FatPipe, Trumps FatBike, and Family, For Now??!!

Not that anyone cares, LOL
but this is what's been keeping me off the Pugs, and away from the family for 12 hours each day.
50' long x 24" diameter; with 1.75" of lining in them ; which brings the diameter to 19 1/4" headed for the oil sands of Canada.

I'm the last one in the building to touch these "FatPipe", and they need to look pretty, and be cleaned up, and capped...... and rolled out the door.
Every one you see in the pictures I've touched, with about 100 some odd more to go!! 
I guess working 12's isn't so bad, ya kinda get used to it after awhile.

I'd be foolish not to say to my better 1/2 Cindi..... I LOVE YOU DEAR, and you are the best!!! 

Peace

Working 12 Hours a Day.........

Doesn't leave time for much play....
For the time being....

There is no rest for the wicked, so come along and follow me!!!!
This'll have to do!!

Nice job Ben!!!
Enjoy!!!
Pedal on!!

Cuyuna Type Trails, Coming to the Iron Range??!!!!

I have a friend and fellow biker thats on the park board for the City of Hibbing, and he said to start getting ready for big news!!!
My 1st reaction when hearing this news was, about damn time!!!

The planning is in it's very early stages, but all the right people's are involved. IMBA, The City of Hibbing, a couple members of COGGS along with others.
80-100 acres are 1st on the list, with another 200-300 being looked at.

I realize it'll take 7-10 years for any dirt to be moved, but I can't wait to get my hands dirty, and the back to be sore from working on trails!!!

There's talk of taking the cities parks director, mayor and others down to Cuyuna to check out what's been done...... Ha Ha I might have to join them!!

I will post more as I hear it, and get more involved with helping this process move forward.

Peace....

Surly Does it Again, Or Do They??

It was a big week in FatBike land!!
Surly bikes laid the smack down on the FatBike world with their Moonlander, the Black Ops Pug (which I really dig), and a bunch of new rubber.
Two new sets of rims. The 100mm Clownshoes. And the 65mm light large marge. That just sounds funny to me, then again, it's Surly, so I suppose it's meant to be funny!!? The Mr. Whirly crank off-set double something or other.
Along with other offerings for the non FatBike crowd.
After having a 1/2 day Thursday and all day Friday off of work; ah having metal shavings in ones eyes does suck as bad as it sounds!!! I had time to read and look at pictures of all Surly's offerings. Be it with limited vision ;) but just the same; I only saw the Nate 3.8 as something that interested me.
I already have a Pugs; so the Blacks Ops is out of the question, the Moonlander doesn't interest me, I like my granny and other gears to much to slap on the Clownshoes, and in my application of my Pugs the Black Floyd's would be a waste of my hard earned cash and time. The light large marge, na I want the wider younger brother Rolling D's thank you. The BFL belong on the Moonlander.
That leaves me with only the Nates to long for.
Maybe I'm settling, or maybe I'm just itching to see my young ones on their Mukluks next to me on the dark time trails??? Either way, more choice for us FatBikers can be a good thing in the long run!!! Anyway, my heart is still set on a Ti FatBack!!!! Call me crazy, but so be it!! ;))

Peace.....

Creation of a Dirt Monster!!

Today our little girl turned 5.
With this came a much needed new bike.
After our little family cake and a couple presents, we got to the real fun...... a ride to break in Jenna's new ride!!!!

Jen was in complete control of our route. She knew exactly where she wanted to go. 
Zack and a neighbor boy,  and myself were at her mercy of; rights, lefts and no no no, straight. ;)
As the boys were ahead of us on a paved trail near our home, Jenna says "dad I wanna hit some dirt!!" I almost cried!! Lol

So we hit some dirt, (apologies for the crap cell phone pic. but you get the point), for about a mile; before Jenna said, "dad the suns going down, we better head for home." 
So with that we headed for home. 
We all love you dear Jenna!!

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

Among The Skinny Crowd, The FatBike RULES!!!!

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

To The Paved Trail I Will Go????

Tomorrow is the 7th annual Great River Energy Mesabi Trail Bike Tour.
This year it runs from the Mn. Discovery Center to Grand Rapids, Mn. With 3 different starting points. I'm starting at the Discovery Center.
Hmmm, the Pugs and the paved trail!!?? I know for a fact I'll have the biggest tires there!! Lol
I rode from our house in Hibbing to Chisholm earlier via the trail. 20 miles round trip, was a great leg stretcher in the pouring rain; for the 48 some miles I'll do tomorrow. The guy i did the registration with didn't know what to make of me!!! Lol
Actually i'll have 60 plus; since again in the a.m. I'll pedal over to Chisholm by 8 a.m. For coffee and and a bit to eat before I hopefully meet up with the guy who bought my road bike. Then I'll try to stay with him for the 1st 10 miles, and then go the rest of the way at my own pace!!
I fully expect to get bombarded with questions about the FatBike, and maybe I can plant the FatBike seed in a couple peoples minds!! If I'm successful with just one person that'll be awesome!! ;)
Cindi will be bringing the kids to Coleraine so they can join in on the fun for the last 7.2 mile push to the Grand Rapids fairgrounds for, good food, music, and the all important event t-shirt!!!

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