El Gato returns to his Northfield roots, draws the heat

2011 Cuyuna Lakes MTB grand opening toast: Gary Sjoquist, Hans Rey, John Gaddo, Jeff VerinkThe day I rediscovered mountain biking also happened to be the day I met John Gaddo (AKA ‘El Gato’). It was the grand opening weekend of the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails back in June of 2011 and he was chauffeuring Hans “No way” Rey around, one of his many duties as a QBP staffer. I happened to be at a Crosby, MN pub when he and Hans came in for beers and dinner with Gary Sjoquist, Advocacy Director for QBP and Jeff Verink, sales rep with GT Bicycles. John told me he grew up in my hometown of Northfield, was into bicycle trials, and we’ve been colleagues ever since.

For more on that day and weekend, see my first ever Mountain Bike Geezer blog post: Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Festival grand opening: John Gaddo and Hans “No way” Rey dazzle the crowd and my photo album of John’s bicycle trials exhibition:

John Gaddo bicycle trials exhibition

So when John got a new Surly Instigator a couple weeks ago, he was eager to return to his hometown of Northfield MN where he honed his urban trials skills as a kid and ride some of technical features along CROCT’s new Sechler Park MTB trail. Last Friday, it was my turn to do the chauffeuring.

Griff Wigley, John Gaddo

John Gaddo, urban rock garden

Three videos and 39 photos tell the story best. Yes, there is a hoosegow element. 

Video 1: Riding some of the technical features along CROCT’s Sechler Park MTB trail

Video 2: On the paved trail through Riverside Park in downtown Northfield

Video 3: Urban trials at local college, with a brief visit to Northfield’s graybar hotel

Album of 39 photos:

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2 Comments

  1. Jeff said:

    Love seeing at the trials tricks and what not. A few of those moves I want to dial in myself. Just need to practice.

    March 26, 2015
  2. Griff Wigley said:

    Glad you enjoyed it, Jeff.

    You might enjoy this video by the 7-time National MotoTrials champ Pat Smage, showing what he can do on a fat bike in the snow:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAvS-rrzcMM

    March 27, 2015

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