Wednesday was a beautiful day for a Michigan bicycling tour through the local countryside. Here at Castle in the Country, we’re lucky to have miles of unimproved gravel roads near our Inn that will take you back to a time when things were slower, closer to nature, and peacefully quiet.
As many of our guests know, after several hours of preparing your breakfast in the Castle Keep kitchen, Herb is usually found heading out to the surrounding countryside for a bicycle ride.
If you’re interested in taking your own bicycling equipment along for your visit, we can help with suggested routes and tips about equipment that would work best for this experience. Or just leave a comment with any detailed question.
Here’s Herb’s basic suggestions:
- I bicycle on plowed gravel roads, so if there has been a recent heavy snowfall it is best to wait a day or two for the county plows to clear the drifts. These roads are very lightly traveled and most motorized vehicles are not moving very fast.
- Most any type of bike will work (cyclocross, mountain, 29er, fat bike-I use a big, heavy, steel Surley CrossCheck with fenders) but be sure to use studded tires, available at any good bike shop. Get them as wide as will fit your bike. Gravel roads tend to be highly variable so expect ice, hard-packed snow, loose snow, mud, and puddled water (hence the fenders.) I favor stability over speed.
- Staying warm is not a big problem for temperatures above 20F by dressing in layers. I have found it too much of a challenge to dress for temps below that.
Enjoy the winter, spring will be here soon.
-Herb