2103 American Birkebeiner

American Birkebeiner, 2-23-2013

This past week-end I raced in my tenth American Birkebeiner.  That's ten times over the power line hills, ten times past the snowmobilers corner, ten times into the heart of the Chequamegon woods with thousands of other skiers.  I've been kicking around some ideas about how to write this post, because it seems redundant and a bit aggrandizing.

I'd like to just say thank you to my big sister and her friend for granting me the opportunity to participate again.

Here's a photo of me after the race, with a beer and a brät from Angler's Bar in Hayward.  Not really a tradition for me, (I absolutely gorged on fried chicken from Marketplace in 2005, the first time I broke three hours), but you get the idea, if you need one, of what it felt like to have accomplished another full Birkie.

Maybe I'll add some more thoughts on it later on...

Swing State, part 2

Riding to Wirth, Feb. 3 2013.  Photo property of Steve Kovtis.

Last week I rode out to my hometown of Stillwater and back, about a fifty mile ride, using my single speed mountain bike.  I had the wind at my back heading NorthEast, and cycled into a pretty direct, cold headwind on my return.  Half of the ride was recorded on Strava, using my iphone app, and I took a picture about two thirds of the way out - there was a solid half hour difference in having a tailwind versus a headwind.




This past weekend, I spent some time riding into Minneapolis to volunteer for the City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation, as well as again racing in their annual cornerstone event, the City of Lakes Loppet.  I see other cyclists every time I am riding, be it on a solo shot to Stillwater and back or along the Greenway corridor in Minneapolis - not all on modified mountain bikes or single speed fixies.

Here are a couple of photos from the Loppet weekend, as well as a link to my Flickr set.  Enjoy.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlmck/sets/72157632685148733/

Hoigaards Classic, Feb 3, 2013.  Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Gateway Trail, 1-25-2013.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

Ski Orienteering, Feb 2, 2013.  Photo by Michael McKinney

Snow Sculpting, Feb. 2, 2013.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

Skijoring race, Feb. 2, 2013.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

Ice Bike races, Feb. 2, 2013.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlmck/sets/72157632685148733/

Finally, I sold my Schwinn steel frame Worldsport yesterday, that had caused me trouble in the past, (4-23-2012).  A really good piece of advice, about selling one's own property; "Don't sell your bike, your books or your tools."  As I've had trouble learning the trade of salesmanship, both on the floor of a retail shop and on the interent with E-Bay, it makes a lot of sense to me.  Hopefully the time that went into the maintenance of the bike will have its own rewards, as I have to wait a month for the bike's identity to be verified with the police before receiving any profits from the sale.