There's Your Problem!

There's a lovely stretch of good gravel road that goes east from Berquist to Homestead and crosses Big Sucker Creek. Seems that the creek got the upper hand during the recent flooding:

Unlike the Jean Duluth road washout, the creek not only took the fill from around the old culvert, but it created a whole new streambed next to the old culvert.

I suppose you could walk around, but it would be a long, wet, walk.
Russ

A Most Excellent Adventure!

Rich and I achieved our goal today to ride the entire length of Pioneer Road from Lavaque road to Berquist road. Overall a lovely, low traffic, beautiful and varied contryside kind of day. And for those intrigued by the possibilities of gravel road travel, Rich managed the distance on skinny, high pressure, road tires.

There were a couple of challenges along the way:
Road Closed #1 - Rice Lake Dam road, due to damage from the flood - easy to walk around the piles of gravel blocking the road for 100 feet or so immediately below the small dam.

Road Closed #2 - This one was a bit more challenging. Rich convinced me to try the stretch of Old North Shore road from Berquist to Ryan, where a dilapidated bridge (available only to cyclists and snowmobilers) once existed.

Starting down into the ravine:

The phrase "bike assisted mountaineering" comes to mind:

We were successful in the end:

And I even got home on time!

Russ



And You Thought the Jean Duluth Road Washout Was a Problem....

At least you can ride (or walk) around that one - no such luck on Evan Road just north of where Doe Road turns east:



That's Rich polishing his cyclocross skills at 6:30 this morning.
Russ

Superior Vistas

The usual suspects

No idea what Russ, Wayne or Dave are looking at . . .

(Due to the ongoing Hatfield & McCoy fued, Joe is not pictured)

Must of been Penny

How many colors can a gal wear?

apparently . . . a lot . . .

"Can we please just get going?"

"Ladies, now pay attention . . . "

Finally

Momentarily putting the fued aside . . .

Joe reappears

(no idea who the woman is)

Then the rain came . . . darkening the camera

20 more miles to go

Like a wet rat . . . 

And I Thought We Had A Long Day In The Saddle........

The Duluth area was well represented at the Superior Vistas Century in Washburn, WI on Saturday, including Rich and Lauren, Sherry, Rick and Penny, Joe, Wayne, me (Russ) and a couple of Daves. It was my first time at this event and if you set the almost day long rain aside, I can't say enough good things about it. The route includes FS 236 - perhaps one of the nicest stretches of road that I ever been on. Plenty of food at the rest stops and finish, on the spot replacement of a shredded tire, and even law enforcement managing the intersections! I'm in for next year.

I spent most of the day in the company of Wayne, Joe, and Dave and the smooth pace line work helped us get it done in a little over 5 hours. But that pales in comparison to the efforts recorded by Jim (7:31) and Tim (7:48) at the Lutsen 99er event. Shanie's 3:15 in the 39er isn't too shabby either!

Maybe all those early morning miles are paying off?

Like the Hatfield's and McCoy's!

It begins so innocently . . .

"Nice hat Joe . . ."

. . . says a fellow rider

Soon, the words are pouring forth

"I know your weakness' . . . 

coffee and stopping to pee . . .

Really, It's just a little washout . . .

Hmmmm . . . 

"Maybe they aren't kidding?"

"Yeah, I suppose this might be a problem . . ."

"Let me think . . ."

"No problem . . . "