Levis-Trow

After Lowes Creek in Eau Claire, it was on to Levis-Trow Mounds east of Merrillan WI in Clark county Wisconsin.  These are some of the best trails in the Midwest.  We had never been there, but had heard of them, and are sure glad we went.  The facilities are great with a small camp ground on the premises.  While there we visited with the other two groups that were camped also.  The one group was three guys from the Twin Cities and one girl from Canada.  The other group was Darin Braun and his girlfriend Lynn.  Darin is a very good rider placing 4th last year, his first year I might add, in the WORS...Wisconsin Off Road Series.  This is America's largest mountain biking series.  They say he will be on the top soon.  But, more than being a very good rider, they are both very nice people.  Two nicer people one could not meet...and that I will guarantee.  I put a link to his blog named "The Pursuit of Happiness" with the other links.

Epic...they are not kidding.

Bring your legs..and lungs.

The names of these trails tell you something.  You ride switchbacks to near the top and ride on the cliff. 

There are intermittent maps such as these, but I carried a map supplied at the trail head that worked very well.

Many of the trails going up were like this.

And this.

Near the top of one of the bluffs was interesting bridge segment.  This was the approach...or the descent depending on which way you are traveling.  Most trails are two way.

The middle section of the bridge series.

The other end...and you do not want to ride off the end of this section ! !

Nearing the top.

Closer to the top.

The next two pictures below are from the rocks you see across the gap here. 

I rode to the top of three bluffs while here, but I may have missed one...not sure.  The second day I was going ride everything I hadn't the first day.  It didn't work out as when I got near what I think may have been the last bluff, I was almost out of water.  I brought one bottle of water and didn't want to bonk out there.

This was two very nice rides and would recommend these to anyone.  If you do not want to climb, there are some nice single track trails that follow the bottoms...and if you do want to climb, see pictures included.  You will not be disappointed.

Lowes Creek MTB

The MTB has been neglected this year...so it was time to remedy that. 

We started out by heading south to Lowes Creek in Eau Claire.  I hit every trail there and man, did it feel good.

They have made some re-routes since the last time I was there...for the good IMO.

When I first started coming here, this hill on the Red Flint was dirt.  It has been rock for I think at least two years.  It used to be when you come to the bottom of the hill, there was a bridge you needed to cross.  That bridge could be tricky if you were carrying to much speed.  I witnessed people crashing there during the Fire Cracker race one year.  Bridge is now history due to re-route.

Some log crossings, but most have a go-around.

Some nice trails here.

What I think is the signature trail at Lowes...The Onion.

On to Levis next ! !

2nd Day of 2010 MS150

This was our ride for the MS150 this year, and last year for that matter.  The Burley...not the Ford.

Day two's second rest stop was at Rush City.  We had a little later start than the first day, so there were many more people out ahead of us.

Lunch was seved at North Branch the second day.  We arrived at 9:10 AM and it was already busy.

The grain mills of North Branch served as a nice parking area this day.

North Branch rest stop.

Some entertainment at the Wyoming rest stop.

Last rest area of the ride in Hugo MN...some are dragging in and still others are looking for more.

The amount of support people on this ride is phenominal.  There were officers at most intersections, along with what has to be thousands of volunteers.  This is very well run event.

Some may say this was our goal of the weekend, but in reality the ultimate goal is to put an end to Multiple Sceloris.  The raising of what they hoping to be 2.6 million dollars which funds MS research has to help.  They are making great strides in fighting this disease.  When you are riding this event and being greeted by people who are afflicted, it makes a person feel good to know that in a small selfish way, you are making a difference.

Century College was the finish this year.  There were people lined up here for nearly two blocks to greet us when we arrived,

All smiles for the Gitchigumi Gear Mashers after finishing of the 2010 MS150.  Thanks again to all of our supporters and to those chose to read through these last two we posted up.

1st Day of 2010 MS150

It was another great turn out for the Minnesota MS chapter's MS150 bike ride.  This is two day event covering 150 miles from Proctor to White Bear Lake MN.  This years event raised an estimated 2.6 million dollars...$2,600,000.00...with nearly 3400 cyclist riding.  Each rider must pay an entry fee and then raise a minimum $300.00.  We want to thank everyone who helped us raise money, those who were there to cheer us on and those who helped with the logistics of our team.  THANK  YOU  ALL ! !

This the Gitchigumi Gear Mashers team.  With seven members this year, we hope to grow next year.  We had an early start on Saturday hoping to beat the rain that was forecast for the afternoon. It worked, but the fog was thick enough during the early morning that while riding a person with glasses could have used some wipers. The weather wasn't a factor for anybody in our group though, for we are a hardy group with Captain Savage and a couple commuters to keep the gang in line.

 The above picture is of the first rest stop in Carlton MN.

At each stop and periodically along the trail, there are greeters.  These were the Carlton rest area greeters.  The entire ride is patrolled with motorcycles and sag wagon fans.

The second stop was at Mahtowa.

Moose Lake rest stop had entertainment.  My thoughts went to the Old Fool when I saw this...but on this particular day, I think this gentlemen was getting a colder draft than the Old fool is used to. 

With 3400 riders, the rest stops get a little crowded.  We avoided some of the crowd by being early starters.

They serve you lunch at approximately the half way point of each day.  This the lunch stop of the first day which was at Willow River.  Submarine sandwiches, cookies, yogurt and a bag of snacks was the menu this year. 

This photo shows my sometimes laziness to take photos.  Rather than position myself to get the whole building in the picture, lets just take a picture of half the Grand Casino in Hinckley...our first day destination. 

This is photo of the festivity grounds at the half way point. 

A portion of the bike coral.  Notice the Surly Big Dummy on the middle of the left side.  The bicycles used in an event such as this varies widely.  Anything from Walmart specials to the over $10,000 models.  One our team members has custom built bicycles, so we paid close attention to the different rides.

The Gitchigumi Gear Mashers team tent taken before many adult beverages were consumed...none by the senior members.

It was here where I bought a tube to replace the tube I used to fix the flat we encountered earlier in the morning.  I found a sharp piece of glass in the tire...Continental Gator Skins...The first flat we have had running these on the tandem and by the looks of the piece of glass, it would punctured any tire.  One of the crossing guards further on down the trail told us a piece of tape with tacks poking through that had been found on the trail...Ain't that just special.  Every rest stop had mobile bike shops at them...some had several.  The prices they charge at events like these are very reasonable...to the extreme.  One in our group broke a spoke and the bill to repair it...$3.00.  He gave them more, and then, some more.  He was just happy to be back on the trail.  

The rest stops also had First Aid stations.  We did not have a reason to visit any of them, although some may say if they had offered psychological help, our team should have at least been evaluated.

MS150

We had a group of 7 that rode the MS150 this last weekend.  I heard as of last week, there were 3400 people registered.  It was a gooooood time.  Pics and a write up coming along soon.

MS150 Cool Down Ride

This next weekend we will be riding the MS150 again this year from Proctor to Whitebear Lake MN.  We are veterans of this 150 mile charity ride.  It is for a very good cause and it seems they are making some wonderful advancements in the fight against MS.  Every year it seems they are getting closer to putting an end to Multiple Sclerosis and that is due in part to the great people that are willing to part with some of their hard earned cash to support nuts like us that ride an event such as this.  They are predicting rain the first day...suit up!!  We will be doing it on our Burley road tandem, so we have been getting some miles in on that unit. 

We recently had the Burley out again for a 54+ mile loop that we call the Casey City Hall Loop. We call it that because I have it on Map My Ride and the hall is the start and end point. It is a very nice ride and if you click the name, it will take you to a map of the ride.  It is accurate and I would encourage anybody to try it and let us know what you think.  The fly over feature they have on there now is kinda a cool. This ride winds from the hall through some of the many lakes in this region. It then breaks out into some farm land when it gets to the southerly portion and back to the hall.

Many miles of roads like these.  This ride does however include 2 miles of state highway 70, but there is a shoulder, and it is only 2 miles.

These people have the first crop of hay down and bailed.  They usually get three crops a year.  That is corn in the foreground...I will bet that Big Oak Bikes is seeing much taller corn on his recent rides.  Road is doing a 494 mile tour across Kansas, so he may see some taller corn also. 

We do not ride the farm country much, but I do not know why, because I do enjoy it.  There is not much traffic around the farm country either, and that is what I like.

Heading to town

Janice and I had the road tandem out for some exercise...we figured it needed it.  We put on about 25 miles with some of that riding through streets of my hometown of Gordon WI.  We hit the same streets as when I was a kid terrorizing the neighborhood, but mind you there are not many streets in the town proper.  It was kind of fun to ride around town. 

Cannot be Avoided

A brief synopsis of the Duluth/Superior region

We spent the Memorial weekend at our family cabin with family and friends.  Much fun was had, guaranteed.  I rode only two days and both rides were good.  The first I put in alone at 32 miles on a dead end ride with a strong headwind.  I worked pretty hard at that one.  The second ride was much more enjoyable as I had the company of my wife and our niece Sarah.  We rode 36 miles of low traffic, scenic, mostly smooth, with rolling hills lake country blacktop roads and that my friends...equals excellence in my book. 

This is our niece Sarah with whom we have been doing some rides with as of late.

This is her new ride.  It is a Redline Conquest cross bike she named Blanche.  Nice bike for sure.

This was the ride Janice and I were on...The Burley road tandem.

The stoker of the tandem cycle taking a well deserved rest.

I have said it before, but riding in the lake country of northwest Wisconsin has to be some of the best in the land.