out with us, which is fun. Friday
was Stacy's birthday, so she had a special bday t-shirt.

Found this at the fairgrounds.

Time to start putting sunscreen on
under my watch, where the holes are to hook it on?

I was one of the top fundraisers in 2021, even though I had to
skip the official ride. (I did 3, 100-mile rides on my own.) Thank you!
My donors have contributed $4,760 so far this year - fantastic!

https://mssociety.donordrive.com/participant/GoMaggieGo-2022