The Upper Mississippi River Valley

It's a beautiful place to live, work, and play.

- RideNorth

Social distancing on two wheels

Those of us still blogging in 2020 appreciate the extended introspective opportunity that is Social Distancing. In an effort to bring balance to the force, I set out with my camera and my bike to see what I could see.

This.

Two mighty oaks

grasp many tons of glacial drift 

suspended 700 feet above the Mississippi River.

Clouds and ice.

The ice is still thick on this oxbow. 

Folks were out there hunting pike.

Two wheeler du jour.

Ancient brick ovens that built St Paul.

A symbiotic relationship.

e-bikes and oil cars.

This guy commutes year-round on his e-bike.

I've done 0 degrees, it would be better with electric assist.

Eagle nest in Crosby Park.

The king of the floodplain.

It's the redwood of the river bottoms. 

bike for reference

Stay safe out there, take things as they come, and look for the opportunities when they present themselves. For now, I have orders to work from home, the kid is out of school until further notice, and all the bars and restaurants are closed. Good thing I'm a home-brewing biker. Now, if I could just make my own TP.

- Ride North

the bringer of joy

A quiet morning.

The sun eases over the pines.

Finally, it is cool.

The dawn’s humidity is felt.

I am open.

I move in long, straight, determined lines towards the promised end of the rainbow.

Somewhere in the distance a rendezvous awaits.

The day’s labors come and go effortlessly.

This lump of metal spins freely as it is want to do.

Its fiery hum will push out anxiety.

A soul will rest.

The light shines in.

"Hear me, dear friends. This is the motorcycle, the bringer of joy." - Fuzzygalore

Inspired by Fuzzy's post "Be an evangelist for the church of the motorcycle".

Thanks Fuzz, I love your blog!

- Ride North

Ode to Triumph

I ride an 885cc, 550 lb.Triumph Trophy triple, built in 1996, and I love it!

 Recently an opportunity to replace it came up which sent me on a bit of a scavenger hunt. I was confident that many bikes would tick all my sport touring boxes. The progress made in twenty years is truly outstanding. But I hit a snag when I crossed two classes of bikes off my list. I’m not looking for a roomier sport bike like a VFR and I’m really not that interested in a bike over 600 pounds or 120 hp. I just don’t need either of those things in my life. What I do need is some weather protection, a lump that’s easy to use around town, and confidence inspiring handling. In those regards, the Trophy finds itself in an elite class.

The old Trophys were much more comfortable than the Sprints that followed them. It will knock out a 5 hour stint on the freeway no problem and can be ridden all day without fatigue. (the Corbin saddle helps) And it’s far less mass than a modern Trophy, which competes more with BMWs K bikes than their RT twin. It’s a cushy sport bike that can truly tour, a combination that seems to be missing from many manufacturers’ lineups.

That’s not to say it has no modern peers, I just expected to find more. So what’s on my radar? First of all, the Moto Guzzi Norge ticks all my boxes and comes with ABS, fuel injection, plenty of torque, and easy going handling that doesn’t mind playing a sport bike on the weekends. The FJR1300 is a proven platform if not a little bigger than I’d like. From what I can tell, it can be a perfectly good commuter. A Versys 1000 would be an absolute blast, upright yet sporty with long legs for soaking up St Paul’s crumbling infrastructure. And of course BMW’s R1200RT or ST if you can find one. 

I believe the BMW RT has been a consistent favorite because of its friendly power plant, excellent handling, comfort, and reasonable size. It’s just an effortless bike to use day-to-day that will tour and carve corners. It’s not the fastest bike out there and has its issues (ABS). There’s a reason people put so many miles on them, the bike just makes riding easy. These qualities have been a winning combination for decades.

I really didn’t expect a 20 year old Triumph to keep such good company until I set out on a search to replace it. There are surprisingly few motorbikes out there that inspire me to go through the hassle of selling, buying, and dialing in a new bike. Don’t get me wrong, it has 20 year old bike problems: some of the rubber components needed replacement, it has carburetors (which is a non-issue for me), no ABS or traction control, and the bodywork is no longer available from Triumph (most other parts are still available). 

I rode the Trophy to work this morning, cool temps and a light drizzle. A proper English commute. It felt right at home.

No new bike for me yet but you never know when inspiration will strike.

- Ride North

Hidden place names

Place names provide context. Some place names are clearly marked like roads and towns. Others are out there if you know to look: lakes, river crossings, historical markers. Some are tucked away neatly on the pages of your gazetteer: the town’s of Avalanche and Urne, WI. (Erine, but sadly, no Burt);Timms hill (who’s Tim?); Irish Valley.  While others owe their genesis to the creativity of the namer and only exist in residents’ memories: hog’s back ridge, the basschanted forest (a favorite fishing spot of Mrs. North), Words, WI.

“I can’t relax until I get a sense of my surroundings. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” - the Roosta Which, as far as I can tell, includes a ten mile radius and/or any nearby towns. Context is important.

Hitting the trails with the Roosta and Jr. North

One of the go-to rides out of Saint Paul is highway 10 and 35 south of Prescott, Wisconsin. It can take anywhere from three hours to three days depending on where your meanderings take you. I chose the three hour version, making my way up and over the little river valleys from Prescott to Bay City.

Here are some of the hidden place names along the way:

Heading south out of Prescott on highway 35, one of the first valleys traversed is that of the Big River. It’s a sandy little trout stream that starts just north of highway 10 and ends at The River.

The Trimbelle River Valley contains a class-A trout fishery. Much work has been invested in its water quality and fish habitat. Among bikers, it’s known for the Great Motorcycle Road that flanks the fishery, county road O. The Trimbelle River shares its headwaters with the Kinnickinnic River in River Falls and meets The River at Diamond Bluff.

Isabel Creek, another tiny little cold water trout stream, is entirely contained within its own river valley, a world onto its own. I ventured into its hardwood forests and ravines to find a few small farms and a family cooling off in a pool just downstream from a dirt road crossing. They seemed surprised to see me; we exchanged smiles. I like to imagine previous generations, jumping in this small creek with their children. Isabel finds her terminus in the Village of Bay City.

The mighty Rush River, a trout stream to rival the famous Kinnickinnic River. A rural cousin of the Kinni, you’ll recognize its features but its clothes appear well lived in. Like the Trimbelle, a fine motorcycle road ascends its valley.

Lost Creek, a cold little Trout Stream and tributary to the Rush. While fishing, I was once caught out after dark several miles from the next road crossing and the car. Perhaps the namer knew of both its allure and length. It’s banks are also home to a seasonal winery and wood-fired pizza shop if you're into that sort of thing.

I can think of no better way to develop a sense of place than on just travel through it for no good reason at all.

- Ride North

Anticipation

I took off tomorrow and plan on doing nothing but working on, riding, and looking at motorcycles. My inner child looks like this as I count the hours until I clock out.

"I'm Joe Cool Snoopy." - Jr. North

- Ride North

Nothing and everything

Mrs. North: "What do you think about all day with no music in your helmet?"
Mr. North: "You guys. Nothing. Everything. Oh but there IS music, just not a radio."

This was the conversation just prior to setting off for three days in the saddle, two solo days and a ride with my Dad and brother (on his new Honda NC700X).

St Paul to Milwaukee.
Milwaukee to Pine Bluff to Leland to Milwaukee.
Milwaukee to St Paul.

t-5 days

The trip started the Monday before when I rolled the Triumph out only to find a nail in my tire, the first in many years. I was able to plug it and ride into the nearest shop for a replacement. Amid the chaos that is spring time at a dealership, Tousley Motorsports was able to source a RoadSmart II for a good price and install it. I quickly filed that expense under "dues paid" and moved on, happy with my new tire.

Day 1

Saturday started out with a quick mountain bike ride and some grocery shopping with the family. The birds were chirping and the leaves were just starting to pop. The plum trees were in full bloom, standing out against the grey forest. By Monday, the leaves had fully popped and the white blossoms were lost in a sea of fresh green.

On the road by 1:00. 70 degrees and sunny.

First stop, a quick view of lake Pepin and cotton ball clouds. 

Selfie with limestone. 

An ancient sea bed in the middle of the continent.

Alma, WI.

More Mississippi River backwaters.

I met a fellow rider and owner of a new Yamaha from Eau Claire. 

Motorcycle people are good folks.

The Elroy - Sparta trail head.

A pair of proper English gents.

From Alma, I took some of my favorite county roads down to Sparta. County roads E - EE - N - D. That little detour up N is worth every second. I didn't have a ton of time to explore county roads so the remainder of the trip was spent on state highways (71 -33 - 60).

1:00pm - 9:00pm (7h 05m of go time)

352 miles

Day 2.

The sun was starting to shine through the windows when I woke up on my brother's couch. A small dog and child came to visit me in the wee hours of the morning, a rare morning that I get to spend with my nephews. I love those little buggers. Each one is cool and interesting in their own way. After some coffee and catch in the backyard the boys and their mom were off to church.

It was a sunny 45 degrees when my dad pulled up on the Tiger, ready to ride. I think we were all excited to spend the day bombing around Wisconsin together. I'm trying to remember the last time the three of us rode together.

There is a "young family" stage of life were nobody is really sleeping, you're just getting going in your career, and money and time are both tight. It's a special time but being Atlas is both rewarding and relentless. (and let us not forget Mrs. Atlas, the true pillar of our world)  This doesn't leave much in the tank for hobbies or long stints away from home.

The work is good and the ride, triumphant.

I think the new bike had bout 100 miles on it when we set off. My brother has had a handful of bikes over the years and I think he really enjoyed being on two wheels again. His job kept him working crazy shifts and most weekends. Now he's getting three out of every four weekends off and I think he's just starting to figure out what that means. (It's amazing what you can get use to, or not.)

I don't think my dad ever gets off his bike but he's retired and can do things like fly to Texas and rent a BMW. (does anyone have an R1200GT for sale?) He's a great pack leader and it was fun to ride behind him and my brother. He's been riding these roads for decades and took us on great little county  two lane roads. It's good to know a local.

It was a real treat to spend the day chasing my dad and brother around some of their old haunts. We rode at a relaxed pace and the ride was uneventful. All the riders and machines preformed excellently, navigating a small handful of technically challenging curves but mostly state highways and flowing back roads.

Gas.

The justification for this ride was to participate in the Slimey Crud Run outside of Madison, Wisconsin. The ride's motto is ride fast, ride short. (or something like that) We did neither but had fun just the same. It's a loosely organized ride with a start and an end but no route. This year was well attended with bikes from all walks of life. The real treat for me is seeing all the old bikes and the characters that keep them going. There's a real chance that you could get behind an old Norton or Guzzi on a twisty back road.

Crud Run gem #1 at Pine Bluff

The Ride North Crew at Leland, a happy bunch.

Norton Atlas 650

(Has there ever been a better name for a motorcycle?)

CB 750 or 900F 

Something about this bike says, "ride me"

What happened to Connie?!? She's changed.

Leland, WI 

There's a fun little road hiding behind that barn.

Ferry crossing on the Wisconsin river.

You're never too old for your dad to buy you ice cream at the Merrimac ferry crossing.

If this goes south, we have a john boat and some duck decoys.

More ferry.

A rest stop on 60 along the Craw Fish River. 

This is an artesian well and runs 24/7.

We stopped at On The Rocks in Neosho, WI for dinner and to congratulate ourselves on a job well done. The "dining room" hangs out over the Neosho Mill Pond and the Ruben came with a slab of corned beef. It's good to know a local.

6h25m of saddle time 248 miles

Day 3

I spent a little less time with my folks than I'd like but there was a child who would be waiting for me to pick him up from daycare. If I had all day to get there I would have made my way back to The River, but this trip would be made at speed and in a straight line. (41 - 33- 94)

Stopped in at Moe's Dinner for lunch and a rest.

I can ride all day and feel great but four hours on the interstate is exhausting. It's deceptively difficult, things can get monotonous while you're cruising at 75 miles an hour. So, you need to come up with games to keep you on the ball. Now that the limit is 70, you'll have some people driving 85 and others doing 65. (plus wind and trucks and the possibility of deer) It's good to take breaks.

5h00m 320 miles

I made it home safely and with plenty of time for pickup. A full fifteen minutes before I had to be anywhere. 

Triumphant.

- Ride North