I've been doing the motorcycle dork thing a lot longer than the bicycle dork thing. One of the motorcycle dork things I look forward to most is CannonTrek- an 1100 dual sport ride around the UP with some of my imaginary internet motorcycle friends.
Even if you know what "dual sporting" is, it's tough to describe the concept of the CannonTrek. At it's premise- the route is mostly dirt with some single track, sandy sections, and other technical challenges thrown in with a lot of really fun dirt roads, two tracks, and the rare paved section. It takes us four full days of riding to complete the route and we travel as light as possible, hoteling it along the way. We're an entirely self supported crew relying only on what we can cobble together to keep everybody going.
But it's difficult to describe just how tough this route is. Last year, I had to bail on part of the ride as I couldn't deal with the constant rain and mid-forties temperatures on the third day. This year, it was an entire week before I recovered enough to get back on the bicycle.
What really makes this ride cool however, is the teamwork involved. It's even harder to describe than the route itself. 20 guys, most of whom have never actually met before can come together and have a great four days of riding. And when things get difficult- we'll really come together to help each other through it. This is why I do this ride every year. The route is right in my backyard, but it isn't the same without a good group of folks to ride with.
Anyway- I give you the official ride report. There's a lot of really cool pictures in there. Individual stories are still pouring in at the end.
