Oh boy. It's the 20th May and in little over a couple of weeks, I'll be nervously lining up outside the YWCA in Banff ready to ride the Tour Divide. This weekend will see the final go at cramming everything in the bike luggage and then experimenting with re-cramming it all in a large cardboard box.
I'll arrive in Calgary a few day days before the start and take a few days to acclimatise and find somewhere to buy some bear spray.
I've just registered with Trackleaders so my progress can be followed, nothing like knowing everyone is watching to provide a bit of impetus to pedal on!
Showing posts with label bivi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bivi. Show all posts
Friday, 20 May 2016
Monday, 11 April 2016
Tour Divide 2016 Part 1
Don't push too far your dreams are china in your hand, don't wish too hard because they may come true..."
I'd heard about the Tour Divide through the Bear Bones Bikepacking forum, and in particular a documentary called Ride The Divide. I've loved all my visits to the USA so the idea of riding 2750 miles was fascinating. At the time the longest trip I had undertaken was a two day over nighter with a maximum of about 80 miles covered in a day off-road. The idea that doing double that distance every day for three weeks seemed nothing short of impossible. But as my riding began to progress, covering a hundred miles was no longer that big a deal, and finishing a couple of 24hr events showed me that the carriage doesn't have to turn into a pumpkin at midnight! The idea of riding the divide was planted....
By pure chance I ended up riding with a couple of guys on the BB200 who planned to ride the TD. Their enthusiasm proved infectious so I realised it was time to start the ball rolling. I won't go into details but after a false start work joined wife in giving me me the go-ahead!
Fitting training in around the stumbling blocks of everyday life has been tricky but I'm doing my best to commute by bike every day and follow a trainerroad plan. It's almost made using a turbo enjoyable....almost.
Bikewise I've made a few changes to the Cooker Ti to suit long days in the saddle. The SIDs have been removed in favour of carbon rigids, I feel that the risk of failure of something complicated combined with the fact I'll (hopefully) do 2750 miles without servicing meant that one way or another they'd only be fit for the bin at the other end. To bring back a bit of cushioning I'll be running Continental X-King 2.4 protections.
The Thomson carbon Flats and 70mm stem have made way for a pair of Jones Loop Bars and a 90mm Thomson to compensate for the 45° sweep. I usually favour ESI silicone grips but I'm going to use some Ergon GS-1 as comfort will take precedence over control.
I've been running three Stan's Crest wheelsets on my 29er, each with tyres for different conditions but lately every ride seems to have led to a spoke failure or a nasty "twang" neither of which are confidence inspiring for a near 3000 mile outing. I spoke to Paul at PT Cycles and asked his advice on a new wheelset specially for the divide. We decided on Velocity Blunt SS rims paired with a Rear DT 350 and an SP PD8X dynamo hub for the front. The Blunts have little weight penalty over the Stan's crests but the 30mm width (and Paul's wheel wizardry) make for a stiffer wheel that better supports the 2.4" tyres. The dynamo hub will take away any concerns about powering my lights and combined with a Cycle2Charge my smartphone and Garmin Edge can remain topped up.
Normally I rely on my trusty Exposure Six pack Mk2, even the low setting provides enough light for technical rides at a decent pace. The downside being that while 24 hours (36 on newer models) is a great burn time, the resulting charge time is also about 24 hours, I could see myself having to spend inordinate time in roadside diners keeping the Sixpack charged. Lights with disposable batteries would mean a race to the shops to get fresh ones at considerable expense and flying to the states to ride your bike is already feeling a bit environmentally iffy. Exposure of course make the Revo dynamo light, with 800 lumens it matches my Six-pack on the setting I'd be using. As long as I'm rolling at about 10mph I'll have all the light I need front and rear (with the additional Red Eye). A Revo and SP hub combined weigh about the same as normal hub and Six-Pack so there isn't really any downside.
The Cooker saw my first attempt at doing 1x10 properly. By that I mean a proper Single chainset, narrow wide ring and clutch mech, as opposed to using a middle ring by itself, a plastic chain device and living with a bouncy normal mech. I have to say I'm a total convert. For the TD I'll be changing from an Absolute Black narrow/wide Oval 34t to a 36t and moving over to XT M8000 11 speed. This allows me to run an 11-42 without need to use an expander/16t sprocket/and RAD cage. All items I felt would be in short supply on route if needed. Sticking to stock 10 speed would probably made getting spare parts easier than for 11 speed but then that would have meant running a 36/36 granny and that feels a bit like it might be hard work!
To be continued....
I'd heard about the Tour Divide through the Bear Bones Bikepacking forum, and in particular a documentary called Ride The Divide. I've loved all my visits to the USA so the idea of riding 2750 miles was fascinating. At the time the longest trip I had undertaken was a two day over nighter with a maximum of about 80 miles covered in a day off-road. The idea that doing double that distance every day for three weeks seemed nothing short of impossible. But as my riding began to progress, covering a hundred miles was no longer that big a deal, and finishing a couple of 24hr events showed me that the carriage doesn't have to turn into a pumpkin at midnight! The idea of riding the divide was planted....
By pure chance I ended up riding with a couple of guys on the BB200 who planned to ride the TD. Their enthusiasm proved infectious so I realised it was time to start the ball rolling. I won't go into details but after a false start work joined wife in giving me me the go-ahead!
Fitting training in around the stumbling blocks of everyday life has been tricky but I'm doing my best to commute by bike every day and follow a trainerroad plan. It's almost made using a turbo enjoyable....almost.
Bikewise I've made a few changes to the Cooker Ti to suit long days in the saddle. The SIDs have been removed in favour of carbon rigids, I feel that the risk of failure of something complicated combined with the fact I'll (hopefully) do 2750 miles without servicing meant that one way or another they'd only be fit for the bin at the other end. To bring back a bit of cushioning I'll be running Continental X-King 2.4 protections.
The Thomson carbon Flats and 70mm stem have made way for a pair of Jones Loop Bars and a 90mm Thomson to compensate for the 45° sweep. I usually favour ESI silicone grips but I'm going to use some Ergon GS-1 as comfort will take precedence over control.
I've been running three Stan's Crest wheelsets on my 29er, each with tyres for different conditions but lately every ride seems to have led to a spoke failure or a nasty "twang" neither of which are confidence inspiring for a near 3000 mile outing. I spoke to Paul at PT Cycles and asked his advice on a new wheelset specially for the divide. We decided on Velocity Blunt SS rims paired with a Rear DT 350 and an SP PD8X dynamo hub for the front. The Blunts have little weight penalty over the Stan's crests but the 30mm width (and Paul's wheel wizardry) make for a stiffer wheel that better supports the 2.4" tyres. The dynamo hub will take away any concerns about powering my lights and combined with a Cycle2Charge my smartphone and Garmin Edge can remain topped up.
Normally I rely on my trusty Exposure Six pack Mk2, even the low setting provides enough light for technical rides at a decent pace. The downside being that while 24 hours (36 on newer models) is a great burn time, the resulting charge time is also about 24 hours, I could see myself having to spend inordinate time in roadside diners keeping the Sixpack charged. Lights with disposable batteries would mean a race to the shops to get fresh ones at considerable expense and flying to the states to ride your bike is already feeling a bit environmentally iffy. Exposure of course make the Revo dynamo light, with 800 lumens it matches my Six-pack on the setting I'd be using. As long as I'm rolling at about 10mph I'll have all the light I need front and rear (with the additional Red Eye). A Revo and SP hub combined weigh about the same as normal hub and Six-Pack so there isn't really any downside.
The Cooker saw my first attempt at doing 1x10 properly. By that I mean a proper Single chainset, narrow wide ring and clutch mech, as opposed to using a middle ring by itself, a plastic chain device and living with a bouncy normal mech. I have to say I'm a total convert. For the TD I'll be changing from an Absolute Black narrow/wide Oval 34t to a 36t and moving over to XT M8000 11 speed. This allows me to run an 11-42 without need to use an expander/16t sprocket/and RAD cage. All items I felt would be in short supply on route if needed. Sticking to stock 10 speed would probably made getting spare parts easier than for 11 speed but then that would have meant running a 36/36 granny and that feels a bit like it might be hard work!
To be continued....
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Back in black...
Ah, the BB200. Stu, the man behind BearBones Bikepacking and Forest Freeride is someone for whom a great many cyclists have a love/hate relationship with. They love the BearBones forum, the blog, the nifty little stoves. They love the events, so much so they sell out in hours......but.....and it's a big but, at some point, when you're on the BB200 I'm sure most riders will have cursed his existence.
My first attempt at the BB200 was in 2013. I'd competed in the Bontrager 24/12 earlier than year and achieved a top 20 finish in the 24hr solo. I felt ready for the BB200, it was only 125 miles compared to the 175 I'd achieved in 24 hrs at Bonty, it'll be a doddle, right? Wrong. Doing 20 odd laps means you know what to expect, you pass your pit every hour and you're carrying little more than spare tube and a C02 cart. On the BB200 once it gets dark any town or village you pass through the shops will have long since shut, you have to carry everything you might need (including an obligatory sleeping bag & shelter) and any groomed/buff singletrack will be pure fluke. I'm pleased to say despite a couple of OTBs, a 3am bonk and a "minutes from home" navigation cock-up I rolled in after 22.5 hours to claim a black badge.
2014 was another story, I'd brought along a Carbon hardtail instead of the Fargo, stripped everything back and.....25hrs. The infamous 2014 route will go down in history, and forever mentioned whenever Sisyphus crops up in conversation. Stu appears to have been called every name under the sun (even contacted mid-ride) for creating a course comprising more bogs, tussocks and labyrinthine navigation than was previously thought possible.
And yet, when the 2015 event opened for entries it was a sell out in mere hours and a waiting list soon developed! So, as I rode off from the start, preparing to ride 200k on a bike, and more importantly a saddle, I'd not done more than 6 hours on. It gores without saying the previous year weighed heavily on my mind. The forecast was good but the sky overcast and to nobodies surprise less than an hour in and the bog trotting began.
Luckily my fears were unfounded and this was a temporary blip. The route was a real gem, of course there was a section of tussocks, and the boggy track above but I defy anyone to link 125 miles of trails through Wales and avoid them entirely. I'm also pretty sure that it took me down the steepest trail I've ever ridden. This was a challenge, but it wasn't just a slog.
I stuck to the nutrition (if sweets and pies constitute nutrition!) plan I used last year, forget having a large meal and instead eat a small snack every hour or so. I had a few gels, including some caffeine ones, but only for emergency use. I've given up on gels generally and carting sticky wrappers around for 125 miles didn't appeal. It's interesting to note how on a ride I can make a bag of Haribo last 18 hrs but on a sofa they vanish in minutes!
So, how'd I get on? Well, after a shaky start where my Garmin didn't do very much I was happy with my pace and the Charge rode like a dream. I avoided making (m)any stupid navigational errors and rolled into Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, after the chippy shut, but before the Spar closed. I didn't need any supplies, (and in fact I'm eating some as I type) but there's a positive boost from *knowing* you definitely have enough fuel in reserve.
With this year's event having an "open" start time of anywhere between 8 & 10 am there was a lot of leap-frogging between entrants with differing pace, it also meant that if some passed you you weren't sure if they were faster or has stopped for an hour and were still technically behind!
About 20 miles from the end I was starting to flag but I knew that once I'd got to Staylittle, it was essentially downhill all the way. On seeing the "Llanbrynmair 7" sign I knew I could go all out and if I bonked I'd still be able to coast to the finish! I felt a bit bad leaving the chap I'd been riding with for the last hour or so but I was keen to put in a good time. The Charge had a 34t Absolute Black Oval ring paired with an 11(-42 expanded cassette) so the Cadence I could muster was good for about 35mph. I rolled in at 6.23 a.m. 20hrs and 53 minutes after I set off. It was hard to work out my finishing position as many riders listed as returned were DNF. Thanks to Zippy on the forum for waving his magic Excel wand and establishing that I'd come back in 6th place. 39 riders were listed as finishers with the final one making it back after 36hrs in the saddle. Around 25 riders, or their perhaps their equipment, were unable to finish the route.
One BB200 tradition that is popular with all riders that was again in evidence was the welcoming breakfast courtesy of Dee and the collection of your finisher's badge.
 |
| Charge Cooker Ti 29er ready for action! |
2014 was another story, I'd brought along a Carbon hardtail instead of the Fargo, stripped everything back and.....25hrs. The infamous 2014 route will go down in history, and forever mentioned whenever Sisyphus crops up in conversation. Stu appears to have been called every name under the sun (even contacted mid-ride) for creating a course comprising more bogs, tussocks and labyrinthine navigation than was previously thought possible.
And yet, when the 2015 event opened for entries it was a sell out in mere hours and a waiting list soon developed! So, as I rode off from the start, preparing to ride 200k on a bike, and more importantly a saddle, I'd not done more than 6 hours on. It gores without saying the previous year weighed heavily on my mind. The forecast was good but the sky overcast and to nobodies surprise less than an hour in and the bog trotting began.
 |
| Typical Welsh Bridleway |
Luckily my fears were unfounded and this was a temporary blip. The route was a real gem, of course there was a section of tussocks, and the boggy track above but I defy anyone to link 125 miles of trails through Wales and avoid them entirely. I'm also pretty sure that it took me down the steepest trail I've ever ridden. This was a challenge, but it wasn't just a slog.
I stuck to the nutrition (if sweets and pies constitute nutrition!) plan I used last year, forget having a large meal and instead eat a small snack every hour or so. I had a few gels, including some caffeine ones, but only for emergency use. I've given up on gels generally and carting sticky wrappers around for 125 miles didn't appeal. It's interesting to note how on a ride I can make a bag of Haribo last 18 hrs but on a sofa they vanish in minutes!
So, how'd I get on? Well, after a shaky start where my Garmin didn't do very much I was happy with my pace and the Charge rode like a dream. I avoided making (m)any stupid navigational errors and rolled into Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, after the chippy shut, but before the Spar closed. I didn't need any supplies, (and in fact I'm eating some as I type) but there's a positive boost from *knowing* you definitely have enough fuel in reserve.
With this year's event having an "open" start time of anywhere between 8 & 10 am there was a lot of leap-frogging between entrants with differing pace, it also meant that if some passed you you weren't sure if they were faster or has stopped for an hour and were still technically behind!
About 20 miles from the end I was starting to flag but I knew that once I'd got to Staylittle, it was essentially downhill all the way. On seeing the "Llanbrynmair 7" sign I knew I could go all out and if I bonked I'd still be able to coast to the finish! I felt a bit bad leaving the chap I'd been riding with for the last hour or so but I was keen to put in a good time. The Charge had a 34t Absolute Black Oval ring paired with an 11(-42 expanded cassette) so the Cadence I could muster was good for about 35mph. I rolled in at 6.23 a.m. 20hrs and 53 minutes after I set off. It was hard to work out my finishing position as many riders listed as returned were DNF. Thanks to Zippy on the forum for waving his magic Excel wand and establishing that I'd come back in 6th place. 39 riders were listed as finishers with the final one making it back after 36hrs in the saddle. Around 25 riders, or their perhaps their equipment, were unable to finish the route.
One BB200 tradition that is popular with all riders that was again in evidence was the welcoming breakfast courtesy of Dee and the collection of your finisher's badge.
 |
| Back in Black! |
If the idea of the BB200 appeals, and you want in before next October have a look at http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/index.php and see about the other events that carry the Bear Bones certificate of sufferi......err approval!
Monday, 25 May 2015
The Longest Day (The Cambrian 500: Part One)
The Cambrian 500
No matter the circumstances that you may be going through, just push through it.
Ray Lewis
There is a long established Welsh coast to coast for mountain bikes but some bright spark felt it missed too many good bits and perhaps didn't offer the same challenge as the Scottish ITT routes ( e.g. Caingorms Loop or Highland Trail). The first attempt at the new WC2C coincided with some awful weather and ended in the group scratching at Llanwrtyd Wells, a solo effort by the now legendary Dave Barter ended a similar way and my own first attempt fizzled out in Machynlleth. Rather than avoid this route like the plague, I bizarrely jumped at an invitation to tackle it again over the Easter hols.
Last time around my fitness (or lack there of), combined with one of those off days was a major contribution to calling it quits in Mach. While I've not been hitting the turbo as I should I have been regularly commuting by bike and getting out for a decent ride at the weekend. I also planned to take far less kit with me, all too easily I can end up with everything AND the kitchen sink.
Kit List (Pared down from my previous attempt)
- On One Lurcher w. XT/SLX 2x10 & Manitou Tower 100mm Forks
- Garmin Dakota w. OS 1:50k maps
- 2x Alpkit Stem Cells (One with Mytimug & Krakau stove, the other containing snacks)
- Ibera small frame bag containing tools and tubes
- Alpkit Kanga w. Airlok Extra 13l drybag (containing all sleep kit)
- Thermarest Haven 20 Sleeping bag
- Thermarest Neoair Xtherm
- Alpkit Hunka XL Bivibag
- Decathlon silk bag liner
- Alpkit Koala Seat pack containing clothing & food
- Leg & Arm warmers
- Musto Gore Tex Jacket
- Altura Waterproof shorts
- Sealskinz socks
- Base layer & long johns
- Uniqlo down gilet
- Adventure freeze dried meals & peanut M&Ms
- 700ml High 5 bottle and Oasis puritabs
Day 0 (Thursday 2nd April 2015)
One logistical nightmare for any point-to-point ride is how you get back to where you parked. I wasn't keen on parking in Llandudno/Swansea as if this ride ended like the others then it'd be a long train before a long drive! So train all the way then. This meant a ride along the Cloud trail to Derby station before a few changes and ending up in Prestatyn so I could ride the North Wales Coastal route. 34 miles clocked up getting to the start! The wind was getting up and I was regretting my decision to eat at McDonalds, not because of the food but because I daren't eat inside. A bunch of teenagers forcibly ejected by johnny no-stars was giving the loaded Lurcher worrying amounts of attention.
And so D-Day arrived, the weather had decided on mist as our starter for 10 so we spun up the steep and winding Marine Drive trying to find the balance between warming up and blowing up. The Rest and be thankful Cafe wouldn't be opening until after we'd set off so it acted only as handy landmark to start from.
10 easy miles along the former railway from the Cloud quarry
The Las Vegas of North Wales
We (Myself, Andy & Gabes) were booked into the Llandudno Hostel, it's basic, clean and serves a decent enough breakfast for the £20 or so it cost to stay. The wind had been joined by rain so being able to start the ride dry meant I wasn't too upset to miss out on a bivi up on the Orme. It wasn't too grim however for us to brave the walk to the Queen Vic for a swift pint and chat to the other riders.
Day 1 (Friday 3rd April 2015)
From 10am until about 5pm the conditions got steadily worse. To begin with I was preferring the cooler temps to the sweltering heat of last August and the first proper offroad section after Conwy seemed to pass by far quicker than the last time I rode through, how much was improved fitness versus cooler temps and knowing the route better I don't know. By the time I'd reached Llyn Colwyd the rain was coming in horizontally and I had already had a couple of daft crashes on slippery wet surfaces. In places the very single track could easily put you in the lake so taking it a bit easier was prudent.
Path alongside Llyn Colwyd
Coming out the other side to view the Ogwen Valley, after a spot of hike-a-bike, my spirits were lifted, it was still cold but Capel Curig meant the opportunity to grab a hot drink and a bite to eat without having the faff of unpacking kit in the rain. It was at Capel that I caught up with Gabes and Andy, and having warmed up with a Coffee we resumed riding leaving behind puddles of rainwater.
The next stage of the ride would take us past Ty Mawr Wybrnant and then through Penmachno trail centre with the potential for a hot meal at the nearby village pub. It wasn't to be as there was a private party being catered for so we pushed on, taking on the impossibly steep climb over towards Ffestininog and Trawsfynydd. The rain had stopped but it was still bitterly cold, the fast tarmac descent into Trawsfynydd required extra layers or there was a serious danger of Hypothermia.
We hadn't been told that there was no hot food at this point
At around midnight, 15 or so miles later, and having lapped the lake surrounding the nuclear power station, we decided to set up camp in the next wooded area we came across. As I crawled into my bivi bag (having wrung the water out of my socks) I reflected that the 70 mile total for the day would have to be upped considerably if a Monday finish at the Gower was going to happen.
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