Spring Flinging the Dirt / BMW F800 GS / Yamaha WR450 F

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I want to share a few of my rides that started early this season of 2017. We had some warm days in February that I couldn't resist rolling the Motos out. Good to start them and shoot some fresh gas in them every month or so if possible. Good enough reason for me to roll them out...

 Rolling on the gravel gets me into some cool little areas that I can bushwack into and have a lunch off the box. Like to get back off the road and duck into the trees.

Still had a bit of snow and ice along  the fields and creeks. The key is having the right clothing when the temps are 32 - 49 degrees. Much of my clothing is also the gear that I use in the mountains when backcountry snowmobiling and snowboarding. The key is to cut the wind and stay dry. I wear the same layers under my motorcycle outerwear that I use under my snowboard jackets and pants. The outer layer is the key to the different sports. I like the protective padding and windproof aspect of moto gear. A bit different with the mountain gear, it is lighter weight, breathable and waterproof.

May choice of helmets these days are of a dirt bike design. The new adventure helmets have the visor and face shield with option of using goggles. My other choice in the cold weather is my mountain snowmobile helmet, has the breath box and I use goggles with it. 

Finding some places to park and wander around the fields...

Trailer is geared up for a trip up North for a good day of riding the backwoods roads and trails.

Swamping is required in the spring with the high water levels.

Up North

Spring riding rivals the woods riding in the Fall, I like the ability to see into the woods as I am exploring.

Gotta like a full day of motorcycle adventure... This was a day with 350 miles traveled in the truck and 40 miles of backroads and trails on the Yamaha WR450 F.

Lunch off the box on a farm trail.

Get back in the woods Whitetail!

Adventure is what you make of it...

Ride On

Ride On / Traveling / Listening to Bob Seger / Traveling Man

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Checking out the local singletrack along the Mississippi River. Good backwater from a rainy Fall season and cool to see the St. Paul Fire Department river boat doing some practice hosing. 

 

 When in the big city, clean up the country moto and take it uptown on a grocery run...

 Good day to head south towards Mantorville on the country roads for a visit to my Sons home. A bit of lunch off the box in a picked cornfield. Flushed up a big ole roster pheasant along the fence row.

 Of course fit in an awesome Fall day on the mountain bikes over in Wisconsin.

 Always a thrill to cross the Mackinac Bridge... The wind was up and the waves were really rolling. Traveled to Michigan for a 3 day job near Bay City.

Back to Country Roads, Minnesota Style

 You guessed it, lunch off the box...Haha! Why not. The neat thing about this week is that the moon is putting on a show in the cool Fall nights. Spent about 2 hours in this area and caught the moon rise in the Eastern sky. Packed up and roared the 60 miles back to St. Paul on a mix of gravel and paved backroads.

 This is where I like to see the critters, in the bush, not on the pavement.

Moon rise over the country road in the East as the sun set in the West...

Ride On!!

In October You Just Gotta Be In The Woods On 2 Wheels / Yamaha / BMW / LAMERE Cycles / Ride

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A last foray into the Northern Minnesota forest on the Yamaha WR450 before we move back to the cities for the winter.

 Fall is in full swing on this ride...Speaking of fall...riding the edge of the deep mud hole, I clipped a hidden rock in the brush and got bucked off into the middle of the water. Dang near ended up flopping in, but some fancy footwork kept me upright. All good, ended up with my boots full of swampwater. With temps this day right around 37 degrees it was good not to get any wetter.

This was a good, about 40 mile day on the saddle. Got back to the cabin at sundown dodging the deer along the way.

 Also riding the BMW F800 GS a couple times a week. Exploring the country roads outside the metro area. Generally about 140 to 200 miles in a day is a good balance cruising dirt roads and with mix of 2 lane curvy pavement. Topping the ride off rolling back into the city on the freeway with a bit of AC/DC rocking in my earbuds.  

 Always a treat to pull off a gravel road and have a snack.

 Another opportunity that has come along from time to time is to be involved with a photographer that shoots videos and photos for the running events. This involves me to transport a guy shooting video off the back of the BMW. This was the "Twin City Marathon" event.

Meanwhile Back at the Cabin

 The last few tasks that needed to be performed were the pulling the boats out of the lake. 3 boats total, The speedboat was out earlier, so it was the sailboat and the pontoon. We handled the sailboat, towing it to a landing and pulling it out with our pickup. With the pontoon, it is a cruise across Whitefish Lake and dropping it at the marina. They pick it out of the water, winterize it and it is stored at their location. This is an annual event where as we load the mountain bikes and transport them over. Then it is an 18 mile bike ride back to the cabin. Good times!  

 Mountain Biking in October

 JP LaMere rolling on his branded mountain bike, LAMERE Cycles owner and also test rider. This day he is racing the Marathon race at the last "Minnesota Mountain Bike Race Series" race. The course is set-up in the "Whitetail Ridge Trail System". 

This was the last race of the Minnesota Race Series, The Border Battle. This was a make-up race from the original scheduled race. Nice to be in the River Falls woods during the Fall. Trails were in good condition and a, more open feeling in the deep woods with the foliage dropping it's leaves.

Jeff Hall raced this day, 9 races this summer in the Series. 9 wins, 9-0 for the season. It has been several years since he has done the whole Series. He won the Minnesota Series several times in the early to mid 2000s.

He enjoys being on the bike in the woods on the week-ends as he commutes 5 days a week on his bike. 50 miles a day round trip. That is the riding he does to stay fit and uses the ride to throw in some speed work for certain races.

This summer we traveled to 3 big mountain bike festivals. In Grand Marais, MN "The Lutsen 99er" 99 miles, he finished 2nd. In Marquette, MI "Ore to Shore" 48 miles, 2nd place. In Hayward, WI "Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival" 40 miles, 7th.

A very good Mountain Bike season with a variety of terrain and travel experiences along the way. 

Meanwhile...

The non-racer doing a bit of exploring.

A good day on the bikes along the Minnesota River south of Louisville Swamp. A rainy 47 degree day made for some good adventure. With all the late season rain in Minnesota, the River flooded over it's banks and washed out portions of the trail. This created backwater to flood and dam up the creeks. With a bit of scrambling we were able to cross and made a big loop to return to the car. it was a chance to explore some of the local gravel roads.

October, good month to be out in the woods!

Ride On!

Traveling in the Rain / Creating a Winter Rig / Riding the Yamaha WR450F in Minnesota Forests / Warm Fires

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This has been a rain season for sure. As I stand on a bridge above the Minnesota River and watch whole trees float down river it reinforces the fact that One should have proper gear to be out in the elements. Ole planet Earth is an ever changing climate...this is the way it should be. I happen to thrive on the extreme weather, so it is good stuff.

 The new car, starting to take shape. Add the roof rack to carry bikes and the capability to carry snowboards this winter and if need be slap the Rocket Box on for more storage.

To add to the capabilities of the Ford Focus, the addition of these rock and roll tires are true Blizzard chasers. These are Hankook "Winter Pike" tires. Had them on my 2012 Focus and it is cheating using these tires in the Winter, they are that good!

Traveling Back Up North

 Time of the year that it is a good time for the fire place in the cabin.

 Best time of the year, the Fall to explore the backwoods trails on the Yamaha WR450F. Doesn't matter if I'm blasting down the fireroads at warp speed or creeping down a forest trail at walking pace, this moto handles everthing I throw at it. Really enjoy having a snack in the woods and sitting on a rock listening to the forest sounds.

 Pick your moto forest dirt color...

 Brilliant Fall colors and sunlite to make a very good day out exploring some new trails.

Tis the season for outdoor fires and tipping a few cold beverages after a day in the Northern Minnesota woods... Ride on!!