Rapping Carpenture/ Gas Tank

So, no Ricky Rubio, then bring on this Riddler at halftime!

Team Ricoh Candidate

Mission today was a roundabout 7+ hr ride and pick me up one of them Revelate Gas Tanks from Milltown. They have a full stock of bags, some culture, some function.

Gas Tank.  Jelly beans helped keep my head up, no drool, but still stared at front wheel. 

Why am I riding gravel when the singletrack is open? Makes no sense. Ragnarok's of the past were only dirt option this time of year... But now we live in north kansas.

Roonda Van Vlaanderaan... Why no American's at the front? Hope some unknown northerner attacks and blows up the fancy pants types.

Ragnarok is our classic... Haven't had second thoughts, the Rok is up to the one that blows it all up.

Original Ragnarok KOM-> Now Pot Stirrer

Original KOM Rok up for grabs...

The Original Rok. Goes to the Pot Stirrer.

No KOM. Okay, then I'll bring back the original. No points, no offical dirt lines to cross, BUT be the one to kill yourself out there for as long as possible and it's yours. What do roadies call it, most aggressive rider? I prefer to think of it as the "Pot Stirrer"...

I will be defending it so if you want you must earn. If I get dropped, or vise versa, have a witness to defend your claim of the Rok.  

Condition- you take this home for the year, you must bring back next year and defend/ pass on to next year's fool/ pot stirrer.  

All my fellow FG's that have minimal time for bikes due to the family vortex, this claim is for you. Turn yourself inside out, leave your entrails on the gravel for all to witness and it's yours...

"Pot Stirrer" of the year... Go get it

or hide out behind the fast guys, get lulled to sleep and dropped.

"We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."  General George Patton 

A Gravel Vortex

Lakeville- 270th St rondayvo- Castle Rock- Dennison- Nerstrand SP- The Vortex- Big Woods- more Big Woods- Dundas- Northfield DQ- Chub Lake- Lakeville

The Vortex

Recap- Pedal, riddle/ bicker, flat, circle, repeat, break up and scatter. To the Vortex.

Alt version- Eddie and Wilco meet me in Lakeville, rondayvo with Wondertwins, and Qpet/ leMac at 270th St. On time/ all went smoother than a normal LCR ride, Eddie with token hour 1 flat. Head farther south, with The Vortex on the mind. More Eddie flat(s), both of his bikes in fact. Made it to no mans land south of Dennison by hour 2.X. All participants looked a bit mistrusting of me when I pointed to the Big Woods. So they all scattered like cats. Solo from there on, just me and Neil Young/ Primus/ Ministry/ Pixies/ Tool/ Melvins/ Son Volt on shuffle. Circled all of the Big Woods, had to take a photo of The Spot. This is the vortex of yag gravel in these parts. You can beat yourself to a pulp in all directions.

Eddie flat 3 of X  

Was thinking to self no visit from the wizard? Wrong. Mile 96, the Wizard showed up alright, made any thoughts of a strong finish vanish.

7.X hours of saddle/ circle time. (copy/ paste last blog post) Finished drooling, head down, staring at front wheel.

This Qpet gizmo best not tune me down on Apr 14th.

I hadn't heard "Thieves" from Ministry in at least 10 years. Maybe that's what brought the Wizard a knocking.

Europa spring classic day. Fabio... Attack!

Green Eggs (no ham) + 6 = 8

Lakeville- Nerstrand SP- Milltown Cycles- Northfield DQ- Lakeville

I do like green eggs (no ham). Thank you thank you Sam I Am!


No My Guy/ LCR beating, no bike culture hippster I'm cool thing, no racer pose down, just me and the Wizard. South to Dundas then Nerstrand SP for ~4hrs plus of pleasant 25mph headwind and soft gravel ruts, what a treat.

Nerstrand SP, Bikes not allowed/ too many hikers. Shoulda had my Hollywood State Champ T-shirt with.

Started conversing with wizard around hour 4 at Nerstrand, figured time to head West to Faribo and stop into Milltown Cycles for a brief regroup and clear the cobwebs. Thanks to Ben/ Milltown for the return route tulips. Took me back to Big Woods with a tailwind and and some more gravel grunts. Almost felt cheated with that tailwind the rest of the way from Northfield so I made sure I hit all the worst gravel.

It did the trick... Popped big time/ the Wizard wins. No cramps til bedtime!!! (think Beastie Boys)

Finished drooling, head down staring at front wheel. Perfect.

Dull Slingblade...

"Some folks call it a slingblade. I call it a kaiser blade." Says Karl Childers.

Time to start sharpnin the kaiser blade... If blade stays dull, sling harder.

QPet, your aweful quiet for a questioner. Sat for 6 in the saddle... You scart.

Next week, wonder how far south we have to go for Jim to find them wild gators? Bet Karl Childers knows.

LCR Road FAT

LCR beatdown circa fat tires (and a few notso fat). LCR1 called out/ makes no sense/ nonsense/ perfect.

Fat Road Hazards.

Road-snirt-median skinny-lake ice-road-ditch-rec path-sticks-DT StP-attack

Many absent, some missed, none forgotten.

LCR Pelton. 

Phone shutter too slow, photo missed an eddie Guy trying to outdo Jimmmay wheelie, only to crash in downtown Mahtomedi.  Shameus shoulda known, diffcult to outdo a Jim wheel.

Stupid is as stupid does (on White Bear Lake)

The best... Finish ride, then a quarter of the team showed up(Henge, QPet, Richzilla, leMac, Marx, Punisher, Jim Guy, Chopper, Scot, Buell)...

The other quarter boycotted/ tough love (Jack-Paulz, Habs, leGoat, Dominator, LittleDave, puertorican Ed, KG, Charles, WonderWoman, DMan & RS, Osow, Magican, Luke, Beth-Doug, Fitz/ Guy, Porteay).  Can't forget Greg Spence.

Who am I missing???

Thanks LCR1, General, and allyou Skirts...

Tip to tip to tip

River Bottoms last hurrah... Tip to tip to tip. LCR code for what you'd call Lyndale-Ferry-Cedar-Mounds-Lyndale. More hazards with the ice, means more joy on the bike. All the logs and traps got tracks, some slip/ some not so much. Found a couple new lines (planks and junk) put in by the west side riddlers/ nice work.

Note- If you really want to get across 9 mile creek, there is no stick bridge, no ice cross, no raft, but you do have this...

Bike shoe shuffle with 32lb fatbike adds to the threat. Perfect.

Heath's Eagle Log... I wont forget when he found it. We all got real quiet.

First tracks. Eagle stares you down. You can avoid, but ride away knowing you skipped.

The lack of snow had one positive this winter, more lines with tree skinnys, stump rides, junk, and brush piles.  Those who say the river isn't technical ride with their head down acting like those skinny's/ stumps/ and junk aren't there... Crossed paths with Youngblood, LazyDave, and CF Dan... CF Dan never been, felt obligated to show him some of our traps, especially after I ramped his Surly after a yardsale on the ice...

River season over... Next Fall start over from scratch.