Sunday, September 28, 2014

Mesabi Trail, Washed Down with Legion Trail Single-Track

9 miles on the Mesabi Trail...... followed by a loop on the Legion Trails in Grand Rapids, Mn.
Not bad for the last really nice day of September!!

Friday, September 26, 2014

Perfect Conditions

This day (and this coming weekend)  will be remembered long into a bitterly cold winter!!!
Mid 60's to mid 70's, cool but not cold and my personal favorite..... NO BUGS!!!!!!
Enough of me.... Enjoy the photos

Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Big Boy of Northern Minnesota Gravel

The Heck of The North
Is just over a week away, and yet again I have that nervousness;  did I pedal enough over the past few months?
Am I a glutton for punishment by pedaling my Pugsley??? Yeah, I guess I am, but that's how I roll.
I find 2nd guessing myself as good therapy, and usually means I'm ready. We'll see!
It will be interesting seeing 400 like minded souls. Especially after doing the inaugural Heck in '09.
My buddy Brian had to pull out because of hip issues, so it looks like I'll have to make sure the ipod is fully charged!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

New Fatbike Race

Another new Fatbike race!!
To the east of Minnesota and Wisconsin. 
Info HERE

Sunday, September 21, 2014

GRIMBA's 3rd Annual "Naughty Ride"

Photo by Griffin M.

When: Sunday November 9th @ 1 pm
Where: Legion MTB trails.
Naughty Ride FB page

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Gitchee Gumee Gallivant

Mission creek, Duluth, Mn.
Photo taken from www.bikeduluth.com

Triple G info HERE

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

2014 National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

This year we have a local day........ 
In Grand Rapids!!
Woot Woot!!!
Thanks GRIMBA!! 


Sunday, September 14, 2014

The Loaner Will Return!!

Usually I'm a pretty good judge of character; then again, maybe I think more of myself then I should? 

Over the years, 20 plus to be exact.... I've tried to get guys together to ride for longer than I can remember; without much luck.
Sure, my friends and I used to ride together all the time. We all even went to Lutsen Mountains twice a year (spring and fall), before they gave up on bikes. 
Well, one thing leads to another, guys got married and started families. Some moved away for work; while others lost interest in human powering two wheels. 
I never held it against any one of them. 

After that time, I've had my own children, and stopped trying to get others to ride with me, and accepted riding by myself 99% of the time. 

In the mean time (within the last year) a mountain bike club has formed in town. A totally good thing

Over the years...... Since I've had children.......

If I had kids/family things going on, I didn't ride. 
If the kids/family things fell through or got done early, I went for a ride. 
No matter how much I didn't/don't like the fact, the kids/family stuff always comes 1st!! 
I ride before work, even if I start at 5 a.m. I make time to ride before hand.

I've come to realize (since I've had kids) that some people don't get that fact, and hold the fact I have responsibilities against me.
 
This fact was hammered home last night, and yet again I reside myself to riding by myself, or with my two fat biking young ones.

Anyway, being told I can kiss someone's ass; and they have a problem with this town, and I'm one of the people he has a problem with, just because I can't ride at a particular date and time??!!??!! 
All of this because I have the responsility of a family and kids. 

So be it, and I'll enjoy my time riding yet again by myself!! 
I have no plans in the near future to do anything with the local club, and will slowly pull away from all rides/events that involve others!! 
This may change with time, but as of right now, I'll again be going back to my "loaner" self! 
it's sad how one person, who I thought was a friend, could turn me off to the social aspect of mountain biking!! 


Anyway, this is how I feel, and I've just had it!! 

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Friday, September 12, 2014

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Carbon Framed Fatty......... Hold That Thought!!!

Thanks to these guys!!!
Gotta love this time of the year!!
Now for some new rubber!!

I can now say, my want for a carbon fatty has passed, (for now;) and probably for the best anyway! Lol

I've already got the wheel-set in a box gathering dust behind the couch. Ha Ha
All that's needed are wider hubs, RaceFace Turbine double or 1x11?? 
Thinking simpler is better!! ;)

Now, what color??? 

I'm kind of liking this here burnt orange. 
As Big Brian pointed out, it'd be like an Iron Range camouflage. ;)
Ok, I was told NO purple!! ;)

It should be noted I was thinking......
Carbon Frames: 
Borealis Yampa..... 9:zero:7 Whiteout.

I was also thinking Surly ICT, but that went by the wayside with Surly putting a press-fit BB on the ICT. 
For the places and things I rides through, a press-fit BB is asking for trouble! 

What about a FS Fatty you ask? 
IMHO a FS Fatty is not for winter riding PERIOD, at least not a Minnesota winter!! 
A Florida winter, sure, nothing colder than freezing (32F) though.
Why spend 5K plus and then blowup a Bluto and a rear shock?? 

Monday, September 8, 2014

The Legendary Laurentian: Your Pre Heck Tune Up????

Just a reminder...... 12 days and counting down!! 
The best 20 bucks you'll spend all year!! 

A Perfect Afternoon

Sunday found us 3 heading out of the house by 10:00 a.m. 
We spent the majority of our time just pooching around town with no real objective in mind. 
We stopped at a couple parks, along with checking out our "secret" apple tree. 
Then got a phone call from my parents and proceeded to stop by their house and spend the rest of our day hanging with grandma and grandpa, and two aunties from out of town, all and all a great lazy Sunday!! 


Wednesday, September 3, 2014

To Help a Youngster

I'm making this non biking post in an effort to help out a young girl and her family...... 
Read On if You will Please........
(All photos are from Lisa's FB page and are credited to her)

All you FatBike Birkie guys and gals take note!!! ;)
A family friend is asking for help for her and her husbands daughter who's fighting Juvenile Diabetes. 
This will not only help this young girl, but young children everywhere! 


Lisa is an avid biker and skier....
So in a round about way, this still is a biking post!! ;)



This also hits close to home, and makes us feel very blessed that our two young ones have been relatively healthy, minus a broken bone here or there. 

Anyway, if you can find it within yourself to help out that'd be awesome!! 
Here's her (Lisa's) post on her 
FB page. 

"I'm back on the FB for one purpose and one purpose only…..to help raise funds for the JDRF in conjunction with the American Birkebeiner! 
(Ok, maybe I'll post a few pics here and there!)
I kept it simple and set a goal of $500 but I know all of you and myself can do WAY better than that!!! 

As many or all of you may know, our daughter Amanda was diagnosed with T1 Diabetes on Halloween of 2008….8th grade. Her dad or myself would gladly take the burden on if it was possible but unfortunately that's not possible. It's been a struggle for her as the disease has it's ups and downs and affects the body and mind in strange ways. She's been on top of the game though and taking control, not letting it get the best of her. She exercises regularly and eats a healthy diet, and works a regular job like regular people with minimal complaints.(Lisa's daughter, Amanda is on the left.)

She wears a pump on her at all times that delivers to her body the life giving insulin that keeps her blood sugars in check. It's probably not the most comfortable thing to wear, and probably just a plain hassle at times, but she wears it….because she has to, along with millions of other kids just like her! We're hoping someday with the work of the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and the thousands of man-hours they put in to find new ways of treatment or even a cure, that someday Amanda won't have to wear a pump anymore, or poke her finger one more time, or have to lug out her little black case with her gear in it and say "Hold on guys, I have to check my blood before I eat…" Hopefully, the same with be true for millions of other kids as well and that means freedom!

The JDRF counts on every penny for research to find a cure! Please follow the link to my personal JDRF page and make a donation today! 
Thank you all very much for taking the time to read this and for your support, it's appreciated by myself and millions of others!!  
Please go to www.jdrf.com/birkie and go to 'Donate to a Participant'. Enter my name (Lisa Dolinich) and click MinDakotas chapter…it's as easy as that!"




Monday, September 1, 2014

Pill Hill Messing Around

For our children the dreaded school world starts in a few days. 
So we decided it was a good time to pound some red dirt. 
Lots of "do overs" were happening today; which in and of it's self was rewarding to this father!! To see these two wanting to "do it" until they "cleaned it" was pretty cool to watch; and by the pictures I took you can see (by their faces) they were totally determined to clean the things they struggled with. 
Anyway, I'll let the pictures tell that story.
Pedal On!!
Peace