Well it seems like I sit down to write a bit about what’s going on, and never get around to finishing any notes sufficient to share on here. Obviously recreational activities have not gone as planned in the past year, with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Now more than ever, local, suburban adventure is about what I (and most others) can do. I haven’t really put together too many proper adventures in the past year for various reasons, but I have consistently been putting my butt on the bike. And I have managed to eke out a few memorable outings here and there.
One such outing was to drink beer and hang with a couple friends in August. We met at a brewery north of downtown Minneapolis, then completed a 40-some odd mile tour to a couple breweries and to eat tacos at Colita.
Otherwise, I have found creative ways to find unique experiences out my front door. Or, in one instance at least, that experience is now in my backyard. I built a bouldering wall late fall.
I also picked up a new set of alpine touring ski boots this winter. My resort ski boots have become akin to medieval torture devices. I found a good light boot on sale that is quite comfortable. My kids are starting to ski, so it will be nice to have a boot I can hang out in comfortably while I ski with family. But an added bonus is that they are good for touring, too. I started doing short tours up the road at a preserve that has a little (very little) vertical relief.
I figured I’d try it once and that it would probably be a pain in the ass, with too many transitions from uphill to downhill. And yes, that part is a pain, but it proves to be a good recovery type day, where I can get my heart rate up a little during a low impact activity. The woods are beautiful, so its nice to just get out and mix it up. So I’ve been doing that maybe once every other week or so since.
I have been pretty good about getting out on the fat bike this winter so far. We’re in the deep freeze now with most of the rest of the country. I have my winter gear pretty dialed, so feel comfortable getting out even if its sub-zero.
So, that’s it for now – just wanted to put something out here. I hope to get some proper adventures in this year. Only plan is Lutsen at the end of June for now.
Sub-urban Adventure 