Winter?

I did not ski the Birkie this year. My knee’s been yapping at me too much, so I thought it best to let it mend up for a bit. No skate skiing, some classic, lower distances.

Anyway the weather’s been absolutely crap for skiing. Basically nothing in much of Minnesota into January. We did have a really freaky few days of thunderstorms around the New Year. If it had been snow, we’d be in grand shape. So skiing was zero-to-poor all winter and even worse for classic skiing.

They tried to do a full-on Birkie on Saturday. But warm temps early in the week (50s!) shot a big hole in their plans. They shortened the race. Then they decided they’d better rebrand it as a “tour” rather than a timed race ~ conditions were simply too sketchy. A good year to miss.

Here’s the best trail report I saw this year, from my favorite classic-skiing haunt.

• Feb 11 - Korkki Nordic (Duluth):
  Conditions: Worse than bad. Zero to one to two inches of snow depending where you measure with no snow in the 10 day forecast.
  The Erik Judeen ski race scheduled for February 18th is cancelled. This is the fourth time in the past seven years we have had to cancel due to lack of snow. This is also the worst year for snowfall in the past 25 years that I have been involved with the Charlie Banks ski trails. I have worn out two pair of Sorel Packs dancing to the Finnish snow God Heikki Lunta. Apparently he went fishing with Charlie. I wish those guys would catch their limit so Heikki could get back on the job. Anyone that doesn't believe in climate change are invited to come and see me.
  (Mark Helmer)

Then, of course, a foot of snow Saturday night. More than we’d received all winter. Gotta be flexible these recent winters.

Lifers

Encouraged by FirstLife, Barb and I explored our analog environment today. A couple of year-birds/lifers, a Varied Thrush in Saint Paul and a Gyrfalcon south of the cities. Both stake-outs were amazingly easy to find. The Gyr was especially popular. Six cars pulled over in the middle-of-nowhere on highway 52, staring at an irrigation rig - with large falcon. Compared notes with another FirstLifer from Virginia (as in east coast VA, not Virginia, MN) here for a long weekend of birding. Everywhere’s famous for something.

Then on to Wirth for a round, or two, of skiing. Nice enough day and our analog activities warmed us to the point where the breeze was quite refreshing.

Warmer this week. We'll lose the little snow that we have. Hope you enjoyed FirstWinter while you could.

Foci Big Day

Went to Foci / Minnesota Center for Glass Art for yesterday’s “Big Day”. Every Thursday, come and help or watch BIG pieces being made. After Todd warmed us up, Michael cranked out a massive incalmo piece. I was mostly trusted to work the doors or stay out of the friggin’ way. Saw some new techniques and picked up a few things. Those big ones take some real teamwork. The picture is blurred, but I like how it picked up the 30 pound glowing vessel of glass that Michael is working. A nice piece!

Duluth Birding

My year list is woefully small. A quick trip north for a overnight trip is warranted. Up to the tundra and boglands around Duluth to see what I can scare up. A reasonably successful few days. Came back with two lifers and a little bit more respectable list. Including a number that I may not see again this year.

Notables:

Rough-legged Hawk on the wing, a great winter species.

Black-backed woodpecker. Picking away at stressed Jack Pine.

Spruce Grouse. The male was displaying in the spruce woodlands on Lake County 2. Spring is coming!

Boreal Chickadee. Heard these boys and then tracked them down within a flock of Black-caps. Eventually got my best looks ever. Sweet.

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. Three lost vagrants on the Fond du Lac Reservation.

Gray Jay, Northern Shrike, Pine Grosbeak, White-winged Crossbill

WTF

So, a few days after Stuporbowl, I notice that the tip of my nose is peeling. It has been a little sensitive. Not alarmingly so, just a little hurtful. Eventually, I put 2 + 2 together. Yep. Frostbite.

Mind you, I’ve been camping at minus 40 and I haven’t gotten bitten. I’ve sledded until my wet feet were wooden and not had issues. Well, it was cold and windy…and stuporous. Good to see I haven’t gotten excessively cautious in my old age. It’s a good thing.

StuporBowl X

We have crap for snowcover in the Twin Cities. And, at eight below, it’s a bit chilly for skiing anyway. What else to do but StuporBowl X.

Gino assured me last week it was ON. Those poor messengers have to get the mail out come rain or snow or deep dark cold of winter. And indeed, we arrived at One-on-One to a packed house. Friggin’ crazies.

After our pep talk by the Mississippi everyone bolted. Barb and I took up the rear, deciding on the “free drinks” leg of StuporBowl, seven stops in all. Then Barb started having increasing problems with her freewheel not engaging. Evidently her cycle lube ain’t engineered for -10F. So she freewheeled both frontways and backwards from time-to-time. We did manage to hobble our way up to Burlesque / First Amendment in North Minneapolis. Had a fine Surly beer, not so hoppy-obnoxious as we’ve come to expect from their beers. Nice job! Then back to One-on-One for another, then onto Joe’s Garage for another.

And a meet and greet with Team PBR. My guess is these boys weren’t going anywhere from here. While this was the one spot on this leg you had to pay for drinks, the Team was pretty well topped off in that department anyway. We all had a jolly time.

Barb decided to drag her steed home from here. I finally figured out that this was a timed event ~ what? You have to be done by 6:00!? So hauled ass west to Seagull’s House. Of course, I got lost on S. Cedar Lake Road for a while before cutting over to Cedar Lake Road N. FOOL! Had a shot, warmed my tootsies.

Lights on and these damnamber ski goggles aren’t helping. The cold, the drinks the hunger knock and the 30 miles on my old beater – things started getting a little surreal. Had one more stop in me. Heather’s House, practically on my way home. But Heather had more sense than me, locked up tight.

No worries, made it home before 6:00 for a little grub and a debrief with Barb. The event ended as they all should…Next year, I’m gonna do it better. Great friggin’ fun.