MEA 2016

MEA, the fall break for the kids, always is one of the highlights of the fall. Can't remember not missing a year we have gone out duck hunting at least one or two mornings, if not every morning for the kids (as it has been the past two with Jens and his friends). Outside of that a super busy week with the end of cross country for Jack, hockey starting for Jens and keeping the wheels moving in resort action.

Every year we try to spend a night out in the open sleeping under the stars. The school schedule is never the same each year. Some years we will have a Monday off or maybe a random Thursday outside of MEA maybe in September. This year the kids had Monday off of MEA weekend With favorable weather, Jack, Jens and his friend Drew and I decided to head out island for a night under the stars.

We got out early enough for an evening shoot with a bit of luck not before staking out our area to reside for the evening.

Evening fire toasting buns as the bratwurst gets nice and crispy. 

The temp dropped down nicely, below freezing, making for a chilly night. A early wakeup for Drew and I to take the chill off by the fire warmth after fueling it and keeping an eye on Jens and Jack with them inching near the warm coals during the night. There was a lot of action on the nature front with geese flying in the middle of the night, owls, coyotes and wolves howling, and early morning trumpeter swans making a sound as if someone was beating canoe paddles on the lake.

Thick fog greeted us in the morning, making for less than ideal conditions for hunting but as said before, being out in a part of nature is what it is all about.

I had to get back for chores so Jack and I paddled back into the fog. When we hit the middle of the lake you could not see land in any direction. Having paddled back and forth a hundred plus times, we knew were to go but it was still a bit eerie and another awesome moment in nature.

More great nature scenes heading back through the woods including the rising sun filtering through the forest and morning fog.

Frosty scene in the low areas on the way out.

Snacking on deep fried battered duck later evening back home. Actually was the first time trying this. Tasty.

The weather the month of October and going into November now has been incredible.  I resumed new mountain bike trail building, both with machine and by hand on the east side of Maplelag, getting out any spare time I had. Did get caught in the rain one day and the new soil damp from the wet fall not good for movement and bobcat isolated for a few days until it dried out again as there was no way I could pull out in my location other than a winch.

Nice mix of hand built and machine build, should be a fun loop with some neat features and terrain.

MEA week saw good friend Bruce Adelsman reconfiguring and updating the wireless network at Maplelag. Bruce is a great friend and does a lot of behind the scenes work. The photo is quite appropriate. A privateer that does a lot more than people realize for the silent sport scene in Midwest. www.skinnyski.com

Saturday snuck over to Wadena to hit up the Blacks Grove. Jens had hockey and didn't make sense to head home and could of stayed in town but worked out nicely to hit up the race. Fun old school course, put on by a lot of great people, many on the Maplelag Mountain Bike team.

Jonell went down to LaCrosse over MEA weekend after a stop in Duluth to visit Jake than catch Jon's game in LaCrosse. Jon playing with Austin of the NAHL.  Off to a great start and having fun.

I can't remember the riding being this good locally so late into the fall, in particular early November. Fun ride with fellow team member Ben Olson late October. Always good hard rides with him!

Jack's last race was a wet one, running in the rain at Jonell's home town of Park Rapids. Few years ago it was snowing. Not quite cold enough this year but nice running conditions nonetheless and a beautiful, good spectating course. Jack geared for a great ski season next...

MEA weekend was Jonell's birthday and Monday night we celebrated this amazing woman.