Arrowhead Ultra 2020

Start temp around 8degF.  High around 18degF.  May be a little off, I lost my thermometer on the ride...

Checklist:

Clothing:
For the head I had a balaclava and a wool cycling cap.  After about 40 miles I removed the wool cycling cap because my head started to sweat.

I had a wicking tee, RBH VB vest, and a softshell jacket.  I had my CamelPak under my VB vest.  This setup stayed for the entire ride.  My arms did start to sweat before the Surly checkpoint, which wetted the sleeves of my soft shell outer jacket.  This caused me to get cold.  I'll have to address this.

I wore simple wool liner gloves inside my CobraFists for around 120miles.  At the start Mile 10-40, I alternated with my hands outside of the CobraFists and then back inside.  This was done to try and regulate the sweating.  15 miles from the finish my hands were getting cold so I put on my OR down mittens.  I don't know why my hands started getting cold during the last 15miles, but the mittens solved the issue.  This makes me worry about colder temps.....

Also during this last 15miles I put my hood on over my helmet and balaclava.  Once I used the simple hood, my body started to warm again.

Lower body I used some Craft Ski pants and a wool tight under.  This worked well.  Will have to find something else for the sub zero temps.  I had down pants if my legs got cold, but they didn't.

For the feet I chose my -40 Sorels, a thick Ice Breaker WigWam sock, RAB VB, and a base swiftwick sock.  My feet were fine until mile 80-90, before Surly.  Actually, everything was fine until Surly.  I think pushing up some of those hills cause me to sweat and I didn't do a good enough job regulating my moister.  Maybe remove a layer before every hill.....     At Surly, my boots and liner were wet.  I don't believe this moister was due to a failed VB.

Ride report:
Main goal was to check the ability to ride without support next year.  I wanted to not stop at Gateway, short stop at Melgeorges, no stop at Surly, but have the option to stop if needed.  I think I would've failed going unsopported.

Start to the first checkpoint, Gateway, was about 35 miles.  It took my about 4.5 hours.  I didn't stop, just checked in and left.

Gateway to Melgeorges was about 35miles.  This took me around 6.5 hours.  I did stop here for some soup, grilled cheese, and a hydro fillup. I knew I would stop here, this was part of my plan.  I stayed at Melgeorges for about a 20 minutes.

Melgeorges to Surly is about 45miles.  This section has the hills.  I pushed a lot.  I also started to sweat.  This section took me about 9 hours, (hills).  Once I reached Surly I knew I'd have to dry off, and unsupported is allowed to use the campfire.  My plan was to use the campfire to dry off and not stop into the tent, but the tent drew me in.  I had to dry off, I was too wet.  I ended up staying at Surly, in the tent for 1.5hrs.  But, I was able to dry clothes, which was what my time was spent doing.

Surly to the finish is about 25miles.  This section took me about 4.5 hours.  I got cold.  I didn't dry my jacket enough, the sleeves were still wet.  My feet got cold again, probably still a little wet, and my hands got cold.  I put on my down mittens, this solved the cold hands.  I put up my hood, my body started to warm.  I was good to the finish after these adjustments.  This section really didn't have much more that challenged me.

Future:
I want to go unsupported next year.  Better moisture management, a way to carry all of my water so I don't have to melt snow, but willing to melt snow.  I have some time to figure this stuff out.

   

Tuscobia 160 December 2019.

160 miles.

Start temp: 28degF.  Max temp: I believe was around 37deg.

 Checklist:

Clothing:
I was able to get by with a wicking shirt, long sleeve wool shirt, and Showers Pass rain jacket.  I had my hydro pack on the outside of my jacket, but the tube did end up freezing about 10miles in, so I put the hydro pack under my Showers Pass jacket.  I wore Craft Nordic ski pants at the start.  At Park Falls I added rain pants.  It rained a lot on this ride.  On my feet I wore a base sock, RAB VB, wool sock, 5.10. shoes, and NEOs.  My feet got soaked by the time I reached Park Falls.  I ended up adding a VB over my base sock, wool sock, and another VB (bread bag) and then my shoe.  My shoes were soaked, the 2nd VB was an attempt to keep my thermal wool sock dry.


Ride Report:
The 40 miles to Ojibwa, 1st checkpoint, went smooth.  The temps were in the high 20s and the trail remained solid.  This distance took me around 5.5hrs.  I snacked a little, filled my bladder, and took off.  Short stay.  It started to snow/rain about mile 30.  Ojibwa to Park Falls was around another 40miles.  By this time the snow turned to constant rain.  Ice was building up on my bike and glasses.  Fortunately, the trail still was holding up.  This section took me around 5.5hrs also.  Park Falls was my longest rest.  I had to eat their soup and grilled cheese.  I also put on rain pants and dry socks.  Leaving Park Falls and heading back to Ojibwa the trail really deteriorated.  It was still raining.  This section took me around 7 hours.  At Ojibwa I filled my water, snacked a little, and hit the trail.  Another short stay.  Ojibwa back to Rice Lake was around 40miles and it took me about 14hrs.  Trails were slush and mashed potatoes.  I made it to Birchwood gas station which is about 20miles from the finish.  At the gas station I took around a 2 hour break.  I didn't make changes to my clothes, I just had some coffee and tried to recuperate.  After heading out of the gas station I became slightly annoyed about constant bike dismount, push, mount because the extreme poor trail conditions.  I ended up dropping air pressure in my tires until I could ride on the snow.  I was riding dangerous air pressures with tubes, about 2psi front and 6psi rear.  I was finally able to stay on the snow and pedal, but this low of psi makes for a slow sludge.  I finished in around 32 hours.