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Let's visit the lake !

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Let's visit the lake !

Old 01-24-22, 02:33 PM
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ZIPP2001
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Let's visit the lake !

Get a little snow and follow that up with almost a week of freezing temps and you get some great trail conditions. It also means the lakes get frozen over and you get to go play on the frozen water.
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Old 01-24-22, 05:42 PM
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oh man that looks like a blast especially riding from the ice onto the island or what looked like an island. nice ride-by, big lake? any islands?
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Old 01-24-22, 07:39 PM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
oh man that looks like a blast especially riding from the ice onto the island or what looked like an island. nice ride-by, big lake? any islands?
This is a smaller lake that goes into swamp land that is now frozen, so it looks like an island. Temps are going up Tuesday but should be dropping back down so the trails should still be in great shape to ride this weekend.
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Old 01-25-22, 10:27 AM
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I love riding frozen lakes! In Minnesota, we get months of frozen lakes, but it get difficult to ride as the snow gets deep. Sometimes we get lucky with clear ice (studded tires highly recommended!):

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Old 01-25-22, 10:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Hypno Toad
I love riding frozen lakes! In Minnesota, we get months of frozen lakes, but it get difficult to ride as the snow gets deep. Sometimes we get lucky with clear ice (studded tires highly recommended!):

https://youtu.be/8_rkhkmQRp8
Looks like a blast. Terrifying, but a blast.

My worry would be that I'd go fast enough not to notice that the ice was getting too thin. Six inches was my minimum when I was young and dumb and lived in the Midwest. But this looks pretty much like the dead of winter, so I'd imagine you're all good.
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Old 01-25-22, 10:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Chinghis
Looks like a blast. Terrifying, but a blast.

My worry would be that I'd go fast enough not to notice that the ice was getting too thin. Six inches was my minimum when I was young and dumb and lived in the Midwest. But this looks pretty much like the dead of winter, so I'd imagine you're all good.
I have a rule about getting out on lake ice in the winter: wait one week after the last report of a F-150 going through the ice. For reference: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota...s-urge-caution Honestly, it happens many times, every year, at the start and end of the season, and with Lake Minnetonka in a heavily populated area, there's always somebody driving out there with a truck, snowmobile, ATV, ....

Many smaller lakes in the area have groomed tracks for Nordic skiing, if the groomers have been out, the lake ice is safe for a biker.

Additionally, having grown up in the area and spend a lot of time on the lake ice, I know the dangerous areas: channels under bridges; pressure ridges on larger lake; and area where creeks flow into or out of the lake.
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Old 01-25-22, 11:26 AM
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just don't ride on the Charles River in Boston, OK?
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Old 01-25-22, 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Hypno Toad
I have a rule about getting out on lake ice in the winter: wait one week after the last report of a F-150 going through the ice. For reference: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota...s-urge-caution Honestly, it happens many times, every year, at the start and end of the season, and with Lake Minnetonka in a heavily populated area, there's always somebody driving out there with a truck, snowmobile, ATV, ....

Many smaller lakes in the area have groomed tracks for Nordic skiing, if the groomers have been out, the lake ice is safe for a biker.

Additionally, having grown up in the area and spend a lot of time on the lake ice, I know the dangerous areas: channels under bridges; pressure ridges on larger lake; and area where creeks flow into or out of the lake.
That's a great rule of thumb. And, yeah, the little things about walking on a frozen lake are starting to come back. It's been a long time.

Honestly, these videos just make me want to go (ice) fishing ....
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Old 01-25-22, 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
just don't ride on the Charles River in Boston, OK?
Rivers and creeks are a NOPE! for me ... with very rare exceptions.

Exceptions: Shallow creeks, if you break through, you can stand on the bottom; or we have a winter with temps that go weeks and weeks without a thaw ... like back in 2014 when we had 53 days with a temps at or below 0, including a 17 day streak. With a winter that cold, damned near everything is frozen solid!
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Old 01-25-22, 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Hypno Toad
I have a rule about getting out on lake ice in the winter: wait one week after the last report of a F-150 going through the ice. For reference: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota...s-urge-caution Honestly, it happens many times, every year, at the start and end of the season, and with Lake Minnetonka in a heavily populated area, there's always somebody driving out there with a truck, snowmobile, ATV, ....

Many smaller lakes in the area have groomed tracks for Nordic skiing, if the groomers have been out, the lake ice is safe for a biker.

Additionally, having grown up in the area and spend a lot of time on the lake ice, I know the dangerous areas: channels under bridges; pressure ridges on larger lake; and area where creeks flow into or out of the lake.
Once I see the snowmobiles playing on the ice that's my sign, I can start playing on it also.
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Old 03-29-22, 01:40 AM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
just don't ride on the Charles River in Boston, OK?
You are comforting yourself.
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Old 03-29-22, 09:14 AM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
just don't ride on the Charles River in Boston, OK?
That was everyone's favorite cycling hooligan, Lucas Brunelle.

I didn't get out on any of the creeks or ponds in the city at all this year. The snow depth and frequent drifting prevented a decent trail from forming. But the fat bike trails around the park were really good this year. The weight of motorized groomer caused it to intermittently sink so it created a nice chain of rollers.
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