Winter Trails Trials

Well, I do believe winter is now fully entrenched itself...even though tomorrow (Wednesday) is actually the first day of winter.  It was quite the winter weather this past weekend with snow, freezing rain, and more snow!

Its made the trails impassable for any type of bike, without some sort of trail grooming.  So I have been out 'grooming' my backyard trails...

After a couple of hiking passes

And there is now (already!) enough snow for snow shoeing and hok-ing....so that will be the next phase!

And I seriously often have company when I am out there...

There are groomed trails out there...I just have to drive to get there...which I am reticent to do, when there are trails right outside my door...however I will have to.  In fact, I went for a drive Sunday to scout out if there were groomed (or at least hiked/ridden/cx ski-ed) trails nearby.  When I was driving I did see a girl gingerly (cuz it was icy!) riding her mountain bike up the Valley Road climb near my house.  I wanted to pull over and ask her...
If she saw any rideable trails out there?
If it was icy?
Was she running studded tires?
What she was wearing under her kit??

But, I thought that may have been too weird...no??

Anyways...in my brief scout, it did look like the Spencer Creek trail may have had enough foot traffic to make it rideable on a fatbike.  I do not think that Christie has had enough traffic...but I suspect that Dundas Valley has.

I know that Guelph Lake trails are groomed, because Fatboy Nation has been out there...

JennKenn shredding some night Fat at Guelph Lake

And I have heard rumours that Puslinch may be rideable.

And I know that Turkey Point is groomed, because Substance Projects had the first race of the 45NRTH Ontario Fatbike Series out there on Saturday!!

Dan put a lot of work into getting the trails ready...and the word is the event was great!!

Start line action! (photo cred JeffS)

Stretched out!

There were all kinds of characters there!

Could only be Raf!  (photo cred MikeO)

That MikeO does take a great pic!! (Just sayin...) 

Karen(as tough as they come!), and Jenn.

35 kilometres of groomed trails, with the last few kilometres a wide open full out road sprint to the finish made for what has been reported as a great day!  Hot chilli ready and waiting for the finishers.  (Although I hear there was some disappointment that the pillow fight thing didn't happen...)

And as a huge surprise, JeffS ended up on the podium!!  (Yes, that was sarcasm...)

Sadly, I could not make this one...but I will sneak in to the next one!!

May even see some True Grit soon at some of these events!!

For now...for today...I am going to get out to Hok my trails; then Blaze and I are off on Fatboys in search of rideable trails!  You coming with??  (I need a worthy story for Thursday!!!)

Stay posted!!