Well It's Time...The Pie Chart - 2025/12/09

The chart was actually finished a month ago; the bikes stacked as tightly in the garage as they'd ever been.  I thought I'd wait to share the end of season results though until real winter had arrived and that milestone has now happened.

My time and efforts have quickly moved on to other things but not everyone/everything has left 'the season' behind.

River barge traffic on the Upper Mississippi has stopped, the last shipment left St. Paul for points south at the end of November.

 But the big boats on Lake Superior have on average another month to go....

On the farm our snow is here for the duration....it's cold enough and deep enough now to carry us through the Holidays and beyond based on forecasts. The weather folks just may be correct...."colder and snowier...." for this one.

Again as with every year, I don't look at totals while the season is in play but seat-of-the-pants told me that distribution would be more balanced this time.  I actually made the effort to shuffle them for my rides and in a way that was easier, easier because it was obvious that total mileage was going to be down.  Shuffling because they aren't all lined up next to each other.....I don't have the space.  It's actually a chaotic stacking of a few loosely defined rows.  There's effort in Equal Distribution.

Multiple short rides were taken, even in one afternoon, a Saturday or over a weekend rather than the 200-300 mile days that in the past were more common.

The Pie Chart is confirmation....

 

You can see which machine's totals were built around something more than "an afternoon's" ride.  The Moto Guzzi made a loop through MO.  The brand new Hawk saw multiple multi-day trips as did the Himmi and the KLR 650.  The Kawasaki after sitting for a few years and having its fuel system taken care of saw an uptick.  

You'll notice that pedal power was included in the chart, only fair because of two wheels....well at least I'm making it so, my prerogative.  For those that don't know, my Aventon E-bike has the ability to Go sans pedaling but mine sees none of that...I pedal to Go....with a small amount of torque-sensing Boost for all of those 419 miles, by far the majority of them made on my 7.4 mile daily loop at home.

As mentioned above, I made a conscious effort to give each of the machines some time on the road and I'm more than satisfied in how that turned out now that I see the numbers.  Draw whatever conclusions that you may, the Royal Enfield Himalayan and its brother, the Classic500 remain my two favorites, in that order.  The Yamaha fat-tired TW200 has been sold, the only one on this chart no longer in the stable.  My goal for 2026 will be to move the neglected Elite 250 scooter from its 0 miles obvious last place.  It deserves better, as the KLR did this year.

So, to compare to the last dozen years of history or so, here's how this season stacks up.....

 

 The most machines, the fewest miles.  It was a great riding year though, this pastime in its role, a wonderful mix of living Life in '25.

Another November Bike (bicycle) Ride - 2025/11/15

Yesterday's high temperature (11/14) set a local record for mid-November and today's weather was expected to be close enough if not windier.  I was in the mood for another rail-trail ride, the Aventon's battery was fully charged and the loaded rack was on the van.

I'd given though to riding 'our' local trail, the Cannon River Trail but saw online that officially it was closed in November and sections of it were under construction.  That fact made it easy to choose the Chippewa River Trail instead.  I'd forgotten this morning to purchase my online Daily Pass and luckily remembered on the way there to Paypal my way to legality.

First, a proper breakfast in Wabasha.... 

 Fuel and my thermos filled....you know where....

Unloading in Durand's Tarrant Park....

 

 

I've stopped/we've stopped at this 'wayside' numerous times when riding 650th on our powered machines.  Tyrone's Trail Park and Overlook.

 

 

 

 

 

I was curious....there are sections on 650th west of Meridean that are close to or actually underwater.  This section of the trail was no different.  Sand had been spread to raise the level an inch or so...barely enough to stay mostly dry.  After our recent overnight lows, surface soils had started to freeze.  On my way back later in the morning, this area was definitely mushier.

 

 

Dismounting required... 

 

 

This was where I turned back, just short of Caryville.  I was 'feeling it' and decided that at 15 plus miles turning around would be prudent. 

 

 

Where I stopped to make lunch.  Not being completely aware of the App on my phone, instead of following up with Resume after lunch, I pressed Finish instead.  

 

You'll see.... 

 

 

My shrimp ramen with adequate daily sodium intake... 

A beautiful spot for lunch....

 

 

Three kayaks and I'm assuming agate hunters on the beach.. 

 

 

Up until this time I'd seen no one on the trail.  Stopped here I met a woman dog-walker and soon, a few other bicyclists. 

Though I actually had a choice, I purposely intended to ride the Chippewa River Trail since I was so familiar with its many crossings of 650th that I'd motorcycled on.  Not that far out of Durand the Red Cedar trail splits off toward Menomonie rather than to Eau Claire as the Chippewa does.  My ride as far as Careyville was roughly half way to Eau Claire on the trail.

Curious I went only as far as the old railroad river bridge on the Red Cedar Trail.

 

 

When I stopped for lunch, pressed Pause.....When I started riding again, I missed Resume and got Finished instead. 

 

 

So I started another ride from there.... 

Another very enjoyable day, temps at mid-50's when I started at 7 and almost the same at noon when I finished.  All morning the wind increased though unlike the thermometer.  Next time I start in Durand I'll take the Red Cedar Trail and explore that one.  Very unlikely it will be yet this year based on weather predictions.

A November Day On The Elroy-Sparta State Trail - 2025/11/04

Ever since my MN Guzzi Rally weekend in Grand Marais where I took my e-bike rather than one of the motorcycles I've been anxious to do one of the Rail-Trails.  Summers are short, the weekends fly by with other plans and/or responsibilities.  I'd hoped to make any more bike rides overnight if not weekend events but with that, I knew that more likely to happen would be day trips.

Knowing that a long weekend was coming up due to a teacher training day, an overnight camping trip to ride the trail was in the serious planning stages.  The weather forecast was looking ideal....temps in my 'zone' for comfortable exercise efforts.  But with the short days/long nights in November and campsites in city parks rather than in the northwoods, the day trip seemed a much more realistic choice.  I'd have camped in the pickup truck, a day trip meant I could take my more fuel efficient van....the receiver hitch bike rack works just as well on either one, flexibility that was part of my Master Plan involving both vehicles.

Starting out early in the newly Central Standard Time, I stopped for breakfast in Wabasha, then a stop for a sandwich and chips to carry along on the bike for lunch.

My trip to Sparta... 

 

 

The Sparta-Elroy trail head, the trail heads SE from here.  This point is also the eastern terminus of the La Crosse River State Trail....(maybe next time?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The section of trail I'd hoped to do down and back.  It meant going through the longest tunnel on the trail (#3 the longest at 3,810 ft) to Norwalk, turn around and ride back.  I guess I knew, if you'd have asked, that the tunnels are closed in the winter.  I'd forgotten AND wasn't thinking we were 'winter' yet.

 

 

 

Over Interstate I-90.....

 

 

 

Crossing Janus Ave.....Do you know how many times that I've ridden my motorcycle through this crossing?

 

Many.

 

I know the area SO well from riding through every road with my motorcycle exploring.  It was great fun to see the area from a very different perspective.  As Eric says when he gets the chance to snowmobile the area....."we think we know it so well..."

 

 

Looking SE toward Norwalk....you're looking at the exact path that the tunnel takes, under this hill's crown.  I've accessed the east portal of the tunnel using the road against the woods. 

 

 

Same spot looking SW, perpendicular to the tunnel's path. 

 

 

Looking NW toward Sparta and Hwy 71.... 

 

 

The western portal in the dark woods... 

 

 

Again, NW view, Hwy 71 and the tunnel on the trail. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Due to the closed tunnel, I turned back toward Sparta.  My plan to load the bike back onto the van and pick up the trail beyond the tunnel to the SE.

 

So again, from Sparta to the tunnel and back....the battery was at 83% if I remember correctly.  As is my custom, the e-bike's boost setting for the entire ride was at 1 out of a possible 5.

 

 

 

On the way back to Sparta ..... 

 

 

 

 

 

In Sparta, almost back to the trail head.  Riding past the corn dryers I was treated to chaff in the air and the wonderful aroma of corn being dried.

 

 

 

I started out heading west, a short 2 miles to the next tunnel. 

 

 

 

This is Tunnel #2, west of Wilton just over 2 miles. 

 

 

Tunnel #2's eastern portal is just beyond that curve heading up hill....cutting through the top of the hill 

 

 

New home being built just above #71... 

 

 

Wilton a little over a mile to the SE...... 

Through Wilton and further east toward Kendal...

 

 

 

Another overpass for the trail east of Wilton... 

And back to Wilton...

My ride both west and east of Wilton was roughly another 15 miles, so roughly 32 miles for the day.  Getting back for another section of the trail this fall is unlikely but between the rest of the Elroy-Sparta, the 400 and the La Crosse River section, lots of good riding to be had.  Plus there's the Root River and Cannon Valley Trail, both much closer to home.  

I can't wait.