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 ! ! !

It Was Nice

Today marks the first day I did not have report for work, and don't think that was an easy decision, so on this first day I thought I would do a little biking...surprised?  Bicycling for me is a good activity to think things out and clear the mind.   

A pic of the St. Croix river.

The Moose River

A swamp on Douglas County Highway M

The Tamarack River as it crosses M

Some cows out enjoying the the grass that is greening up nicely in our area now. 

I decided to venture off on some of the Dairyland township roads.  When I left the blacktop road they didn't look bad but they soon turned soft.

To say the roads had some soft spots would be an understatement.  I don't know if you can see the people standing on the road in the background, but I am quite sure they were questioning my intelligence.  When I passed by their cabin they were standing in the yard.  I stopped to snap this photo and I noticed they were standing on the road.  I am only guessing they wanted to watch me ride through the mud. 

I didn't have to walk any of the roads, but it was close.  I am glad I have this ride geared low now or I would've been walking for sure.

This picture was actually before the mud run.  I ended up with 43 miles.  The temps were around the +70F mark with a stout SSE wind. 

Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !

Sping testing

Hitting up the back roads on the cross bike with temps around 70.

 Running the triple chain rings and the cassette changed to a much larger version should result in being able to pull the loaded B.O.B trailer up the side of a mountain...should is the key word here.

Namekagon Canoe

Janice and I rode a canoe down the Namekagon River today.  Although the weather didn't match what the weather people said, it was still good.  I had planned on making a stop and cooking soup, but I forgot the gas bottle for the stove at home so that didn't happen.  We did pack a ham and cheese sandwich, so we did have some calories to keep us warm.

It was a nice peaceful float.  The water is a little higher than summer time because of the winter runoff, but most of that spring runoff is gone now.

The beaver had a lot of chewing on that tree. 

We did not see any others on the river today.  I wonder what that says about us.

Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !

Good time Wednesday

We started the Wednesday after work fitness rides a week ago, so we have had two rides so far.  We had three riders last week and two tonight...Eric and I.  I was on the fixed gear tonight because that is my ride if the roads are salty, and they were calling for a possibility of snow which meant that would be my bike of choice for those type of conditions.  So at +39F and a couple drops of rain a person can't complain...well you could complain, but what does that do for you.  Or, you could just not go and say those guys are nuts, I'm not riding in that...but whats that do for ya.  Snow didn't happen, wind was strong out of the WSW and Eric was nice enough to take it easy and pull me along.  Thanks man.  It was a good time.


Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !






Spring has Sprung

I have had the cross bike out the last two rides and it was a welcome change, but more work than the road bike, although it does ride much better with the noisy and wide 35mm tires.  This is the bike I am thinking of using for some touring with this summer.  I have hauled the BOB trailer with it but only for about 100 miles.  I think I will change the cassette and tires to make it a little more hill friendly and give it a go.

Just two of my favorite things...Bicycling and Golf.  I did both today.

The temperatures have been nice as of late so most of the snow is gone.  In the 70's the Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, so that has left a very small amount in a extra shady area, but that is about it.

The spring peepers are out in force.  It has made for some very noisy rides around here, but it is a good noise.  I got in 19 miles Monday and another 30 plus today.

Spring Ride

On Friday with the temperature around the 70F mark, it was much too nice not to get out for a ride. 

The Moose River at the Mail Rd bridge

I think one of the great things about riding this time of the year is that without the foilage you can see far into the woods.  Makes the woods look inviting.  Down side is that you can see just how much people litter.

Another photo of the Moose.  Back in the day we use to canoe this river during the spring run off.  It is a wild ride this time of year between picking which way to go and ducking trees.  I have gotten wet during these crazy excursions.

One of the local trout streams

This is a photo the water crossing over County Highway M.  It is not bad this year as this was the only place the water crossed the road in the ten miles I rode on M today.  We have had years where water crosses several places in that 10 miles.  There is only one resident that lives at about the half way point which makes this one of my favorite highways to ride.

A lot of water on this ride.  No spring peepers here yet...soon though.

This is one of the roads I ride often in the summer.  They close it during the wet season to prevent shitting it up.

Obivously the signs do not apply to everyone.  There are some very soft spots further back in on these roads.  Soft enough to get a vehicle good and stuck. 

36 mile ride, stopping and visiting neighbors on the way equalled a very good time.

Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !