Pleasantly surprised riding Cruser's Kettle | Cuyuna | Mountain Biking Minnesota

Cruser's Kettle is a new trail this year in Cuyuna Minnesota. My friend Todd and I got a chance to ride it on a beautiful fall day.
My Instagram
/ kyahner
Todd's Instagram
/ likethisnlikethat
Support these trails
www.cuyunalakesmtb.com
Trail Info
www.trailforks.com/trails/cru...

[@SalsaCyclesOfficial]

Nice work, Yahner. Good luck with the surgery.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Appreciate it!

[@ElTerrible2011]

Awesome feature on this trail. Dialed In and I decided to check this out on a return trip from Tioga. Unfortunately the GoPro died on me instantly so no footage was captured but we were both impressed and had a lot of fun riding it. All those rock solid rock gardens and punchy climbs do make it feel like a pretty taxing ride actually despite it only being like 7/8 miles. Awesome shot of you clearing that pride rock thing, and yeah, that step up double you were casing is huge. Easily one of the best trails at Cuyuna alongside Winze and Sandhog MTN. Great video as always man. 👍🏼

[@KrisYahner]

Doh! Super frustrating when that happens with the go pro. I’ve started running one camera on my chest and one on my head just in case one of them fails. I may look like an idiot but at least I’ll get the shot. Haha! It feels like the toughest climbs on that trail are all at the end. Which makes them doubly tough.

[@bltbiking7448]

I really enjoyed the video. I appreciated the trail review feel of it. That was a very nice added dimension over the typical pure ride video.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[@tjb8841]

Just like your other videos, this one is so well done. The editing, narration, different camera angles etc, really bring the trail and experience to life, so it’s actually worth watching. Thank you!

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Appreciate you saying that. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@travelthenarrowtrail8660]

This was just a sweet run with all those colors in that trail. Reminds me of seeing the Smokies in TN every fall. Great video and I hope your surgery was a success and your feeling better.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! I've only been through TN once but I can see what you're saying. Surgery went well, now just gotta get strong again. 👍

[@WISCOMTB]

We really enjoyed this trail--felt like home. Great to see you take the features with speed. Good ride!

[@KrisYahner]

I can totally see the Wisco vibe in this trail.

[@TheNorthernRider]

I subbed as soon as i saw the MSR gear... haha sick video man I really need to come state side and ride as much as I can. I loved the story telling aspect of your video as well man!

[@KrisYahner]

Haha! Thanks!

[@harrygrimley4352]

This video is still my all around favorite. I watch it often. Hope you and your family are well and have had a happy Xmas. Looking forward to more.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks man! Appreciate it. Merry Christmas to you as well!

[@toddkramer714]

Best video of Cruser that I've seen! Good luck with the shoulder!

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Pretty excited about how it turned out.

[@harrygrimley4352]

Still my favorite video.

[@EricF1984]

Another nice looking video. The fall colors are amazing.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! We really lucked out with the timing.

[@BrianVaughn]

Looks like a good time. Not the typical Cuyuna trail but that is a good thing in my opinion. I think Peter McKinnon would approve that intro.

[@KrisYahner]

Hahaha! Making coffee may be the most cliched KZbin intro and I didn’t want to miss out! It was a good time for sure.

[@jronnei81]

Good luck with the surgery. Shoulder surgery is no joke and I wish you well and hope you have a speedy recovery! I've unfortunately had to have 3 shoulder surgeries :( First two were arthroscopic and the last one was major reconstruction. I've dislocated my shoulder close to 100 times (skateboarding, snowboarding and playing hockey) in my life so I know the pain you've gone through.

[@KrisYahner]

100 dislocations! Damn!!! Not really looking toward to the surgery but I have high hopes that I’ll come out of it stronger. It’s been frustrating to feel like I have to hold back for fear of causing more injury.

[@itsabe11]

Wow you are such a great rider

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks!

[@mattgalligan7702]

Great video! Glad to hear the positivity (is that a word?). When I was up at Cuyuna in August, I saw more than a couple people riding hybrid bikes on the green and blue trails, some without helmets. I imagine they decided to rate it black with big signs to try to prevent total beginners from getting themselves hurt. Good luck with the shoulder!

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Lots to be positive about on this trail. I’m sure you right that some of things you mentioned factored into the trail rating.

[@MinnesotaMTB_]

Another excellent production! Glad you were able to get out there before this "lovely weather came through". Good advice on the features...look before you leap!

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Yeah, this weather has been kinda a bummer. I had a couple of trails left to check off this season. Your video had me wishing that I had made it to Duluth one more time to check out Elys Peak.

[@MinnesotaMTB_]

@@KrisYahner Yes it really has been. I hope your surgery goes well and to a speedy recovery to get you back on the bike and onto Ely's Peak!

[@driftlessareasingletrack2933]

Cuyuna looks soooo good, great video - thanks for sharing. I had 10 or shoulder dislocations years ago and after Ispent nearly 20 yrs climbing rock and ice, I'm sure its a much faster recovery these days. If I remember correctly I had a Putti Platt, basically they just shortened a tendon or two. Good luck with the procedure, and speedy recovery.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks for watching! I thinking I’m looking at ~2.5 months recovery and rehab, so not too bad and should be plenty of time to be ready to rip next season.

[@ridindirt]

Wow, well done buddy! Really dug the vibe. And way to send it! Throwing some steez in there 🤙🏻. Stoked you can still ride with the shoulder and good luck with the surgery dude.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Pretty bummed that I didn’t get back up north to ride with you guys again at the ridge. But should I be ready to charge again next season!! 🦅🦅🤘

[@ridindirt]

@@KrisYahner yeah next we’ll be flying high! 🦅🦅🤘🏻

[@72SeaHag]

I really enjoy your trail previews/reviews. You have a similar skill level to myself and you actually take on the trail features properly. So many first person ride videos are done by very novice riders; who ride around most trail features and poorly attempt those they have the courage to attempt. It would be fun to ride with you someday.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Appreciate you saying that.

[@Tkolbo_]

Great production as always! Looks like a pretty fun trail, and let me know how shoulder surgery goes and if you need any rehab stuff. I really dig that step down To step up and also this trail looks just like something you’d find at Hixon forest in La Crosse, WI. Which I think was also built by rock solid. I think... great video and glad it helped get your spirits up!

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks man! And thanks on the rehab info. You know I’ll be reaching out. Have you gotten over to ride Hixon forest? I still need to get down there.

[@Tkolbo_]

@@KrisYahner nope I haven’t but my buddy Chad has a few times and said it’s pretty sweet, very reminiscent in what you saw at cruser. Except I guess hixon has a few larger features

[@jasonptitus]

I got a chance to ride it once before the year wrapped up as well. I found it a really good trail too, and didn't even ride most of the harder features on it (broke some bones biking in late June and have that hesitancy you mentioned big-time). Thanks for the video and good luck with your surgery!

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! It’s rough to build that confidence back up after an injury. Just wish I could turn my brain off sometimes.

[@jasonptitus]

@@KrisYahner I'm torn between "is my brain the smart one keeping me from getting hurt?" and "is my brain preventing me from riding something within my abilities?". I'm trying to just roll with it and focus on riding what I can the best I can. Hopefully that will both keep me from getting hurt again _and_ make me a better rider. Silver lining kinda thing (or so I'm telling myself). Thankfully I'm less worried about fatbiking over the winter now, so maybe by next spring I'll have forgotten all about it anyway.

[@porterhouse317]

Great video! I really need to get back up to Cuyuna to check out all the changes. Maybe it will be a fatbike adventure this winter, but it's more likely to happen in the spring. Good luck with your shoulder surgery!

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks Porter! Lots of good stuff happening there in Cuyuna. When’s the last time you were there?

[@porterhouse317]

@@KrisYahner Sadly... it's likely been about 4 years. I need to get up there.

[@Dialed1]

Great Video! At no point did I feel like turning it off, continuously entertaining. Sucks to hear about the shoulder, was this due to a biking accident? I know Sam (Sire single track) And I have both sustained some heavy shoulder blows this year and even a broken rib from water skiing no less. I hope the surgery goes well, I’m sure they’ve got it pretty dialed these days. You made easy work of the lump between the trees, I didn’t even try that with 800’s, It’d be some fancy bar work through there. That send over the rock garden is a blast, I couldn’t get that step-up either, even full gas into it. And your buddies near miss was an epic display; It looked like a twig and berry crusher, hope his man bits are OK. Anyhow good time to get that arm fixed up and it was good you were still able to ride up until the season end. Keep it dialed brother. -Jeremy

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks man! Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, I had a dislocation due to a crash a couple of years ago and then two dislocations this summer. All from mountain biking. Hoping the surgery allows me to get back up to full strength. Todd was luckily to make it out of that crash with no injuries. He made a comment that he was pretty happy with the low stand over height of modern bikes. Hahaha!

[@IdeaRanger]

I love the content you should come up to Chisholm Minnesota and ride the red head trails at the discovery Center

[@KrisYahner]

I got up there once last season. It was great! I shot some video but I've been having trouble getting it finished. Hopefully it'll be out soon.

[@Hooverdarnit]

THE SPOON LEFT COFFEE STAINS ON THE PICNIC TABLE TOP. WHAT KIND OF PERSON WOULD DO SUCH A THING? I'M GOING TO HAVE THE FBI LOOK INTO THIS.

[@KrisYahner]

It just adds to the patina. Haha!

[@themtber3912]

nice vid I subscribed!!👍

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! Appreciate it

[@themtber3912]

@@KrisYahner check out my channel👍

[@harrygrimley4352]

This was one of if not your best video. Thank you. Sooo wish I could get out there. Just picked up a Marlin 6 on Sunday. Don't know when I'm going to be able to ride now. Most trails are closed. Do you think a Marlin 6 could handle that trail ? Looked like a blast.

[@KrisYahner]

Thanks! I appreciate that. Congrats on the new bike! That bike could handle this trail and every other trail at Cuyuna. Have fun with it!

[@harrygrimley4352]

@@KrisYahner I just need a new summer.

[@TProStudioCreate]

What pack do you use? Looks like it is perfect for lugging around all the camera gear, part and snacks one could ever possibly need out on the trails. The new trail is also looking super rad. Sick video man

[@KrisYahner]

It an Evoc Capture 16. It's not super big but yeah, it's been great for riding with a tripod and camera. www.evocsports.com/STAGE-CAPTURE-16/501309323

[@TProStudioCreate]

@@KrisYahner thanks for the info man

[@AlexvonderHoff]

I really dig this trail. Reminded me of the trails near Hayward.

[@KrisYahner]

It's definitely got a CAMBA vibe to it.

[@thim8009]

Pretty cool, I'm around Okoboji in IA. Was thinking about heading up there this summer. Is there any free camping spots? Part of my fun is having my overland rig. Hope best on shoulder, had rotator cuff surgery 2 years ago, no fun, but doing good now.

[@KrisYahner]

I don’t know any specific spots but there’s lots of forest roads in the area so there must be somewhere that you could pull off.

[@joshuarebennack68]

Camping: Not free with a rig, but low-cost. The City of Cuyuna has a great little campground. With the Connector coming online early 2021, you could camp there and never have to get in a car to hit everything. If you want to bike pack, the Cruser's Kettle is on Crow Wing County recreation land. Crow Wing County allows dispersed tent camping on any recreation lands for up to 7 days without moving, so long as you pack everything in/out. That means you could camp on the shores of Lost Long Lake at Cruser's Kettle!

[@KrisYahner]

That’s great info. Thanks!

[@harryingd2674]

When did you film this? I snowed right?

[@KrisYahner]

Filmed this a couple of weeks ago during that first cold snap. Pretty sure they got some snow up there last week.

[@harryingd2674]

@@KrisYahner oh