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Crystal Mountain, Michigan

We are on our second annual trip to Crystal Mountain in Northwest Michigan for the Peak to Peak Mountain Bike race.  It was a very nice ride up and the colors were incredible when we got around Cadillac and farther north.  We checked in and got our stuff unloaded and then hit the trail for a short trail ride and preride of the course.  Brendan and I were on the tandem.  It was our first off road ride on the tandema and it was great.  Michelle and JJ rode the trail also.  This is a great trail system up here.  Not to technical and very flowing.  We got to a road crossing near the end and I gave Michelle and JJ the option to take the pavement back which they did.  Brendan and I took what was the tougher route but more difficult.  So we climbed the back of the mountain and had a blast flying back down.  Brendan and I picked up the race packet and still got back to the van before JJ and Michell.  We packed the bikes up and headed into the room.  We ordered pizza, bread sticks and salad from Apapanos and brought it back to the room.  We ate there last year and it was just as good as I remember.

I registered for Beginner Men and got the ok from the race promoter to ride tandem in this race with Brendan and not be scored.  This is our training for the Slush Cup at Iceman in three weeks.  However, the weather does not look good for tomorrow.  They are saying 100% chance of rain and it may be heavy at times.  So if it is raining my alternate plan is to run in the beginner class on my single speed.  Either way I am looking forward to it.

The best part here is that everything is on site  Walk out the door and get on the bike.  They will have food, beer and even a kids race here tomorrow.  Check tomorrow morning for a prerace update. 

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