Stagecoach 400/road trip

This was a great trip, ride race! I am currently gearing up for the Tour Divide 2012, and am very excited, so the Stagecoach 400 was a shakedown to help me prepare, and I learned a TON! I have actually never done a MTB race of this length solo. I was responsible for all the decisions, taking care of myself and my bike. Of course I had plenty of prep help from JayP which is priceless.

Our vacation started with a local dig day on Sunday, I have never raked rocks before, very interesting. 

Then I went for a quick spin and we finished loading the van. This was also the 1st road trip we had taken our dogs Rippin' & Chillin' on, and they proved to be great travelers! 

We made it to St George late Monday afternoon and got in a short, but warm ride.  I love the desert fauna, it's so wild looking. 

We spent the night in the Valley of Fire just outside Vegas, what a cool little camp spot, then made it to Idyllwild the next day Tues to do a little pre-riding. Big pine cones and pretty forest. 

Camping was available right in Idyllwild which was very sweet. 

So we did some more gear fiddling, then met up with Brendan to get some info about another pre-ride near San Diego. We got to take the boyz to the doggie beach and they loved it, and so did I, I love the beach and ocean. Then we did some more pre-riding, met up with a couple friends. We spent the night at a campground we had been to before which is right on the beach, but it was raining, so all four of us, our bikes and gear slept in the van on our very, very cozy mattress. we headed back to Idyllwild the next day. Camped again right outside Idyllwild and took the boys to their acclimation at the kennel-they passed with flying colors and got to stay. 

Go time! The race was originally scheduled to start at 8am, but was delayed due to the spots arriving late. Then we finally departed 1030 am. 

Within the 1st 3 miles I was greeted by a man  and his big utility truck which almost hit me shouting "get outta here, this is private property!" somehow I rode around him and just kept going. There was a bit of climbing, but a lot of descending. About 15 miles outta Borrego Springs I sliced my tire, probably on one of these metal elephants in the middle of no-where? 

Not knowing there was no slime in my tubeless tire, I had to stopped every five miles to fill it up, thinking it would seal, no luck, but I knew I would be in Borrego Springs soon to fix it. The 1st store I came across was a True-Value, I knew they would have slime! I got the slime then headed to the burrito shop and spoke with some fellow racers who were more then eager to help me out, but we could not figure out how to get the presta valve out. Fortunately Brendan had shown up and we got the tire all fixed up as I was on my way. I am shure I spent more then an hour at this stop trying to figure this out.

I got 2 burritos, ate 1/2 of one there and carried the others, which probably weighed about 2 lbs each to the Stagecoach RV park. For some reason, I did not have enough food from the start, and boy was I feelin' it. So when I arrived the RV camp at 130 am, I just ate the other 1/2 of burrito. I was getting tired of carrying this 2lb burrito so when I woke at 4am I ate 1/2, threw away a quarter, which I would later regret and stuffed 1/4 in my pack, with no more food. The next time I was able to get food was mile 151. I ate a bucket of soup, snack mix and the reloaded til mile 205, in San Diego. I got there at 1am, I was tired and hungry, so BK fish sandwich it was, then I searched for a cheap room, which I finally found. I showered, slept, devoured a couple danishes and felt like a million bucks. 

I started heading thru SD and really wanted and egg and cheese, which I got and headed towards Sea World, only to get very confused by people and my GPS. I think I spent about 2 hours riding the same path back and forth trying to figure it out, and finally did-ugh! that was trippy! It wasn't til mile 271 that I got another meal, Mickey D's fish sandwich, (BK's is better) and some more food to go, but still not enough. All I had left for the last 25 miles was 2 cheese crackers and about 20 chocolate covered espresso beans. 


I began stumbling and need to rest, I only wanted to lay down for an hour but did not hear my alarm and woke 2 hours later. I tried to move forward again, but wasn't able to get on the bike and pedal, so I just laid down in my rain jacket for 20 minutes and that seemed to do the trick. I like being able to just get up and go. 


The Anza Market was closed when I got there but there was some water left out, which I was also out of. I still felt good though and just cruised along. I saw someone catching up to me so of course I started charging. Luckily the Hemet Lake market was open 15 miles before the finish, I grabbed a coke and cinnamon bun and continued the climb to the finish, only to get turned around 6 miles from the finish by a woman in a white car, who followed me almost all the way back to Idydlwild. I was disappointed to not be able to finish the original course and really didn't like the hwy climb, but rolled into Idyllwild just before 10am, to be greeted by my amazing husband who had won,  and other racers. 


I got changed, ate a very great b-fast, took a shower and we headed home! We were home by 430 am the next day. I was at work by 10am, doing Payroll, catching up all the day ends and then finally got to fold and stuff invoices. Whirl wind of a trip at the end, but very much enjoyed! I would highly recommend this race!

The Togwotee Winter Classic was a BLAST! We didn't have to decide which milage we were doing until we got out there, super cool! I thought I would do the 35 miler but knew I would have more fun riding 25 miles. Yes conditions were soft, but ridable, except those few hills in the beginning, were a few had turned around to go ski powder. It was snowing and blowing, but not too bad and it was just great to be out there. Many think I like it when the conditions are soft and nasty, and they are correct! But it's not so much that I like them, it's just favorable to me because I know how do deal with it and know it's only gonna last a few hours. And here is where I use my perception. We were 7 miles, approx 1.5 hrs into the race, on and off the bike and another male racer says to me "I'm turning around." I asked why? he says "because this isn't fun." a huge smile came across my face as I replied "I think this is a blast, it's only gonna last 5-7 hrs, you might as well enjoy it!" guess he turned around because I didn't see him again. The start was fast and furious and it took a bit for the crowd to break up.

I was able to ride with Fitzy and Chad for a bit then broke away after about 3 hrs, I musta been getting warmed up by then. I listened to my tunes and pedaled away to the finish in 1st place for the women (outta 3) and 5th overall in a time of 4hrs43mins. There were some people out from a newspaper in Laramie taking pictures and cheering me on, thats always fun, and I saw about 3 groups of 10 snowmobilers, so it was pretty quite out there.

I tried to keep my bike as light as I could by not using any frame bags, just poggies and a feed bag, which worked out great! I carried my fix-its in my hydropack, along with 70 oz of water I drank about 20 oz of-I brought too much water which = weight, booo. But better to err on the side of too much then too little. I drank a 20 oz bottle of emergency, ate 1 stinger waffle and 1 bag a stinger chews. I like to eat a burrito in the morning which keeps me full through a race of this length. Being as warm as it was I was able to get away with a wool base, wind vest and my favorite Fitzy long sleeve jersey.

I had my camera with me but failed to take any pictures, which I need to get back in the habit of doing.

Looking forward to more adventures! Til next time!

T-Race

Arrowhead 135, 2012

I would like to thank Princeton Tec for helping us get here! They paid our entry fee and of course have the best lights in the world! I used the Apex Extreme, the EOS Bike and the Swerve. With the possibility of running into a snow mobiler I knew fer shure that I would be seen!

You would think I have this snow bike racing thing all figured out by now, well, I don't, and that's OK. Every race has its variables and with the majority of my past races being multi-day events, preparing for a 135 mile "sprint" race is obviously different. I knew from the beginning it was going to be a fast pace and that I wouldn't be sleeping 'til I was done.

The journey to the race always seems like just as much as an adventure as the race itself. We drove to MN from ID in the winter. We were expecting driving conditions to be heinous, but overall we lucked out. There was a blizzard going on when we left but by the time we were through MT, the roads were clear, but very windy. We made it to Bismark, where they have the shitty-est coffee in the world! We slept and completed our drive on Friday. We arrived in I-Falls, MN Friday evening where we met our host housing, Anton Oveson. What a trip! This guy is a true original. Upon entering the house, we were shown the pinball machines along with several other very interesting items. It was like a museum, just fascinating! Anton is like a never ending book full of fun, exciting and interesting stories. He is also very kind and generous. It was great cuz he knows the Arrowhead Tr. like the back of his hand, since he grew up in I-Falls, I guess he should, therefore he was able to give us a guided tour through parts of the course as well as some details and what to expect.

We went for a short ride Sat morning and checked out the beginning of the course, it was flat, but pretty. The trail goes through swamps and forest. We did our gear check and race packet pick up, which was very smooth. In the afternoon we took a ride with Anton to check out some other parts of the course where there could be some confusion, then out to diner at the Chocolate Moose, which is the best place in town to eat. Then back to Anton's for some more fun stories.

We slept in Sunday, found the good coffee/breakfast place in town and did some race prep, packed the bike with food and gear. I wasn't really shure what to bring, and at this point I wasn't shure of what I would wear. The temps were predicted to be in the 20's and that to me is warm. So I wind up switching some of what I normally wear, ie. vapor barrier and Montbell soft shell jacket, for Fitzy jersey and light wind jacket and was very comfortable. I also brought what I call, my honey jacket, Montbell lightweight puffy and balaclava. The pre-race meeting was fun with LOTS of great raffles.

Monday, race day! Breakfast, get dressed, stuffed the food on the bike and headed to the start. Lots of racers doing last minute gear adjustments and taking pictures, the energy was exciting! We all lined up and ready go! Of course there is always that fast group in the front that takes off, its hard not to get caught up in it. So right out of the gate I was thinking I could maintain 11mph for the whole ride. I felt good and was having a good time. The course was flat and mostly firm. I rode with a couple guys and Eszter for a bit, but I was still fiddling with some of my gear. I was trying to keep Eszter in sight, but then 2 guys passed me and it was like they all hooked together like a train. I thougth fer shure I'd catch them. When I arrived at CP1 my competition was 20 minutes ahead, I stopped for the bathroom and a warm drink, then on my way. There were lots of people around cheering. About 15 miles of out CP2 I ran out of water, but so did a lot of others. Got to CP2 for some really good bean stew, chips, grilled cheese, plus one to go and some cookies to go, and of course water. At this point I was and hour behind, but as I always say "it ain't over til its over". It started to get hilly and dark, I like the night. Shure it was hard to stay awake but I just kept moving forward. I was excited to get to CP3, and see some people, get a warm drink and continue on. There were lots of wolf tracks around but I never saw any, not even any eyeballs. I wasn't scared cuz I knew there were people behind me. The last 25 miles of the race, I started sleep riding and did some running to help wake me up. I began to see some racers pulled over sleeping and I was kinda surprised. For me I knew I would be awake however long it took me to get it done, and thats what I did. I finished at 6am, 23 hrs later.

Overall the course was mellow, not too much pushing up hill, which I think was mainly due to using the Nate tire in the rear. I do think that the Endomorph would have been a better tire choice for me in these conditions and I certainly didn't need the balaclava! I learned a few things and I would change some of my food/drink choices.

The Arrowhead135 was well organized, had great energy and was fun. Thanks all!

The riding conditions in ID are excellent right now, so I am looking forward to putting down some miles, along with some boot camp training and spending time with the boyz. Up next maybe a skate race and fer shure the 2012 Togwotee Winter Classic, which already has 27 racers signed up! Yeehaw!!

'Til next time!

T-Race

What's going on??? Well I had a very interesting year, one I wish to not revisit, which is why I am so looking forward to 2012! It's here, it has begun and it's gonna be fun!!! I have been busy doing stuff, living life. We all know it goes by so quick and day to day life takes time. To start off we have been doing lots of riding in West Yellowstone, and it has been amazing! Not only is the riding out of this world, but it's a quick little w/e get away for Jay, myself and the boyz. The 1st few times we went, people were asking if we were sleeping in the van or outside, but we haven't been, we have been sleeping inside hotels, kinda like "normal" people. We like to head up on Friday, get the boyz out for a couple hour ride along the way and then make our way up to West, either for a quick skate or another ride and spend the night. The next day we get the boyz out and then get ourselves out.

Let's talk about the riding. We have gone several w/e since Thanksgiving and the conditions have always rocked, lots of riding, not much pushing. We haven't had any run ins with the snowmobilers and have gotten plenty of thumbs up! I am comfortable saying there is over 500 miles of sweetly groomed trails for our riding enjoyment! But, it is still a work in progress. We "snow bikers" are a new user group, so details need to be worked out and I agree we should have to contribute some $$ to help pay for the grooming. There are many opportunities for our new sport to grow, many people are gaining interest and want to try it, including some bilers!

The local ski resort, Grand Targhee, has introduced snow biking, and even had it's 1st race Jan 15th, which was a huge success, 46 snow bikers showed up to race! We attempted the West n Back, but due to fluke conditions there was a re-route ridden with a great lunch at the Pond's with lots of brainstorming and story sharing.

So what does my exciting year hold in store? Well I will be heading to MN, instead of Alaska this year to partake in the Arrowhead 135. I am really excited about getting into this race and conquering it! The conditions haven't been favorable for snow biking in MN, but of course it changes constantly, and you never know what'll you'll get but it is fer shure what you make of it! I am looking forward to some nordic skating, more riding in Feb, the Togwotee Winter Classic, spreading the word about snow biking and getting more people on snow bikes! oh and some more riding!

Got some other adventures up my sleeve for the year, so stay tuned!

Til next time!

Gear Baby

Gesh there is a lot of gear to keep warm and carry in my pockets. On top of all the layers, one starts lookin' pretty prego! So what do I wear? I start with an Ibex wool bra, I/O bio glory zip or contact 2 top, depending on temps, followed by my RBH design vest, Montbell Nomad softshell, and then as temps drop I put on the Montbell thermawrap, which I also refer to as my honey, and when temps really drop I add my Mountain Hardware puffy jacket. I also carry one more jacket used for wind or wetness, and thats the top. Bottom gear starts with Pearl Izumi 3/4 bike shorts and either the I/O Bio 3/4 contact tights or full contct 2 tights, covered by Swix nordic pants which are over 10years old and I have finally wore holes in the seat.

In my pockets: spare headlamp which is the Princeton Tec Fuel, a set of spare batteries which include 8AA and 4AAA, tp, wetwipes, firestarter, matches, tool, aquaphor, chain lube, contacts, toothpaste, toothbrush, 4 packs of handwarmer, camera, and music player. The there is my pack which contains a 200 oz bladder, my Princeton Tec Apex Extreme, a pic to comb my hair, some barretts and eleastics, as well as a list of phone numbers, ID and cash-o-lah. In my pants pocket I carry a small knife, duct tape, and lighters.

This is also how I sleep outside. Fully dressed, with all the layers, water pack, boots on, all the gear in my pockets. My hands get really cold, really fast so I like to be able to just get up, stuff -n-go! This way I can start moving ASAP and get the heat generating.

Socks-n-Boots

So here is my foot wear setup. I start with one of the 3 base layers, either the super thin Bridgedale liner, a thin Icebreaker sock or sometimes the thicker Smartwool sock, then I use a RBH design vapor barrier, this prevents my insulating sock, which is the Wigwam El-Pine sock, from getting wet. My boots are RU outside Tundra boots which they no longer make-boooo! They have been seamed sealed several times and got a fresh coat just before we left. The replaceable liner, which I did replace this yr, in the boot insulates as well as reflects heat back to the foot. I use the PolarWrap Toasty Feet insole, made to regulate the temperature of the foot, made with aerogel, which is comfortable to me. My feet did get cold just a couple times, probably lack of circulation, but I got off and ran and they warmed right up. I also put hand warmers on my shines which are held there by my socks and around my knees which are held there by my OR gaitors and pants. Due to the colder temps last year, I do believe I did some damage to my toes, cuz it was 3 months before I could flick my shoes off with my toes. I didn't experience that this year with the warmer temps.

Last year I used the thicker Smartwool sock b/c it was much colder goin' to Nome. This yr I used the thin Bridgedale sock to McGrath and the Icebreaker sock goin' to Nome. I did get some rubbin' on the inside of my heel which caused blisters, not shure if it was the holes in the Icebreaker sock, the new vapor barrier sock or the new boot liner, could have been a combination. I also use Aquaphor ointment on my feet, face, hands and a$$. It's one thing that covers it all.

I did step in some overflow and it was approx and hour before it soaked thru to my foot, by which time we were in a safety cabin drying out. Had that cabin not been there, I would have had to stop, make a fire to dry my boots and change my socks. I carry and extra liner sock and wigwam sock for emergency. I also have screws drilled into the bottom of my shoes for traction on the ice.

Frozen overflow leaving Ophir on the way to Iditarod. Now while this setup may work for me, it is highly recommended YOU figure out and TEST what works for you! Til next time!

The race starts long before the starting line

I remember dreaming of the Iditarod Trail Invitational in June while working on the Cosmic Apple Farm. Not shure how I got so addicted to it, but I did. A lot of people ask me why I do this race. The main reason is because I can. Other reasons include the challenge, the freedom and experiencing big, beautiful, wide open Alaska, having it all to myself at times. Gettin' ready for a race like this starts long before the start line. Purchasing plane tixs, guesstimating a return time, finding someone to watch our house and dogs, gettin all the survival gear together, scheduling all the bills to be paid while we're gone, findin' a place to stay in AK, and gettin' a ride to the airport with our 2 bike boxes and luggage. I started shopping for our drops a month before they had to be mailed, picking up different food items here and there keepin' it as cheap as possible, since everything is X's two. Our main meals consisted of ramen, which I love at the checkpts, Idahoans (instant mash potatoes) with butter, these are good when on the trail using my thermos of hot water, different styles of mac and cheese side dishes with powdered milk, butter (packaged at home) and sometimes a pouch of salmon, also good at checkpts due to it needing to be boiled a little more. I thought I would like the stuffing a lot more, but it wasn't all that and I will probably leave this out next time. These would be our main meals, with JayP varing his with meat. Then there is the trail food. This is really tricky cuz you don't kow what you'll want to eat or how warm or cold the temps will be. Warmer temps, less food, cold temps, possible storm or other variables, more food. I have kept a list of the past 3 yrs and what I put in each drop, I still don't have it dialed but believe I am gettin' better at choosing things I will eat. I love candy, shiny, bright, all the dye and sugar you you can pack in CANDY! Sour patch kids, gummy bears, mike and ikes and welches fruit snack are a few of my favorites. Chocolate bars, I learned a lot about these this yr. I was able to find smoe nice belgium chocolate bars for cheap, but once they froze they tasted like crapolah! So lesson learned the cheaper chocolate usually 2 for 1 bars such as reese PB cup, almond joy, carmello (my fav), reese crunch (2nd fav), PB snickers, take 5, whoppers, are a few I rely on. Then there are the nuts, cakes and cookies. We were fortunate to recieve lots of tasty calories from Tram Bar which was great, but I prefer them chopped in pieces. The cookie of choice is nutterbutter, followed by just about any other kind of cookie. The cakes of little debbie or hostess of any kind are always a welcome treat. I am pretty shure I ate my 1st Suzy Q this past trip, T-lecious fer shure! Fruit pies aren't so good frozen, but thanks to handwarmers, this can be quickly solved. We also carry hot coco, coffee, emergency, cough drops, lots of vitamin I and different hard candies.

Just wanted to get out a food diary and will follow with a gear list soon! Thanks for your support all! Til next time!