Yesterdays 48 mile tour along the
Mesabi Trail couldn't have been much more fun for me!!!
my day started at 6m a.m. with coffee and a sad text from the guy who bought my road bike.
his father had passed away during the night and he wasn't gonna make the ride. i was suppose to like for his wife at the 1/2 way rest stop. Craig, i hope all goes smoothly during this time!!!
By 6:50 i was out the door and pedaling to the Discovery Center and my chosen starting point.
on the way the Pugs was making a God awful squealing noise; i narrowed it down to water (from the down pour i rode in the night before), either in each of the wheel hubs, or the head-set. no worry was needed, it stopped at around mile 15, all good!! lol
7:49 a.m. i pulled up to the starting area for some Peace coffee (which should be renamed sucks coffee), and a bunch of other goodies. this is where i heard "ARE YOU CRAZY???" my response set the tone for the whole day........ without turning around, i said, what...... just cause my tires are 3 sizes bigger than yours, i can't ride??? i turned around with a big smile on my face to see the older gentlemen who called me crazy putting his hand out and saying I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but those tires are SO huge!!! i said no problem, and he talked to me for a good 15 min. nice old guy.
after a couple more cups of "sucks coffee" 4 bananas, and way too many "those tires are huge" comments it was 8:30 so i started my ride.
after 4 miles and with every one who passed me saying something, it was time to hit some good old dirty red mud and iron ore. i popped back out on the paved trail 3 miles later to people saying did you see that guy come outta the woods, oh it's him!! lol
one guy said didn't i pass you earlier?
yes sir you did!!
i blew through the rest area in Hibbing, and made my way to Kelly Lake. again i grabbed some dirt for around 2.5 miles, and picked up the trail at another point. 5 min. after i was on pavement i heard "hey, didn't i pass you aways back there?" "if i pass you again, your gonna make me look really bad!!" i told him not to worry from here on i wasn't completely familiar with the odd mine roads and there direction, so you're safe!!
i made my through Keewatin around O'Brian Lake and onto the 1/2 way point in Nashwauk by 9:30-9:45; where i stopped and ate some goodies refilled H20, and got some Gatorade.
i left right around 10:00 and never stopped until a nice guy from Grand Rapids asked if he could ride my Pugs for a bit. sure i said, right up here's a good spot to pee, and he could take it out and back for a 1/2 mile or so. he left his light ass road bike with me and jumped on my trusy steed.
15-20 min. later he came pedaling back with that big ass smile everyone gets on their face when they actually ride the FatBike!! yelling from about 100 yards away.... "i have to get one of these!!!"
SEED FIRMLY PLANTED #1.
i blew through every rest area until i made it to the spot where Cindi was gonna bring the kids to meet me for THE BEST 6 MILES OF THE WHOLE RIDE!!!!
here's where pictures are better than any words i could ever write!!
as i was waiting for them to arrive, i heard a women yell, hey my husband wants your bike. i said meet me at the end and he can take it for a pedal!!
SEED FIRMLY PLANTED #2, #3, AND #4!!!
my leg looks broken in this photo!!
6 miles later.....................................
as soon as we crossed the finish line 3 guys from Virginia, Mn. were waiting for me. hey, my wife talked to you earlier. without a word i handed my Pugs over and didn't see it for over 1/2 hour!!! lol
needless to say the FatBike SEED was spread!!!!
two day total of over 88 miles on the big tires!!!
damn, and what fun!!!
Thank you Cindi!!!
I Love You!!!
an awesome day spent with family mere miles from home!!!!
Peace
