A story in the paper about a Fat Tyre race in the North Routt county attracted Brandi’s attention
Let’s do it ? I thought she was joking really, and it stayed out there in the wind - but no - she was not joking and soon we were looking at the web site, and then at gear needed for the race.
First we needed bikes - a visit to Orange Peel sorted that out - two fat tyre bikes lined up
A Carbon Salsa - (28lbs - 12.7kgs) for Brandi and for Geoff a Scout KLT (30lbs - 13.6kgs)
Now to enter - find the web site and fill out the details, pay the $75 dollars - and were in !!
Two of 45 racers in total - with 11 doing the long ride (105miles) We entered for the 50 mile race (or as Dallas called it - the pussy event)
Ok - so what gear do we need ? Lets start at the bottom.
Shoes. We both have mtn bikes shoes but we are heading out into the wild backcountry of North Routt around Hahns Peak, and the winter average temperature is -9 degrees C. That’s like some of the coldest nights in winter for our Tuesday nite rides. But of course we know that it could be as low as -25 degrees so footwear will be really important to our survival.
Google here we come. A lot of looking around to determine what will work best. Another visit to Orange Peel and then back to the net.
Our final combination.
Super glue the xtra cleat holes in the bottom of the shoes - stops the snow from penetrating into the shoe
2. Cut some heavy duty tinfoil to fit as the first layer in the bottom of the shoe
3. Put in some special heat retention insoles
4. Insert our normal formthotic insoles
5. Wool socks, and the final article
6 . a heavy duty of Endura Overboots - ordered on line and arriving just the Thursday prior to the race
Ok - the feet are sorted - what about the hands? On the net we see mtn bikers with great sets of full heavy duty pogies. It seems the best way to keep the hands warm but they aren’t cheap and how may times are we going to use them - mmm - probably just the once , so the expense is not justified.
What is the solution ? I know from experience that a set of plastic bags works really well but it does not seem to be the best solution. Stuff bags - reusable and with our hands inside with ski cloves on I think we could survive the 25 below temperatures that might expect.
Next - body clothing. Start with merino wool layers, add a vest, a riding winter top and puffer jacket in the pack along with wind jacket. Seems simple enough - better add a xtra puffer in the backpack.
What about the legs - cycles bib, long johns, and then XC skate pants (got some light weight ski over trousers in reserve)
So to race day. A 4.45 start - it’s a hours drive to the start at the Hahn’s Peak Roadhouse.
Arrive at about 6.30 for the 7.00 start. It’s blowing and snowing. Quick reassessment of the pants brings the ski over trousers into play and Brandi goes for the ski goggles and an extra layer. Both prover to me mistakes.
Bikes off the truck, a quick trip to the loo and then packs on and out into the falling snow.
We line up with the folks doing the 105 mile ( 11 crazy souls ) and the other 32 doing the 50 miles. No fanfare, pipe bands - just a 3 - 2 - 1 and go.
Roll down the road into the wind and blowing snow - not hurrying to follow the front as we plan on a slow and steady 50miles. All to soon Brandi is hot and we stop and strip down - googles - gone for the day and the xtra layer as well . My parka stashed on the outside.
Up the first hill and it’s only a short distance before the whole field is walking - well at least the whole field we can see. The leaders are gone.
Up and over and then down to Columbine. Tricky riding in the snow and just before the paved / packed road Brandi takes her first tumble (many more will happen during the day)
Paved / packed snow road for a km or so and then onto County Road 550. Read - snow covered snowmobile road. Now it’s good to be early on the road before the little noisy monsters arrive.
A hard pack line exists from those who have gone before and the riding is easier now but it’s still really single track riding and any deviation of the hard pack and the riding is all but impossible - mmmm is 5 psi to much pressure. Yes that's 5 psi ( remember we ride mtn bike about 20psi and road bikes about 80-100 psi.
We work hard with a couple other groups to create our own line but the going is hard. Finally we arrived at the checkpoint.
Temperature control has been problematic - the temperature is hovering around - 3 degrees C. Not cold by local standards but our internal temperature most be hovering around 103 degrees.
At the aid station we scoff a couple honey stingers, a cup of hot water and move out.
Now we are back on packed single track - all alone in the wilderness. The riding is relatively easy right now but any movement off the track and the front wheel dives in and wants to pull you down. The back wheel follows and a crazy back and forth across the track begins to try and regain control - sometimes yes and others no and more quick step outs or simply crash into the snow.
All to soon the big climb of the day looms out of the falling grapple. Yes just in case you forgot -it’s still snowing. Grapple (read frozen rain or hail) - it’s noisy on the pulled up rain coat hood, or snow flakes blowing in the wind. We are now up at 2,900 meters and our walking companions tell us the top is just head - 1/2 mile or so. But is it really the top - yes and no.
I declare a lunch stop - well its a brief stop. Not sure of the temperature up here but hat and rain hoody are both on so the the temp is down now. Probably around minus 10-12 degrees C.
Down steeply. Brandi walks the bike down and I ride the back wheel hard skidding down the track in the deep unpacked, and then it is up again. Back up to over 2,900 m and we wander along the Continental Divide for 4miles or so before we start dropping
The road down is a easy grade and we enjoy some riding at last. A small bump out of a creek and the first and only 105 miler passes us. He seems to be in a hurry and disappears immediately. We check with our wandering companions later and they saw him briefly as well.
Continuing down we appear to be riding into a low valley cloud. No - it’s a huge flat open space. California Park.
As we wander out into it our companions are mere ghosts yet they are only 100 meters or so away.
We are in the white room - falling snow, white everywhere, cross wind and its almost impossible to see any definition - where exactly is that track? The ghosts continue ahead of us until we enter the forest. I know they have a GPS which is somewhat reassuring as we have not seen a course sign for many hours - just some faint lines in the snow.
We chat for a minute and then continue. I’m not sure where we are on the map in my mind, but we cross another empty space with the roar of snowmobiles everywhere ahead of us.
What time is it ? The skies are getting darker - must be a bit after lunch. NO - wrong. It’s 4.37. We have been moving constantly for 9 hrs 37mins so far.
A major intersection and we turn onto the a road the was nice riding on the way in, but now ripped up by snowmobiles it is hard to find a comfortable ridable line. We are taking turn about it seems with our two companions. Finally a low pass leads us into the Columbine Basin and home and the finish now seems real.
5 miles of easy travel brings us to the checkpoint - a nice comfortable building with 7 bikes outside. I thought there was just 4 of us out there.
Beef chili, hot water a biscuit and we hit the road. Pour the remains of the themos into the water bottle and drop it back in the cage ( We had learnt to keep the bottles upside in the cage to assist in having the water flow - still it’s been frozen for some time and we have to unscrew the cap to get any water at all)
Headlights on. We know what’s ahead - a small bump - it’s pushing we know for 10mins plus but half way up we are caught by a couple guys who jump on their bikes. It’s our incentive as well and with the worst of the climb behind us we soon roll over the top and start dropping down towards home. 6kms to go The riding is good but the lights feeble so we have still to be careful and as we zig zag down the back with the lights of home in the distance.
The final kms are on hard packed roads - a delight to ride - and we hold hands briefly with expressions of love over our shared adventure.
We turn into the Hahns Peak Roadhouse to a very enthusiastic welcome by Jon - the organiser. He is excited that we rode the race - on rental bikes with no recent bike riding and that we ‘stuck it out’
Then he is gone and we retreat into the Roadhouse with a change of clothing, and relax over a beer while waiting on our dinner. Well actually a shandy - still have to drive a hour to home.
Our day on The Bear.
The numbers from my Garmin (not sure if they are accurate because climbing the hill we were moving at less than 1km per hr so it may have gone onto auto pause but the time is correct.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1390447975
Distance 63.42km Time 7:27:53 Elevation Gain 1,639m
