Beauty...and the beast.

Headed down to Levis early this morning to mow......had rained during the night and fog was taking it's sweet time rising. Drove past this 100 yr old farmstead, long abandoned and two Sandhills were feeding...just had to grab my little camera and catch this moment. :)

Then...........although snakes are not-my-thing, I leave them and understand their role. This hog nosed snake is not super common, but I've seen them at Levis several times. They put on quite a show-flair out their neck like a cobra (two "eye" spots on the back) and hissss like crazy-also sometimes vibrate their tail in the dry leaves. Gets your attention! This one was about 2' long and after I turned to do something, he was gone.
Good day in the Clark County Forest.

South Mound Loop

Decided to hit the gravel early-predicted 90 humid degrees would not be a lot of fun later today. The SF was comfy and my legs okay. Tried to ride the hills hard and maybe....someday, I'll be back in shape again.

Cobia

Nice ride thru all of central Wis...all the back roads and county hwys...nice. Toured the Wis Maritime Museum and the USS Cobia. I have a new respect of the "Silent Service." ....and they all volunteered-wow.

Nice ride back from GB thru the Ice Age area and then back on a 2 hr mtn bike ride. Butt is sore.

Self Ports?

Thunder in the distance this early morning, so I decide to see what some of the bogs are up to. EBees has followed http://stanstrembicki.blogspot.com/ and I really enjoyed his project of taking a SP every day for a year. Not sure if I could swing that, but I sure need to jump start my making pictures again. I think this blog will help. I've shot more that usual, but then, school is out too.
Seems I always want to add a picture of some kind every time I post here...so maybe it is a good idea.

Snodgrass

"Recycled" a bunch of picnic table wood from the burn pile at the county shop and am re-purposing them for bridges on Snodgrass. Sue J stopped out and we seeded and mulched the entry along the driveway, then headed into the swamp with tools and supplies to finish the bridges Dean and I started yesterday. Got it all figured out and started pounding nails and cutting. Turned out really well...evcn the mosquitos thought so.

Wolf Po

Worked all day at Levis on the shed....needed TLC after a few years and grooming all winter. Finally, later in the day got the smoker going and then hit the "Wedges Creek Loop" on the Superfly. Didn't want to hit it too hard after yesterdays sand slog on Beaver Lane. Spun as much as I could. As always, saw some fresh wolf po on the trail off Sterling ave. Thought I really wouldn't want to be a deer living back there. Bear tracks a plenty too.

Lucy Lu

Spend a good part of the day building trail-some on Upper Glen, some on the east end of Porky Point. Raking, chain sawin, mowing and bench cutting. Looks really good-next project, lower Cliffhanger.

Scouted the section of woods to construct the skills trail-can't wait to flag it.

Lucy made the work day more fun-my chewed up gloves liked her too. ;)

Iris of Summer

Decided a while ago that today wouldl be my first long ride of the season-fel a little bad about that, all my other riding friends have plenty of long rides in, but at least I'm getting out and I want to get out and pedal. Grabbed the Salsa SS and headed the back way to Levis, then thru Levis and finally the front side back. Stopped a few times to press the shutter and give my legs a break.
When the iris start reaching up out of the swamp water, I know summer really is here.


With summer, comes dirt diggin-tomorrow and Saturday looks to be on the slate.

Upper Hermosa Backwards

Finally......"School-is-out" projects got set aside for now and the clouds parted so I could ride some dirt. Decided to get out to Upper Hermosa and ride it south to north-not really that great or flow, but different. Inspected the new seeding and always looking at re-routes. Too many to count. Wish I could snap my fingers and the trail would be moved...over there!

Today is too many house chore, but Thursday I better get my trail work ducks in a row for saturdays work day.
Word.

Levis Mound Stuff

Well, I kinda forgot the Wisco State foresters would be touring Levis Mound next week....so I need to get on my horse and get some trail work done...soon!
Stopped rainin, so maybe finally I can get a ride in today.

First Wine of Summer

Racked Rhubarb last week after a tremendous fermentation and today the Cran-Apple, which feremented at a less than-stellar rate, but still looks to be okay. Maybe less alcohol %, but semi-sweet and beauty color.
Just dreary outside....but need a bike ride ride.

New season

School is done. Track is done (kinda). On to clean-up chores at the office and then bring on Summer....riding!

Busy few days ahead-Last day of school (for me) today. Special Oympics state tonight, state track tomorrow and saturday, Padre's Ride in Ladysmith Sunday. Then...cut grass for a couple days and start digging dirt at Levis. Summer is here!

Fat Tire Amber Ale

Finally got out and rode at Levis again...this time on the Superfly. Just a couple cars there and some campers leaving-I wanted to catch the ride in the morning. Started climbing Cliffhanger-yeah, good warm-up,huh? I spun up and it was nice...some hikers up there checkin things out-first timers I'd guess. Stoopped at High Rock and snapped a few pixs. On the way down TT I had a jingling down below.....loose granny gear...no wrenches. Tried to ride a ways, but out on flat lander, the crank stopped. Hand tightened the bolts and limped out. Still...a. nice ride. The parking lot was deserted. But....there was a loney looking styrofoam cooler in a abandoned campsite, campfire still smoldering. Just had to check it out. Well, the mtn bike gods finally left me a present-inside were bottles of Fat Tire Ale (and a couple Millers). Dang, had a thirst right then too. First "payment" ever for the dirt digging here over the years-yes!