Just Plugging Along

Like it says, just plugging along out there in the woods. I think I've perfected a method of spring trail cleaning that works well for me. I start off on the first pass with Billy and a small but sturdy rake. I get most of the sticks and downfall out of the way and make a note of anything that will require a chainsaw. If possible I like to get the chainsaw stuff taken care of next. Then I make the last pass and finish things up with the leaf blower. I tackled Sarge's loop in it's entirety yesterday and today in that fashion, and it's all set and in fantastic shape. I'll head back over in the morning to start on the next section up the hill. We're planning a ride there for Saturday afternoon. Looks like the weather is supposed to be pretty nice. Sunny and in the high 40's. Rode my freshly manicured trail at home this afternoon, as well as Hoglund Preserve and Hugh's. Nice to have the local local trails back up and in good shape. Those three trails add up to just under a 10 mile ride with only a few miles of low traffic pavement on 119 in between. Funny how the "loop" has changed so much over the last 20 years or so. Evolution or some such shit I guess you'd say. Not too much else to report from our little corner of the lock down. I haven't been indoors with a human other than Sarah in a couple of weeks now. And my outdoor social contact has been minimal and distance appropriate. I do have a new homemade mask courtesy of Denise, and I may have to venture out to the Grain Train next week. Trail work/yoga/ride/rest/sauna repeat. Over and out.

Spring Cleaning

I'm not sure what I'll do if I actually finish all the chores that need to be done, but I'm cruising along at a good pace on them. I'd say the shop is about 2/3 organized, and today I finished opening up my private little bit of single track. Went through the first time with the small rake and got most of the big sticks out of the way and tried to rough up the trail a bit. Went back through with the chain saw for four spots of not too much cutting but definitely bigger stuff than I ever could have moved even with help. Then I went out for a third lap with the leaf blower. Hugh's trail is all open now too (we rode that yesterday as part of our route) so I can get in a good ten mile mountain bike ride now from home with just a little pavement to connect stuff here and there. I'm going to head over to Boyne tomorrow or Wednesday and start on the trails over there. I hear there is still a little snow up near the top, but I drove down Warwick today and it looks like most of the Sasquatch up to the Stuffed Lamb ought to be accessible and ready for some TLC. I attempted some ice bath therapy in the lake yesterday after the ride. Water temp is about 34 I'm told, Bodt and I lasted two minutes. When will the sailing start this year? I suppose in the grand scheme of things that should be the least of my worries. The social distancing/stay at home rules remain in effect. Over and out.

Dirt Road Ramble

Had a good small socially distance appropriate ride with Benson and Hugh yesterday. Benson has better knowledge of the dirt roads north and west of Alanson, but after a few years of riding over there with him I'm starting to get it figured out. At any rate, there are a bunch of good, hilly, and low traffic dirt roads over there and yesterday was just about the perfect weather in which to ride them. A slight breeze from the east and blue skies with temps in the low 50's. It was my first ride of the season with regular shoes and without full thermal tights. So it was really nice. We rode for a little over two hours and did about 25 miles. Legs felt pretty good most of the time, although they are feeling the overall increase in training volume this morning. Rainy and 45 out now, so it will work out well for an easy day. Probably just an easy spin indoors and maybe some yoga. And a sauna! Over and out.

April No Fools Day

Not much to report out here at the HQ. Been riding a lot, doing some yoga. Lots of little chores getting done, I got an iron on patch adhered to one of my work aprons yesterday that's been sitting on the pew by the dining room table for at least a month. Got almost all tires filled up with Stan's for the spring season. The snow pictured above is just about gone, so the trail will start to be a real focus moving forward. We are supposed to see temps up in the 50s later this week, so with any luck the trails could dry out and be ready to ride or at least get cleaned up. Other than that, just keeping out of the way and hoping everyone else does the same so we get through this quarantine/social isolation as quickly and as safely as we can. Over and out.

SDS on Saturday

So we did the Sunday Dirt Services this morning due to the even colder and more rainy forecast for tomorrow. I may still try to head out if there is a break in the weather, but the Rev made the call to move the SDS, and since I had nothing else going on I said sure. Nobody else wanted to join in, not too surprising considering it was 38 and raining lightly when I drove in to Woodloft. The rain let up and it warmed up into the low 40's. We kept a safe distance between us, had a good ramble adeventure, and there weren't too many other people out and about. So my brief foray into the world is over for now, very little exposure. But I will probably have to venture out to the grocery store next week at some point. The social isolation continues. Over and out.

Still Rolling

It was a bit chilly yesterday, but I bundled up and headed out on the Graham 29+. What a fun bike! I was only able to hit a small amount of dirt via the single track in the Readmond Township Park and Lamkin Drive. Traffic was light, and I ended up with a 15 mile trip around the block. I popped in and said a quick outdoor hello from a safe distance to a couple of friends along the route as well.

Today the weather wasn't quite as nice. It rained all night, and the temps didn't quite get up over the 40 degree mark. So it was a good yoga practice this morning and a light tempo ride on the trainer in the shop this afternoon. Both felt surprisingly good. Tomorrow is supposed to be really nice, so I'm planning a good long ramble out on the bike. The quarantine chores continue unabated. Yesterday I went through all the old half used cans of paint up on a high shelf out in the shop. 2/3 of them now rest out under the covered camper parking area awaiting a trip to the transfer station once things normalize. Thus some valuable storage space opened up in the shop to continue the purge and general reorganization I've got going on out there. The rain last night knocked down a fair amount of snow but we still have a little bit before we'll be able to start working on the trails so the shop overhaul may get done yet. Not at all surprising, but the Arcadia Grit and Gravel got cancelled today. So my first race of the season is out, I'm not holding out too much hope for Lumberjack in June. Over and out.

Baking Bread at Home

Since I can't be small scale mass producing bread at work these days, I decided to try my hand at some homemade bread baking to fill some time. I've got a good friend down the hill that is going to help me get my own yeast strain going too. I have a feeling pizza and bread will be making a pretty steady appearance in our quarantine cuisine. Took the day off the bike today. Did a couple of short sessions in the yoga room, took Billy for a brisk hike at the neighborhood nature preserve, and capped the afternoon off with a sauna. Over and Out.

Three Weeks Out

The governor of Michigan made the call today, three weeks of very strongly recommended self isolation for all residents. We aren't the first state to take such drastic measures, and I'm sure we won't be the last. All businesses to close up shop. No work that is deemed non essential, Sarah and I both fall squarely into that category. So we're one week in, and at least three to go. So far so good. Been doing a little more on all the good for you physical well being stuff every day. The fat biking has been pretty good, albeit alone for the most part. I've been able to incorporate a little more yoga and into my routine as well. I've even been trying to get the sauna fired up every other day or so. If I can keep it up, I should be moving along pretty good once the single track is snow free and cleaned up. Had a good route on the fat bike this morning.

Looks like it's going to just get cold enough to make it good again tomorrow early as well. Good luck out there in the world.

Social Distancing in a Social Media World

Does it work anymore? If words get typed on a page, a virtual page that is and posted somewhere on the internet but nobody every reads them do they really exist? What about pictures? Weird times these be for sure. The pandemic is upon us. Social distancing is the new normal, my store will be closed for the longest time ever since 1972 before wave one is all said and done.. We're giving it three weeks to start with, but without any clear idea from the powers that be as to what to expect moving forward it's hard to imagine that somehow things are going to be looking up to the point that we'll all be encouraged to go out and mingle about in three weeks time. In the meantime I will continue to use my days as productively as I can.

So this was just a test. If nothing else it may serve as a good way for me to chronicle the northern Michigan pandemic experience from the woods.

Lubberline Billabong "Billy"

I just can't leave the post of Guinness and his passing as the last post of Team Terpening. Not that I didn't love him, it's just sad to see his "little buddy face" and not get teary. So here is the newest member of Team Terpening! He is pretty F...in cool! More pics to follow.