Hayward, Wisconsin
I haven’t gotten out riding much this year yet, not like in previous years. My busy real estate career has kept me running instead. Over this weekend, I did find a few blocks of time in-between appointments and work, so I quickly jumped in my cat.
If I had a whole day free, I would have rode down to the Flambeau Forest and Oxbo. I love those trails, which tend to be more on the rustic side, plus the Oxbo Resort held its annual Woodtick Races, which would have been fun to go to. As it was, I only had a few hours free, at a stretch, so I kept to the nearby Seeley Hills trails.
Our entire area had some brutal storms go through last Thursday, so at least I knew I wouldn’t be sucking in endless dust while riding.
This was the first riding I did with my new ATV helmet. I’ve never been a helmet person before, and I’m not 100% there yet, but I figured I’d try it out. I bought a half-helmet instead of the full-face deal. This helmet had the strap and ring enclosure, and I somehow forgot that this type of fastener invokes sudden, uncontrollable fear! I tried it on, strapped it snuggly, then immediately panicked. I couldn’t get it off fast enough, and my fumbling fingers kept making it tighter, creating even more urgency to rip it off my head. Do folks actually die over this? I pictured myself laying in my entryway, dead, with my helmet strapped on tightly.
What a stupid phobia to have, it can make me go from normal to insane in 10 seconds. The first snowmobile helmet I bought had a ring-strap enclosure too and I went through this same ordeal. Back then, I couldn’t afford another new helmet, and didn’t even know they sold kits to change it to a quick-release. Every snowmobile ride during that first season was prefaced with an hour-long ease-into-the-helmet situation before I could head out. The next year I bought one with a quick release and life was good- I could put my helmet on like a normal person and jump on my sled.
After the initial chaos with my new ATV helmet, I ordered a $15 quick-release kit for it, which came within a few days. I’m all good now with it.
The trails were wet and muddy for sure, which a little tree debris here and there from the storm. As I slid through some of the muck and mire, I recalled our Sawyer County Forest Admin, Greg Peterson’s recent comment about the dirt in Seeley Hills as being ‘greasy’, and he was right, until I got on the graveled portions.
Both days were overcast, gloomy, and pretty cool, especially since I went out late morning each day. Cooler weather is just fine with me – there is no shortage of heat that pours into my cab from the cooling lines, but it was cold enough outside, so I never had to open my windshield.
I only saw a few single riders and small groups during both days – and two bicycle riders. When I turned down Trail 31 from Phipps Fire Lane, I was met head on by an SUV with 2 guys in it, who went around me and continued north while I rode south. I followed their car tracks in the wet dirt, all the way down to Chippewa Trail and wondered what the heck they were doing on an ATV trail? I can’t stand it when other use groups accuse motorized sports folks of not sharing the forest resources – in reality, WE are the only ones who share! EVERYONE gets to use our few trails, and we can’t use any other user groups’ trails!
Extensive logging in some areas will need some trail signage added so riders don’t veer off trail accidentally, and there are several signposts down or leaning up against trees. I spoke with our North Country Riders president, Jesse, over the weekend and we talked about setting up some club workdays to take care of this stuff.
While I couldn’t ride very long, even a few hours buzzing through the forest, clears my mind and relaxes me! The new helmet worked out great – seems comfortable too. This one has a removable insert the covers the back of your head and ears when its cold, and it has a ‘clicker’ to fine-tune the fit on your head. I like it so far, but do kinda miss the wild wind blowing through my hair when ripping through the woods.
Hopefully I’ll be able to get out there for some longer rides soon.