Cyclocross Weekend at Waterford Hills

This weekend was the two-day cyclocross event put on by Tailwind Racing at Waterford Hills Race Track. These would be my first races since I was moved up to Category 4/5 so I was really excited to get out on the trails. Thankfully my schedule worked out so I could race both days.

9.19.15 Waterford Hills Day 1
It was cooler and overcast on Saturday, which made for a great race and even though it rained Friday night the ground wasn't too soft.

A photo posted by Marc Langlois (@marcxlanglois) on Sep 19, 2015 at 8:58am PDT

While I was racing I wasn't feeling my best but I ended up placing 5th so I was pretty pleased with the outcome.



  9.20.15 Waterford Hills Day 2
On the second day of racing they reversed the flow of the track so we were now going to race counterclockwise. I woke up feeling better than the day before and when I left the starting line, I felt stronger and was determined to out-do Saturday's race.

A photo posted by Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) on Sep 20, 2015 at 7:43am PDT

But ultimately it didn't matter how strong I felt... after about 4 miles I had a large rock kicked up under my back wheel and I flatted.

A less than ideal weekend. Took 5th yesterday and flatted on the second lap today. First ever DNF but I guess it's better than crashing. Thanks for coming to watch me race for 10 minutes @katelynshelby

A photo posted by Marc Langlois (@marcxlanglois) on Sep 20, 2015 at 9:11am PDT

Nothing to be hard on myself about though... just looking forward to the next race!

Detroit to Cleveland Day 3

This morning we left Vermillion, Ohio with our eyes set on Cleveland, the last leg of our Detroit to Cleveland trip!

Today we rode over 45 miles in about 3 hours, keeping an average pace of 15mph.


It felt good to finally be done!

We did it guys. @jambo_rando 3 days, right about 200 miles. I feel great. Can't wait to sleep.

A photo posted by Marc Langlois (@marcxlanglois) on Sep 1, 2015 at 9:15am PDT

Detroit to Cleveland Day 2

This morning we hit the road again, departing from Maumee Bay State Park in Jerusalem Township, Ohio for the second leg of our Detroit to Cleveland bikepacking trip.

A photo posted by jamie hornsby (@jambo_rando) on Aug 31, 2015 at 7:49am PDT

What did we see today? A lot of cornfields. And we spent a lot of time baking in the sun since the cornfields don't offer much shade (if any).

A photo posted by jamie hornsby (@jambo_rando) on Aug 31, 2015 at 3:33pm PDT

Today we traveled from Maumbee State Park to Vermillion, Ohio. In all, we traveled 87 miles over the course of nearly 6 hours, keeping up an average pace of 15 mph.


Once in Vermillion we set up camp at Riverview Campground with our ENOs.

A photo posted by Marc Langlois (@marcxlanglois) on Aug 31, 2015 at 5:56pm PDT

It looks like tomorrow we have about 30 miles or so to go until we reach our destination--Cleveland, Ohio. It is my goal to be at Melt in downtown Cleveland by Noon tomorrow. Can we make it!

Detroit to Cleveland Day 1

Today was our first leg of the Detroit, Michigan (actually Wyandotte, a Detroit suburb) to Cleveland, Ohio bikepacking trip.

We left Wyandotte, a Detroit suburb, at 9:30 a.m. and rode 64 miles southwest over the course of 4 hours to Maumee Bay State Park in Jerusalem Township, Ohio. We averaged roughly 15.2 mph for the duration of the trip.

After a we set up camp and a short break, we headed out on a very short ride around the park to check out the sights.


Thanks to the good people at Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO), I'll be sleeping in comfort and style tonight! If you're looking for a better (and lighter) option than carrying a tent on your next bikepacking (or backpacking) trip, I highly recommend picking up a hammock, bug net, and rain fly from ENO. To keep you warm at night, snag a top quilt and an under quilt!

A photo posted by Marc Langlois (@marcxlanglois) on Aug 30, 2015 at 4:36pm PDT

A photo posted by jamie hornsby (@jambo_rando) on Aug 30, 2015 at 4:45pm PDT

Can't wait to wake up refreshed and ready to get back on the bike!

5 Key Bikepacking Basics

Well tomorrow is the day!

Starting tomorrow morning I will be "bikepacking" (it's like backpacking but with a bike) across Michigan over the course of three to four days.

This will be my second year doing this ride. Last year I did it solo and after 3 days I was feeling unmotivated and alone so I opted to throw in the towel early.

This year I was supposed to be traveling with two other cyclists however one had to drop out last week due to a family emergency and the other started flaking out yesterday evening. However this year I'm more than mentally prepared to take this challenge on myself and to successfully complete the entire ride.

The entire route spans 326 miles, riding north to the northern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Officially I'll be riding from Detroit to Mackinaw City.

You can check in on my progress over the next few days here.

To get myself prepared for this ride, I've obviously been training but I have also been putting a lot of thought and effort into what I need to bring.

Thanks to our friends at Eagles Nest Outfitters, I not only have some great hammock camping gear, but I've also been able to share my bikepacking tips and trips with everyone.

From hydration and snack suggestions to shelter and packing tips, we've got you covered.

Click here to see the 5 Key Bikepacking Basics

Sponsored by ENO.

Annual 4th of July Ride

Happy 4th of July!

Today was my second annual Independence Day ride where I ride from our home in Wyandotte to Devils Lake in the Irish Hills where I meet my girlfriend and her family for a family get together.

This annual ride is really important for me because it gets me ready for next week's ride where I will be doing over 300 miles in 3 days, up to the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. I use this ride to get me ready and fully committed. I ride fully packed with everything I need for my next ride including camping gear and extra clothing as a trial run.

In total I rode over 75 miles in just under 5 hours (view on Strava), which included a lunch break and another to refill my water containers and chat with a guy who is a distance rider as well.

Overall the trial run went really well and I'm really looking forward to hitting the road next week for my next big trip! You can read more about that trip here.

2nd year in a row. About half way to the Irish hills.

A photo posted by Marc Langlois (@marcxlanglois) on Jul 4, 2015 at 9:48am PDT

Detroit Gets Protected Bike Lanes As Its Cycling Craze Continues

It was really nice to see Detroit get mentioned (in a positive light) by Forbes.

The author wrote about the first-of-their-kind protected bike lanes — lanes separated by barriers from the nearby traffic — that will be built in coming weeks in various areas of Detroit. As the City's cycling and biking population continue to increase, these lanes will offer a major boost to the safety of bikers, and might in the long run promote more economic development for the city.

Click here to read the entire Forbes article, Detroit Gets Protected Bike Lanes As Its Cycling Craze Continues