Mutiny Abounds

Saturday marked 4 years and 2 days since the first Saturday Morning No Drop Fat Bike Ride started, also on a cold December day in 2014.


We had 7 riders on the very first SMNDFBR (one not pictured) which was just one less than we had this Saturday. Colder weather seems to thin the heard considerably on the winter rides. If you look closely both Dean and I are the only two that were at the first SMNDFBR and the ride this Saturday, it's been a blast these last four years.

I was also testing out some of Raber's Garbage Mitts on Saturday so pictures were a little more scarce since I couldn't take any pictures while riding.


Birds are the real crazies in this cold weather, that water has to be down right frigid. The ride got off to a less than auspicious start, somehow the group zigged while I zagged. I stopped for a moment to adjust something and by the time I caught back up to where the group should have been on the route... they were nowhere to be seen. As it turns out they were heading up the Rock Island and not the Billy Wolfe as they should have been but at that time I had no idea where they were going, so I decided to just follow the route rather than try to chase them down. I figured that at some point they would realize that they were going the wrong way and we would meetup again on route.




As predicted, the group figured out they were not on route and we decided to meetup at Holmes Lake and regroup there, lake looked spectacular on the early frozen morning.



I managed to get to the ball fields before the rest of the group but it wasn't too long before they came rolling along.



We kind of did a mixture of all surfaces on Saturday, with it being cold and icy we decided to keep close to town but also wanted to get in some gravel so we ended up with pavement, gravel, limestone and even some single track.


We even managed to find the Joy bench out on the MoPac, I know we've passed it a few times in recent months but kept missing it until Saturday. Looked good all decked out for the holidays.


We didn't do a ton of gravel but the gravel we did get to was rolling fast, surprisingly it was even a little dusty at times when we met cars going the other way.


The plan was to take the Murdock trail back into town, at the regroup before hitting the trail I noticed Dean's liners were bulging out like ping pong balls!




The Murdock trail was also in really good shape, it was on this trail a few years ago that we had a four person synchronized slide on a huge ice patch but there wasn't any ice to be found on Saturday.




With the Murdock being in good shape, it wasn't too long before we were in Havelock and the Engine House Cafe. Great food and coffee as is always the case and they were still decorated for the Holidays to add a little more cheer to the morning.


Dean ended up with probably the most expensive cup of coffee ever but I bet it was a darn good cup of coffee... actually it was just a miscommunication, Dean asked to pay and the waitress thought he meant for the whole table. Once it was straightened out it was a good chuckle.


The ride pretty much ended at the Engine House Cafe but a few of us decided to head to Saro Cider for an adult hot apple cider. Usually I get it with the Pyrate Rum but decided to get it with the Templeton Rye Whiskey this go round... that is the way to go and the only way I'll get it from now on. Pyrate Rum is good but something about the way that the Templeton Rye and the hot apple cider melded together put that combination over the top. I highly recommend it with the Templeton if you get one and if you haven't been to Saro Cider yet, you're really missing out on a unique Lincoln cider house.


The Raber Garbage Mitts worked better than expected, the hands were sweaty once or twice on the ride and never got cold. If you're not sold on bar pogies, these mittens will make a great substitute for those really cold days, only disadvantage is that the blog photos take a hit.

Also don't forget that the Fat Bike Frozen Ididaride is just around the corner, should be a fun time and every person who signs up will get one of these rad metal pint drink receptacles of their very own. Keep your eyes on the Cycle Works Facebook page on Monday and Wednesday mornings for your chance to win one of two entries we are giving away for the race. If nothing else it's been a great time remembering all the bike shops in Lincoln, those that aren't here now and those that are in different locations or are different names now. I think once the competition is over we might try to find folks who still have pictures of those shops and send them into us so that we can all share in the good times and great stories surrounding these shops.