Dark 100 Reconnaissance

The Dark 100 Miles of Nowhere is only three days from now!  Please consider donating to the worthy cause to which I'm dedicating my ride:  Camp Kesem via Livestrong.  Camp Kesem is a place for kids, whose world has been adversely rocked by a parent's cancer, to have a week of "normal kid fun" away from the stresses brought on by a parent's cancer battle.

Once again, you can Donate Here.  Please?


Reconnaissance for The Dark 100, a 100 Miles of Nowhere Ride

If you are completely in the dark about what this is, visit HERE and HERE for some background on the ride.  Can I offer you enlightenment about darkness?  I think that's reaching more than even I normally do.

Last weekend I finished the job my brother, Del, and I started last fall, that of scouting the route for The Dark 100.  It would be a shame, plus an embarrassment, to drag several other riders with us for a 100 mile ride IN THE DARK and in rural isolation, only to discover there were issues with the route.  You know, like trail closures or washed out bridges:

Seriously, this could happen, especially this year.  It's been a little wet in Minnesota. Oh THIS picture?  Completely unrelated.  Another trail, another year.  Cheap trick, huh?

Happily, I can report that all is well with the trails we intend to ride.  One area had clearly been under water recently, but sustained no damage:

The Mississippi is raging with spring run-off, yet we are not afraid.  THIS picture really was taken along our route, just 2 days ago.  Implying that the trail is somewhere under the raging waters was another cheap trick.  Please know that I feel quite bad about such subterfuge.

Anyway...

The reconnaissance rides have been a blast!  So I made a little movie about it.  Not to worry, it is only the length of one song.

I'm so excited to share my first Vimeo creation:  The Dark 100 2013 Reconnaissance wherein I show a little bit about our route... but not in darkness. What?  Do you think I'm nuts?  The scouting missions were done during daylight hours, some last fall with Del, and some this last weekend as a solo mission.

The Video doesn't explain the whole thing, but it captures the feel of being on these beautiful trails.  Please remember that this is my first Video production and it is highly amateur!  The very best part of the video is the music, Brother Lee by Citizen Cope, which is a song I've wanted to use for a cycling video since the first time I heard it.  It's a perfect riding song and I have it on several playlists.

Minnesota Has The Best Trails!

It doesn't matter if it's been proven, I know it to be true.  We will be riding portions of three trails, all connected, and here are links to information about the trails we'll ride:

Wobegon Trail
Central Lakes Trail
Soo Line West

So what now?

Visit Camp Kesem via Livestrong and donate to a great cause for kids.  By the way,

I HATE CANCER!

And watch my video on Vimeo: The Dark 100 2013 Reconnaissance

Nancy