We recently polled Nxrth readers in our annual reader survey and asked you what you think is the Northwoods' worst natural disaster. We gave you 3 options that Northwoods bikers are all too familiar and here are the results.
First, here were your choices:
Black Flies That You Can't Out-Bike
There's a certain speed threshold that you need to maintain in order to stay faster than black flies that want to murder you in the woods. For a variety of reasons, sometimes you simply can't out-bike them no matter how hard you try. Going up really long hills, traversing soft and slow gravel, or carrying heavy gear on a bikepacking trip are just a few reasons you may not be able to out bike them. Or sometimes they're just freakishly fast and our legs are no match for them. Is this the absolute worst part of riding in the Northwoods?
Mosquitoes That Kill You If You Stop Biking
Thankfully, mosquitoes are MUCH easier to out-bike than black flies. They don't have quite as much horsepower in their wings and don't have the same physique as flies. But unfortunately, as soon as you stop biking, they attack you by the thousands and even if you're on full on splatting mode, their are just too many and there's no way you're going to get out of the situation unbitten. Are mosquitoes the absolute worst part of riding in the Northwoods?
Cold, Cold, Miserably Cold Winters
As a publication that enthusiastically enjoys and promotes fat biking, should this really have been an option? Shouldn't we just pretend that the cold never bothers us and that the snow is always just a joy and a delight? Yes, winter can be magical, wild, and adventurous, and yes, the sight of fresh snow as you wake up to pour a cup of hipster espresso in the morning can take your breath away. But is it also possible that we also acknowledge that sometimes winter kinda sucks? Well we're not going to officially go on record saying that but we did give our readers the opportunity to voice their opinion if that's how you feel. No judgement. Are miserable cold winters the worst part of riding in the Northwoods?
Survey Results
We emailed our readers to get your insight and these were the results. Our pick for worst natural disaster is mosquitoes but the actual winner is black flies. Then 17% of you weren't ashamed to admit the winters are in face the worst thing about the Northwoods.
Northwoods Worst Natural Disaster:
