In spring of 2021 a group of bikepackers set out to ride around the perimeter of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The approximately 1,600 mile journey, dubbed Project Adventrus, would trace the outline of one of the most unique geographic and cultural regions in America. Ironically, the Upper Peninsula, or U.P., is often left off of maps due in part to data glitches and an inconvenient silhouette. Join the crew on their unforgettable journey to explore, suffer and celebrate the region via bike. Project Adventrus riders: Todd Poquette Marc Salm Kelsy Kellermann Liz Belt Unforgettable Fim

Laura Hrubes is an endurance/adventure cyclist who lives in Viroqua, WI but has deep roots in the U.P. She has big goals for 2022 and a beautiful new purple yooper bike to match. In this interview we talk about her year, her bikes, and her top 5 things in the north. Find Laura on instagram @foodieknitter It looks like you have a legendary 2022 planned; what's on your plate? I’m so stoked for 2022! I have a tendency to overcommit and try to do all the things, and it’s just not possible or sustainable, so this year I’m trying really hard to just focus in hard on the things that really matter and that I really want to do. Mostly, that looks a whole lot like staying pretty tight to the upper Midwest in northern Wisconsin, the UP, and northern Minnesota, and taking on some longer distance rides as well. I started the year with a big bucket list dream ride at Tuscobia on New Year’s Day, and it was amazing! I wasn’t really sure if I could do that, and having a really great ride in such challenging winter conditions gave me a lot of confidence going forward. I just rode the all new Dairy Roubaix route in the Driftless region of Wisco, and that was pretty epic as well, as it had a solid 8000 feet of climbing in 90 miles. Then I went to Laona in Northern Wisconsin for The Bear 100, and am now headed in a few days for the Crystal Bear, which is a 200 mile, 2-day race from Laona, WI to Crystal Falls, MI. Then it’s the Borah epic bike fest up in the Cable/Hayward area, and on to a big summer of Crusher events, including the mass-start 175 mile race in Munising. In August I’ll head to Nebraska for Gravel Worlds, but my biggest goal of all for the year is the Marji 100 mountain bike race. "That will complete my “triple crown” of the hardest level of each event in all the 906 Adventure Team races…I’ve got too many Crusher and Polar Roll entries to count at this point, and I just need to finish that dang Marji so I can be done with it." After that, October is going to be packed full of some of my absolute favorites, just for fun: the Lone Wolf gravel race in iron mountain, the Moran 166 (the shorter route) on a tandem with my dad, the hibernator, and maybe the 144 mile Iron Bull in Wausau. Then, if all goes well and my application is accepted, I want to get some rest and then focus hard on preparing for the Arrowhead 135. That one is a huge dream of mine and right now, my biggest goal for 2023. It doesn’t really look like much on paper, but wow, that feels like a lot when I start talking about it! What are your "Top 5 Up-North Things"? 1. Embark Maple | Viroqua, WI I love everything about this: they are all awesome people behind it that live in the same town I do here in Wisco, the products are sooooo good and just work, and it just feels like good energy. 2. Ruby Coffee | Nelsonville, WI The best coffee ever, in the whole entire world. Amazing owners, local here in Wisconsin, great products (their freeze dried coffee packets are a must-have for big adventures!) and just something to feel really good about. 3. Morrow packs | Iron Mountain, MI James Morrow is making some of the most exciting bikepacking stuff around up in my hometown of Marquette, MI, and I am so stoked to have these on my Bearclaw. He’s even putting iridescent UP designs on them for me. 4. Steger mukluks | Ely, MN I’ve had a pair of the tall moose hide mukluks for many years, and they have become one of the most important pieces of winter gear I could imagine. I’ve done several 40+ mile snowshoe events in them and my feet have come through them warm and safe and happy, and literally wear them almost every day in the winter. They are handmade up in Ely, Minnesota, and I don’t ever want to have to face winter without them. 5. Broken Spoke Bikes | Green Bay, WI Besides the coolest bikes and best crew of people, there is always something fun happening here. I wish I could do them all! There’s always a group ride happening for all levels of athletes, and this February they hosted the US fat bike open. 6. Marquette, Michigan A perfect Marquette day for me would include an oat milk latte from Velodrome, a really fun ride on the south trails, lunch and a treat from 231 West, some shopping at the Sports Rack, Beth Millner jewelry, Down Wind Sports, Snowbound Books, a Jean-Kay’s veggie pasty or a Vangos Greek pizza (or both, if the ride was big enough!), and then maybe a night ride on the north trails. You just got super-purply new bike, tell me about it My gravel/off-road/adventure bike is so freaking beautiful it’s ridiculous: it’s a full titanium Bearclaw Thunderhawk. "I wanted the ultimate yooper/Michigan bike, and this feels like it." We started with the Bearclaw frame and ti fork, and the Sports Rack in Marquette Michigan built every bit of it up custom for me. I’ve got two wheelsets for it, a set of Velocity Blunts with 50mm Donnelly Xplor off-road tires and a dynamo hub wired up to a light and battery pack, and another set of Velocity Ailerons (with custom oil slick hubs that are soooo pretty!) and skinny Teravail Cannonball gravel tires. Both sets in purple. Agave Finishworks custom anodized the ti eeWings and ti seat and stem for me in this absolutely beautiful sort of purple rainbow design, and purple Paul components Klampers and some Wolf Tooth bling just add to all the special little details. Morrow packs made me some incredible yooper bags for bikepacking with it, and this is what I’ll load up for the Crystal Bear and probably the Crusher 175. It’s all 12 speed sram electronic shifting and set up 1x with an absolute black oval chainring (oil slick, of course!) and it just feels amazing to ride, the compliance of titanium is incredible. I rode this for the Dairy Roubaix and will switch the wheelsets here and there depending on if I want to go fast and light or will need the bigger tires and dynamo for longer adventures. It looks so simple and stripped down it almost looks like a singlespeed until you look a little closer and notice some of the sweet little elements. It looks like a Barbie dream bike and just seems to make everyone that sees it happy. This bike is such a dream come true! What else are you riding? My mountain bike is a 2019 full suspension carbon Kona HeiHei crdl. I love this bike! You know that magical feeling when a bike just kind of becomes an extension of you? I’ve always felt that way about this one. I’ve added so many sweet details to it over the last couple years…really the only thing left is to convert it to AXS, which I want to do soon, it’s got everything else I could want already. I’m considering trying to get a Juliana wilder mtb to replace it, but I love this one so much I’m just not sure I’m ready to. My fat bike for winter adventures is a 2021 full carbon salsa mukluk. I have upgraded almost everything on it: carbon bars, the drivetrain, sram AXS electronic shifting, and I usually run 45nrth wrathchildren xl studded tires on it. This beast feels rock solid on anything and everything, and with all the beautiful cedaero bags I have for it, it feels ready for almost anything. I feel both very slow and also completely unstoppable on this beast. I absolutely love this bike. In the summer, I switch the tires out to teravail Coronados and actually ride it quite a bit year round.

Adventure coffee that was born in a bike shop I stumbled upon Northern Coffeeworks recently when researching local, high quality, instant coffee that doesn't require me to bring filters or a pour over kit on my rides. Now, to be fair, I'm not totally opposed to bringing the whole kit. I have a mini-grinder and don't mind bringing the whole kitchen sink, but there are times for something a little more sleek. Northern Coffeeworks is a roastery and cafe based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They were born out of a bike shop and a love for the outdoors, inspired by the natural beauty in the state they call home, Minnesota. They want to be the coffee you take with you on adventures and the coffee you come home to. Meet "Boundary Waters Instant Coffee" The Boundary Waters whole bean is Northern Coffeeworks' flagship drip coffee. It's brewed in collaboration with Save the Boundary Waters , an organization leading the fight to protect the Boundary Waters. To make their flagship whole bean coffee easier to take on self-supported adventures, they teamed up with Swift Cup Coffee to create an instant version. It comes with 6 packs per box and each packet contains 5g of freeze dried coffee which mixes with 8-10 ounces of cold or hot water. Testing it out: Should you take this bikepacking? First off, I was extremely surprised by the taste. Now to be transparent, I'm not a coffee snob. I'm a daily drinker, but I'm generally happy with warm cup of coffee and rarely find something I don't like. That being said, instant coffee is usually awful. Like, barely even in the same family as coffee. The Boundary Waters instant cup was really impressive and has a taste surprisingly similar to delicious drip coffee. In their collaboration with Swift Cup, they use a proprietary process to come up with a gourmet coffee that coffee nerds will seriously appreciate. On the downside, it's pretty expensive at ~$3/cup. There are definitely a lot of cheaper ways to make coffee in da woods. But for those who value ultralight bikepacking and gourmet coffee, this is a great option. I even poured a cup of drip vs Boundary Waters instant during my work day and forgot which was which. Sure, it's still instant coffee and isn't going to hit the spot if you just HAVE to have fresh ground coffee on the trail. But it's not very often you find instant coffee with high quality taste that originates on socially and environmentally conscious cooperatives. It weighs virtually nothing and is smaller than the amount of whole bean or ground coffee you would need to make the same size cup. Plus you get the benefit of not having to bring a pour over kit and hand grinder. ​Pros: - Smaller than bringing a brewing kit - Weighs nothing - Tastes pretty darn close to drip coffee - Sourced fair trade Cons: - Expensive at about $3/cup - Some won't like the taste Currently costs $18 for a pack of 6 at Northern Coffeeworks

The Nxrth has brand new t-shirts! The Gravel Bear is now available in a "Founder's" colorway until June 15. Find out more about the design here. We wanted a custom t-shirt design that represented the rugged beauty of the Northwoods. We worked with Tim Reddington from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to design the Gravel Bear. Gravel Bear is a super comfy tri-blend t-shirt that ships free inside the USA. The Founders colorway is a one-time edition that we made to thank the early supporters of The Nxrth and to give you something only available to the OGs. The Gravel Bear is: Made of the super-comfy tri-blend Designed in Wisconsin Ships for FREE This colorway is available until June 15 and can be found HERE . After June 15, we'll launch the standard Gravel Bear colorway.

Chris Schmidt of Studio 13 is a bike-racing, cross-country-skiing graphic designer living in the Keweenaw peninsula of the U.P. He creates race posters, t-shirts and various forms of clandestine cycling propaganda. In this interview we talk about his art and that one time he almost finished Marji Gesick. Interview with Chris Schmidt of Studio 13 . You've done a butt ton of designs for U.P. events and recreation. What do you want people to feel when they see your up north adventure prints? With my race posters, I really try to give a sense of what a given race is like. I've either competed in most of the races myself and, if not, have usually either shot photos or spectated and have a good idea of what kind of vibe surrounds an event. I'm sometimes asked to create a poster for an event I've never experienced. If the promoter can give me enough information - with words and photos - I can usually still tell the story in pictures. Of course, I'll sometimes let the organizer know I'm not the man for the job if I can't get a feel for the event. In addition to event posters, I also create posters that highlight what I find special about the Keweenaw: the Lake Superior shoreline, winter, the area's extensive copper mining heritage. Have you ever done any of the 906 events yourself? The 906 events are a special breed of race: The Polar Roll, The Crusher and the Marji Gesick. They're less about winning and more about overcoming personal limits and pushing yourself to do something that is hard (all races promoted by Todd Poquette - the king of doing hard things). Nearly all of the posters I've created for those events put pain and suffering front and center. I did attempt the Marji Gesick the second year it was held. 90 miles in, I had a problem with my crank arm that forced me to stop (not that I was in need of much convincing to stop at that point). Even though I might still have unfinished business with the Marji, I'm not in any hurry to see it to completion. What's your bike story and tell me about those 'underground' races in your bio I got into bikes back in high school in Northern Lower Michigan, mainly due to any lack of skill in ball sports. If I was lucky, the coach would put me in for a couple minutes at the tail end of a soccer game provided our team was either so far ahead or so far behind that there was little chance of me somehow altering the outcome. But on a bike, I could ride all day and never see the sidelines. Fueled with photos from now defunct cycling magazines (Winning) or images from the sparse TV coverage of professional cycling back in the 80s, every ride could (and did) turn into an imaginary race against the greats. After a year or two of riding alone, I connected with some other like-minded individuals in a town of just a few hundred. Pretty soon the three or four of us grew into a dozen. Teams formed. Races were held. Time trials, crits, road races. The stock boys from the grocery store faced off against the staff of one of the town's restaurants. After a couple years, our weekly races were a solid alternative to a 4 hour drive for a 30 minute crit in a downstate industrial park. Life eventually took all of us in different directions, but most of that core group is still involved cycling or the cycling industry. Though technically not a race, I still put on an underground event to keep the tradition alive. Now in its eleventh year, La Flèche du Nord is mixed surface ride on Michigan's Keweenaw peninsula held in the tradition of the spring classics. Ideally, the ride is approximately 75 miles long with 20-30 miles of gravel. The Keweenaw was battered with over 300 inches of snow this year, so nearly all of the gravel is still under feet of snow as I write this (May 4). We'll be mainly on pavement this year, riding some of the greatest roads anywhere (a black ribbon along Lake Superior), though a few sections of year-round gravel did find their way into the course. Promotion of the ride is mainly word-of-mouth, helping ensure the number of riders doesn't attract too much attention. The 40-50 who do ride are treated to a gut wrenching climb to the finish (Brockway Mountain Drive) and panoramic views of the big lake from the top. You're way up in the Keweenaw peninsula with an abundance of wilderness, snow, and adventurous people. Why do you live there and what do you like about it? If you've spent much time in the Keweenaw in the winter, you'll know that the area generally gets more than its fair share of the aforementioned snow - thanks in large part to the local geography: a thin sliver of land jutting out into a massive body of (relatively) warm water means lake effect snow as long as the lake stays open. What to do with all of that snow? Nordic skiing typically starts in mid-November and, in a good year, runs through April or even into May. Top-notch grooming and a number of excellent trail systems make the area tough to beat for xc skiing. With Mont Ripley in town and Mount Bohemia less than an hour away, the Alpine skiing is excellent as well. Snow biking is a solid option here now, too. As you can probably surmise, winters are a big part of why I (and many) love living here. But summers, while short, are amazing as well. Low-traffic roads offer great road riding. Endless logging roads, and two-tracks are ideal for exploring the most distant reaches of the peninsula by bike. And, of course, mountain biking has exploded on the Keweenaw in recent years, especially in Copper Harbor - but also up and down the peninsula - Michigan Tech, Churning Rapids, Adventure Mine and Swedetown all maintain quality trail systems. For anyone who loves the outdoors and - especially winter - the Keweenaw is a tough place to beat - particularly in the Midwest. What's next for you in the area of bikes and art? In the area of bikes: less racing and more exploring. I'm hoping to do a couple bikepacking trips in the UP this summer. Really, cycling is a way to stay sane, recharge and disconnect from the world for an hour or two most days. I'm grateful for every opportunity I have to create a race or event poster - and those are keeping me plenty busy at the moment. When I have some downtime, I'm likely working on projects for friends or on one my own ideas. Or sneaking out for a longer ride if I'm lucky. To learn more about Studio 13, visit their website or follow them on instagram .

As GRVL DRMA gears up for year 3, they nixed the river crossing into Minnesota and have perfected the goal of extreme hilliness in the Driftless region of Wisconsin. In this interview, we talk about the name, route updates, and hills. GRVL DRMA takes place on May 14, 2022 in Bay City, Wisconsin. The route is 120 miles with 11,000 feet of climbing. For more info and to register, visit their website . Interview with Ben from GRVL DRMA: What's the story behind the name GRVL DRMA? I've been around gravel races for a long time and there's always some sort of drama happening at the races. Generally it has to do with people arguing about their interpretation of unwritten rules aka "the spirit of gravel". This can be things like "attacking in the feed zone", "stashing a bottle of pickle juice on the course", and everybody's favorite "aero bars". Also, bike racing seems to be allergic to vowels. So the name GRVL DRMA is an homage to that. What inspired you to do this in the first place? Minnesota has a rich history of free, grassroots gravel events like the original Almanzo, Ragnarok 105, and Dickie Scramble. I was inspired by them to create one of my own. GRVL DRMA 2022 ROUTE: What are your favorite spots on the route? The highlight of the route is that it crosses several trout streams on a lovely, winding road through dense woodlands. My other favorite part is the gas station in Plum City. It is next to a shelter with picnic tables and a pond filled with wildlife. It's the perfect spot to stop and have some root beer with your friends. Why Bay City; what's good there? We chose Bay City as the start because it is close to the Twin Cities and still has access to the hills and gravel of Western Wisconsin. This is the third year we've done this race. The first two years the route went to the Minnesota side of the river as well, but there were way too many cars and dangerous bridge crossings on that route, so I switched it to be only Wisconsin and have no major roads. The original route was 180 miles with 15,000' of climbing, and honestly it was too hard. I want to have fun out there. Isn't this Laura Ingalls Wilder's stomping ground? What's so special about biking it? I love climbing! My friends and I were tired of gravel races on flat, windy roads. I decided to find the hilliest possible route that was still within an easy drive of the metro area. The route is a mix of quiet paved and gravel roads, with an emphasis on gravel. It is extremely hilly, you'll climb over 11,000 feet in 120 miles.

The Filth 50 takes place in the Driftless region of Minnesota in October. Race organizers recently dropped a video that is a love letter to cycling the gravel roads in the Driftless region. From the Filthy 50 Youtube Channel: The gravel roads of North America's Driftless Region are incredibly special to us. So special, that 9 years ago we put on a gravel ride to introduce all types of people to some of our favorite roads. We started riding together to help dad get healthy. He was in a bad place after his battle with cancer and the bicycle was the key to fixing that. A lot has happened since then. Year after year we have spent more saddle time on those Driftless roads and more and more of you have chosen to join us. Many have shared stories with us as to why they showed up and what riding there with us has done for them. This past winter, Nicholas Kapanke of Checkpoint Zero Films, put my thoughts to some film that he captured at last year's Filthy and made 'Ride More Drift Less'. Thank you, Nick. Enjoy and then get out there and ride. We hope to see you all this fall in Lanesboro.

In 2021, Aaron Roecker and his wife Kim went on their first bikepacking trip and also spent their first nights away from their one year old son. They pedaled north to Minocqua and found their fair share of adventure and mishaps along the way. Story: Aaron Roecker @aaroecker “Up North.” If you're from Wisconsin, you know the saying. It’s a phrase most often heard right before the weekend, or during the heat of summer when the cool water of northern lakes calls. Its meaning, or more specifically the destination, changes from person to person. For me and my family, “up north” has always meant Minocqua. My wife and I are into bikes. We love ‘em, and I’m sure you do, too. Like many, we began our journey with bikes pedaling first on dirt, racing WORS. While many would head up north to get out on the lakes, we would head north to ride singletrack. Yes, we’d still get out on the water too, but usually only after getting some miles in on our bikes. As time moved on, our desire to simply ride more got us into just about every type of cycling you can think of. And with this notion to simply “ride more” our collection of bikes grew. As I write this article, I’ve put more miles on my e-cargo bike than any other this past year. I’m OK with that, because I still get to ride. Life gets busy, but I can still ride my bike to work or head to swimming lessons with my son. The idea of replacing vehicle travel with a bike is really where our bikepacking story begins. On a road trip north, I said to my wife, Kim, “Why don't we just ride our bikes up here?” And so begins our story. Pandemic Adventure Planning In the midst of the pandemic, we began planning our journey north while also juggling remote work, caring for our one-year-old son and 11-year-old dog, who is a puppy at heart. The general outline of our trip came down to two simple desires: ride to Minocqua over the span of three days and two nights, and use as much trail as possible. Thanks to Garmin, Google Maps, and talking to friends, we chose our route. This route included a mix of road and trail riding along the Friendship, Wiowash, Mountain Bay, Hiawatha and Bearskin trail systems. We planned to camp over at Wilson Lake County Park our first night, and then at SARA Park Campground our second night; arriving in Minocqua on our third day. Our bikes would be loaded with all of our overnight gear and food to snack on while riding. For our main meals, we planned to stop at restaurants along the way. Bikepacking was new to us, and this would be our first time away from our one-year-old son. We felt confident in our plans and were excited to get moving on a new adventure. False Starts on Day 1 On the morning of our trip we were, for all intents and purposes, ready, but per usual, and mostly on my part, we were running late. The plan was to drop our son and dog off at Kim’s parents. We would then leave from their house on our bikes, and they meet us in Minocqua at my parents’ home in a few days. Everything was set, but last-minute details were bogging us down. When we arrived at Kim’s parents’ we unloaded and prepped our bikes, gave our hugs and kisses goodbye, snapped a photo, and rolled down Green Acres Lane. Less than a block into the journey, my rear tire lost all air. Upon inspection the sidewall of my tire was slashed and unrideable. Thankfully, our local bike shop was open. I quickly hopped in the car and headed there to get a replacement. With a new tire and sealant in hand, I quickly got the new tire on the rim and aired up. In the rush, I forgot about the placement of my thru axle. After a bit of detective work, I came to discover that I had left the thru axle on the bumper of the car while disassembling my bike. The thru axle came for the ride part way to the bike shop, but had fallen off around the corner and down the street. When we came to find it, the threads were damaged, making it unusable. This time I headed home as I knew I had a spare thru axle that I could use. When I arrived back at grandma and grandpa’s I quickly prepared my bike. We had lost so much time already, but thankfully the tire fiasco was the last of our mechanical troubles. We again said our goodbyes and were finally on our way north. The tire fiasco has added substantial time onto our already delayed start. We didn’t have time to rethink our route, and we just decided that we would have to push a little harder. Doing so proved to be more difficult with a loaded-down bike. Thankfully, the weather was sunny and warm, and the wind was mild. Every time I mentioned the uncomfortable pull of the extra weight on my bike, Kim would just smile. The feeling was uneasy at first, but it became the new normal after a few short miles. Picking Up Speed & Getting Local Tips Now that we were moving, the miles melted away like ice cream in the sun; we were melting, too, in the hot summer sun. We rode very little trail, only using the Friendship and Wiowash trails for the first portion of the day. The rest of the day was on county roads. Kim, a transportation planner, took extra care searching for the safer and more scenic roads. These scenic roads wound us through Hortonville, New London, and Marion, where we finally stopped for dinner at the Pigeon River Brewery. As we sat on the patio of Pigeon River Brewery, we took in the warm summer night while video chatting with our son, hearing about his day and exciting adventures that he took Grandma and Grandpa on. The food was great and the beer was even better. Despite not dawdling too much, daylight was no longer on our side, and the potential of a looming storm made us realize we may not make our Day 1 destination. Even worse, the quiet county roads we had planned to ride on would have added an unnecessary distance in the dwindling sunlight. After reviewing Google Maps and chatting with the friendly bartender, we succumbed to the realization that we would have to ride on a relatively busy highway. However, the bartender also recommended a closer campground that was only about 10 miles away. The main office was closed when we tried calling, and we were not able to reserve online; we just had to go with the hope that a campsite would be available. Upon leaving Pigeon River Brewery the bartender gave us his number and told us to call him if we ran into trouble. We were prepared with lights and reflective gear, but no one likes to ride on a busy highway at dusk. As we made our way to the campground, the traffic was calm but steady, and we made it to our destination with little trouble. While no one was at the front desk, we were able to get in touch with a kind employee who was on-call; she pointed us to some of the more scenic sites. With a campsite along the river, we started to settle in for the evening. I looked down at my Garmin and thought back on the 70 miles of excitement our first day entailed and wondered how tomorrow would transpire. We cleaned ourselves up and quickly climbed into bed for the night; falling quickly asleep to the sound of the fast moving river. Waking Up On The Trail, Kid-Free For the First Time We woke early the next morning with no alarm; this was our first morning in almost 18 months that we didn’t wake up to our son. Given that we had some distance to make up, we quickly got to work on breaking down our campsite. This was not a quick process. Stuffing our gear back into our packs was a tedious task; we had very little room to spare, and everything had to be packed in the right order. After a quick Google search we discovered a greasy spoon restaurant a close distance away. As we made our way into Tigerton the mist of the morning dew was rising in the grass and fields that surrounded us. We parked our bikes outside and made our way inside. The coffee was dark, the food was great and our friendly server chatted with us in a subtle southern accent; a recent transplant. As we ate breakfast we planned our day while keeping an eye on the weather. Strong storms were looking to move their way across the state in the early afternoon. With full stomachs, we made our way toward the northern section of the Wiowash trail. The air was thick, but the sun continued to shine down on us. As we worked our way northwest, the sunny sky turned menacing and drops of rain started to fall on our helmets. When we came to the junction of the Wiowash and Mountain Bay trails our phones started to warn us of a severe weather system making its way toward us, and the sky opened into a torrential downpour. Luckily, we quickly found temporary cover under trailside shelter. We grabbed our phones and began looking at the weather and for a safe harbor destination that we could ride the storm out in. Google told us that a trailside tavern was less than a mile north from us, so we headed there as quickly as we could. Waiting Out the Rain The rain pelted us as we made our way inside the Mountain Bay Bar and Grill. We stuck out like a sore thumb as the few patrons’ and bartender’s eyes met our rain-soaked bodies. After a brief conversation, the bartender invited us to bring our bikes inside, and we draped ourselves with our camp towels. We were welcomed with questions about what we were doing and where we were going. We ate lunch, and talked with our new friends until the weather passed. We chatted about our plans and destination for the night while we watched images of severe weather and flooding on the tv screens. The storm was waning, but nearby flooding presented us with new potential dangers. Once the radar showed the storm had passed, one of the patrons called a friend in the Wausau area to make sure our passage north would indeed be safe and clear. Upon leaving the tavern the bartender offered us her number and told us to call if we ran into trouble. The sun was hard at work drying out the trails as we left the bar. As we continued northwest on our journey, the Mountain Bay Trail offered us picturesque landscapes of the Wisconsin countryside. From forests to bridges over bogs, this section of the state and trail offers great riding and views. Rolling into the Wausau area, the trail turned to pavement and we moved closer to our new destination for the night, the Marathon County Park Campground. Arriving at the campground, we were greeted with a tree covered, self-serviced affair. We picked a site and chatted with the neighbors before cleaning up prior to dinner. We decided to grab a late dinner and beer at the Great Dane Pub and Brewing Co. It was only a short ride from the campground and has always had great food and, of course, beer. As we made our way back to the site and settled in for the night, we drifted quickly off to sleep listening to the distant hum of Highway 51. Tomorrow, we’d reach our final destination, Minocqua. Last Day of Riding The next morning, we broke camp early and headed off to grab a quick breakfast and coffee at Starbucks. While sipping on coffee and tea, we stared at Google Maps, hoping that if we looked long enough the perfect route to the Bearskin trailhead would appear; it did not. We knew the stretch from Wausau to Merrill would have a section of busy roads to cover. We would soon learn how busy. The county highways held steady 55 mph traffic and seemed to have one rolling hill after another. After 45 minutes of buzzing traffic and teeth-rattling, rutted-out gravel shoulders we decided to break from the Garmin recommended route and head east on Naugart Drive, letting fate lead. We meandered through a serene territory north of Wausau mixed with paved and gravel roads. Coming across farm and forest lands, and happening upon a picturesque single-room schoolhouse, which to our eyes, had seen better days. As we slowly moved north, Kim and I continued to comment to each other how lucky we were to find such a wonderful area to ride through. We continued on to Merrill as a gentle rain began to fall. When we rolled into Merrill, we resupplied our bottles and snacks at a local gas station. Moving through the city streets, the rain began to come down harder, and we took temporary refuge underneath a large oak tree covering a sidestreet. It didn’t last long and we were soon on our way north again. Our next destination was Tomahawk. We’d hoped to grab lunch there prior to hopping on the Bearskin Trail; finishing our trip on one of the state’s most scenic rails to trails. As we made our way toward Tomahawk, our surroundings became the image of northern Wisconsin that everyone talks about: forests, lakes and rivers. The roads were quiet and moved through beautiful forested rolling hills hugging several small lakes, and a river along the way. While the outside world was a delight to soak in, Kim and I were getting grumpy. Hunger was setting in and we were still drying off from the day’s earlier rain. Lunch was needed and as we approached Tomahawk we stopped at a quiet park to use the restroom and find a place in town to eat. With a destination set, we headed in the right direction of the moment, food. Tomahawk greeted us with busy traffic along a brief stint on South Tomahawk Avenue. As we came into the downtown district, we quickly found a place to store our bikes while we dined. As we refueled and sipped coffee and tea, passersby outside the window paused and tilted their heads to the side as they looked over our bikes full of bags and gear. Kim and I smiled and continued finishing our lunch. The last leg of our trip was in sight. As we settled our tab, I sent a quick text to my mom giving her an ETA on our arrival. We rambled through Tomahawk and circled back on ourselves several times, struggling to find the trailhead to the Hiawatha Trail, which would eventually give way to the Bearskin Trail. As fate would have it, we came upon a kind, retired woman out for a ride heading in our direction. She graciously offered to guide us to the trailhead. We continued to ride with this kind soul for several miles, before she turned off the trail heading to her lakeside home. We spoke of all things you're not supposed to talk to strangers about, our life stories, politics, marriage and kids. Her warmth and kindness moved just as quick as she did, zipping down the trail. We departed our new friend and moved into riding the final stretch side by side, seamlessly transitioning onto the Bearskin Trail. Kim and I took in all the beauty the trail had to offer. We moved through a forested wonderland riding by lakes, over creeks, and waterways. The gravel was constant as we made our final push north, stopping only for a few photos along the way when something would catch our eyes. Making it to Minocqua & Seeing Our Son As we approached Minocqua, the number of walkers and cyclists increased. Coming over the final bridge, we found ourselves in downtown Minocqua, which was busy with the bustle of summer activities. We quickly made our way through the busy streets towards my parents’ home, knowing soon we’d be greeted by family. Moving through town I’m still amazed at how much water is in the area. Circling in just about any direction you're sure to see a body of water asking you to take a swim. As we turned down my parents' long and straight road, I could hear the faint sound of bells ringing. When we approached the driveway, we were greeted with ringing bells, shouts of “you made it!” and dogs barking. We had arrived; we were north. Excitement was high, and we quickly exchanged hugs. Our son was eager to see us, but his one-year-old attention was quickly grabbed by the outdoor toys and the sunshine of the day. We all sat in the sun and talked through our adventure and what would lay ahead for the next few days. Our day of riding concluded with family and smiles all around. Our trip was an adventure, and I’m happy we jumped in and made it happen. I know that we’ll remember our time riding north fondly, using what we learned along the way for future trips. Bike troubles and severe weather did set us back, but if it wasn’t that, it would have probably been something else. And, that’s OK, because it’s part of what made it our adventure. This summer we’re already talking about a new adventure with a trip, you guessed it, north.

Winston County Gravel Cup had its inaugural event last year and is gearing up for round two. Through beautiful valleys and heroic gravel roads, the event carries an old cigarette branding theme and promises a full flavored event. This year's event takes place on September 24, 2022 and has a 40, 60, and 100 mile option. Learn more about the event on their website or follow them on instagram . The event is organized by Paul Reardon , Jacob Ellefsen, and Luke Schuttenhelm Interview with race coordinator, Jacob Ellefsen: Let's start with the cigarette branding. What's that all about? That is kind of what it has evolved into a bit. I must credit fellow ride organizer, Luke Schuttenhelm, with the creation of the ride’s name. The race itself takes place in Winona and Houston County, so he mashed those together with some inspiration from days of NASCAR past and the Winston County Gravel Cup was born. The cigarette portion is what grabbed people's attention, we even had an old Winston gas station sign show up on race day and gave away a ton of old Winston memorabilia. It’s hard to take yourself too seriously with inspiration like that. Ultimately, we want riders to have fun. Whether racing at the front or beer stops every 20 miles. We’ve made the route, but you make the ride. This is your 2nd year, right? What were the highlights of year 1? The biggest highlight for us was the overall success. For year 1, we literally organized the ride in 4 months. No small task considering everything that goes into planning a ride, but at the end of the day it was all worth it. Everyone finished safely and there was not one face without a smile. Secondly, there was one rider that was a highlight for all those that rode with her… Nellie Rice, who embodied the very spirit of the event. This was her first ever gravel event and on top of that, she chose the 100-mile route. Even showed up with fake cigarettes! She was so determined to finish, and it took her 10 hours and 52 minutes. "She finished dead last but seeing that feeling of accomplishment on her face was an emotional moment for us as organizers. Riders like Nellie are really what makes all the time spent organizing the ride worth it." What are the roads and gravel in "Winston County" like? Well, when we don’t have the grader go through, they are the definition of hero gravel. Last year unfortunately we had a stretch of road that was graded during the ride, but that’s just the way it is sometimes. Luckily, everyone was able to find the humor about it We are extremely fortunate to have such great roads to host the ride on. Pair that with the challenging climbs and spectacular views… It makes for quite an experience. Why did you start this race? We started this race to share the amazing riding that the Houston, MN area has to offer. The town itself exists in this weird space where it’s the destination for many riders from nearby La Crosse and it’s at the end of the Root River Trail when most riders turn back. It was really a well-kept secret for those that ventured out that way. Secondly, we wanted to bring people together to enjoy and share in this rad experience and that’s the remarkable thing about the culture of gravel. In the end, everyone enjoys a beer together, whether they are racing for first place or simply trying to finish. I see you have picked some charities to benefit. Why are those charities important to you? We wanted to give back to the community that was so gracious to host us. The Houston Nature Center and International Owl Center both provide great environmental education programs. Additionally, the Houston Nature Center offers amazing amenities to cyclists such as showers and camping. Both locations are funded mostly by donations, and we wanted to help by donating to and promoting these community staples for our first year.

The Trans-Wisconsin Adventure Bicycle Route has been a dream of Frank Hassler's for a while. Ever since spending 8 days bike touring part of the route in 2011 and having a whole bunch of Type 2 fun, he's dreamed of formalizing this trail. In this interview I talk with Frank about the route and what it's going to take to complete the project. The TWABR is ~685 miles, with over 35,000’ of climbing. The current iteration of the route can be found on RideWithGPS . To follow along, visit the Facebook page . This sounds like a massive project. What inspired you to take this on? Developing a 700-mile bike route seems like a big reach, but fortunately, I’m standing on the shoulders of giants, so to speak. In the early 2000’s, Chad Berger developed the Trans-Wisconsin Adventure Trail (TWAT) dual-sport motorcycle route. Inspired by the TWAT, Joe Meiser created the Trans-Wisconsin Mountain Bike Trail (TWMBT) and organized the Trans-WI Mountain Bike Race along this route in 2010. What I am calling the Trans-Wisconsin Adventure Bicycle Route (TWABR) is really just a further development of the TWMBT. I expect we will be updating 30-40% of the route for the TWABR, but mostly small improvements along the same general corridor. We only need to route 1/3rd of 700 miles. Back to what inspired me specifically: Over 8 days in July and August of 2011 I toured the TWMBT. Despite repeated heavy thunderstorms, persistent deer flies, breaking my thumb, loosing my wallet, trudging through sand roads and getting lost on abandon logging roads that lead no-where but into a swamp, I had a great time. Its a brilliant route, traversing major bioregions of the state including the Driftless Region, the Mississippi Valley, the Central Sands, the North Woods and finish on the shores of Lake Superior in sight of the Apostle Islands. It links together some of Wisconsin’s best mountain bike trail networks. Ever since doing this trip, I wanted to share the route with other like-minded cyclists. I think it's a world class route. What's the current status of this project and when do you hope to complete it? I have a proposed route worked out on RideWithGPS. Now as the riding season is starting it's time to ground-truth the route to see if the red line on the computer screen makes sense in reality. At this point I’m seeking adventurous riders to scout the route out and local riders who can perhaps suggest better options based on what they like to ride. It will be going together in pieces, I think after we finalize each section of the route it would be good to plan a day-ride on those sections to give it a final check with a number of riders, and to introduce people to each segment. I think with some collaboration we should be able to get the route finalized by late-summer or early fall. Then it's time to get people out to ride the route! I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a tour on the southern-half of the route in late-July with an open invite to anyone who wants to join. Then a second tour in September to ride the northern portion. In any event, we’ll put together the details on the Facebook group. What are your favorite parts of this route? That’s a tough call. While its mostly paved and gravel roads, the first couple days in the Driftless region are just real solid scenic rural riding. Another great section is the last segment north of Delta to Hwy 13 which feels extremely remote, I saw almost no other humans the entire day (but plenty of wildlife). But if I had to pick a single favorite section it would probably be the Black River State Forest. The Central Sands are just unique and remind me of riding in the highlands of northern Arizona. The stunted black oak and jack pine of the barrens is just so different from every other environment in the state. And as a botanist, I just can’t get over the fields of lupine and roadside ditches full of grass pink orchids. How can people get involved or help out? The further along I get in this project the more aspects of it I realize there are. There are a lot of ways large and small that people could help make this a reality. As mentioned above, we need a bunch of people to get out on the roads and trails and ground truth the route. Outreach: We need people to get in touch with local trail organizations, public land managers, bike shops and so forth to let them know what we’re planning and start to work together where needed. I think what we’d be looking for local ambassadors in each region who are part of the community to facilitate communication and coordination. We could use a graphic designer to develop a logo for things like stickers, patches, and trail blazes. We could probably use a website and thus a webmaster, and some organization willing to host the website. Right now we’re using a Facebook group to organize things, but having a website as a central information depot will be essential in the long-run. I would love it if we could have a someone with some GIS/cartography skills develop a good looking map of the route. There seems to be a lot of interest in reviving the idea of a race along the route. That would require someone stepping up as a race organizer.

Moran 166 is in its second year and offers $10,000 in cash prizes with equal payout for men and women. The event is remote, fast, and growing in popularity. Check out this Q&A with Tyler Tafelsky, Race Coordinator, to learn more about the philosophy and vibe behind this event. Moran 166 takes place in Moran in the upper peninsula of Michigan on Saturday, October 1st. To learn more or register for the race, visit the Moran 166 . Photos: @moran166race Ok, so $10k is a lot of dough. That means 20 men and women are going home with money in their pocket; why the prize purse? We’re not ones to compare ourselves to others. But to make a point, you see these big iconic gravel bike races in the U.S. that draw thousands of racers including major sponsorship and media attention, and yet, there’s no payout to the top finishers. That’s kind of bogus, in our opinion, especially when some of these events are pulling in millions of dollars in revenue. Pros and non-pros alike invest 10, 20, 30 hours a week into training for these events. That’s a part-time job in and of itself. While the MORAN 166 still has a lot of growth to reach a similar volume as the major gravel races throughout the country, we’re adamant about setting the tone now that our race gives back to the gravel community and rewards those top-performers who show up and race their hearts out. Sure, there's an incentive component to attract cyclists to our event. But the decision to offer a $10k cash purse goes much deeper than that. In the fast growing gravel community, we’re positioning ourselves now among race promoters by doing the right thing and giving back to those who train hard, show up, and race with us. Moran is just about the farthest corner of The Nxrth's coverage (WI/MN/U.P.). What makes it worth the drive? Arriving into Moran and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is like stepping back in time. Very little has changed in the last 100 years here. So the vibe is very historic in a way. There’s not much for development, as much of the eastern UP is protected national forest. It’s probably as close to true wilderness as you can get without traveling further north into Canada. The course itself is truly an adventure. You can count the number of buildings and/or cars you’ll see on both hands. Within the first mile upon heading north up East Lake Road out of Moran, you’ll quickly cop on to the untouched wilderness vibes. For the first 30 miles, it’s nothing but pristine gravel roads lined with flourishing wetlands, open expanses, and densely packed woods. There are a few paved stretches throughout the course, but they’re a welcomed change and the traffic is minimal. Overall, it’s one of the most beautiful and scenic bike races that truly feels like a remote adventure ride. And with this year’s race taking place October 1st, the autumn colors should be blazing. Tell me about last year's inaugural event This will be the second year for the Moran 166. We’ve made some slight course modifications at the northernmost section, so there will be slightly more climbing.But still not very much. Over the course of the 166-mile course, the elevation gain is fairly minimal (about 3,000 feet), so it’s a very fast race. Last year’s top finishers averaged 21 MPH for the full 166 miles. Between the weather, the people, and local community support, we couldn’t have asked for a better inaugural race in 2021. The race itself had some interesting turning points. A small breakaway group separated itself from the pack at mile 30. Two of those attackers held on to take first and second place. But a hard-working chase pack managed to catch up to the other around mile 110 to make for a dramatic sprint for third at the end. You can read the full race recap here . We had just about one hundred racers show up for the first year’s 166-miler. It was the perfect kickoff that received rave reviews from both participants and the community. We expect to see double (perhaps triple) the participation for 2022. Combined with on-site camping and more vendors, food trucks, and event happenings, it’s going to be a much more lively and energetic time at the Mackinac County Fairgrounds this year. Currently, we’re open to sponsors and vendors who’d like to get involved. Interest in the race is rising fast, so we expect to see a great turnout for 2022.

A free spirit cyclist and photographer from Duluth Minnesota, Josh Kowaleski looks for nontraditional ways to document adventures. Last year he became a dad and is enjoying the new pace of life while growing his photography project, Pointed North Photo. In this interview, we discuss bikes, fatherhood, and some of his favorite shoots. I first met Josh in college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. We both rock climbed and rode bikes. I still have a homemade cribbage board that he gave me when I got married over a decade ago. We've lived in different states for a while now but continue to follow each other's bike adventures. I'm extremely proud to get to share his work with you in this interview. Tell me about your photography project, Pointed North Photo, and where are you headed with it? Pointed North as a concept came out of a bit of boredom in 2015. I was tired of my instagram handle and was kicking around some new ideas and I had no idea that it would inevitably be something I could build a brand around years later. I liked the image of a compass and always having a constant bearing , a consistent reference point to make decisions around, a basic guiding principle. I liked the imagery it conjured up in my mind of wandering the woods, exploring. Like most everyone knows, all good things are found the further north you go. I came up with Pointed North and it stuck. Where am I headed with it? As with any adventure, I’m not quite sure. I'm going to keep going in this direction though with Active Family Portraiture and see where it takes me. I hope it brings me all around the region, documenting all the different people who live up here, doing the things that they enjoy the most with those they love the most. Things like skiing the first set of tracks through droopy pines while quarter sized flakes fall from the sky. Or, riding steep and gnarly singletrack on your mountain bike while your dog nips at your heels. Maybe it’s chasing trout with your loved one, fly rods in hand as you journey up a North Shore stream? Those are the moments that keep us here. Big loud moments and small quiet ones. I want to capture them all and I want to share them. You’re originally from Northern Minnesota? What’s it like finding new ways to document an area where you’ve lived almost your entire life? Yup! I was born in Duluth and spent my early childhood in the U.P. of Michigan and then we moved to Minnesota. I love it here. Between the bike, the camera I feel like you have no choice but to see things differently, even if it’s the same gravel road you’ve been down a million times before. The bike forces your body to move at the pace of the land and to engage with it. The camera forces your eye to look for fun details. The two in combination are magical. Then you just play in the woods. It always feels new. I’m fortunate to live where I do. I’m fortunate to have quick access to adventures that are large and adventures that are small, right from my doorstep. There’s a running list of things to do and you get to configure those combinations of things to do based on what the weather and your time frame give you. There’s an infinite combination and I feel in some ways like I’ve only just started, despite living a whole lifetime up here. It’s my opinion that if you’re bored it’s your own fault. What gear do you shoot with? I'm pretty in love with the Fujifilm X System. I love the mechanical and tactile feel of the bodies with all of their dials.Their lineup of lenses are amazing, and the big thing is that it’s all really packable. The cameras are little powerhouses and because they’re unassuming and retro in aesthetic I feel they allow me to be in a scene and to shoot portraits of people without it feeling intimidating or like they’re in a big production photo shoot. The camera’s are unassuming and I love that quality the most. My kit for shooting most everything is my x-t4 paired to my 50-140mm f2.8 and my 10-24mm f4. For portrait work I use the x-t4 with a 50mm f1.0. As a second camera I have an x-t20 with a 27mm f2.8 pancake lens. This combination is tiny. It's pocketable and easy to slip into a pack. This combination is the most unassuming and allows for some really intimate shots. This combination is mostly used for my own, personal documentation of my family, but it does land in a pack and join me every now and again.. What bike are you riding these days and what routes and events have you been into? Bikes: Living in Duluth I have access to a lot of different types of riding and that lends itself to having a line of tools for the different types of “jobs”. I love steel and tend to lean that way with my bike choices. To keep the list short, I won’t go through all of the bikes but I will say that if it came down to choosing the bike that would be the very last one to leave my collection, it would be my custom Surly Karate Monkey Single Speed. I just love that bike. It’s purpose built to tackle everything that Northern Minnesota has to offer and it is just a riot to ride. I have a few different parts to configure it in a few different ways. It’s simple. It’s reliable. It’s versatile and It’s steel. I’ve put a LOT of miles on that bike and it is my personal favorite in a lineup of some pretty sweet bikes. Routes & Events: I haven’t participated in an event in a while, between COVID and the welcomed addition in our family of my Son, I’m not in a spot to tackle as many events in a year as I have in the past. Most recently a group of likeminded dad’s all got together and we rolled the 50 mile edition of the 2021 Heck of the North . Prior to COVID and the arrival of my son, I routinely enjoyed a LOT of the events that our region hosts. 2019 was a pretty big year on the bike for me. I do all of my long distance stuff on the single speed and checked of the Mid South 100, Lutsen 199er (shuttled to the start, rode the race, rode home to Duluth) which was prep for the CRUSHER 225 Point to Point in the Upper Peninsula, and there was a few mountain bike races in there too with events like the Wausau 24. I closed out the season with a fat-bike adventure with a few friends, riding to a remote checkpoint in the Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon where we volunteered as dog handlers for the mushers. That was probably the highlight of the 2019 season for me. The region is so full of all kinds of fun events that you can keep yourself as busy as you want to, year round. As far as routes go, I prefer to mostly ramble around and see where I can get to on my bike. I got into bikepacking this way and I think it’s the most fun. Growing up in this region and seeing a lot of remote places from a Jeep or an ATV really opened my eyes to what’s possible on the bike. My first bikepacking trip was simply a trip to see if I could get to this one remote spot that my family used to go to with our Jeep, and to try and get there by bike. I then just continued to try and visit those places that were so far out there but by bike. No route, just riding familiar roads and trails. This is more my style. Pick a spot and go there, simply because you want to see what’s there. It seems like a lot of your photography centers around families that are active together; why has that been such a focus? The short answer is that I like people! Ha! The longer answer is that I really think it’s a fun niche that I haven’t seen represented in photography. We see classic family portraits, everyone all wearing the same color, posed, multi generational etc. That’s great! Those images are important. I am just not good at taking them. This style that I’m embracing grew out of shooting images of my friends riding their bikes, hitting jumps and screwing around in the woods. It’s morphed into this category that’s between action sports photography and family portraiture. It’s families recreating together. It’s sweaty, it’s dirty, it’s raw and it’s real. I have shots ranging from a family day at the cabin, with the dog about to steal an ice cream cone out of the hands of a toddler, to images of teenage boys hitting big, gapped jumps over their parents. I don’t pose stuff. I just come along for the ride with your family and document “you” doing whatever it is that you all like to do. It’s a blast and every shoot is different! You recently became a dad; how have you found a balance between an active lifestyle and being a young parent? Early on it was a bit difficult but now that he's bigger and more sturdy, we have adopted a philosophy that “he goes where we go and he does what we do”. Obviously this is within reason, but lately I just bundle him up, throw him in the pack or the sled and head out. I’m tuned in enough with him where I can read his body language and interpret his verbals and make decisions around him. In the winter he seems good for about an hour to an hour and a half outside, so I just tailor my adventures around him and keep them in that time frame. Knock on wood we haven’t had any major meltdowns in the woods yet. No long hikes back to the car with him screaming or crying. To be honest, I don’t really care if I ever do another long distance race or event. I want to do as many adventures as I can with him, at his pace, on his time, however he wants to do them. That’s my adventure now. That’s my goal. Follow him around and just try and keep up. I feel like if that’s the approach, balance shouldn’t be too hard to come by. To view more photos or learn more about Josh Kowaleski, check out Pointed North Photography or follow his photography on instagram .