January Thaw.

The last couple of days I spent riding the fat bikes.  The weather has been interesting but the riding was good nonetheless.

 

Wednesday I got out on the Pugs for 3 hours before work.  I biked to some snowmobile trails and followed them north.  The wind was ridiculously strong out of the NW.  It was causing lots of drifting.  Since the temp was just under freezing the snow turned to sugar...causing a lot of spin outs, curse words, and walking!  I had a bit of extra time so I took the trail north towards Rice instead of straight back to Sauk Rapids.  This tossed me a 1/4 mile walking section.  Fearing too much more of this I turned for home at the first road crossing.  Still got 3 hours in and an overall good time.

 

Yesterday I mapped out a route that I thought would take about 6-7 hours.  Loaded up the Mukluk and drove out the the park-n-ride at St. Joeseph.  At the start the temp was still below freezing.  The trail was in good shape but had a slight velcro effect.  Felt like it wanted to suck the tire in.  So yeah, slow going.  Once the temps passed freezing the trail still maintained itself surprisingly well.  I still floated on top with only a few spin outs.  Only time it was an issue was if I tried climbing out of the saddle.

 

I somehow missed an intersection on the trail and headed a bit too far passed St. Martin.  Pulled out the map and found the roads needed to backtrack to the trail.  If I only took the road for another mile!  Where I jumped back in it appeared to have been groomed.  Thus it was all dirt, which was now mud.  I went 20 feet and stopped.  But I was already covered in mud and pissed.  It's January!

 

Back on the road I followed the trail.  I noticed it was very windblown and out in the open.  I opted to take the road into Albany.  I felt a bit deflated that I had failed, but whatever.  I refueled in Albany...I was so hungry on this ride.  I took the Wobegon Trail back into St. Joe.  Besides being flat and kind of boring the trail was awesome from snowmobile use.

 

Despite the road sections and whatnot I got my 6 hours in.  I was glad to be done!

 

Thoughts of skiing today have been zapped by the rain last night and the above freezing temps currently.  Ugh.

 

A positive note: International Falls (Arrowhead start) is getting about 6+ inches of snow the next couple days!  I guess if I had to choose I'd hope for them over us.

My fingers are crossed for some more snow here tomorrow but that's not looking too good anymore.

 

Later.