Sunday Feb 21st - 10:00am Duck Creek Ice ride!!

[Vibrato]

Well this hasn't been done in a couple of years- Not a FORC event, just a bunch peeps doing stuff. Enter at your own risk.

Old School, Hard Core, No Whining Ice ride down Duck Creek. Plan to leave the lower parking area East of the Treehouse Pub, 2239 Kimberly Rd at 10:00am, Ride downstream to the mouth of the Miss and back. BYOB/W/R/B. (Beer/whiskey/rum/bourbon) Numerous stops for libations. Some ride studs, some ride next to studs without studs. In past years we've taken most of the day, but never needed lights to get back.

If its your 1st time and you're nervous about it, follow someone fatter than you. Heck, follow me- I'm fatter than most. Plan to fall. Plan to flinch when you hear a crack, and IF you go through and get wet... plan to haul your ass back to someplace warm after giving someone else your leftover beer.

This will be about the thickest ice- and absolutely the warmest day- for a Duck Creek Ride ever. Should be real nice.


-Vibrato

[TravelerTravis]

Okay, this sounds like a blast... but as a newish MTB rider (since late last summer) and 47 yrs old and slightly overweight and no other friends who are dumb enough to do this with me, is this really a smart thing for me to do? I mean, my head says "don't do it dummy" but my heart says "don't miss out on an opportunity to ride with other crazy people down a freakin' creek". SMH

A few questions...

1) Is a fat bike needed for this or do riders attempt it with regular MTB tires?
2) Is it a NMTBLB event (no mountain biker left behind) if I have a hard time keeping up?
3) Where the heck is the lower parking area? I have ridden duck creek bike trail a couple of times and I understand it goes under the bridge right by Treehouse Pub, but I don't recall the parking area or how to get to it.

I have a Trek Marlin 5 with 2.0/2.2" tires and I just purchased a Fuel EX 5 with 2.66" tires but I'd prefer not to ride that when I know I'm going to fall a lot, lol.

So just give it to me straight... dumb idea or do it anyway, and why?

[DH001]

Aww yeah. How much snow is on the creek? I'm sans fat bike but may join you on skis.

[Vibrato]

Drew- No idea how much snow is on the ice- MOST of our snow came before the deep freeze. I may check it out Friday and do a followup. If the snows not super deep your fully would do fine.

Travis- As for fatty's, Dood, we ran 2.0's and 2.2's for EVER in winter prior to the invention of the Puglsey and we LIKED it. We LIKED it JUST FINE. (that last part said in a "when I was a kid" old man voice) Even if you were to get a little behind- this is NOT a fast ride- and even if you did get a little behind, we stop for libations often. Its an 8 mile ride that takes most of the day, sincerely.

47? Pffft. I'm 56 in 3 weeks and I have decided I don't have enough scars. You wanna go to the grave with that fabulously pristine body? Naw man- that's not living. We're gonna hit the grave sliding through the barricades at 4x the recommended speed, missing one shoe, bleeding from a few minor leaks- probably on fire- and with our last breath we're gonna tell death HEY! ONE more shot- I can make it this time.

Actually go into the Tree house Pub parking lot and go to the left like you are going to park DIRECTLY in front of their entrance door, The go right to the bottom area.

-Vibrato

[AG]

In.

[TravelerTravis]

We're gonna hit the grave sliding through the barricades at 4x the recommended speed, missing one shoe, bleeding from a few minor leaks- probably on fire- and with our last breath we're gonna tell death HEY! ONE more shot- I can make it this time.

I dunno about all that, lol, but I’m IN for Sunday’s ride! Thanks for the push out the door...

[AG]

E21AC0CF-2A93-4047-833B-7A187DF83067.jpgIce condition ride from Harrison to Eastern. Snow is only a couple inches. Going to be a good ride Sunday.

[Leebo]

Man I’m glad I checked the forum. I’m in! And I’ll likely bring a few other Eldridge folks.

[TravelerTravis]

Well, thanks for organizing this ride - we had a blast, despite falling through the ice with both feet within the first 15 minutes, riding bikes with "skinny" tires, and basically figuring things out on the snow and ice for the first time on a ride like this. Mike and I made it all the way to the mouth of the river and then rode back on the bike trail. I'm happy to report my feet and toes were just fine, and we would definitely do this again in a heartbeat (though with some lessons learned). Thanks for all the help, encouragement, etc.

Recommendations for better cold weather attire (waterproof boots, lol)? Recommendations on a good starter fat bike?Duck Creek 1.jpg

[TravelerTravis]

Well, I made a sloppy video edit of the the Duck Creek ride last Sunday. Shamefully, it highlights both of my falls (once at the beginning before we even got onto the creek, lol - and the other, when I stepped both feet into the creek). But hey, Mike and I made it all the way to the mouth, where we quickly (it was VERY windy) went up the hill and rode back via the bike trail. The video isn't super exciting, and is obviously just from my point of view as a newb doing this sort of thing, but I'm sharing it here if anyone is interesting in watching it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ziBrB2zCg

[DH001]

Thanks for putting together the video! It was a great time. Hoping conditions will be favorable to do it again next year.

Just put up some of my shots from the ride: https://www.hansonphotodesign.com/du...k-assault-2021

[TravelerTravis]

Thanks for sharing those photos. And yes, I would definitely do it again next year if conditions are favorable. Can't believe we were just days away from these melting temperatures - it worked out perfectly!

[Rage]

Recommendations on a good starter fat bike?Duck Creek 1.jpg

If a Medium bike is your size, I have an anodized frame Salsa Mukluk 2 needing a good new home.

Rg.