Memorial Day weekend trip

[calimobber]

My goal is to camp a minimum once a month this season. We have been traveling to mountain bike the trails of the Midwest (and beyond) for over a decade but there are still trails within easy reach that we haven't tried. With that in mind while I waited for the spring thaw, I compiled a list of places to camp and ride. Since bringing the camper out of winter hibernation the second week of April we have been out 3 times (we both still work full time). One was our local park/trail that we frequent often. The other two were on my to-do list.



First is Eagle Creek at Sullivan, Il on Lake Shelbyville. There are at least 1/2 dozen campgrounds on/around the lake but being early April our preferred one (closest to the trail head - Camp Camfield MTB trails) was not yet open. Day's were sunny and cool, nights were crisp, clear and cold. Only about 8 sites being used so Mojo ran loose most of the weekend.



Third trip on Memorial Day weekend, was at Sugar Bottom Rec Area near Solon, IA (Iowa City). Beautiful park if a bit cramped in the campground. The mountain bike trails were a blast and everything our Quad City FORC and ICORR friends had said they were.



On the way to SB we stopped at a truckstop and weighed the rig but I made a mistake and didn't get a tongue weight. Only each axle. Based on that we were easily within limits but only had 100 lbs to spare for the trailer axle limit (nothing in tanks). The trailer weight did include three bikes squeezed in there. The 4th rode in the car.


Lots of comments on our "cute little trailer"  Can't wait for out next trip planned for Brown County State Park with a bunch of riding friends.

[peislander]

Great pics! Is your dog a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever? Looks to be -- I grew up in Nova Scotia. My neighbour here in PEI has two Tollers.

[spot1]

[quote source="/post/11677/thread" timestamp="1432875375" author="@mojospeople"]



On the way to SB we stopped at a truckstop and weighed the rig but I made a mistake and didn't get a tongue weight. Only each axle. Based on that we were easily within limits but only had 100 lbs to spare for the trailer axle limit (nothing in tanks). The trailer weight did include three bikes squeezed in there. The 4th rode in the car.





[/quote]
Great report & photos!

At ready to camp weight our Mighty 11 is within 200lbs of maximum 2200lb GVW, but we have a 300lb tongue weight,
so it's about 1900lbs on the 2200lb capacity axle.

[whoofit]

Looks like some nice flat smooth riding and a pooch that's getting some appreciated exercise. We too suffer the weight and bring our bikes. Bit of a MTB junkie here.

Thanks for sharing!

[calimobber]

[quote source="/post/11684/thread" timestamp="1432898155" author="@whoofit"]Looks like some nice flat smooth riding and a pooch that's getting some appreciated exercise. We too suffer the weight and bring our bikes. Bit of a MTB junkie here.

Thanks for sharing![/quote]We're serious junkies. Hubby retired from first career and is now wrenching for our LBS.
That photo was taken on the novice/intro trail as we finished up. The rest of the ride wasn't quite so tame!  We don't have mountains in the Midwest but we do have some great mountain bike trail systems!
A tired Border Collie/Aussie is a good dog!

[calimobber]

[quote source="/post/11679/thread" timestamp="1432888429" author="@peislander"]Great pics! Is your dog a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever? Looks to be -- I grew up in Nova Scotia. My neighbour here in PEI has two Tollers.[/quote]Thanks! No, Mojo is 1/2 Border Collie and 1/2 Australian Shepherd. Great combo!

[whoofit]

[p]I can't get enough miles on my Vizsla in any terrain without one of my bikes. Hilly stumpy and rocky here in New England. Here's my favorite steed from this weekend:[/p][p]
[/p][p]

[pinstriper]

Is your dog a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever?

You made that up, didn't you ?

[whoofit]

[quote source="/post/11695/thread" timestamp="1432907378" author="@pinstriper"][quote source="/post/11679/thread" timestamp="1432888429" author="@peislander"] Is your dog a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever?[/quote]You made that up, didn't you ?
[/quote][p]He must've. I've never heard of a Nova Scotia Duck before and if they existed they would be allowed to pass for free per The International Migratory Bird Act.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Nice try, PEI!
[/p]

[calimobber]

[quote timestamp="1432906087" author="@whoofit" source="/post/11693/thread"][p]I can't get enough miles on my Vizsla in any terrain without one of my bikes. Hilly stumpy and rocky here in New England. Here's my favorite steed from this weekend:[/p][p]
[/p][p]Bingo! Nice bikes BTW. I just sold my Santa Cruz Juliana that was my back up bike. Loved it for years until I got the Safire. Is that a Safire I spy or a Rumor? I wish the Rumor came in a carbon frame. If it did it might be my next bike.



[/p][/quote][p]Not sure why my reply ended up in the quoted text. Oh well.  [/p][p]Neither of us is thrilled with road riding (too many years on motorcycles seeing the craziness of drivers) but they came on this trip because of the rain in the forecast and Midwest trails are likely to get closed if wet to avoid trail damage. Figured the pavement would be dry if we couldn't mtb.
[/p]

[whoofit]

[quote source="/post/11706/thread" timestamp="1432921513" author="@mojospeople"][quote source="/post/11693/thread" timestamp="1432906087" author="@whoofit"][p]I can't get enough miles on my Vizsla in any terrain without one of my bikes. Hilly stumpy and rocky here in New England. Here's my favorite steed from this weekend:[/p][p]
[/p][p]Bingo! Nice bikes BTW. I just sold my Santa Cruz Juliana that was my back up bike. Loved it for years until I got the Safire. Is that a Safire I spy or a Rumor? I wish the Rumor came in a carbon frame. If it did it might be my next bike.



[/p][/quote][p]Not sure why my reply ended up in the quoted text. Oh well.  [/p][p]Neither of us is thrilled with road riding (too many years on motorcycles seeing the craziness of drivers) but they came on this trip because of the rain in the forecast and Midwest trails are likely to get closed if wet to avoid trail damage. Figured the pavement would be dry if we couldn't mtb.
[/p][/quote][p]Thanks and right back at ya'! [/p][p]
[/p][p]Which Juliana did you own? We went out a few weeks ago and looked at the Furtado. I think she wants to ride that one again before buying anything. Not really well appointed with the Sektor. The Safire we have not ridden yet. I had a bad experience with a broken frame warranty on my last Stumpy so Specialized will take some time to heal in our minds. Plus, after busting through two freehubs on my Fatboy Pro under warranty. They made nice in the end though.[/p][p]
[/p][p]She rides a simple Myka Comp for now since ~2011. She doesn't really want to upgrade but knows it takes more cash to do the likes of Highland. It crawls well though. No mods.[/p][p]
[/p][p]The downhills here can be amazing. The climbs can be brutal. Enter the highly modified Bronson C. Never looked back so far. Except once when she drove off an eight foot ledge to the waterline. Still smilin' though![/p][p]
[/p][p]

[peislander]

[quote source="/post/11679/thread" author="@peislander" timestamp="1432888429"] Is your dog a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever?

You made that up, didn't you ?
[/quote]LOL - made it up? I wouldn't do such a thing. Here's some pics of >> [a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=Nova+Scotia+Duck+Toller+Retriever&safe=off&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=L9RoVajDBsmuyASyi4HwBA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=955"]Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers[/a] <<. As you'll see they look very similar to mojospeople's doggy. Tollers aren't common but are a wonderful breed - very intelligent.

[calimobber]

[quote source="/post/11709/thread" timestamp="1432925957" author="@whoofit"][quote source="/post/11706/thread" timestamp="1432921513" author="@mojospeople"][p]Not sure why my reply ended up in the quoted text. Oh well.  [/p][p]Neither of us is thrilled with road riding (too many years on motorcycles seeing the craziness of drivers) but they came on this trip because of the rain in the forecast and Midwest trails are likely to get closed if wet to avoid trail damage. Figured the pavement would be dry if we couldn't mtb.
[/p][/quote][p]Thanks and right back at ya'! [/p][p]
[/p][p]Which Juliana did you own? We went out a few weeks ago and looked at the Furtado. I think she wants to ride that one again before buying anything. Not really well appointed with the Sektor. The Safire we have not ridden yet. I had a bad experience with a broken frame warranty on my last Stumpy so Specialized will take some time to heal in our minds. Plus, after busting through two freehubs on my Fatboy Pro under warranty. They made nice in the end though.[/p][p]
[/p][p]She rides a simple Myka Comp for now since ~2011. She doesn't really want to upgrade but knows it takes more cash to do the likes of Highland. It crawls well though. No mods.[/p][p]
[/p][p]The downhills here can be amazing. The climbs can be brutal. Enter the highly modified Bronson C. Never looked back so far. Except once when she drove off an eight foot ledge to the waterline. Still smilin' though![/p][p]
[/p][p]
[/p][/quote][p]I had an "original" '02 Santa Cruz Juliana Superlight in scuba yellow - so the single pivot. Loved it! Rode it for nearly 10 years and by the end nothing on it was original except the frame and front derailleur. One of my friends just bought the Furtado last weekend. She's in love! [/p][p]
[/p][p]I don't think Specialized is making the Safire anymore. I've really liked it - very sure footed and confidence inspiring. It's being replaced by either the Rhyme or Ruze ....don't remember which. We've been Spec. riders mostly because the best LBS is a dealer - husband is wrenching for them now.  They took care of his broken Stumpy last year and we were surprised because we didn't think it would be covered. That Fatboy is so cool! Tons of them here.  Husband couldn't wait for Specialized to get it to production so he could upgrade from his Pugsley so he went with the Salsa Beargrease. He likes it so much that he put a fork and 29+ wheelset on it for his summer hard tail. I have a Mukluk too and am jealous about how nice the BG is in comparison. He is currently texting me photos of the new Rhyme trying to get me to upgrade from the Safire.

To keep this thread about LL CL, the reason for our camper purchase was to facilitate our love for traveling to mountain bike and my desire to be closer to the trail head (in the campground) but not in a tent.  Maybe someday we will have to meet at some trail to camp and ride. So many trails, so little time!
[/p]

[whoofit]

[quote source="/post/11709/thread" author="@whoofit" timestamp="1432925957"]

[p]

To keep this thread about LL CL,
[/p][/quote]Why? No one else does so why start now?....  Your thread your rules!

[aznighthiker]

Enjoyed your trip report and your cycling adventures. I added a 27.5 hardtail to my fleet. I have some friends on the Kathy trail in Missouri and some others riding GITAP next month.