The first month of this adventure has been a whirlwind and I can’t believe we’re already been on the road for five weeks. We spent the past 2 weeks in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is a charming bike-friendly town that is continuing to get bike-friendlier, especially the downtown area. If you get the chance to visit, I highly recommend stopping by Zingerman’s Deli for a meal. Doesn’t really matter what you get, it’s going to be good – from their famous deli sandwiches to their dinner plates, to their drinking chocolate and ice cream, it’s one of those local institutions that has earned the title and isn’t resting on its laurels.
Another unique thing about Zingerman’s is that one of their co-founders, Ari Weinzweig, has published more than 100 essays about different aspects of running a business. They have a counter-cultural vibe to them but seem really interesting and well-written. The essays on leadership have been combined into a 4-volume set of books and I have volume 1 waiting on my desk now back at the office. I’m looking forward to picking it up next week and seeing what lessons I can apply to ElliptiGO.
If you happen to have your ElliptiGO with you when you are in Ann Arbor, then it’s worth taking a relaxing ride on the Border to Border trail. It starts where Glen Ave. crosses the Huron River just below the University of Michigan hospital complex and runs 12 miles to Ypsilanti. If you do it in the morning, you’ll have the trail to yourself and can enjoy the scenic river views and complete separation from cars. It is really well signed and fairly flat. The paving needs improvement on many of the sections, but for a leisurely ride, it doesn’t create any problems. You can start and finish your ride at Zingerman’s since it is only about a mile from the trail. I always find that ElliptiGO riding and chocolate drinking make for a great combination and Ann Arbor is a great place to do both.
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