Just Ride

This spring exploded out of the door just 2 days after snowcover welcomed snowshoes and skis in early March. Pow! It arrived. Sure, we had a few stubborn snows after that, but in truth, we knew spring was winning the good fight. As such, any open mountain bike trail in the state is going gang busters and Levis Mound, (www.levismound.com) one of the first, has had 3 weekends of packed parking lots. Not that it matters, with 25 miles of singletrack, riders spread out quickly.

It seems that early season also brings out mountain bike enthusiasts of all types, shapes and sizes. Some maybe with shiny new rides, others with solely a resolution to just ride more often and this is their start. It makes for interesting people watching post ride outside the chalet. My little gang of trail building friends are no different. Some of them like the latest greatest full suspension rig- sporting gram saving carbon and Ti doo-dads, and others just clip into last years dirt caked mongrel steel steed.

Relaxing in old camp chairs, we sip our beverages and conversation moves back and forth between the next new wheel size (“28.2” wheels-they'll be awesome and I'll be killin it!”) and lamenting the poor souls lifting old school 26” bikes from their racks. “Those look so tiny” -commenting on the bikes that were perfectly fine for all of us a few short years ago. Yeah, they still do work you know.

My friend Dan is on the old school-steel-is-real end of the spectrum. He's built up a rare “69er” which you'd be hard pressed to see at any trail head, rides a single speed 29+ Krampus and a fatbike. He loves to give people grief anytime the weight weeny conversation gets too serious. I like that. He'll tirelessly needle folks anytime the chatter is more about the bike than the ride. Sure-we all like the hardware, but it shouldn't come at the cost of why we're out there in the first place. Sometimes we need reminders of that.

I like riding with Dan- he's fit and can hammer with the fast dudes who power up and down the Levis trails, but he keeps it all in perspective and I'll join him for a no-drop-just-ride-along as well. I'm not in the jet set racer mode mentality any longer, so I appreciate going my own pace and riding within my ability-fitness or skill wise. I can use the excuse that I want to enjoy the time outdoors “just riding” (and that is true) but to be honest, I wish I still had the horsepower to keep up. It is what it is. “Next month I'll be in better shape.” Dan's favorite prevailing philosophy may be “Just ride and shut up.” That, and don't take yourself too seriously- “pass the flask dude.”

The conglomeration of bikes continued to stream past us in the parking lot. An old Klein Mantra, a brown 26” Schwinn High Sierra, four bar linkage suspension bikes, a 750B and enough single speeders to keep my quads quivering. Strutting riders in their flashy new 2015 kits walk by all serious, others in tattered shorts and t-shirts with shin guards not so much. Some pay their trail fee others sadly “forget.” The no helmet people are the most worrisome-they, if anyone, need the protection the most. They all continue to parade by, click in and head out the trailhead entrance. It's all good.

It's dirt on your legs that is more important than the latest greatest gizmo and what bike you're on seems to disappear once the pedals are spinning. While Dan loves his steel, I'm not a frame material zealot-I've had them all and am on a bamboo bike at the moment for gods sake! They all worked and got me out the door pedaling. Earlier in the day, my little group sported a fatbike, a couple single speeds, a pair of 29+, a full zoot FS and a lightweight 29er hardtail. Quite an array. We stopped every once and a while, waited, chatted it up, viewed the scenery and kept the Strava feeds mostly at bay. That's riding in my book.

“The best bikes aren’t at the extreme ends of the functionality spectrum, so specialized that they’re a bike-length away from dysfunctionality. The best ones are boring jacks-of-many-trades, and you stretch them to their limits with skill and experience.” ― Grant Petersen

I'll admit-back in the race days there was a new bike in the garage every year and any new shiny thing had to be hung on it. I followed the sport and it's iterations constantly. Cost was almost no object and I figured I needed all of that to make me a better cyclist. Those folks, like my old self, will always be there, and I was knee deep in it. Nothing wrong with all that per se, but in hind sight, it didn't make the ride any better.

It seems, as really has always been the case, the best rides are ones with no agenda, no attitude and they unfold with no regard to the clock or a distance travelled. Legs can burn or not, wheels can roll solo or with others, and training logs are forgotten or not even considered. Maybe it's my age, my wisdom (ha) or maybe it's just an appreciation of how lucky I am to be doing this at all. Just ride.

Crust Biking

The holy grail of cross country skiers-skate skiers, are the few rare days, sometimes just hours…..each spring known as “Crust Skiing.”  Until this “spring” I’d never considered that as something any other sport might long for.  I was wrong.  Enter “Crust Biking”. 

Mother nature needs her ducks in a row for crust skiing (or biking) to take place- warm, sun high in the sky spring days followed by a crash of temperatures during the overnight hours.  The colder the better for the crust will reach deeper into the snow surface providing a stronger lid on the snow pack.  For skiing, one can skate by (pun intended) with a slightly thinner surface, but as I found out for a fatbike, conditions need to be perfect.  Since the cross country crowds at Levis Mound have quietly abandoned skiing for the season, I decided to veer off our packed singletrack and do a trail “inspection” of the ski loops.  The previous day had been sunny and warm-almost 50 and the cold temps overnight produced boilerplate ski trails which barely noticed the fat tires skimming along on top.

It was the easiest pedaling of the year to be sure-almost no resistance except for the low pressures in the tires.  Deep, frozen slush deer, wolf and coyote tracks were a reminder of the previous day’s warmth and springs' return.  This base wouldn’t last long. Approaching an ungroomed trail, the thought started to wander into my head if it might be possible to ride unpacked snow-like I’ve always done crust skiing.  Would the crust be strong enough?  Would the tires have enough low ground pressure to keep me on top?  Without another thought, I turned onto the pure unblemished snow....and didn’t go a$$ over teakettle! I could hardly believe it was possible to do this-yet another vein of riding to chalk up to the fatbikes!  Floating along almost silently on this shell of snow made me feel like I could explore anywhere now.  Well, almost anywhere.  Suddenly I hit a spot when the sun hadn’t quite reached the day before and instantly both wheels dropped through.  I was stuck, still in the pedals sitting vertically…motionless. Hmmmm, dismounting, and pulling the tires free I moved down the trail and found a stronger crust to continue on.  Soon, one learns which snow will provide the strength and where to avoid.  There are subtle nuances in the seemingly uniform snow pack.  Places that angle toward the sun will be great, shady corners, out of the reach of the sun, will not work and one will be punching through constantly.

Discovering that there was such a thing as crust biking set me off in search of other suitable snow.  Large clear cuts should provide the proper mixture and I headed off toward several in the Levis Mound area.  It was crazy to be riding along anywhere in those spots-free to explore terrain we never venture into.  Swampy wet areas were perfect-they were still frozen and the snow crust covering perfect to ride on.  I know this land well, but “crusting” opened so much more territory….temporarily.

As much joy as I was having this morning-it would end all to soon.  By late morning, the sun already was high and the tires rolling on the surface started to make a different sound-almost like the snow was groaning unto the weight of bike and it’s peddler.  Cracking the surface with more frequency eventually forced me back to our singletrack-there the riding was still rock solid.  My window of crust biking was over for the day.

Looking at the forecast, I may have one or two more chances at the new form of fatbiking-just maybe.  Rain was moving in, which would really make a good crust, as long as cold overnight temps get mixed in.  If so, I’ll be back out, full grin on my face and taking advantage of a new found freedom on a fatbike.

Sweaty Yeti

Russell in Winter Colour

It has become apparent that the Fatbike scene is not just a flash in the pan novelty. The big wheeled bikes have been around for some time, the first being modified double rim jobs first seen in the Iditasport race in Alaska.  In the rest of the country, they have been rare it seems until the past couple years and now they are popping up in a lot of cyclists garages-especially this winter.  I've long ago embraced the fatbike as my all around, all season bike-I just like how it rides and where it can go.

If you have a bunch of people with a new found love of winter riding, you'll probably get someone who thinks out loud- "Well, we should race these things!"  And there was and we do.  The just-for-fun races kicked into full gear last year, including our inaugural "Sweaty Yeti" race at the Levis Mound Trail.  Although small in turnout, there was a growing enthusiasm there and we brought it back for a second year.  Doubling the riders and having the perfect winter day made for a great race-the course getting better with every lap (Thank goodness!). 

This post isn't a race report really-as race director, I tried to be sure I had great volunteers and as many ducks in a row as possible so riders visiting our trail would have a "I wanna-come-back" experience.  Everything starts running itself after the gun goes off, so I had a rare opportunity to walk the course, camera in hand and make a few photographs of what this whole snowbike/fatbike thing is about.  

Scott on Bear Den

We'd had an unwelcome dump of snow 2 days prior to the race, which made the job of all the groomers that more difficult.  One trail however, the Bear Den, turned out to be amazing.  It was conceived as a winter only downhill section after last years race, and with the addition of a connecting trail, ended up being the racers favorite.  Good friend Scott Cole above gave it his approval.

Racing on Bear Den

A short connector trail off the Upper Glen trail turned out well, and even with a small climb midway through, it remained a swoopy fast section worthy of a race course.

Justin Racin

Hammerhead, nice guy and eventual race winner Justin Piontek rocked the course and could traverse the climbs and downhills at amazing speeds-ahh, it pays to be young and have a great coach.  Unlike so many top race dogs, Justin is friendly and always appreciative of the work done by trailbuilders and our meager race prizes of hand made mittens and aSand Creek sixpack seemed to be more than enough as race winnings.

The Sweaty Yeti

It's very difficult to get a good photograph of a Sweaty Yeti....I just know one came riding in and he was.  

Flyin Down the Bear Den

The new snow left a very scenic landscape and I liked the longer distance images of the riders as they passed by.

The Look

Upper Glen is not an easy climb, but once up and over the rocky crag, one is is rewarded with a fast sketchy downhill-well worth the gear grinding effort.

I Heart MY FatBike!

GoPros

Good friend and singletrack grooming guru Dan Hiller decided to make his bike as heavy as possible during the race, so Go Pro cameras were attached at about every braze-on-we're all anxiously waiting for the amazing video he'll produce!

Upper Glen Climb

Jen on Upper Glen

There are core groups of Fatbikers around the state and Jen Barden is a top notch pedal masher from the Wausau clan.  She'll be at the highest podium for most races, but more importantly is an advocate for the sport and so enthusiastic for everything that includes a bike and being on a trail.

One by Nine Climb

Too twisty and narrow for a snowmachine to groom, all of the new winter trails had to be packed by snowshoe-working out well in our case because we had so many volunteers putting in the hours to make it work.  As the race went on, these sections just became firmer and firmer and a blast to ride.

Elevation

Trail volunteer Mark Haferman finally pulled the trigger on a fatbike and decided to enjoy some of his singletrack handiwork by racing this year-all smiles by the end.

Race Start

My recent piece on ski trails and fatbikes living together should have included this image or several others of skiers and bikers alongside each other.  Okay, so this was an unusual case with the race and all, but still it illustrates that these sports can work together as my biker trash friends Laura, Phil and Dan can attest to.

Sweaty Start

I decided to finish this post with the start photograph.  Keeping with the fun-at-all costs theme of fatbike racing, we used a Le Mans start-shotgun blast and a running sprint around a deer and back to mount the bike and willy-nilly take off.  It works and is a fan favorite.  I just like seeing all these fatbikes speeding away on "my" trail!

New years Day-Best of 2011

I'll give full credit to this post to friend Laura Schmitt, who recently did a best of piece on her wedding photographs from this past year...which got me thinking about going back and looking at my own work from 2011.  It's an interesting exercise in a way-going back and taking a close look at what happened in my life thru images.  I won't get too carried away with those deep philosophical thoughts (I just like photographs!) but still, it's a reminder of what caught my eye before pressing the shutter.  I started picking one image from each month....that lasted until February, then abandoned that and just went with photos I liked and tried to keep it to one per event.  Some months were better than others as they say.  (BTW, who are "they" they always talk about?)  So here they are, in no particular order, my favorites (and not always the best photographs) from the past twelve months.

Colored Snow Drifts

We were blessed with a lot of snow in early 2011 (actually, late 2010) and I find myself shooting winter scenes as a favorite....and I do love snow.  Taken on a late afternoon, on the Miatke farm field, where I hike at all times of the year.  Rain had formed a crust, then high winds blew new snow across this tundra-looking plain to form these colorful forms.

Grousin Around

One early morning last winter I looked out the window and a neighborhood grouse lit in the crabapple tree out back.  He (she?) gladly took the opportunity to fill up on the remaining fruit clinging on the twigs during this cold morning.  I'll never tire of living out in the country when one never knows what might wander through, stop for a bite or just say hi.

Tenley at Levis Mound

The kids have moved away now, so unlike earlier days, they don't appear in my of my photographs, but last March a fun get together at Levis Mound with skis and snowshoes brought Tenley back to town.  A portrait?  Maybe...I love the smile, the location and the richness of the colors and knew this would be a favorite of mine of the year.

Sharp-Shinned with Prey

When I first posted this image, I wrongly identified it as a Merlin, another small hawk, but realized later it actually was a Sharp-Shinned hawk.  Backyard feeders offer plenty of prey for these sift skilled flyers and small song birds are a favorite target.  The hawk picked off a chickadee near the window and lit in a large oak tree, where quickly the smaller bird was dispatched.  It's natures way and I had mixed feelings but grateful to be a witness to the skill and survival of the raptor.

Michael at the Polar Plunge

The Neillsville Rotary Polar Plunge raises money for Special Olympics and other organizations in town, and I figured would offer some great opportunities for images.  It didn't disappoint.  Michael is a Special Olympic athlete and also took part in the plunge and by his expression, wasn't going to swim around in the ice water too long.

Madison Rally

To say this has been a polarizing year in Wisconsin would be an understatement-no matter what side of the political fence one is on.  The unprecedented cuts to workers rights and education brought out a storm of protesters from every part of the state-including myself.  I made the trip to Madison as a participant and also, from time to time that day, as a photographer.  I think this image illustrates people of every walk of life, rallying for the rights they feel strongly about.

Fog Day Off

It wasn't a conscious plan to have this peaceful photograph follow the chaos of Madison last spring, but I guess it works.  There were two days last winter/spring that because of the strange weather we've had, were about the thickest fog I'd ever seen.  School was called off and for good reason-the fog never lifted this day and visibility was truly measured in feet.  Unusual atmospheres are always fun to experience and photograph.

Trombone at Tufts

Am I a "professional" photographer?  I have been hired and even paid for photographs, but don't depend on that income for anything than spending it on more photography equipment!  I was asked to do a shoot of a band rehearsing and performing for a comeback tour of sorts.  The Willie Wisely Trio gathered this past summer at Tufts Mansion for several days of rehearsal, some group shots and the a performance.  I always love shooting musicians and bands-so many great photographs telling stories of their talent and skill and what they bring to us, the listeners.  It's always an honor to be asked to photograph these artists performing their craft.

Forest Ferns

Simplicity.  A curve, a line, a form-I'm attracted to those elements a lot when I'm out shooting and find myself at times, looking for the small quiet subjects.  I shoot a lot of ferns-sometimes just to get them out of my system.  In the spring, everything is too green, so usually these photos end up black and white, where for me, it's easier to see those elements of art stand out and come to the forefront.  This one?  I just love natures perfect curve-no artist could draw that as well.

Bog Lake Photographer

Each summer I try to get a photography class or workshop in to advance my skills, to see differently and to force myself to shoot everyday-a lot.  It's always a rejuvenator for my photography.  This past July I spent time in Northern Wisconsin and the U.P. shooting nature, waterfalls and sometimes other photographers.  This was an early morning on a bog lake outside of Eagle River Wisconsin and my favorite from this photo session.

Young Greek Girl in Rhodes

Coaching at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Greece was a great opportunity to be a part of something I love doing in my life.  The head coaching position on the track seemed to fit me well, and I loved every minute.  Well, almost.  I bought a new camera for the games, expecting to make a lot of pictures, but coaching is a full time job and I was a participant, not an observer here... I found myself not shooting much at all.  Our host town was on the Isle of Rhodes and one day we had the chance to visit an ancient walled city there and as thousands of athletes paraded the cobble stone streets, Greek residents cheered and waved along the way.  I saw this young Greek girl waving from a window high above the street and loved the joy expressed in her face, and in a split second grabbed a shot before getting paraded forward down the narrow crowded street.  It would be an image I'll always remember.

Jermaine on the Ferry

Another World games photograph made the cut here and I guess the color really drew me to it.  It was a long ferry ride from Rhodes to Athens-some parts great, some during those 18 hours, not so great.  Meeting Jermaine, who was a powerlifter, was a highlight-a giant spark of life, who could not only lift small cars, but also perform  cartwheels into the splits to fire up his teammates and the rest of Team USA.

Jamie-High Key

These photographs are loosely chronological as I'm posting them, but I had to go back to late spring to a shoot I did for a family friend down the road.  Jamie has a great personality and it was fun to make some senior portraits of her out on the farm.  There were a lot that I liked and she is easy to photograph, but I kept coming back to this high key image as one of my favorites.

Sam Moku-Skipping

This is actually from the Team USA training camp in April held in San Diego.  We trained at San Diego State on their excellent track-a perfect place for our track and field athletes.  We got to know the athletes and other coaches and Sam became one of my favorites.  He is from Hawaii and not only is he an excellent coach but a fun loving human being and one I'm proud to call friend.

The Sun Bites a Building

One of my favorite artists, Georgia O'Keeffe, once described a painting she did of New York skyscrapers as buildings shooting up to the sky with the sun taking a bite out of the building.  This image reminded me of that-taken in downtown Minneapolis this past fall while attending a wedding of a good friend.  Every once and a while, it's good to get the country boy to the big city....just for a while.

Nate & Ena

Unlike Laura, I don't see myself taking up wedding photography on any great level-that's a lot like work and there is pressure to get the shot and make no mistakes.  I'll admit, weddings I've shot for friends have been fun and there are always a few images I really like.  This was a favorite of mine taken at an unexpected moment high above Lake Wazee where the ceremony was held and captures their fun playful side and love for each other. 

First day-Ava and Juju

I've had a habit of marching around school on the first morning, camera in hand,as students file into their classrooms and settle into their desks.   As a teacher, it's fun to see their excitement (for the most part) of starting a new year, with new classmates and teachers.  Ava and Judah are so very different and so very likable and I love having them walk into my classroom.  On this first day I wonder what they are each thinking...

Molly and Colored Blur

A strange image but I just love it.  Taken on a fall hike out in the county forest along logging roads and ATV trails.  It's sometimes hard to get fall color photographs just right, or something one hasn't seen before, and for whatever reason, this was my favorite from that day...light, motion, color, Labrador retriever?

Mr.Art and Abby

Photographers usually don't like to have their picture taken or photographs of themselves-at least, that's the case for me.  That said, I do like this one-I'm at my job, in my room and with one of my favorite students.  Abby is the sister of one of my past high school students, who is also an excellent photographer, and one who made countless pictures of Abby as well.  As a teacher, there is nothing better than students who love to come to your room smiling, happy to see you and ready to try the next great thing in art and give it their all.

Whew.....bring on 2012.........

Group Rides

The Wazoo Fat-Bike Boys

 I probably ride alone 90% of the time.  Not sure why that is....maybe a selfishness on my part to just decide it's go time, pull on the bike shorts, grab the helmet and click into my pedals.  Maybe it's part just getting out into the quiet of the forest after a full day of loud energetic students in the classroom.  It could be that riding alone also insures me of pedaling at my pace, with no fear of getting dropped or bowing out of part of a ride.  There is also a chance to "stop and smell the roses" or the ferns or snap a pic of a wolf or Fisher track-something I'm less inclined to do while group riding.  Sometimes I just want to be lazy-maybe not the correct word, but as the racing days are behind me, I don't feel the need (or pressure) to hammer out intervals, or hill repeats, or ungodly LSDs (long slow distance).  Not that I can't or don't do them sometimes, but I don't have to.  There is some freedom and relaxation in that and as I've gotten older, I think that becomes more important.

That said....the group ride can be the ticket some days.  They are especially great when you have new riders visiting "your" trail for the first time. December 26th was that chance.  I'm not supposed to be riding bikes the day after Christmas-it's not right....there should be two skinny skis under my feet-not platform pedals.  Two things have changed however-a new fat-bike in my stable of bikes and 43 degrees with sun.  My intent was to ride the Levis Mound Trail again this day and finish shooting some stills and video of the Toad Road and Northface trails.  As I pulled in, the bike rack laden vehicles and riders making last second adjustments to their fat-bikes, changed that plan. 

Some of the riders checking air pressure and donning warm riding clothes I've met once or twice along the way biking here during summer months.  With the surge in fat-bike riding, (and warmer temps) I'm sure bike racks at Levis Mound in winter months will become more common.  They invited me along saying they were "old slow guys" which, you know, because they said it -was not going to be true.  I saw it as a chance to "film" riders on our trails-a nice and different perspective from my usual solo ride views.  When leading a group-you do feel as though you need to keep the speed up-not so much a macho thing as it is just to keep a steady pace-these guys drove a long way to ride here this day.  I'm not a climber, never have been, so the quads were quivering when we reached the top of the mound.  Luckily (for me) others in our group needed to find their lungs as well.  We did the obligatory tour of the top of the mound and then I dove in behind Gary, who was riding a pugsley-I wanted to get a riders perspective of fat tires descending Toad Road, one or most technical trails and home of "Plummers Crack."  Shooting video going through the rock chute would be a hoot and good test of the bikes, as would the remainder of the screaming downhill.  As trees blurred by me, I realized group riding-especially trying to stay on someone's wheel, takes the speed up one, two or three notches.....which, thinking about it later felt really good.

We re-grouped at the bottom with only one reported "forced dismount" story.  Some slight air pressure adjustments were made and we set off north west to Trow Mound to catch the new "Wolf Run" trail and then Sidewinder and more shooting.  By the time we had made several more ascents, my legs were toast.  Hated to admit that, but they burned in a good way and the end result is I knew I'd pushed myself a little this day-something I don't do so much when solo.  Pushed the climbs, pushed the descents, took some risks...and that's not all a bad thing. 

The fat-bike friends had one more climb in their legs (in order to fly down Cliffhanger), so I led them to their next climb and wished them well.  This had been a fun couple hours-unplanned, and it always seems those are the best rides of all.  I had a great time showing off the trails and for the first time, riding in a group of fat-bikes (there were a pair of skinny bikes along as well-man those tires look so small now!) and being in a group dynamic.  I'll still most likely keep up my quiet rides, but on this day, it was great to hear the whirl of freehubs, clicking shifters, a squeal of disks and rumble of many pairs of fat tires on frozen ground.

Lovin The Tamaracks

The Slightest Curve

The Tamarack.  Our only conifer that changes color and sheds it's "leaves" (needles) each fall and when it does-it's showy and beautiful.  A scouting slash hunting trip down a forest road in western Clark County lead me past swamps I used to visit frequently.  The destination was a man made dyke from the 1960's where ducks have been hunted in the past.  It's tiny, barely enough water for a canoe and decoys, but years ago, it did produce from time to time.  It was also a chance to check out grouse spots during the bumpy ride out there.  No ducks when Molly and I arrived, but we did bust a pair of immature Bald Eagles perched out on the drainage ditch.  The place has potential for a future hunt in any regard.
That rough "road" is Abbot Ranch Lane, and I'll assume at one time, someone tried to run a farm out here, but the soils are poor and draining the swamps did little to help.  It's now all a part of the county forest and offers prime hunting and outdoor recreation instead.  Also a chance to see and photograph the most colorful of wetlands....which I love.  Something about that spicey swamp smell that is the best perfume any outdoorsman could ever want and which brings only the best memories back from hunting trips in the past.  Well worth slowing down, taking a breath and appreciating what's before us for a minute or two.

The Swamp Bouquet

Gold and Rain Approaching

Home of the Green and Gold