Cheq 100, 2015

Lots of rain this year. Around 63 out of 130 or so that started, finished.
I came in at the middle of the pack of finishers, 28th. Results page.
85-90 miles of singletrack, how great is that?
A very good race under tough conditions. I rode as fast as I could without taking too many chances. The bike performed well, Trek/Gary Fisher Superfly full-suspension, 29er. I felt good most of the ride, clearing all the rock sections without issues. Spent about 5-10 minutes at the 60 mile "half way" point to restock food and water.
Eating was a test as sand and grit was every present. One learns to chew without grinding sand between ones teeth.

Photo credits Cheq100
Jesse LaLonde making his way through the mud.

Random riders/leaders.

Photo credit, Chris Schotz

Me almost at the end.

Memorial Weekend, 2015

Got to spend all weekend with grandson Jason. Just us.
Started out camping in the backyard with a campfire and tenting. Ghost stories. Jason said my first one wasn't very scary.....the 2nd one did the trick, he snuggled close all night to stay safe.

Then we went canoeing up north. Didn't take any pics. Jason biked the 2.5 miles back to the start. Mostly on gravel.Went back the hunting shack and went out for a bike ride. Played battleship and read some then hit the hay.
More snuggle time as Jason was scared of the woodticks that we pulled off of him.

The next moring we hit Hill of Beans for breakfast and climbed the Obersevation Tower on Timm's Hill, the highest point in Wisconsin.

We stopped in at the Prayer Cabin, a nice spot.

 A friend was having a family gathering and they brought their horses. We stopped to pet them.

 We went to the small town of Ogema and Jason played some.

After some fries at a local bar, we took off down the Pine Line Rail Trail.
The trialhead has a War Memorial, rather appropriate for Memorial Day weekend.

One other bike on the trail.

Turned out out to be a 12 mile round trip.

At the 6 mile mark we took a break.

Jason won the shake-a-day dice game.

Swamp flowers.

We started back from our lunch break in a light ran. Luckily we got back to the start before it came down harder.
Then we wen to Prentice to see another War Memorial.

The rain picked up and we headed to the hunting shack.....Jason was tuckered out. What a trooper.

After a couple of hours napping Jason woke up. By then I had a fire in the wood stove, hot chocolate made and some chili ready for him.
Then for the next hour or so he read some books he had brought, spelling words for me to help him out when needed. He finished up his homework and we played some checkers and battleship before we read a bit more of a difficult book together.

 It's been over a decade since I've played checkers. What a fun time

Split a piece of lemon meringue pie.

The next day we went to Abbotsford, WI for Memorial Day observance.
Drizzly but the local Lions did a great job, picking up the slack this year when the Legion had to drop it due to the lack of members and the age of the members.

With Uncle Bob.

 WWII generation. Great Grandpa Jim.

Great-grandpa Jim.