We recently published a complete Gravel Biking Guide for Iron Mountain , Michigan. It's a ready-to-plan tool for an epic gravel weekend in the Upper Peninsula and it's now available for everyone. Today we used the Gravel Guide to plan a full weekend itinerary full of woodsy gravel rides and small town exploration. Enjoy! Photos by Dylan Juchemich @jukendorf . This itinerary is based on the Iron Mountain Gravel Guide that was built in collaboration with Andy Cabrera of U.P. Sport & Spoke . Day 1: Friday Check In to Your Cabin on the River Check into the Edgewater Resort , a riverside spot that offers several country cabins along the Menomonee River, providing a tranquil and picturesque setting for your gravel weekend. Gravel Ride for Burgers at Solbergs In the afternoon, kick off your gravel biking weekend with the Out and Back to Solbergs route (13.4 miles each way, starting at the DNR gravel pit). To start, drive out to the DNR gravel pit or leave right from town if you prefer a longer ride. This route takes you through the woods to Solbergs Bar & Grill , a small town bar with a rustic hunting vibe. Make it a leisurely social ride and enjoy some small town burgers or a fish fry. Need more miles? Start right from town and go the full distance. Summer Evening on the Roof After your ride and after the sun sets, head to Sandstone Terrace , a rooftop bar that offers a great evening experience during the summer months. Enjoy the warm weather, grab some food from the bar or Carlos Cantina , and gather around the fire pit. Take in the panoramic views of the surrounding area while sipping on your favorite drink. Day 2: Saturday Breakfast & Coffee Plan Start your day with breakfast at your cabin or venture out to one of the local coffee options. Contrast Coffee in Kingsford is a perfect spot to get a strong cup of coffee that will wake you up before your early morning ride. Alternatively, you can explore Moose Jackson , which not only offers custom roasted coffee blends and an espresso bar but also has a European-style bakery for those craving a fancy pastry. A Big Gravel Day Through Norway, Niagara, & Wisconsin (52 miles) First, stop at at Crispigna's Italian Market and pick up some fresh sandwiches for your ride. Connecting all the small towns, the Norway, Niagara, & Wisconsin Route is a nice and accessible gravel route from anywhere in the area. You’ll do the entire Norway Truck Trail and also connect Old Carney Lake Road and go right by Strawberry Lake. When you get into town, this route cuts through the golf course and then rides some singletrack for a little bit and also runs right by Piers Gorge. There is some pavement connecting the towns and a big climb coming back to Kingsford. When you’re in Kingsford, feel free to stop at 51st State Brewing or Contrast Coffee. Other Non-Bikey Stuff to Do In the afternoon, go explore the area off-bike. There is tons to do in Iron Mountain. Check out the fishing along tranquil trout streams or exploring the breathtaking Piers Gorge with its cascading rapids. Go nuts at the Millie Mine Bat Cave , home to a thriving bat colony. Sample local brews at 51st State Brewery or venture into the expansive Fumee Lake Natural Area for biking, hiking, and wildlife viewing. For even more outdoor adventures like whitewater rafting, climbing, and more, visit True North Outpost in nearby Norway. Or if you just want some non-gravel bike adventures, hit up the local mountain bike trails around Fumee lake or in Norway. Dinner Out (steak, baby) Head back to your cabin at Edgewater Resort, freshen up, and chill by the Menomonee River. If you're in the mood for dinner out, head to Kingsford for the area's best steak at Henry's Steakhouse . Call it a night or grab a drink at Sol Blu which is housed in a historic downtown building and is your central taproom with beer, spirits, and food. Day 3: Sunday One Last Lake-y Gravel Ride Enjoy your last morning around the lakes on the Two Lakes Loop and stay close to town. Lake Antoine is mostly paved and includes a bike lane so you’ll see a lot of runners and families with kids. Lake Antoine also has a campground and a natural spring where you can get water. Once you get to Fumee Lake, you’ll find more gravel and double track around the lake. There are no motorized vehicles around Fumee Lake so it’s pretty peaceful and if you’re wanting some singletrack action, there are mountain bike trails on the north and south side of Fumee Lake. Breakfast (or ice cream?!) on your way out of town Before hitting the road, grab breakfast at Organic Grounds Coffeehouse which is located in Kingsford. They serve coffee, espresso, gluten-free treats, and some healthy organic options. Or if you're sticking around a little later in the afternoon, make sure to stop and get ice cream at the Ice Cream Barn then hit the road. To Get Access to 8 Routes Plus All the Local Picks for Lodging, Food, Drink, & Iron Mountain Fun, Join Us on Patreon.

We're celebrating the Christmas season with our gravel family and would love to put a Christmas Gravel Booklet in your mailbox. To get on our Christmas card list, add the Christmas Gravel Booklet to your cart , we'll ship yours in December. Or if you'd like to join us on Patreon, we're sending them free to all Patrons. Join us on Patreon . Inside the Christmas Gravel Booklet (our version of a Christmas card) is: Our most cherished photos of 2023 Original and irreverent poetry Holiday warmth Get on our Christmas mail list .

Global Fat Bike Day is coming up on Saturday, Dec 2. Around the world, it's a day to kick off the winter fat biking season with fun events, group rides, and exploring the outdoors on fat bikes. To submit your Global Fat Bike Day event, send a link to your event to info@thenxrth.com . We'll be listing every Global Fat Bike Day event in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the U.P. and would love to include your event, whether it's a big formal celebration or a small intimate group ride that you'd like other people to be able to join. Email info@thenxrth.com to share your event and get it listed on our Global Fat Bike Day event calendar (coming soon!).

Today's Reader's Route comes from Mark Kransz and is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Mark put together a Marquette route that has it all from gravel and mud to abandoned bridges and double track. Submission from Mark Kransz Experience the logging roads and rolling fields of Western Alger County and Eastern Marquette County. This route has it all from rolling fast gravel to one-lane forest service roads, followed by chunky two-track. Recommended at minimum 38c tires for this route as there are sections that can be sandy when it's been dry. Leaving Marquette you will follow the old SOO railroad line east of town on a paved and eventual hardpack bike path. Eventually, you will turn onto a gravel road and head towards Onota a once-booming logging town. This begins the first test as the fast gravel of Onota Hill Ln transitions into a USFS road past a gate, Mud holes Rocks, and a fast downhill are what will greet you on this road as you push on toward Chattam. You will continue on USFS roads from here however these transition back to fast-rolling gravel. You will eventually find your way towards the Michigan State University South Farm (You may have to hop a wire gate, Beware of cattle) This is an area where they let local start-up farmers use the land to begin there business, these roads are a treat before the food stop in Chattam. After Chatham you are in the Eben Junction countryside you will cross one abandoned bridge (recommend you walk the plank) and then begin your ride on the beautiful country line-covered road as you pass old farms. County Line Rd eventually transitions after a long straight into Haavisto Rd which almost looks as if it ends however if you push on you will be greeted with a slice of double track that cuts between two farms (this can be muddy at times). From here it's a straight line to the longest section of pavement until you reach the Experimental forest near Selma. From here it's back to fast-rolling gravel as you pass through both young and old-growth forests. The next test and final test before your back on the roads you rode a few hours before is Camp 4 Rd This is the final cherry on top, fast gravel gives way to chunky rocky two tracks as it takes you back to Mangum Rd. Beware of Beavor and water crossing as they tend to build dams that cover the road at times. From here you are back on roads you know and only a little ways outside of Marquette once again. Expect to be on this route for 5+ hours bring food and water as the only stop is the Chattam Coop (slightly off route mile 40), and Kassel's Store in Rumley (mile 49). This route can be shortened if you park at the Michigan Welcome Center or if you wish to park at the Park and ride on the 94-67 junction in Chattam. Submit Your Reader's Route All Reader's Routes So Far

Dwayne and Michelle Allgire from PedalPower Adventures recently spent some time bikepacking the Wisconsin Waterfalls Routes in northern Wisconsin. They put together a lovely video that tells a deep story of their adventure. Enjoy. From PedalPower Adventures: We had a blast riding this loop that was created by Dave Schlabowske and highlighted on bikepacking.com's extensive network of routes. The route can be found HERE . We actually got to meet up with "Seeley" Dave after we finished and he invited us on his Life Above 8 podcast, see link if you all are interested: Northwoods Ramble Show 7. Dave is an awesome guy and so glad we got to meet him. Thank you Dave! Happy Trails!

The final story from the recent 2023 Gray Duck Grit, Lucas Kuhlmann shares about his race day. Breaking down each of the stages and the mental games, he gives a recap of the day and what was his beacon of light to make it to the finish line. To learn more, visit the Gray Duck Grit website . Pre-Race Registration is simple and like pretty much every other race via BikeReg. There are numerous categories to sign up for across the 69M, 111M, 222M, and 333M distance. It straight up come with whatever bike you want - no separate categories for fat, single speed, etc. Communication leading up to the race was similar to last year, very thorough! You pretty much get all your questions answered as the race day approaches. GPX drop is a week ahead of time and aid station locations are announced. They've got a packet pickup in the Minneapolis suburbs on Friday or day of. Race Day The 111M starts at 8:00AM on Saturday. Picked my packet up at 6:30AM and went back to the hotel to grab the free breakfast. There's a rider's meeting that's probably good for newbies but I skipped that to load up on continental breakfast sausages and waffles. Rode up from my hotel and got in line about 7:53AM and away we went. The Race After two years of this race, I pretty much break it down into three stages. Stage 1 (Mile 0-30) : The Calm Before the Storm. Coming out of Northfield and pretty much a 15 mile radius around the town is pretty much flat. It's a very pleasant ride crisp, morning ride honestly. The gravel always seems well worn and you're just kind of gliding along enjoying the weather and the comradery of those still bunched around you as you find who you're likely going to be riding with that day. Honestly, the first 30 miles are just a nice day out with long views across SE MN farmland. You'll pull into the first aid station with a smile on your face. Stage 2 (Mile 30-90) :The Battle of Gravel Attrition. This section will decide if you're going to make it to the finish or not. After leaving the aid station, forget about the flat roads. At this point it's a combination of endless rollers and steep descents (and the inevitable ascents) down into the valleys of the driftless region. The wind that was pushing me turned on me at the next aid station (mile 62) just like it did last year, making the seemingly never ending wide open / no tree straight push west pretty miserable - but I knew I'd get a reprieve once I got back closer to Cannon Falls. It's actually quite beautiful, especially at this time of year with the leaves turning, but it's tough. This definitely is the make or break section of the race. My NOT Pro Tip: the aid stations were great, had everything you need for a growing racing kid. However, if you're racing against the 11 hour cut off vs. the field, stop at the Hay Creek Campground Saloon at mile 62 and get yourself a bison burger, fries, and a couple beers. It was key to my finish and will be the beacon of light that gets you there and the calories in your belly to get you to the last stage of the race. Stage 3 (Mile 90-111) : Just Buck Up and Finish. The last section is the payoff for making it through the last stage. Returning back to the relatively flat lands around Northfield, the final 20-ish miles is a welcome reprieve. At this point, the sun was heading towards sunsets and it makes for some nice shots as you take pictures as an excuse to not pedal so hard. After a roundabout way back to Northfield, I crossed the finish line where I started in a time of 9:55, meeting my goal of getting sub 10hrs and beating last year's time. Met up with Mark and the crew to grab drink and some food before snapping a few photos an heading to the hotel for a much needed shower. The Verdict Overall, this is quickly becoming one of my favorite late fall rides. You can race it or ride it (you know what I do!) and make it what you want of it. I find it to be a pretty beautiful yet challenging ride that's worth the effort to get up there from Iowa and take a break from all the gravel down here. The course was more challenging this year than last and I heard a birdie tell me it's going to get even more interesting last year. So yeah, like I said last year - sign up for this ride. It's a great time for a great cause.

The Red Granite Grinder recently took place through corn mazes, private land, and historic passageways around Wausau, Wisconsin with 12, 50, 85, OR 144 mile options. Here Chris Schotz outlines the beauty of the unexpected adventure during a time of year where the gamble of the weather is part of the excitement. To learn, more, visit the Red Granite Grinder website . Words by Chris Schotz Photos by Dave Schlabowske October can be a shock to the system, but this ride keeps it interesting. Start beneath the Grand Theater marquee at the chilly crack of dawn and follow the red flashes of your law enforcement escort past the Landmark building. Roll out of Wausau across the wide Wisconsin and take the tunnel beneath the Interstate to the foot of Rib Mountain. Here the 50-milers head to their corn maze while the grind gets real for those confronting the 85-mile endeavor or the all-day 144-mile beast of a ride. We’re not ascending 700 vertical feet with temperatures in the 40s because it’s going to be easy. We’re not out in October expecting sunshine and tank tops. We sign up for the Ironbull Red Granite Grinder for the test. Can we regulate our temperature on this brisk morning climb? Can we get a gravel bike through the trails of Rib Mountain State Park with damp bridges and stubborn stone? Can we adapt to the unexpected that lurks beyond the rock and waterbars of that ripping descent that can only be ridden for one day a year? Shane Hitz didn’t fashion these adventures for placid pelotons with nothing in view but the tail of the dog in front. The Grinder hits the calendar after the predictable races have gone into hibernation. 2023 was a year like every other when the mid-October forecast keeps everyone guessing until 7AM on Saturday, and still we were ready to adapt in case that dark sky to the north opened up far from the comfy confines of 21st Century civilization. Get ready to escape the big city for a land that has slipped back in time from a 19th Century heyday. The rocks of Rib Mountain lead to asphalt and the iconic red granite gravel to school forest singletrack and the graveled lanes of Nine Mile that will spark the deja vu of many a 24-hour mountain biker. From there you find a buddy to tackle the winds of the wide rolling boulevards through the farm country that beget a century of cream to an icy dairy state. Before long you’ll find refuge on the remote rail line that rolls through tree-lined shelter to a spot on Scotch Creek that looked like a nice townsite to a railman named Edgar in 1881. Past the BP station and a quiet neighborhood is a steep surprise. A stair-step drop leads to the narrow bridges and old school singletrack of Scotch Creek Preserve that will quickly snap a rider to attention. This year’s route placed the 50-mile aid station at the adorable Minnow Ponds Park where the Ironbull volunteers had spread out drop bags and anything you’d ever need before bucking the overpass into the wind across Highway 29. After Rib Falls it’s Pomeranian farmland through Hamburg land and the fox farms beyond the Lincoln County line. North of 64 your exploit ebbs back to the 1800’s as you roll through the grassy rail lines of Rib Lake Lumber Company past three lumber campsites dating from the days of crosscut saws and mighty draft horses. Hitz has negotiated access through this remote private land for this day only so enjoy the moment past the pristine pond and don’t come back until next year. State owned land of the Newwood Conservation Area merges with vast county forests that pass the haunts of enigmatic Boom Decker Becker and the Ranger Island wolf pack. Imagine a log church and railroad station as you pass the Newwood Cemetery at the corner of Whiskey Bill Road. Soon you’ll find the 100-mile aid station at Averill Creek Firelane where riders saw wolf prints over bike tracks in the mud and the indispensable volunteers crossed paths with the primordial hunter. The brushy lane pulls you back to a time when a shingle mill rattled across the pond. Poachers in Model-A Fords outran Trapper Morrison and moonshiners distilled their product way off the grid. Rustic Tesch Road plunges to the Newwood River just upstream from the 1847 trading post where Bill Cross loaded furs and composed a native dictionary with his Ojibwe wife. The ride is in the home stretch once wilderness gives way to the hilly farm country and the penultimate tests of the Billy Goat Hills. Brokaw was still an incorporated town when the Red Granite Grinder was founded. Brokaw Hill still stands as the final challenge before the roll into the city streets and bike paths of Wausau on the way to the 400 Block party. Don’t sign up for the Red Granite Grinder if you seek the predictable. A day off the mark on the October calendar would have been a soaker. There have been years of rain and slush so you’ll just have to make your own luck. Get your mind and your bike ready for anything because everything is what you’re going to get.

The Red Granite Grinider recently took place with a full weekend of gravel events in Wausau, Wisconsin. Beautiful fall colors, private property segments, and gravel community all came together for a great weekend. Here Seeley Dave shares the Northwoods Ramble Podcast Ep. 9 with interviews recorded right from the Red Granite Grinder alongside a few other northwoods updates. Words, photos, & podcast by Dave Schablwske from Life Above Eight . And just like that the midwest gravel race season is over and let the fat bike races begin! My gravel season began early in May with the Hungry Bear in Cable, and it ended in October with my first Ironbull Red Granite Grinder in Wausau . See some of my photos from the 144 mile race and check out the post-race interviews I recorded for the Northwoods Ramble Episode 9 below. I really enjoyed seeing the Red Granite Grinder and might sign up for the 89-mile route next year. The race has 12, 50, 85 and 144 mile options. The longer courses include a nice mix of pavement, gravel, two-track, and even a little single track. The race starts in downtown Wausau with a police lead out where the 144 and 85-mile racers then grind 800 feet up Rib Mountain and white knuckle (or hike-a-bike) a technical downhill. That monster climb really separates the wheat from the chaff. The 50-mile course is more pavement than gravel, but does include a section that goes through a corn maze! The courses seem to change a bit each year, and this time the long routes went through some private land that you can only ride during this race and on narrow land bridges between some beautiful minnow ponds. In keeping with the typical gravel race ethos, riders are responsible for any mechanicals, but the race does include some aid stations, and even a drop bag locations on the two longer courses. The aid stations were manned by local volunteers who brought a little something special to each rest stop. There were even grilled cheese sandwiches at one aid station! Wausau’s famed Redeye Brewing taps a special One Lap Pony keg of their yummy craft beer for the event. There was live music at the finish and something I have never seen at a race before: an automated bicycle chain wash and was machine, The Vonbuckinator! There is a video of the machine in action in the podcast below at around 25 minutes 30 seconds. Something else that made the Red Granite Grinder unique was the option to sign up for two free women’s clinics the Friday before the race. The clinics were run by ultra specialist Laura Weismann-Hrubes, who races for Broken Spoke but and also works for Embark Maple Energy , made in Viroqua where she lives. It rained most of the day Friday, which resulted in a number of women who signed up as no-shows, but those who were there seemed to get a lot out of the clinics. The 2024 gravel event calendar on The Nxrth is already filling in, and the fat bike calendar is full of fun winter races. Josh also added a couple cool new pages to The Nxrth with the global Winter Fat Bike Ultra page and the Fat Bike Trails map page that shows locations for all the groomed fat bike trailheads in the midwest. Although is is another rainy fall day as I write this post here in Seeley, I am enjoying the fact our precipitation remains in liquid form as we move look forward to Halloween. I’m pretty happy to still have fall colors in the trees and wet, butlau unfrozen gravel forest roads to ride. Winter can wait a bit yet this year! Also in this episode, I catch up with Ben Welnak at his cool Seeley Oaks A-frame Airbnb about this year’s Acorn Mast, deer hunting, and fishing Slab Crappies on Moose Lake with Drew from the Sawmill and recants a tall tale or two about wolves. The intro and hyperborean update on Life Above 8 is recorded in his ‘Merica garage for a change of pace.

Patrick Moore brought his Heck of the North spirit to Northfield, Minnesota for the Gray Duck Grit gravel race recently. Here he shares about his time riding driftless gravel, playing mind games, and enjoying the hills that were alive with the sound of anguish. Words by Patrick Moore Living in Duluth, I’ve developed a complicated love/hate relationship with the challenging courses that Jeremy Kershaw and the Heck of the North team come up with each year. In the moment, usually around mile 60, they can destroy you both mentally and physically, but after it’s all said and done, the sense of accomplishment is hard to beat. So this year, excited about some smoother gravel, I threw some skinnier tires onto my Salsa Cutthroat and hit I-35 south for Northfield for the 2nd ever Gray Duck Grit. The 110-mile course was breathtaking. Farms dot the rolling landscape as the wind whips through the tall corn stalks, offering a soundtrack like no other; think Children of the Corn minus the scythes. Friendly waves from farmers driving combines was a regular occurrence. The gravel was indeed smoother, but the hills... The hills were alive with the sound of…anguish? The hills simply did not stop. It was an absolute roller coaster of rolling hills through the northernmost parts of the driftless region. My Wahoo Roam indicated upwards of 13% gradient climbs. But as the saying goes; what goes up, must come down. The descents were fast and exhilarating and just long enough to psych you up for the next bluff. At mile 75, I engaged in a fairly one-sided conversation with a curious cow about the humor of the word bluff as I struggled up one. Definition 1: bluff: a steep slope formed in sediment (loose material such as clay, sand, and gravel) that has three feet or more of vertical elevation (three feet is a gross understatement). Definition 2: bluff: an attempt to deceive someone into believing that one can or will do something (yes, I called the bluff’s bluff and made it up all of the bluffing bluffs…pardon my French). I crossed the finish line with a strong sense of relief. Although my time was slower than I had hoped for, I had a ton of fun. I also gained some great experience in not underestimating the demands of bluff country. But best of all, I met some fantastic people (and cows). I’m already looking forward to the 3rd Gray Duck Grit! A huge thank you to Mark and Kris Jesse and their amazing team of volunteers for putting this event on.

The second annual Gray Duck Grit recently took place in Northfield, Minnesota with distances of 69, 111, 222, and 333. We caught a few different perspectives of how the day went from three different riders. Enjoy their recaps here then stay tuned for a few more Gray Duck Grit stories. To learn more, visit Gray Duck Grit . Brian Turk - 2nd Place in "The Cow" (333 Mile Race) This tops my lifetime accomplishments list for sure. Still not sure what made me decide to try the Gray Duck Grit 333 mile race known as the Cow, but I did. With 14 starters my goal was to finish, not compete for a podium. I was last to leave the start and was somewhere in the area of 7th at 55 miles and 5th at 110. Never passed anyone else - but three ahead of me dropped and I was 2nd at 165….and never gave up. The 2 that I passed, and rode with for a while in the 55-110 section ended 3rd and 4th. I battled the cold and rain. I battled the 30 mph head and cross winds that took out a lot of riders. I had no mechanical issues. A lot had to go right. I spent the last 2+ hours unable to hold my head up. The most important difference in this race was having Candace Turk as my support. She was able to meet me at every aid station every 55 miles. This meant I had all the food and hydration I needed when I needed it and she had it ready for me. It meant I had every clothing option I needed for changing conditions. I could add and drop batteries and lights as needed. Most important was having her support - I never anticipated the difference that could make. She sacrificed a lot to do this on no experience. Luckily we connected with another rider right before the race - Shawn Wynn and his partner Casey. Casey had also never been support before so she and Candace connected. At 110 miles, Shawn was in 4th and beaten by the cold and wind and figured he couldn’t podium so dropped out. He and Casey stayed with Candace through the overnight hours. Their support to help Candace was such an unexpected help. The Gray Duck grit organizers support was also huge. Pretty sure no one expected this out of me….including me. I couldn’t have done it without the support of others….and everything working in my favor. Jack Reher Gravel is a placebo for one’s current place in life. Gray Duck Grit allows one to clear the space between their ears. There are no boundaries or restrictions within their motto “Ride Your Ride”. It’s you against yourself. How far can you go? The beauty of this particular race is nobody knows the outcome. A good year. A bad year. All that matters is one tried their best. Nobody can ever take that away. And in the end, all the effort is worthy of the experience & friendships made. Paul Palecek My Gray Duck ride was definitely the highlight of my year! With all the awesome athletes posting insane times sometimes it's easy to forget all the intangibles that these events and biking in general brings. I have struggled with mental health myself and I've never found a medication or counselor that is as effective at reducing anxiety as a long bike ride. Also I invited my best college friend to come ride with me. We don't get to see one another much anymore due to our busy lives and this was a perfect opportunity. We rode our ride and never separated the entire 70 miles. (we took about a mile's worth of wrong turns:)) We talked and laughed almost the entire way. At one point we stopped to help a distressed rider, giving him more water and food and gave him a pep talk. We rode partly as well to honor my friend's son who has autism. My friend Greg devotes almost all his free time to his son and a ride like this to re-focus means more to us than we can possibly describe. Thanks for hosting this great event and can't wait until next year. To learn more, visit Gray Duck Grit .

ROAM Adventure Basecamp has Wi-Fi in their Scandinavian inspired trailside adventure cabins and they call it "Work from ROAM". I spent 3 days working from ROAM exploring the surrounding gravel and found 3 ways to maximize the adventure. Use code ROAMGravel25 for 25% OFF your weeknight stay during Sun-Thurs until Oct 20, 2023. To learn more, head to the ROAM Adventure Basecamp website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram . This story is part of a paid partnership with ROAM Adventure Basecamp. Living in the city, I was recently looking for an out-my-front door gravel adventure right in the heart of the Northwoods. I had been to ROAM Adventure Basecamp earlier in the year and noticed they had Wi-Fi and laptop charging stations and something they call "Work from ROAM". I already work from home in my day job and thought it'd be incredible to work from one of ROAM's cabins during the work week, ride gravel out the front door before and after work, and not take any big chunks of vacation time to pull it off. I invited my brother to join me for a Sunday - Tuesday trip and packed my laptop, gravel bike, and fat bike. Getting to live right on the gravel network for a few days felt really special so I planned to get up for early morning rides both days and evening dinner rides both nights. We brought out camp chairs, set up the hammock, and stacked some fire wood to make ourselves at home. With weather in the mid-seventies and no mosquitoes the week we were there, we could spend just as much time hanging outside around the cabin as we did inside the cabin. First, Let's Look at Gravel Routes Around ROAM ROAM put together a fantastic library of routes that we aggregated into a gravel map. I used these as ideas to explore the area during several rides during my stay. Our 3-day 'Work from ROAM' flew by way too fast. I tried to enjoy minute of being up there with early morning sunrise rides and into-the-night evening rides exploring the area eating at some of my favorite places. Here were 3 things I highly recommend that made it an incredible time. 1. Love Mornings? Go Ride When the Sun Comes Up (The Woods & Water Feel Magical) I love a good early bike ride. The air is peaceful and the lighting is beautiful. I wanted to get started around first light so I could make it to Lake Helane around sunrise at 5:45ish. The Lake Helane loop is short but really beautiful. It gave me plenty of time to get off my bike and walk around the lake. There were some hazy clouds, so I didn't end up catching the sunrise. But I was treated to a long beautiful shuffling of fog hovering over the lake which made it so hard to leave. The next morning, I jumped on some single track at 6:15am. I also brought my fat bike to ROAM to give myself some options so I rolled down ROAM's gravel road to the start of the Seeley Pass trail. I'm not normally a single track guy (except fat biking in the winter) but it was such a fun way to wake up and start the day. I saw one other group of three riders but was otherwise alone in the woods. I rolled back to our cabin right at 7:45, opened my laptop, and started the work day feeling amazing. 2. Embrace The Woodsy Workspace It was hard waiting around for end-of-workday to go hit the gravel but it sure helped to get to work from the woods. The cabins are pine-y and golden colored inside with huge windows that put your right in the trees. The Wi-Fi also works great outside. We had temperatures in the 70s with no mosquitoes so we spent long quiet afternoons at the picnic table outside of our cabin as well as laptop-ing from the hammock. We were there for 2 nights including 2 work days and it was so hard to leave our forest office when it was time to go. 3. Use Evenings For Gravel Exploration With Dinner Stops The cycling community's favorite dinner spots are within a short pedal from ROAM. We biked to Rivers Eatery in Cable for pizza the first night and the Sawmill Saloon the second night. Plus I had a little extra time before my brother finished work on night two, so I did a bonus solo gravel lap and explored the area including an old CCC dynamite shack I had heard about. We wrapped up dinner and drinks both nights as the sun was getting low and enjoyed the peaceful rides back to ROAM. Back at the cabin, we started fires both nights and sat around in our camp chairs winding down for the day and looking forward to early rides the next day. Want to Work From ROAM? Here's What You Need to Know Wi-Fi at ROAM is super simple to connect to. It also works great outside. ROAM does not have normal 3-prong power outlets, only USB outlets. But they do have charging cables for PC and Mac but you will need to make sure that your charging cable disconnects from the power block. To charge your laptop, you'll need to plug the corresponding power core from ROAM directly into your power block. Alternatively, if you have a laptop charger with a USB wall charging end, then you can use that as well. Plan Your Work From ROAM Trip With 25% OFF To plan your trip head to ROAM Adventure Basecamp . Save money on weeknight stays and enjoy the trailside cabin adventure in the heart of the Northwoods gravel network. Use code ROAMGravel25 for 25% off your stay during Sun-Thurs until Oct 20, 2023.

The Itasca Lakenights is a new bikepacking route in Minnesota. The Nxrth scouted it with some friends this summer and will be publishing it exclusively for Patrons. Here we're highlighting Jeff Sylvester's bike and gear setup to highlight some awesome gear that worked well on this route. Jeff Sylvester's Framed Bike With DIY Mounts BIKE: One of the early rigid Framed fat bikes with alternate 29 inch wheels and 2.10 inch mountain bike tires. GEARING: 2x with 28x38 up front and 11x42 8-speed, mostly Sram X5 run by Microshift thumb shifter in friction mode. RACKS: Axiom fat bike rack in the back, DIY fork mounts for two Nalgene water bottles, and a DIY handlebar rack. BAGS: Serfas frame bag and Ortlieb waterproof panniers in the back. For this ride I think I had a very good set up. I would have preferred to have 2.5 inch tires or larger for the sandy sections, but the 2.1 tires were perfectly adequate and there were only a few times I was stopped by the sand. My gearing was excellent. I have done a similar trip with an 11-36 cassette and felt I was under geared while fully loaded, but this time I felt I had all the gears I needed. One issue I had: my Voile straps were a little long holding my Nalgene bottles on my fork and I spent a lot of time tucking in the slack so that the extra length wouldn't get into my front wheel. Next time I will have shorter straps or go with a bladder in my frame bag which has worked well for me in the past. Also, for my next trip I will invest in a handlebar bag that has easy entry for snacks while riding.