tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-222504582024-03-21T22:32:06.111-05:00'sconnyboyWhere the spark of intelligence never quite catches fire.Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-53623538472370329112023-11-10T10:39:00.002-06:002023-11-10T10:39:42.210-06:00A Wisconsin All-Road River Tour of Headwinds<div>
There had been talk for a number of years among our little group of Madison cyclists about doing a multi-day tour across Wisconsin or one of the nearby states. Grant and I finally got around to hatching a plan that would make it happen. </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37003441664/in/album-72157687089736870/" nbsp="" title="Tour Route"><img alt="Tour Route" height="800" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4458/37003441664_23e0d7d723_c.jpg" width="517" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is a picture of the route we had planned (in green) and the route we ended up taking (in red)</span></i><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37551394672/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Space Horse"><img alt="Space Horse" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4501/37551394672_fbce52a468.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I rode my All-City Space Horse with a </span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Revelate Viscacha,</span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Swift Hinterland, and a pair of homemade front panniers; the latter two on a Nitto Campee front rack.</i></span><br />
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Hitched a ride up to Lac du Flambeau, rode home to Madison.<div><br />
So named because we often had a headwind, but one of the best rides of my life.<div><br />
<a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2017/10/wisco-all-road-river-tour-of-headwinds.html" target="_blank">Day One</a><br />
<a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2017/10/wisco-all-road-river-tour-of-headwinds_2.html" target="_blank">Day Two</a><br />
<a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2017/10/wisco-all-road-river-tour-of-headwinds_3.html" target="_blank">Day Three</a><br />
<a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2018/04/wisco-all-road-river-tour-of-headwinds.html" target="_blank">Day Four</a><br />
<a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2018/04/wisco-all-road-river-tour-of-headwinds_5.html" target="_blank">Day Five</a><br />
<a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2018/04/wisco-all-road-river-tour-of-headwinds_6.html" target="_blank">Day Six</a></div></div>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-12673316965844450482017-10-06T20:30:00.000-05:002018-04-06T20:44:37.906-05:00Wisco All-Road River Tour of Headwinds, Day Six<h4>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12px;">Elroy to Madison</span></h4>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37616324871/in/album-72157687089736870/" style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal;" title="Bridge"><img alt="Bridge" height="281" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4468/37616324871_83fd0fc1c3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal;">We broke camp in the dark, rolling out of Elroy just as dawn began to break. It was another gray day, and we were now on the 400 State Trail bound for Reedsburg and then home. There were a couple of brief stops, one at Wonowoc and another at a little abandoned bridge outside of LaValle. We made Reedsburg by mid-morning hoping to check out Fermentation Fest, but found it not yet up and running.</span><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37616322391/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Caravan"><img alt="Caravan" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4453/37616322391_566e6692af.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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So continuing on some pavements, we soon arrived at Merrimac, where we rode the ferry across Lake Wisconsin (a widening of the Wisconsin River.) we stopped for lunch on the south bank before continuing on toward Devil's Lake State Park.</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37803381681/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Riding Home on the Ferry"><img alt="Riding Home on the Ferry" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4447/37803381681_107a6db93c.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37616321281/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Almost Home"><img alt="Almost Home" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4458/37616321281_aa8270ce32.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
We skirted the edge of the park and picked up a gravel road that Grant had discovered the previous year, following it to a gate where it became a dirt doubletrack through the forest.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37545109390/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="You Shall Not Pass"><img alt="You Shall Not Pass" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4478/37545109390_d892188ec1.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37551390752/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Final Doubletrack"><img alt="Final Doubletrack" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4451/37551390752_d382e404a4.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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It eventually emerged on the north edge of the Sauk Prairie Recreational Area, located on the site of the former Badger Ammunition Plant. This place is huge, and warrants its own return trip.</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36881148894/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Badger Ammunition"><img alt="Badger Ammunition" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4465/36881148894_38244677b9.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
The rest of the day was a blur of semi-familiar roads, with some surprisingly big hills north of Waunakee. Madigan and Schumacher were unexpectedly thick with traffic, and it started to rain as we neared Madison. Crossing 113, things got really familiar as we wove through familiar territory, shortcutting through the Central Wisconsin Center and ending up at the Ohio Tap for a celebratory beer. We parted ways with the job well done, looking forward to another...<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36881146034/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Columbia County"><img alt="Columbia County" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4446/36881146034_ff5a74b1b1.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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(All of the photos are <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/albums/72157687089736870" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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<iframe scrolling="no" src="https://rwgps-embeds.com/embeds?type=trip&id=18300266&title=October%20Tour%20Day%20Six&sampleGraph=true" style="border: none; height: 500px; min-width: 100%; width: 1px;"></iframe></div>
Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-84614169667697909152017-10-05T20:30:00.000-05:002018-04-06T20:44:15.765-05:00Wisco All-Road River Tour of Headwinds, Day Five <h4>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12px;">Hatfield to Elroy</span></h4>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/23988584808/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Jungle Road"><img alt="Jungle Road" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4477/23988584808_d102b593fd.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Our host called down the stairs that they were on their way out, and it was good to have them in the rearview.</div>
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I hadn't slept well and had some bronchitis rattling around in my lungs, so the scattered showers had me feeling low. Rain would start and the jackets would go on, and they'd come back off when it stopped. Our first visit was a place called Oxbo Pond, beautiful in the morning calm.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37559846292/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Oxbo Pond"><img alt="Oxbo Pond" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/37559846292_69ef868b2b.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Then for a while we were on a series of roads leading through the Black River State Forest into the Ho-Chunk Reservation. There had been plans to go check out the Wazee Lake Recreation Area, but they were scrapped in favor of finding a hot breakfast.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36913305793/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Rain Over Hatfield"><img alt="Rain Over Hatfield" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4495/36913305793_11dd60f503.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
The breakfast was at a little tourist place named the Mocha Mouse, which actually really hit the spot. The local rescue squad was having a breakfast meeting, and their collective girth signaled that this was the place if one were hungry.<br />
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After breakfast I called my friend Andy in Sparta to arrange a possible visit (which was ultimately not to be) and checked in with home.<br />
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Proceeding in the direction we wanted to go meant navigating a clusterfuck of numbered state highways over the interstate, through town and then south a couple of miles. As a bonus, when we turned off of Highway 27 onto Hawk Island Road, we passed a residence that looked like a junkyard, and the largest pit bull I have ever seen came running out after Grant. He soon lost interest, but there I was a good 50 yards back. I got off and started walking on the opposite side of my bike. He didn't look too aggressive, and just as I was starting to sweet-talk him, the mailman drove up and put his car between me and the dog. I thanked him, and he replied that he would go have a word with the dog's owner.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357539470/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Sad Thunderbird"><img alt="Sad Thunderbird" height="373" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4464/37357539470_5d6085b116.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
This part of Wisconsin has a bit of a Tom Waits soundtrack. Maybe because it's not far enough north to be touristy and too far away from the big cities to have much in the way of industry, Monroe County is one of the poorest counties in the state. More loose dogs than usual through this section.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357538950/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Echo Road"><img alt="Echo Road" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4460/37357538950_968b25dfb9.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Somehow Grant found a lovely little gravel named Echo Rd. Challenging climb but worth it.<br />
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We found some new blacktop just north of Sparta, which was nice riding as it began to rain again. The forecast for Sunday was looking cold, rainy and very windy, so the decision was made to keep pushing on to Elroy and then for home on Saturday. This meant bypassing White Mound and giving up a night of camping, but neither of us relished an overnight, and then riding home, in what looked to be very nasty weather.<br />
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We stopped at Speed's Bike Shop in Sparta and I bought some padded shorts to relieve my aching butt. I also called Andy to let him know that we were pressing on and that I hoped to take him up on his hospitality sometime in the future.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357538600/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Elroy-Sparta Trail"><img alt="Elroy-Sparta Trail" height="377" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4486/37357538600_10d3b166e3.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37567517446/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Elroy-Sparta Trail"><img alt="Elroy-Sparta Trail" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4452/37567517446_7418e29229.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Here we got on the nicely-swept Elroy-Sparta State Trail, the former Chicago Northwestern line that is the oldest rail trail in the country. There were a few other users out riding, but few enough that we were able to ride through the tunnels (which normally are supposed to be walked.)<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37792681946/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Tunnel 1"><img alt="Tunnel 1" height="500" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4486/37792681946_acb9a7f240.jpg" width="375" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
The rest of the trail was easy rolling, but gray and uneventful. The campground in Elroy is close enough to the trail, but at the top of a very steep climb. A quick check of the radar revealed storms closing in, so we staked out a base in the metal gazebo and pitched our tents at adjacent sites. Then we made a speedy run to the Kwik Trip convenience store in town for a variety of tasty foods, just barely beating the storm back to the gazebo. We sat at the picnic tables, making arrangements to leave before sunup and listening to the rain fall on the tin roof, and then listened to more rain and the highway while snug in our tents.<br />
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(All of the photos are <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/albums/72157687089736870" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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<iframe scrolling="no" src="https://rwgps-embeds.com/embeds?type=trip&id=18300273&title=October%20Tour%20Day%20Five&sampleGraph=true" style="border: none; height: 500px; min-width: 100%; width: 1px;"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-48141602758563946472017-10-04T20:00:00.000-05:002018-04-06T20:40:56.031-05:00Wisco All-Road River Tour of Headwinds, Day Four<h4>
Coon Fork to somewhere near Hatfield</h4>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37551396622/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Coon Fork Campground"><img alt="Coon Fork Campground" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4447/37551396622_183a10e190.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
It was dark by the time we set up camp, so it was a pleasant surprise to see how lovely Coon Fork is. Fall had also arrived while we slept, and we were greeted by fog and a heavy dew. There was no hurry for breakfast or breaking camp, and we headed out mid-morning.<br />
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The morning was clear, cool and sunny, and we passed a grader working on Globe Camp Road. A local and his wife were out slow-rolling up and down the road in their pickup, so I talked to them a bit. Apparently a piece of the town's road machinery had lost an expensive, fist-sized nut, so they were out looking for it, and asked whether we would help. I said sure, but I must admit that I spent a lot more time watching the scenery than <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">looking for the town nut.</span><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357542150/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Grading Globe Camp Road"><img alt="Grading Globe Camp Road" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4463/37357542150_cb061b53b8.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
The rest of the morning was an easy roll to Rock Dam County Park, where we stopped for a lunch break. Nice place, and it would be worth camping there.<br />
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Next up we were hoping to try a few Clark County ATV trails, because they're all over the place. The first thing we ran across was a very promising-looking dirt road with a <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"This is not an ATV Trail" sign at the beginning. Rather soon though, we found ourselves pushing bikes through deep sugar sand. After a short stretch of pavement, we decided to try an actual ATV trail. Same result.</span><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357541400/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Not an ATV Trail"><img alt="Not an ATV Trail" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4475/37357541400_b927d2a5b6.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
After a water stop and brief look at Wild Rock County Park, the Clark County Forest roads proved to be the best riding of the day. Bald Peak Road and Dam Road 2 were the most notable. Camping is permitted on much of the county land, so it might be worth coming back up to take advantage of some lesser-known spots.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357540290/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Clark County Forest"><img alt="Clark County Forest" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/37357540290_bf3f2d62a4.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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There was another brief stop at Wildcat Park, and we considered hiking up Wildcat Mound, but time did not permit. A couple of the roads were pretty sandy, I think Town Line and Poertner Roads in particular. We were glad to see the last of those sometime mid-afternoon.<br />
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Next up was a quick stop to check out the new shelter at the Levis Mound trailhead, where we took on more water and had a snack. Would love to go back.<br />
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Just a few more miles brought us to the Warmshowers host that Grant had set up, and arguably the strangest night of the trip. Our host was friendly enough, but once we were shown to our accommodations in the basement (of a very large house), there was no further contact, really. I don't know if there was a miscommunication, or if they just had no interest in socializing with us, but it felt really odd. We cooked and ate our soup outside the back door. Honestly, I might have rather just slept in another campground.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36905514994/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="..."><img alt="..." height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4446/36905514994_2a6518651e.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
(All of the photos are <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/albums/72157687089736870" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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<iframe scrolling="no" src="https://rwgps-embeds.com/embeds?type=trip&id=18300278&title=October%20Tour%20Day%20Four&sampleGraph=true" style="border: none; height: 500px; min-width: 100%; width: 1px;"></iframe></div>
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Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-75587717486747895572017-10-03T21:00:00.000-05:002018-03-31T13:04:33.832-05:00Wisco All-Road River Tour of Headwinds, Day Three<h4>
Brunet Island to Coon Fork Lake Co Park</h4>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37133055023/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Cornell Theatre"><img alt="Cornell Theatre" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4501/37133055023_1962516708.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
We got up and broke camp early to try and beat another predicted round of thunderstorms. Cornell looked well-worn but still vital. The Old Abe trail is paved all the way from Cornell to Chippewa Falls and gets an A+.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37131072404/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Old Abe Trail"><img alt="Old Abe Trail" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4459/37131072404_da59fd353f.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Rolled right through Jim Falls, but left the trail for a bit to check out Wissota Lake State Park, where we had a bit of lunch.<br />
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The next stop was Bridge Brews coffee in Chippewa Falls, were we took advantage of the first wall outlets and WiFi since leaving Lac du Flambeau. Also, great coffee.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/40427892034/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Coffee Stop"><img alt="Coffee Stop" height="500" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/784/40427892034_2a5f4592b3.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Looking at the weather, we opted not to go into Eau Claire, shortening our route to Big Falls considerably. This meant a short but thrilling trip across the river on a busy state highway, which also happened to be under construction. Not great, but we made it.<br />
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Next up were some choice flat, smooth and relatively low-traffic Eau Claire County highways to Big Falls, where we did a bit of hiking to see the main attraction.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37333611610/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Big Falls"><img alt="Big Falls" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4465/37333611610_8fb532245a.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Had we been able to cross the river here, we would have been able to avoid the road construction going on north of the park, but the water was high enough that this was not to be. Had to wait a bit for the flagmen to let us through, but I believe sub roadbed counts as gravel, and it was packed well enough to be fast.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36905517894/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Road Construction"><img alt="Road Construction" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/36905517894_00ec211721.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Having avoided Eau Claire, we needed to find a place to resupply. Back at the coffee shop, we had spotted Weaver's Country Store, located just outside Fall Creek. This place turned out to be a big metal pole building set a hundred or so yards off highway 12. Walking in the front door, it was clear that one thing the Google hadn't mentioned is that it is owned and run by Mennonites. About two-thirds of the square footage was dedicated to rows of shelving stocked with all manner of poly-bagged and barcode-labelled bulk goods. Turning into the candy aisle, one could hear angels sing (which, because the piped in music was all choral Christian favorites, was literally so.) The other third of the building was devoted to a workspace where a gaggle of bonnets were bagging the bulk items, weighing them, pulling barcode stickers off the printer reel and affixing them to the goods. Probably a great business model if you can afford the labor.<br />
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We spent a fair amount of time picking out soup mix, potato chips, dried fruit, cheese, yogurt-covered pretzels, crackers, and I don't remember what all else. Right about the time we were walking out, the promised thunderstorms arrived and it began raining pitchforks. So we sat down in a couple of the plastic wood Adirondack chairs on display under the veranda and dug into our chow, watching the deluge cascade off the tin roof.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357543010/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Potato Chip Portage"><img alt="Potato Chip Portage" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/37357543010_0a4581b5a7.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
After a little while the rain let up, and we decided to go looking for that night's camp. Harsted County Park was the closest, but a brief visit revealed a number of sites occupied by what appeared to be long-term campers whose vibe was, for lack of a better word, creepy.<br />
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Continuing on toward Coon Fork County Park, we cut through the Augusta wildlife area. The gravel and doubletrack were quite rideable, and the scenery made it a super-cool find.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37545127070/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Augusta"><img alt="Augusta" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4462/37545127070_78648e1f06.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
It started raining again, and next up was a section on gravel through Mennonite country. For a moment I thought I saw the track of another bike, and then realized there was another parallel to it with shod hoof prints between. We passed a couple of sheds with active sawmills and workshops with blue-shirted, suspendered men engaged in making pallets.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37131064454/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Riding Rain in Amish Country"><img alt="Riding Rain in Amish Country" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4490/37131064454_9157d7657d.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Coon Fork County Park turned out to be worth the extra miles.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/23730692228/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Sunset"><img alt="Sunset" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4457/23730692228_68e3c6af9e.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357542500/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Coon Fork"><img alt="Coon Fork" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4471/37357542500_d2bc8f5959.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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(All of the photos are <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/albums/72157687089736870" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
<iframe scrolling="no" src="https://rwgps-embeds.com/embeds?type=trip&id=18300333&title=October%20Tour%20Day%20Three%20(A)&sampleGraph=true" style="border: none; height: 500px; min-width: 100%; width: 1px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe scrolling="no" src="https://rwgps-embeds.com/embeds?type=trip&id=18300312&title=October%20Tour%20Day%20Three%20(B)&sampleGraph=true" style="border: none; height: 500px; min-width: 100%; width: 1px;"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-15271632506078760122017-10-02T21:00:00.000-05:002018-03-31T11:47:22.731-05:00Wisco All-Road River Tour of Headwinds, Day Two<div style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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Flambeau River State Park to Brunet State Park in Cornell</h4>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36881183914/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Flambeau Campsite"><img alt="Flambeau Campsite" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4457/36881183914_8050beff6c.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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The rain stopped about the time we got up and the sun soon came out. It was probably 10 by the time we rolled out, but our stuff was reasonably dry. West Lane was not though, pulling at our tires a little and making for sloggy progress.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/23730693668/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Flambeau River Gravels"><img alt="Flambeau River Gravels" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4461/23730693668_70cb0630e8.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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We stopped at one of the landings to snack, water up, and use the facilities, and ran across the canoe couple waiting for their ride. </div>
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Eventually West Lane's soggy gravel gave way to pavement, which made life easier. Then one more short stretch of gravel, the beautiful and delightfully curvy Mae West Road, carried us into Ladysmith.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37357544940/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Mae West Road"><img alt="Mae West Road" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4478/37357544940_f453c5e56b.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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It was clouding up as we stopped and had lunch at Gordy's Market on the northwest edge of town. They had plenty of ready-to eat food (I had the chili and a corn dog, among other things) and a quiet place to sit and look at maps. Eric would be leaving us to ride back to his car, parked at Jon's place in Phillips. Little did he know at the time that he'd be overtaken by a line of thunderstorms that missed us.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/41095274682/in/dateposted-public/" title="Touring Strategy Session"><img alt="Touring Strategy Session" height="375" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/783/41095274682_8434414126.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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We could see the rain coming on radar, so Grant and I decided to forego a visit to Pine Point County Park in Holcombe and push for Brunet Island State park at Cornell instead.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37792701906/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Brunet Island Campsite"><img alt="Brunet Island Campsite" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4445/37792701906_744def8b70.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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We rolled into Cornell as the sky was darkening with rain clouds, found a lovely site right on the Chippewa River and pitched camp quickly in anticipation of getting hit by storms we could see and hear off to the northwest. Dinner was cooked at camp, showers were had, and the rain rolled away without so much as a sprinkle.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/37333621130/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Brunet State Park"><img alt="Brunet State Park" height="356" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4460/37333621130_62ba246bcc.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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(All of the photos are <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/albums/72157687089736870" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-2786306751079988942017-10-01T22:00:00.000-05:002018-03-31T11:43:49.087-05:00Wisco All-Road River Tour of Headwinds, Day One<div style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36945440443/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Brief Break"><img alt="Brief Break" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4466/36945440443_cbd32f82a8.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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<h4>
Lac du Flambeau to Flambeau River State Forest, 64-ish miles.</h4>
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Grant, Eric, Jon and I left Andy's place at about 10 am, headed west on Chequamegon Forest Trail. We looked for Grant's wallet at the Round Lake trails, but did not find it. Jon split off for home after Moosejaw, missing the most excellent Blockhouse Lake Rd.—a study in sweet, sweet Northwoods gravel.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/23950836738/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Blockhouse Lake Road"><img alt="Blockhouse Lake Road" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4448/23950836738_99407c4754.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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We stopped for "lunch" at a c-store in Park Falls, a grimy paper mill town on the north fork of the Flambeau River. Then it was westbound again on some rolling pavement until we turned south on ATV trails. The first stretch was good, but then it turned to a glacial till of sand and rock. Somehow we managed to pick our way through and nobody got a flat. </div>
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Another brief stint on roads took us to a system of cross-country ski trails running parallel to the river that were, to be kind, difficult.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36905519844/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Ski Trail Madness"><img alt="Ski Trail Madness" height="375" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4482/36905519844_14039d2164.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Late in the afternoon we popped out at Red's Big Bear, where we stopped for pizza and beer. We got to talking with a couple who were canoeing the river, and they told us which campsites were open. Technically only paddlers were supposed to camp there, but there were plenty of open sites and we figured our footprint would be light. The moonlight and sound of the river were wonderful.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/36881185124/in/album-72157687089736870/" title="Moonlit Picnic"><img alt="Moonlit Picnic" height="333" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4463/36881185124_60e61f867d.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Sometime after we went to bed it started to rain (a slow rain perfect for sleeping), with a little bit of lightning, and kept raining until after sunup.</div>
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(All of the photos are <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/albums/72157687089736870" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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<iframe scrolling="no" src="https://rwgps-embeds.com/embeds?type=trip&id=18300384&title=October%20Tour%20Day%20One&sampleGraph=true" style="border: none; height: 500px; min-width: 100%; width: 1px;"></iframe></div>
Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-13673910522803942352016-04-27T20:00:00.000-05:002016-04-28T11:58:28.275-05:00Trans Iowa 2016<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/26584718932/in/dateposted-public/" title="Gravels"><img alt="Gravels" height="333" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1506/26584718932_30c1c91fc2.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
So, Trans Iowa.<br />
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I went, I started, made the first checkpoint cutoff time by five minutes, dropped out at the first convenience store (in Victor, Iowa) and rode back to Brooklyn to get picked up. About 86 miles for the day.<br />
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So why did I drop out? Well, it's a bit of a story:<br />
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I rode quite a few miles in training over the last six months, tracking things like heart rate, distance and speed. Despite being systematic about it, giving myself days off, managing my stress and whatnot, the numbers were flat. More importantly, I really wasn’t feeling all that great. My motivation was low and I felt disproportionately stressed out. I felt more and more like a robot; and even though I was eating right, getting lots of sleep, and drinking enough fluids, I was not really Going Like Hell. Finally, after turning in my first hundred-mile ride on April 10, I felt noticeably short of breath. So I made a doctor appointment.<br />
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Some of you reading this, especially the endurance athletes, may know that doing something like making a doctor appointment with vague symptoms can be its own challenge. There’s an angel on the one shoulder who’s calmly telling us to watch out for our own well-being, and then there’s a devil on the other screaming “don’t be such a pussy! It’s all in your head!” (I’m quoting—it’s the devil, and he uses naughty words.) While dogged determination has given me some excellent experiences, my intuition told me something wasn’t quite right.<br />
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I expected something related to allergy or asthma. Maybe a lung function test. The physician’s assistant put a stethoscope on my chest, listened for about 5 seconds and said:<br />
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“Do you have a heart murmur?”<br />
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Me: “Uhhhh….no?”<br />
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“You have a heart murmur.” He listened again. “Any family history of mitral valve problems?”<br />
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“My grandmother had a valve replacement.”<br />
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He seemed unimpressed.<br />
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“Well, first we’re going to do an EKG here, then blood work and a chest X-ray downstairs. Then we’ll get you in over at the UW for an echo.” The ultrasonographer told me that had I been 50 pounds heavier, nobody would have detected the lub-click-dub-whoosh.<br />
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Turns out I have a mitral valve prolapse, which is essentially a noisy and slightly leaky heart valve. It’s pretty common (2%–6% of the population) and benign for almost everybody who has it. Many people who have it don’t even know they have it, and it doesn’t matter because it’s not the kind of heart disease that will kill you, at least not by itself.<br />
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Of course, nobody in the medical profession would tell me that right away. I had the tests on Tuesday the 12th, and ended up calling that Friday to find out what was going on. I was told that the news was generally good, but to avoid strenuous activity. Whatever that meant. I was all registered and paid up for Dairy Roubaix, but instead of doing the ride decided to volunteer in the kitchen for the breakfast shift and <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskysbeBc" target="_blank">take some pictures</a> of the riders out on the course. It was a good time, but it wasn’t the same as riding.<br />
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The following Wednesday, I finally got a message back from my doctor with some more detail about what I could and could not do. I decided that starting TI and riding steady for a while fit within what I could do. So we went. I didn’t expect to make the time cutoff at the first checkpoint, but that happened. I felt good all day, got to know Slender Fungus rider Dr. Giggles as we rode together. I was quite tired afterward—maybe more so than usual, but hard to say for certain.<br />
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It’s still not clear exactly where I go from here, endurance racing-wise. For a normal person, my condition would be a non-issue, but I realize that I am not a normal person. I have a feeling it might take a while to figure out what’s next. Meanwhile? Chillin’, I guess.<br />
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Thanks once again to <a href="http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mark Stevenson</a> for putting this thing on. Though we may secretly curse your name on some of the steeper hills (or sometimes not all that secretly) words can’t express what great experiences I had at all four of the Trans Iowas I did (even last year.) The ride itself, and even more so the people who help organize it and participate, I wouldn’t trade for anything.<br />
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I’m feeling damn lucky today. Glad I found out what I did in a nice warm, well-lit clinic without having it become a crisis out in in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. Glad to have a loving and supportive family, and a lot of good friends. Glad we have health insurance. Glad I took the line at 04:00 on Saturday.<br />
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Previous TI attempts: <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2015/05/with-bang-and-whimper.html" target="_blank">2015</a>, <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2014/05/trans-iowa-2014.html" target="_blank">2014</a>, <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2013/05/trans-iowa-part-first.html" target="_blank">2013</a>.<br />
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Photos over on <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskyfQcgf" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/1141038434" title="Trans Iowa TI v.12 Leg 1" width="465"></iframe><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/1141052975" title="Trans Iowa TI v.12 Leg 2" width="465"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-28385207067940839862016-01-21T22:32:00.000-06:002016-02-16T14:38:06.061-06:00Triple D 2016<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/24176271020/in/dateposted-public/" title="Indecision clouded my vision."><img alt="Indecision clouded my vision." height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1466/24176271020_01b60fa892.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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This was my eighth shot at the <a href="http://tripledrace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Triple D</a> winter race, having started <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2009/01/slog-is-four-letter-word.html" target="_blank">back in 2009</a> as a complete newb. We've had a strange winter this year with few snow events but lots of freeze-thaw action. Fearing a repeat of <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2013/02/dirty-dangerous-determination.html" target="_blank">2013</a>, I took two bikes along. Went down to Dubuque a little early and scouted the Heritage trail a bit, then later met up with Utah Steve and Paul to pre-ride the creek bottoms at the start of the course. Scattered icy patches had me ultimately deciding on the studded 29er.<br />
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Race morning dawned very cold. At the 10 a.m. start, it was -7˚F, with a 15 mph northwest wind gusting to 24—but hey, at least it was sunny. Every bit of skin had to be covered.<br />
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The start was pretty orderly this year, which was good because the creek bottoms still had some open water. The snow was rock-hard but not very fast.<br />
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The creek bottoms were pretty protected, and the industrial park was okay, but the tops of hills and open fields were right in the jaws of the wind. I went to drink out of my Camelbak about 45 minutes into the race, but the insulated hose was very stiff between the bladder and the bite valve. I had stuck the bite valve down between the pack and my back, and it was still useable, but the hose was frozen solid. Fortunately, I had a bottle of sports drink in my frame bag with a chemical warmer, and it was still good. The cold had me thinking of quitting even before Junction 21 (mile 10), but I stuck it out. Checked in briefly in 26th place and got a refill on the water bottle. Felt chilled starting out again, and started considering turning east at Heritage to drop out and shortcut the course back to the hotel.<br />
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The Humke B road was as fun as ever, even with a little bit of two-wheel drifting on the smooth ice near the bottom. It was enough of a thrill that I figured I might as well ride west on Heritage for a while and see how that went. Ran into Frank, who was pumping up his tires, and I stopped and did the same. He suggested working together, and I thought that sounded good, so we continued on.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/24385638081/in/dateposted-public/" title="Frank"><img alt="Frank" height="333" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1526/24385638081_7427ebb8c6.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I had gotten a comment from a fat biker earlier suggesting that my bike would just fly on the rail trail. Sadly, this was not the case. I'm not sure exactly why, but it didn't feel at all fast. I suspect that the Nokian Extremes on a wide rim are too squared-off, resulting in every stud and every tread block hitting the contact patch all the time. That, and they aren't light or lively tires to begin with.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/12753191314/in/photolist-CwqQZM-kqXrf7-kqXrsS-7kNyKo" title="Sumoi Extremes"><img alt="Sumoi Extremes" height="333" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2864/12753191314_8b9fd9b118.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
The section between Holy Cross Road near Farley and Dyersville was bad—there's just no other word for it. Mostly open country with that stinging headwind. Frank could ride faster than me, but reasoned that doing that section together would be better than doing it individually, and he was right. We traded pulls but were still hurting by the time we rolled into the second checkpoint at Chad's pizza.<br />
<br />
We took quite a long break at Chad's. I had concluded that doing things right in this weather was much preferable to doing them hastily. I swapped out my chemical foot warmers, drank and refilled fluids, added a hat and ate as much as I could. Also dealt with an exclusively male problem, countering a bit of redness and swelling with a strategically-placed spare wool sock and chemical warmer. Had a bit of a shiver attack that concerned me, but it went away as soon as we started out again.<br />
<br />
The return segment was out of the wind and mostly downhill. The trail was in good shape, so I put on the cruise control and did some rolling recovery. Frank pulled easily away from me and became a dot in the distance. I finally felt good for the first time since starting, and kept a steady pace with only one food/drink/nature stop. I switched to my light gloves and then to no gloves at all for a while. I occupied my brain by eating chewy bits (honey stinger bites are especially good for this) a little at a time. As I approached Sundown Ski Area, a fox ran onto the trail and ran ahead of me for a couple hundred yards. I considered it a good omen.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/24359745942/in/dateposted-public/" title="Heritage Trail"><img alt="Heritage Trail" height="278" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1521/24359745942_3d1315e318.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Frank was leaving Durango just as I was parking my bike. I checked in and got a water refill, ate some pizza and chatted with the volunteers and a few people who had dropped out. I wasn't in a particular hurry, since I knew I'd be riding in the dark soon anyway.<br />
<br />
Dusk was falling and I was chilled as I left Durango. Before I was warm again, about a half-mile down the trail, I saw a bike laid out and its rider standing over it. I asked what was wrong, and it turned out to be a broken chain. I asked whether he had the part or tool to fix it, and he replied that he did not. I said that I had the part and the tool, but he responded that he didn't have the required knowledge. So I got the stuff out and had a look. The chain was threaded wrong, so I instructed the rider to re-thread it correctly and got out my quick link and mini tool. Could not get the broken side plate off with the pliers, so we dug out the chain tool and I went at the rivet. All this time, my hands were getting progressively more painful and less dexterous. Of course, the rivet was seized and I had a hell of a time getting it out. I really had to crank on my poor little chain tool, and even then I had to use the pliers to rip the side plate off <i>and</i> to get the rivet and other side plate out. Finally got the quick link in though, and got the rider on his way. As soon as he was back up, I hopped on the bike and shot down the trail, looking to get the bio-furnace relit. Twilight was fading as I left Heritage and passed the driving range.<br />
<br />
The last leg along the Northwest Arterial was a slog. It was hard to navigate in the dark, it went back up on a hill, and it turned a bit west, back into the wind. Plus, I was alone at this point. Had to stop at one point and check my map and GPS to make sure I was still on course. Finally got to the downhill and into the creek bottoms, walking a fair amount by this point because my feet had gotten cold again. My Transition lenses were also still dark because of the cold, so I couldn't see all that well either. Toughed it out to the finish, rolling in for 15th place at just after 19:00 all tired and cold, but with no injuries and feeling pretty good.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFigk_e2oYz56MwcyNN1Cxs8_v9VY1nD6DTlCZ-46KnXMyFSPM-ftN6ro_u972R0snAU68iFOncRuopW-TQH0tVniNK834lRE36FnIxEWPXo3QoEsvZObIgu6mGNnFqzkX66T/s1600/1934435_10206714645399630_3689505121962140948_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFigk_e2oYz56MwcyNN1Cxs8_v9VY1nD6DTlCZ-46KnXMyFSPM-ftN6ro_u972R0snAU68iFOncRuopW-TQH0tVniNK834lRE36FnIxEWPXo3QoEsvZObIgu6mGNnFqzkX66T/s400/1934435_10206714645399630_3689505121962140948_n.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(photo by <a href="http://mrdaveygie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Davy G</a>)</span></i><br />
<br />
Pics over <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/albums/72157663113861110" target="_blank">yonder</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/1019733639' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
My clothing was as follows:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>North Face Skully beanie with ear covers, a homemade fleece face mask that seals at the nose and vents out the bottom, plenty of Dermatone and Vaseline on any still-exposed areas. Added a neck gaiter in the field before the first checkpoint and a thin wool cap at Dyersville.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>North Face arm warmers, 32˚ synthetic base layer, UnderArmour Cold Base 2 (all skin-tight), covered with a Mountain Hardwear SuperPower Transition soft-shell jacket. PI lobsters at the start, followed by PI WXRs and then no gloves as I warmed up. The bike sported ATV bar mitts.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Legs got Pearl padded shorts, and some old Nike lycra tights, both covered with Swrve mid-weight WWR knicks and some garage sale gaiters.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Tall, thick Surly wool socks, a pair of thin wool socks, chem warmers and LaCrosse Quickshot 8", 600 gram boots for the feet.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
I ate Curiak <a href="http://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2011/08/dough.html" target="_blank">dough</a>, Honey Stinger chews, Honey Stinger waffle cookies with Nutella and pork jerky on the trail. Drank Hammer Perpetuem and water.<br />
<br />
The bike was a GT Peace 9er Multi 2x8 with Schlick Northpaw 47mm rims and Nokian Gazza Extreme 296 in the 29x1.9 size. Titec H-bars and Thudbuster LT; platform pedals.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG14uFyQ5ZBzoBQWQ-zJEDlBg34FyezUUStEcmiDFN3mKovoi0rA6wIHkWe7EuD-8sviQL_ZO9GoeF1Neu9DJrrDMrWyKxA4C2Y3PInV_7DsyctYPAnkVgQnYJaWg8YVrRmFh6/s1600/12400788_10206610510194814_5317140844490101086_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG14uFyQ5ZBzoBQWQ-zJEDlBg34FyezUUStEcmiDFN3mKovoi0rA6wIHkWe7EuD-8sviQL_ZO9GoeF1Neu9DJrrDMrWyKxA4C2Y3PInV_7DsyctYPAnkVgQnYJaWg8YVrRmFh6/s640/12400788_10206610510194814_5317140844490101086_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Photo by Amber Bettcher)</span></i>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-41045521582516264372015-12-18T13:46:00.002-06:002015-12-18T13:46:37.559-06:00The Last Couple of Years in One MapRed is this year, brown is last year, purple is 2013 and blue is 2012. Zoom out for amazement.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/fusiontables/embedviz?q=select+col2%3E%3E0+from+1rRBlhZ9nHb0aYO0is5YaBFQYM8k1hPhRLRlkOyvp&viz=MAP&h=false&lat=42.95551666511821&lng=-89.31949723625182&t=1&z=9&l=col2%3E%3E0&y=2&tmplt=2&hml=KML" width="500"></iframe><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(made with GPSBabel and Google Fusion Tables.)</span></i>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-28149614977106282842015-08-28T08:30:00.003-05:002015-08-31T15:45:37.037-05:00Northwoods 2015<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/20238315933/in/album-72157655384286764/" title="Northwoods 2015"><img alt="Northwoods 2015" height="333" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5618/20238315933_89e193d259.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Not a lot of takers this year, probably because we scheduled the weekend before Gnomefest. Madison Steve called in sick on this one, leaving just Andy, Nate and myself. Nate got to the cabin during the day on Friday and did a bit of scout riding, while Andy and I did our usual horsing around plus fish fry at the Hilltop, arriving just before 21:30. The three of us shot the breeze until turning in around 23:00. We all apparently needed some shuteye, because nobody got up until 08:00; and even though we kept breakfast simple, we didn't get legs over bikes until 10:30.<br />
<br />
No cabin to cabin this time, just a day loop, but practically all new territory. Andy had been obsessing over the route rather intensively for a couple of weeks, and it did not disappoint. Some choice gravel and paved roads to an abandoned railbed running through Powell Marsh up to Mercer, then a bunch of snowmobile and ATV trails and gravel out to the northwest, with a stop at Lake of the Falls. Then a loop back to Mercer, returning home via the railbed and some pavements.<br />
<br />
But for the main highways, there was almost no motor vehicle traffic. We were passed by maybe a half-dozen cars on the back roads, and encountered maybe 8 ATV's (mostly UTV's actually) on the trails, in 4 groups. Our pace was brisk, but there were plenty of stops for pictures, eating, and wayfinding. A steady south wind helped keep the moving average speed up. One stop at a resort bar offered Miller High Life shorties and plenty of bemused looks from the locals. Adventure cycling is apparently not a very popular activity in those parts.<br />
<br />
Out at the far end of the loop, the hour started to get late, so we cut off a few miles of the planned route and turned into the wind for home. Made another stop at the grocery store in Mercer to fuel up. Found some high-quality swampwading on the return route, and had to turn on the lights for the last few miles of pavement. Popped open a couple of beers back at the cabin, took a group photo, and jumped in the lake to wash off the swamp.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/20238307063/in/album-72157655384286764/" title="Bicycle-Eating Hole"><img alt="Bicycle-Eating Hole" height="333" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/667/20238307063_54eefc9cce.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Seventy-two miles, nine and a half hours out.<br />
<br />
Photos on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/albums/72157655384286764" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/875670123" width="465"></iframe><br />Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-43700941495805936782015-04-29T20:00:00.000-05:002015-11-05T16:23:17.612-06:00Cheese Triangle Counterclockwise<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/17370270145/in/album-72157652294940036/" title="Grader"><img alt="Grader" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7719/17370270145_eba5f354e6.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Because apparently, twice in one twelve-month period wasn't enough (and one might have thought <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2015/01/cheese-soup-served-cold.html" target="_blank">this abomination</a> in particular would have cured me). It was good to get the yayas out after the <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2015/05/with-bang-and-whimper.html" target="_blank">Trans Iowa fiasco</a>, but I won't be doing this ride on anything less than a 2.2" tire ever again. Ever.<br />
<br />
Picture party <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskaK2RD7">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/759337753" width="465"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-9890131949533335152015-04-26T20:00:00.000-05:002015-08-31T15:46:58.323-05:00With a Bang and a Whimper<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/17127631577" title="Driving Rain by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Driving Rain" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7718/17127631577_c500978a73.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
The third time was supposed to be the charm, but the weather had other ideas.<br />
<br />
In a nutshell, Mother Nature won this one 94-1. The course started out generally northeast, and that morning there was a 20+mph ENE wind, it was maybe 42dF and it started raining about an hour into the race. I will remember this event as <i>4 Hours of Drowned Rat</i>.<br />
<br />
----------<br />
<br />
Neither of my fellow Madisonians signed up for Trans Iowa the Eleventh, but my postcards went in the mail at the appointed time and I got in. My dad agreed to be my support crew, and we drove down Friday morning by way of LeClaire (with a brief visit to Antique Archeology).<br />
<br />
The Meatup on Friday night was great. Saw quite a few people I knew, and the pre-race was a little long but lots of fun. Back in the hotel room, everything was set bike-wise, so I laid out my kit, took a shower and laid down to pretend to sleep. There was a brief thunderstorm, followed by a wind that howled and moaned at the window all night.<br />
<br />
Got up at 02:50 and looked at the radar on my tablet. A huge pinwheel of precipitation colors spun slowly over the state, complete with what looked like an eye on the Missouri border. East winds at 15, gusting to 22.<br />
<br />
Ate a bit and dressed, putting a rain shell over my hydration pack. Rolled out of the hotel parking lot toward downtown and had trouble getting my body to follow my plans for a big ride. It wasn't raining yet, but it was cool and the crosswind was unmistakably strong.<br />
<br />
There were 95 of us at the start out in front of Bikes To You, and the feel was tense compared to the previous two years. My dad had driven down and we said our goodbyes just as Mark stepped up to make the final announcements. A couple of minutes later he tooted the horn and we were off.<br />
<br />
It was a real problem finding my rhythm that morning. I was just gassed for the first five or six miles (which were directly into the jaws of that wind) and fell mostly off the back. Distant flashes of lightning added to the consternation. Eventually we turned north and then west for a bit, so I was able to rally and get the diesel started somewhere around mile ten. Right about that time, droplets of water vapor began to swirl in the beam of my headlight, and by mile twelve it had begun to drizzle. The roads were already saturated from the previous night's rain, and I found myself pushing pretty hard even on the downhills. Maybe twenty minutes later, the rain began in ernest and a couple of bright flashes of lightning lit up the landscape. I stopped briefly to eat and put on my waterproof glove shells.<br />
<br />
North again, then west, then north, and then there it was: the cue to turn directly into that headwind for eight miles. Though not visible, the sun was up and had turned the landscape into the storm at sea scene from many an old war movie. Recently graded, this road had a pretty good surface, but still required constant attention at the tiller. No eating, no photographs, no clothing adjustments. Just pedaling, cranking up the hills and rolling like a lumber wagon down the other side, as if waiting for the cold, sodden amber to harden.<br />
<br />
A guy with a MPLS cap was on his phone in the lee of a couple of pines, so I pulled over to have a bite and touch base. My feet were soaked at this point because my rain pants turned out to not be impermeable. The rain had also run down my sleeves and gotten my inner gloves wet. I would find out back at the hotel that my dry pair had also gotten wet inside my frame bag. Eavesdropping on Edward's phone conversation revealed that he was dropping out and arranging for a ride.<br />
<br />
This made me admit what had been obvious for at least the last hour—I was not going to make the checkpoint within the time limit. Not even close. I thought at that point that maybe the top third of the field would make it, but found out later that only one person would make 54 miles by 08:30. I got back on the bike and started up the next hill, starting to think about where I would drop out. I sort of wanted to see the B-level (dirt) road at mile 34, still ten miles away. I stopped to move my phone from my pants pocket to my jersey pocket (under my rain shell) to make sure it wouldn't drown. Edward passed me, wishing me safe travels.<br />
<br />
Right about that time, two riders came over the hill in the opposite direction.<br />
<br />
"You going home?" I yelled.<br />
<br />
"Yup, all the way back to Madison!"<br />
<br />
Turned out to be Chris and Adam, a couple of past Trans Iowa finishers, on their way back to Grinnell via 16 miles of pavements. It took me all of five seconds to decide to drop out right there at mile 24 and join them. Chris was cruising along in good spirits, but Adam was on a mission. He gapped us off within the first five miles and disappeared over the horizon soon after. Chris and I had a pleasant conversation about his recent move to Madison and hope to meet up for a bit of riding soon.<br />
<br />
Disappointment? Yes and no. No, I was not disappointed to miss the cutoff. So it was a whole springtime of training—so what? If you aren't enjoying your Trans Iowa training for its own sake, you're probably doing it wrong or should just find something else to do. Yes, I was disappointed to not be able to ride all day, shooting the breeze with friends and meeting challenges out in the boonies. That seems to be Trans Iowa though. You just don't know what's going to happen, and that's part of the attraction.<br />
<br />
Next year? Yeah, probably. If it happens.<br />
<br />
(<a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2014/05/trans-iowa-2014.html" target="_blank">2014 report</a>, <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2013/05/trans-iowa-part-first.html" target="_blank">2013 report</a>)<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/756789951" width="465"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-862431660546975852015-04-13T12:30:00.000-05:002015-04-13T13:48:13.512-05:00Sunup to Sundown Three, Last of the TI Training<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16950265749" title="Illinois Woodlot by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Illinois Woodlot" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7602/16950265749_612ec1be4e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Saturday was my final long training ride for TIv.11, and a beautiful day out. The start was chilly, but still and quiet. Tyler, Jacob and I met at the Jenifer St. Market, rolling out at 05:00 on the dot to collect Utah Steve and Harald as we crossed Commonwealth at 05:20.<br />
<br />
The cruise down the Badger was pretty easy, and the sun broke over the horizon just about the time we reached Belleville. We rode around the ice stalagmite in the tunnel and Utah Steve peeled off at Monticello to hit New Glarus and points west on his way back to Madison.<br />
<br />
After hitting the Kwik Trip in Monroe for some eats, we turned off onto the roads headed west and mostly south into Illinois. The wind wasn't much of a factor at this point, coming out of the west-southwest, but made us hopeful for a tailwind on the way home.<br />
<br />
I lagged quite a bit for the remainder of the ride. I knew I was riding a heavy (TI-equipped) bike with people who were faster than me, but I think I also wasn't fully recovered from the <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2015/04/hall-of-elms-cx.html" target="_blank">Hall of Elms</a> ride. I could definitely feel it in my legs. Though I may have been a little frustrated at first, I hadn't advertised this as a no-drop ride, so I hold no ill will. It also occurred to me that it was good practice for resisting the temptation to push outside of my pace and take the long view.<br />
<br />
We all stopped in Freeport and Brodhead for resupply. Somewhere north of Brodhead, Harald and Tyler pulled away for good, and Jacob and I were left to finish it off. The anticipated tailwind made matters easier, with one more stop at the KwikTrip in Oregon for a slice of pizza, which really hit the spot!<br />
<br />
Finally, this was probably the last of the Trans Iowa training for good, since I'm pretty sure this will be my last Trans Iowa. Barring some unanticipated turn of events, I think a third one will do me.<br />
<br />
So begins the taper; next weekend is the Dairy Roubaix, and the following week it's on to TIv.11!<br />
<br />
More photos? Over <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157651875096366/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/743752054" width="465"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-54028805366590179262015-04-06T13:00:00.000-05:002015-04-13T13:39:11.052-05:00Hall of Elms C+X<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16868438650" title="Ready by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Ready" height="375" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7725/16868438650_09689e93a6.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
No, not cyclocross, 100+10. More training for TI, this time solo. Started out about 07:35 with almost the full setup, bound for New Glarus, Evansville and the Hall of Elms. The goal was the whole distance at an overall average speed of 12 mph.<br />
<br />
Starting out was great with sunshine and a light wind out of the southwest, but it would not remain so. Just about the time I hit the highlands west of town, it had kicked up into a substantial headwind. Combined with driftless hills, the pace ground down to about 10 miles per hour for a while. The crosswind was a little better down near New Glarus, though it leaned the bike sideways and threatened to blow me into traffic.<br />
<br />
Turning east was fantastic, and I definitely got back on pace by the time I had reached Evansville. Did a 15-minute stop at the Quickie Mart and continued on to the Hall of Elms.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16868186228" title="Hall of Elms by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Hall of Elms" height="300" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8691/16868186228_f0d2dd5c22.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
I had suspected while riding, and later confirmed, that the wind shifted around to the west-northwest and then the northwest as I made my way home. The last 20 miles or so were a real character builder. I was pretty shelled for the Badger game and honestly, for most of the day on Sunday.<br />
<br />
Weather data:<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Time</th> <th>Temp</th> <th>WindDir</th> <th>Speed</th> <th>Gust</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7:53 AM</td> <td>36°</td> <td>SW</td> <td>5.8</td> <td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8:53 AM</td> <td>39°</td> <td>WSW</td> <td>10.4</td> <td>17.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9:53 AM</td> <td>43°</td> <td>WSW</td> <td>11.5</td> <td>17.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10:53 AM</td> <td>48°</td> <td>SW</td> <td>13.8</td> <td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11:53 AM</td> <td>52°</td> <td>West</td> <td>12.7</td> <td>19.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12:53 PM</td> <td>54°</td> <td>West</td> <td>12.7</td> <td>25.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1:53 PM</td> <td>55°</td> <td>WNW</td> <td>15.0</td> <td>27.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2:53 PM</td> <td>56 °</td> <td>NW</td> <td>16.1</td> <td>29.9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3:53 PM</td> <td>57°</td> <td>WNW</td> <td>11.5</td> <td>27.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4:53 PM</td> <td>57°</td> <td>WNW</td> <td>12.7</td> <td>21.9</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Photos over on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157651728972746" target="_blank">that other site</a>.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/737319052" width="465"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-85068927314072627152015-03-30T12:31:00.000-05:002015-04-13T13:38:42.208-05:00Training for Trans Iowa v.11<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16792136010" title="Access Road Gravel Ice by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Access Road Gravel Ice" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7617/16792136010_391b8f986c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Been out there, chipping away at it day after day with no big frills or expectations. Seems like the 95% aerobic/5% anaerobic training pattern has been working, albeit slowly. I certainly feel less stressed out and more focused this year.<br />
<br />
Having tried it twice so far, I have a pretty good idea about what I might expect. If the weather and the fates are even remotely cooperative, the third time might be the charm.<br />
<br />
(<a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2014/05/trans-iowa-2014.html" target="_blank">TIv10 report</a>, <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2013/05/trans-iowa-part-first.html" target="_blank">TIv9 report</a>.)Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-22623365544796426612015-03-24T20:00:00.000-05:002015-04-13T13:38:59.853-05:00Hollandale Century<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16718972748" title="... by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="..." height="264" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/16718972748_4b3b766d49.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<div>
Wow, I'll tell you, the dogs sure wanted a good run for this early in the season. We rolled the first 12 miles or so at such a nice, steady pace, and then as soon as we hit the first decent-sized hill: WHAM! Everybody was out of the saddle and into the hammerfest. Everybody but me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My view for much of this ride was a bunch of butts, often in the distance...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16284256814" title="Valley Riding by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Valley Riding" height="264" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7586/16284256814_33aa7ed74f.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
We stopped for lunch in Hollandale at the Good Times Log Cabin. Darn tasty food for such a little town.<br />
<br />
Then, around mile 75 or so, I began to get my revenge. People started to remember that, oh, yeah, a century is a hundred miles long, and slowed down.<br />
<br />
Heh.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157651454334996" target="_blank">Pixxors de la Flixxors</a>.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/725551338" width="465"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-22494105144577590102015-02-04T20:00:00.000-06:002015-03-10T14:05:59.215-05:00The Northwoods RidesA couple of years back, Pal Andy came up with the idea of doing some mountain bike rides out of his cabin, which is on the eastern edge of the Chequamegon National Forest in northern Wisconsin. The concept was to do off-road rides more in the original spirit of the activity rather than riding laps on purpose-built singletrack trails.<br />
<br />
The common thread has been a drive up to the cabin the night before, setting out on the road into the forest and then traversing any and all surfaces that present themselves. These rides would not be complete without either getting a bit lost or doing some swamp wading, and they're better if we end up doing both. If we arrive back without being exhausted, wet, dirty and scratched up, we haven't done our jobs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2010</b><br />
<i>Day loop:</i> Andy and Eric M. I wasn't on this one, but it was the birth of the concept. They apparently saw a bear cub, got a little lost on the equestrian trails, did quite a bit of swamp wading, and Andy was bonked out so bad he was nothing but babble for the last 6 or 8 miles. Eric hasn't been back.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/6069793565" title="Downpour Segment by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Downpour Segment" height="375" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6204/6069793565_cde5a52195.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<b>2011</b><br />
<i>Day loop:</i> Andy and I; Peace 29er. (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157627369513513/" target="_blank">Pix</a>) This was my first go at wandering around in the northwoods, and it made quite the impression. My family made the trip up, but only Andy and I went riding. He served as tour guide and made it quite clear that he knows the territory really well. I can't remember for certain, but I don't think he even brought a map. Got dirty, rained on, lost and scratched up. Ate wild berries like bears. Came home and did some swimming and eating as a group; the family and I went from there to a vacation on Washington Island (a longer drive than I had expected.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/7730446474" title="Route Chat by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Route Chat" height="375" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7274/7730446474_3b3a96815a.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<b>2012</b><br />
<i>Day loop:</i> Andy, Nate; Peace 29er fat front. (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157630947791904/" target="_blank">Pix</a>) Nate joined us the next year, and the 3 of us rented a car and stopped for fish fry on the way up Friday night.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/10029928146" title="Cabin Driveway by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Cabin Driveway" height="375" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/10029928146_1aae0831ea.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<b>2013</b><br />
<i>Cabin to cabin and back again:</i> Andy, Nate, Chuck; Peace 29er plus front. (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157635822618495/" target="_blank">Pix</a>) This was a new twist on the existing theme. Nate drove me and everybody's drop bags up to Phillips on Friday, where we would leave supplies at his family's cabin and then drive to meet Andy and Chuck at Andy's cabin.<br />
<br />
While in Phillips, we got groceries and then met up with Nate's dad, who has a job relocating problem bears. As it happened, he had a couple of bears already on his truck, so we went with him to release them. I got to open the trap gates and we watched them run off into the woods. We had fish fry with Nate's folks and took the stuff out to the cabin before taking off for Andy's place.<br />
<br />
Andy's and Chuck's families were along for this one, and Andy's family accompanied us on the rollout. Chuck and Nate were on cyclocross bikes; Andy and I were on mountain bikes. Labor Day meant that there were lots of ATV riders out on the trails.<br />
<br />
There was a bit of confusion on the way into Park Falls, followed by some swamp wading and bushwhacking. After a stop at the convenience store, we picked up the Tuscobia trail to the west and then dropped south to Oxbo. Made it to Nate's cabin just before sunset, in time for a dip in the river. Grilled brats and corn and ate like kings (but not nearly all the groceries we had bought) before dropping exhausted into bed.<br />
<br />
Woke up Sunday morning thinking it was maybe 06:30 to find that the sun was much too high in the sky for that—it was actually 09:15. We made a hasty breakfast and set out on the return trip. Lots of roads that morning and the skinny-tired riders left me in the dust a couple of times. Chuck met up with his family at Solberg Lake and they departed for Madison. The remaining trio rode back to Andy's place, had a dip and ate, returning to Madison on Monday.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15066325207" title="Tree Portaging by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Tree Portaging" height="333" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/15066325207_e02edab952.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<b>2014</b><br />
<i>Cabin to cabin and back again, again:</i> Andy, Nate, Madison Steve, Utah Steve; Peace 29er plus front. (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157647658490445/" target="_blank">Pix</a>) Chuck was replaced by two Steves this year; Madison Steve joined Nate for the drop bag run and general tomfoolery for a couple days before the ride; the other joined Andy and I in the rental car for his first Wisco fish fry on the drive up to Andy's cabin.<br />
<br />
Everybody rendezvoused at Andy's on Friday night, where Nate and Madison Steve gave us the scouting report. As expected, there was water everywhere from the recent heavy rainfall. Any deliberate forays into swampy areas were crossed off the itinerary.<br />
<br />
We got up reasonably early the morning of and headed out on the road, picking up a cross country ski trail at Round Lake to visit the historic logging dam replica. From there we caught some ATV trails and gravel to Smith Rapids covered bridge, then skipped some equestrian trail and swamp wading to find an old railbed, now used as an ATV trail. There was some getting lost before crossing 182 near Blockhouse Lake and catching some pavements to Park Falls.<br />
<br />
We rallied at the convenience store in town before picking up a section of the Tuscobia Trail. Caught an ATV route south to Oxbo, where we took a brief rest. Then there was some bushwhacking around Mason, Evergreen, and Swamp Lakes before picking up a gravel and pavements to the cabin.<br />
<br />
It was dark and chilly by then and the river was high, so not much swimming happened. The floods had forced mice out of their natural habitat and into the cabin, and they were running around in plain sight as we cooked and later as we sat around the fireplace. The traps were overwhelmed. I didn't sleep well.<br />
<br />
Day Two found us catching a gravel to the Kimberly Clark wildlife refuge, where there was more bushwhacking to get back to an eastbound gravel and pavements to Solberg Lake. After a brief rest, more ATV trails to Sailor Lake; pavements mostly up to Riley Lake, an ATV to the railbed from day one and finally the Round Lake trails and home.<br />
<br />
<br />
Looking forward to next year.Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-7311149433710972282015-02-02T20:00:00.000-06:002015-02-12T11:58:29.870-06:0026 Years of Winter Riding<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9rQxByrwQ3I2MXxh6Axd4JhLAMh-6iibwhMNe7ruhQgBid93BnOGld7ERYa_og380CvM32z-BglLbojTtOnpSirErG58q8Sdje8V0M6U0KgOlBHUS6k5ZKyRqWnmsCmhVEoh/s1600/DSCF4195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9rQxByrwQ3I2MXxh6Axd4JhLAMh-6iibwhMNe7ruhQgBid93BnOGld7ERYa_og380CvM32z-BglLbojTtOnpSirErG58q8Sdje8V0M6U0KgOlBHUS6k5ZKyRqWnmsCmhVEoh/s1600/DSCF4195.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />
Right around this week back in 1989, I saw my then-boss MMacD lug his snow- and salt-covered Ross Mt. Hood down into our offices in the basement of Radio Hall. It was the first time I had seen a mountain bike, cantilever brakes, or a winter cyclist. He let me test-ride it a couple of weeks later, and the rest, as they say, <span style="text-align: center;">is history.</span>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-27508776239749583562015-01-22T20:00:00.000-06:002015-02-12T12:03:33.824-06:0062 Miles of Mud and Snowpack<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16140585159" title="Triple D 2015 by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Triple D 2015" height="373" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7564/16140585159_8ff5075a37.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Mostly mud.<br />
<br />
Utah Steve, PhD and I drove down to Dubuque on Saturday for the eighth running of the <a href="http://tripledrace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Triple D Winter Race</a>. The weather had been warm, and the worry was that we'd be riding 62 miles of mashed potatoes. Turned out on the pre-ride that most of the snow was gone, but thankfully the ground was still frozen. We also attended the pre-race the night before and got some valuable insight into the course. Had dinner at an Italian place downtown and turned in for a long but somewhat restless night's sleep.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOxWKOSBoqGQ2Y9g6Yr3eNOWhgmgP-968KL6pETjI8GCcw-k0YguExfXmbrlwdQ_MSWLYFc2XPzBE38lvz7Uh3Koyfk78OK1sbqOuVYQFPvLOhVSNhPQqiEMW70CWhbJoaih7/s1600/10924773_10204959532255391_6807118487462439577_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOxWKOSBoqGQ2Y9g6Yr3eNOWhgmgP-968KL6pETjI8GCcw-k0YguExfXmbrlwdQ_MSWLYFc2XPzBE38lvz7Uh3Koyfk78OK1sbqOuVYQFPvLOhVSNhPQqiEMW70CWhbJoaih7/s1600/10924773_10204959532255391_6807118487462439577_n.jpg" height="375" width="500" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Utah Steve and I at the start, photo courtesy of Utah Steve)</span></i><br />
<br />
It was just below freezing and sunny at the start. race director Lance had wanted to say a few words, but the natives were restless and a couple of long-time vets sounded the rollout gun at 10:00 sharp. We were supposed to stage and sort into groups by speed at the actual start line, but the field just took off.<br />
<br />
The ground was frozen and the trail pretty fast through the first couple miles of singletrack. Even the water crossings and farm fields didn't slow us down much. In the time since last year's race, I had adopted a more conservative and aerobic training style, but at this stage I was mostly ignoring my heart rate alarm—not burning all the matches, but definitely putting my shoulder to the proverbial wheel. The arm warmers, beanie and gloves came off, and I rode the rest of the race with my jacket unzipped.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWfRyqHmxhk7Q5RjfYRD10gbc8dqkY65jqOD27LlPRQV9ZoOcnuHErxkRgzuOMryKq5HAhJvU3gfLoPVCisJOfqOEcwg7s3H4RslN4qnpbkSYgpPSGup7ng-dvQlEI79MPC-n/s1600/20150118_112827-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWfRyqHmxhk7Q5RjfYRD10gbc8dqkY65jqOD27LlPRQV9ZoOcnuHErxkRgzuOMryKq5HAhJvU3gfLoPVCisJOfqOEcwg7s3H4RslN4qnpbkSYgpPSGup7ng-dvQlEI79MPC-n/s1600/20150118_112827-X3.jpg" height="281" width="500" /></a></div>
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<i style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(yours truly, rocking a cornfield, photo courtesy of <a href="http://rcmckill.smugmug.com/Triple-D-2015/i-FNWmgcB" target="_blank">Rob McK</a>)</span></i></div>
<br />
Tough climbs were to be had between the fun downhills, and the Humke B road (but really ice and rock chute, complete with downed tree blocking the main line) did not disappoint. We found a cold west wind up in the highlands, so the gloves went back on. I hit the Heritage trail before noon and grouped up with a couple guys. Drafting on the now-wet trail, we rolled into Chad's looking like Roubaix riders at about 13:30.<br />
<br />
Fifteen minutes was longer than I had wanted to stay, but it was busy and I wanted to stick with newfound company Duane. Refilled water, crotch creamed, ate a little, and were well out of Dyersville before 14:00. It was still sunny and the trail was pretty soft all the way to the Holy Cross tunnel, where we found a few substantial, fast stretches of hard-packed snow.<br />
<br />
Duane was good company and we rolled along not stopping much and picking up a few places as the trail continued downhill. We caught up to his pal Drew and became 3 for a while before getting another pulse of energy. The checkpoint in Durango had a lot of bikes out front, and Duane decided it was time to change his sweat-soaked base layer. He was cold enough, and his hands weak enough from his handlebars' bad ergonomics that I had to help him zip up his jacket. Riding again, he was chilled at first but warmed back up quickly.<br />
<br />
We finished off Heritage and turned onto the Dubuque bike path along the Northwest Arterial, uphill and into the wind and setting sun. Pavement, road, grass, ditch, pavement and then onto the final section of singletrack before the gentleman's finish line. The course markings in the last section were really sparse, and Duane said he would have gotten lost repeatedly had he been by himself.<br />
<br />
We cleaned the last few creek crossings and mucky hills, crossing the railroad tracks just a couple minutes before a long Norfolk Western freight rolled through. Ever the gentleman, Duane ceded me a place, I guess for serving as tour guide. We humped it back up to the hotel and put our names on the list at 16:58 for 32nd and 33rd places, respectively.<br />
<br />
Tyler U. from Madison won it, Utah Steve, PhD took fifth, and Nick took 18th—so Wisco represented. There was some confusion about the final leg of the course (not surprising, given some ambiguity at the pre-race and less than ideal marking) and a bit of a dispute about the top placements.<br />
<br />
The bikes and our clothes were well and truly a mess, covered in limestone from the Heritage trail. We left a trail of it in Chad's and back at the hotel. We ended up not taking our bikes inside and just locked them up on the hitch rack for the overnight.<br />
<br />
So overall, a success for me. Not great time or placement, but I felt good for the vast majority of the race and recovered quickly afterward.<br />
<br />
Now, a couple of weeks off before training commences for the Race That Shall Not Be Named.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/677970884" width="465"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-63057737808858313422015-01-16T09:07:00.002-06:002015-02-12T12:03:45.944-06:00Time For Fat Bikes<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16273012381" title="Snowy Ride by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Snowy Ride" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7533/16273012381_3f41b3396e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Winter is the best time for fat bikes. Yes it is.<br />
<br />
It's funny to have been in on this fat bike thing from pretty early on. Ruby was one of probably the first dozen fat bikes in Madison back in 2010, but they seem to be everywhere now. I spent a lot of time on the <a href="http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/" target="_blank">MTBR Fat Bike forums</a> in the beginning, when it was mostly Alaskans and other adventure types using fat bikes to go where no bicycle had gone before.<br />
<br />
There's been a trend lately that amuses me quite a bit, with people I've met in real life and on the interwebs saying that they love fat bikes so much that they've sold off all of their other bikes. That sentiment sure smells of fad.<br />
<br />
Sure, fat bikes make pretty good mountain and trail bikes, but honestly, riding them on pavement just isn't that much fun. They really shine on snow, sand and other loose material where floatation makes a big difference. Those are the occasions that make it worth dragging those big tires around, and the idea that I'll get to ride my fat bike more also helps me have a more positive attitude toward winter.<br />
<br />
Though it may puts me in the minority, I just think bike fun can be had in a lot of different forms.Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-16803787158566455582015-01-13T13:08:00.002-06:002015-02-12T12:04:38.317-06:00Another New Bike (Sort of)<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16272064532" title="New Ogre by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="New Ogre" height="375" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7516/16272064532_0630e323df.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Last spring and summer I did a lot of thinking about how many bikes I own and whether I need to own as many as I do. So I wrote up a matrix of bikes (which will be the subject of another post) and decided that the slot currently occupied by my old garage sale winter beater could be filled by something better and more versatile.<br />
<br />
So I looked at what was available and settled on getting a Surly Ogre, with the idea of building it up with parts I already had. Surly had begun ED coating a number of their offerings in 2012, so I emailed to ask whether the Ogre was ED coated, and ended up getting one of the first ED Ogre framesets to arrive in the states.<br />
<br />
I also decided to give singlespeeding a try, since maintaining a derailleur drivetrain in the winter can be quite a chore. Because conditions can vary widely, I came up with the idea of creating a dual-singlespeed with two rings on the crankset and two cogs on the cassette body.<br />
<br />
So this is what I came up with:<br />
<ul>
<li>Ogre frameset, size Large, tan</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Front wheel: Shimano DH-3D71 dynohub with 160mm Centerlock rotor, laced to a 32h Sun CR-18 rim with butted spokes. Handbuilt by my LBS.</li>
<li>Rear wheel: unknown Shimano 6-bolt disk hub with 160mm rotor laced to an Alex rim. This one was a gift from my neighbor, who took it off some Specialized hybrid.</li>
<li>Tires: Schwalbe Marathon Winter</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Crankset: Suntour XC Pro square taper 36/34t on a Shimano BB-UN-72 bottom bracket.</li>
<li>Cogs: 17/19 Shimano 9-speed cassette pair for the moment, will replace with Surly when I decide on a final gear combination.</li>
<li>Chain: from the parts bin.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Headset: FSA Pig</li>
<li>Stem: generic takeoff from a Kona</li>
<li>Handlebars: Nitto Albatross CroMo 560mm</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Seatpost: Easton alloy 2-bolt (taken off my GT Peace)</li>
<li>Saddle: Bontrager RLX 146mm</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Brakes: Coda-badged DiaCompe SS-7 levers pulling Avid BB-5 road calipers (the latter suck and will likely be replaced with TRP Spyres)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Lighting: first-generation Schmidt Edelux headlight with B&M DToplight XS Plus taillight</li>
<li>Fenders: Planet Bike Cascadia 29er (purchased new and worth every penny)</li>
<li>Rack: Bontrager BackRack S Disc, gifted from a different neighbor.</li>
</ul>
That's the current build. My other wheel options include:<br />
<ul>
<li>current wheels with Clement MSOs or really any 29" tire I have around.</li>
<li>Speed Disk wheels with Clement MSO 40s, Big Apple 2.35s or Nokian Extremes</li>
<li>26er XT/Rhino wheels with Freddies or Vredstien Black Panthers</li>
</ul>
I also have an Alfine dynohub and a Salsa Delgado that might become yet another front wheel.<br />
<br />
The most unusual feature is a second stem and a bit of 1" aluminum tube from the hardware store to make an accessory mount for lights, etc. A 1" star nut holds the Edulux.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16085514930" title="New Ogre by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="New Ogre" height="375" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8584/16085514930_03829e972c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Rides really well so far. Can't wait to see how it does over time.Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-87704692686319592382014-12-16T12:02:00.000-06:002015-02-12T11:53:44.683-06:00Cheese Soup, Served Cold<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16029238412" title="Slurry by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Slurry" height="375" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7562/16029238412_2565442ffc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
"Oh look, stars," Steve said, pointing overhead, and sure enough, the inky night sky was full of them. I was a little surprised, given that it had been foggy or overcast since before sunrise. We all groused and joked again about the soft conditions, knowing that we'd be underway again soon. This was the longest wait yet, and I was beginning to wonder if we should backtrack to look for him. I grew impatient and walked back up the trail and into the box culvert. Maybe halfway in, the other end took on a pale blue glow, and ten steps later, the point of Brian's headlight appeared. I turned and walked back toward my bike, not eager to get back on.<br />
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—<br />
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I had posted a concept for a ride both as a <a href="http://frozencheeseballs.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> and on social media with the idea of traveling the only mostly-gravel loop from Madison, sometime around the winter solstice. Long Ride, Short Day. People have done this route before both as solo efforts (as <a href="http://sconnyboy.blogspot.com/2014/11/cheesehead-triangle.html" target="_blank">I did</a> this summer) and as group rides with names like the Big Ass Long Loop Shindig (BALLS) and the Militant Badger, but never as a group ride in the winter. It follows the Badger rail trail south to Monroe, connects to the Cheese Country ATV trail west and north to Mineral point, then goes along some paved bike path and road to Dodgeville, returning to Madison on the Military Ridge rail trail. Just over 130 miles, 110 of which are not paved.<br />
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The first attempt in 2013 was a solo ride for me that went only to a point just south of the Stewart tunnel on the Badger. Four inches of ice-crusted snow proved too much to bust through for that kind of distance.<br />
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This year had seen early cold, but with not a whole lot of snow, and with only minimal precipitation for the 3 weeks leading up to the ride. The forecast called for mid-forties and fog on the day of the ride. My guess had been that there would be patches of mud on the low spots along the route, but that most of it would be reasonably dry and firm.<br />
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<b>The Start</b><br />
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It seemed that I was mostly right for the first half of the ride. Steve, Nick, a newcomer named Brian (who had done the Militant Badger) and I met up at the trail kiosk in Fitchburg at 06:00. Steve was a little late thanks to a non-functional taillight, but we soon enough struck south on the paved section of the Badger. When we reached the limestone, it was covered in ice and snow. This is not unusual, since this first section is in a groove cut through a hill that sees precious little sunlight, so we pressed on in our optimism and were soon rewarded with fast sections of exposed limestone.<br />
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I hadn't finished an important part of my morning routine, so we made an early stop at a C-store in Belleville. At this point, the ambient temperature was just coming up to about freezing.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15407659734" title="Abandoned Road Bridge by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Abandoned Road Bridge" height="333" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8668/15407659734_906ed04765.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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The approach to the tunnel was also through a cut and covered in ice and snow. Nick and Brian both fell, fortunately with no harm done. Icy stalagmites had already formed on the floor of the tunnel, along with several loose chunks of limestone from the ceiling.<br />
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<b>The Cheese</b><br />
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Further south we rolled through Monticello and on to Monroe, where we left the Badger and picked up the Cheese Country ATV trail. Though the surface is a larger aggregate mixed with more sand, the going was still pretty good despite some long icy stretches.<br />
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We stopped for lunch at a c-store in Gratiot, filling up on wedge sandwiches, pizza and chocolate milk. Upon returning to the trail, we found that it had begin to get soft and the spray was beginning to make a mess of the bikes. We made another brief stop at a Casey's in Darlington, which, disappointingly, was out of pizza.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15410283693" title="Cheese Triangle by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Cheese Triangle" height="333" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8571/15410283693_0c8a03a9b7.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Nick had a brake problem out near Calamine (the spring on his rear caliper somehow got caught in the rotor) and I decided to inspect my nonfunctional rear brake while we were stopped. Turned out that the grease I had used in my rear hub is not waterproof and had leaked its grey matter all over the caliper and rotor on one side, the cassette and chain on the other, and all around the inner circumference of the rim. There was nothing to be done but rely on the front brake. Brian, being the slowest of the group, decided to forge ahead to Mineral Point, and I did the same a couple minutes later.<br />
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By this time, the temperatures were in the forties and the trail has turned to soup. The most effective strategy was to ride the narrow margins where roots made the going spongy but rideable. Steve and Nick caught me in short order, and it was clear that I was still not fully recovered from the flu I'd had the week before. We found Brian in Mineral Point, and pressed on after a brief break, wanting to clear the ten miles of road to Dodgeville before it got dark.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/16027974841" title="Crew by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Crew" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7549/16027974841_3f7f21527e.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<b>The Stretch</b><br />
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Rolling north up Shake Rag St., the fog started to get pretty thick, and stayed so all the way to Dodgeville. Fortunately, there's a separated bicycle path for most of the way that runs parallel to, and then crosses the four-lane US Highway 18.<br />
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A mile or so south of Dodgeville, the path dumps out onto state Highway 23, but we chose the option of crossing onto a short section of gravel named Lover's Lane. It was immediately obvious that it doesn't get much traffic, and still had snow drifts stretched across it that were weeks old. Dusk was almost over and the lights came on. There was more falling on ice and slogging through gravel slurry. I got off and pushed my bike at one point and declared that I could drop out and call my wife right then and there for a ride and be done with the whole thing. Steve gently reminded me that we'd soon be taking a break and to let him know if I needed anything. We rolled onto a Dodgeville pavement just as the daylight was giving its last.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15410283163" title="Lover's Lane by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Lover's Lane" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7536/15410283163_8efa7b9326.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Right about mile 95, we rolled into the KwikTrip parking lot soggy, tired and covered in limestone. We stalked the good provisions aisle by aisle and I remember thinking that this is about as lousy as I had felt at the very end of some of the longest, most difficult rides I've done. We did our best to eat, rest and rally, but concern about the 40 miles of unpaved rail trail ahead was clearly weighing heavily on our mood. I said I was concerned, which was sort of an understatement. I bought some string cheese, a banana, some chocolate milk, jerky, and chips. We were there for maybe 45 minutes, and somehow we rallied.<br />
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<b>The Darkness </b><br />
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It was dark when we left the store. We started out riding north on the main drag but quickly opted for back streets. We found the trailhead easily enough, but as we had suspected, most of it was soupy. There were a few stretches of snow or dry surface, but we mostly had to ride on the vegetation at the edges of the trail. There was a stretch of paved trail before Ridgeway we got to ride at speed, but it ended too soon. The parts through Ridgeway and Barneveld were the soupiest of all, and we rode the parallel streets where we could.<br />
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All of us were miserable, but Brian, riding a regular mountain bike with 2" tires and narrow drop bars had it the worst by far. We found ourselves waiting for him at regular intervals for increasing lengths of time. He told us a couple of times that we should just leave him, but no way would my conscience allow me to leave somebody alone after dark, in the middle of nowhere, on a trail with no other traffic. No way. As we rolled up on Riley, there was some joking about stopping at the Tap for a beer, and I suggested that we could also call and ask how much a cab back to Madison would cost. Brian vetoed the idea:<br />
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"I've come this far. I'm not quitting now."<br />
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So we slogged on. The low section of trail between Riley and Verona might not have been as bad as we had expected, but it was still some of the worst. The wait between the box culverts was probably one of the longest, but the last section before hitting pavement was also long enough to cause some worry. Steve and Nick and I were clearly past our Bike Fun freshness date, but I really have to hand the prize for raw determination to Brian. I honestly have no idea how he did this ride on the bike he had chosen.<br />
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The pavement was a major relief. There were some icy stretches, but forward progress was suddenly much easier and faster. The last miles rolled by in some kind of daze as the fog returned. We parted ways at the Three Trails, and I was the first to cross the bike counter at six minutes past midnight.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15842661860" title="I Was Number One For a Day by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="I Was Number One For a Day" height="500" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7490/15842661860_3f225fceab.jpg" width="375" /></a>
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I pulled in the driveway at 00:28 on the morning of the 14th of December and the wife was still up. She fed me and I took a shower before falling into bed. I was so exhausted, wired and mentally shattered that restful sleep refused to visit me. Taking the burden of others' well-being upon myself had taken a real toll on me—something I have to learn to deal with more constructively. I took it really easy all day Sunday, doing laundry, washing the bike and watching a couple of movies, finally sleeping well Monday night.<br />
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<b><i>Afterword</i></b><br />
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My hubris needs a check after this one. Frank and Tyler had both tried to warn us that the warm temperatures in the forecast were going to turn the trail soft, and it turned out that they were mostly right. It's sort of a shame that this is the only trail loop to which we have access from Madison, because it's really a little too long. Either that or my motivation is too short.<br />
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Pics on the <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157649766787062/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/651121451" width="465"></iframe>Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-82372945696733807932014-11-23T20:30:00.000-06:002015-02-12T12:08:58.444-06:00The Gravel Rig<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/14085162323" title="Woody Anne by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Woody Anne" height="352" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5514/14085162323_284d6fb750.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Trans Iowa 2014 configuration)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i>
This is Woody Anne, my 2000 model year Surly Cross Check. It's the bike I've been riding the most for mixed-surface adventure rides and gravel events, including Almanzo, Dairy Roubaix, Trans Iowa, Heck of the North, Gravel Metric and more recently the Ten Thousand.<br />
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Really, she's nothing all too special. My parts choices are mostly based on wanting high functionality and durability at a reasonable cost. This usually means simple, yet effective. A full component list is available below for hardcore bikegeekery, but in a nutshell it's a 2x8, drop-bar cross bike with a good wheelset.<br />
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Anybody who knows me knows that I like this bike quite a bit. It's stable but lively, I've been fitted on it so that it's very comfortable, and I have little doubt about its durability. Even though I originally ordered the dark blue frame with the 1" headtube, I've really grown to like even the color of this one.<br />
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Here she is, all set to make our first attempt at Trans Iowa:<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/8664268160" title="Trans Iowa Configuration by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Trans Iowa Configuration" height="298" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8247/8664268160_b598c6a877.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Note the custom headlight mount, which replaces one of the headset spacers.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/8435078707" title="Hey Tink by Michael Lemberger, on Flickr"><img alt="Hey Tink" height="375" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8435078707_a36bb76eed.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
No plans to replace this one for the foreseeable future. Might switch out the bars for a set of Salsa Cowbells at some point. The current spec:<br />
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Frame: Year 2000 Surly Cross Check, TIG-welded double-butted Reynolds 631 cro-moly steel.<br />
Fork: Matched, with lugged crown and 1-1/8" steerer<br />
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Wheels: Shimano 600 8-speed hubs, Velocity A23 rims, Wheelsmith stainless butted spokes<br />
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Crankset: Shimano SLX touring 170mm arms, RaceFace 38t single-speed ring; 29t granny<br />
Bottom bracket: Shimano XT external<br />
Cassette: Shimano 12-30<br />
Front derailleur: Shimano Altus top-swing, top-pull<br />
Front Shifter: Shimano stem shifter mounted on a clamp on the left side of the seat mast just below the top tube. Cable runs directly to the derailleur.<br />
Rear derailleur: Shimano SLX short-cage with alloy pulleys<br />
Rear shifter: Shimano 8-speed bar-end mounted on a Paul's Thumbie on the top section of bar just to the right of the stem.<br />
Chain: Sram PC-851<br />
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Brakes: Tektro CR-720 with salmon pads<br />
Brake Levers: Cane Creek BR-5 and Cane Creek Cross-tops<br />
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Headset: Chris King NoThread Sotto Volce, silver (recent addition)<br />
Bars: Ritchey WCS, 42cm, 26.0, ergo.<br />
Stem: Bontrager 100mm, 25˚ rise<br />
Seatpost: Ritchey WCS alloy 27.2<br />
Clamp: Surly Constrictor with Surly cable stop<br />
Saddle: Currently a Brooks Cambium<br />
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Typical gravel loadout: Medium Relevate Tangle bag, Relevate Mountain Feedbag, Planet Bike Lunch Box, Planet Bike seat bag, Garmin 500 or Touring Plus, Lyzene HV mini-pump, Zefal bottle cages, Banjo Brothers map case.<br />
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Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250458.post-21074930551710155552014-10-20T20:00:00.000-05:002015-04-14T16:16:22.262-05:00Devil's Ferry Fall Outing<div>
Grant came up with an idea for another cross-border operation for a fall color ride. Set up to start at Blue Mound state park, it ran north to Spring Green, Ferry Bluff, Devil's Lake state park, the Merimac Ferry, Gibraltar, Mazomaine and back to Blue Mound.<br />
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We did a couple of prep rides, the first just he and I out of the village of Blue Mounds; the second to Gibraltar with Steve joining us. We rode very little of the course, but hit a couple of the more questionable highlights. I had never been to Gibraltar and found it to be magnificent, but both prep rides were excellent in many other ways too.<br />
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The course was revised several times by the day of the event, most importantly to eliminate a screaming descent immediately upon leaving the park in the pre-dawn darkness.<br />
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Family life has been busy lately, so I ended up driving out to the park the night before, arriving after dark. Grant and David had already set up in an adjacent site, and I was soon joined in mine by Jakey. It was in the upper 30's and windy, and I was a little cold that night. Apparently the coons couldn't sleep either, and they woke us up a couple of times.<br />
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We were slated to take off at 06:15, and we were pretty close. Grant's neighbor Mark had gotten up early and rode 30+ miles from Madison to join us. Rolled out in the dark and cold at 06:30, west on the rail trail to Barneveld and then north on roads toward Spring Green.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15576957131/" title="Early by Uncle Bicycle, on Flickr"><img alt="Early" height="278" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5608/15576957131_fceb01a9d9.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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About halfway there it was gloomy as the sun came up, and it started lightly to rain. The breakfast place was a welcome sight with its big flapjacks and hot coffee.<br />
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Headed north out of town, the clouds started to break up and we got to practice our headwind skills. Leaf colors were a little past peak but lovely.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15393000069/" title="Cloudy by Uncle Bicycle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cloudy" height="278" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3946/15393000069_128d4aac98.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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We stopped at Ferry bluff and hiked to the top for a look at the Wisconsin river and points east. The weather continued to improve as we embarked on the long climb toward Devil's lake.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15555915716/" title="Ferry Bluff by Uncle Bicycle, on Flickr"><img alt="Ferry Bluff" height="278" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5606/15555915716_bbbeb26e33.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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We stopped for a snack break but lost David shortly after resuming. Retraced the route to find him fixing a flat.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15576941761/" title="Breaktime by Uncle Bicycle, on Flickr"><img alt="Breaktime" height="278" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5598/15576941761_3ffa3cd962.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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The longest climb of the day commenced just as the sun came out and the clouds rolled away. We reached the summit near North Freedom, finding some surprise gravel and getting buzzed by an angry motorist. We rode a short stretch of a very busy US 12, crossing onto Ski Hi road toward Devil's Lake state park.<br />
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Many had apparently assumed that this was the last beautiful day of the fall, so the park was really busy. We rode down to the lodge, ordered lunch and ate it while enjoying the view of the lake and its surrounding bluffs.<br />
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Back on the road, we arrived at the Merrimac Ferry to find that it was also in great demand, and we bought concessions and chatted while waiting for it to arrive. Fortunately, there was plenty of room for bikes.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15393581727/" title="Ferry by Uncle Bicycle, on Flickr"><img alt="Ferry" height="375" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3945/15393581727_44ec72b5c7.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Next up was a stop at Gibraltar Rock, which entailed an almost impossibly steep climb up an abandoned, moss-covered pavement. The view was worth it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15576929531/" title="Gibraltar by Uncle Bicycle, on Flickr"><img alt="Gibraltar" height="278" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5610/15576929531_e35b40b295.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Mark split off from us at Mussen Road and County Y and headed back to Madison with the hope of getting there not long after dark. Soon after, we rolled through Roxbury and then back into the hills just as the sun was setting. Then we made the mistake of wanting to cut off a few miles, and allowed Grant's Garmin Touring to reroute us onto rather busy highways 19 and 14 to Black Earth as it got really dark. Fortunately, both highways had pretty decent paved shoulders, and we shortly returned to much less-travelled county highways.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/15392970569/" title="Sunset by Uncle Bicycle, on Flickr"><img alt="Sunset" height="278" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5607/15392970569_a88ae7c151.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
By this time, the batteries in both Grant's and my Garmins had run out of gas (a disappointment and a story for another time) and we switched to navigating by knowledge of the local topography. Luckily we were already on County F, which ran into Blue Mounds, but nobody knew how far we had still to go. Uphill and in the dark. Turned out that the final climb was huge, long, and beginning to get quite cold. But persistence pays off, and we finally passed Brigham county park and began the short descent into the village.<br />
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David left us before we even arrived at the Hooterville Tap and set out to drive back home to Illinois. Grant, Jakey and I went in and had burgers, beer and pizza before shivering our way back to camp. Even though it got down into the lower thirties, I was ready for it and haven't slept so well in recent memory.<br />
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Broke camp the next morning, and had breakfast at <a href="http://www.sjolinds.com/" target="_blank">Sjolinds</a> in Mt. Horeb with Grant and Jakey. Drove home.<br />
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125+ miles. Good, good stuff.<br />
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Pics on the <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mababo/sets/72157648452118377/" target="_blank">Flix</a>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/616339612" width="465"></iframe></div>
Michael Lembergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.com0