Doesn't Get Much Better

I went for a nice 2.5 hour ride today. The conditions were excellent and there was very little traffic. A question for you CAD...How does a big piece of liverwurst stack up for a post ride snack? It was gooood.Some have looked at me quizzically when they hear that I ride in the winter, but then many times ask, "What do you wear when you ride in the winter?" I tell them I wear the exact same thing as when I am cross country skiing. It was +30 when I left and +42 when I returned. It was not cold today, but this is what I wore. For the head, a Katandin Microtherm helmet liner, a helmet and a Sugoi helmet cover. For the top, a Iron Clad cold condition first layer and a thinly lined nylon jacket. Bottom is a pair of biking shorts covered with a Iron Clad cold condition first layer and a thin lined nylon wind pant. For the feet is a pair of merino wool socks and a pair of polyester///cotton socks and then just regular shoes. For me, this is good from +10 to +40. If it is lower than +10, I will add a sweater and a pair of sweat pants and more face covering.

This picture should have been down two more places but, $%#@ it...and...for some reason, you can't click for big as you can with most of the other pictures we post. This was taken with the trail cam a couple years ago. This shows how the turkeys and the whitetails get along. As with all pictures...click for big.


These are some White Tail Deer that I got close to today. I don't think they wanted get off the road very badly.

This was along one of the roads I was on today. This is where the turkeys have been scratching looking for food. These are small ones. Sometimes in the woods, these scratching areas are huge.

This is what most of the roads looked like today.....Peeerrrffeeeecccttt.

Not much bin happin round here lately...but I did get out for a nice ride after work. I was overdressed...and...not smart enough to stop and take a layer off. I do not know why. It seems on short rides, I just tough it out. On the longer rides, I will stop and adjust. Why I do not do the same on the shorter rides is anybodies guess.It was 13 degrees when I left the house and I rode 12.8 miles. The last mile was a nice light snow falling. The roads that I rode tonight are basically snow packed so much, that they are now a sheet of ice. That doesn't matter with the studs. They work great.

Had this "little pecker" at the feeder before I left on the ride.

Stopped and took one picture. G-2 froze solid before home.

Rudimentary Analysis

I signed up for the Mn Ironman this morning. If you get signed up no later than Monday, you save $5 and get your name in the hat for an early bird drawing. I have always had a good time at that ride. Last year we rode the 100 mile ride and finished just in time. While we were loading the bikes on the rack, it started to snow...big flakes and accumulating fast.

Here we are doing some "Rudimentary Analysis" for the purpose of studding up the tandem. It was negative 21 this morning and negative 11 when we were up to this. On a side note, it takes a hardy soul to fish in this kind of weather.

We put Janice's bike on the trainer this morning.

Now she can have some fun also.

Fantasic Ride

I took the Timberlin out for some exercise this afternoon. It lives basically just for winter now and it was getting lonely sitting in the garage. I have had it out this year, just not enough to keep it happy. The conditions were ideal. Roads were excellent, 22 degrees F and just all an around f i n e ride. I was out for 1 hour 25 minutes and put some serious thought in to taking just one more road, but that would have led into darkness and I did not bring the batteries for the front light.I have been trying to talk Janice into letting me stud the tandem so she could ride with me. She is apprehensive...to say the least...about that idea. I am still working on it. If anybody out there has put studs on a tandem, please let us know how it worked. I sure can't see any issues.
It is feeling better already.

Nobody out today.

What does the name of this road suggest?

This is a picture of almost the whole road. One and half miles with about 3 little tiny rollers. Sounds tough though. HILL ROAD.

Recovering from a small bout of the flu. Feeling much better just in time for the weekend. I am not ill...physically that is...very often. Janice pampered me, like according to her most wife's do.

Janice Walloped Her Head

While skiing this weekend, we encountered a few hills. We came to one on Saturday that was medium length, steep, down and right back up. I tried to keep my momentum so that climbing the up side would be easier and that worked quite nicely. After getting up over the top of the hill and looking back...no Janice. I went back to the crest of the hill and discovered she was laid out on the hill. Thoughts immediately went to panic as I hollered down to ask if she was alright. Her response was ......"I have fallen and walloped my head."..... I again ask if she was alright and she confirmed that she was just fine...but then she added again..."I walloped my head a good one." I cannot remember the last time I have heard the term "walloped" used. It seems like one of those words that is not getting much use.

Another word that is being used less and less...."You're Welcome." You say "thank you" to someone and most likely the response will be....No Problem....No, Thank you....Forget it.

Just saying....and I am as guilty as anyone else....and another thing, is it Your Welcome or You're Welcome. No wonder it's getting less use. It's complicated.

We reckon that will be about it for now. Do you know of other words that are disappearing? Or is it just us. We maybe should start wearing our helmets while skiing, so if we wallop our heads, the damage may be limited.

Trego Lake Skiing

We went to the Trego Lake Trail to do some more cross country skiing this afternoon. The trail is located approximately 1 mile north of Trego, WI on highway 53, then east 2 miles like the sign says. The trail has tracks set for classical skiing. There would be no room for skate skiing as it quite narrow. There are three loops...easy, intermediate and most difficult. Signs on the highway to point the way.

If you have not been here before, study this sign at the beginning, because it is the only map there.

Janice did the easy loop.

We parted ways and I skied the rest...even the most difficult. How difficult was it you ask...even the sign has trouble staying upright.

The peckers have been working on this tree lately. Most likely some easy pick'in.

Cross Country Ski

We finally went out cross country skiing today. We went to the Superior Municipal Forest trail. It is $5 a person to ski there or I think $20 if you wanted to pay by the year. The trails were nicely groomed for both skate skiing and classical. Man, some of the skate skiers are fast. I do the classical style.The weather was perfect and we were out about two hours. This was a little spur trail.

Some Cattails.

There are a lot of uses...parts the cattail are edible, the natives had many uses, and you can also make ethanol with it.

I noticed a few of the White Pines that were really loaded with cones.

The roads around here have a coating of a loose sugar or sand like substance, which isn't all bad, but it is very dirty also. So, I did the interval thingee tonight. 15 sets of 1 x 3's. I should get out the ski's. I have a new head lamp I received for Christmas that would work well for cross country. One of these times.

A Nerd, A Nude and a Bike
A nerd was walking on campus one day when his friend, another nerd, rode up on an incredible shiny new bicycle. The first nerd was stunned and asked, "Where did you get such a nice bike?" The second nerd replied, "Well, yesterday I was walking home minding my own business when a beautiful woman rode up to me on this bike. She threw the bike to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, 'Take what you want!'"
The second nerd nodded approvingly, "Good choice. The clothes probably wouldn't have fit."

While I was doing the brick tonight, I watched my son trying to eradicate all the virgin snow from in front of the house. That snow deserves every thing he is throwing at it.

He said "How could a person ever get tired of that"

Cabin Weekend

Spent the weekend at the family cabin. It is always fun when we can get the family together, but when it is at the cabin, that is really fun. We spent Saturday fishing...and this young man caught his first thru the ice fish....note...many more than one. That is what fishing is about in my world. The kids having fun and just keep just enough for a meal. I do not believe in putting fish in the freezer. Catching enough for a meal now and then is fine. By releasing what you do not need will help ensure fishing into the future for the young'ens. We had 15 people for the evening meal...which Lisa, our daughter, called a feast. We awoke Sunday morning to a fresh 4 inches of snow. With the sun shining bright, Janice and I went for a nice 3 mile walk. There is something special about exercising in brisk weather. It was 3 above zero...fresh snow...fresh critter tracks...and thankful to be able to do such things. All smiles///click for big

And more smiles

Trainer

If it the dust ever settles at work, I would like to purchase a new ride...or two...this spring. I would like to get a fixed gear and as I have said before, a better ride for touring. We will wait and see how things go. Another...restructure...at work this week. Three people gone...Two with 30 plus years. Hopefully the dust settles soon.

The trouble with unemployment is that the minute you wake up in the morning you're on the job......Slappy White

Spent a hour+ on the trainer this afternoon. I have not watched TV since July, but today it was Road Runner, the Coyote and the trainer.

I stink, but I do not spring leaks and drip...no towel.

Happy New Year

Anyone for karaoke???

Road trip

Made a trip to the Twin Cities this weekend. We went to visit my aunt, who is in like a nursing home in South St. Paul...South View Acres. My parents came with us. There was some ice down around there. With my parents, and us for that matter, not being exactly young, ice is a concern.

After the visit, we headed over to Eriks in Bloomington and then on to REI. That REI store was packed. Wall to wall people...parking at the extreme end of the lot. Obviously, some people have money...or some of that plastic money. Some had arm loads of stuff. Not us, as we were looooking not buyyyying. Hell, I don't know if I will have job next year, so buying things that are not really needed are on the back burner.

Watch where you're going and keep your hands on the bars...in the winter anyways.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.

Eve ride

Went for a nice ride this afternoon. I did not have the computer hooked up on this ride, but I was gone for nearly two hours and was guessing I logged about 20 miles. Most of the roads I was on today had a loose sugar like coating...with one stretch of sand road that was really tore up. Had to unzip the coat after I got warmed up. Had G2 in the water bottle...it was frozen when I got home. Put things away, showered and puttered around a little...Then had a G2 slushy...pay extra for that.

Calm Clear and Cold

Minus 20 this morn. We had an errand to run this morning so I snapped a couple pics near home of the St. Croix river. The steam did not show well.

Sun shining bright on the way home.

Roads in perfect condition for biking.

Shanty time

Stayed up late last night clearing the snow away we got...so I could go to the shanty today. We ended up with about 6" and then came the wind and the cold. It was about -7 below when I arrived at the shanty and 5 above when I left, with a stout wind all day. I was the only out there for about 5 hours, then two trucks drove past me and farther out about a half mile. They did not stay long. It was nasty out there today. It does not look like it here, but there were some big drifts out on the lake. I had to back up and get a run a couple of them. You people that eat healthy may want to X out now.

Lunch was fresh brewed coffee with a hot dog sandwich.

Just before dark, a few more snow flurries

Sun is down but still glowing

And dark when I left. These are my tracks from when I arrived. Had to hit a couple of the drifts twice on the way off the lake too.

Fluff

Light snow all day and very little wind, temp around the 18 mark.

Sun peaked for 46.3 seconds

Will get to plow again tomorrow or late tonight...yea

More mini bricks

Still been riding the trainer and running indoors. Hunting season is over, so outside riding this weekend for sure. If I had a job close to home, I would try the work commuting...although I do not know if I would be as dedicated as some out there. Like for instance All the way Ray...and...Doug, who had a really nice streak going before an unfortunate accident...and sounds like bother yam does also. One of my co-workers, who received the lay off notice at work a while back, was one of these hardy souls. I witnessed first hand what he rode through and it was impressive. Blizzards, way below zero and thunder storms and downpours, these guys make it look easy.

Snow

Seven inches of snow today...so that means shovel and plow.

LOL>>>Bush had shoes thrown at him. Come on, you have to have a sense of humor.

Not much to write about this week. Same old stuff...trainer and elliptical. Outside riding is only available at night thru this weekend when the hunting season is over, and I haven't done that either.

Worked on the ice fishing shanty and also got the battery changed in the car...under the back seat...special battery at $190...must be done right or the computer gets screwed up, special tool...and that brings me to the auto parts store in Solon Springs. I try to keep our business local, so we buy our auto parts there. The unit I needed to change the battery I did not have. The owner said he would like to have one as he didn't have one either. He bought it, opened it up and sent it home with us to use with these instructions, "I would like to have one any way. Bring it back when you're done. No hurry." That is just one example of many. So...a shout out to Glen at Solon Springs Auto Part's and Machine Shop.

It was cold this morning. This one is for you CAD.

Some days...

There are some days that you have it and then there are others...others that, well I just don't have it. Yesterday felt good on the trainer and even did an extra 1 hour 18 in the evening, just because. A nice easy pace...relax'in...a waste'in time. Tonight I rode 35 minutes of 1 X 3's and now...ready for a nap. Man, just zapped me. I have the same issues when I am riding for real. Stolen from???google

Climate reality check

A dose of climate reality this morning. It was minus 16 degrees...Fahrenheit. I had been wondering about the strength of the battery in our car. No need to wonder anymore...it didn't start.

More work on the trainer and elliptical today.

First measurable

First measurable snow last night and this morning...about 2" of fluff. Still not comfortable riding during the daylight hours because the muzzle loader deer hunt is going on until I think, Tuesday. Then follows another four day doe only season. Only time to ride safely is night... ooor...it's the trainer...Yeah

Stay'in warm

Minus 16 this morning. Just a sit'in home keeping warm tonight.

Celsius that is.

Mixing it up

I have been mixing it up with the cardio lately. Tonight I did 20 minutes on the trainer, 20 minutes on the elliptical and finished up with 20 more minutes back on the trainer.

I used no towel for sweat either...must not have been a work out. I held a good strong heart rate for me for quite some time...in the 150 to 160 range for about 15 minutes of each of those and the verdict is...none to very little sweat. I ride sometimes with a guy who sweats like no other I have seen. I would think it would be better to sweat...at least some. Why is that? Good...Bad???

Mini Brick?

Decided to mix it up a little tonight. Did 30 min at a good pace on the elliptical and then got on the trainer for another 30 minutes. The elliptical program I ran had intervals and on the trainer I tried to keep the cadence above 90 and up to 100, except for a 2 minute cool down. Now....Is this considered a brick, at least a mini brick? Or maybe a pebble? How about a cube, one of those little chocolate ones...ice cube. How bout it coach, a mini brick???

On another note, I am already looking forward to more of this in the spring. If anyone else is interested in doing some weekend rides in WI and MN...let us know.