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Been doing more of the same the past few days; getting out in the afternoon and snowshoeing with the last couple of days being especially rewarding. Monday there was a heavy snow fall while I was out which made for some stunning visuals. Yesterday there was a heavy fog and mist which clung to the landscape and at times obliterated the distinction between the snow and the horizon. Add wood smoke from nearby homes to the fog up in the hills and the scene was pretty magical. Home made chili is also pretty damn magical. Winter may not be my favorite season but when it's like this I can live with it, no problems.
No denying that winter is here for a while and while that may make the H8TRville Parkway a snowmobile super highway, it doesn't mean there aren't other ways to get from here to there or here to nowhere with different methods. Today I took the snowshoes out for some deep woods exploring around the H8TR Ranch hill country and it was not a disappointing experience. Bright sunshine filtered through rows and rows of conifers and oaks with deer, raccoon, squirrels, rabbit and coyote tracks everywhere. Every once in a while I'd hear or catch sight of a motorized sled buggy tearing through the cornfields but from where I was it was a solitary existence. A good workout too! Have been taking the shoes out for some lunch time hikes in the woods around the mothership and have heard peeps saying the snow wasn't deep enough or was too crusty for snowshoeing. Fine, you wait for the perfect wave to come, I'm happy out here in the chop.
The new year approaches and that means I'm starting to hear the still soft rumblings of hate under the snow.....
Can it really be hate when you love what you do? Think not. After a good dusting of snow last night and this morning it seemed this afternoon would be ripe for a ride on the H8TR a.k.a. County Road H8T or Hwy H8T since its renovation over last summer.
Has it really been June since the last post here? I guess it has but that certainly doesn't mean that there hasn't been all sorts of bicycle chicanery going on out here in Haterville. The changes to the H8TR Trail have been major, not all bad, not all good but the end result has been a lot of traffic on the trail- bikes (all types of cycles and riders), runner, walkers and ummm...in-line skaters (not judging....well not trying to anyway). Crazy when I think of when for the last few years it's just been me out in the weeds and dirt and then I pass a couple recumbents out enjoying the day in that very same spot. Lots of peeps loaded down with camping gear too! Stealth bike camping yo, sounds like a good way to go.
I've been scouting some camping spots and more importantly scouting possible H8TR locations. There's a plan, but it's a long way a for sure and there's a lot of work to be done.
But let's get back to today. It looked as though someone had already had the same idea as I had as I followed two sets of cx width tire tracks into town. For the most part with the H8TR covered with 3 to 4 inches of fine powder, the riding was good from Haterville to Purcell. After that it was follow the snowmobile tracks which is a little less than good. Noticed there was a snowmobiles prohibited sign up at the entrance to the paved section of the H8TR, but hey at this point, for the moment I figure "fair enough" considering how all summer I ignored the "Bike Path Closed" signs during the renovation. Long as I don't have to dodge a 60 mph chunk o' metal, plastic and bear food hurtling at me on the trail then we're good.
The trail was pretty sweet and on the way back I was treated to a fantastic golden sun set filtering through blowing snow. A couple good sized owls flew with me for a few yards as well. At some point this being Wisconsin and it being winter, the trail will get a little deep for riding and I'll need to dig out the snowshoes, but for now I'll ride.
Speaking of which, I picked up a new (to me) steed this last week. My cross bike for the last few years, Old Black has begun to get a little long in the tooth so he's been retired from active race duty and replaced by a newer version of the same model. We're in the bonding process at the moment but I think we're a good match. A little lighter and stiffer, a little different geometry, same rider, let's go! And while we're on the subject of better equipment for a still marginal rider, if anyone has a line on a "cheap" set of aluminum tubulars let me know.
Holy damn this has been a long post but it's been some time too. Finally, anyone who really knows me, knows that music is a major part of my life so as something to while away the winter hours I'll say that if you have access, BBC6 radio via the interweb is a good wealth of sound and in particular The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show, Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service and Guy Garvey's Finest Hour. Plus a ton of other good shows and radio like they don't have over here. Hells yes!
