I’ve decided to thumb my nose at Peninsula Park (at least for another couple days), following the stress they inflicted upon me earlier in the week 🙂
So I loaded up the SUV and hauled the fattie up to Newport Park, a 45 minute drive versus the 10 minutes it takes me to hit Peninsula.
I kinda like Newport. It’s Door County’s armpit and I rarely see people up there. True to form the parking lot was empty, I rode for 90 minutes and hung out for a while and didn’t see another soul.
The designated ski trails were pretty beat-up. They were well trodden and pretty solidly packed down, so I decided ‘what the fuck’, and rode the main ski trail. I looked back periodically and was barely leaving a print in the snow.
I did a round of the single-track which runs the Lake Michigan shoreline for about a mile or so then took the ski trail over to Europe Bay. A quick putz around on the ice then a 15 minute road ride back to the car.
Nothing spectacular, other than the scenery and the solitude. Good time for introspection and contemplation. Should I be using maple syrup on my breakfast bacon or would honey be better? How much snot have I expelled from my system since January 1st, and had I not been riding where would all that have gone?
I think it’s time for a road-trip tomorrow. I’ve been fancying the John Muir section at Kettle Morraine State Park. It’s a 450 mile round trip (by car of course) but it sounds like a blast…..watch this space.
Those are some really nice conditions for riding!
I’ve had to abandon anything truly “out in the woods” as the snow is just too deep. Too deep for fat bikes let alone my studded tires.
After a few days I can usually manage the snowmobile trails; they’re pretty cool about sharing. Probably because I’m still an oddity; I’m the only one I’ve seen on a bike in my area this winter.
Hey Big Red!
You’re dead right with the ‘oddity’ comment. They just don’t know where we fit in yet, so either they turn a blind eye or do something foolish like they did at Peninsula Park the other day, and try to ban us outright.
I’m headed on over to your blog right now to read up about these studded tires you have 🙂
I’ve been thinking about studded – but damn they’re expensive unless I go DIY
For studded fat tires? Oh hell yeah they’re expensive. It’d be cheaper to buy a used mountain bike and just buy el cheapo MTB studded tires.
But hey, studded fat tires scream bad ass. 😀
Fat bikes will fade away. There’s no point in accomodation by the dnr if its going to pass..
Nooo sir. Fade away they will not. Almost all of the big players have bought into the fat bike market, Trek, Specialized etc, so they’re here to stay!