All posts by Tom Kolesnik

I'm just a guy who has a passion for producing videos that capture the adventure of all forms of cycling (especially fat biking) and other outdoor endurance pursuits. “If It Was Easy Everyone Would Do It” is often heard from those who enjoy meeting difficult challenges and persevering when others might not. This is what motivates me as an endurance junkie and videographer!

Great Fatbike Riding at the Bur Oak Trail (now “Oak Ridge” Trail)

December 16, 2016 Tom Kolesnik 2 Comments

This past Sunday was a great day for us fatbikers in the Winnipeg area of Manitoba, as we got the chance to ride GROOMED WINTER FATBIKE TRAIL again in our own ‘backyard’ on one of our favourite trails … (former Bur Oak Trail – now called “Oak Ridge Trail) at Birds Hill Provincial Park!

Now we’ve ridden this trail in the winter before, having packed it by snowshoe and then riding our fatties slowly round and round and round until it was possible to ride with ‘flow’ … so it was today with a bit more packing making it more groomed than usual.

I first connected with a crew of six riders new to me and most of us regulars. They called themselves the “Pinoy MB Fatbibers” and Tito, Drex, Sam, Trek, Jovil and Ador were keen to check out the trails, so I lead them around the main track …

The early morning lighting and fresh snow on the trees had created those special winter vistas that you only really get to appreciate when you are out on the trail.

After a fun ride with the Pinoy Crew, I connected with more arriving fatties …

Once again I link up with a new crew, but this time most were regulars (Peter, Greg, Janice, etc) and off we went …

Of course, it wasn’t long before we connected with our very own fatbiking ‘Photo-ambusher’ Gregory McNeill …

Actually, it’s always a good time for a hot apple cider break when Gregory’s ‘at work’!

Once we turned back toward the south, the bright sun made for some surreal views …

We cruised the newly groomed sections and put in the tougher effort to ride to the narrower and tighter curved sections that had only been snowshoed in so far …

A full lap of all the trail sections takes 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours depending on conditions, pace and number of hot apple cider breaks :-). Anyways, back to the trail head we went …

Just in time for me to connect with two new fatbikers who had just arrived, but missed another group of regulars who were heading off lead by Keith Holm and “Lou Fatinsky”

Angie W. and Chris F. showed up ready to roll with goggles, mitts and balaclavas at the ready (excellent start!). So I lead off onto the main groomed section … north from the trailhead parking lot, but accessed first by going out the west side of the lot by the trailhead sign and then taking the first right onto the singletrack trail for a short east leg of 100 metres before the trail heads north and west.

Chris was right behind me on the way out so he was in view of my rear GoPro video camera.

Chris lead us back and Angie followed with a wide smile on her face the whole way! Yup, the saying is true … “Everyone who rides a fatbike wears a huge smile”!! 🙂

We met up with Keith Holm’s crew and more introductions to our fun community of fatties were in order and partaken.

To top off our day’s adventures on the trail, we had a close encounter with Mike on his fat tire unicycle … that guy’s got skills! 🙂

Back at the trailhead we all marvelled at our amazing luck to have taken part in the first real day of groomed winter trail fatbiking in the our local Winnipeg and Eastern Manitoba area! Good times and more ahead! 🙂

Groomed Trail Ride

Fattie Fun ahead on the Bur Oak Trail – Sunday 11 Dec 16 at 9AM

December 10, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Alrighty folks, there is some serious fattie fun to be had tomorrow, Sunday 11 Dec 2016, at BHP Park on the Bur Oak Trail! 🙂

Wayne Bishop and 2 Wheel Revolution are planning to be out at Bur Oak by 9:00 AM and packing-grooming the trail by various means (snowshoe and fatbike) until around 11:00-ish.

Fat bikes only, please (borrow, don’t steal, one if you have to). Narrow tires (less than 3.0 inches – though 3.7 and more is ideal) can and usually do ruin soft snow trails. Remember the Park Pass!!” Btw, it looks like at least a ‘six-pack’ of fatties are already planning (says Fbook) to attend.

If you haven’t experienced the sweet Bur Oak trail in the winter, check out our video from last year (even Cdn Cycling Magazine took notice!):

Global Fat Bike day, Pictures

GFBD Ride Bys and High Fives

December 5, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

There are lots of great pics and vids yet to be shared from our 5th Annual Winnipeg Global Fat Bike Day Ride. But first, here’s some up-close and personal snaps of my fellow Winnipeg GFBD Fatties as they make Ride Bys and give High Fives as they cross the Esplanade Louis Riel Bridge enroute to our group photo-shoot rendezvous with Gregory.
Yes Charles, we always include you too bud … but, hint – crowd source! 😉

* Btw, that’s the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in the background.

Group Rides

Bur Oak Group Trail Ride – Sun 4 Dec 2016 1:00 PM

December 4, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Some riders are heading out to Birds Hill Prov Park today, Sun 4 Dec 2016 at 1:00 PM to check out the sweet Bur Oak Trail – complete with a fresh dusting of new snow. 🙂

Look out for Gregory and his ‘photo-ambushing’ skills! 😉

It should look a lot like this (enjoy) …

Btw, Bur Oak is a BHPPark recognized winter trail for FATBIKES ONLY! MTBs would just leave grooves behind ;-( So bring your fatbike and keep the tire pressures low (less than 10 PSI) and enjoy the fun! 🙂

Global Fat Bike day, Group Rides

That was a big fat GFBD blast!

December 3, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Our 5th Annual Winnipeg Global Fat Bike Day Ride was a Big Fat Blast! We had over 75 riders connected with our main ‘Media Loop’ and our 3 separate routes after that all ended at our chili-fest hangout!

There lots of pictures and videos floating around already, but for now … here’s our Group Picture captured again this year by our very own fatbiking photographer Gregory McNeill:

Global Fat Bike day

Time for our Winnipeg Global Fat Bike Day Ride – Sat 3 Dec 2016 – 11:30 AM

December 2, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Giddy up ‘Fatties’, it’s time for 5th Annual Winnipeg Global Fat Bike Day Ride on Saturday December 3rd 2016 starting at 11:30 AM at the Forks. We had 70+ rider out last year and we had a blast, so let’s make this year bigger and better!

We will meet at The Forks Canopy/Tower Atrium area at 11:30 AM, organize and head off on our ‘Media Loop’ at 11:45 (led by Jason Carter, Keith Holm, myself and others) to ride across the Esplande Louis Riel Bridge to arrive at 12:00 at our usual Group Photoshoot on the East side of the Red River down from the St B Cathedral, where our very own Gregory McNeill will be waiting to capture our gathering and then we will ride south behind the St B Hospital to the Norwood Bridge and the “Green Bridge” back to The Forks.

There are then three riding route options:
SHORT “Hop, Skip & Jump”: Forks to the BDI Bridge and ‘Casa Fat Tom K’s Place’ for a “Chili-fest” pitstop. Route 8 kms via the Churchill Parkway with Lori and Tom K leading.

MEDIUM “When Ducks Skate”: Forks to the Assiniboine Park Duck Pond and back to the Forks, then south via the “Hop, Skip & Jump” Route to the “Chilli-fest” pitstop. Route is 26 kms to Tom K’s Place, with Keith Holm leading with assistance from Brian Dyck and Big “Lou”.

LONG “Barclay-Burchill-Gauld Maraton”: A special “Quest” Route designed and lead by Jason Carter. Route is 42 Kms and my take as long as 3 & 1/2 hours to return to the Forks (less for speedy and crafty folks), then south via the “Hop, Skip & Jump” Route to the “Chilli-fest” pitstop or via vehicle if you parked at the Forks.

This is a ‘Fat Bike’ event, so ideally you will be riding a fat bike (3.7 inch tire width +), however if you don’t have one yet, you have a few options:
1. Sign out a ‘Demo’ Fat Bike from a conveniently located Bike Shop – White Pine Bicycle Co (http://www.whitepinebicycleco.com/) located in the Forks Terminal Building. Brendan at WhitePine has offered them for free use in connection with our GFBD Ride and will be there at our 11:30 gathering.
2. Ride your MTB and we will welcome you to see what all the fatbiking fun is about … we know you want one! 🙂

Here’s the Press Release:

Fat Photo of the Week, Fat SKills Clinic, Pictures

Fat Photo of the Week

December 1, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Gregory McNeill went ‘all patriot’ this week to capture the coveted – FAT PHOTO OF THE WEEK honours!

Check out the Canadian Flag with Liam Mohan getting ready to issue the next ‘challenge’ to the assembled riders at the 4th Fatlevels Skills Clinic of 2016 …

Informative, Media

Hey New Zealand – we know you’re watching …

November 27, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

So I did something today I hadn’t thought to do since we started our FBM website last December 2015 … I checked the website STATS. Well now, thanks to Gregory McNeill’s cool pictures and more sharing with our FBM FaceBook group and FBM Twitter account, our visitors and views are SKYROCKETING this month … and hey New Zealand, we know you’re watching! So come on over and join us for some fatbiking fun and adventure! 🙂

* End Nov 16 Update … the “Gregory’s a Star” effect = almost 7000 views!

Fat Bike Race

MB FatBike Race Series – Got my ‘Tee’

November 26, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Look what I ordered and just got … saaweeet!

Wayne Bishop and the 2wheelrevolution folks are putting on a series of three Manitoba FatBike races this winter … all on sweet groomed trails thanks to the Wildcat Groomer he has recently picked up and a ‘sled’ to pull it ta-boot!

Exciting times for us Manitoba ‘Fatties’ and any fellow like-minded folks in nearby provinces and states!! 🙂

Group Rides

FAT LEVELS SKILLS CLINIC #4 “Masters of Mud & Snow” – SUNDAY 27 NOV 2016

November 23, 2016 Tom Kolesnik 2 Comments

How does the song go? “Let the good (FAT) times roll, Let … !” 😉
Fatlevels Clinic #3 was BIG success last week, onto #4 and here it is:

“Masters of Mud & Snow: Fat Levels Skill Clinic #4
Sunday NOVEMBER 27 at 1:00 p.m. at

IF it is dry conditions: St. Norbert – MEET at Sunrise Cafe & King Express, 3564 Pembina Hwy, on Elise Ave and Hwy 75;

[ IF it is wet conditions, we will go to Burr Oak – decision will be made on this thread next Saturday. ]

[ DO NOT use the train bridge to access the St. N. trails!! CN & RCMP are just about a ruthless as a real train! We will show you the safe access route. ]

Late Comers: Indicate that you will be late on this thread and we’ll set up a text system to let you know exactly where we are. Super late comers may be better off starting from La Barriere park.

Liam Moham will instruct using the St N trail system that awkwardly connects to the La Barriere systems. This area is a main fat bike playground when the river is frozen, so we will explore it when the leaves are down and the riding is a bit easier. Excellent trails for newbie riders, with longer gravel road sections/Brunkild Dike for Actif Epica training too.BYO food, hot drink, and/or cash for post clinic java brew.

Fat bikes only, please (borrow, don’t steal, one if you have to).

Fat Photo of the Week, Fat SKills Clinic, Pictures

FAT PHOTO OF THE WEEK …

November 22, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Once again thanks to Gregory McNeill for snapping this week’s … FAT PHOTO OF THE WEEK!

Here it is: Liam Mohan, our intrepid Fatlevels Skills Clinic #3 ride leader giving us a sweet demo how to ‘catch some air’ on his fattie and with style no less!

Event, Global Fat Bike day

5th Annual – Winnipeg Global Fat Bike Day Ride: 11:30AM Sat Dec 3rd 2016

November 21, 2016 Tom Kolesnik 1 Comment

Giddy up, mark your calendars and get ready for our 5th Annual Winnipeg Global Fat Bike Day Ride on Saturday December 3rd 2016 starting at 11:30 AM. We had 70+ rider out last year and we had a blast, so let’s make this year bigger and better!

We will meet at The Forks Canopy/Tower Atrium area at 11:30 AM, organize and head off on our ‘Media Loop’ at 11:45 (led by Jason Carter, David Cobb, Keith Holm, myself and others) to ride across the Esplande Louis Riel Bridge to arrive at 12:00 at our usual Group Photoshoot on the East side of the Red River down from the St B Cathedral, where our very own Gregory McNeill will be waiting to capture our gathering and then we will ride south behind the St B Hospital to the Norwood Bridge and the “Green Bridge” back to The Forks.

Details are yet finalized, but after the Media Loop, their will be a variety of ‘short-slow’, ‘medium’ and ‘longer-faster’ ride route options and opportunity to ride over a period of one to three plus hours, with ride leaders and ‘back of group’ guides.
We also hope to have a social connection aspect to the ride, which can involve venues at The Forks (details pending) and a local ‘Fatbiker Friendly’ home location (details pending).

Here’s our 2014 Wpg GFBD Ride Video:

Here’s our 2015 Wpg GFBD Ride Video:

This is a ‘Fat Bike’ event, so ideally you will be riding a fat bike (3.7 inch tire width +), however if you don’t have one yet, you have a few options:
1. Sign out a ‘Demo’ Fat Bike from a conveniently located Bike Shop – White Pine Bicycle Co (http://www.whitepinebicycleco.com/) located in the Forks Terminal Building. Brendan at WhitePine has offered them for free use in connection with our GFBD Ride and will be there at our 11:30 gathering.
2. Ride your MTB and we will welcome you to see what all the fatbiking fun is about … we know you want one! 🙂

Check out at our FBM FaceBook GFBD Event – HERE
Also check out our brand new Twitter Account – HERE

MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW, BUT TIME TO GET READY!
SEE YOU ALL THERE!! 🙂

Fat SKills Clinic, Group Rides

FAT LEVELS SKILLS CLINIC #3 – SUNDAY 20 NOV 2016

November 16, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Since 25+ of us had such a good time the last two Sundays, we have called for a third!

Masters of Mud: Fat Levels Skill Clinic #3
Sunday NOVEMBER 20 at 1:00 p.m. at THE FORKS – MEET ON THE GREEN BRIDGE
Late Comers: Go to the Paddling Club on Churchill Drive and Redboine, then follow your nose to find us.

Liam Moham will instruct using the south bound trail route towards BDI, with lots of stopping to “segment” the trails into challenging parts that inhibit the elusive “flow”.

BYO food, hot drink, and/or cash for post clinic java brew. Fat bikes only, please (borrow, don’t steal, one if you have to).

Fat Photo of the Week, Fat SKills Clinic, Pictures

FAT PHOTO OF THE WEEK …

November 16, 2016 Tom Kolesnik Leave a comment

Thanks again to Gregory McNeill’s photographer skills (while riding his fatbike no-less!),we have a winner for our new weekly contest … FAT PHOTO OF THE WEEK!

Here it is: Guy ‘Muddy Guy’ Anthony in the lead as 25+ of us fatbikers are about to cross the Louis Reil Esplande Bridge (Cdn Museum for Human Rights behind) during our 2nd FatBike Skills Clinic of 2016 on 13 Nov 2016. Will that be our last ride before the snow flies??? It’s all good to us! 🙂

Fat SKills Clinic, Video

FatBike Skills Clinic VIDEO: “An Introduction to Fat Bike”

November 11, 2016 Tom Kolesnik 2 Comments

Check out this very slick video “An Introduction to Fat Bike” which was filmed by Brandon Landgraff (our fellow fatbiker Ken’s son and video enthusiast) at our recent Fat Bike Skills Clinic and which he specially edited for our viewing pleasure – thanks Brandon! 🙂