Night Ski

Last night I was finishing up a fat bike ride as it was getting dark, tonight I was finishing up a nice outing on the cross country skis.  Last night there was very bright moonlight, tonight it was very dark because of the thick cloud cover.  There was also almost a foot of fresh snow.  Oh, and last night the temperature was right around zero degrees... tonight it was 30!  

Zero Degree Moonlight Ride

Testing out my new bike light at the tail end of a 3 hour ride today.  It works great!  Really lights up the trail nicely.  If it was a little warmer out I would have kept on riding for a while longer.  But, after 13 miles with a LOT of hills I was ready to call it a day.  The view of the rising moon on the last stretch of trail was a great way to end an awesome ride!  

First Tracks in Fresh Snow

First tracks in fresh snow are the best!  I got out for a couple of hours on my backcountry skis yesterday to enjoy the snow we received the day before.  It was cold (the temp was zero degrees when I got back to the car) but the forest was absolutely beautiful.  

Orange Lichen on Lucille Island

Last night I was looking for some images for a client and I came across a batch of photos from the Susie Islands that I never did anything with.  It was fun seeing these photos and the memories that came flooding back from the time spent making them.  It really made me long for summer too.  This particular image I'm surprised I never did anything with because the colors in it are so striking.  The photo was taken from Lucille Island within the Susie Islands archipelago in Grand Portage, MN.  The view is on the south shore of the island, looking east towards the direction of Isle Royale National Park. 

Evening Ride on Upper Fluvial

Out for an evening ride on Upper Fluvial Trail at Pincushion Mountain in Grand Marais, MN.

High Falls Ice Abstract

Grand Portage State Park, MN - The ice formations at High Falls continue to impress, especially now that cold weather has finally returned!  During the January warm spell, the ice at the waterfall was dwindling and starting to look rather dingy.  Cold weather has freshened it up nicely, however, and new ice is being formed once again.  This photo shows the ice that is forming just to the right of the main channel of water that is still flowing.  The spray and mist that splashes up and lands here keeps freezing and building up on top of itself.  It makes for some really intriguing shapes and textures and it looks different each day!

Shoreline Ride

There aren't too many places where you can ride a groomed fat bike trail right along the shoreline of Lake Superior!  Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, MN.