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Recently we all loaded up our bikes and rode together to a nature reserve west of Minneapolis.  You've likely already heard about it in one of the other blogs posted here as well as on our facebook page, so I'll present you my take on it via the following pictures I snapped along the way.  These photos are not intended to tell the whole story, partially because that would take too long and also because I didn't take pictures for the entire duration of the trip. 

 

Anyhoo, here we are loaded down and rolling on the LRT trail west of Minneapolis.  It rained most of the way.

Rear view of cyclists riding straight away down a gravel road in a thick forest

 

Not unlike myself and several others, Bob was loaded with enough gear to survive several nuclear winters.

Front, left side view of a cyclist, riding a Surly bike with gear, on a gravel road, along a stream - black & white

 

Speaking of loaded, Marketing Guy had several slices of toasted white bread, two whole chickens, a Coke and a guitar amp under the tarp.  To the question, "Why'd you bring all that crap for?" he answered, "Why not?"  Amen.

Front, left side view of a cyclist, riding a Surly bike with gear and trailer, on a gravel road - black & white image

 

Greg bought a new outfit, and Jim bought a new beard.  Both of them looked stunning.

Front view of 2 cyclists, riding their bikes side by side, on a gravel road in the woods - black & white image

 

There were lots of trailers.  Nothing wrong with that.

Rear view of cyclists, riding their bikes on a gravel road in the woods - black & white image

 

There were some bridge club rest stops along the way.  The plethora of bridges turned a 2-hour ride into 5-hour epic, but that's pretty much par for the course for us.  There was a brewery stop planned, but it turned out they were closed.  Had they been open we would still not yet have arrived at the camping spot.

Side view of cyclists, standing with their bikes, on a gravel road under bridge in the woods - black & white image

 

Here is visual proof that short people can indeed mix with the taller folks. 

Front view of a person wearing a Surly shirt, standing on a gravel road next to another person and bikes - black & white

 

I think Jim was spinning one of his amusing yarns about his days in Colorado in this photo, which explains why there is smiling (and maybe even some laughter) involved.

Front view of a person wearing a Surly shirt, standing between 2 other people - black & white image

 

Tree Beard. 

Left side headshot of a person with a thick beard - black & white image

 

Not Tree Beard.  Not even close.  Sorry FNG.  Keep trying.

Right side headshot of a person with a beard, drinking from a flask - black & white image

 

We met this guy, who told us he had just escaped the local mental institution.  We gave him some Doritos and some water.  I've never seen a happier person in my life.

Headshot of a person with their left eye turned inward - black & white image

 

Somebody call the cops.

Left side view of person wearing a Surly shirt, with smoke around their right hand, in the woods - black & white image

 

I only took one picture of the camp.  It's of Greg!  Later we took turns burning the ticks off him with our lit cigarettes. 

Front view of a person hanging a tarp over a rope tied between 2 trees, in the woods - black & white image

 

Al in all it was what it was and is what it ain't.  We are already scheming our next outing and thinking of ways to carry even more stuff that we won't need.  Some folks like to go minimalist and test themselves against nature, but that's just dopey if you ask me.  Maximalist is the way to go.