The "Mayor's" house...... Gheen, Mn.

Just some random shots of our time at Cindi's fathers house in Gheen, Mn.







Cindi and JoeApril 2008, 20" of snow April 2008 20" of snow in Gheen Vermillion River Falls Now that's a fire pit! Peaceful Cindi and Pete Fun at Crane lake The egale has landed. Windy day, so Uncle Larry asked me to lay the totem down

Papa Tom and Papa Peter Zack and Thomas

picking up Papa Tom's eagle.Papa Peter, Jenna, Zack and Thomas 10' from the house Papa Peter, and Linda Fun and laughs on a lazy fall afternoon. Super "J", holding on for dear life, on her very 1st bike ride with Papa Peter. Cindi going for a ride on the Mayor's new bike. Uncle Larry and Thomas chilling by the fire.

HOTN:Splendid Isolation..........

Well.........

It's coming up on a week since the 1st running of The Heck of The North Gravel Road Classic.

I've run through that GREAT September 26Th day many times in my head since then, and it played out the same way every time.

Me being very very slow compared to everyone else.

As we pulled into the parking lot early Sat. morning, I thought.............. cool, look at all the like minded people i get to hang out with today!! As I was getting my trusty bike off the back of the truck, and (while Cindi was tending to the kids), I started looking around at what other people were riding.......... hmmm maybe the guys riding the full suspension bikes aren't here yet??

well..... I kept waiting, and I'd still be there waiting if JK didn't say it's time to line up for the start. LOL

While we all were listening to JK give us our final race directions, before the start, a fellow rider came by me and said.... "Dude, your doing this race on a full suspension bike?? That's soooo cool!!!" Right then and there I knew it would be a long day for this guy. Splendid Isolation

I thought no problem, I just wanted to make the 5 hour cut-off to the halfway point, 54 and some odd miles away, and after that, the rest of the race was gravy to me!!

So we start...........damn these guys and gals are starting fast..... OK i can do this....... faster and faster they went. I see some dirt ahead, OK here we go.............. a couple corners and the fastest group is gone, I mean like gone in............ i didn't see them again that day gone!!

Splendid Isolation............LOL

Now, i know I'm not the fastest rider out there, but i didn't think I'd be the slowest, well on this day i WAS the slowest rider by FAR!!

which I was really OK with, i settled into a good pedal and turned on the ipod, and Warren Zevon and I had a great 1st half ride together!! Splendid Isolation

I passed a nice couple as they were eating some food around the 15-20 mile mark. I would see these two all day, but they blew by me on the Fox Farm Rd. (Splendid Isolation) on the 2ND 1/2, and I never saw them again after that.

I also passed 3 really cool guys from down south somewhere, (sorry i forgot boys), this will be a recurring theme with these boys all day??!! lol

I pass these guys, and after some time (i think the longest was 2 hours), they'd pass me again.

I kept saying to myself, SELF..... no stopping til you hit the 1/2 way spot. Which i did fairly well with, but i had to really pee with about 3 miles to go before the 1/2 and i couldn't pee off the bike like I've done in past races, the rumble strips in the dirt roads were very unforgiving, and i was really happy i had my full suspension mountain bike!! so i stopped and did my business and continued on to the 1/2 way. i made it in 4 hrs and 40 min. i was very happy about that!!! It was very nice to see my family there waiting for me, you don't know how good that feels seeing the ones you love cheering you on!!! very very cool!!

So i spend 30-40 minutes at the halfway point. I refill my water bladder and my grab some Gatorade, along with the rest of my GU packs, and the 2ND 1/2 race notes, and head out.

Splendid Isolation

2 hours go by and i see no one yet again...............Splendid Isolation!!!

I just have to say, this is how i ride.......... by myself, and I'm ok with that!!

actually it's was kind of nice to be taking the truly "EPIC" ride in all by myself.

The hardest part of this race for me was the Fox Farm Rd. to the Pequaywan Rd. this 9 1/2 miles killed me. it was total Unsplendid Isolation!!!!

Here's where Mr. Zevon and myself parted ways!!! Sorry Warren I said, but you are going bye bye!!

I walked the whole Moose Mile, (which was a welcome break), and this is where 2 of the 3 boys passed me. Way to go fellows!!!

I jumped back on my trusty stead and pedaled the two-track onward.

After the two-track the two fellows that had passed me were resting again. I said I'm moving on and see you guys in about 45 minutes, they laughed and said yeah yeah. lol

The next part of this race that did me in was the 7 Bridges Rd...... wow, wow, and wow!!! i rode the whole thing, but it was a struggle.

I knew i had one last climb at the end of Medin Rd. to Jean Duluth Rd. and i had to walk my trusty stead to the top. As i was pushing my bike up this hill......the race director drove by and asked if i was OK?? Yes, Mr. Kershaw i'm fine!!!! lol

10 hrs and 34 minutes after i started................ i finished!!!

I felt great, legs were good, knees were sore for about two days, but it was well, well worth it!!!

I will soon be building my very first Surly Pugsley for winter riding and beyond, after i do that, I'll be looking for that perfect bike to ride in the 2nd running of The Heck of The North!!!

Looking very forward to besting my 2009 time!!

Thank you Jeremy Kershaw for a most fun time!!!!

Peace

As Ready as I'll Be!!

My last ride was 65 miles on Monday after work.
Legs felt really good!
I used my commute to work and back as a leg stretcher during the week.
I feel pretty damn good. 1/2 way bag packed, food for the last 1/2 done.
i only tweaked with the air pressure in my tires, other than that I'm good to go.
Packing up the truck after dinner for an early start in the a.m.
I'm kind of nervous about doing this racing thing again. In the past I've gotten really turned off by the racing scene, but this seems to be a really cool crowd to break back into it!!?
As someone said, it's just a ride, treat it as such!! Thanks Man, you know who you are.

Peace

101.74 GRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Well, my day started at 4 a.m. I woke and looked outside, and couldn't see our garage!!!

Damn fog!!!

I laid back down til 6:30.................6:45 i was out the door, and pedaling my way to Gheen.

one good thing about the thick fog...........I did not see one vehicle til i hit Hwy. 5...... 18 miles into my ride

By the time i got to Side Lake the fog was just starting to burn off.

I told myself I'd take a break at the Viking bar, (at the junction of hwy. 5 and 22). So i rested for 15 minutes and then made my way to W. Olson Rd. and the final push to Gheen.
This is my favorite part of this pedal!!! Nice rolling hills, river nearby, and just plan relaxing!!! also a nice bridge to take it all in.

So by this time I'm just getting into the pedal............odometer is just showing the time, and I'm not thinking about too much.

after this bridge there's a couple of good climbs, and then it levels out until you come to pavement again.

So, i check the odometer....HUH?? what's this 55 miles......... and i still have a bit till i get to the Mayor of Gheen's house!!!

at this point I'm more than a little cornfussed.

Is my computer working right? i pull out the GPSr and ride them both for a mile, yup right on.

OK, enough monkeying around lets get to the Mayors house already.

So I pull into the Mayor's front yard and i have 66.5 miles.................... way off of what i thought it was going to be.

I text my much better 1/2 and she says "Ride Baby Ride"....you got what you wanted, and you need the miles, (yes i do, but not that many), I'm thinking who I could call to come pick me up. Na, Nope, and NO WAY!!! lol

I give myself 30 minutes with the Mayor and Larry, and i grab some H2O.

do you notice what i didn't take???

Yes........... I didn't take any food for the return trip home and i PAID for it big time!!! What a stupid stupid move!!! Can you say DUMB ASS???? Believe me i did!! many number of times, and very loudly at one point I started yelling at myself when i took a break at the side of the road by someones house. so much so they came out and asked me if everything was OK!??

I started laughing as I said i was fine, and just yelling at myself.

They walked back to their home shaking their head, and i contiuned on my way.

By the time I got back to the really nice bridge, I was near the end. So I sat and calmed myself down and tried to text Cindi again.

NO SERVICE!!! GRRR...

I started in on myself again for a bit. Hey........... i had it coming!!!

I made it back to Hwy. 1 and was able to get ahold of "THE LOVE OF MY LIFE" and asked her and the kids to meet me at Bimbo's for pizza and wings. She say's we'll see you there, and that was my 101.74 miles.

All I kept telling myself was you know better.......... you know better you...... DUMB ASS!!!

until the next time..............................

Peace

"Ride Baby Ride"

Cindi gave me the ok to "Ride Baby Ride" in the a.m.

I LOVE YOU my dear!!!!

I've been working 5 to 3 everyday this week so I'm gonna keep that going in the a.m.

So.....rain or shine I'll be leaving by 4:45 a.m., and making my way to Gheen and back!!
Hopefully I'll get some good pictures on the way to share here.

I have all next week off, so i can hammer the miles before the 24 hour adventure race in the Duluth area next weekend http://www.wildadventurerace.com/

Cindi and I are looking forward to meeting everyone at the "Heck" on the 26th!!

Until then........................



Peace

Life Happens....

Uncle Larry's artwork!!!

Good morning!!!

Well, i made it half way to Gheen, and then life happened with our youngest child, and i had to high-tail it home, i had a total of 55, with my average right around 12-13. ride time was just short of 4 hours.

no bad, but not nearly enough, and time is getting short.

I'm reading other's blogs and seeing them doing 100+ miles/13-15 avg, in around 6 or so hours.

I'm asking myself if i even belong doing this kind of race, and then I say why the hell not!!!

Until next time..........................

Peace

Dirt.

Onward to more dirt.

Early dirt....................

Work...............

Well, after my last post i got a call to go back to work. YUCK!!
yes i know, a job in these times is a good thing. i was laid-off for 3 months, and my training for the Heck of the North was moving right along.
The company i work for has 6 branches, (http://www.irproducts.com/), I've worked for 3 of the 6, so by saying yes to the Iracore job i now have made it 4 for 6!! lol

They've treated me very well over the years, so i'm not worried about a thing.

A big thanks to Rian, and Joe!!
We are very busy, and I've been working 10 to 12 hour days, so my training went from 40+ miles every other day, down to 20 miles a day, with my average just under 15.
I haven't made it to Gheen yet, but it's on the calender for this Sat.
When i do make it to Gheen I'll post up some pictures of my day of riding to get there.

Anyway, until next time...................

Peace