Tour de Kal Haven

One of the nice things about the RV life is being around other families and learning how they live their lives.  Friends, children, grand children all providing the ingredients to life's stew.  I suppose sometimes the ingredients don't always mix well together but mostly this stew turns out pretty good.

As I look around our summer camp I learned that our neighbors (Charlie and Judie) son (Jason) was coming to visit after graduating from college out west.  When he arrived it was apparent that the family ties were strong and caring and they shared a common admiration for sports and doing things that involved physical exercise.  I learned that Charlie and Jason were going to ride the local Kal Haven trail.  Beginning some 34 miles away on the outskirts of Kalamazoo, the woodland path meanders westward across southwestern Michigan and ends near downtown South Haven.  An all seasons trail for walkers, cyclist, horses, and snowmobiles this well maintained route is in constant use and is a relatively easy trail to take.  So I thought it might be fun to sneak out on the trail and photograph some of their ride and enjoy the trail myself a little.

Sharon and I got in the old TrailBlazer and headed out to try and locate them.  With a little help from mom/wife Judie, we got an idea when they started and after looking at a map, worked out an intercept point along the path to take some pictures.  We got to the spot some ten miles from where they started and I, like a stalking mountain lion (okay maybe a little exaggeration here) found the perfect place to ambush them with my camera.  Annoying little mosquitoes were tasting me as waited in the deep bush along the trail.  Then came the horse flies; they too hunger for some of me but I hung in there and waited. And waited.  As I began to swell from the bug bites and this sweltering hot and humid afternoon I continued to look at my watch then down the trail again looking for the two riders ... but still no one in sight.

Finally I'd had enough.  The bugs were winning.  What had I figured wrong?  Had they had mechanical trouble or ... had I just figured wrong and they had already passed this spot?  I gave them the benefit of the doubt and guessed that they were faster than I had calculated so we quickly left and leap-frogged ahead about five miles to another intercept point.

I arrived at the new location and as luck would have it the mosquitoes and horse flies either had followed me there or there was a whole new batch of them waiting to get acquainted with me.  Undaunted, I again waited in the brush for bikers to appear.  Aha!  I could see them approaching in the distance and readied for the shot.  'Ker chunk'. 'Ker chunk'. 'Ker chunk'. 'Ker chunk'.  My Canon 5D rapidly fired off a series of shots at the passing cyclists. But my cover was now blown as they were on to my picture taking.   But now it was a race for me to the next point to grab some more shots.  But before leaving I grabbed a few more images as they disappeared down the trail away from me.  Looking at them as they pedaled down the trail it dawned on me how the two of them were making such good time in their journey.  It was those damn flies and mosquitoes!  In ordered not get eaten alive they had no choice but to keep a fast pace.

Keeping the pace

Horse flies in hot pursuit

I decided to head to a picturesque location near the end of the trail and waited once again.  Poised on a bridge overlooking the trail I waited.  The sun had already set and it was getting darker by the minute so I was anxious to get these final images.  Again I waited.  5 minutes.  Another 5 minutes then finally I could see two riders emerging from the dark woods into the fading light.  I framed the shot and 'ker chunk', 'ker chunk', 'ker' chunk the camera fired.  I think I got the shot I wanted...  but wait a minute ... what's going on here!  "Who are these people?" I asked.  As they got closer I quickly discovered that it wasn't who I thought it was but some other cyclists who were ahead of the guys I was following.  Nice shots ... but wrong people.

So back to my vigil of waiting   Another 5 minutes went by and I could finally see in the dim light two cyclist coming toward me.  Increasingly hard to see,  I had to rely on the cameras ability to remain focused on moving objects ... another round of 'ker chunking' and I had the images.  Thankfully just before I needed a blood transfusion.

End of the trail is near

Returning to camp I edited the images.  As I looked at the results I could see the tangible evidence of the bond between dad and son.  Both enjoying each others company, enjoying spending time together, and sharing a common respect for one another.   Special stuff, I'd say.

Team Ratering

So another fun day in South Haven and still livin' the dream.

Phil