3-6-16 Early morning Fat Bike

A beautiful morning. I walked up and down the hillside of Duluth and got motivated to fat bike since the trails would still be frozen. I biked up to Hartley and rode "root canal" which led to the "guardrail loop". The trails are in amazing shape after Fridays snow. It is a shame that it will get so warm in the next week. 

Perfect fat bike singletrack

Some Castle Danger beer (was not consumed by me)

After doing the outer loop I was excited for more riding so I went on "blue pots" which rarely gets ridden. A nice challenge of loose snow and steep hills. Had a blast riding this old school trail in Hartley. 

On top of rock knob with a view of Lake Superior

When I got home I cooked up some pancakes which really hit the spot. Whole wheat with chia seeds & flax seeds. 

3-5-16 Korki Ski Saturday

Warmer weather is coming and I am feeling the need to fit in my last winter activities. I got motivated and drove up the North Shore to Korki Nordic Ski Center and arrived at 11:30am. Some very special trails to have so close to Duluth MN. It is almost like Mtn Biking because the trails are narrow and hilly. Thankfully the volunteers groomed them after the fresh snow yesterday. 

A huge cluster of twigs in this evergreen tree

Some options for distance. I am going after the 10K

Lots of signs along the way for certain sections of the trail. 

Up on the ridge

#perfectduluthday

The start of some climbing that ends in some switch back descents. You have to stay nimble and quick on you feet

I finally arrived at ISO MAKI. A  beautiful day of skiing with great conditions thanks to the fresh snow. 

Climb, climb, climb to make it to the top of Iso Maki. 

A look to the North. Trees as far as the eye can see. 

The descent down Iso Maki was a little sketchy and left me with watering eye and a racing heart. The tracks were washed out and the small hills turn into jumps if you aren't carefully...exhilarating. 

The final kilometers are pretty mild after Iso Maki and I made it back to the car safe and sound. 

The warming house with all sorts of history inside from races that have happened here and other places.