Nine Mile Skid

A Few Photos from the Weekend

2011-10-31T06:24:00.001-05:00

Yellow River Forest Weekend

2011-10-13T21:21:00.001-05:00

PICTURE HEAVY POST

2011-09-18T16:09:00.000-05:00

Here are some random photos from the last month or so and some from Gnome Fest as well, since Mike wanted to see them.

24oz High Life is a perfect fit

10 x 10 tarp set up

Stake and 550 cord for tarp. The knot is a taut line hitch.

Taut line hitch to adjust the tarp ridgeline

Sharpening the tomahawk

Noah sharpening the Kukri

Busted my chain

I found the elusive "hero wood" that splits straight and easy.

My old Army knife getting used for fire prep

Tipi in the back ground

Burr oak

Levis Mounds trails in Wisconsin

Oak

Ferns

Levis Mounds trails in Wisconsin

Birch

Birch bark

Levis Mounds trails in Wisconsin

Nate 3.8

The day after....

Sailor Jerry came to Gnome Fest

Mullein growing in my drive way

Inner cottonwood bark

Punkwood

Random Summer Pics

2011-08-12T22:23:00.005-05:00

Camping in Decorah

Fire prep

Pugsley

Splitting some wood

Whole lotta fire prep!

lighting the shavings

bacon covered dogs

I made fire!!!!

Going to split some hackberry

Yet another fire

Making coffee

5x7 tarp hung up just for fun

Picnic Ride

2011-06-24T17:12:00.006-05:00

Noah and I went on 13 mile round trip picnic ride today. I brought along the hammock and Cold Steel kukri machete. I split up some cedar and started a fire. I also boiled up a cup full of wood nettle to eat. I wasn't crazy about the taste or the texture, but it is edible.

Noah practiced batoning wood with the machete and we took turns lounging in the hammock. He also started using my Karate Monkey as his old Roadmaster 24" BSO is too small for him. He likes how light the K Monkey is compared to his old bike.

Mud Boggin'

2011-06-22T18:46:00.002-05:00

Camping

2011-06-15T06:37:00.002-05:00

Yellow River Forest

2011-06-09T19:08:00.007-05:00

A friend and I went backpacking in the Yellow River Forest in North East Iowa this past weekend. Here are some pics.

And here are a couple Youtube videos.

‬‏http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqzGCMPX640

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DSmsd1SJo0‬‏

The weather was in the upper eighties with no wind. Bugs were thick and a little breeze would have helped that. We had about a 3 mile hike into camp on Saturday and a 4 mile hike out Sunday.

I used a heavily loaded Maxpedition Condor II pack, which is a fine day pack, but not suited for long hikes in rough terrain when loaded to 40 pounds. All the weight is hanging from the shoulders instead of on the hips. Live and learn.

For shelter, I used a BCUSA tarp and Grand Trunk Ultralight hammock. Love the hammock but with the mosquitoes, I was wishing I had a bug net. I see a WBBB in my near future.

Later....

Random Spring Photos

2011-05-08T18:42:00.005-05:00

Doing some tarp camping in Western Iowa

Making stakes

The Pugsley eats up deep sand

Spam w/ bacon cooking by the fire

Hiking in Western Iowa

Campfire cooking

Land Nav class

Waiting out the rain under a poncho shelter

Weekend Camping

2011-03-20T19:00:00.003-05:00

It was windy but nice Saturday most of the day, but rained and stormed all night. Sideways rain... blew through my tent vents and a couple seams were dripping a little by morning. I was dry and warm in my Gortex bivy. Broke camp in the rain and got SOAKED on the ride home this morning.

Supper = Vienna sausages and instant coffee

Tent = GoLite Hex 3 Tipi

Bike = Surly Pugsley

Pugsley World Championships

2011-02-26T19:45:00.003-06:00

Today was the Pugsley World Championships. I can say that this was probably the hardest 25 mile ride I've ever ridden. The course was super fun, with a few exceptions. I crashed a couple times on ice and bashed up my knee and elbow. I'm sure they'll feel worse is the morning. Did I mention it was cold?? I think it was 5* F at the start and maybe 15* F at the finish. The wind was pretty light, so that was good.

Should have wore my snow boots, as old Doc Marten steel toes suck for pushing a heavy bike up icy hills. I finally had to resort to taking my boots off and walking up in my socks.

Here's some pics... I didn't take many.... I was too busy having fun riding.

Just realized I didn't take a photo of my own bike. That's gotta be a first.

Fat Tired Gravel Travel

2011-02-20T09:45:00.007-06:00

I got out Saturday for 23 miles of gravel on the Pugsley. For a heavy bike, it rides great on gravel. I really only notice the weight on climbs. But then I carry a lot of gear with me anyway.

Bridge Shot

Snowmobile Trail

Found a deer antler

Cedar River at Idlewild Park

Hey, those look unopened...

6 ditch beers rescued

6 beers in a bag

And then there were 5

Filthy bike

Brought the antler home too

"road bike"

2011-02-16T22:23:00.001-06:00

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bridge shot

2011-02-16T22:22:00.001-06:00

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beeler trails

2011-02-16T22:21:00.001-06:00

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Sunday Errands

2011-02-06T12:40:00.001-06:00

80# of softened salt and 2.5 gallons on gas.

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23* F January Day

2011-01-29T15:14:00.003-06:00

Breakfast: Coffee and Vienna Sausages

Working up my fire prep

There's no biking like snow biking!

Recent outdoor Photos

2011-01-23T09:04:00.005-06:00

Easy like Sunday morning...

2011-01-09T14:19:00.003-06:00

I got out for 15 miles on the Pugsley today. A mix of black top, singletrack, and beeler trails. Probably a mile of walking/pushing the bike included in that. I stopped at the park on the way to make a small fire to warm up and make coffee & oatmeal. Loving the Pugsley!!