Another Skinny Ride

Life took me down to Denver for a few days and I managed to get a couple of road rides in during the weekend.  The weather was amazing and it was yet another great day to be out on the skinny getting in some mileage.  The plan is to put together back to back 'long' days.  The long days are still somewhat short in nature at this point in the season but the intent is to grown the duration of these back to back long rides as the season progresses.

I forgot all about the many many options around Denver for road riding and was pleasantly reminded of just how you can easily link loops together to make for long hill climbing days, or good rollers like this ride:

Obese to Skinny Transition

I am back in Denver for a few days and am soaking up the warm spring weather like a sponge!  The past couple of days have been in the high 70's and has made for some great riding.  I brought along the road bike and managed to get out both days this weekend.  Riding the skinny reminds me of just how much fun it can be when you don't have to worry about projectiles being thrown at you while riding.

It was good fun/pain to do some of the rides of yesteryear when we lived in Denver.  Lookout Mtn pulled me into its magnetic field like a moth to a bright light.  The climb up Lookout is always a good barometer of just how the legs are feeling - it is roughly 4 miles and about 1200 ft of climbing. My heart rate quickly hit its season high and stayed high for the entire climb.  As fun as the climb was, the descent was super fun and fast.  There is something to be said for having a local training hill like that in your back yard.  It holds back no punches and will always be honest with you relative to how hard you are willing to work and how 'in shape' you are.  It is definitely a love/hate relationship....

Livin' La Vida Gorda

The latest video of phattie fun:

Wanoga Sno Park Pix

Pix from the snow bike ride at Wanoga Sno Park outside of Bend, Oregon:

nice groomers....

lots of options....

 which way to go?

Bend Snow Biking - Wanoga

We loaded up the car and drove 11 hrs from Montana to Bend, Oregon....our future Home Sweet Home.  We are only here for a few days and the wifer is working so it leaves me up to my own devices to see what kind of trouble I can get into during the day.

The 9zero7 was loaded up in the rental minivan and the plan was to put it to use here in Bend.  The big question mark revolved around just what kind of opportunities exist for snow biking in the area.  As it turns out, quite a few!  There are many many miles of groomed multi-use trails that are just about perfect for riding the gordita tires.

I ended up at the Wanoga Sno Park area which is about 13 miles from town and has an extensive trail system out there with multiple loops.   Some of the trails look like they are groomed fairly frequently so it makes for some fun, fast riding that occasionally give way to great views of the Cascades, most notably of  Mt Bachelor.  The possibilities are fun to think about and it was a good day to be out running into different trail users who were a little mystified by some silly biker riding a bike in their playground.

Below is the ride summary:

Vid Stoke

I can't really tell is this is a Lezyne commercial - since they are pushing their product.  I guess you have to let is slide considering DM is ripping it up as usual.

Pipestone Conditions

Most of the flat and south facing areas in Pipestone are riding well but that soon changes to a mix of mud and snow when hitting some north facing slopes, especially once you hit around 5,700 ft elevation.  There is still plenty of riding to be had with most of the trails on the south side of the road (think 4 corners) riding relatively well.

Pix from the last trip out this past Sat:

Shoulder Season

It feels like the shoulder season has begun...it has warmed up but the trails are a mixture of wet snow and deep snow in the higher country.  The snow is too wet/soft to ride the snow bikes in and there is still enough of it that you can't ride a regular mountain bike yet.

The area of choice at the moment is Pipestone.  Conditions at Pipestone vary a fair amount based on where you are riding.  The combo elevation and which way the slope is facing determine conditions of the trail.

I was surprised to see so many moto's out in the Pipestone area on Saturday.  Unfortunately they are starting to loosen the trails up a lot for us non-motorized users.  The sad part is that they don't have much regard for non-moto trails (which are only a handful).  So the handful of nice singletrack trails are being torn up, widened, loosened, etc.  Most of the guys out there are great and respectful of users on the trail, although I almost got ridden off the trail (a non moto trail at that) by a crew of three guys heading in the opposite direction.  Trail ethics are that moto's should yield to bicycles but these guys were having none of it and were happy to play a game of chicken to see who would yield first.  Considering I was bound to suffer a worse fate then them, I thought it prudent to pull over and let them by without incident.

It was a great day to be out - once you get away from the RR tracks, the herd thins out a bit and you can usually find some solitude in the maze of trails out there.  The weather was nice, the riding was good, and the views were tremendous!

Ride Summary:

Off Topic Friday

This is a little off topic from the usual bike drivel but it is a poignant and humorous look at putting our debit limit into perspective.  Note the similarities on the last 2 slides...the only difference between the 2 slides being the # of zeros attached to the numbers up front....

Teton Pix

On the return from the Togwotee Winter Classic, we headed down from the pass into the direction of the Tetons.  The Tetons were in full splendor as the snow capped peaks shined against the blue skies.  I don't think I could ever tire of seeing the majestic Teton range that just command the eyes to look at them.  They have such a unique and distinct shape, but yet they have a totally different feel if you go to the west side and look at them from that perspective.

Enough babble and trying to wax poetic about some hills....let the pictures do the talking:

on the descent from the pass at 8,700 ft elevation:

 in their glory

Snow Biking Lessons Learned

One of the eye opening experiences for doing the Togwotee Winter Classic was that you got to see lots of snow bikes and there was plenty of opportunity to observer and pick up hints of how to do things better....It got me to thinking about what I learned from the race and other participants, as well as what I have learned along the way via trial and error.  Below is a short list of stuff:

• You can stay warm in surprisingly cold conditions as long as you are moving
• It is all about the layers - for me the upper layers are a base layer to wick moisture, a thermal jersey, and a vest
• Lower layers include bike shorts and craft pants
• Layering is different for everyone based on personal needs.
• Wind resistant & breathable layers are key
• Water sources freeze (even the insulated camel hoses)
• Keep sipping on the camel back hose to move water so it does not freeze as quickly
• Keep the hose under your clothes, close to your skin so body temps keeps it liquid
• PSI PSI PSI...conditions will dictate what pressure to run.  I was running what I thought was low psi at 6 and I should have let more air out for the loose conditions...could have probably even gone down to about 3 or 4!
• 3 layer system for feet...liner, vapor barrier, warmth layer (for me it is a thin liner, a goretex sock, and a wool sock).
• Stay Dry!  anything wet will get COLD
• Bar Mitts rule in cold conditions.  You can wear a light spring glove and your hands will stay plenty warm
• Clean/lube chain often to prevent rust
• Nutrition & Hydration is difficult while riding in snow (for fear of letting one hand off the cockpit and losing control of the bike)
• Balaclavas rock and are very versatile!
• Ski Goggles come in handy with high winds and sideways blowing snow
• Having backup beanie, gloves, etc is good in the event something gets wet/cold
• I had to use clipless pedals - platform pedals and hiking boots did not have enough arch support and creating issues with plantar fasciitis
• Drilling out your rims just looks rad
• Pushing your bike in the snow is hard
• Snow mobile tracks are not optimal for snow biking - they actually loosen the snow up
• Riding your bike in the snow is all about finding the right line
• Riding your bike in the snow is hard
• Riding your snow bike is BIG FUN
• Riding your snow bike with others is BIGGER FUN

I will add to the list as I learn more but figured it is a good start to keep reminding myself of the goodness that is riding obese tires.

Togwotee Winter Challenge Elevation Profile

Below is the topo and the elevation profile from the Togwotee Winter Classic:

notice the sharp litle fin before mile 10...that was a super steep hike bike/post holing sesh

 finishing up:

 Keeping the dogs close for fear of getting run over by snowmobilers.

Togwotee Winter Classic Report

The Togwotee Winter Classic was just another peak into the realm of possibilities of snow bikes and the events that support the growth of this space.  This year's TWC was the 5th annual already!
The TWC is held up at the Togwotee Pass area north and slightly east of Jackson.  We figured we were in for a good time when we were driving up the pass and kept watching the banks of snow get taller and taller!
We stayed at the Togwotee Lodge and us fatty riders were definitely in the minority in terms of user groups.  The Togwotee area is a destination mecca for snowmobilers and after having spent just a little time up there it is understandable as to why snowmobilers flock there.

We woke up Saturday morning and my first observation was that it snowed somewhere between 3-5 inches throughout the night and the forecast called for a 60% chance of snow throughout the day.  As luck would have it, that 60% just happened to coincide nicely with our race time!  It literally snowed the whole time we rode.

We met at the lodge at 8:15 for a quick debrief and the general consensus was that the conditions were going to be soft and make for a tough day of riding.  Discussion revolved around what tire pressure everyone was running, and that the 35 mile option of the event would be a big mouthful to try and chew and swallow, and that the prevailing conditions would push just about everyone to the 25 mile option.  There were three people who did the 35 miler and mad props to them for taking it on.

The rest of us mortals were in our own little hurt locker trying to get through the 25 miler.  The snow came down sideways due to the constant wind which also made it really difficult to find the tracks where the snow was the most packed down and rideable.  The result often meant meandering into deep snow where you had to posthole your way back and try to find more packed down snow....often to no avail.  There were a couple of particularly mean sections where they looked very very rideable but the snow just gobbled up your bike and you resorted to hike a bike.

About 1 1/2 hrs in I noticed that both my camelback hose and my water bottle were frozen so that meant no more liquids for the remainder of the event.  Bear in mind that the beginning and middle section of the course were the hardest so it was going to be a stretch to manage the effort while not dehydrating over the remaining 2/3 of the race.

I opted for ski goggles for the day thinking that the combo sideways falling snow and nasty winds would make it a good call.  I was glad I had the goggles but they too needed a little cleaning every once in a while.  I was particularly happy to have them when we entered the valley and encountered swirling winds that at times felt like headwinds and other times felt like sidewinds that just wanted to blow snow everywhere.  It was snowing and blowing hard enough that the riders that were a couple of minutes ahead of me had their tracks completely blown over by the time I got to their location.

As usual with these longer events, you end up riding in a pack of sorts.  I spent about the mid 1/3 of the event with a couple of fellow phatties as we commiserated in the foul weather.  As with most of these events, you realize how small the endurance riding community is.  One of the fellow phatties was a rider from Lander who knew a mutual friend and we immediately started to chat about different events that we had done.

The last 1/3 of the race I was back in solo mode and ended up getting into the line of sight of the 2 riders ahead of me.  It was a bit of a yo yo game at that point with them.  The irony is that the two riders were the two shop owners who were in the race.  Chad from Red Barn and Scott from Fitzgeralds.  At about this point I had not had anything to drink in about 2 hours and the dreaded cramps were starting to make themselves present.  I relented and stopped to try to get some water.  The hose on the camel back had long since been frozen but I figured the reservoir was probably fine considering it was in my backpack.  Fortunately it was not frozen so I was able to take a couple of swigs and then get going again.  The yo-yo had released and I lost sight of the riders ahead of me.  I did reel them back in a little but then had to stop again to get some food and water and a little mental break!

The hardest blow on the ego/pride for the day was the last little push back up to the start/finish where the trail paralleled the road for a bit and was a low grade hill.  There was just enough snow and the conditions were just poor enough that it made it really really difficult to ride that section (the legs were tired at this point too)......The lodge was in sight but yet I found myself pushing the bike along this section for a while.

We got back to the lodge and everyone quickly started to compare notes about the day's events and the consensus from the crew who had ridden this before all said that this was probably as tough a conditions that the TWC hosted.  The trails are usually nicely groomed and the race is usually much faster due to the nice hard packed groomed trails.

It was an awesome day in the saddle and the best part was getting to see ALL those phatties in one place and ride with other like minded people who were chasing the same elusive euphoria of riding big tires in snow.  It was super fun to hang out in the lodge after the event, swill some local brews, and get to know more about everyone else that rode.  Big Fun all the way around!

There is still more to digest from the weekend's events and tomorrow will be some lessons learned for me.

Mad Props to TWC organizer Dave B for putting on such an awesome event.  

TWC First Take

We just rolled back into town after a great weekend in the Togwotee Pass area.  A more thorough ride report to follow tomorrow but the first impressions are that it was a HARD day.  It snowed throughout the evening prior to the event so it was some tough riding through loose snow.

We were treated to heavy winds, sideways falling snow, cold, and what I imagine must have been amazing scenery if it were a blue bird day.  It was a BIG THUMBS up with some teeth gritting and post holing when trying to push your bike through the white that was not rideable.

It was amazing to see such a good representation of other phatties who are all in on the same secret:
shhhhhh, don't tell anyone, but this Fat Biking stuff is DA BOMB!"

'T' minus 2 days

'T' as in Togwotee Winter Classic.  I am leaning towards the 25 mile version (there is also a 35 mile option) of the event since it looks like there will be fresh snow for Saturday's snow bike ride.  I am looking forward to heading down and exploring a new area.  We have been through the area before but have never stopped to explore.

The Togwotee area has a series of snowmobiling trails and the race runs along some of the trails.  My hope is that the trails will be packed down well from snowmobile traffic and the weather will stay cold enough such that the snow stays 'hard'-packed.  It should be an awesome day to be out playing in the snow.  It will be about a 6 hr haul to get there but am hoping once we arrive we can chillax for a bit during the weekend (race day being the exception).

I use the word 'race' loosely as it will be a noobie experience for me and it will be fun to do a little sum'n' different.  More than anything, it will be fun to hang out with other like-minded phatties and compare notes on gear choices, etc.  With a little luck, we can get out on the bikes both days and do some riding in a new place with some killer scenery.

Giddyup!