Extreme Cold??? Since When??

This extreme cold warning (definition below), kind of boggles my mind. I've lived in this part of nothern Mn. all my life. I find this extreme cold warning kind of wussifing (is that a word? Lol). If you are dressed right, you really can enjoy this "extreme" cold!!! I don't mind it, I actually like it!! Doug sums it rather well, (better than I can), with his "Coldest Night of the year" post.
I'll also turn the pedals in the a.m. just like I've done every day for over two years.
Air temp outside our house, (after letting the dog out), is -28, wind is very calm, and there's a very cool haze about. in 5 more hours it should be right around -40 something or other??!
I've always thought anything after -20, doesn't really get that much colder, it just the numbers that play with the mind!!?? Lol

WATCHOUT THE EXTREME COLD MONSTERS!!! :))

Peace.........




...EXTREME COLD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST FRIDAY...   AN EXTREME COLD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST FRIDAY.   * TEMPERATURE: TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP TO AROUND 40 BELOW...WITH SOME ISOLATED COLDER READINGS...ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA OVERNIGHT AND THEN GRADUALLY IMPROVE FRIDAY MORNING. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME CALM OVERNIGHT. AT 11 PM...INTERNATIONAL FALLS HAD DROPPED TO 41 BELOW ZERO.   * FROSTBITE TIMES: FROSTBITE AFFECTS EXPOSED SKIN OF A HEALTHY ADULT IN 10 TO 20 MINUTES. THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG CHILDREN ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE COLD.   * IMPACTS: FROSTBITE CAN LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. PETS AND LIVESTOCK ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY COLD TEMPERATURES.   PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...   AN EXTREME COLD WARNING MEANS DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE- THREATENING EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME. FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA ARE LIKELY IN AS SHORT AS 10 TO 20 MINUTES IF YOU ARE EXPOSED TO THESE CONDITIONS WITHOUT PROPER PROTECTION. MAKE SURE YOU DRESS WITH SEVERAL LAYERS OF CLOTHES DESIGNED FOR EXTREME COLD CONDITIONS... AND AVOID SWEATING IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS AS THIS CAN LEAD TO A FASTER ONSET OF HYPOTHERMIA.   &&

Minnesota Bound #581, January 9, 2011

On this episode, we're heading north to frozen Lake of the Woods and Ballard's Resort, where the Walleyes always bite, guaranteed! (Well, almost...) Next, we meet a man who still builds toboggans the old-fashioned way for classic sledding thrills. Then our Man About The Woods Bill Sherck takes to the wintery trails with a crew of bicyclists who don't let a little snow stand in their path. And finally, wintertime lunch breaks never went so fast before - we'll check out some classic snowmobile racing at the Polaris factory, by the guys who build 'em. All that and more, coming up on Minnesota Bound!
The Fat biking starts at 13:00 ish.

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Hey Bill, does that Heart Break Hill sign bring back some memories??
i bet you have a new trip planned now, hey??  :)

Peace

Snow Bikers Turned Away By the NPS

A interesting read, I thought more should see.
I guess the 4" wide tires are gonna mess up that snomo tread??!! ;)

After giving this some thought throughout the morning.....
......Oh boy...... ;)

I understand snow biking is relatively new, and misunderstood in a way.
We who ride snow bikes know full well what/where they can be ridden.
How can riding on snomo trails be a bad thing to do? (We aren't hurting the trail, and we're out pedaling at our own risk.)
Being hit by a snomo comes to mind 1st!!
If I were a XC skier or a snowshoe person, I'd much rather have a biker come up behind at 5-10 mph than a snomo at God knows what speed.
As someone said in the "FatBikes" forum on MTBR, (where I grabbed this article from), in Alaska, snomos and Fat bikes (along with other trail users), have been sharing the trails for 20+ years!!!
Then again there is a very good reason they run the AH135 during the week!!

Peace.......

share

Craft Strom Tights/Pants........... Topeak Digital Air Gauge D2

When I 1st started biking during the winter i was always here ICEBIKE looking for ideas and just seeing what others were doing.
When I saw these I knew I had to have them. Don't ask me why?!! Lol
Don't get me wrong they worked great to about -10 to -15, after that I needed my wool bibs I used to wear for deer hunting.

Well it was time to step up and get a pair of pants that really could handle some cold without the bulk of my tried and true woolrich bibs. I was cruising the "Fat Bike" forum on mtbr.com when I came across a thread about these I was sold!! They truly fit more like a pant than tights, and they can handle the cold!! Last Monday -27 just the pants were worn and I was toasty warm, the follow day -33 with the wind..... same thing, just nice and comfortable with these pants alone.

The Topeak digital gauge is a nice little unit. It works awesome!!!
I was worried about how it would perform in cold temps. Lol needless time spent worrying. It has a switch to go from presta to schrader, a air bleeder button, a swiveling head.... a nice feature for sure!! I couldn't tell tell how much it cost, Cindi got it from the Bikes on Howard.

Larry

The valve stem on my rear tire broke, inside the tire yesterday, after I got to work.
After 9:00 break I think everybody and their brother came and told me my tire was flat. Lol
Like it was gonna piss me off or something?? NOT!!
I got multiple offers for rides home, again.. NOT!!

Perfect time to put the new rubber I got for x-mas on!!
so I talk to the better half, and asked her to bring me the tires and extra tubes I had at home. Thank you Cindi, I love you!!

3:20 came,I punched out.... and gathered everything I needed... headed back out to the shop to do some work.... for myself!! ;)
I put the Larry on the front, then removed the tube and tire from the rear. It all took about an hour. It would've been less than an hour, but I put Larry on backwards.... Duh!! ;)

The Larry is a sweet front tire!! The grip and handling is amazing!! Of course I didn't go right home.... Again, Duh!! Lol
I had to test it out??!!
I put the Endo on backwards, (on purpose;), and it seems to hook up much better, most noticeably while climbing snow piles!!

I can't wait to get out for real ride, and really put the Larry through some other tests!

Peace....

Dogwood Designs Pogies Plus (A+++)

I ordered a pair through Eric @ www.revelatedesigns.com.
All I can say is....... WOW are these things GREAT!!!

I realize they may be over-kill for some, but since I lost part of my left index finger in an accident at work, I was looking for something that would keep my hands from getting overly cold. Since the accident my left hand can't handle the cold.

I put them on the Pug Sunday night, after an oh shit they're not gonna fit over my H-bars moment, (they fit just fine), a little tweak here, and a little tweak there, it was all good.

Knowing I'd give them a good test Monday morning on my way to work.
I woke Monday morning to -30 degrees. It did warm up to -27 by the time I left for work??!! ;)
With my normal winter riding gloves in my bag, I set out with one summer glove on my left hand and no glove on my right hand. I had my doubts about doing this. After going a few blocks I was pleasently surprised that neither hand was cold, just toasty warm!!

Imagine 4:30 a.m. and me pedaling with an even bigger smile than normal!!!

Tuesday morning was the same, almost ;) -17, -33 with the wind. I put both gloves on this time, and it was the same..... toasty warm hands!!!

Next to the Pugsley, these Dogwood Plus Pogies are the best purchase I've made for my winter riding pleasure!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

Here's hoping all your 2011 biking goals come to pass!!
I have a couple big ones that I'll share in up coming post's.
Peace................