Minnesota Mountain Biking

The trail rushing by.

It was great to be mountain biking in the woods. 4 hours Saturday afternoon and evening. Got back to the truck around 8:45 PM. Rode in the fading daylight till it was fairly dark. I enjoy riding in the fading light as my eyes adjust to the darkness. I slow the pace and feel the trail and the woods close in. With complete darkness I attached the head lamp to my helmet and continued to the truck.

With a 3 hour ride on Sunday, this is time of the year to raise my fitness for the upcoming snowmobile and snowboard seasons. It is always great to be in the woods during the fall.

Gregg Bednorski

Gregg was killed in a cycling accident Thursday, Sept. 18, just 5 days after racing in the Chequamegon 40, Mountain Bike Race.

I remember Gregg from 1993, it was during my competitive mountain bike racing and my son Jeff Hall was 17 and starting his expert level racing. During those early years Wisconsin, had the WORS mountain bike races that we raced. That was where I first became aware of Gregg. I was battling with the likes of Curt Patak and Paul Gabril in the Veteran Expert class. Jeff was battling with Gregg Bednorski and some of the other top Wisconsin Expert racers. On the trips back home to Minnesota, we would talk over the race that day. Well that is when Greggs' name came up. Jeff would tell me about how he would be up front in the twisty single track. Then this guy would open up the jets on some of the sections. I remember telling Jeff at the young age of 17, that he should race hard and learn from that guy. Well that rider was Gregg, and Gregg went on to win the WORS Mountain Bike Race Series in 1993. If I remember correctly Gregg was also one of the top road racers in Wisconsin in the early 90s.

I never knew Gregg away from the bike racing, I may have never even talked to him. but it sounds like he touched many lives in his full life. Even up to the present I would see his name in the results of a race, usually in the Chequamegon as I look for familiar names from the past. It would bring back memories of those great days of early mountain bike racing, in the fall woods of Wisconsin. He made a difference. R.I.P.

For more info check my link to Skinnyski.

Feeding the Fat Tire 40 Man: Jeff Hall, 18 years of Fat Tire

The steed that which is to be unleashed upon the Wisconsin woodlands.

The portable work environment that follows the woodland steed to the predetermined adventure.

The leaders of the rampage. It takes 2 because of the potential pitfalls to be encountered en route to the destination.

The riders of the steeds will be required to mount upside down and roll over upright before proceeding.

A young man whose father wore this coat of arms... jersey, in woodland traverses with yours truly 2 decades previously.

Unleash the beast!!

A young adventurer will acompany me on my task of feeding the gladiator of the woodlands.

With the approach of the motorized leader, the gladiator will not be far behind. And he will be fed a bottle of PowerBar go juice.

The rewards to be bestowed upon the woodland gladiators that have navigated the harsh terrain at speeds with which few creatures before them, are to be able to stand upon log pedestals which once were among the woodlands that were conquered this day.

You too, young adventurer will some day have the mud of the forest upon your face and ride swiftly.

Scott Hebel and Jeff Hall.
The moral of the story is that these 2 riders could kick Norm's ass every which way, in any foray into the woods... but Norm still finished in 4th place right behind Scott Hebel, Jeff Hall and Gino that rainy day in Grand Marais, MN, in 1993, annddd right in front of the Short and Fat Champion, Jake Richards Dad, Jay Richards. Go Figure.

I never saw this ending coming. Jay ya gota be proud!! Good Times!!

Check out Jeff Hall Mountainbiking and Skinnyski links for more on the Chequamegon.

Formerly Norm.

Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival 2008

Traveling up to Hayward, Wisconsin later today for another Chequamegon Race. 40 miles of racing a mountain bike. Jeff averages 19 MPH during the race.

My job is, support of racer Jeff Hall. Prepare the mountain bike, hand up water bottles and anything else that comes up. I'll spend the race on the forest backroads intercepting the racers to hand up water bottles to Jeff. I will cover about 36 miles. The last 7 years I have used my enduro motorcycles, that is a blast. This year I'll use the truck.

I raced the 40 mile race from 1985 - 1993. It sure seemed like more mud back then... I raced both times Greg LeMond raced so that was a good time. Jeff was winning the Short and Fat back then, 2 times, in the early 90s. Jeff won the 40 mile race in 1995. Wow, it has been a hell of alot of mountain bike racing since then. Crazy!!

Have a great week-end. Good Times!!

Mike