Fiddlin' Fifty Recap

What a perfect day for a ride on northern Minnesota gravel and forest roads!! 

The rain held off for the whole day, a few sprinkles here and there, but otherwise as near perfect of a day as there could've been! 

Scott and Susan put on a small, quality grass roots gravel ride in style! 

The volunteers were AWESOME!

The course layout and cue sheets were spot on! 

The driving force behind this event!!

Scott and Susan.....

The feeling of being in the middle of no where is an awesome feeling I love and know well, being from this area! 

20 people signed up, 18 showed. 

Those who passed on this years ride, missed out..... And should really put this ride on their 2015 ride calendar!

A special shout out to Mr. Deathrider! 

Thanks for hanging out until my slow ass finished!! LOL

It always amazes me the quality types who attend these events!! 

It was spelendid finally shaking your hand, and BSing with you after many years of talking over the net and phone! You made a great impression on my family; and hopefully we can join you and your family this coming weekend at Cuyuna! 

The fast guys were really fast!!

I always like to see those guys kick it down, as I usually bring up the rear. Lol 

Two of those fast guys I was talking about.

Marko and "DeathRider"

As always it was a great day for two wheels!! 

A few photos, as always, as I find more I'll post them up.

Dino, Mr. Deathrider, and myself.

Scott talking bikes.

My girl cheering me on..... Soon she'll be rocking these rides herself! 

Our Zack riding with the group at the start....... By hanging out at these events, he's starting to get the gravel itch!!

The crew!

Rolling out....

I had a nice time chatting up these two,

Al and Vel Jurenic of Eveleth, Mn., and look forward to seeing their fat tandem they have plans on getting built! 

Photo by Mr. DeathRider.

Posing with grouse. 

Don't ask, because it's not my story to tell!! Lol

Rob Raplinger, Virginia, Mn.

Dean McCauley, Ely, MN.

Rick P.

"DeathRider"

The "DeathRider" rig; loaded up for whatever adventure comes to mind!!

Let's see..... Which tool from the tool-box??

Bringing up the rear!! ;)

Photo credit to Erik and Kristin Ricker-Coleman of Duluth, Mn.

As Erik says, "various children." Two of the "various children" are ours. Lol

A special thank you to Mom/Cindi for all the wonderful pictures!!

(Unless it's noted different)

She's starting to get the hang of her new camera!!

Pedal On!!

Peace

Fat Bikes, Fat Bikes and more Fat Bikes

Old guys, young guys, big guys, little guys. 

Road riders, recumbent riders, MTB riders. 

Everybodies getting into FatBikes!

Bad thing? 

Good thing? 

Ha, at least it's a bike!! Lol

Dec. 09 I got my regular old (now boring;) Surly Pugsley; 1st one (that I knew of) on Minnesota's Iron Range.

I had done the XC racing, the 24 hour racing, the 100 mile gravel rides; but what I really loved was the exploration, and my regular MTB bike just wasn't cutting it. I was a fan of the Pugsley at 1st sight. 

That's the bike I needed to do the type of riding I loved to do!!! 

So a trip to the LBS and we hammered out my fat tire build...... Yeah back then you couldn't buy a complete FatBike.

Well, today you can get pretty much whatever you'd like in a complete FatBike!

Way too many FatBike manufactures to keep track of, yeah that's not a small feat!! 

Anyway, WAAAA WAAAA I know!! LOL

Ok, ok, back on topic.... 1 guy from Wisconsin, and 3 guys from Mn. that I've talked to over the last year about what my FatBike was all about, and what it meant to me.

Over that time I've answered more emails than I can remember. 

What about this FatBike?

What about that FatBike? 

Are they hard to pedal? 

Those damn tires!!!!???

What do you think about this? 

What do you think about that? 

Surly? Fatback? 9:zero:7? Salsa? Specialized? The Bikes Direct FatBikes? 

New? Used? 

Those damn tires!!!! 

This, that and that other thing. 

Carbon? Steel? Aluminum? 

SS? IGH? 1x, 2x or 3x??

LoL

It was interesting and fun to hear the excitement in each and everyone of their emails!!! 

I always said "this is what works for me." You do whatever you'd like!! 

This is your FatBike, do it up how YOU want to! 

You could have someone tell you, get this do that, no no, you don't wanna do that.

You want new, get new. You want used, boom, there ya go! 

Brad, Frank, Marty and Brian....... Welcome to the club!!!!

2 Moonlanders, a Surly Ops Pugsley, and a Motobecane respectfully!! 

Your pedaling life's will never be the same! 

Some of you have found this out already!!! 

3 of you have your FatBikes and I just can't get over how much I want to say 

"NA NA BOO BOO...... I TOLD YOU SO, I TOLD YOU SO.... NA NA BOO BOO!!"

;) ;)

I'm happy for each and every one of you!!

NOW JUST WAIT TILL WE GET SNOW!! 

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha 

AND DONT FORGET.............. ABOUT

LET'S GET IT ON!!!! 

Ok........ In no particular order here's the new rides.......

Oh yeah..... There'll be a new carbon Beargrease roaming Da Range here soon..... Way to go Rick!! I threw in a picture just for you too!!! Lol

Brad

Frank

Brian

Marty

Rick

And we can add "Westside" Larry and his  Big "S" FatBoy Expert FatBike!! 

Which he picked up today..... 1/8/2014.

Peace....... AND 

PEDAL ON..... WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE!!