Canoe Camping

Janice and I recently made a camping canoe trip on the Namekagon and St. Croix rivers.  Mostly the Namekagon.  The name Namekagon is derived from the Ojibwe language Namekaagong-ziibi, meaning "River at the place abundant with Sturgeons."  We live very close to these rivers and do not spend enough time on them, although this marked the forth time this year, but the first time river camping this year.  Some of my fondest memories as a child come from these rivers.  It was time spent with grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  Great memories ! !  

My grandfather was a guide, so he and his sons knew every inch of the river.  This was passed on to me, but in recent years I have neglected this valuable gift.  I do plan to change that. 

These rivers come under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968.  These were the first rivers east of the Mississippi to fall under this act.  I remember these rivers before that came in to effect.  I know this is hard to believe for some, but I know of places on the Namekagon where the river has completely changed it course, notice I said places (plural).  I just find it hard to believe that I have seen this happen.  No bullshit ! !  I have lived to see it happen and I don't think I am that old...must be though.

We left for the trip on Thursday evening and when we set up camp the first night, I discovered a bonehead move I made was forgetting the gas bottle for our MSR Dragonfly stove.  I store the bottle in the garage and the stove in the basement with the other camping gear.  I am going to change that.  Fortunately for modern technology, I called my parents on the cell phone (some of these photos taken by the very same cell phone,) and they bailed us out by bringing us the bottle the next day at one of the landings.  Oh, and Mom baked a cake and brought that too.  Gooooood Cake.  Thanks Mom and Dad...Love you guys !! 

We didn't need the stove the second night anyway...Steak and potatoes.  Although I did make coffee with MSR.

On this trip of roughly 36 miles, there are about 40 camp sites.  Each of them have a sign marking the site with the mileage listed.

At each campsite, there is a restroom to use.

This is the path to the restroom.

And...this is the restroom.  Bring your own paper.

We were on the river from Thursday evening to Sunday.  We usually get up early, have breakfast and get out on the river early.  I like being on the river early, picking camp early in the afternoon and relaxing on the river bank into the night.  

Trees hanging on for life.

This picture of the sunset brings us to this blog.  I started this blog mostly to be mostly about biking.  I have veered from time to time, but mostly biking.  I have recently given it a break and still haven't decided how much longer I will be at this.  First issues loading pictures, then issues with posting and now with comments.  I have tried commenting on blogs and I come up with anonymous as a poster.  Last but not least, now that I am retired, I spend much less time on the computer...don't have time.  We will see how things go.  If you take anything away from this drivel, it should be this, if at all possible get out and use these rivers...or any other rivers.   

Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !

2011 MS150

These are the three of us pictured here (Brandon, Eric and myself), that comprised our little group of the about 3400 people that rode the Minnesota MS 150 charity bicycle ride.  I should note my wife Janice was the driver of our support vehicle.  The ride is a two day event that starts in Proctor and overnights in Hinckley the first day, and then runs from Hinckley to White Bear Lake the second day.  This equals to  about 75 miles per day.  We were fast this year.  We stopped at every rest stop (5 per day), even had lunch and still finished up at 11:00 the first day and 11:15 the second...I had a flat the second day 1 mile from the finish.  Eric spent most of the time in front pulling us along, and a lot of that time the speedo was reading between 19.5 and 22.5.  It just seemed every time I would glance down at it was reading in the low 20's.  I should note a lot of this ride is on rail to trail trails.  I need to say a big thanks to Eric and Brandon for a great weekend of riding.  I had FUN ! ! !

Get outdoors and have some fun ! ! !

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 ! ! !

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.