Nanuq Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 For anyone interested there's a Solstice mtn bike race planned this December, the weekend of the 19th - 20th. It will take you about 200 miles cross country from scenic Bethel (cough) through Atmautluak, Nunapitchuk, Kasigluk, Napakiak, Napaskiak, Oscarville, Akiachuk, Akiak, Kwethluk and back to Bethel. Expect temps well below zero. Check out the map! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialvat Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Is it full on XC or a bit of time trial ? Bet the riders are pretty specialized (no pun intended). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbutlerman Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 jeesh...I just finished an 80 miler up in the Eastern Sierra's of California and it was about 40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Thats the complete polar opposite conditions from mtbking here in FL. I couldn't breathe in that cold air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronoluvvv Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 i'm curious as to what happens if a rider falls off & gets seriously injured ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 i'm curious as to what happens if a rider falls off & gets seriously injured ? In these events they always say the rider should expect no rescue. So if you get hurt, you're on your own. P4GTR, this is how you prepare for that cold weather... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialvat Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 The tires on your bike, for snow are what I love Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 These are 4" Endomorphs on Large Marge rims with Surly 2.7" tubes. You air them down for conditions, and about 8 lbs of pressure is right for really deep snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbutlerman Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Those are just a hair wider than my 700x23c's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 motorcycles allowed ???? . . hey P4 looks like the challenge you been looking for.. . . sorry .. but I'm tied up in the tropics this time around Nanuq... Lani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Is it full on XC or a bit of time trial ? Bet the riders are pretty specialized (no pun intended). You're kidding, right? This is about the conditions you can expect: dark, cold and windy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 brrrrrr looks a bit chilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 brrrrrr looks a bit chilly Bah, it's only 200 miles! Piece-o-cake. Now will someone please chip the ice off my eyelids so I can blink? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demsey Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Good God. Is there a 'just shoot me' option at the start? Different strokes for different folks. This is what I did last week for ha-ha's; I think I had too many beers. It was a close call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Good God. Is there a 'just shoot me' option at the start? Different strokes for different folks. This is what I did last week for ha-ha's; I think I had too many beers. It was a close call. We call this fish "Ehu",here in Hawaii.... red snapper... good days catch Dems.. Some of these guy's look Hawaii "local".. especially with a boat christened "Gobo".. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 I think I had too many beers. It was a close call. Dems is the pink thing lying on his side in the front row, middle of the picture. I think the ride actually sounds fun. If you're prepared...fun. 200mi on soft terrain is brutal though. Wow. How hard pack is the road, or are you bushwacking/breaking trail the entire way? Is it cold enough to be reasonably crusty on top? I remember doing some glacier mountaineering and the days it was COLD were better as the top crust of the snow would be hard enough to support your weight, but when it warmed up a bit, brutal, as you spent HOURS punching through the crust and wading through waist deep snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 I think the ride actually sounds fun. If you're prepared...fun. 200mi on soft terrain is brutal though. Wow. How hard pack is the road, or are you bushwacking/breaking trail the entire way? Is it cold enough to be reasonably crusty on top? I remember doing some glacier mountaineering and the days it was COLD were better as the top crust of the snow would be hard enough to support your weight, but when it warmed up a bit, brutal, as you spent HOURS punching through the crust and wading through waist deep snow. Great questions, TT. There are no roads up there. None. It should be well frozen by then, so if we're lucky it might be hard ice riding across the tundra from pond to pond. But if it snows and drifts then it could be slogging through waist deep snow. One thing's for sure, it will be an adventure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 That sounds a hoot. Some day Bob...I'm going to make it up there again for some winter adventure...some day. I haven't made it to Anchorage yet...but up to Haines and the Chilkat area a few times. LOVE IT!! Waist deep slogging pushing 50 lbs in bike sounds brutal...but the stories!! Wow. You should pedal with crampons on...WATCH THE FRONT POINTS ON THOSE 4.5" TIRES!! Is your son joining you on this?? I suspect the culture on the ride even with the "expect no rescue" clause is pretty supportive amongst riders...not like "cash and carry" everyone-for-themselves mountaineering like Everest where you leave the almost dead if they didn't help pay for your sherpas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailboss Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Good God you lot! Ever heard of the internal combustion engine? You're all mad, mad I tells ya. Col. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiker01 Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Bah, it's only 200 miles! Piece-o-cake. Now will someone please chip the ice off my eyelids so I can blink? That's what I thought.....you must be built like a Yeti to do this ride! but sounds like fun! Something I'd like to do if I live there! My Boss in the USAF used to race the Iditarod every efffing year and I regretted not going with him at least once~! I was young and a pussy then. The most adventure I did then was ice fishin up in Holter Lake, Montana and shootin at Bambi and some wild turkeys~! Oh....and this is what we do in the Midwest now........ You gotta watch it, koz if you eat too much Lake Michigan Salmon, you turn into a fish head! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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