Mondays ride

 After our ride on Saturday we didn't know if the riding season was over or not. Things changed on Sunday. Between early Sunday morning and early afternoon we picked up 5+ inches of new snow. So on Monday 3-1-21 we decided to get in one more ride. The snow we got compacted down to about 1-1/2" inches. With temperatures predicted to be in the 40's from tuesday onward for the next 7+ days and no snow predicted, I believe the season to be over for this year. 

We made a 41 mile loop in a counterclockwise direction. We took the long way around to make a stop at Art's house on the Chippewa Flowage for New York style Cream Cheese Cake with cherry or blueberry topping. It went great with a Crown and Coke.

You have to get off the trail system on the flowage to get to Art's house which led to a couple scary moments in the form of slush. The first one was the worst. I was following Gib and saw him get into it. At that point your only choice is to apply the power and get through it. It's an erie feeling, when you feel your speed start to drop and the back of the sled starts to settle in the slush. Give it the gas and power through it. The second one was near the boat launch but it was very small. We couldn't go straight in to the boat launch because it looked like there was open water. Gib found a way around it with just a small slushy area. The rest of the ride was uneventful and the trails were ok.

Our route for the day. We took the long way around to get to Arts house.

Headed out on trail 9 along side Hwy 77.

Ready to head out across Round lake, always one of my favorite parts of the ride. You get a chance to open it up a little or a lot depending on conditions.

Along trails 29, 30 and 3. Last pic is at I believe intersection 89.

Out on Chief lake, trail 3.

After leaving Arts we picked up trail 18 1 mile north of his house. You have to run the ditch alongside Cty Rd CC which works out just fine. The pictures are crossing Callahan lake. Where we leave the lake on the north end of the lake you can see how the sun just eats up the snow in no time along with having to apply the power to climb up the bank.

Trail 18 in the woods north of Callahan lake.

This is the outflow river from the Tiger Cat flowage. This is called the North Fork of the Chief River.

Here we are back on the Tiger Cat flowage only a couple miles from home. It was another great day for a ride. I wish we had had a longer riding season. It was only about 8-9 weeks this year. Shorter for me because I took two weeks off because of the extreme cold. I only put on 650 miles this year. I hope you have enjoyed following me and my friends on our rides this year. Spring is coming and it will be time to get the bikes out and do some riding. Until then be safe and happy.

Saturdays ride

 On Saturday 2-27-21 we decided to go for a ride up to Lake Namakagon to check trail conditions after some warm sunny weather during the week. Sorry to say that a fair amount of the trails we tranversed were in terrible shape. Areas had no snow left and were basically frozen dirt, a few areas were slushy. Had to stop twice and put snow from off the trail on the heat exchanger behind the seat to cool it down. My machine was allready running slightly warmer than usual because of the warm day but then not to have enough snow on the trails for the track to throw up against the heat exchanger only made it worse. You could watch the temperture gauge slowly climb to the top. I didn't let it get critical to the point that it starts beeping meaning it is definetly overheating. So anyways the mileage for the day was 54 miles. Made one stop. It was at Lakewoods Resort. Had a drink on the front porch away from everybody. Lakewoods is the star 53 at the top of the map.

Todays route. It was the regular routine of Art and I heading up the Tiger Cat Flowage about 3 miles to pick up Jean and Gib at their place. Our trip today was in a clockwise  direction and covered 54 miles.

This part of trail 77 was still in good shape.

A group of cross country skiers taking part in the American Birkebeiner race.

The trail runs next to the ski trail for a little ways and we cross the track a few times.

And yes the skiers have the right of way. So you STOP and look both ways before crossing.

Made a stop at intersection 38. Up to this point the trails were good enough so I had no overheating issues.

Trail 8 top pic and trail 55 bottom pic.

Made a stop along trail 70 where trail 75 heads north. At this stop I had to pile snow on the heat exchanger to cool it down after running some trails with little to no snow.

Art having a hot chocolate on the porch at Lakewoods Resort. A bunch of machines parked on the lake side of the resort.

Running South on trail 3. The bottom picture shows how bad the trails were. They were even much worse than this in to many places.

The best riding was across the lakes. This picture was along trail 22 crossing Spider Lake.

All is not lost.

Today (Sunday) between early morning and early afternoon we picked up 5 plus inches of new snow.

We are going to get in one more ride tomorrow which may be the last of the season. They are forecasting 40's starting tuesday which will kill the trails because in many places they just don't have the base we need to carry them through a warm spell. That's all I have for now.

Wednesdays ride.

 On wednesday 2-24-21 we got out for another ride. It was our longest ride so far this year at 70 miles. It was also a beautiful day with mostly clear skys and about 35 degrees. Our ride took us south this time and in a clockwise direction. It was our regular group of Art, Jean, Gib and myself.

Our route for the day.

As you can see it was a beautiful day with about an inch+ of new snow. Here we are at my house ready to head over and pick up Jean and Gib.

Turn left out of my driveway go 1 block and turn right onto Tiger Cat Rd and go about 3 blocks then left onto trail 14 and you are on the trail system. Very convenient.

Running north up the Tiger Cat Flowage to pick up Jean and Gib.

All these were taken along trail 9. The first one is near Hayward Powersports and the next two are south of Round lake.

Still on trail 9 between Little Round lake and Squaw Bay at the north end of Chief lake.

Only met a few riders out today. These were headed north on trail 9 at squaw Bay.

Trail 9. The middle picture is the entry to Al Capones Wisconsin hideout. I don't know what is on the other side since it is private property.

And two more pictures from trail 9.

Devils Lake Rd on trail 17. It had about three inches fresh snow on it and you could make really good time.

Creek is part of the Billy Boy Flowage. The lake is Whitefish Lake. Both on trail 17.

Headed back north now on trail 3.

At intersection 82 out on Lake Lac Courte Oreilles. It's really helpfull having these signs out on the lakes to help guide you in your rides.

An old empty stone house on the northeast shore of Grindstone Lake.

Last picture of our ride today along trail 30. Once again it was a fun day and great to be out in the woods and lakes area of Northern Wisconsin. We are planning to try to get out again on Saturday and head North. I've logged just over 550 miles so far this year. The season got off to a slow start and then with the two weeks of sub-zero temps when I didn't ride I haven't logged the miles like last year. Also with the covid this year we don't make food or drink stops like last year which has shortened our rides to the size of our bladders. About 3 or so hours.

My wife Wendie and I are going for our first Covid vaccine shot today and are hoping that by late summer 2021 things will be mostly back to normal.

Thanks for looking and be sure to leave a comment if you like.