Great Bear Chase and Swedetown trails
The 20th anniversary Great Bear Chase was held in Calumet, March 11th, 2001, and what an event it was! All entrants received a commemorative t-shirt in addition to a special Keewenaw pin which was to be given out last year (the real 20th anniversary), the race having been cancelled for the first time due to lack of snow. But the 2001 race came off without a hitch, several feet of snow on the trails, and 4-5" the night before. The famous 'UPer' hospitality and abundant snowfall brought skiers from near and far. Upper peninsula and Wisconsinites were especially well represented.
I began my trip Thursday night, leaving from work and getting as far as the northern lower peninsula. A direct drive would probably have taken 10 hours, but I elected to do a spring skiing 'UP sampler', checking out the prime trails along the way. Munising's Valley Spur was the destination Friday morning. They had clearly received a big dump of snow the day before-at least 8 fluffy inches obscured all signed of previous grooming. Two guys from Wisconsin were relishing getting out in the powder. There was some difficulty negotiating the parking lot and outhouse door; so much snow had fallen that the door was only opening enough to squeeze through if one hadn't eaten too many pasties. Unfortunately, their groomer had broken down and the trails hadn't been groomed in over a week; this is a recurring problem I heard, given their budget. However, the beautiful rolling hills were a snap to schuss in the thick snow. It took much more energy than usual to get around the system, and I stuck to the main 'B and H' loops. It was nice to have 2 Wisconsinites trails to follow through the woods.
After a picnic lunch in the car, it was off to Marquette's Blueberry Ridge. The overcast skies gave way to blazing sunny blue. The parking lot was filled with skiers, several whom I recognized from Stokely and whom were preparing also for the Great Bear Chase. The trails were well packed down for skating, though a little uneven; it seemed that a groomer narrower than the trail width was used for grooming. Many friendly folks were out enjoying their Friday afternoon there. Enjoy great food at Babycakes Cafe in Marquette for lunch and Landmark Inn (great filet mignon Sat night!)
After an overnight in Ishpeming, where my fellow traveler Jean had friends who make a homemade pastie dinner, it was off to the Suicide Bowl. The Junior Olympics were being held, and the whole place was buzzing with activity. I was very impressed with the two ski jumps, which were apparently being used for the event, as I saw people warming up on smaller slopes nearby. This is the last year for this site, as the mining company takes back the land, and in exchange is providing another site for cross-country trails (more fully described in a recent Silent Sports). After Jean purchased some 'fast' Vauhti waxes, it was off to Calumet.
Going to Calumet is stepping back in time. When copper mining was the biggest industry in Michigan, Calumet missed being Michigan's state capital by four votes. In the late 1800's the population was as high as 90,000 residents. Beautiful buildings made of reddish Jacobsville sandstone including many churches and municipal buildings still standing hint at what a boomtown it was in its heyday. Today, it's a quiet town with few, mostly elderly, residents, getting by in the tourism trade.
The night before the bigger races, 'spaghetti feeds' are held. The Great Bear Chase was no exception. For the price of $6, an elderly church group cooked an all-you-can-eat feast of spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and juice. Homemade desserts-slices of pie, cake and cookies were sold for ten cents to a quarter(!) But, as I learned from the woman sitting next to me, the best was yet to come. This race was her favorite because of the entertainment at dinner! Onto a stage set up in the midst of the carbo-loading skiers stepped an octogenarian musician. He played polkas on his accordion-to which one very energetic Traverse City skier danced along and between the tables! Yet, there was more. Next, he brought out a CD boom-box, which accompanied him on bones (pieces of wood clapped between the fingers ala Percy Danforth-Mr Bones-in Ann Arbor) and then on big, sterling silver serving spoons! He brought down the house. With full tummies, the skiers then looked over the hand-carved crafts for sale and made their way back to hotels after a fine evening of Yooper hospitality.
The Swedetown trails were some of the most beautifully groomed I had ever been on. The day before the race, the Junior Bear Chase was held, and the trails were perfection. The path was wide enough for 2 or 3 skaters across, plus a classic lane on each side. The temperatures were hovering around freezing, with a light drizzle falling, which eventually became tiny balls of ice. The conditions became ever faster, and in complete bliss, I could not help myself, but to ski nearly their entire trail system (which later was proven to be a poor pre-race day strategy). A newly built lodge building staffed by a pair of elderly Finns sold Coca-Cola and pasties- what a combination to fuel oneself after 25 Km of flying.
Race day, which should have been my epiphany, for me was a long, painful bonk. My wax, which was perfect for the near-freezing, fast conditions Saturday, was like sandpaper on the 5" of fresh-fallen snow in 15F temperatures. My legs and my spirit, soaring over the hills and flying through the forest Saturday, schlogged up the huge hill at the start of the race. Even the dancing costumed brown bears at the starting gate could not help me summon the energy to power my skis and poles through the half-marathon with the grace and ease I felt the day before.
Well, with great effort, I did cross the finish line at my first Great Bear. New friends met during the season, cheered me on from the railroad trestle which crosses over the trail 100 yards before the finish. After hunting around for my bag of warm clothes, several nice cool cups of Gatorade, and friendly chat with the other racers, we cleared a path and watched a triplet of men's full marathoners FLY through the finish.
The post-race ceremonies included a delicious pastie lunch from Toni's of Laurium, considered the best pastie in the U.P., donuts, cookies and soda. Many raffle give-aways included Rossignol XIUM skating skis, boots, bags, hotel overnights, and more. As the setting sun shone warm on us in the Calumet High School bleachers, tummys happy with good food and drink, muscles tired, and with the shared experience of a well organized race in a beautiful place, most reminisced on the day's event and made plans to return next year. Though I received no ribbon from the dancing bears, no raffle prize, and no special recognition for my long drive to the race, I knew that- yes, I too, could now call myself a racer, and I would be there in 2002.