Getting to the end, winter 2013

Getting to the end of the season. Was a great winter!

The Order of the Hrimthurs, 2013

Just some fun...

The Order of the Hrimthurs. Primordial race of giants also known as Rime or Frost giants from Norse Mythology.

 Link to the order website.

 

Jan. 10 2013:

Greetings, Valiant mark

It has come to our attention that you are interested in The Order of the Hrimthurs. Perhaps your interest is mere curiosity, and that is very well. However, if your interest is more than curiosity, if you are one of the brave few who wish to be inducted into the order, we applaud you for taking this first step towards triumph.
It will take more than a passing interest to enter this heroic Order; Named for the legendary frost giants of old, The Order of the Hrimthurs requires the ruggedness, tenacity, endurance and self-knowledge required to defeat these admirable icy foes.

Even as you read our message, burly northern craftspeople are creating a mark of honor for those who succeed. An attentive night listener at Tuscobia may have heard the forge fires gasping in the far distance, the hammers pounding, the sounds of the makers at work. Or maybe it was just the call of your fate, whispered in wind.

This material reward is a valiant marker for those who challenge and defeat the legendary distance of Tuscobia, the bone-chill of Arrowhead and the plains winds of Actif Epica. Those who succeed in their quest will receive more than this marker, they will be immortalized in a Hall of Legends. Their achievement will live long, frozen in words and images, an eternal inspiration to those who deign to join the Order and prove their ability to go up against the Hrimthurs.
We applaud those sufficiently brave to embark on the first part of the quest—Tuscobia and congratulate those who conquered all 150 miles; your voyage through Niflheimr is one-third complete.

For those taking the next step towards the Order: may your steps at Arrowhead be as large as a rime-giant, and may the wolf tracks guide them ever forward.
For the rest of you, may this season be the beginning of your training, the start of your preparation to seek honor next year.
Skol!

 Jan. 28th 2013:

Hej, mark

In our previous message regarding The Order of the Hrimthurs, we explained to you that it will be bestowed on those who challenge and defeat the legendary distance of Tuscobia, the bone-chill of Arrowhead and the plains winds of Actif Epica.

Tonight, we approach the second challenge of the three, and are pleased to present the 15 challengers who may enter the order—should they continue this most legendary and glorious journey.

• ALEXANDER OENES (MN, USA)
• BEN DOOM (MN, USA)
• CHRIS SCOTCH (CA, USA)
• DAN LOCKERY (MB, Canada)
• DARYL SAARI (MN, USA)
• HAL LOEWEN (MB, Canada)
• JASON BUFFINGTON (MN, USA)
• JOE CLARK (MN, USA)
• JOHN STORKAMP (MN, USA)
• JOHN TAYLOR (MN, USA)
• PETR INEMAN (IL, USA)
• LANCE ANDRE (IA, USA)
• DALLAS SIGURDUR (MB, Canada)
• ROBERTO MARRON (MN, USA)
• ERIK DALGAARD (MN, USA)

We applaud these 15 warriors who have been sufficiently brave to conquer all 150 miles of Tuscobia, and now show the audacity to embark on the second test—next week's Arrowhead.
Arrowhead's hills have ground many a giant down, and many mortals have been reduced to weeping bitter tears of rage - will these fifteen prevail? By Odin's beard, we will be watching. Those sufficiently cunning, skilled and fated to succeed at Arrowhead may seek to undertake the final test.
Actif Epica's cruel winds will challenge them northward. These are flighty winds, known to inflict brutality upon those who treat them as mere wisps. Racers only need to complete 82 miles at this test, but the winds will be rushing from thousands of miles across the prairie to meet them head on. Who can best them?
For those 15 taking the next step towards the Order: may your steps at Arrowhead be as large as the Hrimthurs, whose ranks you wish to enter and may the wolf tracks guide you ever forward.
For the rest of you, may this season be the beginning of your training, the start of your preparation to seek honor next year, and may these 15 be your example.
Skol!

Feb. 5th 2013:

Take Watch, mark

We did more than watch the Arrowhead for bravery, we intervened.

The weather was warm—too warm to truly test the 15 who passed the challenge at Tuscobia. And so, when it began to look easy, we called on the snow and the sleet to soften their path. Let them work for it bitterly, or the glory will not be as sweet.

And yet, nearly all passed. And those who didn't pushed the limits and showed true bravery in the face of what we threw at them. We have no doubt, they will one day enter The Order.

But for now, there remain only 11 that may pass by overtaking the challenge even further north, closer to our dwelling: Actif Epica.

• ALEXANDER OENES (MN, USA)
• BEN DOOM (MN, USA)
• CHRIS SCOTCH (CA, USA)
• DAN LOCKERY (MB, Canada)
• ERIK DALGAARD (MN, USA)
• HAL LOEWEN (MB, Canada)
• JASON BUFFINGTON (MN, USA)
• JOHN STORKAMP (MN, USA)
• LANCE ANDRE (IA, USA)
• MARK SCOTCH (WI, USA)*
• PETR INEMAN (IL, USA)

These sufficiently cunning, skilled and fated heroes succeeded at Arrowhead and now may seek to undertake the final test.
Actif Epica's cruel winds will challenge them northward. These are flighty winds, known to inflict brutality upon those who treat them as mere wisps. Racers only need to complete 82 miles at this test, but the winds will be rushing from thousands of miles across the prairie to meet them head on. Who can best them?

At Actif Epica, you will know the full strength of adversity. On the plains there is nowhere to hide. These are wild lands, untracked and little traveled. Giants will rise, mere mortals will fall. We are ready for you.
For those taking the final challenge of entry: may your steps be as swift as the wind that meets you and your resolve as stubborn as the glaciers that carved this land.
Forward!
___
*Our sources regret leaving Mark Scotch from the list of 15 in our previous correspondence (in truth, 16). We can assure you, they truly regret it.

First one, Tuscobia 150 miles. Ski.

Second one, Arrowhead 135 miles. Ski.

Third one, Actif Epica 73 miles. Fat Bike.

Actif Epica finish in downtown Winnipeg. 

Awarded both Actif Epica and Hrimthurs.

 Hrimthurs award, rather unique. A lot of thought went into this. Leather cover with inscribing.

On opening.

Individual award "puzzled" into the page.

All of them, plus the Birkie medal with 8 pins for 9 years total. Busy season!

Chris achieved the award as well. All on foot. That's impressive to me. His Story.

Arrowhead 135 remote copter video

Footage....the day got too windy to control the bird so not a lot of me skiing but still pretty cool. The video doesn't really capture the degree of the grade of the hill very well, not enough definition with the  snow cover maybe?

The guy that controlled the chopper said that I'd feel the wash as it flew over me and not to look up in concern of it as it would ruin the shoot....but as it was windy and hard to control, if he yelled at me to "watch out" meant he's lost control of it and to get down fast! Fun stuff.

Fat Bike Birkie 2013

Some videos just came up on the race. Edited 3-13-2013.

First ever snow bike race on the famed American Birkeneiner xc-ski Trail. This link pretty much covers the event but as a quick over-view.
Temps slightly below freezing the night before the race and warming to possible rain on race day had pretty much everyone a bit puzzeled how the trail would be and how it would hold up, what tires to have on and what pressure would be best.
But, with it groomed to perfection a few days before and a decent freeze for the nights leading into the race the trail was hard and fast at the start and stayed that way for most of the ride. Some of my friends hit 30 mph on some of the downhills so you know the leaders were really crushing it. Wish I would have put on my Garmin!

I called my buddy Al late afternoon on Friday before the race and he was getting a pair of 120tpi Nate's put on and when he told me the price (20% off) I asked him to buy one for me for my rear. I arrived just in time to have the great guys at Freewheel Bike out of Minneapolis who had a booth setup swap out my Big Fat Larry for the traction of the Nate. With the amount and steepness of the hills on the Birkie trail, I knew I'd like to have the traction of the Nate.
When I go back to flat rides and snowmobile trails and want less rolling resistance vs. traction the Nate will come off and the BFL will go back on.

Lynn came up and we had a great time at the race and hanging with friends Daryl/Lynn from Rochester, MN, Al/Julie, Warrens, WI and Greg from Madison. Many others were there that we knew and got to spend some time with including Charly Tri, who I bought my 9:zero:7 fat bike from last fall.

I didn't see any pics of Greg on his "tractor" (fat-bike with John Deere motif) in the race pics so added one from the last local race did below.

Jesse LaLonde, who I got to know while living in Madison, came in 2nd. He said the "kid" that won was fast..he'd have to be to beat Jesse!

All pics below taken by Kelly Randolph and came of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation page Facebook Page.
At the start. Friends Darly and Lynn (who we shared a condo with) me (with my head turned, dang) and friend Al.

Al on the course

Couple shots of Jesse.

A good friend of our future Daughter-In-Law took 1st. in her division. Great job Pam Nielsen!

 FarmGuy and his JD tractor:

Me on the Birkie course. Things were fun out there, better than I expected. I started near the back but rode at what I considered my pace to make my way up a bit. Once it thinned out, it seemed there were 3-4 of us that yo-yoed back and forth. We picked off a few riders that went out too fast and a few faster guys passed us, but for most of the race it was pretty set.

On one uphill a skier who had pulled over to give us more room or to just watch the parade asked me how I was feeling and I said about the same as I did 2 weeks before (during the ski Birkie). He chuckled and said he knew what I meant.

There were a few skiers out there towards the middle of the course and it seemed they were fine with us out there. That's a good sign for future use. I suppose before the Birkie there would be a lot more of skiers on the course but once the Birkie is over, I think xc skiing in general slows down all over the State.

From FAT-BIKE.COM Greg's photo:

Results: