Full Moon Riding.

Yesterday was my first short sleeve jersey and bib shorts ride of the year!  If we weren't officially at 70 degrees we were dang close.  The wind was up a bit but not crazy, blowing out of the NW.  Thus that was my direction to ride.  I ended up going more east and north at the start to hit gravel sooner and avoid busier roads.  Basically making my way to Gillman.  From there I headed west and north to the Soo Line ATV Trail north of Buckman, near Pierz.  This area has some of the best minimum maintenance roads around, with lots of sand.  A good test for the Cutthroat.  Turns out 2.2" tires navigate the sand much better than 38mm tires.

Once on the Soo Line I contemplated continuing north to hwy 27 and taking that to Little Falls but wanting to hit more gravel than not I stuck to the Soo Line.  Crossing hwy 10 the trail becomes paved.  I took that a bit past Bowlus and jumped on a gravel road heading back east.  I made my way to St. Stephen, where my gravel riding ended, and pointed home.

The Soo Line hasn't seen much ATV traffic yet so it's still running well. 

Per usual it was a struggle to get started but an hour in and I was ready for an all night ride.  I'm a huge fan of night riding but I haven't done it out this way before.  Most of my night rides involve some portion of the Dirt Bag.  I know those roads in and out.  While I knew where I was and have been on all the roads before it's a bit of Bermuda Triangle for me.  I'll think I'm heading one way and run into a town I totally thought was the other way!  So it was a bit unnerving riding in the dark but still a blast.

Crappy photo taken with my phone while riding, but you get the idea.  The moon was out and full.

Ride info.

This morning I plan on taking the Seven MTB out and riding around town.  The wind is already pushing strong out of the NW and I'm short on time.  I'll check some of the trails out to see if they are getting near ready for MTB's to ride.  I'm getting antsy!