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!

Great Time to Ride

Weather is cooling.  Leaves are turning. Trails are mowed again.

Steve did a ton of mowing yesterday, and today Jason and Kelly helped me finish it all up.

SCROLL DOWN FOR RACE DETAILS

*Jason and Kelly gave trail W a great new line around the root nest on the 22nd, and a funky new line at the top of homestead will be done October 1st.

Pre-Rides

Saturday September 21st: Tomahawk 90 gravel ride 
Meet at Sarah Park at 9AM.

Sunday October 6th: Thunderdown Pre-ride
10 AM

2013 WEMS Championship

Saturday October 12th, 2013
Underdown Recreation Area

• 10 Hour: 10AM to 8PM
• 6 Hour: 1PM to 7PM
• 3 Hour: 3PM to 6PM
• Sunset: 6:20PM 

 There will be pitch black racing!

This race counts as 2 races for series riders who have completed four other WEMS races this season.

Course:

• 15-ish miles for 10 Solo, 10 Duo, 6 Solo
• 9-ish miles for 10 Team, 6 Duo, 3 Solo
• The course is much like last year's layout, but over 200 feet of boardwalk has been added since we saw you last.  All racers will ride trail CC, our latest and greatest. The long course will ride Oktoberfest this year.

The first 100 racers will receive one of the brand new WEMS water bottles.  Registration includes your daily trail pass! Registration

• Camping is available on site for a small fee.  No reservations necessary.
• The closest gas is in Gleason, but the best snacks will be found on the north end of Gleason at Prairie Pines.
• The best burgers and pizza are found at the Lighthouse on X south of Gleason.
• The best swimming hole is where J crosses the Prairie River on the way to Bloomville.

Wausau will put the Thunderdown Cup on the line while Rhinelander looks to take it back.  Register your town by 3PM on race day.

• Thuderdown winners will again receive growlers, pints and more.
• WEMS series winners will receive their awards and prizes from Hammer, Giant, Primal, Velocity and more.
• The Velocity wheel set will be given to a lucky series rider.  Every race entered by a series rider earns one entry in the drawing.
• Bonus prizes and post-race festivities!

Odd Jobs

Underdown trails are in great shape, although they always seem tougher on a hot day like today.  There are no group projects on the horizon, but there are a few things to do before race day.  Help is much appreciated.  Post a reply if I don't see you first.

1. Mow Oktoberfest (T, S, TT)
2. Mow G, U, W, F, V area 
3. Figure out water bars on I
4. Cut roots on G & H
5. Mow White Lightning (I) and start-end of LL
6. Rake through skidder tracks once they finish getting the logs out (U)
7. Monitor log jobs that might happen on X, M & KK
8. Remove leaves once they fall