Saving Gas

I had an appointment this morning four towns down from our little town, so I thought why not ride the bike there.  It ended up to be a 64 mile round trip.  I made it 12 miles in before the first layer come off and shortly there after I was down to just shorts and jersey.  We had a very strong ENE wind which meant the last 25 miles were hard miles.  I still think riding against a hard wind should qualify for extra credit.

I saw these Sandhill Cranes near Trego WI.  They seem to be more of these showing up every year.  They are a huge bird when fully grown.

I wanted to vary the route back a little since it was an out and back ride...obviously I did know this road well.  I thought it was Blacktop, and it turns out it is for about 100 yards, then gravel.  The 700 x 23 tires were not ideally the best for this.  We made it through, although I did need to un-clip a couple of times.

More loose gravel...only about a 1/4 mile here, but I needed to ride this both ways.  Bike will need a good cleaning after today, as this portion was little wet.

I noticed blogger had some issues last week.  I lost a post and then the comments that were associated with it disappeared and never did come back.  Pictures have been a pain to load as of late also.  Maybe I'm just loosing patience with the whole thing.  Thanks for reading and participating in the comment section.

Welcome to the area None ! !

Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !

Rock Lake

I rode the Rock Lake trail in the CAMBA trail system and it rocks as usual.  Dano, I too wish you were there riding with me.  It was 3 hours 15 minutes of ride time, alone.  It seems every spring it takes a single track ride to put my riding shape in perspective.  Every year it's like I feel I am in good riding shape, then I go hit up the first single track of the year and it kicks my ass.  This ride was no different.  

The Rock Lake trailhead is east of Cable WI on Bayfield County Highway M.  There are massive amounts of single track in CAMBA system.  Joboo, this year I am getting to MN and to check out the Cuyuna trails. 

Although there are many parking spots that doesn't require a fee, the area I parked at today had a $5.00 daily fee.  Therefore, I couldn't afford the breakfast in Hayward, so oatmeal at home had to do Jeff...just kidding.

Being spring and we have had our fair share of rain, I wondered what kind of shape the trails would be in.  Worried for naught, for they were excellent! ! !

I rode the outer most loop which takes you by several small lakes.

And...The No Hands Bridge.

I used both hands and did not ride the cut across board today.

Another little lake.  I may have to pack in a fishing pole some time and give fishing a go on some of these.

This was added from the last time I was here...Wall street. 

This is the back side of Wall Street.  Fall here and you fall hard.

There was a time when my goal was to ride this entire loop without unclipping...didn't happen today and may never happen again.  BUT, great fun was had. 

I did enjoy it Trevor, so I thought I would post a little bike porn just to prove it.

Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !

Anthem is Ready

Anthem is ready for some CAMBA single track today.  Pressure set in the fork, in the shock, in the tires and a new chain installed makes the bike ready.  We will see if the rider is.  Maybe some breakfast in Hayward would help.

Drive///Bike///Kayak

I had decided if the weather was nice, a day long Kayak trip was in order.  Today was the day.  I drove to where the St. Croix river crosses Douglas County highway T and left the truck and bicycled back the 12 miles to the start and leisurely kayaked to the truck.

Good day with the temps probably around the +70F mark, but a very strong SSW wind...which was the direction I was heading most of the time down river. 

I did see a lot of ducks and also a few Bald Head Eagles, like this one sitting high in the tree hanging over the river looking for lunch.

This goose kept a close eye on me as I coasted by.

I stopped a little over half way down where the Buckley creek dumps in to the St. Croix for lunch.  I cooked up soup and dried out some clothes.  They were wet again 10 minutes after I had left this spot.

This is the Buckley Creek just before it dumps into the St Croix. 

I can't remember seeing a porcupine in such a small tree.  Between the weight of the porky and the wind a howling, he was really swaying in that little tree.   

Just a pic of the river.

This a spring that is well known by the locals.  The tree in the back ground has just recently went over, but it fell in a direction that it did not harm the spot where people drink from.  I remember stopping here when I was just little and drinking from here.  There was a cup here when I was small and still one here today.

Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !