Wednesday, September 30, 2020

I Knew

 I knew there would be magic....

I'd seen the clouds....I looked at the radar....a ride was absolutely, positively necessary.



Just a short ride, the back way into Red Wing.  Up the valley where the "home place" was.

I saw it coming.....and stopped at my favorite, locally owned hybrid Fast / Sitdown restaurant for my old favorite, 1/2 Deli Sandwich and a Cup of Soup.


Double rainbow...

The rain came, the wind followed.

I enjoyed my dinner and took advantage of a 2nd cup while waiting for the worst of it to blow through.  Then it was a perfect time to once again visit Memorial Park.


Last winter I attended some Community Ed classes on Red Wing history, a very enjoyable series covering the distant and more current past.  At one of those sessions, the Kiwanis presented an overview of plans to modernize the overlook and were looking for all ideas and suggestions.  I was in the park just a couple of weeks ago and construction hadn't yet started.

A new look indeed!





 Absolutely, positively worth getting a little wet!


Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Brilliant

 If there's a better word for the woodlands we rode through this weekend.....please share it.




I screwed up but as it turned out, that became a huge positive.  The guys had requested GPS Routes since those of us that know them and use them, they are handy not only for knowing where we'll be going in a general sense but it's often nice to anticipate what happens after that next tight corner....and how tight it might be.  It wasn't until after Labor Day that I finally sat down and made a couple of plans for both our Friday and Saturday rides.  So, early September planning....late September execution.  I knew I'd come back to them, thought about creating a couple of additional, timing/weather-adjustable Routes to allow us some flexibility without completely going without.  Steve had requested and received, then shared with Greg.  Eric received both planned Routes as well.

I never went back and created any more and the important omission, I never pulled the Routes I'd created out of Basecamp to load on my Zumo unit.

The positive part you're wondering??

Steve led, I got to follow and it was a very welcome treat since it doesn't happen very often.


Steve did a fantastic job, the affirmation was universal.  I'm planning to forget to load them again in the future!

The Complete Pitcher..... 289 miles in all, just like those old Fords!

North detail...

.South detail....


Five of us in all, Greg, Steve and Kevin all arrived early Thursday and spent the day exploring.  Eric and I both worked part of the day and were able to make each of our 200 mile trips in daylight.  I was the last one to gather, we all met for dinner at Hyde's just outside of Iron River, Wisconsin.

Delta Lake, our home for the weekend...



 








Long Lake....


Up to the fire tower.....

Greg was airing down a bit more....deep moist sand was everywhere and any advantage was a good advantage.







Coffee stop in Washburn...








Schultz Fire Lane...I've tried it before from the other end and it was too wet there also.  Steve went up ahead to make sure.




We see Road Construction Ahead often enough and don't always heed...

They were rebuilding a water crossing and just before we turned around, the guy on the tractor yelled down to us, "You guys can get through..."

We stopped for a short hike down to the Siskiwit River and falls near Cornucopia





Cornucopia gas stop.....

I shared my Undisclosed camp spot....

Kevin's new bike....seems to work just fine.

Saturday morning....


I'm a lucky guy!  Labor Day weekend I was presented with a new sprocket and this past weekend, almost 51 weeks to the day with some waders for any future Deep Water crossings.  I'm told that there's a video of my reaction at the discovery of these riding boots across my saddle.

Thanks guys, a gift that I'll forever cherish!



Another bear hunting party....I actually expected to see more groups on our tracks.



 A close-up.....


Another water crossing but this time we turned around.

As close as we got to the Delta Diner.

 


 

I jumped in front to lead us up to the fire tower, Steve finally let me lead.

At the abandoned fire tower site...







Thinking we'd get some lunch in Herbster instead we found a big celebration at the diner for this guy's success.


Outside Little Nikki's (our lunch spot in Cornucopia) a couple arrived on this Adventure from California.


We stopped in front of Grandpa's boat, the Twin Sisters







An entire family, maybe even two, loading logs on a flatbed Saturday afternoon.

Sunday morning Eric left for home, Kevin not long after and then it was my turn.  Greg and Steve decided to get another ride in before heading back to Minnesota.  I decided I needed some Iron River breakfast and stopped at Rustic Roost, the same place that Rod, Jeff, Eric and I stopped at after we'd finished the Trans Wisconsin Adventure Trail a few years ago.

I stopped at one of the canoe landings, needed some rushing river time before heading home. This along the Namekagon River.






I stopped in Cumberland at Louie's for some more meat sticks and onion cheese.

But a stop at A&W for a late lunch....


What a trip!!  We had a great time, the riding, the weather, the colors in the woods and best of all, the time together.  Stories flowed, the cabin Eric found for us a big part of the glue that tied it all together.  Greg's chili with accoutrements a major treat and Eric's (Ursula too!) pie that we were way too full for but made go away regardless.

Thanks guys, this one won't be forgotten.