Thursday: Arrival and Setup
We rolled into Hayward on Thursday afternoon, ready to kick off the weekend. Home base was Robbins Ridge Airbnb on Nelson Lake—a perfect spot to regroup, prep gear, and settle into that “weekend mode” that only the Northwoods can deliver.
https://www.vrbo.com/2635930
Machines checked. Route roughly planned.
You know the feeling—it’s go time.
Friday: The Plan (and the Problem)
Friday morning started early. The goal was a solid loop heading southwest, with hopes of connecting into trails near Long Lake. Spirits were high, conditions were good, and everything was lining up for one of those perfect ride days.
About 20 miles in… things changed.
Catastrophic sidewall tear.
Not a slow leak. Not something you patch trailside and keep rolling. We’re talking full failure—ride over, right there.
Normally, this is where preparation saves the day. We usually carry a sidewall slug kit for exactly this situation.
Except this time?
It was sitting back in the X3 MAX. The one we didn’t bring.
The Scramble
From there, it turned into a full-on Northwoods scavenger hunt. Calls went out to every dealership, tire shop, and rental place within reach, all asking the same thing:
“Got a 30x10x14?”
Nothing.
Nowhere.
Not even close.
And honestly—this sparked a business idea on the spot:
There is a real need in the Northwoods for a weekend tire solution.
Stock the common sizes, charge a premium for availability, and be the place riders can rely on when things go sideways.
Because they will go sideways.
Making the Best of It
With one machine down, plans shifted. Ben turned into a passenger, and we made the most of it—because that’s what you do. You don’t go home early; you adapt. More issues came with a rattle. Our aluminum skid plate at the rear of the YXZ lost a couple of bolts and folded under the unit. No problem, 2 10mm bolts and we can take it off and keep riding....well the tool kit was in Ben's X3. Quick stop at a gas station and we are back!
We still managed to get a few hours of riding in, laughing about the situation and chalking it up as part of the story.
The Call That Saved the Trip
Then came the break we needed.
A dealership down in Birchwood had a used tire that would work.
Even better—they stayed open after hours to help us out. Mounted it, got us rolling again, and completely turned the day around.
That’s the kind of service you don’t forget.
We wrapped the day with dinner in Birchwood—tired, a little beat up from the detour, but back in business and ready to ride again.
Saturday: The Ride We Came For
With a fresh tire mounted and zero interest in repeating Friday’s chaos, we got another early start on Saturday—this time heading northeast out of Hayward.
The route:
Hayward → Clam Lake → down the Deadhorse Trail → connect into the Tuscobia Trail heading west → then loop back north into Hayward.
One of our favorite loops—and for good reason.
Deadhorse Delivers
The Deadhorse Trail is everything you want out of a Wisconsin ride if you’re not afraid of getting a little beat up.
It’s rough.
It’s narrow.
It’s raw.
And that’s exactly what makes it such a standout.
By the time we hit it, most of the spring mud holes had dried up, so we didn’t get the deep, sloppy sections you sometimes see earlier in the season—but plenty were still there to keep it interesting.
What really stood out this trip, though, was the terrain.
Rocky stretches, tight sections, constant feedback through the machine—it’s the kind of trail that keeps you engaged the entire time. No zoning out. No easy cruising.
Just pure riding.
Tuscobia Return
After Deadhorse, dropping onto the Tuscobia felt like a reset—faster, more open, and a great way to cover ground heading back west.
From there, we looped north and made our way back into Hayward, wrapping up a full day that felt like the exact opposite of Friday.
No breakdowns.
No scrambling.
Just solid riding.
Why It’s Always Worth It
Trips like this are a reminder of why we keep coming back.
You can plan every mile.
Prep every machine.
Pack every tool.
And the Northwoods will still throw something at you.
But that’s part of it.
Because when things come together—like they did on Saturday—it makes every setback along the way worth it. Oh, and we also got a little supper club action at the Ranch in Hayward, Old fashioneds and prime rib? Yes please!