Duluth and COGGS, Showing Others How it's Done

Every now and then the Star Trib. has a worth-while article!! ;) Way to go Duluth, COGGS, and everyone involved with gaining this grant!! Pedal on!!!! Peace

From Out of the Shadows...... Alaska's fat-bike mania spreads its tire track across world | Alaska Dispatch

Alaska's fat-bike mania spreads its tire track across world | Alaska Dispatch

I Saw The Light!!!

Today was the 1st time in 2 1/2 - 3 months I've got a chance to pedal in the day light!!! 
My days (7 days week), have been, wake at 4 a.m. (dark) work till 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. again..... dark. 
Anyway, today was gonna be different, and it didn't hit me till 9 break-time. 
We knocked off work at 11:00 a.m. for a little pot luck, beer's, cards and basic after work BSing. 
Good way to start our long weekend!!
So, after 4-5 beer's and a full belly; I dropped some air pressure and headed for home. 
I got a chance to make some more fresh tracks around a little lake a .10 from our house. This time minus the headlamp!! ;)

Man, I love this time of year, and fresh snow to boot!!!

To all you FatBike freaks out there....... 
Merry X-mas and Happy New Year!!!

Peace

My Search For A True Winter Riding Jacket, Is Now Over!!!!

Thanks to Lou at Foxwear!!
Thanks Lou!!!

I choose to have Lou make me his NeoShell jacket, and damn he does more than excellent work; dare I say it's a work of art??!! For $120 I dare you to find a nicer jacket!!!!
Today was only the 2nd day of wearing it, but you know what they say about 1st impressions!!

My days of working 12-14 hours a day, 7 days a week are coming to an end; I can finally see that dim light down the tunnel. So, more regular updates here should be the norm beginning with the new year!!
One of the 1st will be on this kick-ass new jacket!!!!

Cindi, my dear, you will get a very well deserved break!!!!
COME ON END OF THE YEAR!!!

Peace

Fun To Some; Other's.... Ah.... Not So Much

Just cause I'm not riding, doesn't mean I can't dream!!?? Lol
Peace

My Rusty Ride

Aug. 18th 2012
25/50/100 miles
The choice will be yours!!
Info here
Check out the header photo!!!
My what a big Larry you have!! Ha Ha

Peace

Quick "Dark-Time" Lake Lap

Punched out at 5:15. 
On lake at 5:25, quick pedal around.
Home by 5:45.
6-10" of ice, 2-4" of snow, drifting here and there, -1 or so.......... dare I say PERFECT!!!
:) :)
Peace

I Almost Fell Over

My day began at 4:00 a.m. ish.
Pedal to work, my camelbak heavy with the $5 bill Cindi ;) had graciously left on the dinning room table for me.
Next to my Pugsley, my one other vice is chewing tobacco, Grizzly winter green, thank you very much. Yes yes, I know, I know!!!!! ;)

So 10:50 rolls around, and I tell myself, ah... you can make it till 5 p.m.
Ha Ha NOT!!

Anyway, the store is down the street and across the highway from work. Hop on the Pug and off I went at 10:56ish. Lol
Ok, red light, doing a trackstand, and just minding my own beeswax, and I see this fine older gentlemen waiting at said red light; I smile at him and from no where he just hauls off and flips me the bird!!! Full on one finger salute!!!! I take a quick look behind me, then I point to myself, and he does it again!!! That's where I almost fell over. LOL

Green light..... GO!!
Low and behold, he pulls right into the gas station, what are odds?? I pedal right up to his window, I see him tense up, he rolls his window down and is about to apologize.
Wait wait wait I tell him.......... then I quickly whipped out the double finger salute, and say have a NICE DAY!!!! he looked like a kid on x-mas!!!
Smile from ear to ear; and said...... you just made my day!!!
I said, I kind of thought it would. :) :)
I went into the store and got what I needed, and made my way back to work.
Smiling all the way!!!

Peace

Silence

Winter has to be my favorite time of the year to pedal.
It hit me on my way home from work the other night.

With a fresh 2" of snow on the ground, more falling gently to the ground, my trusty headlamp guiding the way.
I slowly went about my way.

I heard nothing, not even the tires crunching the snow, just silence.
I silently pedaled along, every now and then I'd make a figure 8 in the middle of the road, just to check out my "Fat" tracks. ;)

There's a person who's riding a skinny tired bike from somewhere, so I'd pedal right next to the track, to show them there's a better way to get around during the "dark times".
Every time I saw where this persons front wheel washed out, I'd pedal a circle around it, and then be on my way. ;)
Maybe I'll run into this person sometime this winter.

I made my way to the little lake that's by our house, (to check the ice), but still I heard nothing!!

Thinking about heading out for a pedal turkey day morning, of course with the Mrs. blessing!! Ha Ha

Peace

Fat Bike Etiquette

Just a timely friendly reminder.
1" of snow on the ground, with 2 to 3 more due by morning!!
Yeah!! :))

Via xxcmag
Via Dave Byers

Peace

Because it was Time!!

On my way home......
Let's see where this takes me!!??
This has to be a good sized buck roaming around town.

Off to check on the ice; Yeah ice!!! Lol
Sorry for the crappy cell phone pictures, but I was coming home from work.

This mobile blogging blows!!!
Peace

Team SnowBike Enduro

Not much riding going on for me, (back and forth to), work work work, if that counts!!??!!

Just getting the word out about this cool event!! This is race #2. Info here.

Race #1 (Mustache Beach Race) info here.

Peace........

On a Newstand Near You??

Universal Klister: My first national feature story: Mountain Bike Ac...: December 2011 Issue Mountain Bike Action Magazine Well it is finally official. I have a feature in this months Mountain Bike Action Mag...

No Words Needed!!!

Ok, maybe 3.
Thank you Cindi!!! :)

Peace

Get Em While They Last!!

66 of each color.
Check it out yourself, here.

Wishing i could swing it, but kids need Fatties more!! ;)

Peace

A Cool Video, But....

Someone should make a video about the 10 Things I have learned about Fat Biking!!!

Bruce, you out there??? ;) lol

This video is cool just the same.
#6 and #8

how about you???

10 Things I have learned about Mountainbiking from Filme von Draussen on Vimeo.

Let There Be Light!!!!

Cindi ordered my replacement battery from TurboCatUSA last Friday (payday ;), it arrived today!!

My old battery finally gave up the ghost last fall, and I've been in the dark too long!! ;)

Cindi will say I'm still in the dark!!!
I think that's a whole other posting topic!! ;)

Anyway, I really like my TG15 headlamp.
It really throws a nice bright beam to shine my way through the "dark times".
With the NiCad battery I get a good 6 plus hours of run time, and it performs well in the cold, which is the real bonus!
Now I know some think it's an old technology and not as bright as some other "newer" lighting systems, but I really would have to see some of the the "newer" systems; and it's what I have, and works very very well!!
So until I ride with others (ha, like that'll happen anytime soon!!), I'll just light my way through the "dark times" with my trusty TurboCatUSA TG 15!!
Now if I could just find my NightRider handlebar light!!!! It's been lost among our boxes since we moved into out new house, going on 3 years now!!! Lol

Peace

Now This is More Like it.......

This is fall weather!!!
highs in the mid 40's...... winds gusting to 40 mph!!!
YEAH!! lol

i got in a couple hour ride on Sat.
thanks Nana and Papa!! ;)
Thanks Cindi!!!
the wind wasn't much of a problem, once i got among the old mine dumps!!
time to put away the nice bike shoes and break out the Rocky boots and warm clothes!!
snow is in the forecast for Tuesday!!! oh it won't be much, but I've been waiting!!!! i can't wait!!!

Here's some shots............................

Gotta say, i really like the trail less traveled!!

You Say You Need a Frame Bag for Your Fat Bike?

I know, I for one, have been longing for a frame bag for my Pugs.
I'm trying to gear up for a future try at the AH135
Having a young family and work full-time makes things touch and go; but I'm getting closer to being "geared up!!"
Now if you own a Mukluk you may purchase a custom bag through your LBS from Q You own a Pugsley? Look for the custom bag soon; with ones coming for the Fatback before winter really gets cranking!
You can read what Eric, of Revelate Designs says for yourself here.
Eric makes some bombproof stuff; and you'll be supporting the "little guy" so to speak.

I know some of you are out there saying "I can make my own frame bag, and anything else!!" good for you, cause I know I can't and love the fact I can walk into my LBS now and have them order more bike goodies for me!! Ha Ha

Peace..........

Always Wear Your Helmet People...........

Because you just never know!!!! ;)

Another Perfect Fall Pedal

I got a good hard pedal in this afternoon after work.
no 5 year old riding pace.
no 8 year old riding pace.
don't get me wrong, i love riding with my children, but pushing myself sure felt great!!!
i even took a spill in a big old mud puddle, it was great fun!!! LOL

Thank you Cindi!!!

Here's some shots..............................

 i came in much much to hot for this section.
it was a quick touch and then a quicker back up!! lol

 it was very hard taking these pictures of myself!! lol
mud was where it shouldn't be, if you know what i mean!! Ha Ha
i guess i shouldn't have pushed so hard, hey?? yeah, what fun would that be??!!

All in all 15 miles in just under 90 minutes.............PERFECT!!!

Peace

Pedal On "The Series" Update

Well, it's been awhile since i've had time to make new hides.
Work, life, blah blah blah

today Zack and i went for a pedal and hid 3 new caches #39, #40 and #41.
all fairly easy finds, and it's not about making hard finds, it's about people enjoying the journey to said finds!!

don't get me wrong, i'll throw an evil hide out there sooner than later!!! :)

here was my pedaling partner today.......
he's kind of pooped out from our weekend of biking; but he's a trooper and didn't complain too much!!!! ;)
how could anyone not wanna pedal when it's 86 degrees on Oct. 4th!!??!!

i have a bunch of other hides ready, and it's just a matter of time before i find the time to hide them.

snow won't be a problem for me and my FatBike!!! LOL ;)

Peace

Legion Trails..... Grand Rapids, Mn.

What a great great day bombing around the woods!!!
Oh, it was take a kid mountain biking day too!!! ;)


Before we left town for the 35 min. drive to Rapids.

 Getting ready to hit up some single-track!!

 Stop #1....................................

Stop #2, and a bunching inbetween.......

We came across this cool bridge.

Z didn't want anything to do with it..... at 1st, but that soon changed in a matter of minutes!!

i couldn't get him off it!! 

Ok, these last two are blurry, and were taken by Zack, with my phone.
"i don't wanna use the camera!!"
lol
they kind of turned out pretty cool!!
Good job Z!!!

All and ALL................ A very fine day!!!
Thanks Zack................ I had fun!!!

Peace

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day 10/1.......Really?

Funny, I have a couple hundred "Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day/s" under my belt already this year!! My kids should consider themselves lucky!! Ha ha

I dislike IMBA for many reasons, and I guess I should devote a blog post to those reason here soon.
Before you post "but they do so much for mountain biking," I couldn't agree more!!
I guess you would have had to be on the phone that day in late 1992, early 1993, and heard what a rep told me about mountain biking in the great state of Minnesota!!!

My IMBA how times change, HEY!!!??!!!

Anyway, Zack and I will be heading over to Grand Rapids in the a.m. To hit up the Legion Trail system there.. YEAH, just another day of biking for me and Z!! Yawn, ho hum!!! NOT!!!!

Everyday you take a child out for a pedal is a great...... Wait...... a GREAT GREAT DAY!!!!

I wish my father would have had taken me, but that's not what he was about; and that's cool!! he was still a great father!!

Peace.....

Late September Ride at Maple Hill

It's been to damn long!!!
It's been to damn nice outside!!!
Screw 12 hours days!!! 10 will do just fine!!!
Well, at least till it starts raining again!!! lol

Zack and i were suppose to go for a pedal after work today.
80 degrees meant some great weather for this time of year.
it also meant Papa Steven took the kids to the local park right after school.

so my buddy Mike F. and i went for a pedal at Maple Hill Park!!!
Thanks for calling Mike!!!

Lots of pedaling, and little photo's were taken. it's been awhile since i've ridden with anyone, and it felt kind of wierd saying.... hey, you mind if we stop so i can take some pictures??
so i didn't!! lol
it was all good, and plenty of leaf crunching to be had!!! ;)

The guys who've been building trail up here have really added the miles!!
Tight and technical, with big ass rocks to keep a guy on his toes!!
some nice additions of, what can i call them....... re-routes?? for a lack of a better term right now.
not so much downs followed by pushing up......nice touch, it really added to the ride!!!
One thing i do know, i need to pedal out here more!!!
Nice job guys!!!

Thank you Cindi!!
Love ya!!!

 The reason for the rope?? about a 20-30' drop!!! ouch!!

Peace..............................