The Northwoods Ramble

After an injury that kept Seeley Dave off the bike for a few months, he is back rambling with a new co host and new direction for the show. In the intro to this episode, Dave is joined by his dog Cowboy. Later in the show Dave visits Greg Smith at Everyday Cycles in Milwaukee, where they look over Dave's new Omnium Cargo V3, which is set up specifically for dogpacking. Greg also shows off a new Omnium E Mini-Max V3 and some cool Omnium accessories.

Thanks as always to my buddy from Butternut...

Well, it’s been a month since the last Ramble. I guess that is better than the two months between show 9 and 10. Anyway, Seeley Dave and TJ are back for Northwoods Ramble Show 11 and a review of the winter that wasn’t. 2024 started with a New Year's Day paddle down the Namekagon River for Dave and Liz. With almost no snow this winter, we go snow whale (swale?) watching to see the huge piles of manmade snow the Birkie has stored and intends to spread out to create a 10K loop for the 50th-anniversary. TJ explains how labor-intensive the Birk...

After a hiatus of almost two months, Seeley Dave and TJ are back on another Northwoods Ramble. In this episode, TJ gives an end-of-the-year overview of the new Trek Trails powered by OTM at Telemark. Dave goes back to the 414 for the 22nd annual Santa Cycle Rampage. The show includes some Santa Shenanigans, but Dave misses out on perfect black ice on the south end of Lake Owen while in Milwaukee, and wonders if chasing the ephemeral is a healthy behavior. Dave also gets out the packraft and does his first winter bikerafting trip. TJ then talks about skiing...

In this episode, Seeley Dave heads to Wausau for the Ironbull Red Granite Grinder to photograph the 144-mile course and interview participants at the finish. After those interviews, Dave talks with Ben Welnak at his cool A-frame Airbnb about this year's Acorn Mast, deer hunting, and fishing Slab Crappies on Moose Lake with Drew from the Sawmill and recants a tall tale or two about wolves. The intro and hyperborean update on Life Above 8 is recorded in his 'Merica garage for a change of pace.

Sawmill Saloon

Tour de Chequamegon

Manitou S...

This episode features an interview with return guest Josh Rizzo of The Nxrth.com website. We record that interview outside at Home Base Lodging at Mt Telemark and discuss the cool new trailside lodging there as well as go through the remaining regional gravel races of the season on his website’s calendar. First though, Seeley Dave gives a fall seasonal update on Life Above 8 that includes the Cable Fall Festival, his recon rides on the 2023 Tour de Chequamegon route and he gets into the modifications he has been making to his Yuba Sweet Curry to turn it from an...

This episode opens with an update on Life Above 8 that includes a discussion of the Chequamegon MTB Festival that just finished, including the new route. The intro also includes some photos of current flora and a couple of photos from Seeley professional nature photographer Paul Ostrum. Dave then interviews Michelle and Dwayne Allgire of Pedal Power Adventures after they complete riding the Wisconsin Waterfall Loop he developed.

Chequamegon MTB Festival

Pedal Power Adventures

Wisconsin Waterfall Loop 

In this episode, Seeley Dave gives the latest Update on Life Above 8, including some news about the Valhalla Beach Party Route, then has an interview Josh Rizzo of The Nxrth.com. Josh was up from Eau Claire with his brother and both of them were "working from ROAM" at ROAM Adventure Basecamp. He lets us know how that went, talks about the amenities at ROAM and then we get into his website, and ramble about some different bikepacking topics.

In the closing segment, Dave gives a shout out for the new Standing Rocks Enduro, Aug. 19th.

In episode 5, Seeley Dave interviews Ben Welnak, who started the popular Mountain Bike Radio podcast. Ben talks about how he landed in Hayward after living in Colorado, the guys also ramble about the similarities between Durango and Hayward.

Ben's sauna rentals: Northwoods Sauna

Ben's vacation rental properties: Up North Stays

Turtle Flambeau Flowage Camping Sites Marinette Waterfall Loop route collection

Dave also welcomes back TJ, who gives and update on the new green trail up to the top of Telemark and the new downhill runs that are part of the Trek...

In this show Seeley Dave interviews Joel Harrison and Daryl McNutt from New Moon Ski & Bike Shop in Hayward, WI. They chat about New Moon taking over the Hungry Bear gravel race, some improvements New Moon can make with their greater resources and what is going to stay the same.

After the interview, Dave reviews the different sleeping pads available to borrow from the Bikepacking Gear Lending Library.

Thanks as always to my buddy from Butternut, Hugh Robert Masterson for allowing me to use the Northwoods song by Hugh...

In this shorter solo episode of the Northwoods Ramble, Seeley Dave goes through all the things in the bikepacking gear lending library that he has put together. Seeley area community members and visitors can borrow or rent this gear to try bikepacking without having to invest in all the expensive camping equipment and bikepacking-specific bags for something they may not like or have time to do often enough to justify the expense of owning everything. In this episode Dave describes the tents, quilts, air mattresses, bags and other gear, explains how they work, and their benefits and features.

For our second Northwoods Ramble, Seeley Dave and TJ are joined by Joe Vadeboncoeur, who after 30 years with Trek is now working with TJ at the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation to build a mountain bike park at the site of the former Telemark Lodge. In this show, TJ first gives an update on the Ride The Keweenaw Family enduro he and his daughter races in Copper Harbor, then we all talk about the new Trek Trails powered by OTM (One Track Mind Foundation) at Telemark Village. Joe also gives a solid overview of the Epic Bike Fest coming this...

In this first episode of the Northwood Ramble, Seeley Dave and TJ discuss six long months of winter in the Northwoods, how much they enjoy the relatively fast pace of spring now that is finally here with all the ephemeral wildflowers, fawns, fox kits and bear cubs. They also discuss the community bikepacking gear lending library, which includes a packraft and TJ gives an update on the new Trek Trails powered by OTM at Telemark Village. They also discuss Dave's recent ride with Andy Swartz and the Gravel In Paradise crew over in Mercer, WI, bushwhacking to a new...