Minnesota Weekly Off Roading Anyone?

[NLS1]

Hi Everyone!

Dan here! New to TT and looking for some fellow riders to take long strolls through the woods with ?

I own a small business and have a flexible schedule during the early part of most weeks, with the occasional weekend or Friday off. The wife gave me a permission slip to ride most weeks on Monday or Tuesdays! I like riding those days because the trails are not congested.

Hoping to hit the great trails like Martineau, St.Croix, Nemadji, Snake Creek, etc. Or maybe some dual sport rides too.

I live in Bloomington and looking to meet a couple other bad ass wanna be-s like me and pretend i am 18 again. If you wanna ride regularly, we could split gas costs. Or I would trade my fuel for the use of your trials bike ? I have a flatbed dually that could probably hold like six bikes. Or I have a megacab that could hold a couple bikes, and a 14' flatbed trailer that could hold probably like 8 bikes.

Group rides would be interesting too if there was enough interest. I would be happy to carry all the bikes and someone else could drive a minivan or suburban type vehicle and then everyone just pays for fuel for two vehicles instead of 8.

Give a shout out if you wanna ride regularly, I do too!

Dan

[shagger]

I'm retired and my wife, who works, would rather that I rode during the week.

I'm getting a new toy hauler in a couple of weeks. I know Akeley pretty well and like beer and German food. The people at the German joint know me on sight. ?

I'm 49. But I can keep up with most guys no problem.

[Chickenhauler]

I live about 15-20 mins from Nemadji, and always looking for someone to ride with on the days when my other schlub ham'n'egger-time-clock-punching buddies have to go slave away.

I too am self employed, and kinda set my own schedule (long haul trucker with wierd home schedule.

I'm on the road right now, but should be home in another 2 weeks or so. Got one buddy that does the same as me, with the same schedule (whatever he damn well pleases).

My advice....skip St Croix State Forest unless like you fjording and rock crawling. The place has been quadded out to death.

[NLS1]

I'm retired and my wife, who works, would rather that I rode during the week.

I'm getting a new toy hauler in a couple of weeks. I know Akeley pretty well and like beer and German food. The people at the German joint know me on sight.?

I'm 49. But I can keep up with most guys no problem.

Sweet Martineau sounds good, how about in the next week or two? Retired at 49? Sounds nice! ? That is my plan too, so once the kids are grown, the trophy wife and I can play teenagers again!

I live about 15-20 mins from Nemadji, and always looking for someone to ride with on the days when my other schlub ham'n'egger-time-clock-punching buddies have to go slave away.

I too am self employed, and kinda set my own schedule (long haul trucker with wierd home schedule.

I'm on the road right now, but should be home in another 2 weeks or so. Got one buddy that does the same as me, with the same schedule (whatever he damn well pleases).

My advice....skip St Croix State Forest unless like you fjording and rock crawling. The place has been quadded out to death.

Yep, being self-employed has its advantages! Now when i want time off, i just look in the mirror and say, "hey boss, can i have some time off? Yep, you've been working hard, go for it!!" ?

I love Nemadji, but don't know it too well yet. Let's ride when you get back. I agree St.Croix is a place I have been a bunch, but it is more for quads. Not looking to go there much anymore. It can be fun since it's so fast if you go on a Monday or Tuesday when no one is there!

[shagger]

I'm in the like Nemadji but don't know my way around boat as well.

I'm more than willing to learn however.

[tranqwhl]

I'm 49. But I can keep up with most guys no problem.

I can vouch for that! ? dude has skills for sure.

[NLS1]

Anyone up for Monday the 6th somewhere? Or Tuesday maybe?

I will try to keep up with ya Shagger, promise!

I can split fuel if you wanna bike pool. Or we can meet up somewhere! Or anyone is welcome to throw their bike on the back of my dually! I have lots of ear plugs for ya. Heck while you're at it, throw your car on their too, it will ride nicer! ?

Dan

[Chickenhauler]

I agree St.Croix is a place I have been a bunch, but it is more for quads. Not looking to go there much anymore. It can be fun since it's so fast if you go on a Monday or Tuesday when no one is there!

If you want fast trails to rail on, CC Andrews is epic if it rains the night before. If it's dry, it's super dusty (very sandy).

I love Nemadji, but don't know it too well yet. Let's ride when you get back.

I'm in the like Nemadji but don't know my way around boat as well.

I'm more than willing to learn however.

Don't feel bad, I ride there a ton, and still get turned around...."this trail wasn't here last week......" ?

I swear that place sprouts trails at random...starting to think it's like the maze in Harry Potter.

[shagger]

Da Wife gave me a hall pass for the sixth. I have a half ton ex cab long box that gets 17.5-18 mpg and I live in Delano. We could meet either here or some mutually beneficial place that you can park and go in my truck.

I've only ridden Nemadji a few times, and then from different starting points. I ride with guys who really know the place pretty well. The problem with that is that they like to take different routes to get to places. So remembering "how" to get someplace is difficult. Hopefully I'll remember a GPS next time.

[Chickenhauler]

Da Wife gave me a hall pass for the sixth. I have a half ton ex cab long box that gets 17.5-18 mpg and I live in Delano. We could meet either here or some mutually beneficial place that you can park and go in my truck.

I've only ridden Nemadji a few times, and then from different starting points. I ride with guys who really know the place pretty well. The problem with that is that they like to take different routes to get to places. So remembering "how" to get someplace is difficult. Hopefully I'll remember a GPS next time.

That's half the fun...."what's down here"....."err, I don't remember"....."how's your gas doing"...."OK"...."then let's find out".

Four hours later you find yourself wandering into a bar in Webb Lake WI nearly completely consumed by mosquito's trying to figure out where you're going to buy 2-stroke oil at 1030 on a Sunday night, and how you're going to find the truck again.

[motoxvet]

Don't feel bad, I ride there a ton, and still get turned around...."this trail wasn't here last week......" ?

I swear that place sprouts trails at random...starting to think it's like the maze in Harry Potter.

Been there! All those trails that "Y" off kind of look the same after a while. Got lost but luckily I realized it and I had my GPS with in case my memory failed (which it obviously DID) and didn't end up in Wisconsin. I will have a busy first half of the summer but I'd like to join a group some time later this year! And my schedule is VERY flexible.

[Chickenhauler]

Been there! All those trails that "Y" off kind of look the same after a while. Got lost but luckily I realized it and I had my GPS with in case my memory failed (which it obviously DID) and didn't end up in Wisconsin. I will have a busy first half of the summer but I'd like to join a group some time later this year! And my schedule is VERY flexible.

Actually, Nemadji isn't too bad if you keep a few things in mind.....there is a gravel road that cuts it into a northern and southern half. Just remember which half you are on.

If you go too far south, bring your scuba gear, it's bottomless bog.

If you go too far north, you hit county gravel roads.

If you go too far east, you hit the Gandy Dancer trail (old railroad grade).

If you go too far east, you hit Hwy 23.

[NLS1]

Da Wife gave me a hall pass for the sixth. I have a half ton ex cab long box that gets 17.5-18 mpg and I live in Delano. We could meet either here or some mutually beneficial place that you can park and go in my truck.

I've only ridden Nemadji a few times, and then from different starting points. I ride with guys who really know the place pretty well. The problem with that is that they like to take different routes to get to places. So remembering "how" to get someplace is difficult. Hopefully I'll remember a GPS next time.

I think the 6th will still work ?

Although I just found out that a friend needs me to help him with about 25 of his lawn mowing accounts this next week while he is out of town and add them into my stuff. And my transmission on one of my diesels just wet the bed over the weekend, so I need to pull that too for a nuke-proofing. ?

As far as driving together, it isn't a big deal really, I am happy to bike pool, but if its just easier to meet up there that is fine too. I live in Bloomington.

Dan

[NLS1]

Hey Chickenhauler, is Nemadji actually open yet, at least all of it? It shows on the DNR website today that the Straight Arrows OHM trails are still closed, even though the main quad/ohm trails are open.

Does this mean all the singletrack is closed, or is the Straight Arrows stuff only part of the singletrack?

And Shagger, if the single track is closed, do you still wanna go Monday, or should we just wait a week? I am fine either way, I always wanna ride, but have plenty of grownup stuff I could do ?.

[shagger]

Nemadji and Akeley are about the same drive time for me. I'd rather go to Akeley simply because it's open and I know my way around the place.

Did you know that they is even a bar that you can ride to for lunch there?

[Chickenhauler]

Hey Chickenhauler, is Nemadji actually open yet, at least all of it? It shows on the DNR website today that the Straight Arrows OHM trails are still closed, even though the main quad/ohm trails are open.

Does this mean all the singletrack is closed, or is the Straight Arrows stuff only part of the singletrack?

And Shagger, if the single track is closed, do you still wanna go Monday, or should we just wait a week? I am fine either way, I always wanna ride, but have plenty of grownup stuff I could do ?.

Yeah, if the DNR website says the Straight Arrows stuff is closed, that's the single track portion. It's pretty low, heavily wooded, and shaded. Doesn't dry out very well in the spring.

Looks like I'm going riding on the 6th too....but not til afternoon. Gonna take the oldest kid riding after school so she can test out her CH-Custom KDX100 creation.

She's been riding it bit by bit through the build, but this will be her first time on it in full regalia (except the IMS tank...still searching for a deal on that).

[shagger]

POOP! Oly, a guy who grew up in Akeley, just called. He wants to ride Wednesday Thursday and Friday. Any intereset in pushing your riding back a few days? I could ride all of them.

[shagger]

Alright. Oly's on for 9th and 10th. I'm dialing a new bike. So a Monday ride and a Thursday - Friday sound cool. I can go home and make larger changes.

The German joint isn't open early week so Oly doesn't like to ride at that time. We rather enjoy eating like kings and drinking like fish on occasion. The owner there takes good care of us. ?

[NLS1]

Alright. Oly's on for 9th and 10th. I'm dialing a new bike. So a Monday ride and a Thursday - Friday sound cool. I can go home and make larger changes.

The German joint isn't open early week so Oly doesn't like to ride at that time. We rather enjoy eating like kings and drinking like fish on occasion. The owner there takes good care of us.

After all my "I wanna ride" talk, looks like I may not be able to go on monday, I will let you know, but you guys have fun anyhow!

I must have picked the wrong sections on Martineau, cuz the stuff I rode a couple weeks ago was nuts. Totally not easy and all the washed out deep rutted, muddy hills got really old. Maybe there are nicer sections? Would be nice to ride with one of you guys that know the place! Hopefully Monday still works for me, but go have a good time you guys!

[shagger]

If you have no map or no guide you may have been riding ATV trails for all I know. The trails aren't all that well marked. Particularly at the so called trail head.

Here's a two page map

Here's a one page map.

Akeley in general doesn't ave a lot of difficult hills or nasty ruts. Though our horseback riding friends can tend to beat up the wet spots pretty bad on the trails they ride on.