Exploring the Woods

It has been Fat-bike fun for me these last couple of weeks.  I had been getting in a lot of saddle time but will be taking time off, so it will be a while before I get back on the bike.  Bummer.  

 The picture above was taken on a day in which I was checking out a noise we had been hearing about a mile south of home.  I knew what the noise was, just didn't know exactly where how much logging. It didn't take them long to clean off pretty good sized chunk of land.  I have heard from a very reliable source that a crew can cut 100 cords a day in some operations.  That would create a pile 4 feet high by 8 feet wide by 400 feet long.

   

The trails have been good for riding bicycle, not so much for snowmobiles.

 Trail number 41 comes near this cabin.  I found the "No Cell Phones Allowed!" interesting as I wondered how the conversation went to prompt the sign.

 More trail

Another ride brought me to this abandoned gravel pit, which has now become a small lake...aka pothole. I decided to ride the perimeter looking for tracks to see what was around. 

The Otter were out having fun when the ice was a little soft.  They run, slide, run, slide just for fun of it.

I added this picture just because I liked it.

I say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

Lets get outdoors and have some fun!!

More Fat-Bike Fun

 The Fat-bike has been proving fun.  Conditions seem great, although the miles don't add very fast.  About 5.5 hours to go 33 miles through trails and gravel back roads, but they were wondrous miles.  Many pictures with a few words.

 I shared this trail with a Grey Wolf (Timber Wolf). I found what he was after a little further down the trail.  A whitetail deer carcass.

 One of the trails led to this pot hole (little lake not named). I ventured out and rode the perimeter of it.  Surprising it was almost 2 miles around this one.

 A nice stand of pine on the Cheever Road.

 This is one of the local trout streams.

Lunch is cooking on the bank of the stream. 

 Some trails have overhanging branches and trees.  Tends to make it interesting at times.

 Oooops...picture out of order.  Oh well.

 This days lunch varied from the usual peanut butter and honey on wheat.  Wild rice soup here.

 Evidence that some deer did live through the rifle season.

 A few years ago, we had my 21st birthday in the loft of that barn with some jammin tunes and a keg of beer.  The term a few years ago could be open for interpretation    hehehe   

 One of the trails I was on came into a logging job. 

Thought I would try a video today.

Lets get outdoors and have some fun!!

PS...Thanks for reading!

Eagle Providing Proof

It was a welcomed change that I was able to get out for a daytime ride today.  I avoid riding during the rifle Whitetail deer hunt and that ended Sunday.  The temperature today was at 15°F with flurries floating down and a moderate wind from the southwest. More about the eagle later on the above picture later.

 We received 5" during Sundays snowstorm, but in what seems a constant,  it has been snowing lightly. 

 The local golf course has been put to sleep for the winter.

 I ride the fixed gear on roads during the winter for the ease of maintenance.  To say the least, even with the studded tires, the roads were sketchy today.  With the small storm and the light snow, many of the roads I rode had the surface covered with packed ruts where traffic had traveled and loose snow where they hadn't. It made for some heart in the throat moments. Because the fixed gear bike provides no way to coast, the combination of road conditions along with some hills added to the thrill.

For a short time today, I had this Eagle use the same road that I was using.  I came upon it and as quickly I as I could readied our cheapo point and shoot I carry.  I was very surprised at how close I got to it.  It would fly three times from one tree to another along the road before we parted company.

 Because we are blessed with many Eagles in our area, this is not the first time I have seen them fly down the road in front of me.  It is however the first time I was able to get the camera out from its hiding spot and get a couple pictures.  

Although the conditions were not the absolute best for cycling, the Eagle proved what a person can see by just getting out and doing something.   I would not have witnessed this from my garage, or the comfort of our home.  Proof positive of (see below) 

Lets get outdoors and have some fun!

PS...Thanks for reading!!

Global Fat-Bike Day

 OK...You can stop laughing at my kit.  Really though, I am attention whore and don't care what you think of my riding attire.  Today is Global Fat-Bike day.  In honor of that, I made a little ride.  It is still Whitetail Deer hunting season here in Wisconsin, so precautions need to be taken if you are to ride during daylight hours.  I am of the belief a person shouldn't have to worry about being shot, but that isn't the case.  I think you should be able to wear brown clothing and walk anywhere without being in fear.  But there is a saying I have heard numerous times by hunters..."If it's brown, it's down."  IMO, the people that say such things shouldn't be allowed to hunt.  It would be much safer for everyone if we just shot deer.  People get shot every year it seems.    

 Because of hunting season, I rode only the trails on our land.  I felt I still needed to wear orange, because our land borders public hunting area, or there may be trespassers.

 I was able to ride over an hour and get in over 4 miles on our woods trails.  I made these trails for skiing and biking, but do not use them as much as I should.

 I had the tire pressure at 10 pounds today and that worked well.  The bike in general works well.  It seems to accelerate great, pedal bob is minimal, keeps traction well and all around seems to be working nicely.  The brakes seem to make some noise, but I am thinking that has to do with the wet snow.  Time will tell.

 I didn't ride all our trails as it was raining.  The trail that runs below this hill and further out into some swampy area can get a little sloppy.  We had about 10" of snow on Thanksgiving night and another couple after that, but it has settled down to a little of nothing now. The deepest spots were maybe 4 or 5 inches.

I am betting it is a good day for building a snowman, as the snow caked on the bike.  That means it gets to sleep in the basement tonight to get thawed. 

 Happy Fat-Bike Day!!

Lets get outdoors and have some fun!

PS...Thanks for reading!