tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86583463229490479742024-03-18T17:38:33.705-07:00Troy SzczurkowskiMusings and adventures of a bicycle technicianTroy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-13647944111403941372024-02-22T06:27:00.000-08:002024-02-22T06:27:22.258-08:00Iditarod Trail Invitational 2024... an uncommon adventure<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><li class="vmod" data-topic="" jsname="z0mti" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="PZPZlf" data-attrid="SenseDefinition" data-psd="sense_definition~:&(of a person or activity) not given financial or other assistance."><div data-dobid="dfn" style="display: inline;"><div class="PZPZlf sxr04b" data-attrid="EntryHeader" data-psd="headword~:&unsupported~;&tts_country~:&us~;&homograph_index~:&" style="padding-bottom: 2px;"><div class="kVF6d" style="display: table; word-break: break-word;"><div class="MiCl6d" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; min-height: 36px;"><div class="JgzqYd RES9jf xWMiCc" style="font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 36px; vertical-align: top;"><span data-dobid="hdw" style="font-size: x-large;">un·sup·port·ed</span></div></div><div style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="wHYlTd" style="line-height: 22px;">/ˌənsəˈpôrdəd/</span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="K6GhFd" data-is-bilingual="false" jsaction="BtuVOb:V46pce" jscontroller="jhGntf" style="font-size: 14px; max-height: 0px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; transition: max-height 0.3s ease 0s, opacity 0.3s ease 0s; visibility: hidden;"><div class="b8aKlc" style="padding: 8px 0px 6px;"><a href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=455241588eaade9a&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ACQVn0_XbllbdLEqj9hrzMW3OuwK03k_eA:1708299767985&q=how+to+pronounce+unsupported&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOMIfcRoyy3w8sc9YSmTSWtOXmPU4-INKMrPK81LzkwsyczPExLnYglJLcoV4pfi5eIuzSsuLSjILypJTbFiUWJKzeNZxCqTkV-uUJKvUADUlg_Ul6qApAoAHscgy2EAAAA&pron_lang=en&pron_country=us&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjRvNzGiLaEAxVyFjQIHeRSAQIQ3eEDegQIIhAM" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); color: #1a0dab; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="-1"><div class="S5TwIf" style="border-radius: 6px; box-shadow: rgb(218, 220, 224) 0px 0px 0px 1px inset; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; padding-right: 12px; vertical-align: top;"><g-img class="FamOtd" style="display: inline-block; height: 32px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="YQ4gaf zr758c wA1Bge" data-atf="0" data-csiid="11" height="32" id="dimg_3" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" style="border: 0px; display: block; position: relative;" width="32" /></g-img><span class="fe69if" style="margin-left: 10px; vertical-align: middle;"></span></div></a></div></div></div></div><div class="vmod" style="font-size: 14px;"><div class="vmod" data-topic="" jsname="r5Nvmf"><div class="lW8rQd" style="align-items: center; display: flex;"><div class="YrbPuc vdBwhd" style="color: #70757a; line-height: 22px; min-height: 20px;"><i><span class="YrbPuc" style="line-height: 22px;">adjective</span></i></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li class="vmod" data-topic="" jsname="z0mti" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="csWlI" style="display: list-item; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 25px; padding-top: 5px;"><div class="wHYlTd sY7ric" style="line-height: 16px;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">(of a person or activity) not given physical, emotional or other assistance.</span></div></div></div></li></ul><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi04RA3xHHmeT7HP9dHpimxh6nFILirNWa8UFXYnYY4RNH9q3hJRMCQkj_KUBXAZI1Lnbf-nIchkAIpnPZloTe-rx45GrJYbRxbPdovR3L-G0e-derYQI_p_A3MSl5HocEHoBvCdfq6Relh7LpetkJmPukfLrfvmHuO9cKHO3aTdHl4sD_W97SN8_Lef3I/s5312/20220227_132034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi04RA3xHHmeT7HP9dHpimxh6nFILirNWa8UFXYnYY4RNH9q3hJRMCQkj_KUBXAZI1Lnbf-nIchkAIpnPZloTe-rx45GrJYbRxbPdovR3L-G0e-derYQI_p_A3MSl5HocEHoBvCdfq6Relh7LpetkJmPukfLrfvmHuO9cKHO3aTdHl4sD_W97SN8_Lef3I/w640-h360/20220227_132034.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Pre-race start 2019</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">The ITI '24 unsupported project is something that's been gnawing at the edges of my chocolate fueled adventures on the trail for many years. After 5x 1000 mile Nome finishes and 2x 350 mile McGrath finishes from 8 starts over 10+ years since my first Alaska trip, I've dedicated a chunk of my life to honing my craft of winter travel and gear refinement...and this last aspect is an intrinsic reward of the race to me.</span></p><p><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> 'I yearned to do that - to create my own gear, with my own designs to solve problems in traversing the trail'</span></b></i></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I'd read stories from the pioneers of fatbiking in the golden era; of garage built frames, rims welded together, tyres sewn together and custom components to increase the flotation of a loaded bike on the snow to travel the Iditarod Trail. I've studied these bikes up close in the unofficial fatbike museum at Speedway Cycles in Anchorage and I have to say - we got it eeeeeasy nowadays. I yearned to do some of that - to create my own gear, with my own designs to solve problems in traversing the trail. I've made a bunch of stuff over the years and this unsupported project gave me the opportunity to flex those maker muscles again, along with building a highly refined and functional kick-ass bike with the best modern materials a bike mechanic can afford. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaKnK-ZUEbvDrPWIkK6Ql0NGUq8dRgfThMrCGUGiWpItjiFT7nCZHubWl66l-gLFWP7aoh_dPkO4-q96tqObMHwcXY93gD8mEl7tMM1qo5kSu9_bT-GDH564G64BKAWPytm749YZGc4j4SnD4IO_vGxrmR9LX1xfBZ1Z2BLyJnTjQr9apRDeBlBtnog5R/s5312/20220311_183038.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaKnK-ZUEbvDrPWIkK6Ql0NGUq8dRgfThMrCGUGiWpItjiFT7nCZHubWl66l-gLFWP7aoh_dPkO4-q96tqObMHwcXY93gD8mEl7tMM1qo5kSu9_bT-GDH564G64BKAWPytm749YZGc4j4SnD4IO_vGxrmR9LX1xfBZ1Z2BLyJnTjQr9apRDeBlBtnog5R/w640-h360/20220311_183038.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p><span style="font-size: large;">However, another aspect that is becoming a slight irritant to me is the modern progression of 3rd party support on the trail - sometimes unbidden by well meaning folk. Those early days of the event, where veteran racers would sleep outside with no shelter cabins, or go a long time between resupply - if it was even there at all - that's what drew me in to a yearning for that slightly purer experience with less or no support, even if it meant stretching things out a bit. Put simply - I feel too much support has crept in and is readily accepted by racers, instead of declined. Curmudgeon much? I wouldn't say so of myself, but I think we can do better in terms of what we seek out there on the trail. I can only change my response to support-creep for my own outcomes. </span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There was a quote from Bill Merchant many years ago that sums up my perspective on this - it's not word for word but the emotive is the same: </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">'When you solve too many problems for folks on the trail, you take away some of the reasons for the true adventurer wanting to be out there in the first place and it lessens the experience for them'</span></i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBH-vbuH65Db8DDeDqzW2R-Y4-RiPM38e2q_IXK0bHEUUxdy7w1fagmDV2qWSxMpIKYNlPHDWr7X5YAi54Y2Z2vb0HpsFzzwSJJnp9bZmW2EXFrxckf56B9qo_TAWsyEpvvTrfzjaG5Vl3MmhJGQOrHA4PQJ6dwM-MzMr4Pp00pROChmWC0igIMITkeawK/s4000/P1177964.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBH-vbuH65Db8DDeDqzW2R-Y4-RiPM38e2q_IXK0bHEUUxdy7w1fagmDV2qWSxMpIKYNlPHDWr7X5YAi54Y2Z2vb0HpsFzzwSJJnp9bZmW2EXFrxckf56B9qo_TAWsyEpvvTrfzjaG5Vl3MmhJGQOrHA4PQJ6dwM-MzMr4Pp00pROChmWC0igIMITkeawK/w640-h360/P1177964.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As the saying goes "if it was easy, everyone would do it." There're reasons why its never been done by bike within the ITI race and the cryptic answer lies between those inverted commas above. Tim Hewitt finished unsupported to Nome on foot in the 2013 ITI; Mike Curiak completed a private unsupported bike tour to Nome in 2010. That's it. Mucho respecto to those veteran legends of the Iditarod Trail. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">'</span><span style="font-family: arial;">take something hard and purposefully make it more difficult and pure, all the while simplifying and solving some issues one might encounter by travelling supported or tethered to a safety net'</span></span></b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">For me, I felt the timing was right - the confluence of motivation, desire, competence and sacrifice. Sacrifice? Yes sir - my family have supported me on this whole journey. I'd also felt a little burned out by the 1st place goal, with some shitfuckery in '19 (IYKYK) and a 2nd place that year, then short coursed by Covid in '20 and ensuing issues in '22 and '23 had me on the mat but I wasn't ready to tap out, I just needed to modify MY approach to a performance goal. But why harder, not easier? This race attracts a certain type of person - I'm sure a psychologist could drill down into the uncommon mindset. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So many motivational speakers outline a 'growth mindset' and want to sell you a book, subscription or conference ticket on how to achieve it - I can tell you straight up you need to get out and get after it if you truly want to grow - we each have our own way of seeking out the puzzle pieces. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Iditarod Trail is where I've learnt so much about myself and life in general, in that freeze dried atmosphere.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCiJLnlXor_uMAzTPgMENpgRRk9ZST8-n-F4FZ3XuA4okvGrkQxOMkI25qZNlTX_ww0HFPQsQi5nRIGRWKpAsXLjlJGED2pzgzYr24hM2w-u6YI0Wv3SR_J59arN49H-QkTBALLhG_YOjUP8FhIptm-JQezew6FMOavrxIjmEs15nuhftoWmnN6NgUYUG/s4000/P1010054.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCiJLnlXor_uMAzTPgMENpgRRk9ZST8-n-F4FZ3XuA4okvGrkQxOMkI25qZNlTX_ww0HFPQsQi5nRIGRWKpAsXLjlJGED2pzgzYr24hM2w-u6YI0Wv3SR_J59arN49H-QkTBALLhG_YOjUP8FhIptm-JQezew6FMOavrxIjmEs15nuhftoWmnN6NgUYUG/w640-h360/P1010054.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Comfort at -40C</i></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><b><i>'You are your only option'</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">There is a spirit and a series of rules surrounding unsupported racing and they vary from race to race, however the mantra remains the same - take something hard and purposefully make it more difficult and pure, all the while simplifying and solving some issues one might encounter by travelling supported or tethered to a safety net. Integrity is of the utmost importance. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Am I still racing? Hard YES, but I'm racing for a good time, not a fast time. Efficient movement in every action is an intrinsic reward as every hour I'm out there equals more resources required.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> I consulted the race director to ensure that my unsupported attempt can be done within the ITI race structure, as I prefer the pressure of a clock ticking and the legacy aspect of a metric to record, for the annals of ITI history and for my family. There is a saying within the ITI 'you are your only option' and I feel my unsupported project '24 wholly embodies that motto. Lets deep dive into my rules for 1000 miles of wintry, solo type 2 fun:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ol style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The unsupported racer is to carry 100% from the start, everything they need to get to Nome - no mandatories other than GPS Trace unit as per 'regular' race rules<br /></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">No indoor time (includes outhouses, porches of cabins or schools etc) and use only the shelter that the racer carries or natural cover (trees)</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">No resupply or forwarding of equipment<br /></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">No mechanical support or shipping of parts/equipment</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">No lingering in villages</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">No camping in villages or near cabins</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">No assistance of any kind from other racers or 3rd parties</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The unsupported racer is to ride solo where possible, with minimal/no pairing with other racers - no drafting </span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Any racer applying for unsupported MUST have completed 2x North route and 2x South route in close proximity years</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The unsupported racer is to check in at checkpoints (outside the CP) with minimal time contact</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">GPS Trace unit/Trackleader tracking as per regular racer, to verify location</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">All other regular ITI rules apply</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Breaches are considered a failure of the goal, resultant DNF</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Behaviour must be in line with the true spirit of human powered racing and to remain competitive with the highest level of integrity</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Leave no trace</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Make good choices</span></li></ol><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>'Check your hubris at the door, son.' </i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9e1r9dTBL8tfgfiOu1AQC5C4U6574KcR1-QRyADHuNxN6YRiRKV-v1A6ol6hNYEPk6apYVlvo4iRlUwfAEQZSIJjUkQP3CL3AeO-2CqFIiM4ih4xl_1UrWgRCjIjdgtQty_GgshbnpTWzp21iXZY8go36Hfm527mM4_ofeDD8bftsJHvs3f44pwpqe9t/s2592/20220326_113729.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1458" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9e1r9dTBL8tfgfiOu1AQC5C4U6574KcR1-QRyADHuNxN6YRiRKV-v1A6ol6hNYEPk6apYVlvo4iRlUwfAEQZSIJjUkQP3CL3AeO-2CqFIiM4ih4xl_1UrWgRCjIjdgtQty_GgshbnpTWzp21iXZY8go36Hfm527mM4_ofeDD8bftsJHvs3f44pwpqe9t/w360-h640/20220326_113729.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Fresh after the 2022 Nome finish</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">An unsupported attempt isn't something one boasts about early, if at all - it is very much a personal decision to forego the support, step into another hyper level of prep/focus and also also step up your exposure level to be HIGHLY scrutinised before, during and after the race. You need to do a gut check bigtime before announcing your intention, weigh up your risk vs outcome overall. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Check your hubris at the door, son.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> I feel unsupported is for the challenge within, but at some point you have to announce it publicly so that fellow racers, dot watchers and armchair critics can make some sense of your odd movements out there on the trail...or not. </span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkOvwtkGoKPUkQdNz_vGlYmepSyr5tCRCVlFSSMGYsBjKfgcGBzqCJjOm5HdbvWGMEjp7PU3VCI2FCwKOxZTBg98gyOi4CbLbQK6fY470rlZQ-A_S9sHAx2SZk2OelLmBWsTmZEIW_befqyU4eNo1dAEYvAOoBRptmwR0AdJ8zhVZN2tSq4NNOvmFg9af/s5312/20220306_073725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkOvwtkGoKPUkQdNz_vGlYmepSyr5tCRCVlFSSMGYsBjKfgcGBzqCJjOm5HdbvWGMEjp7PU3VCI2FCwKOxZTBg98gyOi4CbLbQK6fY470rlZQ-A_S9sHAx2SZk2OelLmBWsTmZEIW_befqyU4eNo1dAEYvAOoBRptmwR0AdJ8zhVZN2tSq4NNOvmFg9af/w400-h226/20220306_073725.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQ8ADXI3_RqGvCxVTgdZ5iMERqjULj0-w_weU9bimh-nyeg6jhG1HEUZyuOKLkBHC99GNVYPJGN2loBgiDB_ZyMojoY_41tVMblMrkopMY5ORNzGDe1IagSdUDmTE_v0tphyHYPv4v1z76gBoqUJe6NWhgf6dJXlDxv-ADktTCMOdXWvACJ659U5sjGs9/s2592/20220313_181700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="2592" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQ8ADXI3_RqGvCxVTgdZ5iMERqjULj0-w_weU9bimh-nyeg6jhG1HEUZyuOKLkBHC99GNVYPJGN2loBgiDB_ZyMojoY_41tVMblMrkopMY5ORNzGDe1IagSdUDmTE_v0tphyHYPv4v1z76gBoqUJe6NWhgf6dJXlDxv-ADktTCMOdXWvACJ659U5sjGs9/w400-h226/20220313_181700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASf2g4V3PF1NkTCcMRhyphenhyphenP_7mmf_fRumh2uJkthQQ_fOpF-bHTCZUn2i5NqRla6gSnxA5mT99bJT4Lk0Fi5pWtOGYHWhtecQR68yAVksvi1K7phhCdk6InP99s7z6PAFUsAbLgDlQ5XGaqQshCULniWtegpRDus4ygwphaddw7eWCqw5x_GBQpNJ8x9nUF/s4000/P1238034.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASf2g4V3PF1NkTCcMRhyphenhyphenP_7mmf_fRumh2uJkthQQ_fOpF-bHTCZUn2i5NqRla6gSnxA5mT99bJT4Lk0Fi5pWtOGYHWhtecQR68yAVksvi1K7phhCdk6InP99s7z6PAFUsAbLgDlQ5XGaqQshCULniWtegpRDus4ygwphaddw7eWCqw5x_GBQpNJ8x9nUF/w400-h226/P1238034.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Hard no.</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">So...</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> there might be less of the good stuff we're accustomed to as veteran racers (mancakes, rummaging through leftover drops and BLM cabins) but there is a certain simple beauty in the challenge I've set for myself for '24. </span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-wmItcrQfwA-QKQr4lG-BAvELeR9USttL78R12Bju-4n9C5eOwijkGoDD88yhmg1WkxxJKjBaAGj5KtMXJ8JvbWeY0n6s13Gwl9cl6BA7vNwh75Ttz55taNSsNAYTKNTxm4mqL7DaxZcFXFsilllJ9TiZ57URWBq1h_3P8E95x-DP3uq9WgdFJSCz-jt/s4000/P1228026.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-wmItcrQfwA-QKQr4lG-BAvELeR9USttL78R12Bju-4n9C5eOwijkGoDD88yhmg1WkxxJKjBaAGj5KtMXJ8JvbWeY0n6s13Gwl9cl6BA7vNwh75Ttz55taNSsNAYTKNTxm4mqL7DaxZcFXFsilllJ9TiZ57URWBq1h_3P8E95x-DP3uq9WgdFJSCz-jt/w640-h360/P1228026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjet9sF7MwNvivBbkEx__Q_dGyFNqCxcL35bFrx4ZsXDobHHHMc-w-Z4xdC3Z1YfJdckOdjfTyWQmnVO8bhih0RSsQoGapjQyjtMVd5_ACWbyiuiNZlwUI7lIje8u1umUlS4CEbeItScTPF0kUgdATxwepTbrgmTIDP6_Kgv7tb2bGShC2IlO0qEHh1uLiK/s4000/P3128057.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjet9sF7MwNvivBbkEx__Q_dGyFNqCxcL35bFrx4ZsXDobHHHMc-w-Z4xdC3Z1YfJdckOdjfTyWQmnVO8bhih0RSsQoGapjQyjtMVd5_ACWbyiuiNZlwUI7lIje8u1umUlS4CEbeItScTPF0kUgdATxwepTbrgmTIDP6_Kgv7tb2bGShC2IlO0qEHh1uLiK/w640-h360/P3128057.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCz7KsrbqAMy-SqD2-h__399G8JImTQSYEwzb9Jcgf02hQ7yOv14s6dCAMQ9Fd7F5aVv8rVSityeDhrwa3sAOL-h21O_nSvZJkjZc3mwjUKl3IopkIW27PwnUVMDSGcewJqDDTSvPd3Oq7yJGP6kXNSuN8Sw4Gns1iFtAtMETA5B0rMdZqLSL72xPeKRr/s4000/P1218016.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCz7KsrbqAMy-SqD2-h__399G8JImTQSYEwzb9Jcgf02hQ7yOv14s6dCAMQ9Fd7F5aVv8rVSityeDhrwa3sAOL-h21O_nSvZJkjZc3mwjUKl3IopkIW27PwnUVMDSGcewJqDDTSvPd3Oq7yJGP6kXNSuN8Sw4Gns1iFtAtMETA5B0rMdZqLSL72xPeKRr/w640-h360/P1218016.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>'More freedom, more smiles, less distractions that take away the maximum absorption of enjoyment in the moment.'</i></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I'm reminded of a scene from the sci-fi movie 'Contact' starring Jodie Foster, where she is in the space capsule and strapped with safety harnesses into the seat - both of which were not in the original design schematics of the capsule. The safety structure was the foreign element and wasn't part of the organic intention of travel and became a danger. However, once she detached from those safety mechanisms she was free to explore and experience the surroundings to the fullest.</span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">'I'm okay to go'</span></b></i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">More freedom, more smiles, less distractions that take away the maximum absorption of enjoyment in the moment on the trail. That enjoyment began many months ago, when the making began and the mind expanded its journey of all things unsupported, churning over scenarios and solving them in theory - which is how I've managed to solve them over the last 10+ years coming to Alaska - remotely, in Australia, during a hot summer. Must be doing something right all these years. Over the last decade I've changed a lot of things around to better optimise my life for this event, to be comfortable, when it's uncomfortable out. To this point, my mascot this year is a Red Fox - he looks pretty comfy and content to just be himself out there. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUszSYgUXow_rmA1T8sg5H1cATquZMGWEMknz1E-Iv_xncV7aHrB-7Q3fp3bBG2jTiZLLrtVwxx7BLfdYz5wCZNXgWelBA3nKSdjQNwUXUcpAPD0ZZOAE1VuYSjtF8hL0NEKMp7w11PRRHJ6Xt1lyFMTc19UJWDzdNjJzlaW3_gkqeX9eAlzB_hf9vn9Ux/s612/istockphoto-177829812-612x612.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="612" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUszSYgUXow_rmA1T8sg5H1cATquZMGWEMknz1E-Iv_xncV7aHrB-7Q3fp3bBG2jTiZLLrtVwxx7BLfdYz5wCZNXgWelBA3nKSdjQNwUXUcpAPD0ZZOAE1VuYSjtF8hL0NEKMp7w11PRRHJ6Xt1lyFMTc19UJWDzdNjJzlaW3_gkqeX9eAlzB_hf9vn9Ux/w640-h360/istockphoto-177829812-612x612.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Lets have a sneak peak of the machine that will carry my gear, my soul and my food along 1000 miles to Nomnomnom (credit Oppy for that one!) I'm sure at some point there'll be a far more detailed breakdown of the bike and gear, but for now just be thankful I didn't redact the images...</span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdrE8sDkY9Kh04lLwS9r1Sq5wnMR8Cuq6w-xj6j9rGh0SOKrQYt21RUt8feVtrAG6xNUQ2XqUKrm9Y4YAdOzwSrqlNaX_jUPa-rJKiedoCarqf8sJWAneIeI6tAA4WGSO2VL6BFDq2xTii7xlfXHeadmNryY7lXUM7sjurtLCIDBx2PKbg-1UP87jY7St/s4000/P1010027.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdrE8sDkY9Kh04lLwS9r1Sq5wnMR8Cuq6w-xj6j9rGh0SOKrQYt21RUt8feVtrAG6xNUQ2XqUKrm9Y4YAdOzwSrqlNaX_jUPa-rJKiedoCarqf8sJWAneIeI6tAA4WGSO2VL6BFDq2xTii7xlfXHeadmNryY7lXUM7sjurtLCIDBx2PKbg-1UP87jY7St/w640-h360/P1010027.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxQMhtny6EZ3b27631uNhTouztzZh1nUGYI5PAyh8uUBHPMxnjOVx5DRlIRWOmQQ2fSXx3x3Aw__6VPQbfJ-wsXDd28W1nLG8RUJ86YwyW-lVGzX3TZQipToet1hGIfczxbz0tKAReqftwYFUKR6woa1zoRGxWauG30xPfMWBJgjq0TWbUSSSuD_vvJ3D/s4000/P1010034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxQMhtny6EZ3b27631uNhTouztzZh1nUGYI5PAyh8uUBHPMxnjOVx5DRlIRWOmQQ2fSXx3x3Aw__6VPQbfJ-wsXDd28W1nLG8RUJ86YwyW-lVGzX3TZQipToet1hGIfczxbz0tKAReqftwYFUKR6woa1zoRGxWauG30xPfMWBJgjq0TWbUSSSuD_vvJ3D/w640-h360/P1010034.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzLBx94KMsuucYfrmoOKFtT7mc8OtYf2Xn1yelATvoRbNUnaRUDnNtxoulXKi9wORkcYt6lZp-3yHsV-6iPTje8YE_YMw0fI045IlAdj0cJz8IinFqsM6caHkZKHIWlTjfK4l-MkxbAPkdeYRWs6Uhu0v8lQ05giNsD6Kuh1KvVDzFJGm8toObYmEQa5J3/s4000/P1010038.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzLBx94KMsuucYfrmoOKFtT7mc8OtYf2Xn1yelATvoRbNUnaRUDnNtxoulXKi9wORkcYt6lZp-3yHsV-6iPTje8YE_YMw0fI045IlAdj0cJz8IinFqsM6caHkZKHIWlTjfK4l-MkxbAPkdeYRWs6Uhu0v8lQ05giNsD6Kuh1KvVDzFJGm8toObYmEQa5J3/w640-h360/P1010038.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_rp_tY19BKTCkQxk65v0QKHz3PTyqBAVpvxa9eF4I5iwzJcIPEqOQ9vx8vnJJmva_X4GIigy_uHWhJb-egOOW6FvTJTAVx4sm8WjqU2suj3WnjZK2bNAptvSMWrZEuY-ozCxMD0PVl5Tlcx0nl99rk0AChkNKzxV3tPIRvehgPj0TpCQmjFg8azDElDv/s4000/P1010039.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_rp_tY19BKTCkQxk65v0QKHz3PTyqBAVpvxa9eF4I5iwzJcIPEqOQ9vx8vnJJmva_X4GIigy_uHWhJb-egOOW6FvTJTAVx4sm8WjqU2suj3WnjZK2bNAptvSMWrZEuY-ozCxMD0PVl5Tlcx0nl99rk0AChkNKzxV3tPIRvehgPj0TpCQmjFg8azDElDv/w640-h360/P1010039.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_S4waiMMgo1SkuPgaW28lpZ09V4C0S90SSUYvsMO90uppizHbTSYdCz-8IoYRQA35FaDhpBAZPTTV6eHKuUxrE_xr-_9nyHPHa97iKwWZrF40hmrGQBLRm8a_JmvXGdVSuSK26UKJO7m3cRcZkDPSoIBwK-P-wNnqeP4T2vOzJ2FXKAi3AxAlcIcPUh-/s4000/P1010030.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2256" height="549" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_S4waiMMgo1SkuPgaW28lpZ09V4C0S90SSUYvsMO90uppizHbTSYdCz-8IoYRQA35FaDhpBAZPTTV6eHKuUxrE_xr-_9nyHPHa97iKwWZrF40hmrGQBLRm8a_JmvXGdVSuSK26UKJO7m3cRcZkDPSoIBwK-P-wNnqeP4T2vOzJ2FXKAi3AxAlcIcPUh-/w310-h549/P1010030.JPG" width="310" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTLh1Qu8o1qoSDI0n2hJcsAyv9S_PyPbrJXwx8rVDDzb-gPqAU8IWiPDynsmpxyGb0bWl6x2_Fsrc7CP1huKxZTuCFgwXISfltJD6No1GdpNHzTKfJVk2AsBlr5O8CVw7la3HWVizs68ZNoZ4BvmdbaQq_qrN1RRxI8oomF4NFQvLflXCRzcI44zO3aUt/s4000/P1010033.JPG" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2256" height="549" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTLh1Qu8o1qoSDI0n2hJcsAyv9S_PyPbrJXwx8rVDDzb-gPqAU8IWiPDynsmpxyGb0bWl6x2_Fsrc7CP1huKxZTuCFgwXISfltJD6No1GdpNHzTKfJVk2AsBlr5O8CVw7la3HWVizs68ZNoZ4BvmdbaQq_qrN1RRxI8oomF4NFQvLflXCRzcI44zO3aUt/w309-h549/P1010033.JPG" width="309" /></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Microphone dropped. </span></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-86655269270894478492023-12-21T00:16:00.000-08:002023-12-21T00:17:38.083-08:00Big bike, big plan, big project '24Far from a palindrome.<div><br></div><div>The big ITI bike is in the workshop, getting some mods for the '24 ITI project. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div>First up was a new ti fork with rack mounts and 3 bolt cage mounts f&r on the fork blade. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div>I made this front rack for my 2016 Nome trip, but to suit a different fork. This new fork has rack mounts in a different location, so ill mod the rack again to suit. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgT6tc7FAOGHHT8qpeyQpf3WYv4aizD_4Yg9HUb46NhRdQoJZwdAGOQYBp9XdTopTeoZ8Ch8DfTm-4Qvzl4FrMdhuuULjz45us_xpEtqidKktTNE1ehhVcQmZuZW09nPnBytf1VY_qn9kTsZDpNke9fxKKToig6dahjBgwoXQeIcNKTN62MDu7yVcQ8HtO8" width="400">
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</div><br></div><div>I stitched these front micropanniers for Nome '16 as well, to suit this rack. Ill make a rack top bag to match the pannier ensemble. For 'stuff'.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div>A new downtube bag is also on the drawing board. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div>A new kitchen bag will be hewn out of X-Pac fabric to go behind the seatpost.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div> This rack area here, yes im making some enormous, cavernous slimline panniers. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div> </div><div>Big box of nice new carbon hoops.</div><div><br></div><div>Lots to make before February.</div>Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-84552283748114352112023-02-28T20:16:00.000-08:002023-12-21T04:24:23.379-08:00ITI 2023 race report. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz0MOvDMy8rl1DNkiyTaNGoL52RIGB2Vy4H_hLKfCV3JvbKm2LgeSacjzB0esnlADxpQvTf0EGIl4k_BvsPZNJMTQlGWQBXHEeO6djh3y3BpfYMm5j054R5hq-TEC47iwSv2UXO6vC2bWSxE1UHdXEz97xhPWNPEXlu22ZvHUkO-gxhypI9Z-8zWU4E1q/s1440/331314446_671951984727779_7708244180392569890_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz0MOvDMy8rl1DNkiyTaNGoL52RIGB2Vy4H_hLKfCV3JvbKm2LgeSacjzB0esnlADxpQvTf0EGIl4k_BvsPZNJMTQlGWQBXHEeO6djh3y3BpfYMm5j054R5hq-TEC47iwSv2UXO6vC2bWSxE1UHdXEz97xhPWNPEXlu22ZvHUkO-gxhypI9Z-8zWU4E1q/w640-h480/331314446_671951984727779_7708244180392569890_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">'So what happened?'</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></i></div><p>I've been asked this a LOT in the past few months, about my 2023 ITI Nome attempt. It's taken me a while to coalesce my thoughts and feelings around this and how best to share it.</p><p>The short story - cold induced mild pulmonary edema. 2 hours into the race I knew I was in the shit - I wasn't able to get my heart rate over 120BPM (which is a pretty cruisy all day HR for me); any kind of effort felt like a major task for my body overall; deep breaths were a real challenge and usually ended in a hacking cough fest; and with an icy cold temp of -20C by 4pm, my lungs were getting whupped in the first round and I'll spare you the other mucky details. I had a heart a-fib episode in my 20's from overtraining, it's never been a limiter to what I do in sport, but this time I was just a tad spooked when I ran my self diagnostics a few hours into the race. We all live in a post-covid world and that can have different effects and residues in people. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">'Make good choices, yeah? I drum this principle into attendees at the ITI training camp I instruct at, so I act on that same rule.' </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p>I made the good choice to end my race at the first checkpoint of Butterfly Lake, a meagre 25 miles into the race. Yeah nah, don't take chances with your heart health kiddies, you've gotta make good decisions no matter how big the sheep station is in your head. Being a 5 time veteran of biking the 1000 miles to Nome, I knew what was ahead of me and I'd lost trust in my body's ability to do what needed to be done to compete and complete the long game. Bonus points as well for not getting caught up in the expen$$ive US health care system! It's a tough call to make - so much time and especially money invested in each trip - not cheap as an international athlete along with the horrible AUD-USD exchange rate...</p><p>However, I wasn't the only veteran racer to make good choices and retire early from the race. RJ Sauer was lingering around Butterfly Lake CP like I was, huddling around the stove, deep within the tempest of our minds. I eventually racked out on a couch, drifting in and out of a meek slumber as other racers arrive, dry some clothing, do a gut check and then get out the door into the early morning cold after a very quick nap on the floor. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='662' height='550' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwAHhW4ygSdB07e6hnPv5adOawmkGbttMoZEGrpP0bwGQtiETlwAdYNWuVxOWMSQl4fAxBMtdawTpOT5mCJNA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>Before the sun had risen, I noticed RJ up and moving - but not with vigour. 'If you're waiting for me so we can leave together...' he never got to finish his sentence as I knew what he was going to say - I clipped it short with 'Nah mate, I'm scratching. My airways are burnt. I kinda figured you were scratching too - I've been watching your body language all night'. Once that line had been crossed together, we were kindred brothers in arms, no longer feeling like singular race outcasts - only feeling the reinforcement from a fellow veteran that had seen plenty of good and bad along the trail - knowing how indifferent the horrible beauty can be out there. We chatted for hours all things ITI, Alaska, Tour Divide and family bikepacking. We sorted our combined logistics (thanks Beth) and debriefed along the slow paced ride back to Big Lake. It was a true bluebird day - bitterly cold and clear skies. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvXYoY0kbOUPtv6tZpzxLeBzWokExEAiI-cYoWvJcM3Sdl-nk14dB7uOsBdfJXtzFb2CAG-1laSncwvNnuO7icWkqUdffSYJH2xVDTqv64pM06oFkVo0JlL44LEYczpIF8O1jdzv_8vwQw_IaQBqQUG20mOHapfkiY4DRmIt8Cq4NdJvSnT5UH3RZyW5g/s4000/P3210590.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvXYoY0kbOUPtv6tZpzxLeBzWokExEAiI-cYoWvJcM3Sdl-nk14dB7uOsBdfJXtzFb2CAG-1laSncwvNnuO7icWkqUdffSYJH2xVDTqv64pM06oFkVo0JlL44LEYczpIF8O1jdzv_8vwQw_IaQBqQUG20mOHapfkiY4DRmIt8Cq4NdJvSnT5UH3RZyW5g/w640-h360/P3210590.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>It wasn't until a few days later when I was back home in Australia, that the stinging cold brutality of that first night had surfaced. Many racers had succumbed to cold injuries, severe frostbite (that later required several amputations of digits) and medivacs from Yentna Station - only another 25 odd miles along the trail from Butterfly Lake checkpoint. This year saw the largest field of scratchings ever in the history of the race due to cold injuries, with many of them right there at Yentna, or a day or so later as a result of that first nights exposure. The first night is often the toughest, as your body is going through all kinds of hell to adapt to its new operating environment. Plus it's very easy to get caught up in the competition and make poor choices in the deep of the night, when you're depleted and sleep deprived, on a seemingly never ending frozen river and the temps are nearing -40C. Errors compound and multiply very quickly. </p><p>But all of this generally won't stop the fallen from signing up the following year. It takes a certain kind of dumb tenacity to make that choice. Often it's when we are truly tested in the theatre of the outdoors, is when we reveal a gritty aspect of our true self, to ourselves. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48fVA4ycddoosJZnNYQpcKArMuF6vYk4udugz3yVmYgkJ5POhUio6fPfZqces7IZsilQrc5bL1cZsYeSVMoO0zcSsPC0lT8za3Oiay2L7DbsVX-Ju9rZYcAs5If3nG020haaQGHT57nPXZ6FLf4cV1MO1QuU9OH8sbJVGyaouBpfAJ63ZZF_YzJj-KZrz/s1279/roster%2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="1279" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48fVA4ycddoosJZnNYQpcKArMuF6vYk4udugz3yVmYgkJ5POhUio6fPfZqces7IZsilQrc5bL1cZsYeSVMoO0zcSsPC0lT8za3Oiay2L7DbsVX-Ju9rZYcAs5If3nG020haaQGHT57nPXZ6FLf4cV1MO1QuU9OH8sbJVGyaouBpfAJ63ZZF_YzJj-KZrz/w640-h378/roster%2024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>There are lessons in there too; each time we put ourselves in these positions we get a bit more intuitive and connect thought with action in a far more autonomous manner. Well, duh.</p><p>Unfinished business, along with dumb tenacity. </p><p><br /></p>Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-42244101120740751552022-02-12T21:18:00.009-08:002022-11-01T01:55:27.838-07:00Iditarod 2022 prologue<p> 'Antarctica; icy graveyard of hubris, not hostile to humanity but worse, utterly indifferent; a blank wall at the edge of the universe defying us to find meaning in it' ~ <i><b>Sterling Archer, worlds greatest secret agent.</b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_jQEoxl2Iul2bTlJTpyw-n0--PhUC2TGuH1eEtin7nf7MdDiJ0Cbu7j-dFO13uUbokkYlLO5giiTVuWf8qZkInXYCBO-gF3rPQOU31gn3e_7ARUS8yRpdZQVazbTEnaxyMzpkL4-T1wTwYIPy305a7qiONAMhtzPmoAjyA0YVelsbDJcgEG1tRNGtaQ=s640" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_jQEoxl2Iul2bTlJTpyw-n0--PhUC2TGuH1eEtin7nf7MdDiJ0Cbu7j-dFO13uUbokkYlLO5giiTVuWf8qZkInXYCBO-gF3rPQOU31gn3e_7ARUS8yRpdZQVazbTEnaxyMzpkL4-T1wTwYIPy305a7qiONAMhtzPmoAjyA0YVelsbDJcgEG1tRNGtaQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I'm in Alaska baby! Kinda snuck that one under the radar, hey. But to be honest, for a long while I didn't know when I'd be back so it was kept on the down low, until all the things clicked into place. It was tenuous for sure, it left me quite distracted and with such a dynamic situation and things changing fast, adopting the plastic mindset (as you do when racing this event) had to be engaged earlier: to adapt, improvise and move forward. </p><p>The Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) 2022 is nearly here (Sunday 27th February, 2pm AKST - yes there will be GPS tracking for dotwatchers to follow, closer to the date) and now is a good time to go through the machinations of the 'haven't you had enough suffering yet' motivation for me to keep returning to this race. (Quick facts on the race for those new around these parts - 1000 miles/1600km by bike, self supported solo, middle of winter in the Alaskan backcountry, no roads, just frozen lakes and rivers with a rudimentary route carved into the snow, no dark zones, you decide when you travel, the race does not stop regardless of weather, the responsibility is on you to make good decisions and manage yourself and gear during the race - there is no safety net - just danger zone from start to finish - woohoo!)</p><p>Well, Covid kinda ruined my 2020 race with its many sucky parts (check out previous blog posts for that tearful race report) so there's a bit of char to burn in the furnace there, 2021 was in limp mode most of the time, however the opportunity is now there to travel internationally and resume life where we left off - if you go for it. I feel that this is a milestone year, that despite the race being hard enough - there are all these other obstacles in front of you just to get to the startline. This magnifies the intrinsic reward for me - that if you can make good choices, prepare yourself and your gear correctly, overcome these additional challenges and achieve your goal - that's Ubermensch level stuff. Either that or just Archer-ise the shit out of it.. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCbEwZAO_2_VRiZjqu_vOlHmxI-8EbExU9MRMhXdUDigD8CXE5Gkhn5A3EP7Rn14mks_8Ln6NbRnBcXssPzsYjfiNzfyAVJwVOeOgOzVUWC8yN0J6e40AlcIdGHj0O2Melv0UfwbPiXw_w9SZLTvh1nsh922VqarTbtCVZhdsUjSKrKjrQVvd2TXy7kQ=s896" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="896" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCbEwZAO_2_VRiZjqu_vOlHmxI-8EbExU9MRMhXdUDigD8CXE5Gkhn5A3EP7Rn14mks_8Ln6NbRnBcXssPzsYjfiNzfyAVJwVOeOgOzVUWC8yN0J6e40AlcIdGHj0O2Melv0UfwbPiXw_w9SZLTvh1nsh922VqarTbtCVZhdsUjSKrKjrQVvd2TXy7kQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We've all been affected in some way and it's all relative to our lot in life, I also acknowledge that some may see my travel as too soon and risky. I get it, but when it's time to move forward and we have that opportunity to move - it's best to grab hold of it. If there's one takeaway from the last 2 years - don't hesitate - do the thing, eat the stuff, go to the place. What we put our bodies and minds through on the race is pretty risky too and I reckon the reward is well worth it. I'm not very politically minded, so all of the stuff on that side of things I just stay clear of, I keep myself busy enough with other adventure related things, that there is just no interest or bandwidth left for it. I wanted to travel internationally and race, so I'll do what needs to be done and move forward - it's time to be intrepid, be that positive influence and inspire people to live their best lives. Considering that Covid is the biggest health risk right now and getting sick from it (or even just testing positive at the pre-race testing with no symptoms) is devastating to my race goals, so IMO vaccination is about the best darn bodyhack/performance enhancer I can get right now! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKuh_1EY4tD61dKJn9SgwBCjD7JOpN_tZE3ICTJkGpmLnFNPhbnJAG5cilwQY4_4fbIJUJmCuWI0VGPxnjMnypWiFOevdPqP2zpoNKYtoIIHV1Ja_Wn_lMGCx99FJPFrUpNvZQWP1u3-XpsAAzjJ6f020nCd8JbreevrHt5OuNL7-BitKshtDlBzpnOQ=s5312" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKuh_1EY4tD61dKJn9SgwBCjD7JOpN_tZE3ICTJkGpmLnFNPhbnJAG5cilwQY4_4fbIJUJmCuWI0VGPxnjMnypWiFOevdPqP2zpoNKYtoIIHV1Ja_Wn_lMGCx99FJPFrUpNvZQWP1u3-XpsAAzjJ6f020nCd8JbreevrHt5OuNL7-BitKshtDlBzpnOQ=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I've had some health issues these last two years that I'm glad to put behind me. My incredibly supportive wife Nyree has changed a lot of things around to enable this to happen, which I doubt I'll be able to repay in this lifetime. Mum has been a constant inspiration of grit and mental toughness, backing me all the way. My business has been slowly building up again thanks to the support from my awesome customers, friends and suppliers. </div><p>This race to me is the ultimate casserole - bikes, extreme cold, camping, high calorie foods, keeping shit real (and if you're a Goggins fan - carrying boats and staying hard haha), gear nerdery and digging real deep into that human performance and psychological ice cream bucket. Terrible way to lose weight, but awesome way to see what you're made of. This year will be my 7th time on the startline and my 5th to Nome for the full 1000 mile distance. My finish position has been improving each year as well - an 8th place on my rookie Nome year in 2016, 5th place in '17, 3rd in '18, 2nd in '19; so you can see where my focus has been the last few years. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh96tWkP_Bmoz7GbBqpWLvq7m_WrUTgkZlPQyElBCbP5uw-Ny2w9yNdMpO0rKnyiMKsq8KWWmVK2BR6fooWxO6akIxZ9zyQjOB_oqrcjEzddFI4G-tPako9CFA6l2TIzbJkv6bXGIYax-g_5dqidq5LBbbHdqhMrqBSNr0y54goQJeFlNqMJL2fYZx8Sw=s5312" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5312" data-original-width="2988" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh96tWkP_Bmoz7GbBqpWLvq7m_WrUTgkZlPQyElBCbP5uw-Ny2w9yNdMpO0rKnyiMKsq8KWWmVK2BR6fooWxO6akIxZ9zyQjOB_oqrcjEzddFI4G-tPako9CFA6l2TIzbJkv6bXGIYax-g_5dqidq5LBbbHdqhMrqBSNr0y54goQJeFlNqMJL2fYZx8Sw=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></div><br /><p>You can't control things outside of your command, but you can control your response to it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXZmo4pJLBibQf8DLRupg9zylw7fe9mQNTvWSzk6nzyPbq7eoN0WH4osEC9uT0NlnR3KMMPxD8Nf-45N4druR4GqFY3jHCQ1SdYFg3aAKg5xxAxXLNulHKKNhkvXvnljOcr8hapHEoToZ5lVV90oOkkSYp67RVtmXOz1u03HAvHfWf9PV3yDcrHjGLNA=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXZmo4pJLBibQf8DLRupg9zylw7fe9mQNTvWSzk6nzyPbq7eoN0WH4osEC9uT0NlnR3KMMPxD8Nf-45N4druR4GqFY3jHCQ1SdYFg3aAKg5xxAxXLNulHKKNhkvXvnljOcr8hapHEoToZ5lVV90oOkkSYp67RVtmXOz1u03HAvHfWf9PV3yDcrHjGLNA=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>So after a 30 hour travel time with an added 4 hour delay to Anchorage from LAX, I arrived at the bnb around 2am, but there is no key. No problem, dig out your sleep kit and rack out behind the wheely bins, snack on the choc peanuts in your pack.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF1h46ziLCSIE6YzpnG95a3TzmpNfFoPF3Er5fCnwdJB6lh_nej_lf-w5w5eLH4QG_5L0zwAuS1yS3XxFFygTLM1b_9keDE2rDbmr1JaAdQTpcRuFUL--tBUgEpS2l23ELEiE4kxYzawOf2HBRghUc5SjS4mLUoEmLwX-7VKvw4piTNiDi4gksMCu8Fg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF1h46ziLCSIE6YzpnG95a3TzmpNfFoPF3Er5fCnwdJB6lh_nej_lf-w5w5eLH4QG_5L0zwAuS1yS3XxFFygTLM1b_9keDE2rDbmr1JaAdQTpcRuFUL--tBUgEpS2l23ELEiE4kxYzawOf2HBRghUc5SjS4mLUoEmLwX-7VKvw4piTNiDi4gksMCu8Fg=w311-h640" width="311" /></a></div><br /><p>Irene arrived a short while later and opened up, she looks after us racers very well and it's a very homely atmosphere, the very best place to prepare for the race - close to shops, a good sized garage and home cooked food.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWacIWQ-G8fusGh2HeQEk9f9nLH7do5MzTbt9CK49hwnAe1PfWwjBscFhsBO4CM3BXhNrf05x-03C85jIWJR1ajrZUwNeIOoJPHsrd0h1qIWZzxATVBlgkuJhzcE22WmOX5q6ax87uXwC_O5BLoq95g3BTHW5QGobThZLD8ofcrOk4p-5vMemp7tFrWA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWacIWQ-G8fusGh2HeQEk9f9nLH7do5MzTbt9CK49hwnAe1PfWwjBscFhsBO4CM3BXhNrf05x-03C85jIWJR1ajrZUwNeIOoJPHsrd0h1qIWZzxATVBlgkuJhzcE22WmOX5q6ax87uXwC_O5BLoq95g3BTHW5QGobThZLD8ofcrOk4p-5vMemp7tFrWA=w640-h312" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>There is a lot of prep to do. Food and supply cache bags have to be made up (so lots of high calorie food shopping for a month or so) and prepare my kit for instructing at Iditarod Training Camp - a week in the bush with 10 or so enthusiastic rookies where we fill their minds with knowledge, stories from the trail, hints and hacks and loads of other misinformation, to help them get more out of their winter travels and achieve their race goals on the ITI. Then it's a week back at the bnb to do more food shopping (as you run out of things when doing the rest of your drops) taper off the training, more trips to the store for supplies for your drops, bank sleep, fuss over your setup and nervously triple check everything. As an international athlete, this time is essential and a complacent 'she'll be right aye' will nett negative results. Get acclimated! In town it's -4C and about a 40 degree swing compared to home, so it's t shirt on the outdoor walks and shorts and boots only for the driveway workouts. Through the interior it can easily get to -40C and beyond: and beyond that again if the wind is up; simply put, could be an 80 to 100 degree temp swing for this Aussie. I think my Polish blood likes it. <br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyTtdGiHj5BCKyOpqcLTtpYaj98rxkRCoscp-oeZmA1UpAGs5642sZRpoPATopCFojemBI6Mc2pVhDOAOth9g-v_MKc2R-YJ0vgCnjaBMKdUKroQfdDSzBbXc28JkCudbYl_013619v8fMMaG666MQAJHK7zhcX-3cVblgvQGIKIccNR4v_kaDC0xGMw=s2592" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="2592" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyTtdGiHj5BCKyOpqcLTtpYaj98rxkRCoscp-oeZmA1UpAGs5642sZRpoPATopCFojemBI6Mc2pVhDOAOth9g-v_MKc2R-YJ0vgCnjaBMKdUKroQfdDSzBbXc28JkCudbYl_013619v8fMMaG666MQAJHK7zhcX-3cVblgvQGIKIccNR4v_kaDC0xGMw=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1E_1PN0o5pMuirmhnmb17ON3xzcExgMkZqf8Z8Rhfb0oCexqlxOvkyP-JVa5TZPCLcWifTfeYAF7TMutlUJjH4p9XfJ2AYTua0BXrTbyu-VEFiN8DsOnbBAPcmyrBWG9nF4szh0U1L9VNiTZVNvNQfeP5jOIbRLiAo-pKRqywdo3plREgsGeuX2Q0yA=s1296" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1E_1PN0o5pMuirmhnmb17ON3xzcExgMkZqf8Z8Rhfb0oCexqlxOvkyP-JVa5TZPCLcWifTfeYAF7TMutlUJjH4p9XfJ2AYTua0BXrTbyu-VEFiN8DsOnbBAPcmyrBWG9nF4szh0U1L9VNiTZVNvNQfeP5jOIbRLiAo-pKRqywdo3plREgsGeuX2Q0yA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">...and why Archer as my avatar for dotwatcher tracking and as mascot/theme for this year? He's only the worlds greatest secret agent, what's not to like? He's highly competent, doesn't like too much intel before a mission (it ruins the surprise, Lana), always manages to pull it off (phrasing) when things go noisy and when he goes white-hot-supernova-rampage - that's a danger zone you don't want to get caught up in! Danger Zone! Woohoo!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUcVrAbDVUZeeHraUzlRoGWuwsTPUtNKExwjy1-3rgYycIrCFmLBuy9dW4xlJ6OEF7sPjvuTqOMOYalTlxZc-ZeesolKXL6e7DeFnSN3hBV9qxGlU2f77zzOVT4Jfg0SxbqXfQZVdyBF6IXVdn5lvQMrAtLRcz1IRTMcTHW48tswpfhfZowtNH7AmUgQ=s306" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="306" height="607" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUcVrAbDVUZeeHraUzlRoGWuwsTPUtNKExwjy1-3rgYycIrCFmLBuy9dW4xlJ6OEF7sPjvuTqOMOYalTlxZc-ZeesolKXL6e7DeFnSN3hBV9qxGlU2f77zzOVT4Jfg0SxbqXfQZVdyBF6IXVdn5lvQMrAtLRcz1IRTMcTHW48tswpfhfZowtNH7AmUgQ=w640-h607" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-33476363765347286112021-10-03T15:44:00.000-07:002021-10-03T15:44:27.604-07:00Iditarod 2020 - race report EP 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jjO0PGtCgrVkW2Av8f-TVNayL5X2sdim4lt5b3LSQuinzkLJEyCEftAKUQOcDqyUDqJec3NGCGdP5nQju1XXx82rp5GBlLaw08ANSq74yP7f9SFAS3BqUbbaBRnMm_HCDPQXZR0DchXS/s960/88194232_10220932288527361_7356206571958829056_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="960" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jjO0PGtCgrVkW2Av8f-TVNayL5X2sdim4lt5b3LSQuinzkLJEyCEftAKUQOcDqyUDqJec3NGCGdP5nQju1XXx82rp5GBlLaw08ANSq74yP7f9SFAS3BqUbbaBRnMm_HCDPQXZR0DchXS/w640-h510/88194232_10220932288527361_7356206571958829056_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>This final episode is a bit of a roller coaster for me, as I look back now at the many moving parts of the 2020 race. It comes with a veteran's helping of selflessness to a Nome rookie, along with some very bitter-sweet decisions that were both easy and hard to make at the time, and would bring about their own residues to manage at a later point in time. Lets dive in - I'm at Nikolai checkpoint and we'll rewind with a bit of copy and paste:<br />
<i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">'</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: 14.85px;">About an hour after I arrived, word filtered through that George Adams had an issue with his bike. The details were sketchy, but he couldn't ride it and was pushing from around Bear Creek. I built this bike for George around 6 weeks prior to the race and he was going to Nome with his lifelong buddy, Graham Muir. My focus instantly shifted from my own goal, into doing everything that I could to get George's bike fixed and back to 100%. The dream adventure for two people was on the line here as George and Graham were racing as a pair. With 4 Nome finishes under my belt, I knew how much work they'd done to get here and also how important it was to continue - those that know, know. When you are in the theatre of Iditarod, there is a lot of camaraderie between racers that gets magnified in situations like this. George's Muru Canning build spec was modeled around my own Muru Iditarod LE, and if it meant taking parts off my own bike to keep him on track to Nome then that's what I was going to do.</span></i><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: 14.85px;"><i>At his rate of travel, George was due into Nikolai the following day...sometime. There was no way to get a message to him on the trail that I was waiting for him, to assess and hopefully repair his bike, so George unfortunately had to wallow in push mode for another 24+ hours. I had to wallow in eat and sleep mode until he arrived, but also the anguish of seeing my own race potential adapt and evolve.'</i></span><br />
<span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: 14.85px;">All I could do was watch the tracker, strategise and fill the time with tasks; re-organise my foodbags/framebag; mop the floor of the checkpoint; fix bikes - Roberto Gazzoli's bike had been stomped on by a moose, two spokes had torn through the rear rim and the gears were not indexing right with no climbing gears, so I spent a bit of time down in the laundry space of the checkpoint tuning his drivetrain to get him as much gear range as possible for the next 750 miles. Roberto and I chatted about George's scenario, I still didn't have any firm intel on his mechanical failure, but I said to Roberto that I'll do what it takes to keep George in the game, I will give him parts off my bike, even if it makes my bike unrideable. That was where my mind was right there. But I also had to be patient and wait for George to arrive, while I watched my competitors gain more distance up the trail. </span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: 14.85px;">As if by happy accident, there had been a fair bit of salad shipped to Nikolai. In the world of ultra-distance racing, salad isn't one of those foodstuffs that is demanded or revered by athletes for it's energy content or satiety. But it was there. George G. (checkpoint host) became aware of my situation and my reason for pausing, he set about fixing me a karma meal like no other - a big leafy green salad with a grilled Salmon steak, cherry tomatoes with garnish and lemon dressing. He said to me "Trail karma comes back around". My response was "mate, do good things even if nobody is watching". </span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: 14.85px;">We chatted quite a bit about luck and the effect it can have on many aspects of the race. I'm not a superstitious person, I'm a firm believer in making your own future with good planning and execution, however I was coming around to the premise that when stuff happens in close proximity to other happening stuff, it's just easier to brand it as luck and prefix accordingly with bad, good, or shit outta. Word from the outside world was that t</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: 14.85px;">he travel situation with COVID was worsening. Crazy times.</span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">I had some management of my own to do: my legs were ballooning up with oedema and inactivity. It seems the dehydration over Rainy Pass was catching up with me, along with the side effects of sleep deficit piling up from the last 2 months or so. Oedema is something I've had mildly in the past, bit of puffiness always went away as the body normalised from life on the trail, but this was different and exacerbated the bursitis I get every year - but normally that hits around the 500 mile mark when I hit the Yukon. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">I watched the tracker for George's arrival. I swept and mopped the checkpoint floor, ate, napped, got my tools and the pit area ready in the laundry room for when George arrived. The checkpoint gradually filled with more tired foot/biking/skiing bodies and gear, racers eager to cram themselves in whatever warm and dry space they could find. </span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #783f04;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbAyUx-NSDC_N1tOFtnRiJBhXUqoMa9AqDZOvIQ4w6bM0IYAz3mrbxHUhJIMKzooiJxRlZBkaTRpB434H_kgNgF4u51VBrMrMbfjJvbjeBpcAw7pviX-WDDL98seplHIUn20N1E5kMFoA/s2048/P1010069.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbAyUx-NSDC_N1tOFtnRiJBhXUqoMa9AqDZOvIQ4w6bM0IYAz3mrbxHUhJIMKzooiJxRlZBkaTRpB434H_kgNgF4u51VBrMrMbfjJvbjeBpcAw7pviX-WDDL98seplHIUn20N1E5kMFoA/w640-h360/P1010069.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2dogbylmohVyljDuQp32FxUbU7o8V3Hk5oGUHVjNjDlB8uJoDnuX5dUBMBqKM3yj4jWUPSpPZxR3IJ6DBBeKOto11XQPGLUGT8aq6OxBKFzovZOSCJ02JpfR83t1EqpaHZN1qsesWMxq/s2048/P1010070.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1155" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2dogbylmohVyljDuQp32FxUbU7o8V3Hk5oGUHVjNjDlB8uJoDnuX5dUBMBqKM3yj4jWUPSpPZxR3IJ6DBBeKOto11XQPGLUGT8aq6OxBKFzovZOSCJ02JpfR83t1EqpaHZN1qsesWMxq/w360-h640/P1010070.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtRgYsUHsol1GNP0QiXF4eiqnT-qT8s7y_OOF8GiRkpfERvfSolCrw_GuA9WdZCMY-NWQnDJhy_hdNJ1bIjI7MH3JR_Bki8znvQ1jvnsuycuWk0Ck9ssrzwNdAgBihDv3hVcq_hc2eTfU/s2048/P1010072.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtRgYsUHsol1GNP0QiXF4eiqnT-qT8s7y_OOF8GiRkpfERvfSolCrw_GuA9WdZCMY-NWQnDJhy_hdNJ1bIjI7MH3JR_Bki8znvQ1jvnsuycuWk0Ck9ssrzwNdAgBihDv3hVcq_hc2eTfU/w640-h360/P1010072.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="color: #783f04;">The moment finally arrived, Graham 'Bush' Muir rode in first, with George not far behind pushing his bike off the river, IIRC it was just before midday. We cheered him in through the windows and he was surprised to see me there ready to wrench on his bike - lol it's not outside assistance if the help is from another racer! </span> Got the bike up on a workstand and the back wheel out for assessment. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim80wMLUFWa8Re1zhdQsoCPGWjEpiHVFj-mWryKH_y_4ksgdVGZ3STiMnHTUIVj6nNj5bZjBokCMhVEFPR8qwUvSnYdHFH0BT29KKCDI5vDoo6mHu9UKQGnwysUTWLv7cmXJQaDBzbRcYq/s2048/P1010079.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim80wMLUFWa8Re1zhdQsoCPGWjEpiHVFj-mWryKH_y_4ksgdVGZ3STiMnHTUIVj6nNj5bZjBokCMhVEFPR8qwUvSnYdHFH0BT29KKCDI5vDoo6mHu9UKQGnwysUTWLv7cmXJQaDBzbRcYq/w640-h360/P1010079.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">E13 9-46T cassette on an XD driver, using the e13 grease. E13 specify 1.5Nm of torque on the clamp bolt, as the clamp strap is easily broken. I'd fitted this cassette in Australia and used my calibrated Ritchey torque wrench on the bolt at 25 degrees celsius, I can only surmise that temperature played a part here, shrinking the freehub body just enough where the clamping force wasn't sufficient to hold the cassette on with George's significant power output. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgommhyphenhyphenV4j14gkT-LP4jsfQf7eZLc1stg70rfydDuITNR-FTiszxG_TQNfDRBrh5inWXlhMMp_yaip4uksegzeO0b2XKf_9nD52YECuGYoytm7ookOwMlMtse_Z6EfYEKQNgyeyZ7xOEW6a/s2048/P1010078.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgommhyphenhyphenV4j14gkT-LP4jsfQf7eZLc1stg70rfydDuITNR-FTiszxG_TQNfDRBrh5inWXlhMMp_yaip4uksegzeO0b2XKf_9nD52YECuGYoytm7ookOwMlMtse_Z6EfYEKQNgyeyZ7xOEW6a/w640-h360/P1010078.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></div><span style="text-align: center;">Plan was to get the bike going (there were no tools to 'split' the cassette to retension the clamp bolt) by easing the cassette back into place and re-tuning the gears so he could ride to McGrath</span></span><span style="color: #783f04; text-align: center;"> (same thing I told Adam at Eagle Island CP in '18, after I field repaired his I9 hub): </span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i> 'Just don't hate f^ck it on the hills, mate.'</i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04; text-align: center;">I did up a shopping list of parts for George to order and get sent to McGrath, then we would all rendezvous there and I do the final repair. In that time I can haul arse to McGrath, get my food cache, rack out until George and Bush arrived and strategise my next race plan to see what time I can recoup on the front pack. But first, fruit. </span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3RZNrDWqrhcJPZ2T-oZb2uwQtU-ALn2IqMLm7pQRLjlaOZllDTh89L_EeBR2J-RxPxOjNSkKC1tVN2cOTkJnRJDfm_y0qz4drgwYZve5ACo_3Veb31wSY9DerdBAv6iC0ZyDt0hOMM26/s2048/P1010073.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3RZNrDWqrhcJPZ2T-oZb2uwQtU-ALn2IqMLm7pQRLjlaOZllDTh89L_EeBR2J-RxPxOjNSkKC1tVN2cOTkJnRJDfm_y0qz4drgwYZve5ACo_3Veb31wSY9DerdBAv6iC0ZyDt0hOMM26/w640-h360/P1010073.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #783f04; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="text-align: center;">Rewarded with a fast dance and groovy lightshow on the trail, I got into McGrath just after dark. Front Nome pack were still there - they'd had 3 days rest! </span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaS3PRAiWjNBchoDwVg_83mcEswauXEFXBbcQMiF-MTgtsGep8r5md29iEiCK3k8CgfomPT9SPHMApmFGxVRtEpC3r4sK24WZ9-9rzWjm-Kbn9BPdbNd06rmDAkJ5C6hyphenhyphenuMMXaVKJCfni/s2048/P1010084.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaS3PRAiWjNBchoDwVg_83mcEswauXEFXBbcQMiF-MTgtsGep8r5md29iEiCK3k8CgfomPT9SPHMApmFGxVRtEpC3r4sK24WZ9-9rzWjm-Kbn9BPdbNd06rmDAkJ5C6hyphenhyphenuMMXaVKJCfni/w640-h360/P1010084.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: left;">I busied myself on the next phase, my food cache was missing so best get busy on discarded/scratched racer's food to make up supplies to get me to Cripple or Ruby. It's a fun process, digging around like a kid in a lego box looking for the right coloured block, but snacking along the way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hCCCww_OxEAOHohBPLj-M_byD2mIq4fW8vtN37t2odLQeds4uOJpsQdb5GJEMWhEf8pr5s9ZqyLnfYItfXQONRnoTE3LupVk1Q1tgmjDKQc9uEa7AqjEgGkT30n5s-TcDcR-VklOg6sr/s2048/P1010088.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hCCCww_OxEAOHohBPLj-M_byD2mIq4fW8vtN37t2odLQeds4uOJpsQdb5GJEMWhEf8pr5s9ZqyLnfYItfXQONRnoTE3LupVk1Q1tgmjDKQc9uEa7AqjEgGkT30n5s-TcDcR-VklOg6sr/w640-h360/P1010088.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #783f04; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="text-align: center;">Next task was body management. It's quite common in rest rooms to have flushable wipes, they are a staple item in your drop for a regular trail hygiene routine. I looked at the white cap on this pack and it fitted the needs at the time - disinfection, fresh lemon scent, virus protection (very apt at this point) and the scrubbing texture would help in key areas (don't make me explain it). However, I only looked at the front panel. </span></span></div><div style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPCF0EcGrViTvmZuQOrfMkPtf32C8I8DhffmqE0wkxSeSZi9ke1L_bQsjvsPcNXf2rcX47SsXgY6Oyjx1mHqiC66nWvtctJYaXonTGpK8GZ8ab_LSbtticjtXO1_QEy1uC1o5fwLzOzal/s2048/20200310_034550.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPCF0EcGrViTvmZuQOrfMkPtf32C8I8DhffmqE0wkxSeSZi9ke1L_bQsjvsPcNXf2rcX47SsXgY6Oyjx1mHqiC66nWvtctJYaXonTGpK8GZ8ab_LSbtticjtXO1_QEy1uC1o5fwLzOzal/w225-h400/20200310_034550.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9lP3qUEnAI8AWB-wiSQeAygCGCbQEq6xBexiymso9QXo0_JAFNea7AAx4untHnURu9i6EGJDkyjESGgLmk3NmGwhnspHUf9bGBF0OFXXpgCRo1H0M41HS5iWS93_jCoZu2lNN0XXR0SR/s2048/20200310_034647.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9lP3qUEnAI8AWB-wiSQeAygCGCbQEq6xBexiymso9QXo0_JAFNea7AAx4untHnURu9i6EGJDkyjESGgLmk3NmGwhnspHUf9bGBF0OFXXpgCRo1H0M41HS5iWS93_jCoZu2lNN0XXR0SR/w225-h400/20200310_034647.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Yep. Go on, I know you're thinking of laughing, so just do it. Initially, I liked how big the wipes were, the texture helped where needed and the scent was refreshing, along with the cleansing feeling. Until the burning started. I know you're laughing by now. My natural curiosity told me to investigate the package further, upon seeing the flipside, it all started to make sense. I began looking for a Scoville unit rating and there was an afterburn that kept on giving after the rinsing and powdering. But I was happy I'd taken steps to prevent entry of corona virus via that portal. Plenty of snow outside, it was dark, nobody could see my wormy dog impression. I racked out. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFf_VXdgbrWgf3-67E31P4JhPuqKSy2i9EYfvNM4oyQwhY9PgDMDts81nwwzslDlUc98cLR6q_QOFXXVQ2nZ0F2zc-ZFvZo1XUcQtVcjUmqa5W_lskCWOHEH0KBRces4B-wQMdm3pk9vW/s2048/20200310_083852.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFf_VXdgbrWgf3-67E31P4JhPuqKSy2i9EYfvNM4oyQwhY9PgDMDts81nwwzslDlUc98cLR6q_QOFXXVQ2nZ0F2zc-ZFvZo1XUcQtVcjUmqa5W_lskCWOHEH0KBRces4B-wQMdm3pk9vW/w360-h640/20200310_083852.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Morning time - Peter is always up early to craft his bespoke mancakes - 1" thick pancakes with berries and apple chunks - you try and put back in what the trails takes out at every opportunity. I skyped Nyree and the news coming back was grim, changing by the hour, the dnb party was getting shut down. </span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><b><i> 'Aussies abroad come home now, Australia will be closing its borders due to the evolving pandemic. Any citizens abroad, make your plans to return home ASAP (DFAT)'. </i></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Shit. I've never scratched from a race or backed down from a challenge I've taken on, and yet here I was, able bodied to continue, the weather seemed about as perfect as you could get, and I was left with an extremely tough decision to make. George and Bush weren't due for another few hours, so I had to chew on this and look out the window at this bluebird day. </span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I won't lie. Despite all the hard times I've had on the Iditarod trail, tough weather and physical/mental strain - sitting there on the couch in the back room, looking out the window and making that call to finish in McGrath, was THE hardest task I've ever faced in this race. It brought me to tears. When you put so much into doing this race, with people in your corner that support and believe in you, you shoulder that load as well - this is just as much their race too. </span>There were so many moving parts to this evolving situation, Nyree and I discussed it on skype and workshopped many scenarios, but running it down the logic funnel always ended with the same constant. I knew it was a good and right decision, but it just hurt so damn much. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>'Always make good decisions - it's a backbone formula for any aspect of this race, for life's journey as well.' </i></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I was also looking at the long range weather forecast as well - despite it being a nice day today, the window was closing with a warm system moving in. I've been up the trail to Nome 4 times in consecutive years since 2016 - this was to be my 5th in a row - so I could read what was coming up on the trail - it wasn't going to be a record year of fast days with hard trail to Nome. It was going to be a slog, which is all par for the course any other year, without the threat of Covid closing international borders and causing flight havoc. </span></div><div><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Toni was laid up in McGrath with some sort of chest infection, he went to the McGrath hospital and got treated, he hung around waiting for me to leave and head up the trail, but I was waiting on George and Bush. They got in just before sunset. Plan was to stay another night and repair Georges bike the next day, as his parts were due in then. I felt so bad for Toni having to head out solo in his condition, but he is one tough unit and I knew he'd make good choices. </span></div></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIe4Kc6MfkaXx55elnBrloFC4dZ0Am8evAUpTSYRc_fa5ASkVIlvJs-q0sZeqAwTWoqlSRRsNJvQ9UyzNLoEnpFEyiIKIJWYXeEpTXbDrixyKM3UeTE-_ggpG4jYtOZmPsgQa50VQ2zMS5/s2048/P1010086.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIe4Kc6MfkaXx55elnBrloFC4dZ0Am8evAUpTSYRc_fa5ASkVIlvJs-q0sZeqAwTWoqlSRRsNJvQ9UyzNLoEnpFEyiIKIJWYXeEpTXbDrixyKM3UeTE-_ggpG4jYtOZmPsgQa50VQ2zMS5/w640-h360/P1010086.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIe4Kc6MfkaXx55elnBrloFC4dZ0Am8evAUpTSYRc_fa5ASkVIlvJs-q0sZeqAwTWoqlSRRsNJvQ9UyzNLoEnpFEyiIKIJWYXeEpTXbDrixyKM3UeTE-_ggpG4jYtOZmPsgQa50VQ2zMS5/s2048/P1010086.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"> I had made my decision to finish early in McGrath due to Covid, but kept it to myself after notifying Kathi. I wanted to absorb and contribute positively to conversation with the finished 350 racers as they came through, not get quagmired in the negative vibe of a scratch. It felt good to imbue rookie finishers with the importance of debriefing and those precious memories at Peter and Tracey's house; reminding them that the only people that will understand what you've just been through, are the people currently sharing the table and meals with you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">'Savour it, as nobody back home will understand your stories like this family seated with you right now.' </span></b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">It helped me process my own situation, by listening to the excited stories of finished racers and knowing the locations of their lowest moments - plus the food kept coming. Parts arrived just after midday so I got stuck into fitting them to Georges bike (a new HG freehub for his DT 350 hub, with a Shimano XT cassette and DT end cap fitted), adjusted the brakes, took a headset spacer off my bike and put it on Georges - they were good to go. There was surprise and disappointment from them that I wasn't riding out with them, but they had their adventure path in front of them and I wanted to set them up right. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGcdapgmLJ9FdH9JpLtdlH9ehqszhVVfwa2-vM2Vlqg27-ZKXvTu7OciV_CLhC-MxJl-8-UTD7cV92A7UmR4YcYURo9AOTGLYilfhVGwQzTHGZTeudN7k7AreAg-cjyMRC1L4G4bjxyg5/s2048/20200310_155300%25280%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGcdapgmLJ9FdH9JpLtdlH9ehqszhVVfwa2-vM2Vlqg27-ZKXvTu7OciV_CLhC-MxJl-8-UTD7cV92A7UmR4YcYURo9AOTGLYilfhVGwQzTHGZTeudN7k7AreAg-cjyMRC1L4G4bjxyg5/w640-h360/20200310_155300%25280%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: left;">Race postscript: (for readers who didn't follow the race commentary or dot watch) the trail weather remained cold and clear for the next few days, then a warm front moved in and stayed, with a low cloud ceiling and poor light contrast conditions (quite hard to ride in as you can't see the firm trail next to the soft snow shoulder). Village checkpoints were relocating out of town and slamming shut to outsiders faster than racers could get to them. Some veteran racers were scratching on the Yukon river, as they knew they would get trapped with village lockdowns, no food cache access and risk of no flights out of villages (bush plane pilots weren't taking covid risks with foreign visitors - especially athletes that 'looked' sick due to normal trail exposure from racing). Coastal wind storms fragmented the Bering Sea ice/Norton Sound crossing from Shaktoolik to Koyuk and Golovin Bay, ending the race for 8 racers in Unalakleet, mile 700 (Toni, Jussi, Beat, Asbjorn, George, Graham, Willy and Roberto) with Jill, Petr and Casey continuing together to Nome. These 3 fell into step with 11 dog teams north of Elim, until the official Iditarod trail breakers could be dispatched from Nome to build a usable trail for the final 130 miles. A Blackhawk was scrambled out of Nome to rescue 3 dog teams that had fallen victim to the deteriorating conditions and open water along the Safety Sound coastline. Nome had issued a time curfew to ALL visitors and users of the trail - the covid lockdowns had begun. Northern villages were very frightened and protective as the 1918 Spanish flu decimated their population, along with Diptheria (of which, ironically, the Iditarod race and route has deep roots in the Serum Run of 1925). I'm summarising these final 2 weeks, there are a lot more details that are beyond the scope of this blog post - it's a whole other shitshow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: left;">Back to me. Covid was already affecting international flights, small scale as well. Local pilots were starting to be re-directed for extraction/movement of officials for the Iditarod dog race, along with media and comms staff. Pilots make decisions about cargo and passengers based on mass - when he saw that we were lean and depleted athletes, he made the call and I was lucky to jag the last seat on this 208 Caravan. Next available flight out of McGrath was 3 days away - but this was a dynamic situation that was rapidly changing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CcxHMJ-ogAhI2JZYwyhbozWZXwwkIGjaRbfX9TBmYMhD-Yj0lV19YfF1dTRfqaP1GBQdyqFOzHwhXm0h39SbtuECH-xhGUAnyWgfEihQe06vUssCksaEy3blW4uk9Ws32EJKlTtdsfwj/s2048/P1010093.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CcxHMJ-ogAhI2JZYwyhbozWZXwwkIGjaRbfX9TBmYMhD-Yj0lV19YfF1dTRfqaP1GBQdyqFOzHwhXm0h39SbtuECH-xhGUAnyWgfEihQe06vUssCksaEy3blW4uk9Ws32EJKlTtdsfwj/w640-h360/P1010093.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An open plan cargo space, with plenty of storage in the hatches in the lower fuselage for the foot athletes' sleds. My bike with Beth's bike behind. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFYacEvl858ddzrspJZMKCEQnL3H6V84UCfY3jnVu9Oh_EsrtPpj9R0SJJWIpzY75nEmFnvJbX30td8oJBoobIPXLFYVZ1eOzTBeXgM7JPHZ3l_1C4irdy3dPM8Br3TihiNVXF6TmVKUb/s2048/P1010094.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFYacEvl858ddzrspJZMKCEQnL3H6V84UCfY3jnVu9Oh_EsrtPpj9R0SJJWIpzY75nEmFnvJbX30td8oJBoobIPXLFYVZ1eOzTBeXgM7JPHZ3l_1C4irdy3dPM8Br3TihiNVXF6TmVKUb/w640-h360/P1010094.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZE6Y0xF_LYXjKE0Ahr_YJAD9mHjdah24YX5wfsPjxR9BrWqVCYehTMHpieBxIOk4bYrC-jqrFkrRUxcPkiEhyphenhyphen8Dt29IKik2HbKGCABZZEy7B4drHFd44MoYyjTXY9bQMi58Lte-xvmeV/s2048/P1010095.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZE6Y0xF_LYXjKE0Ahr_YJAD9mHjdah24YX5wfsPjxR9BrWqVCYehTMHpieBxIOk4bYrC-jqrFkrRUxcPkiEhyphenhyphen8Dt29IKik2HbKGCABZZEy7B4drHFd44MoYyjTXY9bQMi58Lte-xvmeV/w640-h360/P1010095.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Looking back south over the Alaska Range and through some of the valleys we'd traversed just a few days ago, 2015 was the last time I'd flown back from McGrath to Anchorage on a plane this size. <br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmz8v9vxntlIhgKNM0DD2CXRaa_6eUBQVQn-_q_HqZw64YkXR0-Jig4cq_XSHhtPV80IUhB0eFI66zkEWJLnLR1iyOKGRTxTJkw2PW6O_pgoXf8doIXFDZf21DdwflVHXojzjAlql55K_/s2048/P1010103.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmz8v9vxntlIhgKNM0DD2CXRaa_6eUBQVQn-_q_HqZw64YkXR0-Jig4cq_XSHhtPV80IUhB0eFI66zkEWJLnLR1iyOKGRTxTJkw2PW6O_pgoXf8doIXFDZf21DdwflVHXojzjAlql55K_/w640-h360/P1010103.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Getting back to Anchorage was surreal, as my mindset would normally still be running the Nome destination program for the next 2 weeks. Donald had also finished early, so to catch up with him back at the bnb post-race was something we'd not done since 2016. It was great to debrief with another Nome veteran - he was on foot this year, so he had a new range of experiences to talk about over a coffee. He managed to change his home flight much earlier on standby, I just managed to change mine in time before the situation got out of control and flights were being canned (we all saw how messed up that became). A huge shout out to my travel agent Sam from Helloworld Daisy Hill, she spent countless hours piecing together a seamless flight plan for me. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>I still had a few days with my bike assembled, the weather was the best I'd ever seen it in Anchorage, clear sunny days, loads of snow and firm trails around town. Each day I rode out to some places I'd not been to since my rookie year in '15, was great to reconnect at a recovery pace and take stock of things. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Then I got real sick. Saturday afternoon I got back in from a day ride over in FNBP trails, all of the symptoms of Covid hit me - slowly at first - the fever, the chills, broken glass sore throat, dry wracking cough, swollen and sore joints, by Sat night it was fullblown. Then bedbound for 4 days, watching re-runs of MASH, following dots on trackleaders, race armchair commentary on the socials and eating the last of my race food (the chocolate diet lol). I was comfort eating at the same rate as if I was still on the trail - trying to meet some crazy 6000 calorie goal. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>'Hi, my name is Troy, and I'm a snackaholic'</i></b></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>I was alone now at the bnb, no other guests or staff. I was slipping down into the pit of post adventure depression, with the weight of a DNF, and wracked with Covid symptoms. I took the minimum of meds to control the fever, I wanted to remain in 'contact' with the severity of this sickness, not bury the symptoms under medications in case it was getting worse without my conscious knowledge. I could not afford to get bogged down in the US medical system at this point - my flights were locked in and all travel insurances were pretty much worthless, so I had to gut this out in iso for a few days and stay under the radar. The day before flights home, I managed to break down the bike and pack up all my equipment. US domestic flights were at 5% capacity, international was near 100%. I masked up and did what I could to protect others during my travels despite still being in the full grip of symptoms. Within 2 hours of arriving in Brisbane, I was at the hospital for a Covid test. 3 days later, a negative result. The various physical, mental and financial residues of my ITI 2020 campaign would linger another 18 months and as many of us have experienced in life, some things will never return to 'normal'. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJv5rZYSzPwU9lRnmJrNuDu8NpZhByARyc2cQzDZfcsQzWI1Q30xkUpkIhhTydj-ZtdLkueOrzhKob7IIvBgIOdJLMDr9GlYJkx2Bu3o6bixWhtCco93GfGuhrw0cEBUzewZ4bl0bDhLy/s4320/P1060156.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3240" data-original-width="4320" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJv5rZYSzPwU9lRnmJrNuDu8NpZhByARyc2cQzDZfcsQzWI1Q30xkUpkIhhTydj-ZtdLkueOrzhKob7IIvBgIOdJLMDr9GlYJkx2Bu3o6bixWhtCco93GfGuhrw0cEBUzewZ4bl0bDhLy/w640-h480/P1060156.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span>I had to capture this moment as it was so profound, in the garage at the bnb. I built my first Muru fatbike here in 2013, it was my first trip to Alaska for ITI training camp and backcountry tour of Oregon. I've stayed here every year and celebrated birthdays in the snow. The great friends I've met and greeted here after long flights from our home countries, the stories we've shared, the pranks we've pulled, the gear chats we've had, the late night panic packing and re-packing - I really dig the history I have with this garage and how it's been a focus point for my Alaskan adventures. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Sometimes the low point of a race isn't the harsh weather, or the physical and mental toll of exertion in the pursuit of our goals - these are the fundamentals and the things we prepare for, build our training programs around and choose gear for. However, there remain some aspects you can't plan for or rehearse with a theoretical scenario for - you have to experience it to fully grasp how it will affect you. How you respond to that, well, we are all different in how we process it and the time it takes. This episode has been tough to write, I really needed time to do this piece justice but also get to the other side of my own challenges to write it in a balanced style. I don't like melodrama and my life is not a soap opera.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>The low point of emotion you see in this image is exactly how you imagine it. It's the final focus point of all those years; and a climax of the episodes you've just read - my 2020 ITI race. </span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cT2s0jB_EENEPqOCi03803u2jLXNAGFQB2p2pf4mIIRHMNgjQ4JCBi-zu_GLacAOB-9ko8eWPLNiyyMoDdHzzliSCV5u1KfH1ZLU2306REtmpA3jMXhHtgQTa2pNlNWzIWAU3ccAxNq7/s2048/P1010109.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cT2s0jB_EENEPqOCi03803u2jLXNAGFQB2p2pf4mIIRHMNgjQ4JCBi-zu_GLacAOB-9ko8eWPLNiyyMoDdHzzliSCV5u1KfH1ZLU2306REtmpA3jMXhHtgQTa2pNlNWzIWAU3ccAxNq7/w640-h360/P1010109.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div></div>Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-1308383370283579402020-06-02T01:49:00.023-07:002020-06-02T15:27:10.836-07:00Straddy adventure - fatbike loop 1Before we had fatbikes, we'd ride Straddy (North Stradbroke Island) on our MTB's. Back then it was a vanilla ice cream kinda experience - enjoyable, but could be better with sprinkles and chocolate sauce.<br />
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Heck, that was over 10 years ago, our inspiration to become a fatbike family came from those rides on Straddy. The bike that started it for us began right here in this story (that bike is still in service):<br />
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<a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com/p/surly-moonlander-build.html">http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com/p/surly-moonlander-build.html</a> and from there I've done some other rides 'here and there' on my other fatbikes.<br />
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Wifey got herself a new bike, a Norco Bigfoot VLT 1. An e-fatbike. Woah, don't hate on me - this bike opens up new routes for us together and I can inflict more type 2 fun on my wife with zero complaints. Yeeeeeeaaaaahhhhh!!!<br />
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This story isn't about a bike though, it's about the places we can now go together. My wife doesn't get the opportunity to ride as much as I do, so there was always a disparity with speed, distance and endurance - her new bike totally levels that playing field.<br />
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I hope this story might give you some intel on planning a fatbike trip to Straddy. Being the closest and cheapest island to access from Brisbane, doing a day trip or overnighter is a simple thing.<br />
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The water taxi leaves from Cleveland, it's only a few minutes ride from Cleveland train station to the dock, if you didn't want to drive there. Ticket is $20 return and bikes go on free, on the bow deck and it's generally a pretty smooth and dry trip over, around 20 minutes or so. You land at Dunwich, from there you have a few road and trail options - this trip we headed East on the road towards Blue Lake. This road has a few hills, so be prepared for it! Other routes I'll cover in future trips and blog posts.<br />
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The turn off to Blue Lake is well signposted. There is a vehicle maintenance track to the lake, as well as a walking track.<br />
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Blue Lake is a window lake, with a white sandy bottom and clear, fresh water. Great for a swim, play on the packraft, sit on a hammock and read a book. Very peaceful with loads of birdlife, shade and a few mosquitoes.<br />
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We followed the track on from the lake, crossing the outflow of the lake. I sent wifey in first for a depth check. Sandy base with a bit of leaf litter, approx knee deep.<br />
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Shoes off, carry the bikes across. Sure, you could ride it, but today we didn't need to.<br />
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The trail leads to the edge of Eighteen Mile Swamp, fed by the freshwater outflow of Blue Lake, but at the southern end of the swamp it opens to Swan bay near Jumpinpin.<br />
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We travel North back to the road, the track continues North on the Keyholes track. This track can be hit and miss with passability - there are quite a few deep waterholes and low water areas to traverse. We headed to the surfside to explore some of the secluded beach campsites (totally empty during the COVID lockdown) and have lunch on the dunes. Minimal traffic on the island, a slight offshore breeze and the day was ultra clear.<br />
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Size wise for the curious - wifey is 150cm and her bike is a small, fits her perfectly.<br />
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Despite the small tailwind, wifey half wheeled me all day, proud of the fact she could just put it into BOOST mode and haul off the front.<br />
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The 'roos are pretty chilled, but be wary of them on trails, in case they jump in front of you as you ride.<br />
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Point Lookout for a snack, the place was so quiet, very few vehicle barges were running (mostly just for locals) and pedestrian tourists were only on the water taxi (there is a regular bus service from Dunwich servicing Amity and Point Lookout).<br />
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From there we dropped onto Cylinders Beach, skipped around Adder Rock headland with perfect wave timing and onto Flinders Beach. Bit woody in places but we didn't have to HAB, just time it right.<br />
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A few fresh and tidal/brackish lagoon outflows here and there, tide was on our side.<br />
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Just before Amity township we got off the beach, onto a short bit of road through the township and then a right hander onto the bush track that would cut out most of the hilly road section between Amity and Dunwich.<br />
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The trail isn't over-maintained, so we had our fair share of prickles and seed pods stuck to our clothes when we got to the road, along with other hitchhikers.<br />
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A few km of road, we didn't stop at Myora Springs though - a nice place to pause for a swim and wash off after a days ride in summer. The swimming spot is right next to the road, a fresh water outflow that is fed from a spring, only a few km from Dunwich.<br />
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One of my golden rules of daytrips is to always pack lights, as we tend to squeeze as much out of the day as we can, the last water taxi for the day was 5:55pm, so we had time to scoff the last of our food and enjoy the sunset.<br />
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Here's some reference material. All up the loop was around 60km. The biggest amount of elevation change is getting to Blue Lake from Dunwich, but by following the bush track from Blue Lake to the back of the swamp, you avoid the last climb out of the valley via the road. We got a late start and did the loop at a fairly relaxed pace. Do you really need a fatbike? Well, a plus bike could give you the float for some of the sandy back tracks and an mtb would do the hard sand at low tide. A fatbike will allow you to ride more places, instead of pushing, and explore further more efficiently.<br />
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There are heaps more routes to cover in future blog posts, more ways to explore this bay island gem. With sand mining on the decrease on Straddy, low impact recreation is tipped to be the next best export, the island is criss-crossed with old 4x4 trails, forestry and maintenance tracks.<br />
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This is all a very loose account of this trip, I purposely leave out a lot of things that may alter your own expectation of adventure or depth of exploration. Use it as a foundation and go as deep as you like - sometimes too much information can ruin the simple pleasure of going off track and exploring.<br />
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Here is a handy GPX file of the route: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/16AYsGlSLOfoJ-FXEQDcTK33AMw_C4TBo/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> then download the file and upload to your device.<br />
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Amazing where riding a bike will take you.<br />
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-40883926713868218262020-04-25T13:57:00.002-07:002021-07-21T04:01:29.523-07:00Iditarod 2020 - race report EP 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Picking up the dream from the previous episode, Casey and I left Rainy Pass Lodge at around 2pm. I had a full tank of fuel, blinker fluid topped off and muffler bearings greased for a long night in the saddle. It was actually a really grouse arvo on the bike as the image shows...despite the constant 30mph head wind and rapidly falling temperatures.</div>
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Bundle up in the right gear though and it's not an issue, above all you must manage moisture. Of course yellow snow breaks are common, but the holes on the front of your face exhaust the most moisture and can quickly bind up layers and beards with ice. I start the race with a clean face, I've seen some painful atrocities with racers' beards getting ice crusted to their ruffs and other head gear. </div>
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Speaking of beards, I had an issue in '16 across the Norton Sound sea ice crossing, with a quality OR balaclava that had a mesh section in front of the mouth. Now, my genes don't facilitate the growing of an awesome arctic explorer/lumberjack's beard, but that particular year it didn't stop me trying. I had about a 10mm cushion of bristles between my skin and the balaclava, creating a gap for moist air to unknowingly sneak through as the mesh had wetted out and frozen over. Consequently, the balaclava pretty much froze to my embarassment of a beard and stopped me from putting in any decent food or water. The layers had frosted over on the outside fabric too and formed a frozen mask, I didn't want to wreck the garments trying to make a food hole, so I made a small gap under my goggles - in between voluntary tourettes episodes - and just dropped the food in, moved my head around like one of those Laughing Clown games with the ping pong balls. Yeah, laughing clowns. I'm not triggered by them, but getting separated from food on a critical crossing can be annoying at best and amusing for bystanders. It's why I like solo travel so much - sing in the shower, dance in the dark...</div>
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Anyways, we were heading up a very exposed section called Ptarmigan Valley, the trail surface was scoured by the wind and was sastrugi hard in many places, so it was rideable, just really slow. The trail climbs up and down over many large hillocks, there are tripod markers at regular intervals to mark the trail but most of them were only a foot or two above the surface - normally they are around 7 feet tall (it had been a high snow year). </div>
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Being such a high snow year there was concern before the race started, of avalanche risk in the pass. Only a few days before our race started, a group of specialists from the Iditarod Trail Committee (controlling body for the dog sled race) ventured up to the pass to assess the risk, in case a re route was needed. This is what it looks like from the air:</div>
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You get to the last summit of the small hills along Ptarmigan valley, descend to the Happy River which runs year round, it has a gravel bottom, about a foot deep and sometimes has an ice bridge. I've seen people ride through the water - which is risky in itself - the general nastiness is if the ambient temp is below freezing, that creek water drizzles over your bike. You know Ice Magic, the liquid choc coating you pour on ice cream, sets hard after a short while? If you get water in your derailleur mech or brakes, chain etc, it soon freezes like that and you also end up with noisy spokey dokeys on your wheels. Kinda cool, but also not fun when your brakes no longer work and can't shift gears. Carry where you can, but its okay if the tyres get wet, just keep the water off functional stuff okay? So once past the river, you have a mile or 4 of Alder brush and meadow to the mouth of the pass. By this time Casey had ridden off the front, I was starting to conserve a bit from that headwind and my knees were getting aggro. This was the year I promised myself no pain meds unless absolutely necessary, stay in touch with the discomfort and see what affect it had on my other body functions (never stop experimenting). It had taken me 5 hours to get to this point from the lodge, I paused in the lee of some low trees where the icy, bare knuckled wind couldn't arm bar me, before I started into Rainy Pass itself. Dang it, water in my plastic secondary bottle (1L nally in OR coozy) had slushed up. I checked my tertiary frame bottle (1.4L nally in a custom EVA foam and neoprene sleeve, in an insulated bag) it too was slushy so I tipped them out before they became solid plugs in the bottles. I still had 350mL of hot choc in my steel bottle and 1L in the hydration pack. The wind just vacuumed the heat right outta those bottles, despite being covered in some dense 8mm closed cell EVA and 6mm neoprene, in an insulated framebag.</div>
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<b><i>PRO TIP</i></b>: Hydration is always an issue and would be one of the top 5 questions I get about water storage. Obvs you have to melt the snow, then store it, for a few years I've played with all kinds of insulated storage. Double walled steel canisters remain the best performers, despite the weight penalty. I work off primary, medium and long term storage to go the distance. This year, my medium and long term I'd reverted back to plastic nally's (I used all double walled steel in '18 and '19) and did a lot of work to insulate the nallys, in an effort to reduce some static weight. It was a mistake, suffice to say I recommend double walled bottles if you really want hot water to stay hot over a longer period of time in a sub zero environment. Avoid flip style drinking caps on them as they can leak with pressure - use the screw caps - and store them upside down, because if they start to freeze, the ice plug will start at the top of the water (not the bottom) so with the bottle inverted the water will still be liquid and the cap threads won't freeze the cap on. DON'T drink from a metal lipped bottle - decant into a plastic lipped bottle - otherwise your lips or tongue may stick to the metal bottle. </div>
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So I'm out of the wind momentarily and took stock of the situation (whether to fire up the stove, bivvy or move forward) and decided on a quick shiver bivvy and then get to work, use what I had and make the rest up - I knew what was coming and time for more experiments. Just like science class in school, we like to see how close we can get our hand to the bunsen flame. Leaving Rainy Pass early was a poor decision for both of us, but we both felt that we needed to maintain the push forward. I couldn't get any food down, I'd dry-heave-gag reflex when I tried to eat, it was 8 hours since my last decent feed, but trust me on this - I was in familiar ground with energy levels and my metabolism. I changed into my riot gear - clear lens goggles and Cold Avenger mask. Gavan rocked up behind me on the trail (foot athlete), asked if I was okay...but that's not what I heard when he said it (sorry Gav). When Casey and I left Rainy Pass Lodge, Rob left at the same time (Rob was the leading foot athlete at that point). Rob is from Minneapolis, Gavan is Irish. Expecting Rob, but hearing Gavan, my brain got a bit twisted - it expected Purple Rain, but got Riverdance. (PLEASE NOTE: The Proclaimers are Scottish, earworm: 500 miles - we've all sung it at some point on the trail)</div>
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It was around 8pm when I stepped into the maw of the pass and the wind got the first round of blows in, the bright moon overhead was no longer a disco ball - it was a single spotlight above a UFC cage and it was time to float like a butterfly.<br />
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Who hah that last paragraph made it sound so serious, we should be dancing! Well, Rainy Pass is sort of a big deal, it's a major crux on the way to McGrath, but I get excited in the weather events and like to balance it out with humour too. Years ago, I joked with my friend Jim Barkley that there was a churro stand at the top of the pass, I was eager to see if I would get delirious to the point where the stand would appear.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainy Pass in 2016 - it's nice when it's nice</td></tr>
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I'd been up Rainy Pass many times, day and night, blue skies and grey flat light, in wind and calm. This night I honestly don't recall much of the traverse, I joke that it was just a series of microsleeps broken by periods of forward motion dreams in REM. Never sit down, just keep dancing and accept that speed didn't matter, this was really becoming a solid cagefight. To remain lucid, I would call out the items I would see in front of me - rock, handlebar, boot, moonlit mountain - no monkeys or palm trees to be seen - which was a good sign. I've had other times in sleep deprived mode, when the snowy trail resembled a beach ride back home, it all looked like sand. With my riot gear on it was like a miniature paradise for my face - warm and tropical - at one point I paused, removed the gear to have a drink and try some food - the windblown snow grit blasted my face and with that windchill: I didn't bother again. I didn't need to have an exfoliation and skin peel on this summer holiday (well, it was summer when I left home if that makes sense) so early in the race, but a bit of tropical holiday food would be nice - I had small pineapple chunks in my Mag Tank top tube feed bag. Some research later on regarding the conditions that night revealed interesting numbers: windchill -60 to -80 degrees celsius with gusts to 47miles/hr, my own temp gauge registered -35C static. Ouchy. I followed a firm snowmachine route I hadn't done in previous years - instead of rounding the final moraine to the left, I went over the top of it and came a lot closer to the busted cabin near the saddle of the pass, in front of the lake. I purposely chose this route as it kept me away from the other path that crisscrossed a stream and also away from the tight part of the gorge, where snow cornices and shelf ice can be undermined by the wind. A nasty place to get caught with this wind and low visibility, an avalanche risk. The last push to the sign was steep and tough, a light had appeared behind and I communicated with an up and down nod of the head. It was Bergur, he caught up just as I began the descent, the wind was still growling away and roiling the snow around my goggles and feet. I could barely keep my eyes open, I knew I was slowly dehydrating and was approaching the 18 hour mark since food, so caffeinating would do more harm than good, it was 3am with daylight still a few hours away. Again, I was in full control of my actions, I knew where I was literally and figuratively as well as my energy levels, I was just so damn eye tired. There was no sign of the churro stand and I was all out of family block. </div>
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<b><i>PRO TIP</i></b>: Keto. What does going it mean? To me, its a broad term of the body sourcing its fuel needs from its stores, as opposed to sourcing from the GI tract and digestion. How do you do that? It's complicated, but also very simple if you experiment (in training) and understand the principles. My interest and research in this area goes back 30+ years and I love that there is always more to learn from my own body, and it astonishes me sometimes with what it can do when I push it. In a race like this, going 'keto' is something that will happen at some point to everybody as you just cannot put in enough fuel and process it to meet the burn rate. Teach your body to go keto in training, learn what it feels like during the fuel transition and then it won't be so shocking in the field (ie bonking). Is eating fatty foods considered keto? Well, I can't give you dietary advice (except chew your nuts) but I can say look at the bioavailability of the locked energy in a foodstuff. Sure, might be 3500 calories in that jar of peanut butter, but can your body actually digest and convert it to energy in a reasonable timespan for you to use? Experimentation is the key. Become a student of nutrition and a master of your body's metabolism - haha among all the other things you gotta master to be proficient in for the race. This environment is just a series of problems to solve - that's what cold weather travel is all about. Solve some of them in training - cold travel becomes a bit easier, more enjoyable and intrinsically rewarding. </div>
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The first part of the descent was a post hole affair if you went off track, it was something to focus on. Dalzell creek is off to the left as I entered the sharp V of a gorge, the wind started to ease as I lost elevation. In the past I've seen Dall sheep grazing among the steep rocky formations and further down in the alder and willow there are often moose. Again, something to focus on and I would recite these important notes to myself, to stave off sleep monsters. The temperature was falling rapidly, I had -35C on my gauge so I layered up with puffy layers. The pre-dawn glow came with the temp drop, so I decided to ride a bit as I had been still walking the bike to this point. After 1 microsleep fall I decided walking pace wasn't so bad compared to worst case scenarios. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh morning at -40 with Rainy Pass behind me. 2020</td></tr>
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I walked for an hour or so until I felt the disco smoke lift from my senses - it was time to ride and it felt awesome. I love the descent of Dalzell, every corner is a new challenge of glare ice, dodgy bridges and punchy climbs. I'm on studless tyres so my approach on the ice has to be perfect and match the angle, speed and direction needed - there cannot be last moment changes to any factor! The Dalzell gorge is like no other section on the trail, you criss cross the Dalzell creek over the ice bridges, huge voids on either side reveal a fast flowing creek beneath, 7 storey ice walls tower over the gorge and the trail weaves in and out of dark spruce forest with a low, 100% canopy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgg5TCDCUZq69csMJACpP_Y0AdAkVAhDCz5Tzw0d53NvfWWaSv7feMAabYzlFQecZJYB1Rd3XIp8OpRuO5nSISPBmCIV1iFb2ZV1lcosntU84O7kJ7LkAfCfQiPr-uoO_YrR6XjwnqO1k/s1600/P1010059.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgg5TCDCUZq69csMJACpP_Y0AdAkVAhDCz5Tzw0d53NvfWWaSv7feMAabYzlFQecZJYB1Rd3XIp8OpRuO5nSISPBmCIV1iFb2ZV1lcosntU84O7kJ7LkAfCfQiPr-uoO_YrR6XjwnqO1k/s640/P1010059.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The last of the spruce forest spits you onto the Tatina river and then onto the Kuskokwim river. These are mostly glare ice rivers with flowing water underneath the ice. Over time the river heaves and the ice jumbles up, leaving the massive ice sheets tilted on angles. The ice is also drummy and hollow underneath - shelved over the water or a gravel streambed. Sometimes the ice will crack under the point load of your tyres - you clench your teeth, hold your breath while your arsehole puckers to diamond forming levels. </div>
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I reached a section on the Tatina that had fresh overflow which was strange, as I'd seen the water level further up and it was low. Hmm, approach with care. There was hoar frost growing on the ice surrounding it - basically these ice crystals grow upwards off the ice surface, it would have been -40C or beyond here the previous night - things go weird at -40C. I hadn't noticed that the trail veered slightly over a gravel bar to my right 20m back, I was focussed on a marker further up on the ice. I was right in the middle of the hoar frost party when BAM, down I go with zero warning. I had lowish pressure in the tyres which gives me surface area and traction on glare ice, I was fully awake, I had no steering input, I wasn't braking nor did I have excessive speed - the frost acted like talcum powder on a polished timber floor - all traction had gone and the tyres just slipped completely. I paused for a moment laying on the ground, still clipped in and hands in the pogies, doing a full body check before I moved. No head impact, landed on right side knee, hip and shoulder simultaneously. Checked the gears and bike, visual on the area in case something had fallen off. No harm done and back to business as usual. </div>
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Rohn checkpoint was only a few more miles of river away and the day sure was purty. There was a food drop waiting for me in Rohn, I started going through the mental checklist of what I had in that drop and what I'd need for the next section, and what I'd leave behind.</div>
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When you get to Rohn, the first thing you're asked - would you like a brat? Unique to Rohn, the bratwurst in a roll with sauce and mustard is an iconic rite of passage wrapped in delicious calories slathered with the reward of arrival at this remote checkpoint. It was also 24 hours since I'd eaten and I was pretty darn happy with this new block of body performance data. I sat in the sun on a log, ate my brats and drank cold Tang, with a bodyheated Snickers bar for dessert while admiring the view of the Terracotta Mtns behind the log cabin. Life was beautiful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAexbPWtxLH_xt0vHAHuSsxDhyphenhyphend1ZwI-NXZXPnohlLo64jVlJPSu7jsiQFiGRweZt77R1LyaS5jRdj9L1rDIFK2U5Wwh4InJXx3t34oczRogHFxiX35j91XEEMtfy6FTL9cPQt6rviBJtu/s1600/P1010063.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAexbPWtxLH_xt0vHAHuSsxDhyphenhyphend1ZwI-NXZXPnohlLo64jVlJPSu7jsiQFiGRweZt77R1LyaS5jRdj9L1rDIFK2U5Wwh4InJXx3t34oczRogHFxiX35j91XEEMtfy6FTL9cPQt6rviBJtu/s640/P1010063.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rohn is a Tardis-like tent in the wilderness. Manned by Adrian and Beth, outside it's just a canvas tent, but inside it's shelter from the elements, a place to dry gear, a bed of straw and spruce needles to rest on with abundant hot water. It's all you need. </div>
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But don't get comfortable, Rohn tent camp sleeps about 5 and is run as a first in-first out deal, where you only get your ticket to rest inside until another racer comes along to boot you out of the space. You can bivvy outside as long as you like, but it can get bitterly cold on this side of the Alaska range in the valleys right next to the river. I planned a 2 hour break here, until the next racers were due - Rebecca and Greg - with 5 more due in over the next 6 hours. Bergur had been in for a while, I racked out for about an hour then got my bike packed (more Cadburys family block!) before the afternoon sun vanished in the valley and temps started to dip. It was around 2-3pm when I left. Sadly, I lost my Cold Avenger mask somewhere on the trail coming into Rohn, the only piece of gear I've ever lost and a critical piece of riot gear for when it goes noisy on the trail. I still had other headgear options to use, but that mask had been to Nome 3 times so I was a bit bummed. </div>
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I am still in the Alaska Range - check it:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxGfxsCwp4T3a8Xt8KMQhB5o2RSbCc1QJ8brDx7YdC66nNxo6ZR-J-9UbMYZPd231rZN8Tzonhx8okaEvrmjpP14K0nsRKj8U7zRFTDo16CHsEGv0aLtbDyc-XvJv3rJvea2060t6ngXd/s1600/Rohn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="783" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxGfxsCwp4T3a8Xt8KMQhB5o2RSbCc1QJ8brDx7YdC66nNxo6ZR-J-9UbMYZPd231rZN8Tzonhx8okaEvrmjpP14K0nsRKj8U7zRFTDo16CHsEGv0aLtbDyc-XvJv3rJvea2060t6ngXd/s640/Rohn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Down at ground level though, the scenery is just jaw droppingly beautiful. The Northern slope of the Alaska range sees less precipitation, up ahead there would be bare trail and always some dirt/overflow/frozen buffalo shit. The trail remains in the grip of the mountains for a few more miles when you depart Rohn, straight out over the ice of the Kuskokwim River and surrounded by tall peaks.</div>
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The trail was hard and fast and more sketchy river ice, legs felt fresh for the blast through the forest known as the buffalo tunnels. As suggested, from here there's a good chance you'll see bison galloping along - they can move fast! You may also see things hanging in the trees, like bottles, soda cans or coloured flags - these are often markers left by trappers to indicate they have laid traps in the area. </div>
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The Post River 'glacier' is really just overflow on the slope of a hill, but in low snow years it's a barren, sloping glare ice chute that will have you on your knees - literally - if you don't have any studs in your boots or tyres. Racers have been known to remove their pedals and tie them to their studless boots, in order to gain some traction. Racers have also fallen hard here and slid a long way down the slope before coming to a stop - one year I found a trail of crash candy from the point of impact to the stop point. Of course I "Ibis'd" the candy! (a pop culture icon, the Ibis is a scavenging, protected native bird of Australia - cross between a seagull and a goat - relentless in it's search for bin scraps and will eat anything - it's also lovingly referred to as the "bin chicken") Scavenging crash candy is not classified as outside assistance...<br />
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Looking back towards Rohn, the forest in these parts burnt out from the largest fire in Alaska's history - the Farewell fire of 1978. The soil was scorched so badly in places that nothing has grown back, only the haunting trunks remain. Some of the swamps have good grass cover and that's what attracts the bison.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hTSCUe_IrZlc_HigTLWuB_T80MN_9BRmFo1ELmRtvr8HwxlE_aYMg9NcLdFszW5N34tZib_Z0liRJCfHR_fFWuhOs9mP-OaQiMNWSCqoCTTaFecoTKBZQntdSGIJTZZlnwmMGnDhKbXt/s1600/P3040359.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hTSCUe_IrZlc_HigTLWuB_T80MN_9BRmFo1ELmRtvr8HwxlE_aYMg9NcLdFszW5N34tZib_Z0liRJCfHR_fFWuhOs9mP-OaQiMNWSCqoCTTaFecoTKBZQntdSGIJTZZlnwmMGnDhKbXt/s640/P3040359.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back towards the Alaska range, Egypt mountain peak in centre of image.</td></tr>
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Once past Farewell mountain on the left and the towering Egypt mountain on the right, named due to its close resemblance to a pyramid, the Farewell burn, or just 'the burn' hold many stories for many racers. Some racers freak out at night through here, combination of sleep monsters and low blood sugar, or maybe just too many Stephen King novels. Following the burn, there are quite a few lakes and swamps to cross, with freaky eyes in the frozen lake ice.<br />
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Then there are many short and sharp climbs to tackle on this section, one particular hill that will give you a clear view of Foraker and Denali, the sunrises/sunsets here are sensational and this was where I paused for a quick melt up of water and prep a hot meal for later. It was going to be a long night and day and then another night before I would reach Nikolai.<br />
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Somewhere in the burn, I had to rest a short while as the fog of fatigue was creeping in and dulling my senses. I would have grabbed about 30 mins of shiver bivvy, when Jussi came past just as I was packing up. He was riding strong and soon vanished from sight. Oh hang on, what's a shiver bivvy? Well, instead of going to the trouble of stomping out a chimp nest in the snow for a full sleep, a shiver biv is simple - you put on your puffy layers, you have a quick feed to fuel the furnace and sit upright next to your bike and snooze. Other bivvy types are the REM bivvy: stand upright, eyes closed and straight into dreamy REM; the Zombie bivvy: stand upright, eyes open, stare at the horizon and zone out; the Tripod bivvy: straddle the bike, legs locked, arms crossed and resting on handlebars, head on arms. There are more but I'd be taking the fun of discovery out of it for others, just beware the crash bivvy or the nude bivvy - you're going hypothermic... </div>
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My knees started to develop some discomfort, which isn't a new thing for any racer on the Iditarod - we all acquire some issues during the race. But this was affecting the amount of power I could put down to the pedals, I could spin but not grind, after a while the spinning wasn't winning as far as the knees were concerned. No pain meds, too early in the race to be drugging up to get it done, so I just settled into a rhythm that worked for me, ride, then push, then grovel forward as the trail was fairly average. Somewhere near Bear Creek, Petr passed me, I'd been pushing for an hour or so by that point, he asked if all was good, then he kept riding. The trail was marginal - rideable if you could put the power down and float, it was quite windblown and drifted. Another hour or two later, Toni passed me, he was riding albeit a slow grind. Not long after that, a few machines went by and tore up what little rideable trail there was, it was mid afternoon so the trail wasn't going to fix itself anytime soon. I amused myself by dropping into the character voice of chef from the Muppets. Pushing the bike, I started hearing a flubbery flerpty floopin kind of noise. The subsequent temp drop overnight and the low pressure riding had weakened the bead seal and caused a very slow air leak in the back tyre, it was now ger borkin. I mean flat. Sigh. Well, at least it wasn't -40C un der gerfs. 20 minutes of rigorous pumping to get enough pressure in to re-seal the bead, only pausing to quickly circulate the sealant. Yur dur beecycle tyer is sergudd hur der desh floompty schmer. Bork bork bork!<br />
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<b><i>PRO TIP</i></b>: Tubeless or tube? Another top 5 question I get, my first answer is 'the system you feel most comfortable messing about with at night at -40C'. Both have their +/- and it's outside the scope of this pro tip to go through each and every scenario. But lets talk basics, as I know you wanna hear some answers! Winter sealants are special jazzed up versions of regular sealants - they have more Glycols in them to help stave off the freeze - but they can still slush up, I've had this at around -35C, the sealant puddled and then froze in the tyre. Sealants have some pretty complex chemistry in them nowadays, natural latex has organisms that attack it and break it down, so throw in some antibacterials and fungicides. The sealant needs to coagulate in contact with the atmospheric air, so some ammonia will help that along - but wait a minute, some tyre compounds react with ammonia, so there are low levels of it along with pseudo ammonia chemicals, and as mentioned, the glycols keep it liquid at sub zero temps. CO2 inflation will prematurely cure the sealant - doesn't cure it instantly but it accelerates the reaction over time. Tyre beads can leak due to low pressure running, or from freshly installed tyres where the rim/tyre bead hasn't grown a significant seal of dried sealant at the tyre/rim junction, also from some lighter single wall rims having too high a spoke tension (shrinks the bead seat diameter). Low flow valve stems can clog up with sealant, as can old valve cores, reducing the ability to drop/add air in the tyre, and stems can leak at the base if they are loose. Valve cores can wind out of the stem if you use a pump that has a screw on head - when removing the head they can unscrew the core with it and you lose most of your air pressure. Thin, high flow alloy race valve stems can be damaged with rough pump use, they are quite thin and sometimes, they can develop porosity in the threads, or slight corrosion will make them leak. Some of these issues can be mitigated with Fatty Strippers or ghetto tubeless with thin split tubes, brass valve stems. Studded tyres never seem to wear out the tread, but the sidewalls get a hammering if you spend a lot of cumulative time at low, single digit wrinkle air pressure. You'll see that damage as lots of wetness on the sidewalls from the sealant weeping through (this can also happen with aged sealant, as the glycols start to split off and weep through - if you taste test the weeping fluid, it will have a sweet taste - that's the glycol splitting off. Sealant is dead and inactive, take the tyre off, wash it all down, refit the tyre and fresh sealant). You may also see cross hatching start to appear on the tyre, have a think about the amount of wrinkle work the tyre has done, it can be a sign the tyre cords are starting to delaminate from the rubber. The tyre can live on with a tube in it. Speaking of tubes, if that's all you'll ever run, ALWAYS install your tubes with plenty of talc powder brushed on the inside of the tyre (use a 2" brush and put the powder in an old drink bottle). The talc acts a lube between the tyre carcass and tube, for low pressure work, There is a lot of rubbing that happens at low pressure with tubes. For expedition work, always use a thick tube at the proper size, not a lightweight one or an oversized MTB tube, to save weight. Why? When you inflate the tube, it will stretch out to the tyre. Think of it like a balloon. Half inflate the ballon, the wall thickness is thick, you can insert a pin and the balloon will deflate very slowly. Inflate the same balloon to maximum size, the wall thickness is gossamer thin, insert the pin and the balloon explodes into ribbons. Same thing with a tube - you can field repair a tube with a small hole - a ribboned tube you cannot. Also that thick tube will resist wearing through for longer when there is tube/tyre friction happening. Sure, carry a thin and lightweight spare, as long as you understand the +/- of both, you make the call to suit. In my opinion and experience, putting sealant into a tube does not work. Some sealants work by a log jam effect with fibres to jam against the puncture site and a viscous fluid that gums up (Slime). This log jam can be dislodged with low pressure flexion of the tyre/tube. YMMV. Tyre plugs are rad for tubeless, the smart ones use an insert that is impregnated with a re-agent that is a catalyst for coagulation of the sealant at the puncture/plug site. Beware the plugs that have a sharp tip - if you forget it's there and you need to put in a tube, that tip will obviously puncture the tube near instantly. A tear in a tyre can be temporarily booted with a gel wrapper or similar before putting in a tube, a thick sock is the ultimate as it will conform better with tyre pressure changes and stay in place, I've seen gel wrappers and other hard plastic items scratch and eventually puncture the tubes long term. Tyre pressure? Air up for the night and air down for the day. I detailed this in EP #2, read more there and check out the fancy algorithm - it helped me make better toast among other things.<br />
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The trail got a bit firmer for a while, until the snow came down and the knees didn't like the pedalling, that was that. Then, it was a re-run of the Rainy Pass traverse of zombie bivvies and instant REM between 10 steps of forward motion. Painful to watch when you're a dot watcher! The falling snow was a constant feature now and the spruce trees were too small to find a decent tree well, to have a quick bivvy under. This stretch also has it's share of long, open meadows. Auto pilot was set to keep...moving...forward through the deepening fatigue. I ticked off the mile markers as they came - the 20 mile, then 10, then 5 to Nikolai. The day dawned and I started to make more ground, saw some familiar landmarks and knew that proper rest wasn't far away.<br />
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Funny thing again though, despite the tiredness, I never have hallucinations and I actually enjoy the multi-faceted challenge of moving forward in this state. Risk? Of course there's always risk. But I keep the risk in the margins, devote the page to my outcome calculations. I choose to look for the solutions to the figurative Rubix cube of race fatigue, mental games, mechanicals and body issues. It's an intrinsic reward that's satisfying to me, to maintain equal measure of control whether it's bad or good - it truly excites me - but I'm no adrenaline junky. Weird brain, huh? We are all wired differently, I don't drink alcohol and Nyree always beats me at chess.<br />
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Don't get me wrong - I love to bivvy and prefer being outside than in, but I needed to accumulate some solid rest in a short space of time and out here wasn't optimal for that rest. There are some spectacularly moody/creepy Birch forests at this point on the trail that I've always wanted to bivvy in...one day. I've heard there is a wolf pack around Nikolai too. The scene was incredibly beautiful: spruce trees were heavily laden with snow; the temp was mild; the cloud was thick so the light was soft and had a neutral colour temperature; snow was falling in big, slow flakes, the trail was entirely filled in and it gave you this feeling of intense serenity and purity, like nobody had been here before. Lol, nope I wasn't off track either.<br />
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I rounded the river bend and Nikolai came into view, it was about 9am. A figure approached by bike - it was Nicholas Carmen, a very experienced traveller and he was volunteering at the checkpoint. After checking on me, he rode back to the checkpoint, he had a burger ready on the grill when I arrived. Every checkpoint has it's own style, cuisine and accom level. The Nikolai Grill was proving itself as a contender for the title, no doubt! I'd planned a few hours rest here and a decent feed, I racked out in the corner for a bit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nikolai community centre, looks empty now before the hordes. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George G. (checkpoint Master host and master foodie kept us fed) on the left, David F. (tech guru, drone captain and cameraman keeping the socials fed) on the right. </td></tr>
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About an hour after I arrived, word filtered through that George Adams had an issue with his bike. The details were sketchy, but he couldn't ride it and was pushing from around Bear Creek. I built this bike for George around 6 weeks prior to the race and he was going to Nome with his lifelong buddy, Graham. My focus instantly shifted from my own goal, into doing everything that I could to get George's bike fixed and back to 100%. The dream adventure for two people was on the line here as George and Graham were racing as a pair. With 4 Nome finishes under my belt, I knew how much work they'd done to get here and also how important it was to continue - those that know, know. When you are in the theatre of Iditarod, there is a lot of camaraderie between racers that gets magnified in situations like this. George's Muru Canning build spec was modelled around my own Muru Iditarod LE, and if it meant taking parts off my own bike to keep him on track to Nome then that's what I was going to do.<br />
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At his rate of travel, George was due into Nikolai the following day...sometime. There was no way to get a message to him on the trail that I was waiting for him, to assess and hopefully repair his bike, so George unfortunately had to wallow in push mode for another 24+ hours. I had to wallow in eat and sleep mode until he arrived, but also the anguish of seeing my own race effort and potential adapt and evolve.<br />
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I also had a message from Nyree. The situation with COVID-19 was worsening worldwide, DFAT had issued a request that all Aussies abroad should make moves to return home, should borders need to close. We'd all been in an eat, sleep, rave, repeat bubble for a week or more, so at that point I was like, 'yeah nah, she'll be right ay, I'll keep heading to Nome'. I ate another apple and added another page for calculations...<br />
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-29849965065046374352020-04-03T23:14:00.000-07:002020-04-22T00:04:05.575-07:00Iditarod 2020 - race report - EP 2You must force yourself to take mental snapshots of moments in time; as time marches forward so does the race, comfort is almost your enemy. The wool socks hanging on a nail above the wood stove; your jacket draped over the chair; the slow flicker of a damped flamefront in the stove and the rime of frost on the edges of the window pane. Commit them to memory, these are the fine pixel details in a picture you cannot replicate without the whole image of this cabin. You must move on and leave such luxuries of heat and comfort behind, move forward towards your goal.<br />
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Eyes snap open, it was 6:30am and almost robot-like, my CPU autoruns the subroutine of rehearsed, programmed thought. The getafterit.exe file is run; gear.xls file is referenced, search.exe is looking for sock.jpg while food.obj is Blended and broken down to vertices (rhymes with...).<br />
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A window in the cabin overlooks Shell lake, I could see a lone light getting closer in the pre-dawn light. I got my gear on and bike packed, just as Casey rolled in looking tired with frost surrounding his headgear. He parked up in the cabin to warm himself, while I headed for the main lodge to get some water. I smashed a bit more food and I saw Casey leave the cabin, the trail from here goes up and over a series of low meadows and the trail had a nasty white comb over of fresh powder, everybody had been pushing.<br />
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I paused to take in the sunrise and smash a bit of breakfast, basically snacking on whatever was in my top tube bag - choc coated cranberries, gummi bears, dried fruit and making a good dent in the bigger items in my framebag - like that family block of Cadbury milk chocolate. Truth be told, food is a constant refinement each year for me, there is no magic bullet for it. I have my staples though and I pack a wide variety of foods to cater for changing tastes. Sorry I can't give you the fish on this one, ya'll gotta go and do the hard work and learn how to fish. I've done a heap of experimentation in this area and it's taught me some things about metabolism and fuelling that have got me through some tough spots - one of which was to come...<br />
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<b><i>PRO TIP</i></b>: Each racer should experiment with foods suitable for a sub zero environment. Remember, the foods you consume at room temps will be different in many ways at freezing temps, so have a think about how that affects your mouth - it will generally roughen it up and affect your sense of taste. Look after your teeth with regular brushing/mouthwash/chewy to help fight the effects of your sudden high sugar diet. Your tongue is also the victim of slight freeze burn, when breathing hard you are sucking in cold air over your tongue and this affects your sense of taste and sensation as well. Combine it with a scald or two from hot foods or liquids, it's not uncommon for the desire to eat to fade, along with your energy levels. Over time your mouth can ulcerate from sharp foods like chips, making eating difficult. Experiment and find what works for you, try and go in with a 'my GI tract can process almost anything' approach, as you may find food from the discarded pile at a checkpoint more desirable than your own. DON'T. EAT. TOO. MUCH. Ya'll do ya'self a major discomfort, your GI tract is trying its best to process around 350 cals per hour, so loading it up with 1000+ calorie meals might bung you up over time and the best way for the body to expel it - yup out both ends and may be mis-diagnosed as gastroenteritis. Your GI tract is fighting for blood to do it's job, as your working muscles will demand the majority be diverted to them, so digestion rate will slow. Oh, and CHEW YOUR NUTS. Rest room hygiene aint perfect out there, many foods may pass through partially digested. Nut fragments can cause irritation in the freckle and saddle areas and you WILL be playing a game of find the peanut, it may even contribute to localised rashes in the form of a slight allergic reaction. Have a think about the volume of peanuts in your overall race diet (it seems to be a major staple for many ultra foods), this may contribute to saddle sores - you may have a mild peanut allergy that is highlighted during the race.<br />
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You could see the tyre track of those who attempted to ride...and the occasional, spectacular failure resulting in big snow angels beside the trail. The depth of the snow this year led to some good swimming efforts - that's essentially what you end up having to do, to get out from under your bike.<br />
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The day remained clear, no more snow fell but the wind picked up by midday and the meadows were really blowing in on the trail to Winterlake Lodge - the 3rd checkpoint and our 1st food drop. It was a beautiful day, despite not being able to ride, I just kept pushing with a smile on my face, a song on my lips and a dance step in my boots. Adapt to the tune.<br />
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Clip thanks to @ITIAlaska</div>
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Alaska always gives a bit of pushback before a checkpoint, to remind you just how insignificant you are, the geography of the area often leads to some wind on the exposed areas, and there is no shortage of exposed areas here. From memory, 2019 was the only year I've had with a clear run to the lodge with no wind. Temp was around -15C and wind about 20-30mph, I would consider it mild conditions but not something that I would want exposed skin for any long period of time.<br />
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Winterlake Lodge is the gateway to the Alaska range, from here the mountains stand as silent sentinels, they are at your sides for the next 80-90 miles or so until you reach Egypt and Farewell mountains beyond Rohn.</div>
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I'd estimated my food load from the start perfectly and was ready to replenish from my drop. Of course, you have a dig through the scratched racers food tub, I found some salty chips to snack on later. Kinda sad though - written on the ziplock was a message 'To Dad, love Molly' obvs the food had been loving packed for 'Dad', but 'Dad' wasn't going to get here this year, so I said a quiet thank you to Molly, I would carry the torch for her Dad with those chips. It was around 4pm, Casey was napping in the ITI tent, I didn't need to sleep so pushed on into the ground windstorm for a slow dance over the creek gullys. The wind had demolished the trail and buried many sections under a foot or two of powder. Of note there were very few trail markers, due to the huge amount of snow the whole trail system had received, most markers were buried so I did a lot of trail mining with my feet postholing the snow, in the failing afternoon light. You are looking for the slightest bit of trail spoor, imperfections, patterns on sastrugi - anything to help you find the firmest, packed down part of the trail. It's kinda fun and just another challenge of the race. It took the better part of 45 mins to get across this postholing section and into the trees, but the trail up the gorge wasn't any better and huge drifts of snow blocked the trail to make a steep push even steeper.<br />
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The night rolled on, the wind remained and a distant light appeared behind me, it was Casey. I stopped for a snack (thanks Molly, the chips were delish) and more work on the family block, then we rode together over the many meadows and long frozen lakes, all the while surrounded by Alaska range behemoths wearing bright white cloaks, they seemed to be illuminated from within by the moonlight. After a while, the headlight behind me fell back, I waited a short while at the start of the CAT track until I felt the chill, I had to keep moving. Turned out Casey needed to bivvy, I rolled on down the CAT track, a 4-5 metre wide snow diversion road cut through the spruce pine forest to allow the transport of heavy machinery to a recently opened mine site nearby. Such is progress, shame really as this was some very pretty forest trail that had been bypassed. The trail felt so slow, it was 2am and strange things happen to tyre pressure and trail surfaces at night...<br />
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<b><i>PRO TIP</i></b>: Prepare yourself to change pressures often if you enjoy riding, because it can mean the difference to riding, or riding fast, or pushing. Put simple - air up for nights, air down for days, don't wrinkle the tyre too much for any longer than needed (the sidewall can start to delaminate between the plies and you'll see sealant weeping/wet spots on the sidewall - with tubes they may start to rub against the tyre carcass and wear thin...unless you've powdered them. Powder them using a 2"paintbrush, with talcum powder in an old drink bottle). It can be a very complex if-then-else logic matrix if you want to drill down into it, a lot of logic questions to run down the filters to arrive at a solution. Things like ground and air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, ground temp soak (how long has the ground been at a particular temperature), sunlight/shadow, time of day (rising or falling temp), age of snow, aeration; as well as how fuggered you are and how quick you respond to that logical thought process. Given that fatbike tyre performance is based around air volume, not so much high pressure, any slight change in low pressure internally will result in differing performance in terms of how much the tyre will bag out. Less tyre air pressure = wider and longer tyre footprint (in general terms) giving more floatation on soft surfaces. Air temperature (easy to track in the field) and atmospheric pressure (harder to track in the field without regular calibration and reference points) will also directly affect tyre pressure and therefore the tyre footprint size. Time of day (afternoon can sometimes be soft and mushy, but then can depend on ambient temps or sunlight/shadow) and various temps (rising or falling temps) will affect the trail surface and impact/release friction, mash potato (warm-ish) to hard and squeeky under foot (cold and a growing grain ice crystal size) and then you have aeration (from snowmachine traffic or fresh powder fall and wind) and age of snow (old snow can granulate to sugar snow/corn snow by machine action and freeze/thaw cycles). Ask an XC ski racer about waxing for conditions, they'll share similar specific logic process. Your simple inner monologue question of 'should I air up or down' turns into the following algorithm to factor in all the variables, but again that's part of the fun of all this. Good luck, there is not enough urine in the human body to write that one out in the snow...<br />
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I'd been watching the terrain, the Happy River steps were off to my right and I could see the mountain range where the gorge track ascended out of the Happy River valley, I was looking for a small trail off to the right that would take me back on to the main Iditarod trail just before the Steps. Found it, turned down it - the CAT track continued straight and many racers missed this vital time saving, right hand turnoff. Ya gotta maintain your spatial awareness! Yes I had a GPS (off), but it's way more fun to nav your way from other sources of intel around you, just like adventure racing.<br />
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So, yeah, back onto the trail and it was time to see a man about a dog and by crikey it was a cold visit. I have gone back to regular winter cycling bibshorts, so my top layers and hydration pack (all bar my next to skin base and the Macpac fleece) have to be removed so I can take off my bib shoulder straps. I'll put up with this inconvenience for the performance of bibshorts, if you have a system its not so bad. My next stop was a shiver bivvy at the top of the last happy river step, it was round 3am, so managed about 30 mins of rack time before Casey rolled on through and I joined him. Together we pushed up the wall, up the gorge and the trail through the rolling hills from there was mostly rideable all the way to Rainy Pass Lodge, our next checkpoint. The sunrise was simply incredible, the Alaska range glowed bright orange to greet us with the brand new day.<br />
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Got to the lodge around 11am, we both racked out for a few hours in the guide cabin, I got my water ready and had a few rounds of hot meals to catch up on calories. Every year in the race about this time, I'm kinda done with eating big solid meals, I tend to go off my food a bit. But I knew what's ahead of me on the trail and I forced some solid calories in, Rainy Pass can throw a dance smackdown challenge like no other. Casey moved to make an arvo departure and when the weather is clear like it was with wind hanging about, taking on the Pass in the afternoon isn't the best move. I wasn't here to f#&ck spiders and with both of us having a fair bit of Rainy Pass experience under out belts, we bounded out the door around 2pm, I didn't want to lose ground at the pointy end. We had warm sun, no wind for the first 20 minutes (that's not counting the bean soup in a can I had at the guide cabin). That's when DJ Pass-Out started his set, we were stepping into a trance rave that was to go all night...<br />
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-65017937864900383072020-03-28T13:09:00.000-07:002020-03-28T16:08:29.860-07:00Iditarod 2020 - race report EP 1<div class="_2cuy _3dgx" data-block="true" data-editor="kait" data-offset-key="4r7sp-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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Eat. Sleep. Rave. Repeat. That was my theme for the 2020 edition of the Iditarod Trail Invitational, my backcountry version of Alaska's got talent: the all singing, all dancing race along the iconic Iditarod Trail. This was my 5th trip to Nome, every year has been different and this 2020 race would not break from that tradition. <br />
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Each year is an opportunity to experiment with a heap of stuff, trial new things, while many proven things remain unchanged. I came into the race with a much higher level of fitness than the previous year, but dragging behind it was a big load of sleep debt that had accumulated from months of a high workshop load in my business - I was still working on bike projects through the night, right up to 2 hours before I headed to the airport! Not much I could do, except do the very best I could with acclimation once I was in Anchorage. Sometimes just getting to the startline is an epic adventure in itself. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes the best parties start with tear away pants. Others may argue adult sized absorbent pants are the sign of a good planner. Whatever your view, this party started off with some male stripping.</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6v6op-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">'2 minutes' came the call, I was just coming back from my warm up. Got to the start line and I needed to strip off my puffy pants, so around the 1 minute call from Kyle, I'm ripping off and stuffing my pants into the pannier, cool and collected, while my buddies on the line are joking about places to be. You can see the comedy in the race start video. There was no time to ask for money in the waistband, the gun went off and we sprint off across Knik Lake and onto the trail. We hung as a bunch through the tight forest trail, quite picturesque through heavily laden pine spruce trees with a pillowy white carpet all around. Temp was warm around -8C, so it paid to be on point with your layering right from the start - too much and you burn up and wet out your layers, so you stay on the cold side and vent to suit. Stay frosty, mate.</span>
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<span data-offset-key="6v6op-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a vital intersection, a left turn will run you along the powerlines to the road, or continue straight on the main Iditarod trail. I took this main trail route in 2015, it's a lot hillier, more scenic and suits the foot athletes better, it bypasses the snowmachine trails along the Gasline Rd. Some bikers took this Iditarod trail route this year with mixed feelings, that's Rebecca heading off down the trail. For me though, turn left, push and head for the road. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pic: James Howery</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The fast 350 crew breakaway here and by the time we get to the road, it's just Jay Cable, Kate Coward, Jussi K and I. We shuffle around a bit doing turns, get to the gasline trail and it's a mixture of push and slow pedal on the mash potato like snow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Snow began to fall and it continued all night, I had light layers (LG long sleeve base layer cycling top and MACPAC Nitro Polartec fleece - the Macpac top was just brilliant) on under my thin Salomon XC softshell jacket. Lightweight cap, with an OR ear warmer around the neck, ready to deploy over my nose and cheeks, summer buff for the neck and mouth as required. </span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="des3t-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Flathorn Lake was push time, the foot athletes take a slightly different route than the bikers for the first section, so no surprise to see them leapfrog the bikers by the time we got to the Susitna River drop in point, also known as the Wall of Death. A few bikers had chosen to bivvy here high on the river bank, I think it was Janice Tower and Matt Tanaka. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="des3t-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> It was midnight, I made a hot meal of ramen and chicken teriyaki freezie and a 750mL hot chocolate for the long and cold river segments to come. Petr came past me as I made my meal, he was riding albeit very slowly, just grinding it out. There were several snowmachine trails out on the Su that night. I passed Jussi and Casey, they had bivvied down around 2am right on the river, which I thought unusual, it was down to -20C on the river. The snow continued to fall, by now my softshell had absorbed moisture from the snow, I had my lightweight Berghaus synthetic puffy jacket on now and it too was slowly wetting out from falling snow (I don't carry a hardshell). I am a proponent and experienced practitioner in the art of drying clothes on the body, so I wasn't concerned with the moisture load, MO is just keep moving and put the fuel in. Upper body layers were damp, I still had my heavy weight parka and puffy pants in reserve if I needed to emergency stop. </span>
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<span data-offset-key="des3t-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>PRO TIP</i></b>: Your body is the best place for these technical layers to dry, you just need to find the optimum speed/workload at which to travel to create the right amount of body heat, vent it all to create the airflow and keep the food and water going in to fuel the furnace. There is a process called sublimation, where ice will evaporate from surfaces without going through the process of melting/liquifying, but you need time for this to happen. Any clothing layers you remove will quickly resemble mutated paper mache shapes as the moisture in them freezes out of shape. Keep layers on and keep moving!</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="doab3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I knew there would be firmer trail once I got past the confluence and onto the Yentna River, as there is a lot more general snowmachine traffic on this route. I was right. Fast and rideable. I flew down the river, and got to Yentna station CP1 right on daybreak, feeling really good and ready for a fast transition. By this time my clothing layers were dry so it was top off water, change of socks and keep trucking. Petr rolled in as I was leaving, he must have taken an alternative snowmachine trail on the Susitna River and he just gutted it out as I did not pass him along the way, but I recall seeing other headlights on the river that didn't match up to the route I was on. </span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="doab3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I rolled out onto the river and made good time on the river to the next checkpoint of Skwentna Roadhouse. Part way along, I ran into my friend John Lackey (record holder of the fastest time to McGrath in '16 of 1 day 19 hours) and his wife Kara. They were riding back to the start after a camping trip with friends - lots of people do this on the trail - hang out with friends and cheer racers on into the wee hours of the night, around a bonfire, in the middle of nowhere. All day the trail was rideable with a few patches of soft trail, it had setup well despite some snowmachine traffic. </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="doab3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I shared the trail with Jay Cable most of the day, both of us had a LOT of seat time accumulated, you really need to make a conscious effort to get out of the saddle regularly to avoid freckle aggravation. It's exactly how it sounds. I caught it early, could sense the anger in the chocolate starfish and quick action is needed. I stopped on a section of the trail that allowed good visibility each way, out with the wet wipes. Now I have to tell you this is a bitter sweet experience. The ice cooling effect of a wet wipe at -15C on a ring of fire is like nothing you've felt before. Alcohol wipes are next level pain, but they are a lot smaller and you are trying to limit poo poo fingers here. Then with a SINGLE DIP into the chamois cream tub, apply to affected area, work it in there, don't be shy, do it once and do it right. See, this is the reason you select a trail section with good visibility each way - coming upon a grown man looking like he is trying to 'find the walnut' isn't a pleasant experience for either party. Sadly Jay scratched at Skwentna, I overheard a description of his reason to the race director and sounded similar to my own damaged area, only much worse. Racers are tight, but we don't offer to help each other out with these kinds of things... </span>
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<span data-offset-key="doab3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I arrived at Skwentna CP2 sometime in the afternoon, again it was a fast transition, sock change, top off camelback with free cold water (they were charging for hot water), q</span><span data-offset-key="doab3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">uick check of the tracker - still where I wanted to be,</span><span data-offset-key="doab3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"> out the door, always thinking efficiency, not speed.</span><span data-offset-key="doab3-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;"> The arvo wind had picked up and I knew there were a few exposed miles of trail that would be blown in until I reached the trees of the Shell hills. So it was down to pushing, but oh the golden hour of arvo light was amazing and my enthusiasm to be out in it could not be damped. </span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="doab3-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I got into the trees and out of the wind, got a bit of elevation to spot any following headlamps, fired up the stove and made a hot meal of instant mash potato with beef lasagna freezie and some hot Tang. I'd made a few mods to my stove setup and was keen to see the time savings made by field usage. Using the same stove I've used out here for years - MSR whisperlite, a stove that has never let me down, and I've tried several others to compare. I use the arctic pump, that has the leather pump cup and improved cold weather sealing. But this year, I unitised the stove and the bottle onto a base of 1mm carbon fibre, modded the stove so the 900mL ti pot could nest over the top of the stove. Quicker to deploy and get water on the go. </span><br />
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Of course, there had to be some bike influence in the build with short spokes and red alloy nipples to fasten the stove to the carbon baseplate. This all fitted neatly in the bag I made to go between the seatpost and the rear rack. <br />
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<span data-offset-key="doab3-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I only had another 4 hours or so to get to my planned stop point of Shell Lake. By this time though, the intense pushing and violent jolting of the knees earlier in the race had started to take the toll. When you are riding in marginal conditions, the machine packed centre of the trail is the firmest section of snow, off to the sides it was feet deep in many places and very soft. You'll be riding along, get a bit squirrelly, you wobble to try and save the line. Sometimes it can't be saved, so you put out a foot onto either firm snow (jarring) or nothing at all (hyperextension) and make a snow angel. The damage is cumulative as it's so random. </span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="doab3-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>PRO TIP:</i></b> bend your elbows and weight the hands, do short and sharp corrections to your line to stay in the butter zone of firm trail. Drop your seatpost to lower the COG when it's marginal to get better control to stop and start, but this has its own issues so soft pedal to negate loading up the knees. Also try pedalling without clipping in, place the pedal in the arch of the boot to get more heel drive. </span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="doab3-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;">The climb up into the Shell Hills is something I'd normally ride up, but this time it was reduced to a push to preserve the knees. Things were starting to get a little foggy around the edges for me around 10pm as I still hadn't slept, it had been 32 hours since race start, I got to Shell Lake lodge around 11:30pm. There were heated cabins ready for us racers, I quickly unloaded my wet gear by the stove to dry and was asleep by midnight. I woke at 2:30am, thinking I should get moving, but also knew I would benefit from a few more hours of brain-off time. I was snuggled up in my Sea 2 Summit Traveller TRII -1C bag </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(I carried two bags that combined, were lighter overall than my -40 Inferno bag) </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">on a comfy bed, in a log cabin in the Alaskan backcountry with a crackling wood stove nearby, I was right on track with strategy, 130 miles in, out front and feeling fresh. Life is good.</span><br />
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-32131370500470609282019-05-12T21:00:00.003-07:002019-05-12T23:04:15.549-07:00Bicycle QLD Y2W rail trail 2019 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"<i>Not all who wander are lost..</i>." J.R.R. Tolkien</td></tr>
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Bicycle QLD (BQ) run an annual event on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT), called the Yarraman to Wulkuraka (Y2W) 3 day ride. So many acronyms - BQ Y2W BVRT 2019! The event was brought forward to early May and the weather and conditions were stunning.<br />
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I was again invited to be lead marshall on course, great opportunity to domestique for BQ, get some k's in the legs and give back to our local cycling community - I don't need much prodding to go for a ride on the BVRT! I took a few days off and rode the long way to the start, explore a few back roads, hammock in interesting places and eat copious amounts of fresh fruit. Good recovery pedal after Iditarod too.<br />
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I caught the train from Brissy to Gympie - the 4:55pm service landed me in G-town at 7:30pm. Was raining, had no plan as to where I'd stop to hang for the night, but just headed for the hills. My mate Mike Zande hooked me up with a favoured long route of his over the range and through the forest. I've got the tech to follow a GPX plot, but on such a simple course I didn't want to just be following a mindless blue line and arrows on a small screen. I still like to route find with cue sheets, compass bearings and good ol' locational awareness. I like to get my head into the area I'm travelling through.<br />
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Serendipity revealed a bivvy spot in the middle of the Hoop pine forest, it was alive with animal calls, a trickling creek nearby and oscillating between light rain and bright stars. The haunting beauty was revealed as the morning glow illuminated the pines and made sense of the trail network around me.<br />
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A bit of pedalling and was over the first of the bergs in short time and down into the Glastonbury creek valley. I took a lot of time out on this section to soak in the views and just slow down. For so many months prior the focus had been on riding a bike from A to B in rapid time, it was so good to relax and allow myself to coast and absorb the surroundings. Back to my youthful grass roots of simply exploring by bike off the clock.<br />
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Through the forest I could hear the distinct resonance of cowbells on flighty bush cattle. The day rolled by on silent backcountry gravel roads and blacktop, through small towns and lush farmland, fat and happy cows were roaming paddocks overflowing with green feed for the winter.<br />
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My goal was Kilkivan, from here I'd be onto the KKRT for 89km - half is raw double trail, the other half is smooth blacktop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtsowc1y7WO9douu4SwQ8XiXe95XH_oCYL6SS7ANm0eq6lgWnBshJYMR5aE36BF1uGiafMntiOLGKqrfm79McTFOf0mRGiHziU6Gl5EPu4EkjsMeCBvLwLsZfM3P_QNoCXzGeevl1-d91/s1600/IMG_20190502_172046_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtsowc1y7WO9douu4SwQ8XiXe95XH_oCYL6SS7ANm0eq6lgWnBshJYMR5aE36BF1uGiafMntiOLGKqrfm79McTFOf0mRGiHziU6Gl5EPu4EkjsMeCBvLwLsZfM3P_QNoCXzGeevl1-d91/s640/IMG_20190502_172046_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There is a regular maintenance regime by the local council on the trail, but with warm temps still and plenty of rain about, expect some long grass in accordance with Murphys law. Snakes and ticks are still active, although the local Yowies have nearly been decimated by Dropbears. However, most Yowies are vegans, still keep an eye on your Kale and spinach edibles stored in your bikebags, they have learned to open zips...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7GYw23Ps0hJDpCEBR4wqmYhS8ISMUe3Plm8FZ4WX08HF69Lmjgo_A82dj6sh7K-Uwu0FSu4fzgX4C_7zxMMAkwSBM43WxPqTucxTb2xjMv9uNISr0f2mOKnSWGCce_wsQtUqujaQglcz/s1600/IMG_20190502_191345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7GYw23Ps0hJDpCEBR4wqmYhS8ISMUe3Plm8FZ4WX08HF69Lmjgo_A82dj6sh7K-Uwu0FSu4fzgX4C_7zxMMAkwSBM43WxPqTucxTb2xjMv9uNISr0f2mOKnSWGCce_wsQtUqujaQglcz/s400/IMG_20190502_191345.jpg" width="225" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybs5Kn1QxHPP-GrkmIYlr0hsM9f6y8Q5gzSYcwbPvIlyBwDNSl9bup3PulOmvJ9vAlrQQAsBxN0X_4iNw7ykO4eIbwyOfx7hyphenhyphenZk8km5fW4VLj8u9R0PzczjagKxXUP7d0Ik0EfoWovxgg/s1600/Screenshot_20190512-224852.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybs5Kn1QxHPP-GrkmIYlr0hsM9f6y8Q5gzSYcwbPvIlyBwDNSl9bup3PulOmvJ9vAlrQQAsBxN0X_4iNw7ykO4eIbwyOfx7hyphenhyphenZk8km5fW4VLj8u9R0PzczjagKxXUP7d0Ik0EfoWovxgg/s400/Screenshot_20190512-224852.png" width="225" /></a></div>
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Open top hanging with a light dew and a full sky of stars at night is what I love doing. The gate posts are just the right width to hammock between.<br />
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A cool westerly change had swung through overnight and flushed the sky of moisture with just the remnant high Cirrus and dewy trail as company for the early morning segment to Goomeri.<br />
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Once you hit Murgon though, the trail transforms from gravel and rail ballast double track, to smooth single lane hotmix. A few kays out of Murgon is a beaut spot to stop with a fresh water stream, plenty of birdlife and serenity without the powerlines. I unpacked some gear to dry in the sun.<br />
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Wondai is a great little town with a compact town centre and freecamp area right on the train line. I had a shower and washed clothes at the freecamp amenities block, then hit up the IGA for a well priced fruit feed. </div>
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Onwards to Kingaroy and the environment morphs to open crop land - Kingaroy of course being famous for many kinds of nuts and pumpkin scones. </div>
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Nature finds a way, with puffball mushrooms erupting through the black elastic trail.<br />
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It was mid Friday arvo when I got to Kingaroy, I was keen to make fast distance and set up camp somewhere on the Old Stock Route before sunset, so I bombed down the highway to Nanango and followed the new signage along backroads, then became graded gravel, then double track through the forest. I picked a site, got setup and dinner done just before the mozzies got on the chew. Another open top night but had the tarp ready to deploy on the ridgerope should the wet stuff fall. It didn't.<br />
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Cows are so curious. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTnlI0uP1e4m9kLdnLhO7fweGecXMsxCLa4oIQrmmNT1ytAKVQgNqteT-Z0C-vzhQ_IBqjhUSKjCz9cgoOUIL-ub5L_Bp5bD40zH0z0faSCCygM_sIubGSW6OTrVGC33txYDQ27V09FSO/s1600/IMG_20190504_064805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTnlI0uP1e4m9kLdnLhO7fweGecXMsxCLa4oIQrmmNT1ytAKVQgNqteT-Z0C-vzhQ_IBqjhUSKjCz9cgoOUIL-ub5L_Bp5bD40zH0z0faSCCygM_sIubGSW6OTrVGC33txYDQ27V09FSO/s640/IMG_20190504_064805.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I put a Bluto 100mm suspension fork on the fatbike for this trip and it glided over the rough 4wd trail - the Old Stock Route was the main section of the whole trip that I wanted to have as a loaded test phase of suspension on this bike. It simply excelled. Dialled the sag in perfectly and used 95% of travel, which is right in the butter zone. Broke camp early to complete this trail and get into Yarraman to meetup with the BQ crew.<br />
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It was a damp looking morning and there was a nervous shuffle amongst a few of the riders, rain jackets going on, then off, then on again. Just under 200 riders made up the cohort of keen adventurers to hit the trail this year, eager to start after the riders brief. I was joined by my good friends Emma and Fiona as ride marshalls on course with another mate Bicycle Stu as the on course roving mechanic.<br />
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My role is purely as a domestique - riding for team BQ and the riders on course - which entailed leading out on course and riding around 80% of the days route, then turning around and riding against the flow to around the 80% mark, then turning around again, ride with the flow to the end, then turn around to half way and repeat or to meet the sweep riders. Bonus k's for me as I just loving riding my bike on the BVRT!<br />
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A looming cloud chased the riders down to Blackbutt, many of them taking shelter at the coffee shops and bakeries in town. Fair reason.<br />
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MacNamaras Camp part way down the Benarkin range is a welcome spot to stop for a break on either ascent or descent.<br />
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Calun on the tagalong was the youngest rider on the Y2W ride, spinning behind his dad Richard.<br />
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A heavy dew very early in the night was near blown dry by the cold front and westerly winds, had the tarp cover on for a short while, then open roof to admire the stars and meteor shower. A drawback of hammock camping is the need for trees, and these were just a touch too close to the toilets, however earplugs blocked out the majority of the door closure noise.<br />
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What the following 3 route plots don't show are the return legs of my marshalling duties, back and forth on the trail to cover as many riders as possible on course.<br />
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Brekky selfie with the elite crew! Many riders were saying this is one ride where they put on weight, with the quality of food and volume provided for brekky and din dins.<br />
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Out on course soon after, here in the classic Yimbun tunnel. Rumour has it that it's haunted. To me it's more of a time machine - you go through it and when you emerge out the other side, it's the future. Dad jokes can be haunting...<br />
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Only a few punctures to report along this section between Toogoolawah and Moore, mainly from thorns.<br />
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Toogoolawah was transformed as over a hundred hungry and thirsty bike riders descended to quench their thirst for coffee and satiate the urge for baked goodies.<br />
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There are two paths you can follow into Esk - the thin white line or the thin brown line...<br />
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A welcome sign indicating it's downhill from here.<br />
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A gentle laydown never hurt anybody<br />
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About 5km from Coominya on my return sweep I rode with my mate Ian. He was on his Norco Search gravel bike and picking a smooth and fast line through the ballast field. We chatted and then somewhere the throttle got twisted, before long we were feeding off the energy - that smell of camp was driving us on. Ian is a stalwart greeter at the airport each year when I return from Iditarod, was great to go for a pedal with him and share the joy of cycling with ears pinned back.<br />
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Coominya and the Bellevue Homestead was the destination tonight. Just a bugnet and was a dry night with barely any dew. Best thing - far away from noise.<br />
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Dinner was an outside affair, few frothies enjoyed by many as the sun set over the vineyard. Bellevue Homestead has new owners, there were several tours of the homestead including a haunted house tour.<br />
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Fine and clear with no fog (contrast to 2018 with a solid pea souper through here).<br />
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The refurbished Lockyer Creek bridge.<br />
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At Fairney View.<br />
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Baz was very curious about how the fatbike rolled on the trail...the only way to find out was to go for a pedal, riding it from Fernvale to Wanora, I don't think he wanted his 29er back...<br />
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Completion of another year! From here it was a short pedal to the train station, with an abbreviated train ride to Corinda, as there were track works happening further up, short ride ride home from there.<br />
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Addendum of tech: I'll go through the hammock sleep system that I used and some bits and pieces on the bike.<br />
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The hammock itself is nothing special, a simple 'Ticket to the Moon' hammock I bought quite a few years back. I take it on a lot of day trips too, just to hang during the heat of the day or wait out a high tide on a beach ride. Neat way to camp in summer and shoulder season, catch the breeze and be up off the (sometimes) hot ground. Legs also get a bit of elevation which can be of recovery benefit, I tension the hammock so it's moderately flat (but not too tight to place too much load on it - angles play a part in static loading)<br />
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If you don't use some kind of insulation underneath your body, then you will lose a lot of heat and be cold at night. On this trip I kept my options open to tarp it on the ground, so I had my luxury Klymit Inertia XL pad with me, the extra width of this pad suits hammock use a bit better than my narrower bivvy pads.<br />
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Sleeping bag is a Mont Helium 450, a supreme bag that I've used in Alaska at -20C and in Colorado high country at 0C. It has a footbox that can be unzipped, so if need be for cooler temps I can thread the hammock through the bag so it can act like an underquilt. Pillow is a Sea to Summit Aeros UL large.<br />
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Buggy nights aren't an issue with a Sea to Summit single bug net, held up with a paracord ridgeline.<br />
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Clothes pegs close off the ends and then I just peg it closed underneath the hammock once I'm in it, to fully seal the system. It keeps the bugnet walls taut and you can move about freely during the night in the hammock, without worry of dislodging the pegs. The purpose made camping hammocks have bugnets and tarps that zip on and attach, but this modular system has worked well so far and I like the modular, open architecture.<br />
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Tarp is left ready to deploy on the ridgeline, or can be pegged out to ground before sleeping, entirely optional but I do like an open top for star gazing. </div>
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I sourced a Bluto for the Iditarod LE, with remote cable lockout. It had the standard Pushloc remote (push button style - which always fail after a very short time). I knew it would give me trouble on the trip, so before I left home I grabbed a LH 2x shifter from my graveyard of spares and fitted it up in Wondai. Perfect operation now and I can even dial in a gated lockout. It's a 100mm travel fork and is the perfect match for the geo, for my weight and sag I ran 90psi, the butter zone and I used all but the top 6mm of travel, with just clothes in the Sweetroll on the bars. </div>
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The Power Monkey system keeps chugging along, topping up during the day and charging my phone and Fenix 5x at night. The front of the panel is tethered on the underside to the drybag.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">This insulated 'Bar Fridge' framebag kept 4L of water cool, using a 4L MSR Dromedary bladder. The cap is a Hydroflask flip sipper cap, allowing me to decant to a bidon, fill a Jetboil pot or chug straight from the flip cap. </span></div>
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Amazing where riding a bike will take you! I really needed this soulride, following on from the hectic time before Iditarod and the race itself, was really good to bikepack at a relaxed pace, pause to enjoy the vistas and take pics. All up was just on 570km and around 18000 calories (totals include the commute to the city for the train).<br />
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Giving back to the greater Brisbane cycling community on this ride is something I really enjoy doing. Rail trails are a fantastic resource for riders of all ages to enjoy, I'm not alone in my wish to see more rail corridors converted to multi-use travel. Thanks to BQ and all of the riders for making the 2019 Y2W an enjoyable one!<br />
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<br />Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-70616406494466773702018-08-16T17:08:00.001-07:002018-08-16T22:07:36.216-07:00Ultimate Adventure 2017 - Part 1 'The Enlightenment' - Salsa Ride Camp<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">'<b>The Enlightenment</b>'</span></div>
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Learning is something we do throughout our life. Our autonomous bodies learn how to function more efficiently via controlled, induced stress. Our sentient minds process and adapt our thoughts and behaviours to become more efficient in action.<br />
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The purpose of this US trip (September 2017) - like many others before it - was to learn. Learn about bikes first and foremost. Like many trips I do though, there are tendrils of collateral learning and experiences that reinforce the primary learning phase. I'm sure there is a proper term for that in psychology circles, however I'm a simple bicycle mechanic, so I'll use a term that many are familiar with.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Adventure.</b></span><br />
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An oft overused word in the modern vernacular, but I'm not going to thesaurusize this blog to try and be hip. WYSIWYG.<br />
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Salsa Cycles run a camp, deep in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, called Salsa Ride Camp. I wanted to learn more about Salsa bikes, as this is a brand worth knowing about for my life's work (bikes) and for my business (Area54 Adventure Outfitter- in case you didn't know). But because there is no trade show here in Australia for Salsa, I saw it as a personal investment in my knowledge about Salsa, to see all their bikes, meet and chat with the people behind the brand and witness the passion they have for this marque of adventure. Ride Camp is so much more than brand awareness though - you meet people, share the love of riding and realise you aren't alone in your life of loving bikes.<br />
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My good mate Joe Stiller picked me up from the Minneapolis airport. I've raced with Joe on the Iditarod several times, he is the man behind BarYak (the original bikepacking gear carrying solution for handlebars), an agent for BikeBagDude bags in North America, runs the Trans South Dakota multisport bikepacking race in South Dakota, and a genuine nice guy. He is a quiet achiever and until you talk to him - you would not know the large and varied race resume he has.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AdqCicl7XSa_m1AIKRS1a-R3GhxDuy4MLIFP7AIelrh35ZhdvcGJdpbvOpjJ4hMCsN75Zcr6ZlDthKnPqaQqy3Dswr-5Ex87_3MuzbrrpqvH5xfw60zTslhsHJcaMWZ_hM9_npUB01WK/s1600/P907000402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AdqCicl7XSa_m1AIKRS1a-R3GhxDuy4MLIFP7AIelrh35ZhdvcGJdpbvOpjJ4hMCsN75Zcr6ZlDthKnPqaQqy3Dswr-5Ex87_3MuzbrrpqvH5xfw60zTslhsHJcaMWZ_hM9_npUB01WK/s640/P907000402.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwQLNFoaZIX1EH_8pdTQ9qVTeeHfjy7vQz-uucDZRuQC9tEVTAwT_kk6c5SDZucBUK9gOwBxTpccWI_t95bFnewNpJgmL-JP8OKCOHSypgUQWaFE7UnDNKMZuzawMjBD8e9xEwAB1HyHC/s1600/P907000603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwQLNFoaZIX1EH_8pdTQ9qVTeeHfjy7vQz-uucDZRuQC9tEVTAwT_kk6c5SDZucBUK9gOwBxTpccWI_t95bFnewNpJgmL-JP8OKCOHSypgUQWaFE7UnDNKMZuzawMjBD8e9xEwAB1HyHC/s320/P907000603.jpg" width="320" /></a>Joe was doing some bikerafting product demos at Ride Camp, with his van he picked me and my gear up and set out for Northwoods. But first, he had a demo of Kokopelli packrafts to do at one of the lakes just outside Minneapolis.<br />
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I was so happy, less than 2 hours in the land-o-lakes and I was paddling around in a packraft with mates.<br />
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I also had a bike to build...a bike with a story...the kind of bikes I cherish. Just for this trip, I bought myself a new Salsa Deadwood suspension, XT, 29+ and 100mm of plush travel front and rear (all arranged via SCV Imports - the Aussie Salsa distributor). I arranged for Joe to collect the bike from Salsa in Minneapolis before he picked me up from the airport. He had a few issues getting there (traffic and location) but he came through with the goods and played a vital role this adventure - Joe I'm so thankful to you bro!<br />
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Laying out the tools and essentials for the build, along with the work area. Unbox the bike and the box becomes the workfloor to protect the components. I love that feeling of unboxing a bike - seeing the colour for the first time and the anticipation of going for that first ride, dreaming of the adventures we'll go on together.<br />
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Second nature. Having done this kind of a thing a few times, I knew what to expect and what tools to bring - what you don't have you will always improvise. The dropper hydraulic hose was way too long, so a quick trim was necessary - simple to do in the field if you plan it out. I had my small Topeak Ratchet Rocket with me, along with a 5Nm torque head attachment. I sure was happy when I saw that starnut pre-installed in the fork steerer - saved me the trouble of looking for a decent sized rock... </div>
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It was a beautiful afternoon - early Autumn - the lingering warm dusk light, the sound of a baseball game clinking nearby and the build completed before sunset. No test ride yet though, I wanted the first dirt session to be in Chequamegon forest (pronounced She-wa-ma-gon) - so I'm told, this was where the Deadwood suspension was prototype tested. I have a similar story a few years ago with my Santa Cruz Blur XC (first ride on SC dirt) and my Muru Cycles ti fatbike (first ride was in Alaskan snow). Bikes have their own stories. </div>
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We drove into the night to arrive at Northwoods, we bunked down in Joes custom built van, woke early and starting prepping for the trip. I was going on a 2 day, bikepack trail ride with a bunch of ride camp attendees, peeps from Salsa and other outdoor brands like Big Agnes and Osprey. I was giddy and bouncing up and down with excitement like a little kid - bikes can have that effect on us - y'all have been there, right?<br />
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Time to load up on some calories, was a no brainer to see what bars I'd use. </div>
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Of course there is cheese - Wisconsin is the #1 state for cheese in North America. </div>
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My setup was minimal to a point - I took a few small backup redundancies as I had zero intel on where we were going and what the local weather patterns were like. It was a pleasure trip too, not a race trip. It's the midwest, but the greenery indicates the area receives healthy annual rainfall. </div>
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On the bars I had a small Revelate Sweetroll (Mont Bell spiral down hugger quilt, Exped Synmat UL7, S2S Aerpillow) with a Revelate Pocket clipped to it for sundry items; Revelate Magtank on the toptube (food); dual Revelate Feedbags next to the stem (food in one, camera in the other); Revelate Tangle bag, mounted upside down in the frame triangle (bike spares, clothes); Revelate Pika seatbag (TarpTent Contrail, rain gear) and was the perfect size for the dropper; Osprey Manta 25 pack with water, food and stove (Jetboil ti). I upped the fork (Pike) and shock (Monarch RT3 Debonair) pressure to account for the added load, still ran 30% shock sag with no loss of trail feel or fun. Wheels were still tubed. </div>
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Mike 'Kid' Reimer assembled all the good folk who were heading out, for a rider briefing. <br />
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There were several groups - advanced trail overnighter, beginner trail overnighter, advanced gravel overnighter and beginner gravel overnighter. Each had different routes, level of difficulty and camp spot.<br />
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Our advanced trail crew from left of picture: me, Lindsey C. (Salsa ambassador) Jeff F. (Osprey North America) Brett D. (Salsa ambassador) Rob P. (Big Agnes North America), Chris R., Joe M. (Salsa brand manager), Ethan F. (Salsa support mechanic), Tony K. (Tony owns and runs a nearby bike farm called Silver Creek Springs, with his wife. They have mtb trails, farm to table meals and yoga - rad place and pace)<br />
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We wasted no time getting into the trails. Temperate cool in the forest but we soon warmed up, paused to de-layer. Tony pinned and pumped it like a pro on his loaded, rigid Mukluk.<br />
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We threaded the needle through the forest like kids on a sugar high, hootin' and hollerin'. It was lush, fast and tacky, I was so stoked to be riding here. The trail texture was moist and loamy with a touch of unmanicured hero, a few wet rocky sections but were coarse faced with enough traction as long as you chose a good line. Jeff was 2nd wheel on a shiny demo Woodsmoke.<br />
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We emerged a few hours later for smoko, forearms pumped from the single and a bit torn from the raspberry beside the trail, but with grins as wide as our handlebars. We were only a few hours into the tip but I knew that getting the Deadwood was a good decision. I do have a few bike options in my quiver, yet none were as refined as this for this exact type of trip - loaded bikepacking on fun singletrack, short travel dually with big volume tyres. The bike I had originally prepped at home for the trip was my Lynskey Ridgeline 29 hardtail, 100mm fork with 2.1 rubber. Yeah nah, that bike would have been a bad choice, m'kay.<br />
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Wisconsin is known as the 'land of a thousand lakes' for good reason. The water is clean and fresh, many lakes have sandy bottoms with abundant fringing greenery for filtration. In the winter these will be frozen with several feet of snow through the forest - the trails become XC ski trails.<br />
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We still had more trail to cover before our campsite stop. Joe and I chatted about the development of the Deadwood suspension model (he was part of the team that worked on the Deadwood project) and was great to hear the brief for the bike, why they chose certain items in the spec and the tyre platform - direct from the project manager himself AND on the trails that the bike was proto tested on! Joe knew the trails of Chequamegon like the back of his hand - it was basically the backyard for mountain bikers of the twin cities and he rode it like a cowboy on his Pony Rustler 27+.<br />
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It was so darn pretty every turn we took, I was mesmerised by the natural beauty all around me while we paused to regroup.<br />
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I grew increasingly confident on the Deadwood, I edged into the butter zone with each corner, until the bike and I moved seamlessly together in our tango of singletrack and hero dirt. I forgot I had bikepacking gear onboard. I forgot I was in a group. I was glued on Joes wheel, my mind and body embedded in a symphony of trail flow.<br />
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'Alright alriiiight' was Joes exclamation as we rolled into our camp spot for the night. Was a postcard setting. Lindsay hung out with us a for a while, she was only out for a short pedal and wasn't staying the night.<br />
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Within minutes everybody had staked out their spot on the soft cushion of pine needles. I instantly regretted bringing the tent instead of just a bugnet - with scenery this good I prefer to be in the open and the tree canopy would deal with any potential sprinkle of rain. So far the reality vs expectation ratio was around 2:1 - over the years you absorb a steady stream of media content from places like this and you dream of how cool it would be to ride there. </div>
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There was a food and bevvy drop of Backpacker Pantry freezies and local IPA frothies that were handed around. I inhaled a propack Lasagna left over from 2017 Iditarod - that barely touched the sides, so a second helping of texan beans and rice found the mark. I'm a non drinker, so water from the sand bottom lake satiated my thirst.<br />
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Brett Davis is a qualified mountain guide (and Salsa Ambassador) and teaches from his home base in Durango, CO. A recent expedition of his was in the Brooks Range of Alaska, with a bunch of buddies riding, trekking, climbing and packrafting. Each of us in the group shared stories of our various trips through the years - it was awesome to be amongst adventurers with so much depth, variety and experience. With my back against a mighty conifer by the waters edge, my toes warmed by the fire, I drifted in and out of a light sleep, rejoining the conversation with a tale from Iditarod. The temps were mild - no need for a winter bag at all. I fell asleep in my tent with the strong scent of pine needles and the remnant buzz of todays riding leading into more of the same unleashed radness tomorrow.<br />
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Owls hooted through the night. As the morning rolled in, so did the daytime birdsong. Jays, woodpeckers and the nil-echo call from ducks on the lake, soon to be joined by the soft crackle of wood and maple sap reaching its flashpoint, as the campfire sprang to life.<br />
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Coffee presses emerged and the morning process had begun, we spoke in hushed voices in respect for those still ensconced in their bags, also to savour the silent gifts of morning. </div>
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At some point in the night, we inflated the Kokopelli packraft to demo it on the lake and get some pics. It was too good an opportunity to miss - I jumped in and paddled out, eager to get closer to a raft of ducks, in my floating yellow raft making duck calls. The irony wasn't lost on me - to the ducks I looked like a big bathtub squeeky toy.<br />
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It was a relaxed pack up, today the aim was more singletrack and ride back to Ride Camp HQ.<br />
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The trails just got better and better, there was so much variety tucked away.<br />
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We went to a new park area that was insane flow trail with big elevation ramps and long shore bridges. We hit this as a group, nose to tail in close formation, there was a film crew out there capturing some marketing footage for a brand project. Given that we'd all been following each others lines the last day or so, we were all fairly confident in each others skillset. Plus the fact that we were all still fully loaded with bikepacking gear didn't stop us pinning and grinning! We did 3 or 4 rounds, pumping faster and faster on each pass, clearly in zone 11 on the awesome scale.<br />
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...until Chris's shock got stuck down on his Pony after a big hit. Not quite enough primary air spring pressure - a lesson learned to up the fork and/or shock pressure to allow for additional bikepacking gear weight. Joe and Ethan made quick work of removing the air can and reassembling, ready to go again.<br />
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Thoughts of HQ and grabbing a late lunch at the food tent started to take root in all our minds, and the predominant downhill run on gravel roads back made fast work of it. Joe mentioned Surly Brewing had IPA on tap and that was all the group needed to hear. I cruised back, took a few side roads and solo explored this little pocket of Wisconsin. </div>
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The expo was all setup when I returned to camp. It was Friday afternoon and most attendees were yet to arrive. I cruised around to check out the gear from Petzl, Outdoor Research, Kokopelli, Baryak, Skratch Labs, Redington, SRAM, Maxxis, Osprey, Big Agnes and of course - Salsa.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2wwhzjkGxjEhMuzetDR3geFMEWaUpvKBvk4UktzF482ix_olgapIdqjgXPsdKK5Tb61qmYCcMUnDNf1hInuhi1wefjoKvy4MfnA-LYMIBusi-nahD3zLB77vwe1wFDr6xBYkcwfrB9Go/s1600/P9090279222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2wwhzjkGxjEhMuzetDR3geFMEWaUpvKBvk4UktzF482ix_olgapIdqjgXPsdKK5Tb61qmYCcMUnDNf1hInuhi1wefjoKvy4MfnA-LYMIBusi-nahD3zLB77vwe1wFDr6xBYkcwfrB9Go/s640/P9090279222.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The Raptor 14 from Osprey is a very popular bag for ultra racers and bikepackers, with loads of smart storage features. The bladders are the best in the business I reckon, with practical features like a rigid backboard, easy access roll top for filling and cleaning, integrated handle and simple bite valve.<br />
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This rolls out from the bottom pocket - a removable tool or first aid roll, all segmented with dedicated pockets for gear.</div>
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Big Agnes was there with Rob at the helm, a larger than life character and a great guy to hang out with the last few days on the trail.<br />
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SRAM had some great cutaways of their latest gear on show, with tech on hand to answer questions.<br />
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This was what I really wanted to see and touch - the Salsa bikes of 2018. Justin Steiner from Salsa was on hand to walk me through the new models, as well as the changes to existing models. Like I mentioned previously, this was the very best way for me to see all the bikes firsthand in the one place, discuss the spec and test ride a few of the key models. Lets get into it.<br />
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The Fargo had a revamp framewise and adopted the footprint capability of the 1st gen Deadwood (that was a rigid steel, dropbar 29+ bike). So new Fargo can be 29+, 29, 27+. Carbon Firestarter fork. Version 1.5 alternator dropouts allow s/speed or belt drive.<br />
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Base Fargo with the steel fork.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGep8vlpwWdCc-wqTqoapAAe_ShHiukZFXyGZv8W77QxLV3x9QuY39fOujJ1xmp2ic-V8o4U5t5TlafRKNlrJEq1OFLKry7d4NCpNUQxKgH-PHYd2zxHVDSHdQ5eNN9NkNpTtMn7OgoEL2/s1600/P9090267210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGep8vlpwWdCc-wqTqoapAAe_ShHiukZFXyGZv8W77QxLV3x9QuY39fOujJ1xmp2ic-V8o4U5t5TlafRKNlrJEq1OFLKry7d4NCpNUQxKgH-PHYd2zxHVDSHdQ5eNN9NkNpTtMn7OgoEL2/s640/P9090267210.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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This was 'Kid's custom bagged Blackborow. Kid loves fly fishing, so the storage reflects this and the scheme reflects the colours of the fish he catches.<br />
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Another variation on the theme of fat expedition on the Blackborow platform.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXDw1irYAMfbaTSoJCxBFpkpMaNJfYu945L0w50MMAonRCxVmTYINAtra6D_heTEPlBAfagqn2TSWDlKo91uI0Ssov3SzEZ0K3L4LTHgGsqkHGPIKD1OB2iH8IFNgXRjF6MoRm6QWMTUE/s1600/P9090270213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXDw1irYAMfbaTSoJCxBFpkpMaNJfYu945L0w50MMAonRCxVmTYINAtra6D_heTEPlBAfagqn2TSWDlKo91uI0Ssov3SzEZ0K3L4LTHgGsqkHGPIKD1OB2iH8IFNgXRjF6MoRm6QWMTUE/s640/P9090270213.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Beargrease carbon in the Teal/black colour fade.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZIiSbIJ4WnWRXWGeljvjH6FZtidhGyX-pzDDsy6Dq0TE_LoN-HNkWOnVPZkX4MbXBgD5rlkgz-q7x2iZgJCnuKtehUHJHeEg7UFCvaM3uCn6LzAQ8DY8K5mIOQhdRC0NvjiVPd22Kis9/s1600/P9090258201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZIiSbIJ4WnWRXWGeljvjH6FZtidhGyX-pzDDsy6Dq0TE_LoN-HNkWOnVPZkX4MbXBgD5rlkgz-q7x2iZgJCnuKtehUHJHeEg7UFCvaM3uCn6LzAQ8DY8K5mIOQhdRC0NvjiVPd22Kis9/s640/P9090258201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another model 'grease. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvZwX4Sg-db6RJ_kKRodxM2AEGYiSvgmb4t2SyKRVMNi-HHIdZI83ARZRo7SI5XYECrSQOd16eZfyLfu9U8L3SQCBP5tHtXKBjRW4pVY3zWDEtMJmMhDlUmNgKShRsdhT-d7lP562OZPU/s1600/P9090259202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvZwX4Sg-db6RJ_kKRodxM2AEGYiSvgmb4t2SyKRVMNi-HHIdZI83ARZRo7SI5XYECrSQOd16eZfyLfu9U8L3SQCBP5tHtXKBjRW4pVY3zWDEtMJmMhDlUmNgKShRsdhT-d7lP562OZPU/s640/P9090259202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The top shelf 'grease gets HED 85mm carbon rims.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwlJg3M0uur_IsOgOSGZCzUnwBnbKhZq9xTI6WGw4pWBHr-Ujn_V6OTa9RlhTxEvQ0GrSypNJdy8cFg_3z5d_hyphenhyphenTihyg8EnQwuwtpSu0_MsqA4jkDS2Zrxiq4vgxQhfpjgdm3mo5qYPdJ/s1600/P9090261204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwlJg3M0uur_IsOgOSGZCzUnwBnbKhZq9xTI6WGw4pWBHr-Ujn_V6OTa9RlhTxEvQ0GrSypNJdy8cFg_3z5d_hyphenhyphenTihyg8EnQwuwtpSu0_MsqA4jkDS2Zrxiq4vgxQhfpjgdm3mo5qYPdJ/s640/P9090261204.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The carbon Mukluk, top shelf model has HED 85mm carbon rims.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFO2FiPj9wxmlAmjO-GGanWbnvzCqZsAQoNU5Vl784eXoJDDdhYkxgMqMgE5YDeEdXwnBiMg5KOMNbcE8u7OAOfb1MNC2jjbOVZIbt4Rv8LZMUQnlMKRuTUpgmQiRysqgWS6gN-dGstJU/s1600/P9090268211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFO2FiPj9wxmlAmjO-GGanWbnvzCqZsAQoNU5Vl784eXoJDDdhYkxgMqMgE5YDeEdXwnBiMg5KOMNbcE8u7OAOfb1MNC2jjbOVZIbt4Rv8LZMUQnlMKRuTUpgmQiRysqgWS6gN-dGstJU/s640/P9090268211.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Next model down is no slouch with 85mm alloy rims and DT Swiss 350 Bigride hubs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIw1JyrtVz5E5WKmHIVS_U0HPwuGX3yOikfeUO8saMCwKafWZ2a2b8JC6cdVmkACjQ9ndu82y08U-2n_sg7eT3CKYyj2PQaQ6Fn0eVTLfDVu82MikrM19EHGQYb0DVH_xPsHgE1CHpE76B/s1600/P9090274217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIw1JyrtVz5E5WKmHIVS_U0HPwuGX3yOikfeUO8saMCwKafWZ2a2b8JC6cdVmkACjQ9ndu82y08U-2n_sg7eT3CKYyj2PQaQ6Fn0eVTLfDVu82MikrM19EHGQYb0DVH_xPsHgE1CHpE76B/s640/P9090274217.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJj_643isib1NEkV9c0kj9egVxgyIlriSNJvo916zwnqi_DfslNVL6ieWYwG2FxynZA2vq4nj55uqJZZphG_zRUE3aW8mA7Rp0hztMX4murXJuM5MjQAvbJUOefWoyx_eHxeP4gzz9GJ_/s1600/P9090276219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJj_643isib1NEkV9c0kj9egVxgyIlriSNJvo916zwnqi_DfslNVL6ieWYwG2FxynZA2vq4nj55uqJZZphG_zRUE3aW8mA7Rp0hztMX4murXJuM5MjQAvbJUOefWoyx_eHxeP4gzz9GJ_/s640/P9090276219.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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No pressfit here.</div>
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The split V1.5 alternator dropout allows belt drive. This design is rolled out on many other models too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigH_e5Mq6EvWUzMTq0Afud0x3iAa_rH_j4nb1n2ShV8WShXzNznEbuawMfuChVivUetPs8tRlzLcRc32hasCITzdJf_ZKZoDC6ShGezXNxUpC90CWxA4_RN6pi_2uv-VpK2YVBgUsFYw5c/s1600/P9090277220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1382" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigH_e5Mq6EvWUzMTq0Afud0x3iAa_rH_j4nb1n2ShV8WShXzNznEbuawMfuChVivUetPs8tRlzLcRc32hasCITzdJf_ZKZoDC6ShGezXNxUpC90CWxA4_RN6pi_2uv-VpK2YVBgUsFYw5c/s640/P9090277220.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The Cutthroat is a popular rig for ultra distance racing, not hard to see why. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizIjFhi0OVjHX9xZ4in1TI7ueXbIM67qBioAjeDMpRATSzBdGhOXrg2cT0DCGEeF2P2MCwXw9AfXUij8swr-nn38iBtYXwW3INnoXUr_Nkv_eMeA6W-CbjVYdnt0xDGuijDhXWunjXCzy/s1600/P9090260203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizIjFhi0OVjHX9xZ4in1TI7ueXbIM67qBioAjeDMpRATSzBdGhOXrg2cT0DCGEeF2P2MCwXw9AfXUij8swr-nn38iBtYXwW3INnoXUr_Nkv_eMeA6W-CbjVYdnt0xDGuijDhXWunjXCzy/s640/P9090260203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWBXUBCk4XCi3GZHhi3qQi0TrySwRHT9dJyc-Odt6uZHsKd0WCoQOasP1lHGgOOUVvMVD3Ogsareoyz5Ise2W6EhqnJtLIkid94fDydjuxO6XdCPIn4GKjuAKiGqKt2C8fhowWvnROXZg/s1600/P9090266209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWBXUBCk4XCi3GZHhi3qQi0TrySwRHT9dJyc-Odt6uZHsKd0WCoQOasP1lHGgOOUVvMVD3Ogsareoyz5Ise2W6EhqnJtLIkid94fDydjuxO6XdCPIn4GKjuAKiGqKt2C8fhowWvnROXZg/s640/P9090266209.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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This model kitted out with full EXP Series bags.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Cv_02o783hMaQOvq9FL4VyirJOvV9PTeJLxhTDRZL1xrI7E1IfbPGl2sp6ESQHNoGkZ0PJZUheV_x5YIemUhq4L1ND0C6dl3FWGo6KeVDrBGVvD0SJ6KRvwN7LzJWXIqPf8AlEl7nP4B/s1600/P9090262205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Cv_02o783hMaQOvq9FL4VyirJOvV9PTeJLxhTDRZL1xrI7E1IfbPGl2sp6ESQHNoGkZ0PJZUheV_x5YIemUhq4L1ND0C6dl3FWGo6KeVDrBGVvD0SJ6KRvwN7LzJWXIqPf8AlEl7nP4B/s640/P9090262205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuvUPbmxBF85LgzKjxFkW_bNY-U9GCCPHfz-8-5Iw4hWn040V8zn-vBaMPJ7q143rxtpLE7NgzqN0lvubmD0_Y3DSG5xvhrbVPSdZgbQ6htf4wrMD8fe-MaFgiX-4a70qGGTTsNoOLPwb/s1600/P9090263206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuvUPbmxBF85LgzKjxFkW_bNY-U9GCCPHfz-8-5Iw4hWn040V8zn-vBaMPJ7q143rxtpLE7NgzqN0lvubmD0_Y3DSG5xvhrbVPSdZgbQ6htf4wrMD8fe-MaFgiX-4a70qGGTTsNoOLPwb/s640/P9090263206.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgOflHraULzt4pCWFMmCQgFTX6qHS8c_l1G9jHMpNlLrMk9o9g9OwEhE1_TTVRpBxz5fX0eA1UM5jt4uiQ0LAmTO0-dC5H4BXCRJdpYez5PO91disDTwrlLM6A3w_H6NH1c4OPmwUmZDz/s1600/P9090264207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgOflHraULzt4pCWFMmCQgFTX6qHS8c_l1G9jHMpNlLrMk9o9g9OwEhE1_TTVRpBxz5fX0eA1UM5jt4uiQ0LAmTO0-dC5H4BXCRJdpYez5PO91disDTwrlLM6A3w_H6NH1c4OPmwUmZDz/s640/P9090264207.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJ1OjCw0Zpr_cJ_xwQ1p5a-kBLrpKMgYoVoHcrmQZTkv1A1TBEcTCQQgWJKh8eB05IOhsewVBY5f_GVGsKU3ex45B_yRYrT9QI47NY1YRyv7T6S-wxI-8xK5kQEv7_qn6xQH4hS9L2GuW/s1600/P9090265208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJ1OjCw0Zpr_cJ_xwQ1p5a-kBLrpKMgYoVoHcrmQZTkv1A1TBEcTCQQgWJKh8eB05IOhsewVBY5f_GVGsKU3ex45B_yRYrT9QI47NY1YRyv7T6S-wxI-8xK5kQEv7_qn6xQH4hS9L2GuW/s640/P9090265208.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Warbirds ready for CX and gravel, carbon and alloy frames, carbon fork.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXJYZ_aWuI-N24V-wxU-257V5YVGnm4sCSmT3C-LlUX_osPVI53zjIBYms9Ri8Lc80R2KqD5TdEsoS0w_LShtECEH2xt92eOPeb2l-u9fN2FMXc2alAyHwEMPRMuWauV5ZMgPAh_vRM9k/s1600/P9090269212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXJYZ_aWuI-N24V-wxU-257V5YVGnm4sCSmT3C-LlUX_osPVI53zjIBYms9Ri8Lc80R2KqD5TdEsoS0w_LShtECEH2xt92eOPeb2l-u9fN2FMXc2alAyHwEMPRMuWauV5ZMgPAh_vRM9k/s640/P9090269212.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Collossal and Vaya. Steel frame and carbon fork.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTMAvymD7v1Az74IPVXT2YGlESxsnntYuaz5N4IMagEnS1xEG02VN8AsH5Pi_KxW9xWOj9THa3aVDeKNv78yYqG77sHnc-V1-V6eLUNfevZmLN1Edn2AHGaV_C84Vja6_obArDHBVx822/s1600/P9090271214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTMAvymD7v1Az74IPVXT2YGlESxsnntYuaz5N4IMagEnS1xEG02VN8AsH5Pi_KxW9xWOj9THa3aVDeKNv78yYqG77sHnc-V1-V6eLUNfevZmLN1Edn2AHGaV_C84Vja6_obArDHBVx822/s640/P9090271214.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTx4Iu41UeacBmB9vbPWiNzjuHGyHGyaqKDL0mRXh7H-ibAWPwJHjkbfLzFX25zJbVDAwtp8E5YKTK8RRoz_JUJpx2GfR4-b11AxE9PNeOC1wLYREr1CEkzUanhakbLwELbfLZpmaPuSxY/s1600/P9090272215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTx4Iu41UeacBmB9vbPWiNzjuHGyHGyaqKDL0mRXh7H-ibAWPwJHjkbfLzFX25zJbVDAwtp8E5YKTK8RRoz_JUJpx2GfR4-b11AxE9PNeOC1wLYREr1CEkzUanhakbLwELbfLZpmaPuSxY/s640/P9090272215.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Woodsmoke is a competent bikepacking hardtail.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycc-1dFcCslaWNDkbEz6Efl6953SFHt3W8yxYp13kF40J1PgvMbPKQBSSSPsyzJ8qgr33-gkduj1UiM_hGbLs1j79KTLVWBo-K_RBcKGxVfRO8bPawxT1bncX6Jg9dlAKdXx388g0k5Fz/s1600/P9090273216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycc-1dFcCslaWNDkbEz6Efl6953SFHt3W8yxYp13kF40J1PgvMbPKQBSSSPsyzJ8qgr33-gkduj1UiM_hGbLs1j79KTLVWBo-K_RBcKGxVfRO8bPawxT1bncX6Jg9dlAKdXx388g0k5Fz/s640/P9090273216.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ooooohhh, and there were demo bikes! Beargreasii, Mukluks, Woodsmokes, Deadwoods, Pony Rustlers...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNP9xsjDiOK0Idf7-lZ2cYqLXQvrzKxIl-K4PZ-oa-WjBrOjM620fudjF4RuXOCqzneX07hA6Z9trp6s5XF0bFqnPl9yPyeFvSEeFghtT1SCXFqzemTEEgxUswyPKtABP93Ab-f6fNa-jw/s1600/P9090281224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNP9xsjDiOK0Idf7-lZ2cYqLXQvrzKxIl-K4PZ-oa-WjBrOjM620fudjF4RuXOCqzneX07hA6Z9trp6s5XF0bFqnPl9yPyeFvSEeFghtT1SCXFqzemTEEgxUswyPKtABP93Ab-f6fNa-jw/s640/P9090281224.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Cutthroats, Warbirds, Collossals, Fargos...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipU7HMWJGz0Hc4q2k5IeKyx12y0FdV9ePmnMsW9bjtUXeYaEA-zHBv4tFXC04o10E3vauw9VrEGkahEQBvXaPOLT-H5gNtd0qoMIfoSMmUr1vcGEArUIhPQ_K6DiKDGZaeKf0MUhFcf-Ce/s1600/P9090283225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipU7HMWJGz0Hc4q2k5IeKyx12y0FdV9ePmnMsW9bjtUXeYaEA-zHBv4tFXC04o10E3vauw9VrEGkahEQBvXaPOLT-H5gNtd0qoMIfoSMmUr1vcGEArUIhPQ_K6DiKDGZaeKf0MUhFcf-Ce/s640/P9090283225.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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...and a baby prototype Muk!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_mp8NZTGDoPBV5qYE2EzGrcxITxdDEcLHYWtA_XA57pkdNiwiUTUNPm2m5-7b5lb27iqHZXLC3iO-y7kud2uJ2O0_LWf2xOLcQVlfZewb7bQ6QxoZrJtmMY_ch8Ix5zjkIkDeNiDGDED/s1600/P9090280223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_mp8NZTGDoPBV5qYE2EzGrcxITxdDEcLHYWtA_XA57pkdNiwiUTUNPm2m5-7b5lb27iqHZXLC3iO-y7kud2uJ2O0_LWf2xOLcQVlfZewb7bQ6QxoZrJtmMY_ch8Ix5zjkIkDeNiDGDED/s640/P9090280223.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Food bell is rung and you gotta be quick to beat the queue. Wasn't so bad, was fast moving with loads of choices. If you went hungry, it's your own dam fault!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhqZDN1-M2LVTdZ5Y47jXKIU9dQcv2w233IU7r41zEdnlf02Mg9ZF6oo3HCnhK-3zXZYOo1l13nzRfns29cblQYtuWIMnDDUE6_ekPKFWh8Mj_fn4iB_I12qhSni_IGjxnKRQo8R-neDk/s1600/P9090278221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhqZDN1-M2LVTdZ5Y47jXKIU9dQcv2w233IU7r41zEdnlf02Mg9ZF6oo3HCnhK-3zXZYOo1l13nzRfns29cblQYtuWIMnDDUE6_ekPKFWh8Mj_fn4iB_I12qhSni_IGjxnKRQo8R-neDk/s640/P9090278221.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Twas a Friday night, most folks had a long week of work and were keen to kick back and soak in the atmosphere, keen for a ride in the morning on demo bikes. I caught up with my buddy JayP, we small talked our way around the subject of Iditarod 2018 and what we had going on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj505yniNsIqG2c2ik3Zrq023zYrx9vOy3PGWq10l_MiyMaPRSFFxRsHcYh03rFHxsK_w22Kh0fpYewlXhCaYLUwhTryGZaZQXMyAmwj7pijPS67dqPLsKH4Ib5agRpJQLeBuss1I1qXA19/s1600/P9100366295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj505yniNsIqG2c2ik3Zrq023zYrx9vOy3PGWq10l_MiyMaPRSFFxRsHcYh03rFHxsK_w22Kh0fpYewlXhCaYLUwhTryGZaZQXMyAmwj7pijPS67dqPLsKH4Ib5agRpJQLeBuss1I1qXA19/s640/P9100366295.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Simples.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapql5LYZ_SQlLwT83K20UdARYDnetpGgR6wbGNDl9xK1mD72OxEs8zHOeeCbfKkLlsSGbS0S5KZ2dnM28y4Hs0l8wm2BCwj8U2emxe1xo5OFXqxby1wNjrEm1uffStbTwdLWZWeNTPN2r/s1600/P9090287229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="779" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapql5LYZ_SQlLwT83K20UdARYDnetpGgR6wbGNDl9xK1mD72OxEs8zHOeeCbfKkLlsSGbS0S5KZ2dnM28y4Hs0l8wm2BCwj8U2emxe1xo5OFXqxby1wNjrEm1uffStbTwdLWZWeNTPN2r/s640/P9090287229.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Queues were long for the demo bikes, but well worth it. Salsa aren't direct to consumer in the US - they are only sold through shops, but this is the way they connect with riders and a great way to demo a bike, no commitment, on buff trails and gravel roads. Some would say all care, no responsibility - ride it like a rental - either way, these bikes were here for ridin', not fer lookin' at!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQ_4BjHy36amGB5pXjZxrYZ3jZlzk4ZlpX42Rum5lOzi2ZE6Zw4vkt0ERpGkGYmZzN3HeeGUswPX9eBeYqoMfOziY24pftFZxFtFydNT49qK2B3F_aUcrk3WgXjJaCXL-OtcqHlD3bxMy/s1600/P9090288230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQ_4BjHy36amGB5pXjZxrYZ3jZlzk4ZlpX42Rum5lOzi2ZE6Zw4vkt0ERpGkGYmZzN3HeeGUswPX9eBeYqoMfOziY24pftFZxFtFydNT49qK2B3F_aUcrk3WgXjJaCXL-OtcqHlD3bxMy/s640/P9090288230.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Salsa team swapping pedals, setting shock and fork sag, tyre pressure, saddle heights etc. I booked early for my demo bike for the day - I was heading out on the advanced 100 mile gravel group ride - I had a large Cutthroat with Apex 1.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSoG5kpeRN2jzeDjKl5mpPCs-08aavq1PZnAoUQPptmHyzJUQrmj14nlgtqPAAKlK07RyAXfsWCd_CB2mSH3TdtE3aP8Aw4ixD9oD3Ye5N-Qck6vYsmqTvR0NzPDfSIjJyN1QoKBERvO2/s1600/P9090289231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSoG5kpeRN2jzeDjKl5mpPCs-08aavq1PZnAoUQPptmHyzJUQrmj14nlgtqPAAKlK07RyAXfsWCd_CB2mSH3TdtE3aP8Aw4ixD9oD3Ye5N-Qck6vYsmqTvR0NzPDfSIjJyN1QoKBERvO2/s640/P9090289231.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAFKtdAk_ksKBuFigFrDdscimyP_M7yI6CW3VSeni4DsKZ8xJsU2BmHjQNQ-kNs1HaqGdIX9o3UZCQoOdfpJoCVVV4JSEPPD8eP5u9HVQSvcSobO0xcMrJu35K93aqKQBHQmCNSVj2CGr/s1600/P9090291233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAFKtdAk_ksKBuFigFrDdscimyP_M7yI6CW3VSeni4DsKZ8xJsU2BmHjQNQ-kNs1HaqGdIX9o3UZCQoOdfpJoCVVV4JSEPPD8eP5u9HVQSvcSobO0xcMrJu35K93aqKQBHQmCNSVj2CGr/s1600/P9090291233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAFKtdAk_ksKBuFigFrDdscimyP_M7yI6CW3VSeni4DsKZ8xJsU2BmHjQNQ-kNs1HaqGdIX9o3UZCQoOdfpJoCVVV4JSEPPD8eP5u9HVQSvcSobO0xcMrJu35K93aqKQBHQmCNSVj2CGr/s320/P9090291233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I may be a non drinker, but I'm omniverous. Brekky time and time to load up for another solid day on the pushy - a demo one at that! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmru3acV8TwI-mu9mAbAlDt3nZErl_CImmzMDuXlt81BowoMsnAAQXwjNTnQHCYKdeEDff65WkY0U1a906HMeVM7fzmWh_L7m-ssFWbY8AaXa8JIeXEqbtOyPqDDHLqxs_O-mTbROi95KM/s1600/P9090290232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmru3acV8TwI-mu9mAbAlDt3nZErl_CImmzMDuXlt81BowoMsnAAQXwjNTnQHCYKdeEDff65WkY0U1a906HMeVM7fzmWh_L7m-ssFWbY8AaXa8JIeXEqbtOyPqDDHLqxs_O-mTbROi95KM/s200/P9090290232.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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There were several groups heading out, bikes in the cargo and riders into the schoolbus!<br />
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We were headed to Cable, a small town with a big history and an even bigger bike festival! Remember, it's She-wa-ma-gon, not Check-wa-may-gon...<br />
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We had a huge crew out for the ride, I can't recall everybody, but Joe M. was leading the ride (Salsa product manager) Kate A, (local elite gravel racer), Ben W. (Musician, Salsa Ambassador, gravel machine and tour divider), Matthew W., Andrea C. (Salsa Ambassador, elite gravel and tour divide racer), Greg G. (Gleaso, Salsa Ambassador and tour divide racer) and me (some race up in Alaska). The respected gentleman in the grey shirt is Gary Crandall - a legend of the sport and race director of the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival - running since 1983!<br />
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A bunch mass start, a bit of blacktop and not long before a left turn and onto the dirt.<br />
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The moment I hit the dirt on the Cutthroat, I was impressed with how it managed the small bumps and the carbon damped the vibration. I kept the tyres quite firm, so I knew it wasn't the tyres isolating the gravel chatter. </div>
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We alternated between blacktop and gravel, a time for conversation and stoke sharing. As the lone Aussie at Ride Camp, I did my best with my accent and tried to keep the slang low key. 'Yeah nah mate, she'll be right, aye'. I have no idea if they understood.<br />
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The Delta Diner is an icon of the state. There were so many interesting menu combos - ever had Jalapenos with pancakes? I wasn't game but I knew what my body wanted. 'Chiko and dead horse mate, unless you do a floater?' Oi hang on, I was still in Aussie mode. 'Fries and gravy, please'<br />
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We chucked a u-ey at the Diner and delved deep into ATV trails - the afternoon light was insane, iridescent greens with an occasional flash of orange-red to signal that fall colour was only a week or two away.<br />
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The afternoon paced out and so did we - before long a red mist had settled on the group and some fun half wheelin' was goin' on, a throttle was twisted somewhere and *braaap* there was a break that grew and grew. After a while of elbow flicking I looked around to see nobody on my wheel - which was strange as I thought I had at least 2 others with me. Ooops - I was ensconced in type 1 fun, I paused at the next junction to regroup.<br />
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Ben and Andrea (both Salsa Ambassadors) raced the 2018 Tour Divide<br />
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Our final stop was a postcard gingerbread town called Namakagon (pronounced Nar-ma-gon, not Nar-ma-kar-gon) in the aptly named Fairyland State Natural Area. We still had a ways to go and some riders needed sustenance in the form of a beer or an icecream - arvo smoko. The Namakagon grocer filled the needs of all - with an ice creamery and bakery out front, and bar out the back! (bit like an Aussie mullet) Everything was neat as a pin in the town, lots of tended flower beds and manicured lawns - I tried to visualise it all in the winter, under many feet of snow and -30F. The midwest has a solid reputation for harsh winters.<br />
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Ah yes, I wondered where my cookie went...gravel ground into my feedbag with the multitool as the pestle.<br />
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Brett Davis is the kinda guy you want on your team. A natural adventurer all of his life, he presented a slideshow and talk on his latest expedition to the Brooks Range in Alaska. It was a multifaceted trip - he and a bunch of similar capable buddies loaded up their fatbikes with trekking, climbing and packrafting gear. Plan was to ride from their plane drop-in point, through trail-less backcountry up to an elevation where they could no longer ride, stow the bikes and transition to trek mode, hoofed it to where they could make a base camp. Prep and load climbing gear, climb 8 local peaks, then do it all in reverse but this time, follow the blue lines on the map with the packrafts down to the extraction point. </div>
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Following Bretts slideshow, we watched a compilation of the submitted images that attendees had taken over the weekend, along with the perfectly matched, live acoustic music from Ben Weaver. This was a true highlight, getting to see the fun that others had during their own rides over the weekend.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4laygVcoqHHjs3mKoKfl0_t3Krdft2WLXaYdGR8XCMvHEQOAj8MoxKijESzu4KZmTaQ2ZfurPrWSaHxjNt2mVe7Fpp98pQWAsCO-ivnXOCmjB0NTLFWscU_ErVCksoNYemDfK5Q45aS7/s1600/P9100367296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4laygVcoqHHjs3mKoKfl0_t3Krdft2WLXaYdGR8XCMvHEQOAj8MoxKijESzu4KZmTaQ2ZfurPrWSaHxjNt2mVe7Fpp98pQWAsCO-ivnXOCmjB0NTLFWscU_ErVCksoNYemDfK5Q45aS7/s640/P9100367296.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's just habit to stow food in a pocket before racking out, then waking up to a body temp snack before getting out of the sleeping bag.<br />
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The last day but the fun wasn't done yet.<br />
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Pete Koski is the lead suspension engineer for Salsa, that morning he ran a tech workshop explaining the setup process for Split Pivot (that's the name of the rear suspension design). Nothing like getting the tech direct! Just like happiness - tech isn't real unless shared, so here are a few things I will share about Split Pivot:</div>
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<ul>
<li>with the brake mounted on the brake arm, suspension is active when you brake and minimises brake squat</li>
<li>aim for 25% sag in the fork, 30% in the shock</li>
<li>check sag before every ride</li>
<li>allow for bikepacking gear weight and set pressure to suit</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7pCM9rkT5yg1a6PWUmChse5PduO4sw0DVvSFJ4sgk4K4QgevKgcfjo9jocuYB0xEq7iDPKhqoMusSRYqXa5yNvlxvRFKKvzEhDIgcpl-k_UlVVRVz6paGGmjB5_zcPFmJTqAnKI15rGN/s1600/P9110401326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7pCM9rkT5yg1a6PWUmChse5PduO4sw0DVvSFJ4sgk4K4QgevKgcfjo9jocuYB0xEq7iDPKhqoMusSRYqXa5yNvlxvRFKKvzEhDIgcpl-k_UlVVRVz6paGGmjB5_zcPFmJTqAnKI15rGN/s640/P9110401326.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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This is Justin. With a beard like that - you just know he knows his stuff! He walked me through the Salsa lineup and talked me through the models. </div>
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Joe is the Salsa product manager, all round great guy and crazy fast on the singletrack. </div>
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There was one more mass group ride for everybody to wind down - a time to reflect on the weekend just gone, the friendships made and the trails ridden. The slideshow revealed a great connection - that no matter your background, what bike you rode or what country you came from - the love of bikes, adventure and natural surroundings connected us all. We learn from the people we meet, as much as we teach them; this collective shared experience helps us draw more passion for, and comprehension of the amazing things we can do - the intricacies of adventure by bike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4cn_X0Pt0xEsLauUpqKYWKv-x6NIEi6YB5onMaC47Zj8405ggPmb-zLk87nsngWol14PdJNd3P6meTH66PO9Su6pEXwIUNizbcGoA_cQmGPZMSKUKmH-gG1rjuaEpf5d9ftygn3HAfAs/s1600/P9110379305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1382" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4cn_X0Pt0xEsLauUpqKYWKv-x6NIEi6YB5onMaC47Zj8405ggPmb-zLk87nsngWol14PdJNd3P6meTH66PO9Su6pEXwIUNizbcGoA_cQmGPZMSKUKmH-gG1rjuaEpf5d9ftygn3HAfAs/s640/P9110379305.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Postscript:</b></span> There were a whole bunch of prizes drawn at the end of the weekend - there was schwag from Salsa, a SRAM Eagle groupset, Big Agnes gear, Osprey packs, Outdoor Research clothes - but the biggest, heaviest and most envied prize of all, went to Aussie Troy! A 60L Yeti cooler - the most respected cooler brand in the US. Sadly, it just wasn't a practical item I could take with me on my travels or home on the plane, so I donated it to my good mate Joe Stiller, to use during the Trans South Dakota bikepacking race that he runs. They provide a small amount of support for the racers, and I know first hand how good it is to be handed an ice cold drink at the end of a stage or multiday race in summer.<br />
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http://www.transsouthdakotarace.com/<br />
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<br />Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-54595494896964685632018-08-06T00:26:00.001-07:002018-08-06T00:36:06.409-07:00Brisbane Valley Rail Trail - Yarraman to Wulkuraka - Bicycle QLD 4 day bikepack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT) is a fantastic example of turning a disused piece of travel infrastructure into a valid corridor of off-road adventure. It's been more than 10 years since I'd travelled the route, however my roots in the area go way back to my early riding days as a pre-teen, when the train service was still active. It was the 80's and fluoro was in, Madonna was young, the Torana was still available on the showroom floor - albeit a 4cyl Sunbird. Ugh, we all shudder for various reasons thanks to the 80's. </div>
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Bicycle QLD (BQ) had an event organised called the Yarraman to Wulkuraka (Y2W) Rail Trail ride - the full length being 161km held over 3 days, with organised camping for 2 nights out on the trail. Travelling North to South is the ideal direction as the gradual elevation change is in your favour - downhill! I looked at it as a prime opportunity to re-connect with the trail and put some base km in the legs for the Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) in 2019. So many acronyms.</div>
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Given that my interest is riding ultra long distance I was invited to be the lead cycling marshal on course, to roll out with the front group, provide on-course rider and bike support and take lots of pictures. BQ had arranged for all riders to be shuttled up to the start at Yarraman early on Friday, but my adventure began at pro hours on Thursday morning...</div>
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A beautiful day to ride a bike, no doubt about it. Winter in our part of Australia means shirt sleeves and sunscreen. Made quick work of getting through the city, the burbs and out onto the gravel.<br />
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Through the pine forests near the Glasshouse Mountains there had been some recent backburning to remove the buildup of brush - the rich scent of pine sap hung in the air and reminded me of a Norsca commercial (you know, those cheesy Scandinavian deodorant ads from the 80's). A great thing about riding alone on backroads is you can talk like Muppet Swedish chef all day long - flurpty dur bork der hoopty schmer!<br />
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Spinning along the gravel with small stones tinging on the titanium downtube, I was lulled into a memory of riding through the Wisconsin town of Cable, deep in the Chequamegon forest (pronouced schwa-ma-gon) on a recent US trip in search of deep bicycle knowledge. The gravel road, the pines and the riding solitude brought back the joy of riding with my Salsa buddies - Ben Weaver, Andrea Cohen, Gleaso, Chris, Kate and a few others who sampled the gravel out to the Delta Diner on those fine days.<br />
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Bikes connect people.<br />
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And what bike was I riding on this trip: I know a few of you would like to know what beast is this? Far from being at the end of it's life, it's my Muru Cycles titanium Witjira frame - yes the very same frame that has done over 5000km, 4 years in a row of heavily laden, mid winter ultra racing on the 1000 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational race in Alaska, along with local singletrack and bikepacking trips. I have to say, this bike is the PERFECT platform for rail trail riding and long distance comfort/fast touring.<br />
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I've equipped it with a Lefty fork (older leg with unbonded clamps), tunable Mendon Cyclesmith clamps; NEXTIE Jungle Fox II 29x50mm carbon rims. I was travelling with luxury camping items this trip, hence the large amount of gear for only 3 nights. Revelate Designs bags throughout.<br />
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A HED carbon hub and QR axle in the rear; Avid BB7r calipers with ti hardware and Nokon cables, 160/140mm rotors; SRAM 1x11 drivetrain, 30T chainring, XX1 GXP crank, 10-42 cassette, X01 shifter and mid cage derailleur. Surly Knard tyres in 29x3, running tubeless for big bag fun and reliability.<br />
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In the Jerrycan bag (seatpost/toptube junction) are my spare camera batteries, headtorch, cache battery, Exposure Diablo 1100 lumen headlamp. Framebag top pocket has my water bladder (4L MSR dromedary), lower pocket has spares, tools etc needed to support the riders on the BVRT ride in the following days. Gastank bag (junction of toptube and stem) has my often used tools (Leatherman Style PS and Topeak multitool), food bars, sunscreen and chapstick. Ride Mechanic pouch on the downtube has a small bottle of the perfect lube for this trip - Bike Mix - an 80:20 blend of Ride Mechanic Bike Milk and Bike Cream. Keep the lube close to hand and you'll have no reason to avoid lubing the chain.<br />
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Up front is a medium Revelate Sweetroll handlebar bag (-10 sleeping bag - yeah overkill, long pants, puffy jacket, large first aid kit) and a small Pocket clipped to it (overflow food, sunsleeves, spare buff) and my Zipshot tripod.<br />
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Out back is the smaller Revelate Pika seatbag - with spare clothes, 2 sleeping pads (Exped Synmat 7UL and Klymit X-wave - it is a luxury trip), Black Diamond Twilight Bivvy. I like to run a support strap from the seat rails to behind the bag, provides a bit more impact resistance from the big hits.<br />
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Rolling through Woodford is a quick affair - just stop to top off the water and keep rolling. I stop for directions only briefly, but the locals are tight lipped about the best gravel roads in the area.<br />
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Breathable clothing is ideal - on these kinds of rides I like loose fitting (but defo not flappy) clothes that breathe well and aren't clingy when the sweat starts to flow.<br />
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I took the Neurum backroad via Villeneuve to Kilcoy, to avoid the narrow, windy sections of the D'aguilar Hwy. Neurum Rd runs parallel to the upper reaches of Lake Wivenhoe, which then becomes Somerset Dam, that then flows into Wivenhoe Dam.<br />
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Kilcoy for a quick fuel stop - bacon and egg muffin. Still a few km to go.<br />
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The highway may be fast but also has its share of debris. I picked this up just a few km out of town, but was rolling again fast thanks to a skunkworks product we are developing. I've never been so excited with a puncture - real world testing opportunity. </div>
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I'm running tubeless, the beauty of this repair mode and system is that you do not need to remove the tyre from the rim to repair. Also makes it faster to inflate as the tyre isn't completely devoid of air volume. This puncture may have self sealed due to the fresh sealant, however this type of tyre wound often weeps fluid and a bit of air in the short term - I needed the tyre 100% sealed so a tuft was installed.<br />
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Brisbane River near Colinton. Can 100% guarantee no bull sharks here.<br />
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The road miles melted away, just a beautiful ribbon of licorice to pedal on. I rolled into Moore late afternoon. Corellas announced overhead, their intention to roost somewhere nearby for the night, accompanied by a few white cockatoos.<br />
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Some peanut ran his vehicle into the gutter and started a grass fire. He wasn't happy with the ambos strapping him tightly to the gurney - must have been the pingers in his system pre-accident. Emergency services blocked the traffic back for about 5km, just near the base of the climb up the D'aguilar range.<br />
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With my hi-vis on, an officer escorted me past the emergency service vehicles and allowed me to get a decent car-free head start on the ascent.<br />
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Of course, the vehicles stopped in the other direction had all kinds of questions and statements for me - 'how much longer mate', 'you'll beat the trucks up' or 'have you got our pizza'. For some reason, the first thing out of my mouth was 'herf shoompty flur, kern de berk bork'.<br />
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Bikes create envy.<br />
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Nearing Blackbutt the shoulder narrows and the speed limit is 100km/hr. No problem, you get plenty of warning with the lights behind you - just pull over and let the truckies do their job, everybody arrives safe.<br />
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Pizza pocket and slivers of dark fruit cake for dinner in Blackbutt. Food is fuel.<br />
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Bikes create hunger.<br />
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I bivvied at the showgrounds under a shelter. Luxury trip this one - double sleeping pads and had a hot shower!<br />
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Early rise for the fast 15km stretch to Yarraman in the pre-dawn light.<br />
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Best time of the morning I reckon. Passing the Hoop pine plantation of Pidna State forest, the whip birds delivered a strong chorus of calls. I bathed in the cool fog of the valleys then thawed the extremities on the climbs - Alaska has taught me well.<br />
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A quick shop at the IGA for fruit and then breakfast in the form of a fresh ham and cheese croissant. Yarraman Bakery, like many other small businesses along the rail trail, welcome the patronage of trail users for pre and post trip consumables.<br />
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I had a few hours to wait until the first of the riders' buses arrived in town, I headed east out of town to the trail head for brekky and familiarise myself with the town layout and route.<br />
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A fabulous shelter area with signage, however there is no water here at Yarraman station trail head, so best to top off the water bottles from the taps at the sports field in town.<br />
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The Errol Munt sports field in Yarraman township was the rendezvous point for buses and cargo trucks. All the bikes were packed well with moving blankets in the trucks. The riders came up in luxury buses, not sure if they had blankets or not. </div>
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The local progress association put on a solid feed for all riders, with all dietary requirements catered for.<br />
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Bikes of all different types, there were commuter bikes with 28mm wide tyres, mtbs and fatbikes. BQ were carting all luggage for the riders, however some people still had panniers to carry the daily luxuries.<br />
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This family were fatbike prepared - The 4" wide tyres certainly smoothed out the irregularities of the trail, and the mild elevation change along the length meant not a lot of additional exertion required! The young bloke in the background was celebrating his 11th birthday on Sunday, he rode every km with gusto and finished strong, even on the 70km Saturday segment. </div>
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I caught up with these lovelies - Emma and Fiona - they were rolling as the mid-pack, highly qualified bike-and-human-repair support crew. The plan was for me to lead out, then ride back against the flow of riders to scan for issues, then ride forward again, then backward, do this a few times until nearing the 70% mark of daily distance, then ride back until I came across Emma and Fiona, then ride to the finish. I aint complaining and the extra distance was enjoyable, seeing all the smiles on the riders faces. Fraser and Marianne were the tail end sweeps and in charge of getting everybody across the line each day.<br />
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Paying my respects to the Yarra-man. Being right next to the pub I reckon he's seen a lot of things. Figuratively.<br />
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Down at the trail head there was a rider briefing. Was great to see so many people eager to head out on the adventure on the rail trail. 255 people were on the startline and ready to start riding. My panorama camera setting seems to have altered a few bikes into strange paranormal hybrids...<br />
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A jostle for position over the first bridge with some loose turns, but the country soon opened up. I spent some time removing cow pads off the trail, but then turned a corner and saw my efforts were going to be fruitless if I continued doing this. This is why drink bottles on the underside of frame downtubes aren't a good idea.</div>
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Many farms still use the rail trail easement as part of their grazing land, so not uncommon to encounter stock and the evidence of their passing through the grass. Double entendres were spread all over the trail.<br />
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Many groups of walkers were out on the trail this weekend - a large contingent were on a school leadership camp trekking segments of the trail. It is 19km from Yarraman to Blackbutt.<br />
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The surrounding countryside is a blend of grazing and farming. After a while the groups and individuals settle into their own rhythms, was a time for conversation and checking to see how riders were enjoying themselves.<br />
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Guiding riders through Blackbutt - 'trail this way, bakeries that way, water tap next to the fence' and a quick gear adjustment had riders moving and stopping for all the right reasons. Terry, a fatbike mate of mine, was on his way back from seeing a country client - I love how the cycling community works and just by chance, you cross paths in remote spots.<br />
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Leaving just as the day starts to heat up, you are rewarded with some of the most enjoyable sections of trail through the Benarkin State forest, after leaving Blackbutt. The forest canopy is dense enough for dappled light on the trail. A leisurely 22km from Blackbutt to Linville. I'd also see this as a really good neutral feed zone, if one happened to be racing it (yep, there are many long distance races held on the BVRT) as there are long stretches of good visibility and smooth trail - forearms on the bars and peel that orange...<br />
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The creek gullies can provide a bit of an adrenaline rush and a challenge for some. The inclusion of the cement path is a worthy addition on the entry and exit, providing a stable base. These guys were out for fun - epitomising the rail trail adventure through shared experience and having a laugh over a coldy that night at camp.<br />
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The trail opens up as you descend the Balfour Range towards Linville, the trail a blend of hard packed gravel and short sandy sections. With double track you have plenty of line options, a few water bars here and there, with a downhill gradient that allows side by side riding with easy conversation. You go through many hand-cut sections through hillsides, historical signage and seated rest stops to admire the views.<br />
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With around 7km still to go until Moore and the first camp of the trip, many riders enjoyed a coldy as you can see. There is a general store as well, to cater for the large freecamp area adjacent the pub. Linville, like many small towns along the BVRT, is a great place to start or finish a ride on the trail. Support the businesses with your custom and create a long term support network that helps everybody!<br />
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Moore was the destination for the first night, the Pony Club grounds had a large area well suited to the hundreds of tents and various support vehicles. As all luggage was carted by BQ, all sorts of accom and support items came out of the travel bags - chairs, swags, bottles of red, cheese and bikky platters - all adding up to a relaxed atmosphere. BQ provided amazing support with plenty of hot showers - a fast moving queue ensured you were ready to relax with good conversation.<br />
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Dinner (and brekky the next day) was held at the Soldiers Hall in Moore, catered by the local progress association. This was just a short walk/ride from camp, was well signed and lit at night with blinkies. It was great to catch up with a few mates and tell stories from Iditarod, as well as talk about the real topics of thermal diuresis, abdominal cramps and stomach emptying, contact point management and mental preparation - was good to cover at least one topic that was above the belt.<br />
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This was me. Was a warm night with a bit of fog in the early morning, the blood moon was a real treat to see at around 4:30am.<br />
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The trail was open at 7am, so was a quick pack down and get the riders gear into the trucks, affectionately known as 'Coconut Airways'.<br />
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This was to be the longest day of the trip, around 70km. Many were eager to get going and I was among a front group of around 30 riders. Being winter time, I was on the lookout in the creek gullies for ice over the concrete culverts. Yes, this is a real thing, NOT some imaginary Iditarod fetish of wanting ice and snow on every bike adventure...<br />
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Today is where we would start to encounter the larger elevation changes along the route, as the trail meanders through farmland and short gravel roads. This newly opened section has been the result of several years of negotiation with landowners, local councils and BVRT alliance to allow access to property easements and the railway alignment. Their hard work has certainly paid off - this vital link provides a completed trail network with a rich history, that we are very lucky to have right on our doorstep!<br />
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Harlin is a small town with services, at around 13km south of Moore. Riders must cross the Brisbane Valley highway, however the design of the trail is such that you must slow down for the crossing. Service station/roadhouse and other conveniences are here.<br />
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Rolling down onto the plains surrounding Toogoolawah, I'm reminded of the grasslands of Kansas. This area has an airfield that services the farmland - property owners who choose to fly their own planes to Archerfield, as well as the local skydiving businesses.<br />
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Can you imagine life for the train operators back in the day, out here in the summer heat, sweat seeping from every pore as they shovel coal into the insatiable furnace? Or the rail workers, their manual labour installing the sleepers and rail track, belting in those nails that you occasionally see littering the trail. Suddenly your saddle soreness is tolerable.<br />
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Transport to and from anywhere on the trail is made possible by dedicated shuttle companies in the area. Comfortable, late model buses with trailers to accommodate bikes and luggage. There are also coaches that provide regular services from towns and train stations - having a look at the BVRT website, or a quick Google search, will bring up many travel options:<br />
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http://www.brisbanevalleyrailtrail.com.au/publictransport/<br />
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This is a fantastic service provided by enterprising local people, giving you the ability to have a seamless travel plan - eg park your vehicle in Toogoolawah, book your shuttle to drop you at Yarraman, ride to Linville and stay at the pub and ride to Toogoolawah the next day - all doable in a weekend! Train it to Caboolture, bus it to Yarraman, then train home from Wulkuraka. Or for race training - catch the train to Wulkuraka, ride to Yarraman, turnaround and quick bivvy at Blackbutt showgrounds (shower too if you want luxury) and back to Wulkuraka - repeat as required...<br />
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Toogoolawah is a major town on the route, around 29km south of Moore. Coffee shops and bakeries galore, an IGA for the bigger refuelling requirements - in case you want to devour a whole watermelon in the park on your own with zero guilt. You know, bucket list type stuff.<br />
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Leaving Toogoolawah you cross this incredible bridge. I was amazed at the hacksaw work.<br />
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Shortly after, you are onto a raw, grassed over trail frequented by stock - but hardpacked! Stock are efficient animals - they often choose smoothed bovine GPS vector lines, which is a boon for cyclists. Just beware the fresh waypoints they leave.<br />
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Loads of refuel opportunities in Esk, 19km south of Toogoolawah. There is a large parkway and concrete bikeway surrounding the station, with lots of water taps beside the path. You definitely want to take on water here - the trail from here to Coominya is remote with no development along the way. I paused in Esk to chat and have a bite to eat at a leisurely pace and sit on a real chair - as opposed to smashing down a handful of food in-motion and sitting side saddle for variety.<br />
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You reach the dizzying heights of Mt Hallen (sign posted in the classic railway style), then you get a second wind with a rewarding slightly downhill gradient to Coominya. Along with a tailwind, unicorn icecream vendors and beach views*. </div>
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*all of these last three are dependent on your level of depletion and hallucination during this section of trail</div>
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The destination for the last night on the trail was the historic Bellevue Homestead in Coominya. An oasis for riders, parched from their travels and ready to relax with a shower and a frothy or chilled red from the wet bar. Water satiated my thirst (non drinker) but to fancy it up I think of it as 'melted white snow'. </div>
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Full mechanical support is provided on course and at the end of the day for bikes. Along with myself, Emma and Stu are qualified bike mechanics ready to help riders with mechanicals, questions or just support on route when the tiredness sets in.<br />
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For riders new to this kind of thing, remember the simple rules of A) ride your own speed, B) drink often, C) snack continuously, D) smile, and E) keep going, you will get there, just don't stop!<br />
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A beaut spot to park up under a tree for the arvo, enjoy a deserved nap after a massage and muscle rolling out session with the tennis ball.<br />
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Atkinson's dam is closeby - a memory of my first bike touring trip there with my dad when I was 11. I pestered dad for ages to take me bike touring, so we planned a ride out there, 13km each way. We took the tent but it rained so hard all night, we ended up in the brick shelter and getting eaten by the mosquitoes. Best touring trip as a kid ever!<br />
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Bikes create memories.<br />
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A fabulous spot beside the vineyard to watch the sunset and wind down, talk it up and share a laugh. Generous sized meals for dinner and brekky.<br />
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The moon rose and was time for me to select a bivvy spot - far away from the band.<br />
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The self-serve coffee tent was a popular spot in the morning for a chat and catch up - much talk of the dancing the previous night...<br />
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Trail opened at 7am for event riders (the trail is always open 24/7/365) and time to make some distance on the final day of 43km total to Wulkuraka, although the backwards and forwards nature of my lead marshall role on the trail sees me nearly double the daily distance - happily! Heavy fog shrouded the area, only a short 12km to Lowood or another 7km to Fernvale and the reknowned bakery.<br />
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I haven't ridden around Lowood for many, many years. Everything has changed - going past the high school and the shelter where we used to hang out during lunch has been replaced by a large hall; the athletics track is still there where shotput, javelin, high jump and the 100/200m were my fave school sports. Along the rail alignment there used to be many large sheds and businesses that maintained the railway machinery. Memories.<br />
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Convict built stone work is still present along the trail at Lowood.<br />
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The super fast section into Fernvale is fantastic.<br />
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Fernvale is another full service town, all manner of food options are here. Water taps along the trail through the park.<br />
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When I was in my early teens, Fernvale was a gateway town for me and my solo riding adventures in the area - out to Wivenhoe as it was being built, swimming at Twinnies and Savages crossing or riding to mates places. I'd pick up a bag of lollies from Boyce's store and just...ride. I had an old steel 10spd racer, with these incredible Continental 27 x 1 3/8 tyres that never seem to flat - an absolute necessity out on what was mostly gravel side roads, or single lane blacktop with hideously rough shoulders. Summer nights and moonlight, Winter nights and dynamo lights. My bike was an amazing adventure machine, as I'm certain it was to many of you who read this story.<br />
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I lived around here when the train still ran - I remember planning trips into town on the rattler. Sadly, the trips never eventuated as it wasn't long after that the train stopped running, just as my horizons were expanding. Riding along the trail brings back a lot of the memories from that era though - looking up a valley where a mate lived and recalling the parties we all went to and didn't tell our parents we were staying the night; the cow paddy fights in the lower paddock and then washing off in the dam; or when a mate rolled his parents Range Rover in a gully on their property, and he would be reminded of it every day on our school bus, seeing it parked in the driveway of the repair shop awaiting parts; the dirt roads in the hills where we'd ride our bikes with girls we liked and would smooch in the horse shed...<br />
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Bikes rekindle memories.<br />
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BQ has the amazing support of WICEN, a group of volunteers who provide radio communication support along the trail during BQ events. These hardworking vollies count the riders going by, radio forward and back any issues and provide a friendly face for those who may be a bit down on energy.<br />
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The trail section here near Fairneyview contained a large proportion of 50mm blue metal rail base, with a thin cover of grass. Would have been a rough ride for the hybrids, but my plush lefty and plus tyre combo was a magic carpet ride.<br />
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This section of track had the highest concentration of stations to Ipswich - Fairneyview; Wanora; Borallon; Pine Mountain and Muirlea. All too soon, the Warrego highway overpass kinda signalled the return to civilisation and the end of the adventure at Wulkuraka. Dirt track evolves into urban bikeway...which isn't all that dissimilar from stock routes evolving into main thoroughfares and highways over time.<br />
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All up, this was an amazing off-road adventure put together by BQ. It is no wonder that the event tickets sell out so quickly - so add it to your diary for next year. The BVRT is a fabulous piece of infrastructure for recreational cyclists of all levels.<br />
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The distances involved and the resources available online at the BVRT website, allow you to plan out an adventure to suit riders of all ages and abilities. Given that roughly 90% of this route is off-road (or on seldom used short sections of backroad) you can focus on enjoying the ride, instead of worrying about traffic. Reading about it will only get you so far though - get out there and ride it for yourself!<br />
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You'll see that riding it once isn't enough, you'll want to take your friends out there too. I know what I'll be doing next weekend...<br />
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Bikes share adventures.<br />
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<br />Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-64693166536194816122018-05-26T14:03:00.000-07:002018-05-26T14:03:06.835-07:00Iditarod 2018 - Bike setup part 2Welcome to part 2 of ITI bike setup. We've checked out the cute and cuddly front half of the bike, now we get down to the spiky, greasy and smelly end.<br />
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Custom Revelate frame bag, 3 compartments. Has done 4 ITI races now and still in excellent shape.<br />
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Top pocket contains all my food, the stretch panels on the zips allow the bag to be nearly at bursting point.<br />
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The lower pocket has the 600mL fuel bottle (I always leave the pump attached and bottle pressurised, ready to deploy) stove shield, flint knife and firestarter kit.<br />
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The point of having all of these items grouped on the bike as a system, is so I can do a very quick trailside cookup with a minimum of fuss, all items accessible whether the bike is leaning on a tree or laying on the ground. You can see in this pic too, the tether strap I use to attach the camera to the pogie. HOT TIP: Tether EVERYTHING! I stow the camera in the pogie for one handed operation.<br />
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I use the lid of my 600mL pot as a base for my Whisperlite.<br />
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Boosting meals with other ingredients is key - adds variety and gives you something to look forward to, or think about combos as you ride/push/yell at the snow. Noodles into freeze dried, bacon into instant mash potato, sultanas into oatmeal, Apple Pie Bonk Breaker into oatmeal, gummi bears into oatmeal... <br />
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Here's another hack - I used an old neoprene pencil case our daughter no longer wanted (she had many sizes to choose from) - makes a perfect food cozy. The dimension of this was chosen so I could close off the freezy bag, then zipper the cozy shut and stow the lot in my jacket rear pocket, would keep warm and edible for about an hour. Once eaten, I'd leave the empty packet inside and use it for my next meal of oatmeal or instant mash. Food is fuel - no matter if your oatmeal tastes like last nights tuna.<br />
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Another '54bilt' item is the downtube bag from the late 2015 collection. Carries my bike spares, extra stove fuel (in a mouthwash bottle, so it's light when empty), Ride Mechanic Bike Cream chain lube, tubeless tyre repair kit.<br />
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You can also see the lower lift strap in this pic - used for when forward motion is slowed to the point where it's perfectly acceptable to have trail tourettes and your speed is measured on a calender.<br />
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...and another one on the top tube for general use.<br />
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This little musette bag I made up out of some silnylon and bias binding for the shoulder strap - I even made up a small ITI logo, printed it out and heat bonded it on. It's a super stowable bag for multiple purposes - carrying overflow food from Cripple/Iditarod drops, or going into a checkpoint I can carry all my bottles for a 1 trip fill:<br />
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...or into a cabin for a quick meal:<br />
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...or for collecting snow to melt for water:<br />
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Crunches up nice and small and stows in the front of my framebag.<br />
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Moving to the back now, is my Revelate Viscacha - it carries my Outdoor Research synthetic puffy pants and Feathered Friends -40 parka - rapid deployment for the moments you stop for meals or quick bivvies. With the Viscacha remaining connected to the bike, unlike a holster style seatbag such as the Terrapin system. I also run a strap (black strap with 2 reflective strips) from the seat rails back to the top loop of the rear rack - this prevents sway. The Viscacha can be completely empty with this setup (ie, all heavy insulation layers worn) and riding the bike with no issue. Seat is a Selle Italia MAN GEL Flow, seatpost is Muru ti Telegraph post with 25mm setback - it's lighter than a RaceFace NEXT SL carbon post.<br />
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On top of the seatbag is a Revelate mesh Spocket - holds my spare headtorch (Petzl Tikka), main first aid kit and the GPS Trace unit that all racers carry. The Trace unit is best mounted on the rear of a bike - too many people mount them on handlebars and then have conflicts with their nav GPS unit. When on the rear, it receives a far better view of the sky and satellites.<br />
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Underneath the Viscacha, I have a large Revelate Pocket. It simply straps around the Viscacha, I have a thin plywood deck on the rear rack to isolate the pocket from the tyre. Again, when I have all of my heavy insulation layers on, the use of the bike is not hindered with flapping bags going to spokes.<br />
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In the pocket go my puffy mittens, 2nd pair of knicks (yep, I only wear 2 the whole race) and change of socks (liner and bulky wool).<br />
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The RH rear pannier is for overflow food. Just like the front rack and pannier system, this weighs in around 300g dry (2 panniers and the rack) and is very slim when you are beside the bike and pushing.<br />
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The LH side pannier is for extra clothing layers. Due to the wedge shape of the pannier, it works a bit like a compression bag. I carry my RAB hot socks, Arcteryx synthetic vest and overflow layers (leggings).<br />
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Strap hack - Pringle holder!<br />
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That's about it for the ITI 2018 bike setup. Next phase is the story telling of the race itself. This will be the first telling so should be fairly truthful...but give it a few years and the story will become a grandfatherly tale of when it was 60 below, we postholed barefoot through 8 foot drifts, we didn't eat for 5 days and we had to ferry our bikes up over Rainy pass bolt by bolt.<br />
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They won't believe you. </div>
Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-12826866133530983832018-05-17T18:40:00.002-07:002018-05-17T19:38:22.362-07:00Iditarod 2018 - Bike setup part 1Grandad had an axe.<br />
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"I've had this axe for over 50 years, always kept it sharp and it's never let me down." he'd state proudly.<br />
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One caveat he never brought to the conversation though, was that 'his axe' had 3 handles and 2 heads in that time. But the vibe is kinda the same. Grandad was good with a story and it always got better with each telling.<br />
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Over the years my Muru Witjira has undergone many changes - a bit like Grandads axe. Together we've shared some amazing adventures, seen some incredible things. Like the time I got pinned by a blowhole storm at 2am, would have been blowing 80km/hr, temps around -50C...but as I get older I'll embellish it more, where I was frozen crygenically by the storm, but then miraculously re-animated myself just by thoughts of dark chocolate and a rocking chair.<br />
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A history recap on this bike can be found <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/muru-witjira-fatbike-build-for-ultimate.html">HERE (PART 1)</a> , <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/muru-witjira-fatbike-build-for-ultimate.html">HERE (PART 2)</a> and <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/muru-witjira-summer-conversion.html">HERE (LEFTY CONVERSION)</a> What's happened between that time and now has been a constant refinement and evolution over 5 years on the Iditarod trail in Alaska. I'm always refining and improving - what you see this year might be totally different to the next.<br />
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I'm hoping that what you see in this article might help you refine your own setups, some things that will be a lightbulb moment - others may leave you scratching your head. Either way, the important thing is that it gets you thinking about what works for you, so don't be afraid to experiment. I won't give you the fish...but I'll teach you how to catch it...<br />
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Simple specs for the bikenerds: Muru Witjira overland ti frame, 2013 model, Wright style dropouts with QR axles, 170mm. Muru custom ti fork with everything, 135mm. Tune King/Kong hubs, Sapim CXray spokes, HED BFD 100mm carbon rims, SRAM 1x11 drivetrain, carbon cranks, Thomson stem, Muru ti seatpost. Black remains a fashionable colour on the trail.<br />
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Yep, I must be the only one still running QR hubs. Whats not to like about them for this low speed, low tech race? Nothing to drop into the snow, it all remains captive with the hub...and lighter than TA too.<br />
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I repack all bearings with winter spec grease - except for the TUNE hubs. The factory bearing grease showed no noticeable sign of additional friction due to low temps, but I do repack the freehub mech. Running a road BB7r caliper with ti hardware and Ashima rotors - 160 front and 140 rear, metal pads.<br />
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I prefer shimano pedals due to the rigid platform upon which to bash the cleat onto, to break up ice that builds on the cleat when pushing for extended periods.<br />
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Fully loaded is about 37kgs. That's with a load of stove fuel, water bottles full and framebag full of race chow - which equates to about 4kg of Bonk Breaker bars and 3kg of chocolate in many forms.<br />
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There's a North Face Inferno -40 sleeping bag in the drybag on the front rack, wrapped up in a Therma-Rest Ridgerest closed cell sleeping pad. I occasionally use an inflatable Klymit X-Wave pad inside my bag. If I'm bivvying in spruce country, I'll lay down a bed of branches under the Ridgerest for additional insulation from the snow - just love that scent of sleeping on spruce!<br />
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In late 2015 I made front and rear racks out of alloy tubing and flat bar, I then stitched up some micro race panniers to make use of the cavity space and provide load support for sleeping kit mounted on the Revelate harness. This was their 3rd race to Nome. All totalled, the empty front panniers and front rack weighed 360g. I incorporated some wide reflective strips for the long nights in motion on the trail, bright orange zipper pulls with reflective strip help identify closed position at a glance.<br />
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The rack maintains 15-20mm of clearance between the tyre and the load, no matter how bumpy the trail is.<br />
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Securing the load, was an older version of the Revelate Pocket, that I double clipped into the straps of the Revelate harness. When I want to release the sleeping kit, I only need to unclip the three clips of the harness.<br />
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Inside the pocket were my spare liner gloves, day/night lenses for my Oakley Airbrake goggles, lens cleaners, spare liner gloves, spare headgear and overflow food space. Can also hold around 3kg of M&Ms.<br />
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I tied on a pair of short Revelate straps to hold my lightweight Berghaus synthetic reversa jacket. Quick to deploy and stow. With any system, you need to simplify it. Grandma used the KISS principle of keeping it simple also - her cakes were the best around. Just a shame she never used denture adhesive when she used the kiss principle on us...<br />
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This year I ran mini aero bars and had to create a makeshift pogie to cover them. I picked up an old sleeping bag and a fluffy Christmas stocking from a dime store in Anchorage, cut them up and made a liner for my Revelate Periphery pocket, stuck it together with Tyvek tape. Very basic cockpit with just the essentials - analogue weather station and digital sundial.<br />
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Underneath the Garmin was a Revelate Spocket for battery storage. Used lithiums for the Garmin and alkalines for the headtorch - a 500 lumen Black Diamond Polar Icon - with the remote battery pack in the chest pocket of my fleece base layer. These two devices use AA batts, the Garmin can run happily on alkalines too. It's not used as a primary source of trail intel - but the time is good to know and you have buttons to play with, to stave off hand pain, monotony and sleep monsters. </div>
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On the top tube up front I had a Revelate Gastank (the older, superwide fatbike model) with close to hand food and supplies (I pre-heat my Bonk Breakers in special pockets I sewed onto my fleece base layer), Topeak multitool and Leatherman Style PS tool. I try to keep a minimum of things in each pocket and don't overstuff them - far too easy to lose things when pulling another item out. You do NOT want to lose your gum.<br />
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I had a Revelate Jerrycan on the rear section of the toptube, this held my power stuff - Topeak 7800mAh cache battery, Samsung phone, lithium camera batteries and a USB wall charger.<br />
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Hydration was in the form of immediate, short and long term storage solutions. I wear a Salomon skin vest with 2L onboard, I made an insulation panel that helps to trap the body heat better and not suffer from frozen hoses or junctions (but you still gotta blow that water outta the hose, people). Then there is a 600mL bottle in the Revelate Feedbag (I use 2 feedbags, the 2nd for food - which equates to approx 1000cc of M&M's) that is good for plain water or electrolyte drink mixes. Short term is a 1L Nalgene bottle in an OR cozy on the left fork blade. Long term is a 1L double walled Hydroflask. This gives me a much lighter and better performing storage system overall, with less dry weight and improved usage. A great thing about the Hydroflask is the stainless steel and high temp paint - I can pre-warm the flask on the cooler edge of a stove for longer water storage times - nearly 20 hours at around -20. I don't use sipper tops - they can leak and the leaking water will freeze the bottle to the cozy if you're on the edge of slush in the bottle.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJB6JLfK6pF_O8tFZNHzz8ihhnJkIf9cVMezON4uBn7uMZL8JzgDz57e2lBd3M0v5L9XkLTB5HvY5zLY4V02iNlxtMlmWKhIi4_Yh2O53__CEfuoAzxu_GT_ZHArrn7ezOPtz5wLN-0kKI/s320/P3290536021.jpg" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X-Iqr9W8Lk9mdGTfet71raYjgD3CQLsPPwJlfV1Tsic-aveqk8dgvgMo_FNZRTsz2bLwkxWTfZtIuQruR9n_6tHbkrO0AbZbGtECgjdF6s1cjkRZ0D17x6vKjypXvjcueTjqGs7JM8Cu/s1600/P3290538023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="677" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X-Iqr9W8Lk9mdGTfet71raYjgD3CQLsPPwJlfV1Tsic-aveqk8dgvgMo_FNZRTsz2bLwkxWTfZtIuQruR9n_6tHbkrO0AbZbGtECgjdF6s1cjkRZ0D17x6vKjypXvjcueTjqGs7JM8Cu/s320/P3290538023.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-mvpTuu8Yp3FaU5qAxLvoli3Ij5jDCYyn4Pz_cXqJL4pasr2S_u2n-R8b6vA37AbYZmyyJ6PXX11u44Z4lfUvQEy-g0PGQEgxTIBQA46eHPiUVnRPYPtUsKTADROhyphenhyphen5SXt87xb6LfGOZ/s1600/P3290537022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="677" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-mvpTuu8Yp3FaU5qAxLvoli3Ij5jDCYyn4Pz_cXqJL4pasr2S_u2n-R8b6vA37AbYZmyyJ6PXX11u44Z4lfUvQEy-g0PGQEgxTIBQA46eHPiUVnRPYPtUsKTADROhyphenhyphen5SXt87xb6LfGOZ/s320/P3290537022.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
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I designed a custom ti fork, Muru got it sorted and it has a huge array of mounts - barrel mounts top and bottom, mid blade mounts for low riders and 3 pack mounts front and rear of each blade.<br />
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In the front RH pannier I have my Whisperlite stove, a pair of Evernew pots in .6L and 1.3L, my next meal and room for overflow/cache food. Inside the pots I also have a collapsible cup - handy for scooping water out of stove top pots for filling water bottles. I stitched these panniers up with a system in mind - the design of the zipper and flop down panel allows me to access all items inside, with the sleep system still mounted.<br />
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The Revelate expedition pogies (imagine big, insulated oven mitts) fit over the top of the handlebars, with the brake and gear controls inside, so you only need to wear liner gloves. The RH pogie pocket keeps my basic first aid stuff close to hand.<br />
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The LH pogie pocket is for chemical warmers. Again, if you don't have systems readily accessible, you won't use them. In the field you are always planning things out, so if you were planning a quick meal stop or have to deal with a mechanical, first thing you do is pre-plan it by cracking open a pair of handwarmers - easy to do on the fly when items are close to hand. After the frostbite of 2017, I now have toe warmers as part of my foot system. I use a closed cell foam Intuition liner in my boot, I removed the tongue from the liner and now I have this nice air cavity above the metatarsals of my forefoot - perfect placement for the toe warmer between my liner sock and insulation sock. Manufacturers don't recommend this, but experimentation has worked for me and is the game changer for my damaged piggies.<br />
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Inside the pogie, I like to overwrap the grips and exposed brake lever bodies with road handlebar foam tape. Helps insulate a little and provide some extra cushioning. Being able to feed yourself at the end of the day is a good thing. I said FEED.<br />
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That's your lot for part 1 of bike setup. The next article will deal with food storage, cooking tech/hacks, debunk the myth of hygiene and further encourage the vagabond lifestyle.<br />
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-76926492823555054302017-04-22T01:16:00.001-07:002017-04-22T01:16:35.284-07:00Pet monkey turns into goat - Pinnacle Sports climbing course day 1 of 8I'm a firm believer in competency based training. Sure, self taught techniques have their place too, but some disciplines are more enjoyable, confidence building and safer with proper tuition.<br />
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The pet monkey (like most outdoor kids) has always had a penchant for climbing - trees, rock gardens, fences, beams, ropes and roof racks. Far be it for me to stop her - she is usually following my example :)<br />
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So in line with our family mantra of 'extend to experience' we enrolled her in the kids climbing program with a local Brisbane climb training provider - <a href="https://www.pinnaclesports.com.au/">Pinnacle Sports </a>. An 8 week course will see monkey go through a variety of challenges, with a penultimate finale climb on Mt Ngungun.<br />
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Lets not get ahead of ourselves though, today was just day 1 - she roped up and got some good 'ole Brisbane Tuff under the fingertips.<br />
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Safe instruction, newbs under the tutelage of Alex. Figure 8's.</div>
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Belay assessment.</div>
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On rope and communicating with her belay partner Matilda.</div>
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Serpentine moves.</div>
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Summit smiles! </div>
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Route planning, second climb.</div>
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Big moves! </div>
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Problems to solve. </div>
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Approaching a dead end zone for her widdle body - she just didn't have the reach to overcome this section, but she gave it a solid 30 mins of trying - no quit in this kid!<br />
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Third climb into bonus time.</div>
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She initially couldn't gain purchase on the bare slab, but a quick demo from below on crack climb hand placement, yielded positive altitude and attitude.<br />
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<br />Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-76604316697834606882017-02-21T15:32:00.002-08:002017-02-21T15:32:48.651-08:00Iditarod Trail Invitational 2016 - 1000 miles to Nome - gear and setupI've been running a little behind on blog posts for the ITI, so I guess now is as good a time as any, to post up some details from 2016. This will give the reader and blue dot follower alike, some fresh intel on what we'll all be facing out there in the 2017 race.<br />
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It was 2015 when I completed the 350 mile race to McGrath, but it seems like only a few months ago. This race really sticks in my mind, long after the muscle soreness has gone and the foot odour has dissipated.<br />
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This is the story of my 2016 journey along the North Route of the Iditarod Trail, 1000 miles to Nome.<br />
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Having gone to McGrath in 2015 with me <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015.html">HERE</a> (along with <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015-day-1.html">Day 1</a>, <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015-day-2.html">Day 2</a>, <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015-day-3.html">Day 3</a>, <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015-day-4.html">Day 4</a>, <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015-day-5.html">Day 5</a>, <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015-day-6.html">Day 6</a>, <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015-day-7.html">Day 7</a>), dear reader, you're probably thinking that going to Nome is just 3 times the work. Well, maybe on paper it may seem like that, but it's a different beast altogether - like a domestic kitty to a lion.<br />
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So you've already read the 2016 prologue <a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/iditarod-trail-invitational-2016-1000.html">HERE</a>, lets just get serious and straight to race day.<br />
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Knik Lake is the start location, what a brown winter it had been! Lots of exposed earth and deadened grass really made the start line look a little bleak - not to mention the thin layer of water that lay on the top of the ice of Knik Lake.<br />
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First lets go through a bit of tech on the bike and gear, how it's all loaded and why. This is what worked for me, after a lot of thought, custom design and DIY manufacture - built not bought! I'm always happy to help out rookies, so shoot me a message if you've got any questions. I won't give you all the answers here though...<br />
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The foundation is the same Muru Witjira classic ti frame I've rocked up to Alaska with since 2013. I designed a custom Muru ti fork to suit my requirements and geometry preferences for 2016, running Muru ti bars and a Muru ti seatpost. Wheels are HED carbon 100mm with Tune hubs, 1x11 SRAM drivetrain, Shimano XTR pedals. I extensively winterise all high speed bearings (totally unfair advantage of being a qualified bike mechanic)<br />
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Start from the front and work back. Going to Nome (1000 miles) means carrying a bit more gear than required for McGrath (350 miles). I made up a custom alloy rack (120 grams) to suit my fork, I had a mate weld the cross braces with his tig. This rack does many things - it keeps my harness load of bag and mat from scrubbing the tyre and gives me somewhere to hang the custom panniers I stitched up, to match the rack perfectly. Large reflective strips on the pannier light up well.<br />
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On the fork I had barrel mounts top and bottom, mid blade rack mounts and 2 sets of triple cage mounts on each blade - all to give me multiple mounting options for storage. On the back of the RH fork blade is a 600mL MSR fuel bottle, sitting in a Salsa Nickless cage and covered with a small bag I stitched up. I leave the pump on the bottle and pressurised - the bag keeps the whole lot clean and free from debris. I stitched up the panniers to perfectly match the rack, the right hand one neatly carries my ti pot set, MSR stove and overflow food. Very quick to access all the needed gear at bivvy time, as all food and cook kit is on this side of the bike, so can do it from the sleeping bag.<br />
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Top of the cockpit its clean and simple. Not much to bounce off, distract or play with. Revelate Pocket has my goggles and night lenses in. Stashed under that are my overmitts. A joby tripod for awkward shots and a Zipshot for everything else. Osprey camera bag holds spare lithium batts for lighting and GPS. OR bottle cozy, sitting in a Salsa HD cage, holds a 1L s/steel double walled Hydroflask and on top of that I have a ziplock with a map that the pet monkey made me years ago - keeps me centred.<br />
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The Garmin velcro holder slips to the side when not used.<br />
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On the left of the stem is a Revelate feedbag with another Hydroflask with hot chocolate or soups, right hand feedbag has chocolates, nuts and snacks. Underneath the thermometer is a Topeak pouch that clips to the back of the anything cage, containing a small spotting scope, compass, notepad and 4b pencil.<br />
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The Garmin is a GPSMAP 62s, the big buttons and bright screen are positives when you have bulky gloves on and tired eyes. Runs on all kinds of batteries, but lithiums are the go for cold stuff. Tethered but quick to fit and stow in a jacket pocket.</div>
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Whats in the gas tank? You shouldn't need to ask - nothing but my proven food choice of Bonk Breaker bars. This is my bulk storage, I stitched a pocket onto my base layer fleece that I rotate the bars into, using body heat to prewarm them ready for eating.<br />
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The front rack stabilises this load so well, it's a tight setup with zero movement on mogul trails. I'm using a Revelate harness to hold the bag and mat. In this configuration, I can access the pad and bag separately, when I want to have a quick shiver bivvy on the trail I just unload the mat.<br />
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Revelate framebag - top pocket holds all my food. Bottom pocket is like the garage, with all tools, spares etc. The downtube bag I stitched up to hold tubes and overflow food, whatever fits.<br />
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Small bottles of Ride Mechanic Bike Cream chain lube for easy and quick access.<br />
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LH side of the frame bag holds paper maps and route notes. More reflective striping on the downtube bag.<br />
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This seat tube bag I stitched up from an old wetsuit for the 2015 race (held my MSR stove back then), this holds the Power Monkey cache battery, all the camera batteries, battery charger.<br />
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Standard Revelate Viscacha seatbag, containing my big The North Face Himalaya down parka, Mtn Hardwear insulated pants and lightweight hardshell. Huge stretchy reflective panel, but under this is another strap running to the seatrails as load redundancy, as well as the strap you see going from the seat rails down to the rear rack top loop - this strap controls seatbag sway. </div>
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The rear panniers I stitched to hold a few items of clothing, extra base layers and socks, spare liner gloves - that sort of thing. Super narrow so you can push the bike without having to work around them. More reflective strip.<br />
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Lets talk about me now. I wore 45NRTH Wolfgars, but I used a pair of Intuition liners to replace the stock wool liners - the stock liners rubbed my ankle pretty badly so had to go. The Intuitions are closed cell EVA, so don't absorb moisture and maintain the R value wet or dry. 45NRTH insulated gaiters on the calf, my sock system was an Injinji coolmax liner, with an LG summer sock over the top of that.<br />
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Reflective striping on the boot also makes a point of difference at busy checkpoints (where you remove your boots to enter) and reduces confusion of which boot is yours - it has happened many times!<br />
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Lower body is LG Neo Power Motion shorts - these don't have a silicone gripper for the thigh, so no issues with irritation. I stitch loops into the waistband, so they can clip to my mountaineering braces, this way my top layers remain unchanged when I need to visit the rest room. Then I have The North Face thermal pants as required, and then Salomon Momentum softshell XC ski pants. Windstop panels on the top and regular fleece on the sides and back panels.<br />
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Outer shell is Salomon Equipe softshell XC ski jacket. Rear pocket stowage for my RAB hot socks. I put an old shoe inner sole into the hot socks - insulates my soles when I walk around huts or on the snow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCxrQrFZqFH1zkzfe42s7XOvv8dRrFW_sXsZz284EJ-kYhQvHDWsUeWhYl3AcUM5rREW9y2cVbTKbxs8mdVajEs317M1CGesneJyVW58Sa9M7tTXJKnKL4FyDwa1wojiwJhnRpAArktQ-/s1600/P22900990041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCxrQrFZqFH1zkzfe42s7XOvv8dRrFW_sXsZz284EJ-kYhQvHDWsUeWhYl3AcUM5rREW9y2cVbTKbxs8mdVajEs317M1CGesneJyVW58Sa9M7tTXJKnKL4FyDwa1wojiwJhnRpAArktQ-/s640/P22900990041.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next to skin layer is an LG mesh base. Over that is a technical fleece from The North Face. Then is the Salomon Skin 12 race vest - water in the back, room for overflow food and big pockets in the front for daily items like chapstick, toothpaste, brush and other toiletries. Also used as pillow. I stitched a custom bladder insulator to reflect body heat back into the water. <br />
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Winter neck buff and Salomon hat with slots for the sunnies. Oakley Jawbones with persimmon lenses for night, also had fire Iridium polarised lenses for day. Love these glasses and how quick and easy to change out lenses. <br />
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That's about it for the moment. I'll cover more tech topics as the race reports progress.</div>
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-50873460441075503662016-07-29T21:54:00.000-07:002016-08-17T21:56:45.946-07:00Iditarod Trail Invitational 2016 - 1000 miles to Nome - Prologue<div class="MsoNormal">
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<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Prologue</span></b></i></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWl-IPaC16z5J76PP5HvwJZABYCvyPkfX10-KC5f6fmDTZiMohzn7ALMcTkdJVQC8YlDBrQXX5pzJuR2RyNoT16-Na6G5jF2WftgLgIdTB5-Jn4-I2ZBoH8c5OqzWWzvYp4l0REadsSkQC/s640/P3020201015.jpg" /><br />
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<i><b>“Monday: -25C
overnight. Tussock all *expletive* day, rough trail from irondoggers. Stopped – no, I’m not
*expletive* admiring scenery, I’m *expletive* questioning why. Nothing *expletive* changes. Cold *expletive* monotony. Move
forward.”<o:p></o:p></b></i></div>
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<i><b>“Thursday: -15C, descend to sea ice 20 mins of awsm mogul pump
track and railing corners”<o:p></o:p></b></i></div>
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<i><b>“Sunday: -25C, 20kn howling wind, can’t get shelter
cabin warm, out for a wee and the best aurora show yet – memerising”</b><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<h2>
Let's get real</h2>
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Eighteen days racing on the Iditarod trail – I
traversed a wide variety of terrain and emotions. Excerpts from my trail notes
is like peeking through a tiny window and only seeing a fraction of the whole
experience – yet often these remain my most potent of all memories. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5fOT2L_1zo-Gvaw3sqvYUmOibmu4VM3GJmHm1iffCPFWezEw-5CAZq10TnfvCF9E1bo_EpoRuV97uQT3KbqcsLqN_7dxs8Xx9ms9Xd_9XLvCtGBUrKtEihkV6PFuNmxYCb-PiyLf9s3q/s1600/P2290182003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5fOT2L_1zo-Gvaw3sqvYUmOibmu4VM3GJmHm1iffCPFWezEw-5CAZq10TnfvCF9E1bo_EpoRuV97uQT3KbqcsLqN_7dxs8Xx9ms9Xd_9XLvCtGBUrKtEihkV6PFuNmxYCb-PiyLf9s3q/s640/P2290182003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slick ice on the broad expanse of Flathorn Lake, at the base of Mt Susitna</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's difficult to write about an experience such as this and do it justice. Some things I can write about (aurora, sunsets, surprise foods), some things I can't - or maybe shouldn't (chamois lifestyle, cheesy foot odour and equally cheesy jokes). Not saying it's taboo - but it's impossible to precisely convey an experience to you, my dear reader. To experience it all together - the cold, the silence and remoteness, the trailfunk; along with a raft of distracting human emotions - it's a package deal or a combo meal with dessert: a cacophony of tastes, a crescendo of flavours.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4I9oY5IkhHdb-EOniJRXu21m1w8fFIHucnkkv2k5xqBhqDs8qSqcywhkD7S1zPIrccAHE5pxWtkl8PsSeWCnuVt2G4C7WX9K9G4i5wbl5nipieOjluTzYympXCKY7QenzDutFgfv2wTC/s1600/P3110177037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4I9oY5IkhHdb-EOniJRXu21m1w8fFIHucnkkv2k5xqBhqDs8qSqcywhkD7S1zPIrccAHE5pxWtkl8PsSeWCnuVt2G4C7WX9K9G4i5wbl5nipieOjluTzYympXCKY7QenzDutFgfv2wTC/s640/P3110177037.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quick dinner on a backcountry re-route to Koyukuk<br />
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Pfft, come on, I'm gagging here at the hygiene of this story already and my mind is wandering towards a handful of M&Ms.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdC6VPe599IPTL_VFdwpzpebWL1ASlJRNtlXNMtaXPOdFM_uiumfZg4XHPugKhFGOSWzwMWYVNX56GJ8ryVoVtFRLOgUbhda8RXv2L0mVBGwEy-Q7JlUU9_cOhqhma74ZJCzSAidZZCXta/s1600/P3010287005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdC6VPe599IPTL_VFdwpzpebWL1ASlJRNtlXNMtaXPOdFM_uiumfZg4XHPugKhFGOSWzwMWYVNX56GJ8ryVoVtFRLOgUbhda8RXv2L0mVBGwEy-Q7JlUU9_cOhqhma74ZJCzSAidZZCXta/s640/P3010287005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little pills of happiness</td></tr>
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But there are some things I won't write about. There is a mystique surrounding the ITI - almost a secret, fight club atmosphere among its' veterans. What happens on the trail, stays on the trail and all that. It's a personal, solo journey that varies for the individual, only other racers can truly understand what terrain you go through, what goes through your mind and through your digestive system.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnM87Z4xnhpE0WlksaO8QiF6vHCEZYL4ypsB2N6_QyCUE00WjdUb6Vmjec-sgj1dj36Cg0-6A9CYmcTxbHzsYPrdsWZUo9PQYHVJ7IYv-eorv-ETsTKmpFMrKnCY00LeiDZrN2HrWpT3ZY/s1600/P3150535045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnM87Z4xnhpE0WlksaO8QiF6vHCEZYL4ypsB2N6_QyCUE00WjdUb6Vmjec-sgj1dj36Cg0-6A9CYmcTxbHzsYPrdsWZUo9PQYHVJ7IYv-eorv-ETsTKmpFMrKnCY00LeiDZrN2HrWpT3ZY/s640/P3150535045.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Against the wind and the mind bending nothingness of the hills at Shaktoolik</td></tr>
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<h2>
Let's rewind a little</h2>
Long time readers, you could skip this part - I'm just going to bring new readers up to speed. Skip this paragraph if you like, you won't miss much, not like I'm controlling your mind, but I may be able to see you on your webcam - there, you just smiled.<br />
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This race is called the Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI). It is a human powered, ultra endurance race that traverses the famous Iditarod Trail in Alaska. It is held mid winter and covers a myriad of terrain over its' 1000 miles - high mountain passes, endless tundra, frozen rivers and lakes. In 2015, I became the first Aussie to complete the 350 mile race, which qualified me to race the 1000 mile distance in 2016.<br />
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I'm guessing that's what you came here to read about?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4POorA8blBsddwbRXLct1ngM8zGjHYpkZZ_IMoc81DODZi4hPbivuhkg9QEXexZ2BHNLqhklk-vlC8qoGv5-TLUPO1yHKUM3lyOLSN4WiWCRuetb1etb2QvY5VXVUuWwYrBw3f7dfCjG5/s1600/P3080042033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4POorA8blBsddwbRXLct1ngM8zGjHYpkZZ_IMoc81DODZi4hPbivuhkg9QEXexZ2BHNLqhklk-vlC8qoGv5-TLUPO1yHKUM3lyOLSN4WiWCRuetb1etb2QvY5VXVUuWwYrBw3f7dfCjG5/s640/P3080042033.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bivvy fun at-25C</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h2>
Let's be serious</h2>
The ITI is more than a race, it's an epic life adventure. You come back changed with an altered perspective on many things and a whole new set of personal boundaries. Look, I know this is second nature and reads a bit basic for hardcore adventurers, but the truth of the matter is that we aren't born with knowledge or with these experiences, they have to be earned. It takes courage and blind desire to take a leap of faith out of your comfort zone and set lofty goals in life, and commit to seeing things through no matter what gets in your way. We all have unique abilities, skill sets and experiences to enable us to push ourselves to new heights, to fulfill our happiness and desires. By pushing your own personal boundaries, you <strike>might even</strike> WILL uncover hidden talents and strengths you never knew you possessed. I sincerely hope that through the stories in this blog, you find inspiration to challenge yourself, push boundaries, dream big, set lofty goals and maximise your positive human potential.<br />
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I don't always want to sound like some cheesy internet motivational, but I try to do the above everyday. If you ask Nyree about it she'll agree - I'm always dreaming up a new adventure, looking at gear for said adventure and avoiding the mowing (I choose to call it goal oriented focus).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWUfXiQHwkCExmPSUV8KJT83UJd_uhQ-ixpNXMxn1k144T-Ul_kn9EIJ0PCc45RyF6vesx-E0aH0GBPXIT7q-P8KE3Y2XrRrlpwwnSuKmXs5HgnQ7RZqVsq4UsITR6EuaJR2uGK2xNHC3/s1600/10258326_1011876875553448_4403275373930414329_n+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWUfXiQHwkCExmPSUV8KJT83UJd_uhQ-ixpNXMxn1k144T-Ul_kn9EIJ0PCc45RyF6vesx-E0aH0GBPXIT7q-P8KE3Y2XrRrlpwwnSuKmXs5HgnQ7RZqVsq4UsITR6EuaJR2uGK2xNHC3/s640/10258326_1011876875553448_4403275373930414329_n+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terrible use of Photoshop</td></tr>
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<h2>
Let me thank you</h2>
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It would be remiss of me to not mention the support I received from good friends, who generously gave money to assist with the financial costs that a race like this incurs. Without that support, things get soooo much tighter in my budget.<br />
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Many of you helped me get to the finish - this was your race too - when I crossed that line I thought of the nice people who contributed, and also the ratbags who gave just to see me suffer - I was ecstatic to have you all in my corner and watching from afar. Mates helping mates, Aussie represent!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMwzCDn2if8SEYJ5WXs62STZe5Fm-bWU_qTQoArnOw1IZCSTmZZBnipRb4qIyDUTzgMFXXMUvXpCsfpFCJEtK5lAu6nSrPHdj6uBvh4b69DrrU-yavg3eqsSUnkfpC7z9H8TtbZhNLlAK/s1600/P6260561062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMwzCDn2if8SEYJ5WXs62STZe5Fm-bWU_qTQoArnOw1IZCSTmZZBnipRb4qIyDUTzgMFXXMUvXpCsfpFCJEtK5lAu6nSrPHdj6uBvh4b69DrrU-yavg3eqsSUnkfpC7z9H8TtbZhNLlAK/s640/P6260561062.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After the 2015 race my knees were in pretty bad shape. Howard from Springwood Sports Health treated my knees and patiently answered so many of my questions - which was invaluable preparation for my self treatment on this years race. Read a bit more here:<br />
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http://springwoodsportshealth.com.au/our-team/Howard-Arbuthnot<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5AVlfqZARycNYS7vJo_T7F0wq-yowyfuGPAIF09BXUR7PY51nenAX8mbtIwlEou0LAAaF15LJxbuhUkWC0cR8K5ge13cAnDElisDbhKfJ_psMM9reaVyMRGSDjWxwG_NWMEevGkY2C4S/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5AVlfqZARycNYS7vJo_T7F0wq-yowyfuGPAIF09BXUR7PY51nenAX8mbtIwlEou0LAAaF15LJxbuhUkWC0cR8K5ge13cAnDElisDbhKfJ_psMM9reaVyMRGSDjWxwG_NWMEevGkY2C4S/s400/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Product sponsor acknowledgements</b></h2>
</div>
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This race is an expedition level journey, so I'm pretty darn picky about the gear I choose. Items have to pass a myriad of tests before it gets my nod of approval. When you see a piece of gear I've used on any of my trips, it didn't get there by accident - it's there because I've chosen to use it and know it will perform at the highest level.<br />
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Following is a brief summary of the gear - in the detailed blog posts I'll delve deeper into the tech - and I know you love tech!<br />
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<b>Bike Bag Dude</b> - my good mates at BBD shipped me up a few metres of X-PAC and liner fabric, so I could stitch up my own custom race panniers and downtube bag.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHiH6LPWVcee7djAJ2mfDUqJ2RAbDhigdFCZ9Eij4ldnhxYO7pcaU67qbk-JPmVdruyBEmlMcvNkx0Cj6als8wkHk2c4mxazaBdkD6mpvN4D4OwqM3FqIzUjasVg_Qr7kFzUEkYlwXisy/s1600/P3180050+rz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHiH6LPWVcee7djAJ2mfDUqJ2RAbDhigdFCZ9Eij4ldnhxYO7pcaU67qbk-JPmVdruyBEmlMcvNkx0Cj6als8wkHk2c4mxazaBdkD6mpvN4D4OwqM3FqIzUjasVg_Qr7kFzUEkYlwXisy/s640/P3180050+rz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coastline of the Bering Sea...Russia is just 'over there'</td></tr>
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<b>Dawson Sports Group</b> (Australian HED distributor) - I wanted the lightest wheel combo I could get, DSG specially ordered a pair of 100mm wide BFD carbon rims, so I could build up with Tune hubs. I ran them tubeless with Stans sealant - but strange things happen at -20 celsius...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpJSVqZaiHoYp6PKmPTLDvq7ComqIjfDNywFNHVr4aM6v-4FfbdmDy9C2ipS8aOPgqGzxshC3z4gdkUxx-73R88sTEqiGZBALjk48b7cHIykhD-cQzmFTz_lpckNbQjcZE4wt85mG4akg/s1600/P3110171036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpJSVqZaiHoYp6PKmPTLDvq7ComqIjfDNywFNHVr4aM6v-4FfbdmDy9C2ipS8aOPgqGzxshC3z4gdkUxx-73R88sTEqiGZBALjk48b7cHIykhD-cQzmFTz_lpckNbQjcZE4wt85mG4akg/s640/P3110171036.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hidden cracks in the ice on the Yukon River</td></tr>
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<b>FE Sports</b> - Bonk Breaker bars were a mainstay in 2015 on my 350 mile race, so naturally they were along for the ride this year on the 1000 mile race. I chose them primarily for the ingredients, the slightly higher fat content and excellent portion size - they pack a punch calorically, without punching you in the pack.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSmLXVmBemLaALGPI4C8RN9Masq994f7NDu3pTOEP7aVeoEBM_6H72k72U6HIjgo6m2nx-8cQRtPliZYDuizdACLaE-_grTt6ALV1wohWNteeUgKZbYr69qLQLNksNwlNeMT3yIpbozor/s1600/P3020100+rz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSmLXVmBemLaALGPI4C8RN9Masq994f7NDu3pTOEP7aVeoEBM_6H72k72U6HIjgo6m2nx-8cQRtPliZYDuizdACLaE-_grTt6ALV1wohWNteeUgKZbYr69qLQLNksNwlNeMT3yIpbozor/s640/P3020100+rz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pausing for a tasty treat near Puntilla</td></tr>
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<b>Muru Cycles</b> - my snow race bike has evolved a lot over the years and is a little like Grandads axe (you know the story - 3 handles and 2 heads, still the same old axe) but the one constant has been my Muru Witjira titanium frame. It's done ITI camp in 2013, a top to bottom backcountry tour of Oregon, many local sub24 trips, raced the ITI 350 in 2015, had a Lefty on it for trail use and now back again for the ITI 1000. Muru also made me a custom ti fork to my specs and I'm using their ti handlebar and seatpost. Ti is fly, baby.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stark Birch forest near Nikolai</td></tr>
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<b>Olympus Australia</b> - I needed a tough camera to get the shots, without failure. I bought an Olympus TG-4 as it was the very best tough camera for my type of fun. I approached Olympus for assistance with accessories of my choice - extra batteries, wide angle lens, USB battery charger. The result - a powerful package that performed flawlessly in extreme conditions!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The very best tough camera available - voted by me!</td></tr>
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<b>Ride Mechanic</b> - I like ice cream as much as the next person, but I don't like my chain lube as solid as that! The best performance lubes I've used for both the sand (Bike Milk) and the snow (Bike Cream) come from the awesome chemists at Ride Mechanic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNdXQSi1f8kQaxgN55rU6RcvKSpGaE621DpKn7kdcrkfz6FCfdzGSJ6w9vwIkw3JLofO_h4wra11I49enbh_thfcqkQUx564Y4kreTgRyXQY0QQ2rMO_4QgNxGf7eoR2vM60XsBg78UBu/s1600/P3110138+rz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNdXQSi1f8kQaxgN55rU6RcvKSpGaE621DpKn7kdcrkfz6FCfdzGSJ6w9vwIkw3JLofO_h4wra11I49enbh_thfcqkQUx564Y4kreTgRyXQY0QQ2rMO_4QgNxGf7eoR2vM60XsBg78UBu/s640/P3110138+rz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flows like silk...even at -25 celsius</td></tr>
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<b>Cannondale Australia</b> - wait...what? Okay, I didn't take two bikes to Alaska, but I used my Fat CAAD 1 for ITI training on the beaches, trails and the commute to work every day. I've used a Lefty on my Muru in the past, but nothing compares to the Olaf Lefty on the Fat CAAD 1 - this is the best trail fatbike I've ever ridden! This bike was a crucial part of my training prep for Iditarod.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Chasing the sunrise on Moreton Island</span></div>
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Let me entertain you</h2>
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So, dear reader, my gift to you is my story and pictures (there will also be a video) for your amusement. Together we can journey through the emotional highs and lows, relive the bad karaoke on the long stretches of tundra and burp and fart our way through questionable dietary choices. Over the coming weeks I'll publish the stories here, I hope that you delight in my suffering, glean some form of sense from my efforts, experiment with new foods and pick up some useful tips to get the most out of your one go at life. </div>
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Sure beats watching the tele or mowing. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxP5x2hH2GLQdwNrXS0_ZAk09O-9pEXJMWSb66GNqDnv_QHhrWPmsrFtUx7bvoNthohy71q-iuTEQrbnWD8eA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-53430740490519183852016-06-19T13:20:00.001-07:002016-06-19T15:57:02.957-07:00Microadventure - Kayak to North Straddie<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><b>'Follow, follow the sun' </b></i></div>
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<i> </i><b> -Xavier Rudd.</b></div>
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I'd been involved so much in everything Iditarod, I'd forgotten about the other simple, type 2 fun things I enjoy. The more disciplines that I can fit into a leave pass the better. Today was the day to paddle to North Stradbroke Island and go for a walk.</div>
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I left Cleveland Point at 5:30am with an hour of dark paddling till sunrise. Oh yeah - for my overseas friends - this is our winter. </div>
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It was still so warm that I didn't need my spray skirt. Paddling close to Peel Island in about 2m of water, I could see skates and small rays darting beneath me against the white sand. </div>
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Transition to trek mode. I locked the kayak up adjacent the ticket office for the Micat vehicle ferry. This weekend there was an 8hr rogaine on Straddie, I was planning to race it with a friend, but she was on call at work. Ah well, still doesn't stop me from having a little off-track fun.<br />
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<i><b>'Breathe, breathe in the air. Cherish this moment, cherish this breath'</b></i></div>
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<b>- Xavier Rudd</b></div>
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My first 'self imposed mandatory' CP was Brown Lake and the plan was shortest route possible overland.<br />
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The Golden Orb spider weaves a web of strong, sticky silk, between trees and at random heights - just another trail obstacle to look out for.<br />
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This plant grew on the eastern slopes, the bush was alive with the sound of bees gathering nectar from the tiny flower.<br />
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But this same plant also had hypodermic leaves. Legs were peppered and punctured...might be a few days before I can shave them again.<br />
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Ran into quite a few teams doing the rogaine - some looked in better shape than others...<br />
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Their goal was to capture as many CPs as they could.<br />
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Today, my goals were far more organic - these were the only white and orange items I wanted to capture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ra7Yykyh-wSFWfdtv-zWIEpQ_h2tt86aERNOXpX0u0AbO-ftbbWp8AJpT4a1IkytdgBlYhJn-W45ZC3-mnopqNc8t-ML5n_WKjCRrtRjPNb70Pjwn4qPqUwOoPYQfsGTEk-SOLfNGiCo/s1600/P6180149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ra7Yykyh-wSFWfdtv-zWIEpQ_h2tt86aERNOXpX0u0AbO-ftbbWp8AJpT4a1IkytdgBlYhJn-W45ZC3-mnopqNc8t-ML5n_WKjCRrtRjPNb70Pjwn4qPqUwOoPYQfsGTEk-SOLfNGiCo/s640/P6180149.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ra7Yykyh-wSFWfdtv-zWIEpQ_h2tt86aERNOXpX0u0AbO-ftbbWp8AJpT4a1IkytdgBlYhJn-W45ZC3-mnopqNc8t-ML5n_WKjCRrtRjPNb70Pjwn4qPqUwOoPYQfsGTEk-SOLfNGiCo/s1600/P6180149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMthGwdviyae2KzpxwW7UbmJEPWg5eK4QrhzKMv7QpGP1asVxNbQGvIKpKSKbDy5q-DuZmE3KVSefL7MOc7UMuubP4XZv7_5Do1l3xosZTZNQKjEJ-dpSFgpJ3xrvl9UmwW0PVhjoIQ4y/s1600/P6180147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMthGwdviyae2KzpxwW7UbmJEPWg5eK4QrhzKMv7QpGP1asVxNbQGvIKpKSKbDy5q-DuZmE3KVSefL7MOc7UMuubP4XZv7_5Do1l3xosZTZNQKjEJ-dpSFgpJ3xrvl9UmwW0PVhjoIQ4y/s640/P6180147.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<i><b>'Take a stroll to the nearest waters edge, remember your place. Many moons have risen and fallen long, long before you came'</b></i><br />
<b>-Xavier Rudd</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopyv9UtrraqaAhLDoyRwmboBVGrQGHvKNTVZBoKsOUCjfdMWzwXpOsIa02BMRl2CTVE-2jwfa3O-3PBOsqgl-rWrl8qGYDyJCkNJ0qg0GQtFtws0a9WRpK2KEXFONkRyyWb1S_EQ2rDo3/s1600/P6180153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopyv9UtrraqaAhLDoyRwmboBVGrQGHvKNTVZBoKsOUCjfdMWzwXpOsIa02BMRl2CTVE-2jwfa3O-3PBOsqgl-rWrl8qGYDyJCkNJ0qg0GQtFtws0a9WRpK2KEXFONkRyyWb1S_EQ2rDo3/s640/P6180153.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82pjPoVNP_1BFR7a4pyZoPAd0kfeMiWOzX_8HptZlh7csAGN2GmubJxEB_RZ_vzOj-2WuASTu2gotXj4eD28mowOJiu1U1T4SwRt9X9ZsWwFjLzya_CFiabQfMpuLQFnmHDLU4bWVrLom/s1600/P6180154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82pjPoVNP_1BFR7a4pyZoPAd0kfeMiWOzX_8HptZlh7csAGN2GmubJxEB_RZ_vzOj-2WuASTu2gotXj4eD28mowOJiu1U1T4SwRt9X9ZsWwFjLzya_CFiabQfMpuLQFnmHDLU4bWVrLom/s640/P6180154.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sO12ocgm8ntojimyZxLQbXv8KxlXH6SlysPKfqzCZaW8G6egVkebwyOgFXhZmSOYAQ9hqArJdVHoXyuo5-UfXy9Fjyj7fhtbhmXu9FQl_ypdahH2xIZcqSq95CCByvnWKngHbaM8c8K-/s1600/P6180155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sO12ocgm8ntojimyZxLQbXv8KxlXH6SlysPKfqzCZaW8G6egVkebwyOgFXhZmSOYAQ9hqArJdVHoXyuo5-UfXy9Fjyj7fhtbhmXu9FQl_ypdahH2xIZcqSq95CCByvnWKngHbaM8c8K-/s640/P6180155.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN84BAxEJ8Jq6_E5zX53HI8WxkRD39g8kl92JJFQ1bQB6EITuK1EY2t0Ohrx7uIJx6Qlxuc3tv0utqi97GB8YMTKpT3BkFc7V4XG3XzxqDFMHmYM5XpM51bHFp1JmOMclulm8K7pCdm9vU/s1600/P6180157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN84BAxEJ8Jq6_E5zX53HI8WxkRD39g8kl92JJFQ1bQB6EITuK1EY2t0Ohrx7uIJx6Qlxuc3tv0utqi97GB8YMTKpT3BkFc7V4XG3XzxqDFMHmYM5XpM51bHFp1JmOMclulm8K7pCdm9vU/s640/P6180157.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Not all off track today - unavoidable short sections of blacktop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbs8w7DcqyLJVenaaxUo4OXyjy0DDbRsA5G3DChEUl6N1-TjdvRqzkz_oNDC-RP4UZB4VnRFinxRcPmAfL4tuO9CE33FJIXD5NxHjrX5kOsJ4EhkrHkyHrGwQLoJWnTqQKILbsjxyeTs4-/s1600/P6180163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbs8w7DcqyLJVenaaxUo4OXyjy0DDbRsA5G3DChEUl6N1-TjdvRqzkz_oNDC-RP4UZB4VnRFinxRcPmAfL4tuO9CE33FJIXD5NxHjrX5kOsJ4EhkrHkyHrGwQLoJWnTqQKILbsjxyeTs4-/s640/P6180163.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The track is that way. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS-G80lQY9L2eJtIUG6yC2DIYa4LrKBlFIR9h7uMVYrSat-u9tJlEzyKWeK8crXbrfgyDN0TA1trlQAfvhCMf6bHgVsWCxf7lCC9MnzeFRXALZcHmYiy7xFBZW7YOJSwLaTLPaRvLYuAc/s1600/P6180168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS-G80lQY9L2eJtIUG6yC2DIYa4LrKBlFIR9h7uMVYrSat-u9tJlEzyKWeK8crXbrfgyDN0TA1trlQAfvhCMf6bHgVsWCxf7lCC9MnzeFRXALZcHmYiy7xFBZW7YOJSwLaTLPaRvLYuAc/s400/P6180168.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPpUq4gBRXMHjU1b5WhWjUFm4WWYNB0dSpTJxBKxDqhM4_Cgw5oooTTyQnWYcyUUDQQkfbbudfrzUrwM-5miuLZMUl_BetmFrZOoKKQpLRYI6ruUohzUtUaKRPdPLiIxgibY90G3wmKNn/s1600/P6180166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPpUq4gBRXMHjU1b5WhWjUFm4WWYNB0dSpTJxBKxDqhM4_Cgw5oooTTyQnWYcyUUDQQkfbbudfrzUrwM-5miuLZMUl_BetmFrZOoKKQpLRYI6ruUohzUtUaKRPdPLiIxgibY90G3wmKNn/s320/P6180166.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
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There were sections that took me back to Alaska on the Iditarod Trail - that thin white line through the Farewell Burn.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkULbX_dYz6IGhiluVRYfI5t39uoQ3UWKWyyIhgiAdOrZjosm_J6q7ZULyWkBW_PuLQe0dct-CPOb-bZsl9UbbfXPaxubAwm-rMzNHY5vKqBeeU8vH6nHt_d3cGKeBr66G5cJGDPDxyFLT/s1600/P6180171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkULbX_dYz6IGhiluVRYfI5t39uoQ3UWKWyyIhgiAdOrZjosm_J6q7ZULyWkBW_PuLQe0dct-CPOb-bZsl9UbbfXPaxubAwm-rMzNHY5vKqBeeU8vH6nHt_d3cGKeBr66G5cJGDPDxyFLT/s640/P6180171.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lets delve into gear and a hint of tech. My trekking poles weigh a scant 300grams, full carbon. I chose the 120cm, fixed length model to suit my wrist height. Andrew, a good mate of mine from Wildearth on the Goldy shipped me his last pair!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXXX409bmOJ429WC0PPNsuwseAGMLbygNRIkyD6qECKKCIM4HykRC65Et-ZDWkku1rQju3faM9WUlQKhvjjKvhDPPnjlJk0nGnZFeajppt7_ynGxIrDxy7XjMj-pOEaWzM4SzC-8zlfbT/s1600/P6180172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXXX409bmOJ429WC0PPNsuwseAGMLbygNRIkyD6qECKKCIM4HykRC65Et-ZDWkku1rQju3faM9WUlQKhvjjKvhDPPnjlJk0nGnZFeajppt7_ynGxIrDxy7XjMj-pOEaWzM4SzC-8zlfbT/s640/P6180172.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The foam handles have a 2 position grip - the lower segment for steep ascents. You can also see the buttons for locking the poles when assembled. Reflective accents. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuU4AlEbQEZ_8qgyVJKY7nZ3p8BgvX-jhIC57FtbuhpxDee6MiwmCxOJuXPFJmNhLfQEiXAbKvQ1s8xDYJACvvtTsAkeQKfDj7rOJJMo9wMgvA0uZi5qz-xWwiyy6n5XDFMezvIGY4gLX/s1600/P6180173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuU4AlEbQEZ_8qgyVJKY7nZ3p8BgvX-jhIC57FtbuhpxDee6MiwmCxOJuXPFJmNhLfQEiXAbKvQ1s8xDYJACvvtTsAkeQKfDj7rOJJMo9wMgvA0uZi5qz-xWwiyy6n5XDFMezvIGY4gLX/s640/P6180173.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Collapsed the poles are only about 33cm long and stow easily across the front of my pack. I prefer them close to hand, not stowed on the back of my pack. The quicker and easier they are to access, the more inclined you'll be to use them .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBp-EsB5VWxY7zKgLKgMr2mNvyUwhVhSPyxHrGFSuso-zROeOtYO7a7pvjIf7yS9kceays6Jmo_dYEM1qHvr9U3afmYHujHUrVqSlNcpUonYSQHPOKEpyCMlEgUba8t6u31lKI__xsJQWY/s1600/P6180174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBp-EsB5VWxY7zKgLKgMr2mNvyUwhVhSPyxHrGFSuso-zROeOtYO7a7pvjIf7yS9kceays6Jmo_dYEM1qHvr9U3afmYHujHUrVqSlNcpUonYSQHPOKEpyCMlEgUba8t6u31lKI__xsJQWY/s640/P6180174.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here is the secret to their foldability, flexible Kevlar cords.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFCd5XJUtORQ488ZvsmbTdVdaYHGgxMLB_rSLNQd6dIigVSmnX5yTGfevAfSww-4hWu7xNTeOwy_V0VvWHZlUsukknhzs0YBAIn1_uweMh7szVTsXf7MJTiQf8xsmy3AL9BUAg0zP1rZn/s1600/P6180175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFCd5XJUtORQ488ZvsmbTdVdaYHGgxMLB_rSLNQd6dIigVSmnX5yTGfevAfSww-4hWu7xNTeOwy_V0VvWHZlUsukknhzs0YBAIn1_uweMh7szVTsXf7MJTiQf8xsmy3AL9BUAg0zP1rZn/s640/P6180175.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The baskets are not removable, which is a boon in tough country as they can't get torn off (which is mostly what these will see) but have plenty of surface area for the sand. The rubber tips are replaceable and can be subbed for concave carbide tips, for use on ice.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHq6gqbXLUswUi9B0V7jUkayvGCcWsUg3f5_ebC8Wvp1bxlAVJ5KZcibOppxj6AkOhkRE3Ns1B9bC7s_x2W66oZ20T56h0vhhukyur76_IQuX-QfDgz2UcC2N7N5fWM-0pQx8sFH88ifb/s1600/P6180176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHq6gqbXLUswUi9B0V7jUkayvGCcWsUg3f5_ebC8Wvp1bxlAVJ5KZcibOppxj6AkOhkRE3Ns1B9bC7s_x2W66oZ20T56h0vhhukyur76_IQuX-QfDgz2UcC2N7N5fWM-0pQx8sFH88ifb/s640/P6180176.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Left and Right specific wrist straps.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4CMZmMSljSV95S4mISsPcFqH7tv80ayfa1WRTWuPZXdVopBati-D32XSW2ygiVS-6GvPFLfFyTrtq8tIALyiXCRQ2NnoKT1v7zG9GOOtOgeq2f2NssU0ErGzqCGqT8yPM-ArXQAd7Rpv/s1600/P6180177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4CMZmMSljSV95S4mISsPcFqH7tv80ayfa1WRTWuPZXdVopBati-D32XSW2ygiVS-6GvPFLfFyTrtq8tIALyiXCRQ2NnoKT1v7zG9GOOtOgeq2f2NssU0ErGzqCGqT8yPM-ArXQAd7Rpv/s640/P6180177.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Large surface area top for descending.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcR61KiZ5vK125fGm8y3NUYbRMv1kq0Sa49CvT-gaU7u0ygWUTdHOlZ0fjiAVp7Eu2jPsUejWkuF1gERtECNcSOfxaigbK7twDzE6dRbcFvaqqazEv8M1c4OussEIVQKp6dG4Jw4JioeNv/s1600/P6180178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcR61KiZ5vK125fGm8y3NUYbRMv1kq0Sa49CvT-gaU7u0ygWUTdHOlZ0fjiAVp7Eu2jPsUejWkuF1gERtECNcSOfxaigbK7twDzE6dRbcFvaqqazEv8M1c4OussEIVQKp6dG4Jw4JioeNv/s640/P6180178.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Salomon Speedcross 3 shoes are my tried and tested boot of choice. I love the traction they provide with a very aggressive tread. I couple that with a low Salomon sock gaiter and Moxie shin gaiters.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyq1GD7ovuqRI4PntMblW7IIuYGTU9U5NQ2XF3cK8jd6PKwPgb6IztsX_PDK9PvsB3JwmW0Tl6nNm2G8ZGn_Wwmv3pyeD2AyNk7cF4hd9Un86KxSe8xX3jlebrZ0yKkMNF8fs2GwY6Gcl/s1600/P6180188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyq1GD7ovuqRI4PntMblW7IIuYGTU9U5NQ2XF3cK8jd6PKwPgb6IztsX_PDK9PvsB3JwmW0Tl6nNm2G8ZGn_Wwmv3pyeD2AyNk7cF4hd9Un86KxSe8xX3jlebrZ0yKkMNF8fs2GwY6Gcl/s640/P6180188.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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I used this Salomon Skin pack in Alaska, couple it with an OP crampon bag as a front balance pack and close-to-hand storage. Just hidden behind my poles is my SPOT tracker, so my girls can follow. Joby tripod for flexible shooting spots.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0i4CdILhI5x0VflcEaqV7ZpIHrXWVYZWMm0tBRQ7Ri73_GN02uh2T98GhzxGqkpWlccsHLVFfiT6n6-5XrqHd4t6HZJl0dQTzEtxpVjZuoNPWg7mzIIPNgBEeWLA3VmiqJYHt-49OqpJg/s1600/P6180190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0i4CdILhI5x0VflcEaqV7ZpIHrXWVYZWMm0tBRQ7Ri73_GN02uh2T98GhzxGqkpWlccsHLVFfiT6n6-5XrqHd4t6HZJl0dQTzEtxpVjZuoNPWg7mzIIPNgBEeWLA3VmiqJYHt-49OqpJg/s640/P6180190.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The camera that captures all these great pics? My tough Olympus TG-4. I went through an exhaustive process to replace my previous adventure camera - the venerable Panasonic FT2. The TG-4 was the only compact tough camera to accept an accessory lens (for filters, tele or wide angle - I love to shoot wide angle), an awesome microscope function, incredible low light performance, flexible timers and multi shot modes, super simple wifi and app connectivity, low temperature reliability (I was shooting at -30C on the Iditarod) and true tough camera performance - make this your next tough camera!<br />
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My second mandatory CP was Blue Lake. Blue Lake is a window lake with some of the clearest water around. I've hammock bivvied here before and the frogs and birdlife is incredible.<br />
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This is one of my stoves - Jetboil Ti. I stow the fuel canister wrapped in a Chux wipe - its uses are only limited by your imagination. I cut the top off one of my Sea to Summit silicone cups so it fits better.</div>
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North Straddie is a tropical island - so what better flavour than coconut would match?<br />
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<i><b>'So which way is the wind blowing, what does your heart say'</b></i></div>
<b> - Xavier Rudd</b><br />
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It's not all quiet bush trail back to the western side.<br />
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All too soon, it was time to go. 30km trek done, it was time for the couple hour paddle back. Trans back to paddle with an hour left before sunset. It was a millpond, not a breath of wind. The tide was turning and a few strange eddy currents to fight in the channels.<br />
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Just off Peel Island there is a random coral band - I saw branching coral, brain coral and plenty of sponge, sea cucumbers, rays and skates. I'll be back to snorkel the wreck of the Platypus as well as the larger garden of coral nearby.<br />
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The water was like liquid silk all the way home. No need for a headlamp, just the taillight for rearward marking. The moon shone occasionally through the cloud, when I stopped to savour the night, I'd hear the soft splash of marine life breaching and the chitter of bats as they echo-located their way to feeding spots.<br />
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Another shoutout to Wildearth - Andrew kicked out the jams to get me a new PFD - a 'Quest' from SeaToSummit. A feature packed PFD with a 1.5L bladder, plenty of accessible pockets, D-ring, whistle and plenty of reflective.<br />
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<i><b>'So follow, follow the sun. Which way the wind blows, when this day is done'.</b></i></div>
<b> - Xavier Rudd</b><br />
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-29320958056869360022016-02-28T06:54:00.002-08:002016-02-28T07:02:12.668-08:00ITI 2016 - 1000 miles to Nome - GO TIME<span lang="">Well friends, the time has come to put thoughts and words into action. Today is the beginning of my race - the race I've trained for, planned for - but also the one that many of you have helped me to begin. </span><br />
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<span lang=""><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V9cU4zqXTXE/VUnmEtI52dI/AAAAAAAAEmM/pFeTk_DOdIw/s1600/P1090597%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V9cU4zqXTXE/VUnmEtI52dI/AAAAAAAAEmM/pFeTk_DOdIw/s640/P1090597%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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To all who have contributed your support through MyCause or other financial means, I'm forever indebted to you to help me reach this goal - a goal that we can all draw inspiration from - Aussie represent!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.mycause.com.au/page/116993/troys-iditarod-2016-1000-miles-to-nome">https://www.mycause.com.au/page/116993/troys-iditarod-2016-1000-miles-to-nome</a><br />
<span lang=""><br />
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To my corporate sponsors - FE Sports, Bonk Breaker, Skratch Labs, Muru Cycles, Ride Mechanic, Dawson Sports, HED wheels, Olympus Australia - many thanks for backing me. I'm about to punish your products in an extreme environment and prove my solid choice of them - I know they'll go the distance!<br />
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Over the next 3 weeks or so, my connection with the digital world will be very patchy, however I will be deeply connected with the real world - where every nuance of temperature change, weather pattern and visual intel will be some of the few important things that matter...and regularity. You've seen what's in my food drops.<br />
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I am carrying a trace unit, you'll be able to track me here:</span><br />
<span lang=""><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><a href="http://trackleaders.com/iti16i.php?name=Troy_Szczurkowski"><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><span lang="">http://trackleaders.com/iti16i.php?name=Troy_Szczurkowski</span></span></span></u></a><br />
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Finishing the race is my goal. How I do that is variable and will change day to day. My aim is to perform efficiently - savouring and capturing the moment as I have in the past, but move forward with a physical grace, mechanical smoothness and fabulous fashion coordination (red and black is just so stylish this year on the trail, darlings)<br />
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If you get curious about the weather in some of the areas I travel through, there are weather cams at many of the airports. Here is a link to a clickable map and weather stations:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang=""><br />
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><a href="http://avcams.faa.gov/"><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><span lang="">http://avcams.faa.gov/</span></span></span></u></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Race website:</span><br />
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<a href="http://iditarodtrailinvitational.com/">http://iditarodtrailinvitational.com/</a><br />
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A race/route map for your reference:<br />
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The friends I have here on the trail, other racers, I hope to share a joke and have a laugh with. If you're broken down, I'll try to help you. I'll be riding solo with a long haul mindset. I plan to spend as little time indoors as possible - I came here for Alaska and it's outdoor treasures. <br />
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I'll see all y'all soon.<br />
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Troy.</span></span><br />Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-81772924988651760802016-02-24T15:06:00.002-08:002016-02-24T19:52:44.304-08:00ITI 2016 - 1000 miles to Nome - Food prep'Welcome to the show. Tonights guest is Troy, an Aussie who is racing the Iditarod Trail Invitational in Alaska, 1000 miles to Nome.' and then Oprah and I chatted about family, her new book and her new diet. <br />
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Okay, that never really happened - we didn't discuss family - but diet, hmmm, lets talk about that some.<br />
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First off this isn't MKR, Biggest Loser or the Healthy Eating Channel. <br />
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This is food to get me through 1000 miles of cold, sleep deprived racing through the frozen winter wonderland of the Alaskan backcountry. <br />
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No microwaves, no bain maries, no fondue set. A pot, spoon, white gas stove is all I need to prepare and consume this stuff on the trail. No washing up either, out there I've got other things to worry about than this mornings apple cinnamon oatmeal tasting like last nights brown rice, quinoa and tuna hot pot...<br />
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I arrive in Anchorage a week or so prior to the race start, to acclimatise and to get my food drops prepared for sending up the trail. The food drops are my primary objective the first few days in town. The race organisers will ship 3 food caches for us, then I send another 6 up the trail for the more remote sections of the trail on the way to Nome. I stay at the <a href="http://www.alaskaeuropeanbb.com/">Alaska European B and B</a>, out in the nice suburbs on the east side of town. The location is perfect - short walking distance to grocery stores, gyms, bike trails and the outdoor equipment precinct for those extra bits of gear. Irene Green is the host at the B and B, a wonderful lady who takes ownership of guests and looks after us racers very well - just like Oma would - she is fluent in 7 languages! There is a garage with tools to build your bike, spacious rooms and home cooked meals. Staying here at the B and B is as close to home as you'll get. This is my third time here and simply would not stay anywhere else!<br />
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In Anchorage there are so many food options available to the racer. Costco (bulk, but you have to be a member) Fred Meyer, Walmart etc. After a few hours shopping, this is my pile:<br />
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This blog article will be far from definitive, but this what works for me. I can't give you all the secrets, you gotta do some experiments and hard work yourself in the gaining of wisdom :)</div>
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I'm working on another blog post about the science of my low carb, high fat choices - far more technical and experiential evidence based, but let me summarise it quickly:</div>
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fat is denser in energy value than carbs or protein</div>
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fat is good, protein you need, carbs are sort of okay (but not really that great as an ultra-distance fuel, due to the volume of it required), sugar is bad, m'kay?</div>
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fat is like diesel - slow burning but goes the distance.</div>
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one does not simply eat fatty foods then use them as energy - one must go through a lengthy process of diet adjustment to become ketogenic, or 'fat optimised for energy requirements'</div>
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many fatty food choices have far less processing in them</div>
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some call it paleo, I call it low carb high fat (LCHF)</div>
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this diet is just part of the wholistic approach I've taken for this race</div>
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So, please read through this post and view the options with an open mind, be assured that there has been a lot of research on this, as well as a LOT of personal experimentation and experiential evidence to back it all up. Many hours of eating delicious morsels, with equal hours spent fasting with zero carbs and the brain-loopiness that comes with it. I needed to experience the highs and lows from these foods, to try and replicate what I may experience out on the trail. These are foods that are proven during previous events, or that have performed well during my testing AND also meet my budget. </div>
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Lets begin with a #1 proven food - Bonk Breaker bars. On average, they pack about 260 calories (varies with the ingredients and flavour), of which around 90 calories are from fat. They are compact, dimensionally even (in that they can pack very efficiently in storage bags etc) and were the only food that I used in 2015 that I didn't get tired of the flavours or the taste. Day, after day, after day I can eat these no input or output problems. Given the simple, recognisable ingredients, I know the processing involved is minimal. In this bag I have 8 random bars, on the bed I have 14 bags like this = 112 bars for 25 days, @ just under 4 and a half bars per day. You can start to see the importance of a food that I can tolerate (digestively and mentally) for that length of time. Diesel for my engine. </div>
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If Bonk Breakers are the diesel fuel, then Skratch Labs energy chews can be the nitrous oxide injection system to augment the burn. In 2015 I was on a carb and sugar diet - fats were there but I wasn't optimised to burn them. In preparation for 2015, I put on 5kg of body fat, however I didn't quite get the ketogenic side of things running properly (in the months during training leading up to the race) so I could utilise that fat on my body as fuel. It stayed there, and instead my body stayed on its carb optimised pathway for energy, and on a blood glucose rollercoaster with sugar highs and lows. Too much combined sugar in a broad range of my food choices. However, during my experiments, I found that on zero carb days, I could augment my fat foods with a small carb treat, to keep my brain happy and thinking clearly (zero carbs for days on end sent me loopy, irrational thought processes, poor focus etc). I needed a clean source of small portion carb treats, not just some random gel lolly in a crinkly packet. Energy chews fitted the requirements perfectly. 80 calories per packet, 1 packet per day, 10 chews per packet. The energy contribution to muscle performance is miniscule, but I believe there is a connection between the taste receptors in your mouth/throat and the brain, that has an effect on energy regulation and a heap of other functions related to sports performance. Simple experiments. The package size also lends itself to controlled portion consumption - a good mental reminder to consume less of these highly charged energy bombs, when you don't have much mental capacity left after 18+ hours of pushing through knee deep snow...</div>
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But let's not ignore the <strike>bad</strike> good stuff. Another Costco marvel, these half kilo bags of cooked bacon, shredded into crumbles that I'll blend with my mash potato, on it's own or in my morning oatmeal. I'm not that fussy and neither is my stomach. Salmon is a very popular option with Alaskan racers, however it's impossible for me to supplement my diet for months pre-race with wild Alaskan salmon (due to it's high oil content), so bacon is my best option, that I can train with, get my gut microbes optimised for it and feel the effects. A little bit goes a long way. <br />
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Another form of bacon is the precooked rasher. It doesn't freeze, it's cheap, pre-packed in a sealed ziplock, no refrigeration needed until opened (uh, yeah, no problem on the trail). A Fred Meyer special.<br />
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Strip it out of the box and ship it like this. 15 strips per pack. I eat it cold, it's delicious. I did warn you this wasn't MKR! </div>
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Thumbs up big fella. 1.5 kg bag - I thought there were laws against this, but apparently not. Costco, you rock. I split them down to small snack packs of about a handful per day. <br />
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I kid you not, these buttons of happiness shine brighter than Gandalfs staff, in an otherwise bleak environment. If you have chocolate, you know everything is gonna be alright. Chocolate is engineered perfectly for our bodies (it probably isn't). Chocolate has been found in the pyramids (I made that up, I think it was honey). Chocolate has been on every NASA mission to date (nobody at NASA would confirm or deny that for me - so it must be true). C'mon, who doesn't like chocolate?</div>
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Alright, it's not all junk and artery clogging marketing hype. These rice packs only need 2 tablespoons of water and to be warmed up for a minute or two (the contents are precooked and already fully hydrated) so a bit of water in the bottom of my 900ml eating pot and simmer for a minute or two. Done. I do enjoy the grainy, chewy nutty texture of wholegrain rices. I have tuna pouches to mix in with the rice for added protein.<br />
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These instant mash packs are a bit low in the calories, but they are very quick to re-hydrate, very filling and super compact to pack. I've spied them in the elite guys drop bags too - they're onto something!<br />
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My breakfast staple is instant, flavoured oatmeal - the 52 sachet box from Costco. I add some raisins for a bit more texture, or the bacon crumbles. Whatever, food is fuel. Instant oats are super convenient, compact to pack and re-hydrate simply. I budgeted for 2 sachets per day. <br />
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Freezies are a $$ luxury meal I enjoy - it's like that microwave meal you savour when you're single and alone on a Saturday night, but you're not really alone as you have your 12 cats for company. Okay, bad example. <br />
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This nutrition panel is from my favourite version of the freezie - the Breakfast Skillet. All the others were nowhere near the 400 calories and fat content of this freezie meal monster, but should I be concerned with all that cholesterol? </div>
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This shredded coconut will remind me of warmer climes, just the smell alone will take me to a tropical beach. But the KO punch in coconut is the fat content. I add this to my instant oats, or just eat on it's own. It's quite fibrous, just the thing to help keep things moving along. <br />
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Last year I took Reeses Peanut Butter Cups along with me, but grew sick of them after a day or two - just a bit too rich for me. However, I knew they were a proven fuel. I decided to make up my own 'roughnut' fuel. It's a mixture of Nutella, chunky peanut butter, shredded coconut, coconut oil and roasted sunflower seeds. I mix it, then spoon it into a ziplock. Good shelf life, and easy to consume when frozen - I make the roughnut about 5mm/ 1/4" thick so it's not a toothbreaker. The peanut and coconut make it easier to break apart - you gotta experiment with ratios to suit. </div>
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On special, a nice buttery option.<br />
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Lets move on to the dairy section now. One 'tool' I use during training, for helping my gut flora to adapt to new foods is greek yoghurt. The probiotics assist the production of healthy gut microbes and enzymes to digest foods and to maximise the digestion potential. I need to extract every little bit of goodness outta that food! I pack some Babybel cheeses, for those times when friends drop by at Bear Creek cabin with wine and crackers.<br />
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Smells like foot but tastes like powdered speed. I'll add this to anything I feel like, you're not the boss of me. <br />
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Yep, just raw. Won't freeze, just slice it and eat it, feel the delicious saltiness melt on the tongue. <br />
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Fried banana chips, full of oil, micronutrients and nice to crunch on while enjoying a night under the stars and the aurora. </div>
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Ah, these are my surprise milestone crisps. I forget already which drop they are in, but timed them so I'll have them when I first see the beach. Always have chips at the beach. <br />
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The wet wipes have something in common with this digestive blend - the taste is similar but they both help keep things clean - one's for the inside, the other for the outside, but the ingredients do hold their own on the calorie count, micronutrients and fibre. I bag it up into ziplocks, 3-4 teaspoons into the oatmeal.</div>
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All lined up, this is roughly 2 days with a few emergency items that will roll forward into my storage. Below is a regular drop for either Finger Lake, or Rohn. I bundle the components in daily ration form, into heavy ziplocks that I recycle from work, then the whole lot goes into shopping bags, then a heavy garbage bag, then wrapped in cling wrap and labelled. </div>
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Packaged up, ready as a food drop. When busted open, the contents will easily fit (along with emergency rations) into the large top pocket of my framebag. I stow it in a drybag, so at mealtimes or in a checkpoint I just grab the drybag and head for the hot water. <br />
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The smaller 2 day caches, with the larger 5 day Cripple/Poorman cache along the North route.<br />
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For the Cripple/Poorman cache, I bag it into a pillow case for mechanical protection - there have been times when crows and squirrels would get curious and dig at the bags at the drop points. <br />
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The remainder of my drops get shipped by USPS, to post offices in villages I've selected. Most post offices are only open certain hours M-F, so if I arrive on a weekend, I've got to decide if I wait it out or if I have the supplies, leave the cache behind and push on. <br />
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So that's my food, I'm confident it will get me to Nome. In the end though, as complicated as our bodies are, generally speaking we have the ability to convert a wide range of foods into energy (I say generally, as I understand many people don't have that flexibility due to Coeliac or other issue) without much fuss, sometimes it's the mental or social norms that guide us with foods for specific meals. Food is fuel. </div>
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'You can't JUST have M & Ms for breakfast!'</div>
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Why yes, yes I can. </div>
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-41866406585068885672016-02-21T14:29:00.001-08:002016-02-21T14:50:00.783-08:00Iditarod Trail Invitational 2015 - epilogue/montageMy last thing to share with you from ITI 2015 is a photo montage. <br />
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I did have a heap of photos of my setup pre-race for 2015 - these will still appear in future reference posts (there is a heap of proprietary tech in there that will help rookies) but I'll be focussing primarily on the setup now for 2016 and the 1000 miles to Nome. <br />
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I want these blog posts to help rookies in their quest to find success in their own winter racing dreams. It's not definitive, I'm not a seasoned expert and I can't give you all the secrets - but in saying that, I've put hundreds of quality hours into developing this intelligent, wholistic setup of bike, kit, body and food - there might be just one little piece of tech that may improve your setup and help you reach your goals that bit easier. Share the love, man.</div>
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To assist me with my Nome goal in 2016, I'm also running a fundraiser on MyCause to help me get over the line:</div>
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<a class="primary_color " href="https://www.mycause.com.au/page/116993/troys-iditarod-2016-1000-miles-to-nome" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">https://www.mycause.com.au/page/116993/troys-iditarod-2016-1000-miles-to-nome</span></a> </div>
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My goal is to raise $5000.00 to assist with the immense costs of this expedition race - entry fees, equipment, travel and accom. The things I learn on this race, gives me the ability to pass on quality, field tested advice to many, many people through my job and social media. When prepping race bikes for clients, I've got unique experience and knowledge to provide the very best advantage for them. To product sponsors, I provide vital feedback and usage at the extreme end of the design parameters - these are my opportunities to give back to my supporters.</div>
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I must apologise though - I felt like I let a few people down last year by not carrying a GPS trace unit during the race. I had been so focussed on myself, getting my gear prepped and to Alaska, that it wasn't until the second day on the trail that I started to see the missed opportunity for my supporters back home to share the race with me, via Trackleaders and via social media pics and videos, in real time. My decision to not carry a unit was complex. In a world where we are on the grid all the time, I was aiming to 'go dark' off the matrix for a while - but this was a selfish thing to do and I underestimated the enjoyment that my supporters derived from 'blue dot racing'. Well, this year I wanna make that up, with more reporting in real time and on schedule, as well as GPS tracking - so you can enjoy my glacial pace along the famous Iditarod trail and also be informed about what goes into getting ready for the Iditarod Trail Invitational. </div>
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I hope you've enjoyed the 2015 coverage. Over the next week I'll be covering my prep for 2016, 1000 miles to Nome, which starts 7 days from now (Sunday, 28th February at 2pm Anchorage time - Monday 29th February 9:00am Brisbane time). A very different setup, with lots of handmade gear.</div>
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Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-34695360766928837212016-02-19T19:26:00.001-08:002016-02-19T19:26:52.407-08:00Iditarod Trail Invitational 2015 - day 7 race report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sleep - more like a short doze. At about the same time we got up, my mate Peter came into the checkpoint, looking just as spent as I'd seen him the previous night at Bear Creek. Man, this guy is just awesome and an inspiration to us rookies. He'd run out of food on the trail and totally committed to getting to Nikolai - and in reality that was his only option. There was no way I could depart that checkpoint without leaving him some food. I wasn't certain of his dietary requirements, but knew for certain that the Bonk Breakers would fulfil his needs without stomach issues. They were my prized food item, and they were my offering of deep respect to this legend of ultra-running.</div>
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I got my breakfast out of the way quickly and was ready to go, but Jim was intent on making a cooked breakfast. First though, we had to thoroughly clean all utensils in the kitchen as they, ahem, weren't quite up to food prep standard. This done, cooked breakfast of eggs, buttered toast and reindeer sausage was served. We left far later than we could have.<br />
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Don't ask, you had to be there. Aussie humour.<br />
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The trails out of Nikolai are a bit convoluted, I'm told the best time to leave is in the dark to see the trail markers better, as it routes on and off the river many times to avoid the river oxbows. I was riding in the white cone of tiredness.</div>
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This image below explains how I started to feel - I think I found my first ever food reaction. I won't say allergy, as I don't consider it to be an allergic reaction. The reindeer sausage was something I'd never eaten before, perhaps the meat or another ingredient was foreign to my digestive system, that it didn't really know how to process it. I didn't feel like throwing up, I just...felt...very off colour. Jim had a taillight on, and that taillight disappeared into the distance, my energy just vanished and I fell way behind. I had to get off and walk. By now, my right knee had stiffened up significantly and pedalling was difficult, painful at the top of the stroke. <br />
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But enough drama. Lets talk about food...</div>
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<strong>TECH: food and related</strong>. Classic rookie mistake - I took way too much food. I calc'd out the calorie requirement for each day and tried to match foods, but I just can't eat and process that much food in a day and turn it into useful energy. My food plan was quite complex and multilayered, with side options and redundant strategies should things go wrong. I stuck to simple foods though, nothing out of the ordinary and all things that my digestion was familiar with. I planned out meals in ration bags, then into daily bags which helped keep an eye on consumption. I had a breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, arvo snack then a dinner. Straightforward, but still too much food - always learning. </div>
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During training, I experiment with various foods and unhygienic food prep methods, to replicate field conditions - ie getting the body ready for just about any kind of food from anywhere. Not washing hands or utensils, food off the floor (what, there's a rule now?) and the occasional bindive exposes my body to a certain background level of contaminants for it to adapt to. So far so good. I augment it with unsweetened probiotic yoghurt to assist with healthy digestive flora, which then has many other health benefits. I try to take a holistic approach, where all systems benefit from efficiencies. </div>
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The foods I took were varied: I had bars (Bonk Breakers) chocolates, jelly type lollies, freeze drieds, gels - very high carb based, with protein and fats second and third priority. I'll go into a lot more detail on food (and my prep for 2016) in another post. In hindsight, I think the high carb approach didn't fully work. I had gained poundage in bodyweight in prep for this race, but I barely touched it, as I didn't make the switch over to ketogenic energy sourcing - I was still burning carbs as they were in ready supply. But, the high carb approach also left me vulnerable to spikes in blood glucose (from the lollies, gels and simple carbs.) As I felt myself getting flatter and heading below the line, my response at the time was to ingest some more simple carbs (thinking that the exercise demand and temperature would moderate the spikes) - which had that classic, insulin release, rebound effect on my blood glucose levels (I'm not diabetic) and compounded by the effects of low temperature demands. I was following a time honoured recipe of ultra-distance food options, field tested and written about in popular journals and sport diet publications for decades. The science in these publications was going through a metamorphosis at the time, because the current way wasn't working. </div>
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By this time in the race though, Bonk Breakers were the only foods I was putting in. I'd been having ups and downs for a few days now and I thought long and hard about the causes, constantly performing self diagnostics to determine causes and to find solutions. I'm always saying to the pet monkey 'if you don't change the constants in an experiment, the result will remain the same' or something like that (as well as pick up your shoes and be nice to your mother). I always knew fat was denser in energy, but in my prep I didn't force my body to optimise fat from my body stores as an energy source (and it was too late to start), however Bonk Breakers do have a fat content that is beneficial, so I was part way there with a food option at hand. I dumped the lollies and other simple carb options, my love affair with these bars just grew even stronger. The bars gave me a complex carb source my system was familiar with, a taste that I never grew sick of, a portion size that never distended my stomach and a fat content that left me satiated for hours. People that know how meticulous I am with prep, will also know how hard it is to get my tick on a product - because it totally has to be earned. Bonk Breaker - thank you for being there for me and you get a five star tick!</div>
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Just before sunrise we rode through a short snowstorm, the trail vanished before us in a haze of swirling white anger, our headlamps only penetrating a metre or so in front of the bikes. I continued to move forward, while Jim and Paul stopped to wait it out. I was pushing by now anyways, so got out the compass and started to record bearings at 5 minute frequency. It was a howling headwind too, I'd layered up at the first sign of the storm. Here's the strange thing - I was loving it - really enjoying this partial ferocity and just an entrée portion of what Alaska could serve up in Winter. Suddenly the soap opera of knee and stomach issues didn't dominate my thoughts - it was this storm that captivated me. This was what I wanted and my body responded with renewed strength and vigour. <br />
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All too soon though, the storm abated and we were left with bikes dusted with snow, a blown in trail and gutting it out on a half foot of fresh powder.<br />
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So began another contrasting day in Alaska - bluebird conditions out on the river, punchy conditions, ride-push-ride-push-ride-fall off-push. You were happy when you could ride at 3 mile an hour pace.</div>
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The impact craters from fallen riders ahead were common. Falls like this can be serious - you don't really know what condition the ice is in under the snow, your impact could punch right through some ice and into the water, trapping you with a bike on top; people have broken ribs, wrists and collarbones - ending races right there. The issue lies in the compacted snow and chunked ice (like a freshly ploughed field) that then gets covered in a blanket of smooth looking snow. Your front tyre gets trapped in a deep, soft rut and your balance can't match the steering correction, you go down. <br />
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'Diamonds scattered out to sea, the sun keeps laughing down on me'<br />
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This was beautiful crust riding.<br />
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But oh ho, Alaska wasn't through with us, in another few hours we had to pay a toll. More push-ride-push.<br />
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Off the river every now and again to divert around an oxbow in the river (giant river bend that almost loops back to itself) and through refreshing Birch forest. <br />
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Getting off the Kuskokwim River for the last time, I left Jim and Paul so I could push on to McGrath, while they stayed in a small cabin by the river. With 10 miles to go, should only take me a few hours of pushing to complete. Like about 6. <br />
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<strong>TECH: identify yourself</strong>. My race plan was to complete this solo and not travel with other parties. I thoroughly enjoy solo travel and prefer it, but I discovered it can be fun to travel with others as well. A negative of this is that you can fall into step with other peoples routines, causing you to deviate from your plan and your outcomes. Also, a mechanical or health issue becomes a shared problem and how each party takes ownership of that depends on many factors. But a positive is when you can share an awesome moment, benefit from local intel or just have somebody laugh at your jokes. You really need to have a clear plan about what you want to do pre-race, and if you have mates racing or encounter another racer and you travel together, redefine limits in your plan if you continue solo or pair up. I enjoyed Jim and Pauls company, but I wanted to get back to my roots and solo on to complete.<br />
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Again, this was where I wanted to be - against the wind and pushing into the sunset to McGrath. <br />
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I pushed and postholed my way along the river for hours. I zombied out for a while, I kept thinking I had a giant bridge over the top of me, that crossed the river. I eventually came right around the river to the other side of McGrath (the classic rookie route) and stumbled into some strangers house to ask for directions. As you'd expect, an Aussie on a fatbike asking for directions in the middle of the night seemed like the most natural thing to happen to any McGrath resident. Well, it was natural to me, but I walked out none the wiser. <br />
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McGrath is not that big, just a few streets in a grid layout. I didn't have an address, just a description of 'look for the Gingerbread house' so I methodically crisscrossed streets until the checkpoint came into view.<br />
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Peter and Tracey Schneiderheinze open their house up completely to ITI racers, to sleep, grab a meal, a shower etc. It is extremely generous of them, there is a jar on fridge for you to leave your appreciation. Their house is like an oasis, racers coming and going with a real buzz about it, as well as a chance to debrief with other racers - as only other racers can understand what you have just been through. <br />
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As you enter, you are greeted by Peter, sat down and food is immediately placed in front of you, which is great as by this time you are on auto pilot and happy to give the reins of thinking over to somebody else. <br />
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This is one of Peters famous mancakes, it's about an inch thick and filled with locally picked berries of all kinds. You finish, you get your mancake.<br />
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As I came in on the Saturday night, I had to wait until Monday for a flight back to Anchorage, so it was a day of lounging around and debriefing - which I must reiterate is very important to racers, for a successful re-introduction to non-ITI society. Fellow racers are like family now, regardless of placing, you've all ridden the same route and endured some form of hardship. More people have climbed Everest than completed the ITI, so you become part of a unique group of people. More racers arrived on Sunday and we shared stories from the trail. <br />
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My mate Jim arrived and he told me about the experience he had staying in the cabin with a local athabascan family, and what he learned about native hunting practices - he wanted to stay another few days with them! I found out months later that he had unknowingly broken his back during a fall in the Dalzell Gorge, but continued to McGrath as his only option. Sadly, his goal was Nome this year, and he had to finish at McGrath. That may have explained his reluctance to share some vegemite with me a second time - it's just an acquired taste :)<br />
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Peter came in a few hours after me, we shared a big teary hug as he staggered through the door and talked for a while about the trail. The subtle lessons I learnt from this man will stay with me forever.<br />
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Kathi keeps track of all racers and stresses when they go off radar for a bit. <br />
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This cat is famous, he starred in the film 'A Thin White Line' which is like the 'Endless Summer' film for ITI racers. <br />
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...and little old me, I went into the history books as the first Aussie to complete the Iditarod Trail Invitational 350 to McGrath. Almost immediately my thoughts turned to the next ITI race, I discussed this with other racers and their response was 'if you're coming back to race, you might as well shoot for the big one - 1000 miles to Nome'. The seed had been sown.<br />
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I flew back to Anchorage, first thing I did was shave that poor-excuse-for-a-beard off. It took a few days to sort out the stomach issue - I think it was part food poisoning and part digestive problem with a very unfamiliar food. My right knee took a lot of work to sort out, around 3 months until I deemed it back to 100%.<br />
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<strong>TECH: getting back to Anchorage</strong>: flying back is cake - buy your ticket at the McGrath airport, loosen your handlebar stem so the bars can be rotated in line with the frame and off you go. FAA rules state you must not fly with a fuel bottle and pump that has fuel vapours, hence you will need to leave these behind. I have heard stories of racers embedding their empty bottle and fuel pump deep inside their gearbags, but I can't confirm or deny knowledge of this happening ;) You fly over Denali and Foraker, arrive at the regular Anchorage airport, turn your bars around, wheel it through the terminal and ride back to your accomm. <br />
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This race is tough. But it was made easier by the generous support from friends and companies that assisted me with sponsorship. <br />
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Muru Cycles were there with me right from the beginning - I built the first Muru Witjira titanium bike in a garage in Alaska in 2013 - the same frame that will be racing 1000 miles to Nome with me in 2016. Over the years my bond with Muru has grown stronger, they've even included some of my nutty ideas into their current range of framesets and built some very custom gear to my specifications. <br />
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FE Sports are the Australian importer of Bonk Breaker and Skratch Labs products, the team at FE Sports backed me wholeheartedly with bars and electrolytes, and as you've read they became a crucial foodstuff for me. I will never forget the support you gave and the belief you had in me.<br />
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Ride Mechanic is a small company, with a very technical and passionate backbone of tech advisors and chemists to support the engineered products they make. I used Bike Butter on my gear and brake cables back in 2013 when I first built the Muru Witjira, that lube was still in service (unchanged) in 2015 for this race. I also used Bike Butter on all of my zippers on jackets, framebags and boots to minimise friction. I used one of the first released batches of Bike Cream chain lube on this race. I'm quite finicky with my lubes, preferring to use the right lube for the job. With that in mind, Bike Milk has been my go-to lube for beach riding on the fatbikes, but for the snow, I needed a slightly oily base (along with the same solid lubricant) and the Bike Cream was perfect. It was quick and easy to apply, kept the drivetrain quiet and clean right down to -25C. Also, they designed a cologne for me that had a multitude of functions: skin cleanser, scented cologne/aftershave, stove fuel, degreaser - it truly was a multi-function fluid with many uses. <br />
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I ran a crowdsourcing fundraiser with the help of MyCause Australia - I managed to reach the goal of raising $2000 to help me get to Alaska, pay for special equipment, assist with entry fees and some travel expenses. My friends generously supported me with donations:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Owen M.<br />Grant R.<br />Mark W.<br />Wayne M.<br />Chris M.<br />Mark G.<br />Kedan G.<br />Will M.<br />Lars D.<br />Neil E.<br />Emma B.<br />Tony R.<br />Matt R.<br />Andrew D.<br />Bob C.<br />Eric D.<br />Justin B.<br />David F.<br />Graeme W.<br />Steve J.<br />Darren F.<br />Glenn B.<br />David H.<br />Gary T.</span></strong></div>
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Most importantly, my wife and daughter deserve the biggest praise and thanks of all - these two chicks keep me going forward. They have endured my constant babbling about all things Iditarod, sponsored me, supported me in my decisions, allowed me to train without interference and followed me on some dodgy family outings masked as 'training experiments'. I love you both and I hope to inspire the pet monkey - one day she'll realise her parents did cool stuff that she can be proud of too.</div>
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I want to thank you - the reader - for your patience with these blog posts. I like to put a lot of time into each post, for it to be entertaining, truthful with tech and to be a reference document for future generations of adventurers. I truly hope you have enjoyed the adventure with me, perhaps you've been inspired by the posts and might have helped you break down some walls about where to start or how to do something. Hey, I'm no expert, but I learn by getting out there and experimenting. </div>
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So what's next? Dunno, but by staying fit and healthy (and keeping my nose and arse clean) I'll be ready for a wide variety of adventures. I've got some ideas floating about...</div>
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Amazing where riding a bike will take you!</div>
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Troy.</div>
Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-37142672445094022022016-02-18T14:04:00.001-08:002016-02-18T22:49:44.887-08:00Iditarod Trail Invitational 2015 - day 6 race report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On the way in to the cabin, we had a non-racer join us on the trail. Paul was out on a ride of his own along the trail, starting a day after us. Paul was an Anchorage local, had extensive mountaineering experience and had summited Denali and other lofty peaks. His beard had experience. </div>
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The low cloud again gave a very flat light - but there was a moment during sunrise that will be forever burned in my memory. Peter and I were standing on the porch, when the sunrise peeped through the gap between the land and the low cloud, illuminating the expanse of snow dusted spruce forest in front of us, bathing it in a warm, peachy glow. It was extremely calming and invigorating to see such beautiful colours, lasting only a minute or two. </div>
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Here you go, this is a better picture of the trail in and out from the cabin. Normally in a regular snow year, the tussock would be covered and the gaps filled in with snow and this would all be rideable. We lost so much time on this traverse, another reason for my dislike of staying in cabins and checkpoints. <br />
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The Iditarod trail wasn't much better. Imagine you have a bowl of mashed potato, now randomly place heads of broccoli into the mash. Upscale that and you have an indication of what tussock is like. Each tussock was about the size of an adult head and grew randomly. They are a solid ball of grass protruding from the ground, not just blades of grass poking up. There were giant ankle twisting crevasses between each head, you had to half push, half carry your bike and watch your footing at the same time. <br />
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Jim had this magical sesame paste, super high in fat but lacking taste. One had to block the memories of those late nights when your first born moved onto solids...<br />
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<strong>TECH: Looking after yourself</strong>. I'm not sensitive new age or anything like that. Sure, I wear deodorant (Ride Mechanic made me up some cool Alaskologne that reminded me of the beach) but I aint fancy. On the trail though, you gotta have a body maintenance regime that works for you and is effective. That will be different for everyone and can only be refined by being out in a lot of different environments and using your body as a test subject. Experiment during training. </div>
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Alaska is cold and the air is dry. Your skin (exposed skin on face, nail fold/cuticles) will dry out, get windburn and flake similar to sunburn. Lips and fingers/nail cuticles will split and crack. I used a moisturiser called Eucerin that has a mineral oil component in it (similar to Vaseline) and is available in small travel sized tubes in Anchorage. On the days where you need a sunscreen component, I used Dermatone stick for cheeks/nose and a Dermatone chapstick for the lips - these are popular with mountaineers and have earned their place on many expeditions.</div>
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Feet: I powder them with regular talc before I put on my Injinji liner socks - and I don't remove the liners unless it's an absolute necessity (<a href="http://troyszczurkowski.blogspot.com/2016/02/iditarod-trail-invitational-2015-day-3.html">on Day 3</a> I covered my boot and sock system). I took spare socks, but didn't need to change for the length of the race. I also clean them meticulously for weeks before the event to break the cycle of any microbial or fungal activity around the nails (I carry Lamisil with me in case of an outbreak). I trim the nails well and push back all the cuticles, to ensure my feet are in excellent condition before they get shoved into a boot for weeks. Feet can get numb and cold for a variety of reasons - a way to mitigate this is to keep shifting your foot around in the boot, get off and walk for a few minutes. Your feet and calf muscles act like pumps to raise blood back to your heart - when cycling your remove this pump action significantly, lessening the chance to get nice fresh, warm blood right down to the tiny capillaries of your toes. Also, if you have long nails, contact with the boot inner will compress the nail bed and reduce blood flow - and right under the nail bed are lots of nerve endings (So guys, go get that pedicure with your lady - do it for Iditarod!) Massage the feet at night to improve blood flow and identify problems early. Do not sleep in vapour liners, let your feet breathe and try to get them as dry as possible before you bivvy down. Ensure the cuffs on your lower leg layers do not cut into your skin and reduce blood flow - very important as your lower leg will develop oedema. I had zero foot issues (from boot, sock layer or moisture) no blisters, no trenchfoot, no nerve compression, but I did have a bit of lower leg oedema that I noticed at the finish.</div>
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Hands: I keep the nails trimmed and the cuticles pushed back. It's important to keep the nails trimmed as they can be pushed on by the gloves and will press on nerves slightly, causing premature numbness. Short nails also collect less shit (literally) under them and keep your hands a bit cleaner overall (important as washing hands with soap and warm water is a rarity on the trail). Your hands will suffer from some form of contact pressure nerve issue, regardless of what kind of grips you use. Yes, ergo grips do help, but are only part of the solution. The key is to keep moving the hands around, multiple positions and regular breaks while in motion. Massage cream into them at night and sort out problem areas, stretch the wrist and massage forearm muscles. Ensure sleeve and glove cuffs are comfy to maintain good blood flow. Each night I suffered from burning fingers - my middle, pointer and thumb would go numb due to holding onto the bars so tightly (icy trail and a mismatched geometry of carbon fork and frame, causing poor handling and excessive auto-steer)</div>
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Arse: I sleep in my knicks, but just pull them down away from the skin. I clean the skin with wet wipes, then dust with baby talc. It's a nightly routine, and a good time to thoroughly check the area and treat anything of interest before it gets worse. I don't use chamois cream, just talc on the chamois and on the skin. I carry Bepanthen cream for simple issues, Bactroban for more serious things (prescription only). During training trips though, I purposefully practise a poor hygiene routine to test the effects of long term exposure on my skin to the ammonia, bacteria, skin cells, sweat/electrolytes and other stuff that builds up in the chamois. For this race I wore the same knicks the full length, with no change. Zero arse problems - it did what it was supposed to do so I could focus on what I needed to do. Sound icky? Ultra-endurance events aint pretty baby...</div>
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Why is all this an issue? Well, your body is under enough stress, why give it more work to repair? Skin issues can then lead to bigger things - circulation and exposure issues, frostnip then becomes frostbite, localised palsy becomes long term nerve damage and permanent numbness. A buildup of waste products in your system from exertion can be cumulative - your arse is already trying to recover from 18 hours in the saddle each day, your feet haven't seen sunlight in 2 weeks and your hands will suffer some form of nerve damage from the race. Don't be lazy as these things are cumulative, many superfit racers have scratched due to ignoring contact point issues. You're fighting the trail and the elements, no need to fight your body as well and divert mental focus to blocking out minor ailments that can be managed better.</div>
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More tussock. Yay.</div>
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The Athabascans have around 100 words in their language, for snow. I've got a few words for tussock, that can't be said around children.<br />
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Bridge at Sullivan creek - the water here is drinkable and always flowing, regardless of the ambient temps, the tin is on a rope tethered to the bridge. Ideal time to refill your bottles and camelbaks. Tip for rookies - when you are finished with the tin, leave it upside down for the water to drain out before it freezes. Racers have mistakenly left the tin full of water for the next person to use, thinking they were helping...</div>
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Out on the zip zag plains to Nikolai. Flat and featureless, the only thing that breaks the monotony is the constant buffeting wind. It did feel good to be able to open up the throttle a bit along this section - visibility was good, trail was flat and fast. We chased down an animal we think was a Wolverine - the loping gait as it ran back to it's den was a key identifier. Pound for pound, the Wolverine is regarded as the most ferocious animal in Alaska, but they are solitary, shy from humans and won't attack unless cornered. <br />
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One of the older shelters at Salmon Camp. <br />
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This area is a maze of small sloughs and river oxbows, you really have to keep your eyes out for trail markers and ground intel. <br />
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Nikolai is a small native Athabascan village. Sadly, western ways have permeated into many aspects of native life, diluting the culture and way of life. Not many people live subsistently any more, people do still hunt, but western diets have crept in and affected their health significantly, with diabetes and depression the major health risks. With less physical work to do, receiving stipend incomes from Alaskas' oil, gas and precious metals industries, combined with hundreds of channels on cable TV, things don't look too good for the health and quality of life for many villagers. <br />
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We passed Lars on the way through the village, he was on his way to McGrath - he had a very long night ahead of him. He had to make McGrath without stopping, as he had no foam sleeping pad to insulate from the snow. <br />
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The checkpoint is at the home of the Petruska family. They open their home to racers and provide a hot meal and a place to sleep if you need to. On the advice of Jim, we stayed the night and planned an early departure, as it is easier to spot the reflective trail markers in the dark - the trails around Nikolai can be very confusing and we'd also heard there were wolves about. Jim, Paul and I sat down to a helping of spaghetti bolognaise and buttered bread, then racked up in a spare room. <br />
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It's quite a juxtaposition - outside you have people riding around on snowmachines at all hours of the night, yet inside it's warm and the TV is often tuned to an MTV station, playing country and western tunes, with imagery emanating from warmer climes, like Texas and Kansas. The residents just sit in front of the TV, eyes glued to the screen, transfixed in a daze. I set my alarm and fell asleep to a tune about roping cattle, pretty girls in cowboy boots and barns with hay in them. My least fave night on the trail staying in the house at Nikolai, I wish I'd left with Lars.<br />
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<br />Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-55741145217807919272016-02-17T00:34:00.000-08:002016-02-20T23:45:57.218-08:00Iditarod Trail Invitational 2015 - day 5 race report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Rohn checkpoint, on the drier, northwestern side of the Alaska Range receives a lot less snow than the Rainy Pass side. However, this was an extremely low snow year, and as I saw the previous night coming out of the Dalzell gorge - I was now riding on bare dirt for the first time on the trail. </div>
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I had a pretty good nights rest under the spruce. I picked up my last drop bag, and then spent the better part of 20 mins sorting through my options and what I was leaving behind - there was a lot. Naturally the Bonk Breakers came with me, cherished food they are. </div>
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This is the man himself - Bill Merchant. Stories about him are legendary, all well earned. Out of all the internet memes - this is the ONLY Bill you want to be like. You gotta listen to this man, no matter how much of a hotshot you think you are, but you gotta be wise too - he'll throw you some coded messages that you must decipher (remember when it was only 3 miles off the river to Skwentna?). We all love this guy and deeply respect him. </div>
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Leave the checkpoint and it's straight back onto the Kuskokwim River. I still didn't have enough trust in the ice, but the experience and confidence grows with each passing metre...<br />
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...and your stress levels rise until your adrenal gland can pump no more! Damn I hated that bronde beard.<br />
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I caught up with my buddy Jim at Rohn, we set off together down the river for a bit, until he discovered he left his camelbak at the checkpoint. <br />
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I had the icy, muddy trail to myself. <br />
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I left an offering for Jim to enjoy on his way back to the trail, one of my prized Espresso Choc Chip Bonk Breakers. Sharing is caring.</div>
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I had no idea it would be so hard to find an 'M' shaped stick. <br />
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Out to the Farewell Lakes - an absolute maze of trails and lake crossings, with all kinds of routes out there that can mess you up. <br />
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<strong>TECH TIP</strong> - Navigation. Some people use GPS plots to nav the trail, but these can sometimes heavily conflict with ground intel. The trail is cut in each year by local blazers, and may deviate around rotten ice or overflow, or for other reasons, will be different to GPS plot from previous years. I like to use a wide variety of tools for nav - easy fave is the compass (won't freeze, no batteries required, light and compact) homemade notepad and 2b pencil (always works, no matter how cold, for writing nav notes and compass bearings in low visibility conditions) and a high quality 8x21 spotting monoscope (brilliant tool for spotting yellow reflective trail markers and other ground markers way off in the distance). Each item gets tethered to the bike, stored in a small pouch just above the stem (in other images you may see the thermometer sitting on top of this pouch) for quick access and stowage.<br />
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Off the lakes and into the the next section, colloquially known as 'the burn'. Farewell is a community not far from here, and the Farewell Burn is a large area of native forest that burnt over a million acres, the forest has barely recovered due to the seasonal freeze/thaw cycle and poor soil quality. Now deep into the Alaskan interior, temps here can plummet to -40C and beyond, the burn also has the power to induce hallucinations in sleep deprived racers. <br />
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This is also the start of the tussock. When you see tussock, you're gonna have a bad time.</div>
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But friends and humour make things bearable. While I was taking a photo, Adam, Mike and Jim rocked up behind me. Adam had the unenviable duty of carrying the 'torch' to the next checkpoint. <br />
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Thin white line.</div>
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Mike and Adam charged on ahead, a short while later the atmosphere turned dark and heavy, as if by some Tolkienesque force, the burn knew it had company. <br />
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There are some rolling hills, some gentle climbs, some short gut busters with an icy chute down the centre. Jim was telling me about some of the 'codes' you will see on the trail, used by hunters to indicate there is a trap nearby. Take heed of the warning! They may put a dog boot/cover, or a piece of fabric on a tree, or on a stick next to the trail. The snares they use are very sharp, can easily take off a finger or two. Jim also told me about the bushes next to the trail - many of these are wild berries of all varieties, laden with fruit and ready for picking when the warmer seasons arrive. I also kept looking for a lamppost. </div>
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I paired up with Jim as we were riding at pretty much the same speed - my right knee was not settling down, no matter how much vitamin 'I' (Ibuprofen) I dosed. I was having trouble bending it and the inflammation was increasing. The goal was to get to Bear Creek cabin for the night - it was only .9 of a mile off the trail. But that was .9 mile of tussock nightmare, it took us 45 minutes of pushin', carryin' and cussin' our way to the cabin.</div>
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It was very late when we got in, my mate Lars was there trying to get comfy on some blocks of hard foam (he'd left his foam pad at Rainy Pass, remember?). We got the stove going and the fire stoked, got a bit of dinner into us, then racked out. </div>
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About 2am Peter Ripmaster (ultra-runner) staggered into the cabin, looking totally spent - sweating, with icicles all over his headgear. I was in AWE of Petes stamina and mental strength - this guy knew how to suffer and leave everything on the trail. I boiled up some water for him, he unpacked his sled and racked up in the mezzanine of the cabin. He tore his sleeping bag on a rough piece of timber, downy snow rained inside the cabin. I had some tenacious tape in my repair kit, we taped it up as a temp repair and we all finally got back to sleep. </div>
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<br />Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658346322949047974.post-44004602410310331062016-02-16T12:48:00.000-08:002016-02-16T12:48:01.541-08:00Iditarod Trail Invitational 2015 - day 4 race report<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I savoured around 4 hours sleep in the cabin, banking the time that I'd
lose unpacking and packing the bivvy and kit. My regular breakfast of oatmeal,
a Bonk Breaker bar, peanut butter cups and a hot cocoa was an efficient affair
today - enjoyed even more by the warm fire. Checkpoint suck. I got moving, into
my gear and just about ready to leave, my friend Jim appeared from the shadows
to get ready as well. We chatted, laughed and joked about the trail. His bike
was playing up - too many falls on the trail left his shifting all out of
alignment - 'no wuckers mate,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll get
her sorted' was my response in true aussie drawl, naturally this was a foreign
language to him and I'd have to repeat myself - but this was part of our comedy
routine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Word got around quick - I had
several racers bikes lined up with the same malady. Thomas wasn't able to ride
many segments, reduced to pushing the bike a lot of the distance - this
explained his general malaise when I last saw him a day ago at Shell Lake Lodge.
Re-align the derailleur hangers, reset limit screws, adjust cable tension and
gear operation restored. Thomas was off like a gunshot, a quick test of the
gears, he was off down the trail and I never saw him again during the race - it
felt good to have had a positive influence on another racers' outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jim wanted to shout me a big
breakfast as thanks for the repair. The rookie racer in me was eager to get going,
I'd given away a bit of time already, however the next segment over Rainy Pass
was best tackled with another racer if possible. I was also learning how the
camaraderie on the trail was important to the experience of Iditarod - there is
no prize money in this race, no podium. The only things you get are the gold
medal friendships that are forged through shared hardship, the battle scars you
earn through suffering and the memories that never fade. Helping myself to
triple helpings of bacon and eggs, pancakes drizzled with maple syrup, taking
in the atmosphere of the lodge and the incredible views over the lake - well
that's an experience you can't forget or say no to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Our trio left the lodge around 9am. Jim was a veteran of Iditarod, it was
great to be learning some of the tricks and route nuances from a man of his
calibre. I joked with him that there was a mythical Churro stand at the top of
the pass, run by latinos and we better get there quick as they don't like being
out in the cold for long.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Lars had also joined us, he was a rookie like me, he lives in Anchorage and
we chatted for months before the race about many things Iditarod based. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bo6_4OKmdIg/VUnlkI6JORI/AAAAAAAAEiA/lnIIFD7KQZE/s1600/P1090495%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bo6_4OKmdIg/VUnlkI6JORI/AAAAAAAAEiA/lnIIFD7KQZE/s640/P1090495%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The trail really flattened out here with lighting, no contrast. These
tripods are the single most important navigational icon of the trail, along
with the reflective markers. The trail wound its way down through the valley
floor, aiming for the gap in the range, called Rainy Pass, which is just above
the bike in the pic. The forecast was for mild conditions, but this range
separates two very different weather systems and Rainy Pass can be quite
unpredictable. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oy9vBwalHKM/VUnllcnxgUI/AAAAAAAAEiM/hupIrRClxlE/s1600/P1090501%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oy9vBwalHKM/VUnllcnxgUI/AAAAAAAAEiM/hupIrRClxlE/s640/P1090501%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Down on the valley floor, the scrub Willow is both a blessing and a curse.
The short, stubby branches grab at your spokes, chain and rear derailleur -
you've really gotta watch your line so the derailleur and hanger don't become a
statistic. But in contrast, the Willow also shows you the shortest way through
the valley, as you can see the bark has been scuffed from the snowmachines when
Bill and his team cut the trail a few weeks prior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an instance where navigation by GPS
does not work effectively - it might show you the general direction to head,
but it won't reveal the exact line to follow - you have to rely on ground
intel. There are also deep, hidden streams waiting to swallow you if you veer
off the safety of the trail. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2XgMQSYQyok/VUnlnns1IJI/AAAAAAAAEik/sL9u8UQPuH8/s1600/P1090506%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2XgMQSYQyok/VUnlnns1IJI/AAAAAAAAEik/sL9u8UQPuH8/s640/P1090506%2Brz3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We all fell off a few times - the central trail gets compacted by
snowmachine and racers, so it forms this centre ridge about a foot or two wide.
Off to the side of this ridge, the snow can be many feet deep. In low
contrast/visibility conditions though, it can be hard to stay on the ridge.
When you veer off trail and fall, you fall into this bottomless powder, along
with your bike on top of you. You virtually have to swim out of the snow to get
back onto the trail and then fish your bike out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qb1aZmzROVU/VUnlm4EreuI/AAAAAAAAEic/9WFvdmOtf4I/s1600/P1090505%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qb1aZmzROVU/VUnlm4EreuI/AAAAAAAAEic/9WFvdmOtf4I/s640/P1090505%2Brz3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">At night people have become disorientated - one trick is to tie reflective
rope segments onto the willow, should you need to backtrack. The opening to the
pass grows near, with a bit of cloud closing in around it. Many racers have
been caught out in harsh weather up here - it's one of those places that force
you to make decisions about whether to move forward, stay put and bivvy, or
turn back to safer ground. Today though, the weather looked stable enough for
the traverse - onwards and stoic.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QgN3pYkkhZg/VUnlpfLnUfI/AAAAAAAAEi4/Gawpk5lw8E0/s1600/P1090512%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QgN3pYkkhZg/VUnlpfLnUfI/AAAAAAAAEi4/Gawpk5lw8E0/s640/P1090512%2Brz3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sometimes there is trail, sometimes not. Sometimes it's just a thin crust
over a stream, and your boot punches through. There were a few racers' 'fall'
imprints, some into the sub-ice crust streams. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IKTTac5dyWc/VUnlpUlya2I/AAAAAAAAEjA/YL-Yhvb7UqY/s1600/P1090517%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IKTTac5dyWc/VUnlpUlya2I/AAAAAAAAEjA/YL-Yhvb7UqY/s640/P1090517%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was a solid push, we were very lucky the snow wasn't deep - veterans embellish us rookies with stories of snow up to the waist and breaking trail for hours, days. Quite a few
steep sections that had me thinking of putting on the crampons, the process of
steep push is lock the brakes, shuffle the feet forward, anchor feet, push bike
forward a foot or two, repeat the process. This is serious avalanche country
too, the sides of the pass rise sharply for hundreds of feet very close to the
trail. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DZpP6V2c8OY/VUnlqJhwD0I/AAAAAAAAEjM/ruDgnzkkI2c/s1600/P1090518%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DZpP6V2c8OY/VUnlqJhwD0I/AAAAAAAAEjM/ruDgnzkkI2c/s640/P1090518%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Up on the plateau there is a huge frozen lake and a small hunters cabin,
there is no trail and you just make your way forward as best you can - it's not
like you can take a wrong turn. I thoroughly scanned the area for the Churro
stand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dLTbgFDVJFM/VUnlrH1h6pI/AAAAAAAAEjU/LeVgMq40o5Q/s1600/P1090529%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dLTbgFDVJFM/VUnlrH1h6pI/AAAAAAAAEjU/LeVgMq40o5Q/s640/P1090529%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
Next best thing to a churro :) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uuNtWUAFNX4/Vq0ECQgE7SI/AAAAAAAAFT8/g5mFNUb0krI/s1600/P1090526%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uuNtWUAFNX4/Vq0ECQgE7SI/AAAAAAAAFT8/g5mFNUb0krI/s640/P1090526%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GRYoXYWwzGs/VUnlvMxGHYI/AAAAAAAAEkI/rAxRrOu2en4/s1600/P1090560%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GRYoXYWwzGs/VUnlvMxGHYI/AAAAAAAAEkI/rAxRrOu2en4/s640/P1090560%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We reached the summit of the pass and high fives all around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obligatory pic at the sign, it was getting
late and we needed to move forward - a light snow was falling and visibility
was starting to drop. The descent was punchy with a lot of traps.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GIA5aHTp6AE/VUnlv2HfKVI/AAAAAAAAEkY/8ET9Do_80ss/s1600/P1090563%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GIA5aHTp6AE/VUnlv2HfKVI/AAAAAAAAEkY/8ET9Do_80ss/s640/P1090563%2Brz3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Lars<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>fell into a deep snow hole,
hyperextended his knee as he was extricating himself. It was almost a game
changer for him - the leg could not bear weight and we were descending into one
of the most remote areas of the 350 race - into the Dalzell Gorge and to Rohn
checkpoint. I could not leave him, I later found out that he'd left his
sleeping pad at Rainy Pass, so there was no chance of a bivvy for him. We
worked through a strategy, had a snack and some anti-imflammatories, he rode
slowly ahead to set the pace, I had time to meander and fuss with my camera.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1RwovtL-whk/VUnlvoneBQI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/zx9j4xGkfVc/s1600/P1090564%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1RwovtL-whk/VUnlvoneBQI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/zx9j4xGkfVc/s640/P1090564%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Dalzell Gorge was unbelievably hideous. The trail is narrow through the
cut willow, ever present risk is browsing moose - of which there were very
fresh footprints. There is a fast running stream with broken ice bridges to
traverse as you criss-cross the gorge. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wS88X4NUjI/VUnlwv6OIhI/AAAAAAAAEkc/cGE0b8M2w3Q/s1600/P1090566%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wS88X4NUjI/VUnlwv6OIhI/AAAAAAAAEkc/cGE0b8M2w3Q/s640/P1090566%2Brz3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I fell many times on the glare ice shelves further down the gorge - this is
where my knees really copped some abuse, falling directly into a kneeling
position many times as I prevented the bike falling into the abyss. I really
should have put my crampons on. Lars had moved well forward, I slowed down to
take it all in and calculate my moves (Lars had a GPS trail, whereas I was
still following ground intel, trail cues and markers) and it's when you slow
down, you start to notice more things - like the Wolverine prints in the snow. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWopqMx7IXs/Vq0E-UvieaI/AAAAAAAAFUE/60xwloyAc_k/s1600/P1090568%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWopqMx7IXs/Vq0E-UvieaI/AAAAAAAAFUE/60xwloyAc_k/s640/P1090568%2Brz3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span> </div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">With the horror of the Dalzell Gorge over, it was a few pleasant miles
through the forest with zero snow cover. This side of the range is drier than
the other side, hence the lower snow falls and more glare ice which I was to
witness over the next few days. I came through the camp of Eric (of Revelate
Designs) and a few of his buddies - they were doing a north to south journey on
the Iditarod, they were bivvied out among the tall spruce at the mouth of the
gorge into the Tatina River.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFYPLnakC8g/Vq0FU-RwmjI/AAAAAAAAFUM/z8v_VDPN2RE/s1600/P1090570%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFYPLnakC8g/Vq0FU-RwmjI/AAAAAAAAFUM/z8v_VDPN2RE/s640/P1090570%2Brz3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The trail led onto the confluence of the Tatina River and the Kuskokwim River. I was still a way off from Rohn
checkpoint and the river section in front of me was what nightmares are made
of. Let me paint a picture: there was virtually no snow, so the light from my
headlamp was absorbed by the dark shapes and surfaces. The ice was black, hard
and slick - even the hardened steel runners from the hunters snowmachines
barely left a mark on the ice - which meant the safe path on the ice vanished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to use my backup light - an Exposure
Joystick - to highlight the details in the ice, but it still didn't extend very
far. Off to the side I could hear the river rushing under the ice through
holes. The ice would creak, crack and groan as I rode over it, impossible to
gauge how thick or stable it was, whether it was rotten, corniced or hollow underneath. Even the camera was puckering - it didn't want to focus...</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-92Ov6rA8C2U/Vq0GxFlasqI/AAAAAAAAFUY/uaUpqF3Caho/s1600/P1090571%2Brz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-92Ov6rA8C2U/Vq0GxFlasqI/AAAAAAAAFUY/uaUpqF3Caho/s640/P1090571%2Brz3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Finally, I made it to Rohn checkpoint around midnight - basically it's a
canvas tent in the forest, inside is a stove with hot water and a thick bed of
spruce branches to bivvy on. There were a few snoring racers inside and I
wanted outdoors, so under a huge spruce is where I set up. That was after
3 hot bratwursts fresh off the fire...<o:p></o:p></span></span>Troy Szczurkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13126828506582794806noreply@blogger.com2