GoPro Hero8

Mar 3, 2020

I'm going to make a few updates to this post as I get started with this my GoPro.

I took the Hero8 out for a couple rides, and used GoPro's Quik app to create edits. Not a huge fan of Quik, it is fast and easy, but not flexible and the output is short ... this will not work with a long ride. Here's a sample video:

The image quality is outstanding! In the edit, check out the section with the camera recording my face. It is super smooth, but look at my arms and you know I'm hammering through rough trails. 

I ended up buying the Protective Housing. To me, this is a step backwards. The Session was very durable stand-alone and that was a big feature. With the Hero8, the lens is not replaceable, and that's a major concern considering the kinda rides I like to record with my GoPro.

For reference, here's a before-and-after of the lens replacement on my old Session.

Feb 26, 2020

This is a short post about replacing my broken GoPro Session and buying a new Hero8 using the GoPro TradeUp program.

I placed the order on a Saturday (Feb 15); I printed the shipping label and dropped it off at the local UPS Store the same day. It took a week for the package to arrive at GoPro, arriving on Friday (Feb 21). They shipped the Hero8 on Monday (Feb 24) and it arrive on Wednesday (Feb 26).

All in all, a smooth and quick process; and saved me $100 on a brand new Hero8.

Arctic Fever Fat Bike Race on Lake Minnetonka

February 23, 2020 was the rescheduled race date after a blizzard postponed the January date. I was excited for the date changes since the original date was Lisa's birthday weekend, and I couldn't make the race. 

This race is roughly 13 miles mostly on Lake Minnetonka ice, with some bushwhacking single-track, and some miles on the regional trail. The race hosts will drag a sled over the course, but it's basically riding the lake snow with no grooming. 

All smiles at the start line

Pre-race, I rode out around the point on to the main bay and felt like my ~6 psi pressure would be good on the snow conditions. 

I know the start of this race can be a shitshow, so I put myself near the front of the start area. I was a little shocked to see that after the start sprint settled down, I was in the top 10-15 rides (odd place for me at any race).

I was doing well until we hit the Big Island and the snow seemed to get deeper and softer. Or I just started getting too worn out from the effort. I hit the slush a bunch, nearly every fall let another rider or two past me. 

Conditions were rough for everyone, lots of falling and dabbing from all riders. Melty mashed potato snow, trying to follow the line made be the rider in front ... It turned into the longest log ride ever. Plus a few sections of just walking the bike. 

As we left the deep snow by the Big Island, I started overtaking some of the riders that passed me. The last on lake section on Carson Bay had us go under Minnetonka Blvd bridge on polished bare ice, with a low bridge deck. I was worried about hitting my head on the bridge, so I was sitting on the top tube kicking with one foot praying I'd avoid hitting that ice. Back on the snow, everybody was forced to walk the route around the bay, the snow was simply un-ridable. To get off the bay, we had to climb a steep 6-foot bank onto the trail. 

We finished with 3 miles on the Lake Minnetonka Trail which was a total disaster of slush and peanut butter limestone. My drop-bars we an advantage as we were riding into the wind to get to the finish, I was able to pass a few more riders on the way back to finish line at Excelsior Brewing.

Back at the brewery, I enjoyed a slice of pizza and a beer while I tried to hold off the shivers. I didn't stay very long because I was getting too cold. I biked to/from Excelsior for the race. The ride home was real tough being soaked to the bone and spent from the race. The temps were dropping, and I knew I had to get home before it got too much colder. I took the roads home since I knew the trail was awful. I had to make a point of pushing myself hard to keep my body warm enough ... it was a serious case of mind-over-body. 

All-in-all, it was a great day of challenges and pushing myself with conditions I've never raced.

Gotta say I'm very pleased with the results from my first race of 2020. Placed 22nd of 119 finishers (over 200 registered). Typically I'm very middle of the pack at winter races, so this was kinda surprising. Link to race results - http://www.gopherstateevents.com/results/fitness_events/results.asp?event_id=940

My face at the finish line said a lot about this race

Gearing up for the Arrowhead 135

It takes an odd person to get excited for sub-zero temps ... But I'm that odd person. But there's a goal to this odd excitement - the Arrowhead 135.

Valentine morning we had temps ranged from -18F to 0F. I took this as an opportunity to go on a long ride - Hopkins to Victoria and back on the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, just over 30 miles total. I was out for just under 3 hours without any stops to go inside.

Frosty selfie

My trusty drop-bar Pugsley (it'll get flatbars before AH135)

Here's the gear that I used on today's 30 mile ride.

The CamelBak Lobo (3l) is great, layered under my jacket and vest with insulated tube. I need to blow air back in the tube after drinking to avoid freezing in the tube.

For my lower body: Zoot tri shorts; team bibs; Ibex wool knee length tights; Pearl Izumi AmFIB tights

Upper body: Podiumwear Arrowhead team jacket; REI base layer; Smartwool mid-weight; Twin Six long-sleeve wool; Podiumwear wind breaking vest. I would like a little more wind/cold protection over my belly; after the ride, the skin on my stomach was red and very cold.

And for the extremities & tech: Garmin 1030; Garmin Varia Radar; NiteRider 700; Skull Candy Methods (all tech held battery fine in the cold - Varia & Methods are not on the AH135 pack list, just the light I had with me). 45NRTH Toasterfork; Smartwool skull cap; DAMn swag buff; bike helmet. Smartwool expedition weight sock; 45NRTH Wölvhammer; Planet Bike Comet boot covers.

Sports Beans worked for me in the cold, but the Pro Bar Bolts were hard to eat

Almost ready for January 2021 ... I'll just need to ride 105 miles further, on snowmobile trails, through the remote Northwoods of Minnesota.... OK, I still have a lot of work to do!  

The Filthy 50 - Fastest Fatbike!

2019 Filthy 50 Overdue Post (forgot to publish)

I have loved The Filthy 50 since my first trip to ride this race in 2016. Trenton is an amazing race organizer and host. He attracts the best people to his events. The Filthy 50 is like an autumn reunion of the 'gravel family'.

At the start area for this year's race, I was milling around when a rookie rider asked about my Garmin. We started talking and she let me know that this was her first gravel race. She had a ton of questions and I was happy to share my experience and knowledge. Funny thing, every couple minutes, we'd be interrupted by another rider calling out 'Chris!' and stopping to exchange greetings. It was a very warm and happy feeling to have so many people stop to say 'hi' - I'm honored that this pack of gravel weirdos accept me as part of their family!

2019 was a new course and host town - Lanesboro. Great change, I didn't think it could get better than Stewartville ... Lanesboro showed me that there's another level of awesome!  

We started with temps around freezing with the threat of snow/rain mix. Happily, the precipitation held off for the first half of the ride and was never as punishing as the 2018 conditions. 

I started the race looking to podium for fatbiking men, so I rode out strong. In fact, after the first climb at mile 5, I was getting too hot. I opened my jacket and put my gloves in pockets. I rode with bare hands up to around mile 20, until we turned into the strong winds. 

Early miles with bare hands

The early cross-winds were really ripping, I was happy to have drop-bar to get under some of that wind. Groups had really been split up, I spent a lot of miles riding by myself.

Rolling throw the check point - I've got a podium goal, right?! 

I rolled back into Lanesboro in the snow, riding by myself. Turning the corner to the finish line, and there's Trenton with arms open. He let me know that I was first place, and I dropped some R-rated language in response. After the hug, the best thing was Trenton telling me to go pick up my bag of meat (prize for first place) 

The podium with my trusty and fast drop-bar Pugsley! (2nd & 3rd hadn't finished yet) 

I told Trenton that he needed to promise we were coming back to Lanesboro and this course next year. It's that awesome! (spoiler alert, 2020 will be back in Lanesboro)

I was 92rd place of the 429 people checked-in for the 50-mile route. 348 riders finished The Filthy 50; 81 riders who took the start, did not finish (DNF).

I'm so happy to be the fastest fatbike, but as a bonus, Trenton shared the following in a race recap:

A brand new Filthy course means new Filthy records!

Fat Bike Men - Chris Nelson - 3:34:50

I'm gonna have to go back in October 2020 to defend my course record! 

YouTube link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qs9ghpc5j8&t=5s

The End
(lame joke, I know, but I'm not sorry about it)