Surly Bikes
As previous posts have suggested, we took a little vacation last week to go ride bikes, sit around, crack a few cold ones, watch sticks burn, and build team unity while simultaneously blue-skying some measureables and delivering on some Boing-related wellness initiatves. It was fun.
The destination was Minnesota's newest dirt riding destination called Cuyuna, or more specifically, the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. It's pretty damn nice riding, and I really can't encourage you enough to get yourself there to do that. Flowing, fun, orange trails snake around and between lakes that were once iron mining pits. Sounds hyper-industrial, but it could not be more semi-naturally gorgeous. Seriously. Also, there are trout.
What follows is a short photo essay of our time there. I will attempt to both inform and entertain with captions. You'll feel like you were there - or be glad you were not. Either way: let's do this.
1. This is where we stayed, a cool cabin on Serpent Lake (which bears a slight resemblance to male body parts when viewed on a map.) Notice driftless layabouts on the deck, some sort of Sasquatch off to the left, and Mr. Kenny Bloggins right there in the middle letting air out of people's tires.
2. This is a Moonlander covered in the ubiquitous iron-saturated dirt. I think my bike is a magnet now.
3. If you thought being a part of the Bicycle Industry was cool, let this photo prove otherwise - except for Trevor who always looks sharp as a tack.
4. This is one of the many vistas you'll find on the trails. It's a good spot to stop to check the freshness label on your canned beverages, fish for the aforementioned trout, or get leeches on your person.
5. This is Thor. He makes the things we produce not break. He does this by: a) designing them not to break and b) being a total badass and riding the hell out of his bike. He's a pretty nice guy, but don't tell him I said so. I want him to think that I think as lowly of him as I do the rest of the group.
6. Here is Kenny Bloggins taking his fixed gear Karate Monkey through the wringer. He rides real good and is an excellent speller of words. One time, he totally killed a guy with sarcasm. True story.
7. This is me. I look tense.
8. Snackey P rolls on big wheels. You should see when he flips the switches on this thing.
9. This is Cate. She's from the greater Boston area and can take any one of you sissies in a brawl, but in a super dainty way.
10. Here's Thor again. What you can't tell from this picture is that he's not leaning. The sheer force of his will has bent the Earth and trees to do his bidding and they're getting out of his way. The photographer also did that too.
11. When Adam isn't adding 20,000 squre feet to his suburban home, he's filling the stinky shoes of Mr. dead-to-me Johnny Kohtz as the Surly Product Manager. Both Adam and the former Johnny like punk rock and interesting beer - which in Minneapolis is like saying they like to breathe air. Adam likes to skid.
12. Check out what Thor did to these trees. What a jerk!
13. Cuyuna is filled with bermy excellence.
14. "Ok, guys. Go back up that run and then come down, like, all in a line and stuff."
15. Steve is sweaty and covered in dust. He's wondering if he brought enough lasagna for everyone. He did.
16. At least I look good in this one. Hell, I'm writing the blog and I get to pick the shots.
17. Here's the product placement shot. It's designed to make you want to buy one of those. Is it working?
So, that's what we did. We didn't include the pictures of Jim's Northern Pike or any of AWood's creepy antics. Those are for us only and you can't handle them. Trust me on that.
-Skip