Summit Cheeseburger!

My Goal: The Summit of Pilot Knob

Inspiration: Sam's Summit of Electric Peak

As I was browsing my Google Reader I stumbled upon a shared post by one of our MORBID members that now lives in Montana. I thought the concept was awesome, eating a cheeseburger on top of a mountain. But, I lived in MN and we really don't have much elevation above 2000 feet. I dug around the Summit Cheeseburger site and saw a list of summits, then I saw the link to MN. I thought of Eagle Mountain and started thinking about how I could get up there and get a picture. Then I saw that there were lots of different Counties listed. Hennepin and Dakota both listed 2 summits. I clicked on Hennepin, both were obtainable, though one is kinda a ghetto location. I then clicked Dakota, Buck Hill, the popular ski hill in Burnsville and then I saw it. Pilot Knob.

All I had known about Pilot Knob was that was a road that ran through Eagan. But I learned a lot while researching my summit attempt. Read more about Pilot Knob here. Apparently I have been nearly summiting Pilot Knob for years and had no idea how close I was to this monumental accomplishment. Earlier in the week I ran attempted a summit up the Eastern face on my ride home with out the extra weight of the cheeseburger and to scout the location. As it was right on my ride home, like the summit is about 300 meters off my route, it made for an easy side trip.


After scouting the location I found that the Eastern face would be my best bet to summit. I decided I had to do it this week, but when. Tuesday I had the weather against me, downpours and wind, killed that attempt. Wednesday I worked from home since my puppy was getting fixed. Thursday would have to be the day. As I packed up the night before I made sure to have my camera and also to figure out the best location to get a cheeseburger.

Thursday AM I had plans to get breakfast at Seward Cafe with some friends and then head into work. I must say, the French toast is awesome there. The perfect breakfast to attempt a summit of this magnitude. After breakfast I worked my way toward the river, escorted by Scott, and then down the Mississippi River towards Eagan, and Pilot Knob. As I passed near Pilot Knob I knew today was going to be my day. I was at work and showering before I knew it and the day was ticking by. I couldn't wait to start my ascent of Pilot Knob.

The work day was nearly over and I needed to figure out the best way to transport my cheeseburger. The cafeteria burger would have been good but I really had no way to get it there. So I settled on going to Starks and picking up a burger. By the time I reached Starks on this Thursday night I realized that I was in trouble. I was in my Gore jacket and tights. There had to have been 40 bikes out front and I am talking about the motor kind. Not good for a kitted up commuter to go in and get harassed about. I blew by Starks defeated.


I hung my head low and slowly paced down Hwy 55 into the wind. I was nearly a mile away from my turn off of Hwy 55 when inspiration struck. Super America. The gas station. They usually have a cheeseburger, and they usually aren't half bad. I decided to check it out. I went in and saw it. There were 3 left. I grabbed one and paid the $1.89. Back on the bike!


The cheeseburger gave me a 2nd wind and I was off. Feeling good about summiting the Knob. And that is what I did. I wound through the rolling foothills of Eagan and Mendota Heights towards my turn. I turned my bike left on Acadia and headed up the slope towards the top. I saw the Cemetery in the distance and knew I was close. I approached my final summit and gunned it. My Surly gave it all it had and we did it! Reaching the top of Pilot Knob with cheeseburger in tow. Only one part left. Eat the cheeseburger.


Om nom nom nom... Okay the cheeseburger wasn't the tastiest thing I have had but I can't complain too bad. I was sitting on top of Pilot Knob, a sacred place for the Native Americans in the area, in the middle of Acadia Cemetery, eating a cheeseburger on a beautiful fall day in Minnesota watching the airplanes land at MSP airport across the Minnesota River Valley.

Here are a few more pictures of my summit and ride home. Enjoy.

Summit Cheeseburger Set.

Rainy Tuesday

So I didn't ride into work today, I got a lift from the Ms. We had to drop the puppy off to get spayed this AM. Bob Barker would be proud. Everyone wish her good luck and fast healing!

But I did bring the bike and gear into work to ride home. Sure makes me glad I put the fenders on a few weeks back, and the waterproof panniers. A wet MacBook would be bad.

I stumbled across Minnehaha Bags the other day via Fat Cyclist. At first I saw the Shoulder Bag and thought it was a Rapha product. Looks like something they would produce. From the address on the website it looks like the Minnehaha Bags people are the same as the Banjo Brothers people. Nice stuff. I may swing by Hiawatha Cyclery and check one out on the way home.

Also for all you Gmail users, Mail Goggles: New in Labs: Stop sending mail you later regret. No, this is not a joke. Look under your labs tab in Gmail. I suggest some of you turn it on. :D

Need a new Klein for Dad? I bet he would be pretty excited to get this one:

Also, I found this on my favorite CO2 makers' website: Keg Charger. Bikes and beer, not that much different. Gotta love Genuine Innovations.

Next up for beer for me after plowing through so many Oktoberfest is the ROGUE Double Dead Guy. The little label on the back tells me that it is best to be drink with some sort of pig.

Scott send this over to me the other day, 300to30.com - From the site:

You might be asking: “What is 300 to 30″?

The 300 part…

Well, back in January, one of my 2008 goals, was to log a minimum of 200 days on the bike this year. Right now I’m just 20 days shy of that goal, and it’s only October. It occurred to me on the eve of my last year of being a “twenty-something,” that I wanted to spend this next year logging more miles, more time, and more days on the bike than I ever have before. So what better way than to step up and go for 300? Now I know there are people out there that have ridden 365 or have significantly more impressive streaks, but several trips abroad will cut into my available ride time in a big way this year, so I wanted to be realistic…

The “to 30″ part…

You guessed it, as of today 10/3/2008, I’m turning 29 (happy birthday to me).

Good luck my man, I will be following along.

This weekend is the MORC MTB Summit at Lebanon Hills in Eagan, MN. Come on out, even if you are not a member you should still come out and meet some new people. I will be there with stickers!

P.S. Don't forget to order your new stickers!

-pete

Plan B

It's raining so why not drink! Picked up some Oktoberfest. Erdinger Weissbräu Okt-fest is scrumpdillyumptious. Yeah I went there. I also have some Bell's to try and I am on the lookout for some Surlyfest.

Also if you rode in this weekends Urban Assault Ride, the results have been posted here. Great ride and we can't wait until next years UAR. Team MORBID came in 69th place...uhh 69, that's funny. I have some pictures uploaded HERE for your viewing pleasure.

Speaking of races don't forget to check out the Babes in Bikeland race Saturday at 5pm. Start Behind Bars, end One On One. I know there are a couple MFers partaking in this race.


-MikeyB

Fall

Yep, it is fall, that means it is time to clean the shop area of the basement and drink some Oktoberfest beers.

Oktoberfest #1: Spaten Oktoberfest

I knocked back two of these while cleaning up the basement shop and started fine cleaning on the road bike(which is for sale btw, more on that soon, also the Stumpjumper FSR will also be for sale soon, shout if you want one). I found it to be a good beer that definitely has that German beer taste. It was enjoyable but seemed to make me really thirsty, so I had another. Both were good and I recommend it if you are looking for a good German Oktoberfest.

Next up: SurlyFest.

-pete

Biking With A Punch

Todays ride was from Lake Nokomis to Theodore Wirth Park and back. 32 miles total with 13 of it at Theo. Lunch was at Punch Pizza in Calhoun Village where delicious pizza and Summit Oktoberfest was served.