Health knowledge made personal
 After passing by the Zoo I cross Grand Ave and join the Munger Trail. It's a four season recreational rail trail that is groomed for snowmobiling in the winter. The DNR says it is still a multi-use trail even though it is groomed for snowmobiles. Lots of dog walkers, cross-country skiers, and an occasional nut on a fat tired bike. A rare.....very rare....picture of me. With the light winds, sunshine and warm day I was not using any face protection and only an ear-band on my head. It was already up to about 12F (-11C) when this picture was taken. Whew, it was hot...biggen the picture and you can see a drop of sweat about to roll off my right nostril. I must have been out to early to hit the lull during the NFL Playoff games. Lots of snomos out today. Some just ahead in the picture above. I try not to piss off any snowmobilers. Most of the time I slow down, move completely to the side, or stop and let them pass. I'm concerned with the new popularity of snowbikes that our presence may start rubbing people the wrong way. Without the packed snowmobile trails, I'm not sure where I'd ride. Best to keep the peace the best I can. I rode the Munger out to the old Mission Creek Parkway. The abandoned road used to cross this abandoned railroad right of way. The trail off to the left leads you up to the old Parkway. Looking back down on the Munger from the Mission Creek Parkway bridge. Once off the Munger I left behind the wide groomed trail. This trail was still wide, but was bumpier and packed looser. I crossed Beck's Road and took this short Grant-in-Aid trail up to Skyline Parkway. More deer.  The last three miles of Skyline is closed to auto traffic in the winter. It's a beautiful ride in the winter. It climbs towards Bardon's Peak for nearly a mile. Once up in the Bardon's Peak area it's like being in an mountain alpine setting. It certainly doesn't look like scenery you'd see in the upper Midwest. Looking towards Ely's Peak.  The view from Bardon's Peak.  After leaving the peak, it's a gradual mile long descent. on Skyline. This Grant-in-aid Trail leaves Skyline just before the Magney Snively parking area. It's one of my favorite stretches of trail. It twists and winds and goes up and down for several miles. It brings you out at the Spirit Mountain Ski area.   The next 1.5 miles is all downhill. The lifts at Spirit Mountain. More descending. I kept it above 20 mph for more than a half mile on this descent. That's on snow I remind you. Snow conditions have to be incredibly good for me to let the Pugsley run like that. I lost my last sense of invincibility when I blasted apart my arm two years ago. An abandoned stone arch bridge at the bottom of the downhill. This is behind the Zoo. My loop is complete. Only a mile and a half to get home from here. Almost home. Three blocks uphill and I'm there. What a great day on the Pugsley.I just can't be kept inside on a beautiful winter day like today. I had hoped to snowbike one day and ski the other this weekend. I want to ski more this winter. But after the great ride I had yesterday, I couldn't stay off the Pug today. |
Write a comment:
|
It had to be one of the best days I've ever had on my Pugsley. And I've been riding mine since 2006. Sunny, no wind, that crisp blue winter sky, and temps in the single digits and teens. The best snow to ride on happens in those temperature ranges. I did one of my favorite loops. Twenty one miles in two hours and 25 minutes.