"Sumo Lance"

Tis the season...

The other lance would have no hope to maintain...

To motorboat... Tree to tree in granny 3...

I'll take this sort of bicycle riding over a summer day every time.

LML Registration is OPEN

At this point I was just trying to keep 120 people from getting lost in the sticks of Elko...

Registration is OPEN for 2017

If you've participated in the past, you are automatically in, but you still need to send me a signal that you want to race.

Those new to this, registration is limited. But you are more than welcome to partake...

Pic courtesy of TMB Photo

Cuyuna Armageddon It...

Poll- should it be titled 'Oremageddon', or 'Armageddon It'?

I went into this race thinking I had something to give or at least drop a couple grenades like the race alludes too... Nope. Spent most of the race in thermonuclear/ overheat mode or just looking around trying to see who is catching me...

RACE RESULTS

I am still confused... How could the Mamasita beat me to a pulp for 50 miles, but yet 3 years ago I won the 100 mile race at the same place on same bike? Riddle's on that- age, to knee pain, to joining lifetime fitness, to time on a bike is inverse to speed, to just not caring that much about racing these days... Will I ever know? Probly not.

It all came down to a first page sprint on a tar path after 4+ hours behind Red Sqrl...

Red Squrell and I. Pathelete's...

Fact. I was never much of a Def Leppard fan... and I did like Ratt more than Motley Crue.

Levis rocks and Deer Fly

Riding Levis rocks with a fancy fatbike is almost like cheatin...

easier than it looks...

This one isn't easier than it looks... moss rock. 84.

head removed on purpose...

Deer Fly Race at Hickory Ridge WI was great. Trails with a mix of it all...  Thanks to the local trail group CORBA (Chippewa Off Road Bike Assoc). Race Results

No idea where I finished, but all is good when you finish stronger than you started...

Bicycle Speed...

As time goes by, I have come to the conclusion that speed on a bicycle is directly proportional to the time you have on your hands...

The more time you have, the quicker the bike moves.

There are a few outliers and Freaks that I know of (ie Red Squrl, STH, MotoYoung), but not many...

Milaca BLAST Trail, my old friend... The best local racing when the year struck 2000. When 'epic's' were truly epics, not just hot laps.

Milaca lives!

I am signed up for the Cuyuna Salsa 50 mile race on Oct 8th... Horns has dibs on my spot.

 



Jim starts faster than you...

Look at that gap on these fast guys... point.

Jimmmmay.

If he only started road riding instead of street riding...

and not giveup so quick... ha.

Gotta love Buck Hill...

There is nothing like a mid week kick to the shin of the Buck Hill races...

The most difficult part is shedding the work day allowing freedom to burn yourself up.

The pic wasn't last night... But 10 years ago. These guys still give it.

Circa 2006, dueling with Barry and Sandberg

BUCK HILL RACE RESULTS

Thanks again to Penn Cycle for keeping these races alive and kicking...

CHEQ100

The term 'epic' is thrown around loosely these days, but what defines it? In my mind it at least has to encompass the following; 1- has the potential that you might not return (ever), 2- point to point, 3- time in the saddle that makes you question your sanity, 4- trails that require worthy MTB skills/ singletrack, 5- doesn't involve a bus ride back to the start.

The Chequamegon 100 put on by Advocate Cycles/ Green Tunnel/ The Krueger's is the crème de la crème of point to point 'epic' MTB races in MN/ WI.  RESULTS LINK

I failed at attempt for Top 10, but was pleased that I saw the Wizard in Ojibwe.

'Thanks' goes to the folks that are CAMBA. The trail additions in the last 10 years are nothing short of fantastic.

It was obvious Mr Pramann witnessed the Wizard in Ojibwe too....

Long bike ride survival-

Locked out? What?

Life is full of firsts... When you have one, for the most part, embrace it.

Two hours prior to the start of the Marathon MTB race at Detroit Lakes, was locked out of the motel room. When I say 'locked out', I mean the motel staff couldn't even break in the room... Ha

Almost had to resort to a cartoon worthy escape out the 2nd floor window with a ladder... Would have been more worthy had we kept bikes in the room...

Shift to race-
Detroit Lakes Mountain Rec Area, new trails worthy of your attention and ride. Some people worked real hard to create some 'flow' trails and maintain the old school trails way out back...

The race for me was a buzz kill, at the starting line they modified and pulled out the old school trails and shortened the race. I went from amped to 'ok then, another hot lap mind numbing 3 hour sport race'. My guy the Pirate went so far as to get out of the starting shoot and go get his money back- another first.

In the end, wasn't cheated, the trails were soft, slick, and some mud, so that was enjoyable... Had no 5th gear, kept looking down at pain of the black/ blue calf from Thurs at Buck. My bike had me in a leg lock, with one of the Hillside guys applying pressure by falling on top of me... I tapped out. But finished the race in a huff... Lame on my part.

Race results- LINK

Note- I do appreciate the Series folks replying to my request to make the Marathon course diverse. The majority would want as much challenge as possible to be included in a long race.

Up next, Mankato and 4 hours of 20 min sport laps like last year??? That was another first, I wont forget.

Random. These tools rule.

Rogue Hoe shameless plug... If you move dirt, or are farm implement, those tools do it the best.

Hide in the woods time-

Enough of the gravel thing...

 

trying to bust things up... (courtesy of TMB)

Time to hide in the woods...  Woolly Marathon MTB Results

and Thurs at Buck Worlds...

Scrambled...

3rd in the north iowa gravel series is Drew Wilson's game the Dickie Scramble.

A good mix of random bicycling and adventure in the heart of north iowa. The minimum maintenance roads make it worth the trip. One of the spots could even double for a novice DH run. A witnessed account of a guy going off the side of the rickety bridge into the trout stream was documented.

I can't help myself, I use all these gravel races as MTB fitness test grounds. Go so hard your eye's bleed, shake-off, go again. I'm not a fan of roadie pack tactics, but will take and direct wheel suckers to pull if it's the only way to advance up the road.

Fact. In the end, unless your The Fox (aka #1, Wilson, Thompson, Talerico), it's all about reeling in the next hound ahead.

Ted's

Excellent

Adventure...

Captured by TMB Photography-

Ha!

TMB Photography- LINK

NOTE: The north iowa Gravel Series is having technical difficulties. The Scramble results are by first name, the Series results are by last name... 8.

Not to fret. The Swag Swap box still has plenty of prizes to share.

Gravel race season is over. Time to hide in the woods (MTB).

Lakeville- Milltown- Lakeville V4.0

It was a very good day. All smiles, nobody cheated themselves...

See the LML Race Blog LINK

Exactly.

More TMB photos over here -  LINK

- Up next Dickie Scramble. and the north iowa gravel series-

Rök!

Thanks to the SPH Ship for the 9th version of the best gravel thing on this side of the real Iowa... Nothing compares.

Random thoughts- 107 miles of 'utopia', +9000' of vertical grind, familiar faces, attacks, off the back, fight to regroup, 'was that the Wizard?', 'nobody behind me... good. Picnic time', "is that a climb to nowhere spot?', not cheated.

The Rök goes to one worthy Kyle Sobota for the witnessed efforts/ attack dog mentality.

Previous earners of the Rök-
Drew Wilson, Heath Weisbrod, Parker Roenfanz, Leigh Langum.

The Rök was created when there was an absence in awarding a legit KOM. So I took my earned KOM, dusted it off, re-glued the base, and put a spin on it... The earner each year needs to return and defend or submit, but regardless the Rök lives.

Up next... 8

Ragnarök on the brain-

Saturday is the gravel queen of pain...

Some really good 2015 TMB images here- Ragnarök Pictures

SPH! (at LML)

 Rök- LML- DScramble, the north iowa Series year 2. My abacus is ready...

Fact. Only 1 known sighting of a white shark in SF Bay. The water is more brackish than I figured. Only 14 Alcatraz escape attempts. Pack-raft across that bay...

Full Squish Gravel Racing?

First ever gravel race, on a full suspension MTB [when you don't know any better].

Oxbow Classic. Circa 2001?

Out of my way roadies-

My thought process- I'm training on the road... I can do this on my full suspension Racer X MTB, warm up for Moab trip... Cat 1 here I come... It's a Racer X, come on!!! {at the top of this first grunt climb I was blown off the back of the roadie pack. No mans land for the next 80 miles. Team Ricoh.}

Now for what matters-
Go to the LML Blog for the race roster and a few other points to keep you from getting lost in the greater parts of Rice County.

DON'T BE LATE. WE HEAD SOUTH AT 8:15AM.

LML Details/ Feb 29/ Spring Thaw-

When Spring arrives early, winter riding shifts to mindless road slogging. If you want to bike, you gotta shift your state of mind from fun snow biking to embracing the spring thaw/ rot.

What does embracing the spring thaw mean? It means sucking up to the road grime, accepting a headwind road pace of 10MPH, and breathing in deeply to the smells of thawing farm manure and rotting roadkill...

Other than that, more LML details at the blog---

Spring thaw in n iowa...

Take note of February 29th leap day. The last day for random LML entry requests... We are already overbooked. Time for the paper plate race numbers...

Go ride into the early spring headwind and take a deep breath...

 

 

 

 

 

LML Update-

The fundraiser has been set, once again we will do something to raise awareness and help fight cancer. Go over to the LML blog for details.

If you plan on racing, contributing to the fight against cancer, or would like to volunteer, please let me or my wife know soon...

Sloppy weather is not much fun unless your wearing scuba gear... Go ride anyways.

Jimmay and the Henge will return as finish line officials-

In the medals...

Racing bikes on snow groomed xc ski trails is a whole different game. Sort of road race meets non gravel- gravel race... Good times and thanks to Paul K and Penn Cycle for bringing it to light and putting it on amongst the nord crowd.

Race highlight- Witnessed Rick C of KORC fame take down an ice cylinder display on Lake of the Isles. Bike went full impact into a ice block the size of a sonotube.  Block broke in half, bike and body sprawled on the ice. Next thing he's up and pedaling. Freak. But, I'd do a once over on that bike, especially if it is plastic.

Race highlight- Any pack of hounds just follows the lead dog, right. Whether that keeps you on course or takes you off course. We did the later. Wandering on the lake for too long. No complaint, if you chose to follow, that's what you'll do... I was cooked pulling C5 up for glory...

Last- Pulling packed snow from helmet vents and realigning handlebar at finish line. 20K earlier, my guy Jimmmay taking a point as he went by/ witnessed me standing there twisting h-bar and dusting myself off.

Race Results-  http://www.mtecresults.com/race/show/3828/

Purchase yourself some pictures from TMB here-  http://tmbimages.com/Cycling/Winter/20152016/20160207-Fat-Tire-Loppet/

Sun Valley Tree of Fame...
 

Usual Suspects...

Riding bikes is good...

Racing bikes is good...

Doing both for more the just the sum is even better...

If you haven't signed up but should... go here   http://lakeville-milltown-lakeville.blogspot.com/

Year 1 fatbike class Superstar... ha.