Thunderdown

2014 Thunderdown Cup

Wausau 402
Rhinelander 348
Green Bay 272
Madison 120

That's a lot of miles!


Great photos here!

Illustrious Order

Don't expect Bil Underdown to shake your hand or anything.  

You either are or you aren't.

"Are you made of metal or marshmallow fluff?" he wants to know.

You know he's looking at you.

Thunderdown represents the first of a trio of trials that earn an intrepid rider a position in the Order of Bill Underdown. To enter the ranks the following must be completed at this month's events, a comprehensive test of the aspirants gumption in the fields of single-track, gravel and feasting:

1. Complete 30 or more miles in the Thunderdown in the Underdown.
2. Finish Bill Underdown's Roubaix-style Group Ride on July 26th.
3. Finish the 20-inch Spread Billy Burger* at Fork Horners on the same day.  

Those seeking a challenge that will not thrice push them to the breaking point may find a scaled-down, but still noble quest in the Norbie Challenge:

1. Complete 20 or more miles at the Thunderdown.
2. Finish the Fork Horners 47 on July 26th.
3. Finish the Norbie Burger** on the same day.

*The Billy Burger consists of 3 succulent half-pound beef cakes with bacon and a pound of fries.

** Just a pound of meat.

Induction ceremonies and medallions should not be expected, but rest assured that those who are up to the challenge will forever hold a position of high esteem among their peers.

Ready to Race

• As of Tuesday the race course was clean with some polish added to a few ninja trails.
• After pre-rides, the estimated fast lap is 1:10 for the long course and :45 for the short course.
• Camping is available on site for a small fee.
• Trail passes will be covered as part of your entry fee so you won't have to worry about that.
• The weather looks perfect! 70's and dry.
• An aid station with Heed, Hammer Gel, water and maybe even cookies will be at the point where the long course (from trail M) and short course  (from trail X) merge about 4 miles from the finish.
• The long course will have self-serve water just past half-way on trail G.
• Wilhelm from Harmcycle will be providing neutral technical support for racers in need.

• As of today, the race course is about half mowed and will be done soon. Tom, Kelly, Jason, Ted, Pat, Paul and I will have it all done by early next week.  I'm sure Steve will be back at it as soon as he's off the IR.  Trail intersections will be marked by the 12th.
• Group ride at 10AM on July 12th.
• New Gary Barden Design pints for the top 3!

Race Updates

July 19th, 2014 Underdown Parking Lot, Copper Lake Road
10 Hour 10AM
6 Hour 1PM
3 Hour 3 PM
Awards, fire,  Red Eye Xanadu, etc. ASAP
Thunderdown growlers and fills to winners plus brand new Thunderdown pints.

Course: No Oktoberfest.  Long course riders will ride trail V and the over-under to the Hollow trail for the first time.  Trail KK will be used, but trail LL will not because of a recent logging job.  For those who haven't ridden or heard of the Underdown: these trails are technical and hilly.

This sign will split the short and long course on the top of X to C Hill.  Short course riders will ride a techie new descent. Short course: about 6 miles.  Long course: about 12 miles.

Getting there:

Other:

• Bring your gravel bike on July 26th for the BURGR 95 and Fork Horners 47.

• The Thunderdown Cup will be up for grabs again.  Sign up your town by 3PM. Only those who work, reside, build trails or were born in your town are eligible.

Over Under

This collision prevention boardwalk will allow us to ride the Hollow trail in the race without a crossing guard.

All trails are open.  All signs to the contrary were left up in error.

Under the Boardwalk

Weather permitting we'll be building the boardwalk at the intersection of trail G and X at noon on Sunday.  Muscles and cordless drills are requested.  Park where the red ski trail crosses Loop Road by the 1990 F150.

Logging has started on trail L and should be done soon.  Logging on trail X and KK will start in July.

The boardwalk should be done and trails should be clean by Thursday the 19th.  Mowing starts in July.

OPEN

Underdown trails will officially open at 8AM on Friday, May 23rd.  Many trails have sticks and leaves that will be removed over the coming weeks.  Watch for a construction day in June!

Not Open

For obvious reasons the Underdown trails will be closed until further notice, probably a couple weeks depending on the weather.  Go wreck you bike somewhere else.

Summer Trail Opening

It just snowed 8 inches so all bets are off.
The normal opening date for summer time trails is May 1st, but keep conditions in mind.  Don't ride when it will wreck your bike or the trails.  Stay tuned.

Solid

Ski Trails: All tracked. Very firm but not icy YET.
Snowshoe Trails: Tracks all the way.  Very solid but chunky.
Fat Biking: Nothing we're supposed to ride is good to ride.

Beautiful

Ski Trails: All tracked Friday.

Snowshoe Trails:  All tracked, especially solid on the Big Bog loop.  No slush except for a bit on Mist Lake that could be frozen by now.  Map signs past Dog Lake have been removed because Spring is coming.

Fat Biking: Good to the Big Bog.  Marginal but improving to Dog Lake.
The surface is solid enough to float, but offers marginal grip.  I've never made so many snow angels.  The tread is so high and narrow across the bogs that one wrong move can bury you.  After diving off the trail on the Bumpy Bog the trail tread was almost to my waist as I was standing there.

So Much Snow

Ski trails were groomed on Friday.

Snowshoe trails have tracks to the Big Bog and minor slushing that should be solid by now.  Dog Lake would be a good hike for someone who wants to break trail, but don't go to Mist Lake unless you know the way and can deal with some slush.

There will be no fat biking in the Underdown for a week and maybe longer.

Snowbound Results

Chris Schotz :46
Gary Barden :47
Paul Wagner :51
Pat Blakeslee :53
Scott Trierweiler :55
Paul Kage :56
Jen Barden :57
Andrew Schiltz :58
Beth Wagner 1:02
David Mayer 1:03
Kevin Nowack 1:07
Butch Piontek 1:10
Luke Schuttenhelm 1:11
Nelson Wahlstrom 1:11
Karen Piontek 1:17
Rick Mueller 1:31

Photos are right here!

Race Conditions

Trails were perfect on Tuesday, and only a couple inches of powder fell on Thursday.  The Dog Lake loop has been dragged extensively since then so the race is definitely on.  Ski trails were all groomed Friday and grooming has been going on at Bradley Park for days.

The solo race runs counter-clockwise to Dog Lake at 10AM, and the 2-hour team race will run clockwise on trails A and Z at noon or whenever we get set to go again.    Pasta and sausage at halftime.

Snowbound in the Underdown

Saturday, February 15th
Solo race 10AM: Taking a ride to Dog Lake like last year.  Those trails are super, but the conditions to Mist Lake never came together.

Team relay 12PM: 3-person relays for 2 hours on trails A and Z  (Note the change in time and distance.)

Registration and Intergalactic Fat-Bike Championship Stage Race details here.

Snowshoe Hike Saturday 10AM

Guided hikes from one to four hours.  Fire and treats.

Ski trails: Great tracks
Snowshoe trails: Solid all the way
Fat biking: Great to Big Bog; pretty good to Dog Lake; possible to Mist Lake, but great by Saturday afternoon

Beautiful

Underdown got another 5 inches of snow this week so the base has nearly reached the seat of the benches.

Ski: Trails are all freshly tracked including a great skate lane down Loop Road
Snowshoe: Beautiful with no real slush problems
Fat Bike: Pretty good to the Big Bog.  Not ready to Dog Lake, but we're working on it

If You Don't Mind Cold

Ski Trails: Tracked today with a little powder on top
Snowshoe trails: Beautiful, dragged Wednesday all the way to Mist Lake

Fat biking:  Good on trail A and Z, but drifts get in the way on open areas beyond Loop Road.  Better to wait until Wednesday when the cold snap has passed.

Get Out There

Ski trails: All tracked
Snowshoe trails: Beautiful.  There was a lot of slush, especially on the way to Mist Lake, but it should be solid now that it's been exposed to the cold.

Fat biking:
Good to the Big Bog.  Possible to Dog Lake.  Not ready to Mist Lake, but next weekend looks good.
Sunny Vale was fabulous yesterday.  Bradley Park should be machine groomed, but the drifts can get out of hand on the point.

Snowed In

Underdown has 5 to 6 inches of new snow so it's just for trail breakers for a while.

Conditions for Now

Ski trails just tracked today.  Snowshoe trails all solid.

Fat Biking:
Great to Big Bog.  Good to Dog Lake.  80% ride-able to Mist Lake.
Washburn reported good.

3 Inches

The Friday snow looks beautiful.  Ski trails are skied in good.  Snowshoe trails are great with a lot of traffic.  Fat biking will be great Monday after the Sunday moisture freezes solid.

Best Conditions Yet

This would have been a great day for a race.  I rode the bog all the way from Mist Lake to Dog Lake without a dab.  A little snow tomorrow will slow things down, but at least the base is solid.

Great Conditions

Ski Trails: all groomed and tracked
Snowshoe Trails: Great. No more slush.

Fat Biking:

• Super. Finally solid. Rode trail Z clean for the first time ever tonight.
• Dog Lake: Very nice.  Traction finally.
• Mist Lake: Not bad. The Long Bog was tough.  No reason not to try it unless you're afraid of a little walking and a few coyotes.

• Bradley Park, Tomahawk: Ready to ride
• Washburn Lake, Rhinelander: Solid trail all the way around
• Hanson Lake, Rhinelander: Rumors of plenty of solid trail
• Sunnyvale Park, Wausau: Probably great too.  I'll find out tomorrow.

Underdown December 2013

Foggy and fun

Ski trails are all tracked including Loop Road.  Snowshoe trails are frosty and tracked.
The Big Bog loop is super for fat bikes, but the trail to Dog Lake was still too soft today.  We'll check back after the thaw-freeze.

Frosty

Paul and Pace

Andrew and Pat on the Big Bog

Paul on Heartbreak Ridge

Andrew and Beth on the Bumpy Bog

Tracked

Ski Trails: Machine tracked today
Snowshoe trails: Still beautiful

Fat Biking
A&Z: Really fun, actual traction!
Big Bog Loop: Solid but slippery
Dog Lake: Too much walking, but better by the weekend
Mist Lake: All hiking
Bradley Park: 80% ride-able, but 100% groomed

3 Inches of Powder

Underdown snowshoe trails were all dragged since the last snowfall.

Skiing: Good
Snowshoeing: Beautiful
Biking: OK, but wait for the weekend

Bradley Park: Bigger berms than last year
Sunnyvale Park: Looks fun

Beth's Bog

Bridge Lake

Big Bog

Ice Age Trail

Dog Lake

Lots of this on the Long Bog

Braxton Pond

Long Bog

Mist Lake

Slush in the tracks should freeze up nice tonight

X-Mas Trails

• X-country ski trails were all perfectly tracked today except for Loop Road.  
• I rode the Big Bog loop tonight - still solid and slippery, quite fun.  Someone else had ridden to Dog Lake ahead of me.  I'm sure it had its moments though I only saw one major snow angel on the Bumpy Bog.

Conditions Until It Snows Again

Ski: All trails tracked and skied in except for Loop Road which has truck tracks.
Snowshoe: Really great.  Tracks all the way around the Mist Lake Loop.

Fat Bike
Big Bog Loop: Ready to ride.
Dog Lake: Really tough
Mist Lake: A hike all the way
Sunnyvale Park, Wausau: 75%

Underdown Snow

Skiing: OK
Snowshoeing: Great
Biking: OK

Some ski trails were tracked with a bit of powder on top.  Trucks are still driving Loop Road.  Snowshoe trails have a good tread and will be signed to Mist Lake Saturday.  Fat biking is good on A&Z and fair beyond.  Ride slow and in the gutter on the RASTA boardwalk.

Not Too Cold

Underdown ski trails were dragged this week and skied in a little this weekend.  Snowshoe trails have tracks and signs to Dog Lake with logs and brush removed.  Underdown is not ready for fat bikes yet, but could be soon once things set up.  A & Z are ready to ride, but just barely.

 

Bradley Park in Tomahawk was a fun ride Saturday, and I had an interesting ride on the Merrill City Forest crane marsh south-east of the Underdown.

Frozen Trails

I hiked the Big Bog loop and put signs out today - probably the earliest ever.  Lakes are frozen solid and a few inches of crunchy snow are on the ground.
Ski trails haven't seen any maintenance, but are snow covered.  Loop Road is still getting truck traffic.
Fat bikes gave the single track a try, but found ATV tracks on the ski trails a better bet.  Trail A is OK for fat bikes, but that's it.

274.5 Hours

That's how much time Underdown volunteers donated this cycling season.

Ride Trial X

It has a new start and new finish.  Paul, Steve and Andrea helped me finish it this weekend.

2014 Course is Clean

Ride it Saturday night.

I feel like playing in the dirt on the X to C hill during the day.

Ghost Ride

Saturday October 26th @ 6PM

A night ride that covers all the trails that weren't in this year's race, but will be in the 2014 Thunderdown.

Thunderdown Cup 2013

Rhinelander 351
Wausau 348
Duluth 105
Green Bay 81
Ohio 75

Alone in the Underdown: A Haunting

Much like 2012, but with lots of new boardwalk and funky improvements!