Hiking1:23:01 5.68 km (14:38 / km) +7m14:33 / km ahr:98 max:115 shoes: Barefoot
Onion to Sioux River
22.2° Cloudy 6 Feels like 22.2° 6 kph NNE wind 88% humidity Source: K4R5
First full walk from the guest cabin. Started by walking to Onion, fisherman with two stationary rods, it's a rare sight. Chatted with Liz for a long time, at her usual spot S of Bayview Park Beach access. People started coming in at Friendly Valley Beach. Strong discharge at the Sioux, and thinking of it, at the Onion, too. Surprised to find Liz still at the beach, now at Bayview Park, she had been joined by daughter Laurel, who had just come back from summer work and internship in Madison.
1 PM
Roller Skiing Skate1:12:36 16.5 km (4:24 / km) +66m4:19 / km ahr:158 max:174 shoes: Pursuit T6004 roller skis
I haven't bonked often, but today I did. Not for lack of hydration or nutrition because of the heat. Could not get my HR down on roller skis, just barely by walking some of the hills. The fairly decent MTB workout may have played a role too, not enough recovery. But I'm here to tell the tale. Nothing that a beer and a dip in Lake Superior won't fix.
Troy T invited me to bike the newly completed Jackpot trail between Lutsen and Tofte, his daughter Claire shuttled the truck for us. Packed the dogs in the car and left Washburn WI at 7:15 for the rendezvous at Troy's cabin outside of Silver Bay around 10:00. Had checked in with some ski friends about what the trail's like and Tim N, who does not do single track biking, decided to make this his first. Because of the challenging uphills combined with boulder patches I would not consider this a beginner trail. Starting at Lutsen, just after crossing the Baptism River, there is a 115 m climb over 2.3 km. Nothing terrible, I stalled out only once on a rocky stretch. But it's a good climb, the longest of the ride, but there are lots of them, so it sets the tone. All ditch and gully crossings are in cobblestone-like boulders, some rougher than others. I only got off the bike a couple of times because I felt I was out of my water technically and I stalled out maybe five to six times in rocky uphill passages. But I did have a flat, pinch from what it looked like. I can't believe I did not have a patch kit in my bag. Lucky for me, Troy carried a spare and a pump. Embarrassing! But a great trail to ride, generally good visibility (important because it's a two-way trail), most of it is packed dirt, banked turns are super high and most rocky stretches should be manageable. This being a two way trail, we saw less than 10 cyclists coming towards us on a Friday late morning and passed only two and were never passed. I would suspect it's much busier on weekends. Great ride in perfect weather!
7 PM
Hiking1:13:32 4.52 km (16:16 / km) +35m15:39 / km ahr:102 max:125 shoes: Barefoot
Onion River to Friendly Valley Beach
25.0° Cloudy 11 Feels like 25.0° 11 kph S wind 69% humidity Source: K4R5
Quick walk after long drive from Castle Danger. Lovely evening. Met the people who are renting our place for the week, Mellie wanted to go in. Very nice, they like it.
Hiking1:25:28 5.49 km (15:35 / km) +5m15:31 / km ahr:97 max:124 shoes: Barefoot
Onion to Sioux River
7.2° Mist 0 Feels like 7.2° 0 kph N wind 100% humidity Source: K4R5
Temp-wise, felt more like a nice fall morning, except when stepping in the water, which must hover above 20 C. Chat with Mike, then our walk along the beach. There is some other long-horned caddisfly hatching, a brown one, now, likely Triaenodes baris. Then a flock of cedar waxwings, a bird I always love to see. Mellie made it all the way to the mouth of the Sioux and waded onto the sandbar together.
3 PM
Swimming Open Water9:47 [1] 0.34 km (29:07 / km)
Bayview Fin Swim
25.0° Fair 11 Feels like 25.0° 11 kph W wind 47% humidity Source: K4R5
Hiking1:05:50 [1] 4.55 km (14:28 / km) +2m14:26 / km ahr:92 max:119 shoes: Barefoot
Onion River to Friendly Valley Beach
10.0° Mostly Cloudy 0 Feels like 10.0° 0 kph N wind 100% humidity Source: K4R5
Cool morning, interesting odds and ends along the beach. Onion River inlet is reduced to the eye of a needle. Another hatch of black dancer caddis and also some of their debris-armored larvae. And a couple of crayfish.
9 AM
Biking MTB2:26:11 36.18 km (4:02 / km) +413m3:49 / km ahr:139 max:170 shoes: Gravity 19.5" 29er MTB
Friendly Valley-Niemisto-Van Stone-Mt. Ashwabay
16.1° Partly Cloudy 0 Feels like 16.1° 0 kph N wind 72% humidity Source: K4R5
Troy T invited me to ride the Jackpot trail on the North Shore so I wanted to get on the bike a bit so I don't embarrass myself. Did my typical long approach via Friendly Valley, Niemisto, Van Stone, Whiting and Mt. Ashwabay. Only did Hot Saw. Many beautiful views, wolf tracks, some Boletus sp. mushrooms, which I squeezed into a doggy bag until I bummed a grocery store bag from a couple at the Whiting trail head. Perfect temps also helped making this a great experience!. Quick bath in the lake after I came home.
Hiking1:06:26 [1] 4.09 km (16:15 / km) +11m16:02 / km ahr:71 max:125 shoes: Barefoot
Onion River to Friendly Valley Beach
17.8° Cloudy 13 Feels like 17.8° 13 kph NNE wind 64% humidity Source: K4R5
The lake was quite rough. I was awake late last night, finishing a book and heard the surf. Went down to check, and found it not too bad but decided to move the Hobie, a few chairs and Liz's paddle board farther away from shore. In hindsight, it was a good decision since water is coming up to close to the top of the dune. A few people out to enjoy the sight of the lake in turmoil, sun breaking through for the first time today. Roux was very much focused on retrieving from the waves, seeing him at it, its hard to believe that he's afraid of thunder and guns. We had to turn around where the bushes start north of Friendly Valley, can't take the inland route barefooted.