Friday, January 28, 2011

An afternoon ski trip along an old railroad grade




I went out skiing this afternoon along the old Michigan Central Railroad tracks. For over a hundred years, tracks along this roadbed linked together Grand Rapids and Jackson, providing service to industries and farms along the line. In 1984, the tracks were removed, ending railroad service for many towns. Much of the track has been converted to a walking/biking path (and I have written about cycling along this section before).






It felt good to stretch my legs. Being that this is a former railroad bed and that it runs along a river, the skiing in relatively flat. With the trees naked of leaves, it wasn’t a problem seeing the river as it snakes its way through the hardwood swamp. The river is still flowing, but the backwaters are frozen. It was 30 degrees when I started, a lot warmer than last weekend when the highs were in the single digits. It was warm enough that I didn’t even need to cover my ears. But the sky was so gray that it felt colder and there was no way of knowing when the sunset. I skied down a couple of miles before turning around and making my way back to where I started.




Although I enjoy this path, it’s sad there are no longer trains running along here. But there are a few ghosts of the railroad, the trestles and some mile markers. After skiing, I stowed by skis in the back of my truck and went into Champs Bar, where I enjoyed a tall Red Sky Ale from a brewery in Frankenmuth (on the other side of the state) along with their Friday special—a fried fish platter.








21 comments:

  1. Seems like a perfectly lovely place to spend your day and a wonderful way to get around. Great photos. I love the marker.

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  2. I love to hear about your trips they're always so interesting, and peaceful like...but I especially enjoy when you travel around Michigan...Frankenmuth one of my favorite towns since childhood, Jackson (also the name of my baby grandson) and where my Grandmother lived, and died, and my dad graduated high school in Jackson too! Lovely country, glad you had warm weather, but I for sure am getting really tired of grey days, Yesterday there was a slight bit of sun!!! Take care my Michigander friend!

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  3. Wow, that's some gorgeous scenery. And your mention of the Friday fish fry has made me hungry.

    I'm starting to think our snows may be over for the year. Temps supposed to be around 60 this weekend.

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  4. Now if there were still trains there abouts I may have been able to see the same scenery. Alas poor trains I knew them well.

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  5. Hey, I have kin in Chelsea and Ypsilanti, and one of my uncles used to live in Dexter. I remember going to the Cascades over in Jackson. There's some pretty country thereabouts. Lots of converted rails-to-trails here, too. Better use than none, I suppose, but I miss the trains. The lunch sounded great. Nice pix.

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  6. Love the pictures and always enjoy your train and hike posts
    It's in the 50's today. Going to be 64 tomorrow!! But then rain all week

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  7. i hear you...we have one of these paths...kinda cool there is a section that runs through a tunnel in the mountain that is beautiful covered in icicles this time of year...

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  8. Rails to trails is a good thing, in spite of what adjacent landowners might think. We've got a real long one here, the Katy Trail State Park that runs from St. Charles to Sedalia mostly along the Missouri River. If you're in this area, you should check it out, though its used more by bicycles & walkers than Nordic skiers given our winters.

    Cheers.

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  9. Hilary, if we ever get another clear night with a full moon and snow on the ground, I'm skiing!

    Karen, I don't tell you about all my trips--I've been on x-country skis three times this week and downhill skis once!

    Grizz, I live on the other side of the state--but there is someone who sometimes reads here from Ypsilanti

    Pia, warm and rain, the end of the winter along the SE coast!

    Brian, there are no need of tunnels in these parts, they'd have to build a tall enough mountain first! But tunnels would be neat!
    Bone, glad to hear the South is finally warming up!

    Walking Man, I often walk abandon tracks and always feel a little sad

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  10. Randall, Katy, that was an old line! Do you know the Missouri,Kansas and Texas get the nickname Katy?

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  11. Sounds like a perfect day with the beer, skiing and all.

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  12. I expect I would need the hill. But as Ed says it sounds the perfect afternoon.
    Just a question, there is no need for you to be armed. No wildlife around your neck of the woods that could kill you, Bears and the like, eh.

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  13. Just testing for Kenju to see if I can leave a comment.

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  14. I too am testing for kenju to see if I can comment. Glad I decided to try because I enjoyed reading your post:)

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  15. I always enjoy reading your adventures like these, Sage, and ending with that lunch sounded so lovely.

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  16. Around here, it was the "MKT," which was shortened to "KT" and then "Katy," I think.

    Cheers.

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  17. What an absolutely perfect day!
    I'd join you if I lived just a bit closer;)
    Those old trestle bridges are magical....so is that trail!

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  18. That looks beautiful, but 30 degrees still sounds so Cooooold. I want to cover my ears just thinking about it.

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  19. Looks like fun! Four days ago we got over a foot of snow. I just finished a post on my blog with some hiking pictures from this snow storm.

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