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.

The Itasca Lakenights is a deep-northwoods bikepacking adventure surrounded by scattered lakes, forgotten forests, and long nights around the fire. It starts and ends at a tiny oasis in the forest with a general store and motel rooms to kick off your trip as well as a hunter's paradise bar and grill for story telling and post ride burger and beverages when you complete your last mile. Photos by Josh Kowaleski & Josh Rizzo Over the winter we dreamed up the idea of making new memories discovering a bikepacking route up north in an area not known as a popular gravel and adventure destination. We studied satellite imagery and global heatmaps that kept making Itasca County look like a dreamy place to spend long days biking with friends and cool evenings talking around the lake. For those new to the area, Itasca County is enormous. It is Minnesota's 3rd biggest county and has over 1,400 lakes. It's far outside of the popular north shore regions and beyond the Iron Range. Grand Rapids in the south is the biggest city but northern Itasca County is vast with very low population density, and very high lake density. State and county forests make a huge percentage of land ownership which both allow dispersed camping. This route is full of boat landings to stop for lake lunches and campgrounds for lake nights. The majority of the route is winding gravel roads through wooded rolling hills. It eastern section also includes some rugged ATV trails and unmaintained barely used cutting paths through the woods (both noted on the map). Some would say the real gems of this route are the few and far between off-grid food and drink spots. We highly recommend getting breakfast at the Pine Cone Soup & Sandwich Cafe in Marcell as well as a burger and beer at the Antler Lodge upon completing the route and returning to your car. Talmoon also Hayslips Corner which boasts being the self declared oldest bar in Minnesota and is right across the street from a convenience store. Route Map Preview [Full Route With POIs Available to Patrons] Sneak Peek Inside the Guide [Join Patreon for Full Access] Scenes From The Itasca Lakenights Disclaimer: If you choose to ride this route, you do so at your own risk. You are 100% responsible for being prepared for all conditions and making sure that biking these routes is legal. Before riding, check local weather, road conditions, closures, and property ownership. Obey all traffic laws and follow land use restrictions. Do not ride these routes without proper safety equipment and navigational tools. The accuracy of these routes cannot be guaranteed neither can we guarantee that these routes are on public property. TheNxrth.com and its contributors are in no way liable for the personal injury or damage to property that may result from cycling this route or any other routes on this website.

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.

This fall, Noelle Battle from Bikepacking Roots, took on a solo bikepacking trip of the Northwoods Route through Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Traveling here from the East Coast to do this route, she shares a reflection of her trip as well some highs and lows. Words by Noelle Battle, Executive Director of Bikepacking Roots. Learn more about the Northwoods Route. After a long drive out from the East Coast, I arrived in Ironwood, Michigan which would be my base for starting my journey on the Northwoods Route. It’s been over a year since I had set off on an extended bikepacking adventure like this, and the first time since early 2020 that I was taking on a 500+ mile trip solo (almost getting stuck in Cuba as the COVID-19 lockdowns started is a story for another time). I’d been so busy getting settled into my new role at Bikepacking Roots, that I hadn’t spent that much time on my bike leading up to the trip, but "hey, I’ve done this before, ~50 miles a day is no big deal" is what I kept telling myself. I got my trusty bike and gear in order and headed toward Wisconsin to start the first leg of my journey. For those of you who might not be familiar, the Northwoods Route was envisioned by Kurt Refsnider and was first launched to the public in 2021, thanks to the work of many dedicated volunteers who participated in the Route Test Team and contributors who wrote sections of the 70-page guidebook that was developed to accompany the route. It is a 630-mile route circumnavigating the western half of Lake Superior, primarily following gravel roads, two-tracks, logging roads, rail trails and sections of pavement through thick forests and past too many picturesque lakes to keep count. A unique feature of the route is that the loop is closed by utilizing passenger ferries across Lake Superior to travel to Isle Royale National Park, connecting the Minnesota and Michigan sections of the route. I wanted to share some of my reflections from my trip to give other riders a bit of a feel for the route, and maybe inspire some others to take the same challenging adventure in the future. I completed the trip in 14 days (12 days of riding and 2 days for the transit via Isle Royale). This worked out to be an average of just over 50 miles a day, with 4 days in each state since there are approximately 200 miles in each state segment. My trip is proof that you can survive this ride with average fitness level and minimal training, but I’ll advise that it definitely would have helped if I had ridden my bike a bit more in advance. The route is challenging. Even though it isn’t overly technical and the physical difficulty isn’t super high because it doesn’t have big mountain climbs, it will definitely challenge folks. But the good thing is that it is a really accessible route for all types of people with the right planning, understanding of your capabilities, and plotting out the time needed to make the route most enjoyable for you. I certainly wouldn’t have minded extending my trip to allow for more time for lake swimming and taking advantage of the countless other activities along the route. For folks that are looking for more technical riding, the route has several published singletrack alternative segments where you can take a different route following some amazing trail networks such as the Duluth Traverse and the CAMBA Singletrack Network. I can’t speak from personal experience on those alternates, but the little bit of singletrack that was mixed into the main route on the CAMBA system was super fun. In addition to those alternatives, the MTB culture is really strong around here and our guidebook highlights a number of other trail systems touching the route that folks may want to spend additional time exploring. I ended up in Copper Harbor at the start of their annual Trails Fest and learned about the world-class trails being built up there which are attracting people from all over. One of my biggest impressions from the trip was how quiet the roads were, especially in the Wisconsin and Minnesota sections. Apart from the sections getting into and out of Duluth, time spent on any busier roads was usually very short and then you were back on roads where there may not be a motor vehicle for hours. I ran into more ATVs in Michigan on the rail trail and other ATV roads, but I also rode that section on Labor Day weekend, so I am guessing traffic was higher than normal. Another aspect I loved (and sometimes hated) about the route was the variety of surfaces. This isn’t a route that was seeking out only the smooth gravel roads in the region. I laughed to myself once in particular when riding along a perfectly smooth gravel road in the Minnesota section, being amazed by these perfectly maintained, traffic-free roads, only to make the next turn off onto a chunky, sandy ATV trail for the next 10 miles. I thought to myself, so this is what it is like to ride a Bikepacking Roots route, always something to keep it interesting! I might have huffed and puffed and sometimes pushed my bike up the short, steep gravel climbs, but that was often followed by getting to charge through flowy sections with a big grin on my face. I think the rideability percentages for the route are accurate, but that all depends on who you are and what bike you are on. Expect some chunky gravel and sandy sections. I was happy with my 2.25” tires and just personally chose to walk some climbs as I was nursing some knee pain (or just feeling tired!). The good news though is that most of the steep and loose gravel climbs that may be challenging to ride for some are pretty short. Some other questions that seem to come up a lot in regard to the route are the weather and the BUGS! I am happy to report that despite being told that it was a bad year for mosquitos in that they were still around in August at all, I didn’t find them to be too bad – I have definitely experienced much worse biking in the Northeast! That being said, black flies were around, particularly in Wisconsin. They liked to buzz around me while riding if I was going particularly slow. I never found mosquitos to be that bad where I camped, but they often were really bad if I ever stopped to do anything while on a narrower trail or heavily wooded section. I understand that bugs are worse in June-July so I can’t speak to how the route would be earlier in the year. Beyond that, I had trouble deciding what I thought the optimal time would be. I enjoyed the weather being warm enough that I could take advantage of plenty of lake dips, one of my favorite parts of bikepacking. I actually started my trip in weather that felt like early fall, but then ended the loop on a 92-degree day! The leaves were already changing a bit, but I imagine going just a little bit later into fall would be amazingly beautiful. Note that ferry schedules limit the season so you will need to plan accordingly. As a part of my trip, I got to meet lots of great folks along the way. I stayed at some cool, bike-focused accommodation such as ROAM Adventure Basecamp in Wisconsin and Trails End Campground in Michigan. I got to chat with folks from several local trail stewardship organizations and brainstorm about how we can better connect in the future. I also met with a Ranger on Isle Royale and talked about the increase of bikepacker visitation on the island. Encouragingly, she is excited to work with us to understand bikepackers’ experience on the island and to continue the relationship going forward as the route becomes more popular, within the confines of what is feasible and in consideration of other challenges the park is facing (such as record visitation). I’m excited to see the interest and enthusiasm folks have for the Northwoods Route and I hope that the number of people getting out there on a section or the full route continues to grow over time. As I often talk about, I am really excited to grow Bikepacking Roots’ presence around the country and I’m excited to have one of our early signature routes highlighting the extensive gravel and singletrack options of this region (which understandably is also great for winter fatbiking too). I’m grateful to have had this time to connect deeply with the region, as bikepacking allows us to do, to understand a little more about the culture, the history, and the landscape. Next up, I’m excited to be heading a few hours south to the inaugural Midwest Bikepacking Summit in Wisconsin this weekend! To purchase a print version of the Northwoods Route Guidebook and GPX files, click here. To purchase a PDF version of the Northwoods Route Guidebook and GPX files, click here. Keep an eye out on their Instagram and Facebook for more photos and videos from Noelle's recent trip.

Jeremy Kershaw is always the Race Director at Heck of the North, but this year he got sick and his partner Avesa Rockwell took over. In this story we talk about how they made the decision to move forward, what changed while Jeremy was out, and how it went with Avesa at the reins. To learn more, visit Heck of the North. All photos by Josh Kowaleski of Pointed North Photography and @pointed_north Interview with Avesa Rockwell. What’s the story behind how you ended up running race day and what's normally your role on race day? Three days before the big dance, Jeremy developed a fever and a headache. At 6 am he drove to Walgreens to get a Covid test. When he came home and announced it was positive, all I could say was "Well, that sucks." For years I have tried to imagine how, if god forbid something happened to Jeremy, I would be able to manage the event on my own. Now I was going to find out. For about five minutes we discussed canceling because we had no idea what we'd do if I got sick too. We decided that it was worth the risk-- we had a record number of registered riders (820) coming from places as far as Seattle, Portland, and Europe. All the pieces were in place. We just had to keep the momentum. Normally I have plenty to do in the weeks leading up to the race-- I manage about 40 volunteers who work two hour shifts from Thursday afternoon to Sunday morning. I also buy all of the checkpoint food, prepare and manage the merchandise store, and help Jeremy with whatever needs to get done, which for him, means dealing with all the route details (including gps files, cue sheets, and trail markers), registration glitches and requests, and all communication with the screenprinter, timer, biffy deliverer, caterer, photographer, sponsors, riders, permit issuers, tourism bureaus, landowners, ATV club leaders-- the list goes on and on. And then he does all the heavy lifting at our storage facility and at the start area. Sidenote: He has always insisted on setting up the giant circus tent on our own to avoid the steep assembly fee. The minute we decided to go forward with the race I said, "We're paying Doucettes to set up the tent." Removing that task, for some reason, made everything seem more doable. During the event he's the MC and greets every rider at the finish. I really had no idea how I was going to do all my stuff AND his. Luckily, the day before the race he had enough energy to place signs along the route and respond to emails, but on the day of the race Covid laid him flat. I felt really bad for him-- he spends all year preparing for this one day, attending to lots of menial and stressful details that are instantly rewarded by the collective energy of hundreds of revved up and happy riders on a beautiful fall day in the northwoods. And this year he would not get that reward. This was definitely the lowpoint-- to answer the second part of your next question. How did the day go from your perspective and were there any highs and lows that you want to mention? Once Jeremy posted the update, many long-time riders contacted us to say they would be willing to not ride so they could help out. I took Matt Ryan up on his offer because he knows the routes and the timing company we use. It was such a relief to send questions about tire widths and requests to switch distances to him. And in true Matt fashion, about one minute before the 55 miler started he asked if he could ride. I said no problem and he took first in his age category. Another highpoint, not only this year, but at all of our events, is having the Mangen family from Grand Forks, North Dakota join us. They have volunteered at every single Heck, from dawn to dusk, since it started as a group ride in 2009. Rick brought his family when his daughters were little. His eldest Gabby is now fully grown and coaches a high school debate team. She baked 12 dozen cookies for riders, managed our store (with our 13 year old daughter Silvi, who is older than Gabby when she started volunteering!) and together, they presented the medals and prizes for the winners. Rick helped us manifest our parking lot engineer's plan to fit as many cars as possible in the northern lot at Alger Grade (a major triumph!), and his wife Sarah delivered coffee for riders at 6:30 am. Their 13 year devotion to this race makes me realize that Jeremy and I do not own the Heck--- it lives in the hearts of many, and comes to life each year like a magical little circus in the woods. We also couldn’t do the Heck without solid checkpoint volunteers like Lara Sullivan and Ron Pruitt, Kate Ratkovich, Sue Weum, and John Hatcher. And it was a relief to know Scott Risdal, Mark Hagley, Nate Eide, and Dr. John Wood and his friend were sweeping the course. And also good having Jer’s buddies Charles Parsons and Charlie Farrow camping with me in the empty lot. Thanks for the coffee and the beer! Every year is so different. What was the weather and vibe like this year? It looked pretty muddy out there. Just the weekend prior the area got almost six inches of rain, so the roads were soft and there were many ephemeral stream crossings. A puddle on Fox Farm Road was reported to be chin-deep! Lots of ruined drive trains. These kinds of conditions give lots of business to the bike shops! This year we made little red pins for finishers with Jeremy's neologism "Graveleer" printed over our Ride the Good Line wings symbol. They are kind of like the wing pins we got as kids when we first rode a plane. When I walked through the crowd to hand out pins I could easily spot the riders because their faces were sprayed with mud freckles, and their backs and legs were literally stuccoed. When I told riders “they earned their wings” most broke into wide smiles. It is so cute how people love getting little mementos. Now that you’ve been race director on race day, will we be seeing more of you running the show for future races? Maybe. We survived, but I think most people missed Jeremy's dry wit at the start and his handshake at the finish. Some of his friends have suggested having me run another Heck so he can finally get the chance to race it. I don't think he will, but he may surprise me. For the past few years I have been organizing informal non-competitive all-women bikepacking rides with the thought I might add one to the annual event roster. This might be the nudge I needed.

Today's Reader's Route comes from reader Nicolette Reker. This route connects the towns of Winona and La Crosse and rides on both sides of the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. It also includes several food and drink recommendations and the Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge. Submission from Nicolette Reker: The gravel roads between Winona, MN and La Crosse, WI are remote, offering a sense of solitude that is hard to find elsewhere. The route took me into deep valleys 500 feet below the ridge-line and the ascents present a mix of gradual and steep grades which can be quite challenging but incredibly rewarding. This route only features three bluff climbs in total, which when stretched out over an 85 mile route makes it accessible to many different levels of riders. The route passes through the town of Pickwick, MN where you will find the historic gristmill that was constructed in the 1850s and is one of Minnesota's oldest surviving water-powered mills. This route also has an option to stop for lunch (and a beer?) in Winona at the halfway point, and there are so many places to try in this sweet little river town. My favorites are the Blue Heron Cafe for lunch and Island City Brewing Co. for beverages. On the way back to La Crosse, the route cuts through the Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge, which is known for hundreds of migrating birds especially in the springtime. To top it off, I swung through Pearl Street Brewing Co. in La Crosse for a beer (pro tip: if you ride your bike to this brewery on Wednesdays, you get a free beer). This route is one of my favorites because it features so many beautiful aspects of the driftless region and the surrounding communities. Add Your Name to The Map SUBMIT YOUR READER'S ROUTE All Reader's Routes So Far

The second annual Gravel Pizza Overnighter was full of brilliant colors, cold downpours, and a wonderful evening at Wedges Creek after the rain finally let up. We enjoyed music in the barn, delicious pizza, and cool fall evenings around the campfire. Here is a recap of the event and gallery of photos. Friday Color Ride & Josh's Campfire Apple Crisp Pulling into our camp, I was surprised how colorful the fall was. Last year we did Gravel Pizza this exact same weekend and the colors had just barely started changing colors. This year the colors were brilliant and in full transition. The overhanging storm clouds gave the the forest deep shadows and warm reds, yellows, and oranges. We gathered together underneath a pine tree to meet everyone, talk about the Friday plan, and roll out for the social ride. Our route was about 20 miles and ended at Boondock's bar for drinks and apps. The clouds made the nighttime feel like it set in early. We pushed through a few miles of alternating sand and gravel before breaking onto one of my favorite sections of Eau Claire County gravel. The occasional logging opened up some wide fall colorscapes and inviting views. We hung out at Boondocks while the rain pounded the rooftop and a campfire felt completely off the table. We waited through constant on/off rain until finally dashing back to our tents. Lucky for us there was a pavilion so we just moved the fire pit right next to rooftop, made a blazing fire, and enjoyed some homemade tinfoil warm apple crisp and melting ice cream together under the dryness of the pavilion. Saturday Storms, A Short Break, Then More Storms. Waking up to pouring rain wasn't exactly the way I imagined starting the main ride. Originally the weather predicted it drying out around 9am but now it was a solid block of rain until at least mid afternoon. Still, cars full of bikes kept showing up ready to take on whatever conditions the day would dish out and despite the dismal forecast, 35 people came in for the group rollout. My wife Nicole, our great friend Molly, and a few friends from my hometown of Eau Claire joined so it was nice having close friends to ride with knowing it'd be a rainy day out there. My favorite part is the group rollout. I love meeting everyone, hearing stories of what brought everyone together and beginning the gravel fellowship that we'd all build on during the weekend. The ride included two planned stops, The Stockyard for cheese curds and AKA Lakeside for a beverage. Riding into the Stockyard, the rain gave us a proper beating. The wind was powerful and the gravel was sticky. We even opted to ride a longer route around one section of gravel just to keep our wheels moving a little faster than the mushy gravel. Everyone congregated at The Stockyard and my fingers were numb. I ordered a cup of hot water just to try to re-gain feeling in my digits and stop shivering. This was a big turning point in the ride. We opted to bike back to our vehicle on paved roads so that we could get out of the cold rain and trace the route making sure everyone was okay. Many others got shuttled back to their vehicles as well while a few handfuls of people pushed onwards. We met up with everyone at Wedges Creek and it was so good to dry out and here everyone's stories of the rain ride. Burning the Evening Away at Wedges Creek Getting to Wedges Creek felt like it made the downpour worth it. People took showers, ordered their free welcome drink and settled in for the evening with hot pizza. It was great having a cozy revamped barn with drinks, pizza, music, and giant fire right outside the door for settling in for the evening with everyone. We sat around tables eating pizza and listening to the Sliced Bread Jug Band make a ruckus. Bikers continued to trickle in throughout the evening and it was fun hearing their stories. Tenters set up tents and others rented tiny cabins for the night. Before tucking into the truck bed where I'd be sleeping, I slipped out for a few night photos. The cool fall air felt healing and the quiet wind in the pines made for a beautiful lullaby. Even though the day didn't have the best circumstances, I went to bed full of joy for the people I got to meet, the challenge we shared, and having my wife there for the adventure. Farm Breakfast & Riding Back to the Start Once again, the rain woke me up on Sunday morning. I snoozed a few more minutes before throwing on a rain coat and walking over to the barn for the farm breakfast where everyone was congregating. There were tons of eggs, sausage, and hash browns and I mashed it all together into a big pile on my plate. Riders packed up wet tents and deliberated about biking back or looking for a ride. A handful of people took a slow morning eating breakfast and then started out on bikes when it looked like the rain might be done for the day. My wife rode back solo while I stayed at Wedges Creek to make sure everything wrapped up and I drove the course checking on everyone. I climbed on top of my CRV at the very end of the long straightaway marking the route conclusion to grab photos of people finishing their adventure. High fives, a few more photos, and we cleaned up and said goodbye to the Gravel Pizza Overnighter. Next Year: Gravel Pizza Festival? We're already cooking up plans for next year with ideas to make it a basecamp event with multiple distance options, two nights of camping at Wedges Creek, and more fall adventure ideas to explore together. What will be the same and what will be different? What other activities might be included? Will it still be in September? Stay tuned. We'll share more details as it develops. Announcements always go Patrons first then email subscribers so make sure to join us on Patreon and subscribe to our email list to get updated. Goodnight, Gravel Pizza.

Josh from The Nxrth recently joined Seeley Dave from Home Base at the base of Mt. Telemark in Cable on Episode #8 of the Northwoods Ramble podcast. They chat about Homebase, the recent Gravel Pizza Overnighter, and the new Trek Trails at Mt. Telemark. Listen in here: From the Northwoods Ramble: This episode features an interview with return guest Josh Rizzo of The Nxrth.com website. We record that interview outside at Home Base Lodging at Mt Telemark and discuss the cool new trailside lodging there as well as go through the remaining regional gravel races of the season on his website’s calendar. First though, Seeley Dave gives a fall seasonal update on Life Above 8 that includes the Cable Fall Festival, his recon rides on the 2023 Tour de Chequamegon route and he gets into the modifications he has been making to his Yuba Sweet Curry to turn it from an urban utility ride to a Northwoods capable UTV also good for dogpacking with Cowboy. Dave also mentions the Northwoods Ramble will be at the Ironbull Red Granite Grinder the weekend of Oct. 14th to record some race reports at the finish for a future podcast. So be sure to look for Dave somewhere near the finish, most likely close to wherever Redeye Brewing is serving up their latest beer release!

The Winston County Gravel Cup recently took place in Houston, Minnesota after a stormy time delay. Jamie Thiel and his wife rode the third annual event and share their story of waiting out the storm, winning some prizes, and enjoying beautiful driftless gravel community during their race. Words by Jamie Thiel All Photos by Baxter Cochennet of Heelclickers photography. See the full race gallery HERE. Our weekend at the Winston County Gravel Cup…let’s first rewind to earlier this summer. I was having some bike issues that I just couldn’t solve myself. I was stumped and ended up coming across Paul Reardon's Instagram for his brand Blue Steel Bike. I gave him a call and he agreed to look at it. We ended up meeting him and his friends Nathan and Pete and while we were sorting my bike out, we got to talking about this ride Paul was one of the organizers of, the Winston County Gravel Cup. We really hadn’t done any rides like this as a couple, so we thought why not give it a shot. The terrain and scenery in that area are amazing, it helps out some great causes, and after having met Paul, Nathan, and Pete we knew we’d be with good people. Fast forward a couple months later, it’s Winston week. As of Monday and Tuesday the forecast looks perfect, but as the week went on it was looking like dust wasn’t going to be an issue. Friday morning we’re up early to get bikes ready and load up, we get on the road early afternoon. It’s a 3 hour trip from our home in Central Wisconsin to Houston Minnesota, but it’s a beautiful drive and we only encountered a few rain drops on the way. We get to our hotel in Houston that evening, drop off our bags, and head to registration to pick up our numbers and anything else we need, still no rain. We hit up JT’s Corner Bar and Grill (which has amazing food) and the rain shows up. Race day and the rain hasn’t left, but looking at the forecast it seems like the rain should stop by early morning. We have some breakfast and head to the Houston Nature Center for the start of the race. We pull up and park, it’s pouring, thundering, and lightning, but warm! The organizers made the call to delay our start for a half hour for the storm to pass. By the time we roll up to the start the rain has stopped and we’re off! We rolled out a little bit later, but we were dry. 10 minutes after the start we’re climbing, it’s steep, some people are walking and some people are riding. But once we’re at the top we’re rewarded with amazing views, and a pretty nice descent. Even with all the rain the gravel is in really good shape with very few puddles. We continue on some amazing roads with outstanding scenery along with some good conversation with fellow riders. The next big climb comes around halfway through our route, it’s a long way up, but at the top of this climb we’re rewarded with a rest stop! We grab a quick snack and continue on. Everything continues to dry up and it's a smooth, fast descent back in to Houston. We roll across the finish line hungry but happy and ready to grab some tacos and beer! We head back to the van, change, grab our food, and find a spot to eat. We stick around for the raffle and awards, and while neither one of us got on the podium we did win some tires and a hat and man did they give out the swag! It seemed like everybody ended up getting something, and atmosphere was really upbeat even after such a soggy start to the day. After that we load up and head home eagerly awaiting next years Winston County Gravel Cup.

Today's Reader's Route comes from Valentin Bitsin in Juneau County, Wisconsin. The route is about half gravel on quiet rolling hills where you're hardly see anyone else. Submission from Valentin Bitsin This is a 50 mile route (about 25 of which are gravel) of peaceful roads roaming around farmlands and a state natural area. Chances to see wildlife are pretty high. You can hardly see anyone, which in my opinion is a good thing. The gravel surface varies from smooth gravel to some chunky parts on steeper roads so I'd recommend tires that are 40mm or wider. One could be up for a surprise on Pekala Rd between Clark Rd and Plaff Rd especially after rainfall as the road is uneven and lowest points turn into pretty deep puddles. Add Your Name to the Map SUBMIT YOUR READER'S ROUTE All Reader's Routes So Far

After a long hiatus, the Northwoods Ramble is back. This episode opens with an update on Life Above 8 that includes a discussion of the 40th running of the Chequamegon MTB Festival, including the new route for the long course the joins the end of the Short and Fat. The intro also includes some photos of current flora/fauna, and a couple of photos from Seeley professional nature photographer Paul Ostrum. After the Update on Life Above 8, Dave interviews a couple from Florida who wanted to meet him after bikepacking the Wisconsin Waterfall Loop he developed. Michelle and Dwayne Allgire also have their own Youtube Channel called Pedal Power Adventures, which has nice videos of their many bikepacking adventures. As soon as they finish the video from the Waterfall Loop, Dave will share it here. Listen in here: