Camping Adventures with the kids: Or Camping Part I and Camping Part II

Louisiana is hot, so our adventures have been reserved mostly for the winter.  My boys love camping.  I think the word love is an understatement!  All I have to say is camp and they all have their backpacks packed and are ready to go.  They are also full of energy so I decided that we would ride to the campsite.  Some call it bicycle touring, some call it bikepacking.  Call it what you will but we loaded up our rides and went.  The first attempt was a little over the top.  But I wouldn't expect anything else from the Tsunami.    



A little over the top!



To begin with, Newbie keeps track of camping by number, as in Camping part 1.  He is up to camping part 5.   Camping part I involved me loading up the BOB Yak trailer.  The BOB trailer is a great way to haul gear.  It is very stable when moving, aside from the weight of the gear, I barely notice it is there.  The trailer can haul a lot and I pushed it beyond reason.  When loaded properly it is smooth.  It was not smooth.  The draw back is when stopped, it is hard to park and tough to turn around in tight places.  

It just so happened that when we arrived at our destination, I put my foot down on a fire ant home.  I will spare you the gore and detailed photo of what fire ants can do.  In a panic I lost control of the BOB and bike.  Needless to say there was some carnage there with a bent deraillure hanger.  There was also a need for benedryl and some days of pain to follow, the swelling of my ankle was intense.  But this isn't about me, so I powered through.

Vance is a lucky young man with a Porcelain Rocket Booster to haul his sleeping gear.  A shout out to Glenn Charles who donated it to the cause

The boys are great sports.  Nine miles can be a long way with little legs.  It typically involves a stop at the 5 mile mark where we get some refreshments at a gas station.  A snack and a shared soda, sometimes a slice of Hunt Brothers pizza.

Diga loves the out doors.  He finds toads and bugs fascinating.  I personally hate catching grass hoppers.  Diga, no issues.  This is why we do it though.  I would rather have them running around outside exploring nature than sitting around the house.  

Vance found a stick bug.  It is hard to see but it is there.  The boy loves bugs.

Camping part two was a little different.  I loaded up the Mukluk.  Admittedly a slower ride with a 1x10 30 tooth crank.  But I was riding with an 7 year old and 10 year old.  I carried almost as much stuff and it is extremely stable.  The Mukluk is an amazing bike and the Old Man Mountain Phat Rack and Porcelain Rocket handle bar bag are delightful.  I have always loved the Jeff Jones Loop H-Bar on that rig.

The area we went camping had done some tree maintenance and there were some large limbs strewn about.  They were green still and wouldn't burn well but the boys didn't know that.  They spent time gathering these limbs.

Team Work!

I suppose in a few years, if they read this, they will find out these wouldn't burn.



And more team work.

House Hold 6 brought Newbie out.  They all ran around and then we started the fire.  I allow them to poke at it.  I don't know anyone that isn't mesmerized by a fire.  In case you are wondering, she brought the chairs, those were not in the panniers.  The run around until they absolutely crash.  Newbie  is usually the first to tap out and go to bed.  

On morning of Camping part two there was a soul crushing wind so only Diga and I rode home.  Nater and Newbie hitched a ride.  I really only think Diga did it for the snack at the half way point.  He is an easy one to bribe.  A slice of pizza and some root beer and he is in.

Using the drops to get out of the wind!  I love this guy!!!

Current State of the Surly Ogre

The guys at Surly did an outstanding job when the came up with the Troll/Ogre concept.  So many times bikes are single purpose built.  While they can usually be altered to fit various needs, they don't work very well.  In comes the Surly Ogre:  a Jack of all trades and a master of most.

A few things worthy of note:  1.)  It does not take fenders and 29er MTB tires well, you can use a decent volume touring tire and fenders fine.  I don't use fenders so I don't care.  2.)  If you use a smaller tire there is clearance with the front derailleur, if you use a mountain bike tire it will rub on the front derailleur so you need Monkey Nuts to provide clearance.  If you plan on using both, set it up with the Monkey Nuts for chain length....I learned this the hard way by setting it up for road and and then needed a new chain when I put on mountain tires.  Aside from that the world is your oyster.

The original idea was that I would use a 45c tire and a 48 tooth chain ring so I could go really fast.  This was also done with the intent of riding it on RAGBRAI.  With the swap of the tire, I could also hit the trails if I wanted.  I was concerned about clearance with the 48 tooth setup, but didn't have any real issues since the trails around here don't have big rocks or stair step type drops.  So for the first year I had a more road specific setup with smaller tire and this worked well for me. My concept of commuting bikes has changed.  I will post pictures next week.

Surly Ogre road/commuter 2012 Irish Tsunami edition major bits and pieces:

Crank set/BB:  Shimano Deore 48/36/26:  This has the Hollowtech crank arms and the chain rings are stamped.  Not the smoothest shifting but I it is hard to find a mountain bike crank with a 48 tooth chain ring....plus it was cheap.  It cranked.

Wheels:   XT Hubs and Salsa Delgado Cross.  I love these wheels, I have had numerous sets made over the years. Salsa got out of the rim business so I will be sad when these pass.  They take a lot of abuse and can be used for MTB XC and cyclocross.

Tires:  Specialized Borough XC 700x45c:  Low rolling resistance with some knobs on the side for loose stuff.

Shifters:  SRAM X.9.  Nothing fabulous, I took them off another bike.  I feel strongly either way about them.

Drive train:  SRAM X.9 9 speed rear mech, SLX triple front mech, SRAM chain with powerlink, SRAM 9 speed cassette.  I am not a fan of SRAM MTB parts, the rear mech is weird.  It was laying around and served its purpose.  As far as I am concerned a front mech is a front mech.

Brakes:  I used Avid Speed Levers and Avid Single Digit 7 brakes.  These brakes worked well, which is to say that they stopped the bike.  No real complaints.

Handlebars:  Jeff Jones Loop Bar......All I can say is that I love it.  I will be getting one for the Mukluk!

Cargo Solution:  Porcelain Rocket Mission Control and Booster Rocket.  Great, but I realize I need a little more space for running shoes and boots and uniform.........

A change of attitude:  This past winter I started riding a fat bike to work.  This changed my commuting mindset a little.  I went from a 45c (1.75 inches) at 75 psi to 3.8 inch wide tires at 4-7 psi.  Can you say "rolling resistance?"  This added about 15 minutes to my ride (due to big tires and snow/ice).  This just meant I had to get up a little earlier.  I like the cushion of the ride knowing I would sacrifice a little, but I am only going 8 miles, it is not like I am trying to race or knock out 300 miles.  So I decided to go to a lower rolling resistance MTB tire and I think I have a good speed/comfort ratio.

Surly Ogre Current State of Affairs:

I decided that since I needed to replace the drive train (I put thousands of miles on it), I would spend a little extra and go to a Shimano XT 3x10 speed.  This meant new shifters and crank set, I decided that I would get what I want vs. settling for what is in the parts bin or on sale.  I am pleased with the decision even though it cost a little more.

Crankest/BB: Shimano XT 42/32/24:  This has machined chain rings and shifts with ease.  I was a little concerned about the 42 tooth for commuting, but it has not been an issue and feels light years faster than the Mukluk.  By light years I really mean minutes....but who is monitoring?

Wheels: XT Hubs and Salsa Semi 29er rims.  Even though these said not for tubeless, I did it anyway.  These are considerably wider than the Delgado Cross.  I put some Continental Race King 29er tires on.  They roll really well, at least compared to the Endomorph/Larry combo on the Panzer.

Shifters:  Shimano XT M780 3x10. I love these shifters, I took the little things off that show you what gear you are in.  Personally I think they are stupid and get in the way.  I love the way these shift.  They are snappy and when you push/pull the triggers there is an audible click and a rapid shift. 

Drive train: Shimano XT Shadow+ 10 speed rear mech, SLX triple front mech, Shimano 10 speed chain, and Shimano SLX 10 speed cassette. I didn't specifically order the Shadow+ option which has a clutch mechanism to reduce/eliminate chain slap.  The shop ordered the wrong one and didn't charge for the upgrade.  I may never understand/appreciate the benefits, but I will say that the XT performs so much better than the X.9.  The SLX cassette now has allow carrier for the three largest cogs to cut on weight, that is a minor feature for me.

Brakes: I used Avid Speed Levers and BB7 brakes. These brakes are the industry standard for mechanical disk brakes. 

Handlebar: Jeff Jones Loop Bar......I love it and won't get rid of it.

Cargo Solution:  OMM Rack.  I got a new fit kit for my Mukluk Sherpa.  It works really well.

I love my Surly Ogre, it is the first bike I have owned where I really feel like I can kick around on it.  It is ok outside in the sun and if it gets banged up at the bike rack I will not lose sleep, the Army Green finish is forgiving.  It is durable and overbuilt.....just like me!

Off Road Ride with the Tsunami

The other day I took the Chick and Digga to Sunderbruch Park for a little off road action.  As stated before, I would like to do at least three times the mileage however it is essential that they enjoy life.    The kids were playing with their friends so I figured my suggestion would meet a little resistance.  Digga was in from the get go.  He got a new bike and he loves it.  As soon as the Chick found out it was going to be on dirt she quickly agreed.  

The weather was perfect and the trail conditions were great for this time of year.  I think that overall the trails at Sunderbruch are better for a beginner.  There are less bizarre hazards like random bricks and rebar protruding from the ground. 

  The only thing I don’t like is that there is a little more to the climbs, including big roots on steep ascents.  This is a big challenge for little legs.  Not much more climbing (on the green trails) but more than Sylvan Island.

Vance is a motor.....he took off and just kept cranking.

 The Chick struggled a little, though most of it was mechanical.

Her chain was rubbing and skipping which caused her a lot of frustration.  This is completely understandable.  Also, I purposely purchased a bike that was a little big for her, knowing she would grow into it so her ability to throw it around is limited.  I am toying with the idea of putting on lower profile tires and switching her bike to a 1x9.

Getting them to understand gears and shifting is an ongoing process.  I always talk to them in advance and emphasize that this is supposed to be a fun activity and to work as hard as possible.  I reiterate that even the best have to get off and push sometimes.  I also have to remind them that they need to give the person in front some space.  This is important for two reasons, one is that if the other person falls down you don’t crash into them.  Two is that if the other person struggles up a hill or obstacle you don’t lose momentum and do the same.  These all pretty much fall upon deaf ears.  They will learn…..or crash into each other. 

Can we get to summer?

Today a friend of mine asked me why I haven't been riding lately.  I told him it was because the weather is nasty.  He pointed out that I rode all winter in 30 mph blizzards and 15 below temps, how is 40 degrees and rainy bad?  He called me names and questioned my manhood.

This is what I told him:


Cold and Snow=Simple.   When it is really cold the key to riding is temperature control.  Really cold in the morning and cold at night are easy.  Dress so that it is a little chilly when you start the ride and layer.  I like to bring some extra base layer clothing in the event stuff doesn't dry and it takes up little space.

Warm/hot weather=easy.  Sure really hot can be uncomfortable but you can only take so much off.  A long sleeve shirt goes a long way in cool weather.

Cold/wet morning and warm afternoon=not easy.  It is really hard to manage temperature with out carrying a bunch of stuff in the evening.  Most water proof clothing translates to "water doesn't get in and sweat doesn't get out."  This means potential overheating.  Breathable and water resistant can mean "wet and cold" if there is too much moisture.  Then at the end of the day you have to carry the extra stuff home since it is warmer.

I like to keep is simple, light, and on the bike.  I don't like to carry stuff on my back but I will do it if I have too.  If I don't want to carry stuff on my back I have to use bigger bags and not my Porcelain Rocket bags.  I don't like panniers per se and in the summer it is easy to use bike packing gear like Porcelain Rocket because I carry less running stuff to work.

Tonight rain/snow mix.  It is mid-April.   I am ready for summer.  I need BOB to warm this part of the earth.  I have been shamed into riding again thanks to my friend.  Tonight I will pack panniers and tomorrow I will sweat on the way home.  Sad, I know, but we are ready for summer.

That is all.

Hennepin Canal: Fat Bike Edition

Saturday my wife kicked me out of the house and told me to go for a bike ride.  Apparently I was pestering her and getting the kids riled up.   So I packed up the Panzer and headed to Colona, IL to jump on the Hennepin Canal.  I was hoping for miles of well groomed snow thanks to snow machines (Alaska for Snow Mobile) and the cooler weather and heavy snow fall.  The tow path was a mix of conditions. 

I think I was a day or two late for great conditions, I had been thinking about riding earlier but I do have to work.  There was a mix of conditions from "dry," snow groomed by snow machines, mud, and every conceivable mix of those conditions with a high of about 25 degrees.  The ride was great just the same and I knocked out about 30 miles round trip.    

About 5 miles down the path I hit a stretch of several miles with consistent snow.  It was pleasant going out but on the way back it was a little warmer and the snow was a lot softer.  From an exercise standpoint it was good.   

The canal and locks are quite beautiful in the winter.  At one lock I came upon a bunch of ice "Frisbees."


 If I had to make an educated guess, I would say that as the ice broke up they just circulated around in the current and rounded off.  I don't know that I have seen anything like it before.  The path was nicely covered for several miles before the snow began to break up near Geneseo.

The Hennepin Canal is an interesting place to ride.  I enjoy the historical and engineering aspect of it.  When it was built it crossed a number of rivers and streams, a problem solved by building aqueducts.  Pictured above is an aqueduct built across Geneseo Creek allowing the barges to pass over it.

I think if the snow conditions were right, this trail would be outstanding for fat bikes.  I did see a couple of snow machines on the well covered portion of the trails and a few people as I got close to Geneseo.       

A case of the Mondays on Tuesday and the Case of the Too Short Mukluk Rear Brake Cable

Happy Mukluk!!!

Last Monday was a federal holiday so I got the day off therefore Tuesday became Monday.  It was a balmy 42 degrees on actual Monday in the morning so Winston and I headed down to Sylvan Island to do a little fat biking (different from other types of biking because it is).  We spent an hour zig zaging our way around the island until the sun started to "de-thaw" the trails creating about 1/2 inch of greasy mud which made it very slick.  We headed back to the car and I noticed the wind had picked up quit a bit. 

By 5:00 p.m. it was a full on rain storm turning to snow with 30 m.p.h. winds.  I looked at the weather and the temps were dropping to the single digits with 25-30 m.p.h. winds gusting to to 40 for the morning commute on Tuesday.  I packed my Ortlieb panniers and put a little extra air in the tires after this weekend's stomp on the banks of the Mississippi.  I did this in spite of being being ill.  I was planning on going to the clinic in the morning when I got to post and I figured that I would be sick whether I drove or pedaled.  Then I went to sleep. 

Tuesday (which had the feel of work Monday) morning came and sure enough it was single digits with a 30 m.p.h. wind as advertised.  I decided that I would go ahead and man u,p so I got dressed and left the house.  There was a little bit of snow, only a couple of inches at most.  However it turned out that it was a little dusting on the surface.  It was a perfect start to a Monday (actually Tuesday.....)and the word of the day was ICE. 

The challenge was to stay upright.  It would have been a perfect day for studded tires.  As I rode I noticed that right brake lever would not return to its starting position after I released it.  At one point the lever would not return so I pushed on it and the cable was forced out of the lever.  Based on the cold, wind, and ice I decided that I would have to fix it later.  At least I had another brake, I would just have to remember to start slowing a little sooner.  It is funny how conditioned a person can become,  I don't know how many times I pulled the rear brake with no response from the caliper. 

When I got to work I was coughing so hard that I actually threw up.  I called my wife for a ride home at the end of the day. 

Thursday night as I prepared to ride on Friday I decided to investigate what was causing the cable to stick.  In the warmth of my not so warm basement everything worked fine.  I adjusted some spring tension in the disc caliper.  Friday the cable did the same thing with the exception of popping out.  So I further investigated.  Here is what I found.

Problem #1

The cable routing on the earlier Mukluk frames have the cable on the downtube and coming up to the rear caliper (this was changed on recent models).  It creates something that looks like a P trap on a sink.  It was performing the same basic function.  I cut the cable ties and pointed the cable down.  I then blew through the other end and out came a significant amount of water.  Bam...the water was freezing and the caliper didn't have enough power to pull the cable back through.

 
Problem #2

It turns out that that with the routing and full length cable housing, a standard MTB brake cable is not long enough.  It didn't even come out of the end.  I did a little research and apparently some earlier Salsa blogs discuss this.  I guess you don't know unless you try.  I had already cut the frayed end of the cable off and put it aside for front use later so it was to short.

According to their blog which contains great seat up tips that I clearly didn't read:  "A standard length front and rear shifter cable is plenty long (usually 2000 – 2300mm), and a standard brake cable (usually 1700mm) is good enough for the front brake. Only the rear brake is a concern. Most cable manufacturers now offer a ‘mountain mechanical’ rear cable that is made for mechanical disc brakes (these are usually around 2500 to 2700mm). If you can’t nail down one of those, just go with a ‘tandem length’ rear brake cable. Buy two and keep the spare in your parts bin." 

Monday, I rode in with one brake.  Again it is hard to remember the brake lever is useless.  Hopefully today I will be able to pick one up because we are in the midst of a major snow storm and it would be nice to have another brake.  Yes, I would ride with just one if I have to.

I am going to get an extra cable to put it in a repair kit for the future.

Embrace the Suck: Riding in crazy January weather.

Monday was a pleasant surprise, the weather was improving from Sunday's ice storm. I was able to run 3.5 miles at lunch and ride home in shorts with the 40 degree weather. Tuesday was flat out amazing. The high was 60 degrees and since I drove (my kids schedule isn't always conducive to riding) I went for a 4 mile run at lunch. Down right amazing for the end of January. 

Then we got a dose of reality. Wednesday I woke up to an odd situation; rain in the morning turning to a major snowstorm and 37 mph winds by the end of the day. What was I to do? Drive or ride? That is an easy question.....I opted to ride.   Warm in the morning and freezing at night, two very different scenarios in one day.  The challenge was clothing.  

For the morning commute I decided some Pearl Izumi tights with a water proof front would be a great option.  They also have some insulation so it would be a little warm in the morning but just right for the ride home.  This turned out to be a failure of near epic proportion. It began to rain so hard that the water merely ran down the front waterproofing and filled my boots with water.  One great thing about the Mukluk is that with the fat tires I get a lot of stability on a variety of conditions, on the flip side, the Endomorph on the rear is similar to the stern-wheel boats that once travelled the Mississippi I ride along.  

Stern Wheel Tread Design

This meant that the non-water proof side of the tights worked like a Sham Wow and absorbed most of the water thrown by the tires.  There was a lot of water and since goretex does just as good of a job holding water in as keeping it out and by the time I got to work my feet were sloshing around in my boots.  I spent the day trying to dry them out for the ride home in the blizzard.

While sitting at major intersections, I got a lot of odd looks.  I am all right with that, even though I was somewhat miserable, thanks to the Army I have learned to embrace and enjoy the suck.  The hard part is getting wet, once the boots are full of water you have no choice but to enjoy life anyway.....or be miserable.  

I think there are a lot of miserable people in this world.  I am not one of them.  

Then came the snow....and the wind.  Ruthless wind.  

Fortunately for me all of my stuff was dry after spending hours in front of fans with constant rotations.  While the ambient air was not that cold, the wind and blowing snow was a challenge.  The remainder of the week was just flat out cold, lows in the single digit negatives with wind chills taking them further down.  Not to mention a miserable head wind.

 What happened to nice happy 60 degrees?  

Reality! 

The Greatest (and only) Race I Have Ever Participated In

I don't race. I am not sure why I have never tried, I guess it just never occurred to me. However, the other day I found myself participating in a race of near epic proportions.  At first I didn't realize I was racing but it soon became evident that the other guy was on the attack and racing to the top of the hill as if it were the Alpe d'Huez and he was Fausto Coppi.  I was in no position to counter that attack as I was riding the Panzer with fully loaded panniers and 6 psi in the tires.  The Mukluk is not an agile bike nor does it respond immediately to the mashing of the cranks especially with low psi.   

I saw the man riding towards me, then I turned right.  I paid little attention to him since I see people on bikes regularly.  But then he blew past me as I started up the hill, looking back as if to say "let's see what you got."  Without trying to sound judgemental he did not strike me as the racing type. He was somewhat shabby in his appearance wearing cheap white sneakers that were well worn.  His blue jeans were dirty and worn.  His coat was clearly wrong for racing, a long parka gray, dirty, and dingy. It was unzipped flowing like superman's cape as he reversed the rotation of earth to turn back time in order to save Lois Lane. He is clearly a risk taker based on his choice to go without a helmet.  His steed......a trusty Schwinn Varsity!  Ironically, this bike probably weighs as much as my Mukluk with out panniers, but that is neither here or there.

I briefly thought about pursuing him but settled on the "little engine that could" strategy.  It quickly paid off, about 200 meters into this brazen attack, he pulled off into a parking lot, dismounted and began to walk.  "Slow and steady wins the race" I thought as I passed him.  Then no more than 60 seconds later he blew past me cresting the hill a mere second before I did, glancing over his shoulder as he passed as if to say "take that."  I did and I thought it was over......but it was not. 

We were stopped at a four way stop and when it was our turn to proceed, he sprinted looking over his shoulder to see if I was going to pursue him.  I did not, the Panzer doesn't sprint.  The street narrowed some and there were cars parked which made it difficult to race and we found each other at a major intersection with a stop light.  I travel this route regularly and I have found that it is safest to stay in the lane with traffic, otherwise there can be problems with traffic turning right.  So there I was in the middle of the road, waiting for the light to change when I glanced over and saw Fausto at the crosswalk.  He looked at me as if to say "I got you now sucker" and  before the light changed he bolted through the cross traffic.  When he crossed he looked back at me and I know he was thinking "you lose!"

By the time the traffic light changed and I crossed through the intersection he was gone and the 1.5 mile race was over.    After 36 years of not racing I was out cranked, out gunned, and out maneuvered......defeated by some dude on a Schwinn Varsity.  I have been thinking about this lately, looking for some sort of lesson.  A message about life or the world at large. 

I can't find one.

Christmas Ride and Doing Stuff with Some Success.

I am an active person.  I have a hard time sitting and doing nothing.  The other day I decided that I wanted to make top tube bag that I could put some quick access items in.  I pulled out an old uniform top and pulled the zipper, cut out the back, and went to work designing.  All in all it was a fairly smooth project for a hack and it only occupied a few hours of my life. 

The pattern worked out well and the pieces went together as designed.  

The zipper is a little off center but I can put stuff in it and it zips shut.  That is about where the functional aspect of it ends.  Christmas Day I decided to get out and enjoy the balmy 19 degrees and sun on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi.  The day was great but the top tub bag was a flop.....literally.  As I rode it flopped to the side.  I need to beef up the Velcro and make it so I can tighten it better.  Hopefully I can retro-fit this otherwise it will serve some other function.  Not an epic failure, but a failure just the same.

Aside from my flopping top tube bag, the remainder of the ride was amazing.  I have not lived in the Quad-City area for a long time so I don't know what the usual river levels are but there is no doubt that the summer drought has left it pretty low.  This allowed for a wide range of riding opportunities and the Salsa Mukluk has far exceeded my expectations.

I dropped onto the river bank below the old railroad swing bridge and rode most of the way around Credit Island.  There was a wide range of riding conditions from drifting snow to ice, sand, and larger rocks and boulders.  The width of these tires provide a lot of stability in all of those conditions.  I am particularly surprised with how they handle on the baseball size rocks, these wheels eat them up versus sliding off the side of the rock.  While my 29ers would handle it but it would be rough.   

I found the ice on the rocks and logs to be very interesting.  I am not sure what would cause ice to freeze like this, but the banks were lined with it and it was beautiful.

The top tube pack was not my only failure of the day.  As I rode around Credit Island I came upon a fallen tree with root ball.  I was presented with three options; left through the water, right through the snow, or over.  The water was clearly out of the question and the snow looked to be deep enough to cause problems.  Since the tree was only waist high I decided to lift the bike over.      

As I lifted my 35 pound Panzer over the tree I suddenly found myself in desperate need of traction.  I don't know if the ice broke and then I slipped or I slipped and fell breaking the ice under me.  Either way, I found myself lying on the ground trying to brace an awkward bike and get up off the frozen ground.  This was an epic failure. 

I decided on the return that I would ride around the tree and had far greater success.  Over all it was a great way to enjoy a quiet Christmas afternoon.  Much better than laying on the couch feasting on left overs.

Old Man Mountain Sherpa meets the Salsa Mukluk

In previous posts I have discussed different methods of hauling stuff.  Stuff is another word for junk.  Of course I have used backpacks, messenger bags, a B.O.B. Trailer, Porcelain Rocket seat bag and handlebar bag (not frame bag).  These have all been effective methods some carry more than others and there are so many variables. 

The trailer was great but cumbersome and challenging to park.  If you want take everything inside out of the weather, cumbersome and time consuming but the dry bag is huge and works well.

Porcelain Rocket is great, may be a bit on the pricey side, but there are few companies that do what Scott does.  I guess that falls into supply and demand.  Well made and highly functional.  How much thought can you put into a seat bag....he has though of it all, there is even a rigid plastic sheet in the bottom so gravity doesn't pull your stuff out when you open it.  I also like the minimalistic approach.  I can carry boots and uniform and towel to work in a compact streamlined fashion.  Only drawback is it is not water fast, though the front bag is designed to hold a 10L dry bag. 

Now that winter is fast approaching I have decided it is time for another way to carry junk.  Technical winter clothing works great if used properly.  The right synthetic fleece and jacket can keep you comfy and dry.  Put on a backpack......the wet and cold sets in with the sweaty back and the stuff takes a long time to dry.   In order to ensure I have ample space to carry extra dry clothing and my work attire I have decided to go with a set of Ortlieb waterproof panniers and an Old Man Mountain Sherpa rack for the Muk (The Salsa Mukluk will hithertoforthen be referred to "The Panzer" (the German word for Armor, as in a German Tank or the Panzernashorn).

I typically do a lot of research before buying something.  After all, that is part of the fun.  What I found was that racks for bikes, even those made by companies that manufacture and sell fat bikes, require "manipulation" to fit on a fat bike.  The one exception that I found (there may be others) is the Old Man Mountain Sherpa.  They have specific models for the Salsa Mukluk and Pugsly.  I spoke with John and he was pleasant and quick to respond to questions sent by e-mail.    

It was simple to install with no manipulation required.

The fit kit (aluminum pieces on the left and right side are perfectly spaced.  I put a small washer between the frame and fit kit.  The rack was shipped with the fit kit pieces on the inside of the rack but this would require manipulation, which I was told it could handle.  However, with a hex wrench and a few turns of a 10mm open ended wrench I moved them to the outside.  Perfect. 

The guys at OMM recommended connecting the stabilizers to the seat stays just below the rim with the supplied rubber coated clamps.  I ride and XL and it does not appear that there is a big distance between the anchor point on the rack and eyelets.  I should probably pull our a tape and measure to see if there is a big difference.  After leveling and tightening I put some big dumb animal strength and tried to shift it laterally.  I didn't move so I think I will continue to use the eyelets vs going to the seat stay.  

The Orlieb Panniers with  dry bag construction and roll top will be here next week.  All I can say is that it better snow this year!