Sat 12/9 9:30am - Sibley - Raft Removal River Ride

[bigwheel]

This will be a long, easy ride, with a big stop to help pull out the raft from the river bottoms.

Check map link for starting location: http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/shs/

Meet on the road, in sight of the Sibley House. Plan to take off riding right around 9:30.

I'm guessing it will be about 15 miles each way. We'll add a little bit of time for a couple short stops, plus some time in case of problems getting through the swamp. If we get there early, we can ride some of the trail west of the raft. However, we need to end up on the east side of the raft for taking it out.

You might want to bring a snack, because we'll be out for a while. It usually takes around a half-hour to an hour to remove the raft.

Don't look for my van. I'll probably ride my bike from home to Sibley.

Post up if you think you'll be joining us.

See you there!

Here's the ride
Park on the road below the Sibley house. Go down the hill, and pick up the ski trail. The ski trail is double-track that runs on the south side of the river all the way to the 77 Cedar Ave bridge.

There is a nice bike crossing underneath the Cedar Ave bridge. (It used to hook up with old cedar ave into Bloomington, but the cheapscates won't cough up the dough to repair it.)

Cross the river under Cedar Ave, and take a left on the exit ramp, going a few feet back toward the river.

There is a dirt trail on the north side of the river, that heads west. It eventually turns into single track, then heads into the swamp. Depending on rain and who has recently been back there, you sometimes have to improvise to cross a drainage ditch. This is usually not very difficult.

Find a way through the swamp (not that difficult), and stay along the river. The trail eventually connects up with the River Bottoms trail, east side. Ride it west, past Lyndale, toward the raft.

[mn_ultra_guy]

Okay, see you between 9:15 and 9:30 at the Sibley house. Again, if there are northern folks who want to take the LRT down, please let me know. I am catching the 8:51 train at 5th and hennepin tomorrow.

[GettingFaster]

I'll gladly join you guys for this one, as it is in my neighborhood and I was hoping to get in a long ride anyway.

Bob, which bike are you bringing?

[mara]

I *may* try to make this ride, depending on the temperature tomorrow morning and how much I hurt myself trying to ski tonight. Don't wait for me, though -- if I'm not there on time, I likely won't be there at all.

I'll be SS 32x16 if I ride.

You may want to bring an extra pair of gloves for raft removal. I manage to get mine wet every year -- not pleasant for the return ride if they're all you have.

[bigwheel]

I'll gladly join you guys for this one, as it is in my neighborhood and I was hoping to get in a long ride anyway.

Bob, which bike are you bringing?

Excellent. I'm thinking that I'll bring the gearie tomorrow. I already rode the single twice this week.

Mara, I hope you can make it. I promise we will keep a slower pace than the one we rode coming from the MORC strategic meeting. Besides, we're starting reasonably close to your home.

[mara]

I promise we will keep a slower pace than the one we rode coming from the MORC strategic meeting.

Whew! I'm not sure it would be physically possible to ramp the pace up any more than you guys were hammering it out that day. It was impressive. Almost fatal, but impressive.

Besides, we're starting reasonably close to your home.

True. It's less than an hour for me to get over there. I'll do my best to wake up, think warm thoughts, and not mangle myself tonight.

[mn_ultra_guy]

Wow, I really need to get me a SS MTB! I feel so uncool!
Excellent. I'm thinking that I'll bring the gearie tomorrow. I already rode the single twice this week.

Mara, I hope you can make it. I promise we will keep a slower pace than the one we rode coming from the MORC strategic meeting. Besides, we're starting reasonably close to your home.

[DmacBmac]

Single Speed # 2. I am going to bring the winter bike on this ride. Which is my single speed 32x16. I hope you join us Mara I could use some other riders who attend single speed support goups. Death to gears forever, or at least until spring.

[bigwheel]

Single Speed # 2. I am going to bring the winter bike on this ride. Which is my single speed 32x16. I hope you join us Mara I could use some other riders who attend single speed support goups. Death to gears forever, or at least until spring.

Please hold off on the "death to gears" until I get home safely. I thought last weekend was going to be the last geared FS ride of the season, but this will be a bonus. Soon, the Ventana will be cleaned up and stowed for the winter, and the single speed will become studly and have lower gearing.

Which, BTW, leads to the question of how we can really call it a single speed but change gears for a particular ride -- sometimes mid-ride.

Either way, there won't be much need for shifting tomorrow. So, I guess if you want to save weight, you can get rid of all of the components that you won't be using. I'm going to carry them all anyway.

[DmacBmac]

Please hold off on the "death to gears" until I get home safely. I thought last weekend was going to be the last geared FS ride of the season, but this will be a bonus. Soon, the Ventana will be cleaned up and stowed for the winter, and the single speed will become studly and have lower gearing.

Which, BTW, leads to the question of how we can really call it a single speed but change gears for a particular ride -- sometimes mid-ride.

Either way, there won't be much need for shifting tomorrow. So, I guess if you want to save weight, you can get rid of all of the components that you won't be using. I'm going to carry them all anyway.


Thanks for suffering for the sake of the rest of us!

[hockeynut]

A nice long(er) ride would be good as I try and ramp up big time for TI3 so.... I'm a definite maybe (a lot will depend on how the ride tonight goes up on the bluff) as an 8:00 departure from Red Wing will come awful early.

One question: Do I just park on the road by the Sibley House? Is there a parking lot I should look for?

If I make it, that will be SS #3. 29er with 34-20 (unless you get me talking smart... then it can be a 34-17 fixie).

Don't wait for me though... if I'm not there by 9:30 I'll probably not have started the trek up nord.

Isaac

[Nickel]

How far is the bike in to get to the raft?

[hockeynut]

How far is the bike in to get to the raft?

Bob's first post said roughly 15 miles each way.... so I'll say 15 miles or so. Nice "relaxed" ride tonight, so I'm not out completely yet.

[SprocketHead]

Single Speed # 4 34-18... Doing my part for the SS support group.

I hope the Bog Monster isn't there, I pretty sure we kicked his ash at Milaca!, but you never know.:alien:

[bigwheel]

15 miles was a W.A. Guess. I didn't measure anything, but want to leave enough time to comfortably be at the raft by noon.

I haven't been to the Sibley House in a while, but I think you have to park on the street. I seem to remember there being a tunnel under the railroad tracks.

I'm leaving home around 8:45. I'll have my cell phone along, but it will be buried. If you call, leave a message. Six one two four one four four three seven nine.

Mike and Isaac, it will be good to have you along. It's looking like the single speeds might outnumber the gears.

See you there.

[jjrsds]

I should be there at Sibley house by 9:30 am. See everyone soon.

[hockeynut]

Ok... I'm leaving RW in a minute... I should be there by 9:15 or so. I don't have any of these new fangled contraptions like cell phones or anything, but I should be able to find the place. If I'm lost and not there by 9:30 please don't wait, I don't want to hold up the train.

Isaac

[mn_ultra_guy]

Well, I was not the organizer, so I will just say I had a great ride with all people I met today. It was fun to do a group Morc ride. The only other Morc ride I have done is ride with Shad at Theo this summer, which was also a blast.

Well, by mileage, we rode about 30 miles from Sibley to the far end of the RB and back. I am tired and happy to be back home and am looking forward to a warm shower and a cold beer.

Thanks again to:
Bob
JJ
Issac
Marc
Mara
Shad
Ken
Mike
and all the others I have forgotten.
Ride safe,
Devin

[bigwheel]

Thanks for a good ride, everyone. That was way better than the solo ride I was originally planning.

Shad and Mara, Wonderful adventure to finish it up :crazy2:
Nice trail, turned into trail that only Shad could ride, then turned into trail that nobody could ride.
Then a nearly impossible climb trying to carry our bikes up the slippery rocky hill, then a mile of riding railroad tracks. I'm glad I had suspension.

With the paved bike trail above us and the fence next to the trail it felt like we were an exhibit in the zoo.

7 hours total for me. Not a bad day.

[hockeynut]

Agreed... pretty fun ride, good to meet everyone.

Was actually a pretty good thing there weren't a bunch of hills. Went for a night ride up on Memorial and blew up my chain on the last steep climb. The cowpath down was fun with no chain though (too lazy to actually fix it on the trail).

[Nickel]

Agreed... pretty fun ride, good to meet everyone.

Was actually a pretty good thing there weren't a bunch of hills. Went for a night ride up on Memorial and blew up my chain on the last steep climb. The cowpath down was fun with no chain though (too lazy to actually fix it on the trail).

That trail sure likes to eat chains!

[DmacBmac]

Agreed... pretty fun ride, good to meet everyone.

Was actually a pretty good thing there weren't a bunch of hills. Went for a night ride up on Memorial and blew up my chain on the last steep climb. The cowpath down was fun with no chain though (too lazy to actually fix it on the trail).

I knew you were holding out on me Yesturday.:p:p

[SprocketHead]

...had a great ride with all people I met today. It was fun to do a group Morc ride...tired and happy to be back home and am looking forward to a warm shower and a cold beer....
Devin

Ditto. Group Rides are terrific social events since we're all Sick Bike Crazy :crazy:

...Thanks for a good ride, everyone...
Shad and Mara, Wonderful adventure to finish it up :crazy2:
Nice trail, turned into trail that only Shad could ride, then turned into trail that nobody could ride.
Then a nearly impossible climb trying to carry our bikes up the slippery rocky hill, then a mile of riding railroad tracks. I'm glad I had suspension.

With the paved bike trail above us and the fence next to the trail it felt like we were an exhibit in the zoo....

Thanks Bob & Company, now we know where the "end" of the trail is... Sometimes it's fun to go Boony Bashing, like the Old Days.