Rain fell until yesterday mid morning. Dan from Canada had been in contact w/ me while I was here. Yesterday we rode together out near Telemark resort. Esker, Danky Dank, and Treasure cove out and back. The tread is sandstone / sand which water soaks thru quickly. Well built sustainable trails playing the topography. Some bermed corners, a few mud puddles, tread sprinkled w/ fall fallen leaves. Still enough leaves still attached to create dense shade. Cloud cover blocked the sun. We parked at the N end of Esker then rode to the southern start. Just after we got on single track a bog boardwalk spanned a swamp. A slight turn to the left part way along spilled Dan as the boards were surface finish and vey slippery. I watched him slide out. He landed in a bog slopping up his clothes and gloves, he missed hitting the boards landing in the soft stuff. He needed dry gloves so we rode back to our cars then returned. We walked the board. I was able to stop before the corner, my locked rear wheel put down a skid track thru the slime. Dan is 51, I’m 67. I can pedal prolly pretty good for my age. Dan is in good shape. He prolly rode at the same effort level for his age as I did mine. He being younger he was faster. I pushed to stay with him. My HR data was 154 max and average 131 bpm with 132 being my threshold. A fun slightly tech trail made more interesting by slippery stuff. 23.19 miles in2 hrs 58 mins climbing 2126′. The trails are pedal trails, short ups and downs, lots of arounds. I rode some of what Shrimper built.

I drove back to Steve’s. Tools were in the yard and doors were left open w/ nobody around. Situation to me indicated an emergency leave. I put the stuff away and shut doors then called Steve to tell him I took care of things in case he just needed to come back. He said thanks and he would be coming back to work.

I stopped at Mic and Beth’s at 9AM for them to show me their van. Pretty cool: a Dodge Tradesman and WInnie conversion. Lots of good stuff inside.

Today was laundry in the Cable laundromat. I walked over to the Chequamegon race head quarters seeking a past poster for the race. Dave texted me the poster which captured his wife, Rebecca, head to head with Sue Haywood. The woman found a poster and gave it to me.

Fog burned away revealing low clouds with scattered breaks. Forecast said so. I drove down to Seely and up to the pass to ride the trail heading N. The trail has a green difficulty. I was seeking a less demanding trail to recover from yesterday’s hard ride. The smooth tread made it green as it still had hte ups and downs and arounds. It crossed the Birke trail

14.34 miles in just under 2 hours  out and back. I stopped at the turn around point other wise I rode non stop. GPS reported 1385′ climbing.

Clouds cleared off when I returned to the parking area.

Dinner at The Eatery.

Tomorrow I will ride here then drive to Marquette for the weekend and Monday.

Phil, I should be your house say Wed to ride before the festival.

Bed time.

The Snap fitness here in Hayward requires and additional membership card to get a shower, an extra $5 per month. First ever.

I have noticed many roadside taverns up here but no churches. In the SE the opposite.

Rain started Sunday falling off and on until off and on tonight.

Yesterday I headed south to Seely Pass. Wow, raining Cable but as I drove south I drove onto almost dry pavement. All right, a ride. I drove up to the named pass and parked. I geared up but b4 I could get outside rain started falling. Curses. I hung inside looking to windward. There appeared to be a sort of blue break in the low clouds. Just maybe a sucker hole big enough to get out in. At 4 the hole had not arrived. Window closed, I poured some moonshine and looked out the window. My whistle was well on its way of being wetted and I don’t mix alcohol and bicycle tires. Opportunity missed. The hole closed then rain fell. Just as good that  I started drinking b4 5. I stayed in the parking lot after moving my van to face right into the wind. Chilly in the upper 40s enough to let the furnace improve my comfort. Rain fell off and on during the night.

Monday morning I stopped in Cable. I drank a coffee in local shop then went to library across the street to print my new insurance ID card. I met Jamie, Steve’s fiancee. In needed propane  and believing that Hayward had it I drove south the 17 miles. On the way I passed a propane dealer right outside Cable that didn’t connect till i returned to town later. I passed  a KOA which usually has propane. In town I went to a hardware store only to learn they sell only by weight and my van would not fit on their scale. I drove back the KOA.

I stopped at a bike shop in town which I learned later is in a Carnegie library. I asked if I could wash my bike and was given permission. I washed off what would come off w/ a brush, no more manure.

During scrubbing of the rear rim I discovered what appears to be a fracture going from bead edge to bead edge across the rim. I emailed IBIS who got right on it asking for photos which I provided. Need to know the condition of the rim.

Last night I started up this computer when i received the blue screen of death. I removed the battery and put it back in. Sort of a boot up then an error message popped up. I needed professional help. I googled computer store Hayward on my smart phone and picked a shop. Today I drove down there and threw myself at their repair station. I am now held captive till the computer is fixed. I drove out tot he other bike shop and started a conversation w/ Ian who is on the  board of CAMBRA. Fat tires are catching on. Most of the public land local trails are on is between 2 counties. I wonder what the land manager rules are.

This AM I stopped at local coffee roaster for resupply. A guy came  up to me and asked if he and a group of riders didn’t meet me while camped out here. Yes Ire member a bunch of riders. Turns out he is involved in insurance and IMBA, He also has an economic study on the impact of mtn bikes Look forward to reading it.

Forecast is looking better for a ride tomorrow.

Next stop is Marquette. I texted Dave in Green Bay that I would be their doorstop on Monday. He replied that their group will be in Marquette on Monday. I will rethink travel plans.

Back at Steve’s.

I listened to the presidential debate last night, Only Clinton was presidential. Trump is a whiner and self aggrandizing and a blamer. Come November may he be a real loser. I forced myself to listen to the entire 90 mins. Clinton performed well and trump made me scream at the speakers for the  moderator to cut him off. This morning I read Huffpost articles about the  debate and NPR lie detector, 17 lies by trump 0 for Clinton. He was dissed as poor performance. I read Fox where their survey says their readers believe trump won. The guy lied about climate change being real in published records then denied he said it during the debate. The power  of the ballot box, I have but 1 vote but of you and you and you join me we will be starting a movement. The guy sniffled through out, I have not heard anybody speculate that he was high on blow (nose candy, toot, cocaine).

Woke up yesterday AM at Steve;’s, pretty cool I am almost in town but just far enough to now have neighbors. Forecast has been for wet.

I got my stuff ready to go. Next was putting plan into action which was to drive out to the Rock Lake TH for the IMBA epic ride. Free fee day visit that did not require using my senior pass. Just me in the parking lot. A rider I spoke with back at Duluth dissed the downfall on the trail. I was thinking big trees while he was talking about small stuff getting caught in his drive train.

I attached my phone to the handlebar, loaded up MTBP, clicked record a track in Backcountry Navigator but forgot to turn on the edge. Trail is under deep deciduous tree cover, view sheds were over the small lakes the trail skirted. I cleared a few pieces of blow down off the trail otherwise is was sort of slippery riding. Roots and green life on the rocks made for possible slippery moves.

Overcast day which brought out the colors of plants

Lots of whatever this fungii.

Trail crossed famous no hands bridge, for some but my hands were on the grips

Just deep tree cover, the tread was sprinkled with fallen leaves. Light was flat. Sometimes it was difficult to see enough of the trail far ahead.

Lots of small lakes abound, sometimes the trail got close enough to enjoy one.

Big ride day of almost 26 miles climbing 1880′ in short jabbing climbs. The trail worked the side hills and gulleys traversing. This is the 3rd time I have ridden this trail. It’s deep woods Wisconsin riding.

I drove back to the Eatery. It is closed on Sun, Mon, and Tues and Mic and Beth will be on a road trip. Hey Beth, you say you have a Sprinter van you want to share with me? Thurs AM before I leave. I have decided to stay here to do my wash on Thurs then off to Marquette.

The Eatery is a fun place. I learned that Hot Tomato was researched by Mic. There is a vibe here which makes a special beer and pizza place. It’s not a one sport place. Fat tire snow bikes are a growing user group .

Intermittent rain is falling at noon. Thanks Dana for your ride recommendation, I thought the same way. Shrimper built Danky Dank w/ a mini ex, may I get a large enough sucker hole to ride.

I find there is not enough time to sit long enough at a spot to soak up its life and still meet my travel plan of being in Bentonville before T’day. The IMBA summit is loaded w/ interesting topics.

Might drive down to Hayward and be a tourist and find a sports bar to watch football.

The woman who won the Olympic Triathlon is a local here, she was married at the Eatery. I was not introduced to her.

The red Cuyuna iron dirt has been covered by dark woods dirt. The red is on top of cow manure. No cover is over the bike in hopes that rain will clean up.