The Lakeville race with kids

 The race L-M-L was the first race in the gravel season on my wish list in this year. But in the last moment the  life corrected my plans  (Dan got sickness) and I have to switched my plans and went with my girls to the short distance of the race (40 miles course).  And this will be good training lessons for Nadia (almost half distance from Almanzo 100 in our wish list on the May)
This race  90% gravel roads, about 2000 ft elevation gain.
This article less about race and more about how to ride long distance with your kids. What to take with?..

Gravel ride for my soul

 I am really tired from city... I'm so missing about my "Belorussian" style of ride. And today I decided to fixed it. I took Yeva, bike and trailer. I found on the gravel map (what a great map!) some place with gravel not far away from my house . Drove to the Elm Creek area, parked my car and just  going ahead.. Garmin 1000 ( what I got from Dan on the Christmas ) the best thing... You no need to worries  to making route  and keep in the mind where is your car...
I was surprised to get first road what is historical Downtown Maple Grove.
During the 27 miles of my ride I will few times see some historical places (I love it, I love history).

Actif Epica 2017 .

 Actif Epica 2017  was not in my plans. I had free entry for AE  which I won in the raffle at Arrowhead 135  few years ago. But could not to do last year (Yeva was too small to leave her without me)
But when my friends Thomas Woods( I met Thomas first time in 2013 during the Actif Epica race)  wrote at FB that he planning to go (2 weeks before the start ), I decided to ask him about carpool. And he said that he is OK about carpool. Next step find place to stay. I asked Doris Nelson  (me and Amy O. stayed at her house last visit) if it will be ok to stay at her house? And she was so nice to let do it for us . She was volunteer in this year

Night water butterflies . End of the season

Night water butterflies . The season #6 is over.
I really love this  meeting with my friends. The time which we spent together..


I love Cedar Lake

Arrowhead 135 , 2017

Arrowhead  135 (AH)  have a  special place in my heart.
2017 it was my 4th try and 3rd finish.
Every AH never was easy.
2014 - DNF (batteries in my light was dead, I had cold night at my bivy and get frozen butt) report here
2015 - Diarrhea 2nd women finish . At the 1st check point I bought prune juice and rest of the race had terrible diarrhea )
2016 -  SuperMom  finish 3rd 7 weeks after Yeva was born with the stop at the check points for feeding baby and pumped my milk during the race (it was brutal race and I proud of myself) report here 

Lake Minnetonka from the beginning by the end

It was my old dream to ride |crossing Lake Minnetonka.  I rode across small lakes before, but always wonted something BIG )
 It was fun to find someone who want to go with Steven Steichen, I never saw or rode with him before. But I found him in a group where is guys with good experience of adventure .
  The weather was perfect. In the morning was little cold, but by the end of out trip was really HOT!

Valenki against 45 north boots

I made 14 miles ride with test drive my Russian wool boots Valenki against 45 north .
Russia against USA ))) flat pedals against clips . Cheap against expensive.
Russian wool boots this is what my grandparents wearing , what every family have in a small towns. All my childhood time we had this at family . It was boots for outside ( when in winter time you have to go outside for the firewood, to do stuff outside and, of course, to go to the restroom ( yeah first 15 years in my life we have only outside restroom ))
I really love this boots . It keeps my feet warm, have space for the extra#3,#4 pair of socks.
For really cold temperatures it will be right choice.
Need to thinking about how to make them work with clip pedals )