Fiddlin' 50

The third week of August was the inaugural  Fiddlin' 50 up in Balkan Township MN in the heart of the iron range. The  Fiddlin' was much like other gravel grinders in the state.....Free, Unsupported, and Scenic. What appealed to me most, was the location, I have not done any riding or back road exploring in the area, so I was excited for this race.

I camped on the side of the road....A little scary when your by yourself.

Staging

Start line.....17 or 18 riders

  I also like doing these kind of races in their first years when it's all fresh and new and the turn out is smaller. The fact that it wasn't a hundred miles was also appealing, 50-60 miles is a good workout that doesn't take all day and leaves a little "in the tank" for when you want to hangout afterwords and not be completely annihilated.

I wanted to punish myself a little by riding the Krampus

Barn ....obviously 

Sand ...perfect for a mid-fat bike. Lucky for me there where quite a few places like this.

  The pot luck at the finish was also a nice touch and a gracious gesture by the race directors/hosts to set everything up at their house.   Thank you Susan and Scott, for sharing the great route that I most likely would never put together or experience on my own......too bad the mud hole road was dry.

Although mostly flat, the route had lots of pretty scenery. 

professional 

Welcoming committee about a mile from the finish 

 Big thanks to the volunteers for all the help. It was great meeting some new friendly people, and last, but certainly not least....It was awesome to finally meet you Joboo and your friendly family, hopefully we can get together and do some riding in the near future.      D. Rider..............Out 

Saturday Night

Seven of us got together on Saturday night for a fire, and  camp out via bike. Five of the group rode from the neighborhood that Vandy and I are from in Burnsville, and the other two met up with us en route from the north.

Necessary pavement 

It was a good thing that the ground was rather damp

  The group included Vandy, ArcFlash, The Legend, The Mayor, My brother AKA The Mexican, Best in Schow and myself. Although I made no mention of what I would be riding when I put out the call for a camp out, nearly all of us were on fat-bikes...... sign of the times.

let the relaxing begin

 The Mexican was the only one without a fat-bike and rode his retro cross bike. I was really happy and a little surprised to see him out with the group, he doesn't ride a lot and he hasn't done anything like this with me in the past so it was a great time hanging out with my bro. He's no stranger to camping or adventuring so he had all his own gear, we've done plenty of trips together just not one by bike.

The Legend

 Within a few minutes of locating our camp spot, we had a nice fire going and soon we were cooking brats on long pointy sticks. It was a calm, clear, cool, moonless night, perfect for just chillin out next to a raging fire occasionally nodding off before fully committing to the sleeping bag. Best in Schow and The Mayor would not be spending the night and left for home just before we all turned in.

That is what happens to a sleeping bag with a malfunctioning zipper  

The Mexican

  The next morning I awoke to a nicely stoked fire and the whole overnight crew awake and chatting. Soon we were all packing up and heading for home before most people were even out of bed.........   A great start to a Sunday.

Group Shot, a similar one was taken two years ago

Detour

Mineral Center

 Several weeks ago during the three day Gravel Conspiracy, Laurential Divide I decided to take a detour on day 2. The detour was part of a plan I cooked up days earlier when I realized my body may not quite be ready (back injury) for a 200++ mile race. I felt bad about not being able to ride the whole thing but not as bad as I would have felt had I not shown up at all. I was able to ride the first day of the journey without pain and kept a good pace on the Krampus. On day two I rode out of Grand Portage with the group for the first 10-12 miles, flated, and veered off course some miles later.

jump

this was like a dock that just fit the boat

 It was a beautiful fall day, and I was having a great time riding by myself but with a few butterflies in my stomach.  As the narrow gravel roads turned to double track and then to barely visible ATV trail my nervousness stared to bump up a few notches. I was truly in the middle of nowhere, my friends and family had only a rough idea where I was going specifically, and I was about to air-up my pack-raft below a large and loud waterfall. As I approached the falls I was surprised at the amount of flow and the thunderous sound coming from it. 

perspective

the glance backward

 Amid the mist and the noise I began to look for a safe place to put in from the overlooking cliff above. The bottom of the falls and river is walled in by stone on either side but has relatively easy access down near the plunge pool and one perfect spot to launch. I inflated the boat, brought it to the water, and began taking "parts" down to it's parking spot, as there was no room for my pack and dis-assembly of the bike all in the same area. I was trying not to think about all the shit that could go wrong here as I became increasingly more on edge. I wasn't sure I should be here, if it was ok to paddle this river, if the decent sized rapids I could see just down stream got any bigger, or if my exit strategy on the bike was on the up and up. I was also thinking about the gash in my tire that was patched with a piece of duct tape, the fact that my one extra tube was used up and the slash in it's predecessor too big to fix, and the matter of not being able to find the repair kit for my boat should the need arise.  I put it all out of my mind and focused on what I had to do at the moment, sliding down the slippery slab of rock to my fully loaded raft and pushing off.

calm

  I didn't even feel like snapping any picks just before and after I got on the water  but that would have been a huge mistake, as A.F. and I often put it "if you didn't get a picture of it, it didn't happen". As it turned out the rapids were pretty mellow accept for the several ledges I dropped off of initially. These weren't  even that bad and I would have gladly gone back and done them again if I didn't have a bike strapped on the front of my raft and if I had a companion. In all reality none of this is out of my skill or ability level but going into the unknown, especially solo, makes me uneasy. Once through the rapids the river was calm, peaceful and for the most part shallow. All I had to do now was keep an eye out for my exit. In just under an hour I was back on land and getting the bike back together. Somehow the chain got all twisted up and became sort of a Rubik's Cube of a puzzle to untangle. Not having a leatherman with a needle nose pliers was my down fall, as simply taking apart the chain would have fixed the problem in a few minutes. Instead I had to remove the rear derailer, and the cable. A frayed cable can be a total bitch to put back in the tiny hole for 20 minutes. I wasted about an hour here and had no extra time to check out the area more thoroughly.

damn fine sandwiches inside

     Relieved that my bike was  back in working order I calmed down and just pedaled. It would be several more hours of awesome gravel and scenery  before I was back in Grand Marais. I was feeling good and as I got closer to my destination I worried less about the slash in my tire. I stopped off at a little deli in Hovland to refuel before making the 19 mile slog in a headwind to finish out the day. I was the last one in on day two, I felt good and I was pretty sure I could have done the 85 miler that the others did for the actual race. I rode 68 miles on the Krampus and was out for a good 8 hours. I was happy with my decision but a little guilty too, hind sight is always 20-20. After the ride I cleaned up at the municipal pool and enjoyed an extended dip in the spa. Later I met the whole gang for dinner before a having a camp fire cut short by rain. I went to bed plotting and planning other adventures that would piggyback the one I had done this day, as well as one that I would attempt the following day from recon obtained on my ride into Hovland.

Gravel Conspiracy , Laurential Divide

At the last minute I chose to ride the Krampus, it/I did very well at keeping a good pace and was a joy to ride the whole weekend.....especially for what I had planned 

 A couple weeks back I headed to Minnesota's far north for the forth time in four weeks to participate in The Garvel Conspiracy's  Laurential Divide  race/ride. To say I was a little burned out on traveling is an understatement. It's not being away and in the moment that is hard, it's the unpacking and packing during the week that's a bitch. If I could, I'd just stay up there for an extended period with my wife and kids and play, but work, bills, and chores demand that I come home in between the fun.

rolling out of town

Flat, a bunch of us decided to wait for him to change it and take a little break

 September 2013 was the second running of the three day stage race that pivoted on the small town of Grand Marais Minnesota. Last year was such a great experience I knew I would be back for more if Mr Stamper was so inclined to host the event again. This year was a week earlier which can make a big difference in weather (cold) when you go that far north.  It was also the same weekend as the Chequamegon 40, which pales in comparison in difficulty, scenery, and solitude. Like last year the race started and ended in Grand Marais, but that would be the only thing that stayed the same. The routes were different and thankfully shorter at  52,85, and 62 miles as opposed to 47, 125,and 115 miles.

One of many overlooks on the way

  The first overnight was spent at the hotel/casino in Grand Portage. The second night was back in Grand Marais with most of the group staying at the municipal campground. Each night after the ride the whole group of 20 something gathered for dinner. Due to a broken pipe or something of the like, our first dinner was outside at the casino RV campground. Most of us were a little pissed after descended upon the restaurant, mouths drooling with visions of heaping plates of food filled from an endlessly supplied buffet line, only too see the RESTAURANT CLOSED sign. Plan "B", everyone go to the only other food source in town, and stock up on anything and everything for a gas station pot luck. This turned out to be one those times when we metaphorically made chicken soup out of chicken shit, it was perfect. We had every manor of junk food, 3-2 beer, energy drinks, steaks,carrots, hot dogs, and a nice camp fire.

Gas station pot-luck

Just my bike and shadow to keep me company the rest of day 2

 The next day was set for a nice 85 miler. I rode with the group for the first 10-12 miles and flatted. This is right where I wanted to be, alone. I like riding with old, new and potential friends but sometimes it's nice to be by yourself, undistracted, free from chatter, outside thoughts and gossip. I typically ride by myself, not by choice but situation, (family life... you take what's available). This solitude for me is about reflecting on life, rejuvenation, and letting my mind run free to plan and create new ideas I would like to accomplish. I not only cherish this time I need it or I get grumpy. Enough with all the deep thoughts shit....  At the point of the last rider passing me is where I took my detour from the written route. I was not going to complete the Gravel Conspiracy ride this year and I knew it from the start. I've been nursing a back injury/sciatica all summer, as a result I have not ridden any long rides and have done the shorter ones with a great deal of pain before, during, and after. When I signed up for the GC in May or whatever, I completely thought my back and leg would be good to go, I was wrong. Just a few days before the ride I could barely walk without shooting pain in my leg after I got done with a shake down ride. I really hate bailing on a free race when I know the guys putting them on bend over backwards to do so. After that ride I knew I would still head north and take the line but with plan "B" tucked neatly into my drop bag. In the back of Mr Stamper's truck, was a packraft headed for Grand Portage. The DETOUR will be covered later, but I did end up with 68 miles for the day and returned to Grand Marais long after the last rider was in. Strangely, my leg and back were a non-issue the day before and I was only feeling a little pain start to build towards the end of my ride the second day. I popped a few Advil for good measure and decided not to ride the next day at all for fear of sending my healing progress backward. That evening we all met up at the Gunflint Tavern for the most expensive (19$) burrito I've ever had the displeasure of waiting an hour and a half  for. I was in good company so it was a little easier to take.

sneak peak at The Detour

Lake Superior in site

 The next day was a little chilly at the start and I was feeling even better about my decision not to ride. After watching the group ride away I was off to my second detour of plan B. This one didn't go as well as the day before and I had to get back to GM to pick up my friend and car pool-ee by 2 pm. Before we headed home a few good-bye's and hand shakes were in order, as well as buying Mr Stamper lunch as a thank you and just because he's an overall good guy. Check this out for next year, as I know the gears are already turning for the planning and evolution of this great event.

Day 3, the group getting ready to go,  I decided to sit it out and take it easy

               

The Week Before... part 2

That's the new 4 man tent I had to buy on account of someone not returning the 4 man tent I thought I had in my gear room. I don't know who I lent it too, but I'd like it back please 

 Before too much time passes, I wanted to finish my story about our adventure on the north shore the week before school started. On Wednesday morning we awoke to clear skies and warm temps. First on the adventure agenda was to ride our bikes back to the van at Gooseberry Falls SP. We got side tracked on Ellingson Island at Split Rock Light House SP looking for tadpoles and going for a swim. We weren't on a real schedule of any kind so it was a good way to start the day.

Lots of tadpoles to be found here

Frog with a tail

This was cold, I know because I was first

 

Urban exploration on the north shore 

 After finishing the ride, another swim was in order at the mouth of the Gooseberry River to cool off. Heading north, we stopped at another creek I have not had the pleasure exploring. It turned out to be our favorite one of the weekend. The boys were excited to catch frogs, crayfish, and more tadpoles along our route upstream. I was excited to see one waterfall after another and lots of small swimming holes. Usually I like to go upstream until things flatten out and become an average looking creek, just not today. Several hours had already elapsed when I decided leave the mystery of what lay ahead for another time.

  

Turned around here, but not before some swimming

Gene O

 Wednesday night we were camped at Temperance River SP. By strange coincidence our neighbors were none other than Jenifer and Gene O of One on One Bicycle Studio and their three children. Our kids got along great and they all enjoyed searching for tadpoles together as us adults relaxed and talked about the usual bike things. The next morning our two families all headed down to the mouth of the Temperance River for some swimming and cliff jumping for a couple hours before biding farewell. It started raining shortly after so most of the remainder of the day was spent dodging the drops in the van, eating lunch and window shopping in Grand Marais. That night we camped at Devil Track Lake NF campground and endured a major storm with non stop lightning that looked more like a strobe light going off in the tent.

This is Big D . He scares the shit out of me, he didn't even hesitate when he jumped off this. I hesitated when I did it, it's freakin' high. The only thing he had me do is count to three so he knew when to jump, this boy's got some balls. 

Devil Track

Pic is out of order, but this is the trail we took to access the river

 The next day, Friday, was nice and sunny again. My plan for the day would turn out to be one I would regret just a little. We were to hike up the Superior Hiking Trail to the point that it intersects the Devil Track River and then hike up-stream to our bicycles we had cached in the woods the day before. I did this route less than a year before going the other direction. I thought it would be suitable for the boys since we didn't have to rappel the waterfall at the end. The part I was wrong about was the never ending, slippery, boulder  field which makes up the creek bed on the last part of the route. It seemed to go on forever. As an adult it was a bitch, for the kids with shorter legs having to pick their way through the whole mess, it was hell. By the time we reached the bikes G Man was crying and cursing my name, I was carrying Big D for quite some time, and Super Y was way ahead chilling out at the bikes like it was no big deal. I gave them all permission to swear out loud if it would make them feel better. Big D was the only one to take me up on the offer.

Not sure what the mane is on these falls but they are pretty amazing

Hand-line to get up and around the falls on the previous pic

I believe the falls just over their shoulder is called The Admiral

Lets go home

 After the swearing and laughter ceased, we all refueled on water and snacks, consisting mostly of Starburst. Soon spirits were up and we were rolling the last few miles down a large hill to the end of our totally freakin' awesome weekend.

The final decent