Chasing a Dream Chasing a Dream
My First Six Days of Michigan Experience My First Six Days of Michigan Experience
By Carl Peterson By Carl Peterson
28 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com
Some adventures stay on your bucket list for years.
For me, the Six Days of Michigan (SDM) was one of
them.
For as long as I can remember, I had dreamed of
taking part in this legendary event. While raising
a young family, each summer I would watch riders
head north and tell myself, "Maybe next year." As life
o en does, work, family, and other commitments
kept pushing that dream further into the future.
This year, however, "someday" finally became Day
One.
I've been fortunate enough to ride motorcycles in
several countries through my business travels. Every
des na on presented its own terrain and challenges,
helping me become a more capable rider. Yet about
two years ago, I realized something surprising—I
had spent more than four decades living in Michigan
without truly experiencing the incredible trail system
in my own backyard.
That realiza on sparked a new adventure.
A close friend, an accomplished road rider who was
making the transi on to off-road riding, encouraged
me to join several organized trail rides across the
state. Those early rides introduced us not only to
Michigan's diverse terrain but also to one of its
greatest treasures: the people. Everywhere we rode,
volunteers welcomed newcomers, experienced riders
freely shared advice, and friendships formed on the
trails and with epic trail stories.
A er every event, one thought became stronger:
I had to experience Six Days of Michigan.
Preparing for the event became almost as rewarding
