Going Long and Hard.

[Johnny Utah]

Jim, end of the day you are still the man, this journey was no joke and you pulled many long days (and nights) to get there. Definitely hits hard seeing your tough luck this year. Last year I was so jammed up with work during COVID but wanted to get lost I loaded my junk on my trailer and drug it 2500 miles across the country each way only to find catastrophic failure the first day. I spent most of the following week wrenching on it/others vehicles and eating junk food. It was not cheap, but it was still a pretty awesome experience. The disappointment was pretty heavy. Here I am 33 days away from this years pull and I am paranoid now as I am trailering said junk across the country again. But that’s life. There is always next year🤔

 

[xc62701]

Not yet, but I did eat meat for the 1st time in over 25 years at Shell Lake.

Was it as good as you don’t remember?

 

[Steve Vai]

Was it as good as you don’t remember?

I think it was Chef Boyardee.

 

[The Kalmyk]

I think it was Chef Boyardee.

Sure it was meat or did the packaging just say so? That label game is serious. Prolly some teeth, cartilage abd hooves ground into it. 🤢

Your in Alaska and why not salmon

 

[Steve Vai]

Sure it was meat or did the packaging just say so? That label game is serious. Prolly some teeth, cartilage abd hooves ground into it. 🤢

Your in Alaska and why not salmon

These ain't restaurants son, 1 thing on the menu.

 

[Steve Vai]

I took pics of all 50 teams but this was the shot I was going for. Almost got run over to get it but that's what you need to do if you don't have a $10,000 lens. Or a camera 🤣

 

[Sven Migot]

I took pics of all 50 teams but this was the shot I was going for. Almost got run over to get it but that's what you need to do if you don't have a $10,000 lens. Or a camera 🤣

View attachment 180094

Which one is your mom?

 

[ChrisG]

Some serious intercoolers on those dawgs.

 

[w_b]

Some serious intercoolers on those dawgs.

I think Jim’s holding out a raw ribeye for him.

 

[Juggernaut]

I think Jim’s holding out a raw ribeye for him.

He’s gonna be sooooooo disappointed when he finds out it’s tofu.🤪

 

[Mtbdog]

I just watched a video of a sled doing the "happy steps", and I guess there's a reason the photographers were there! 🥴

 

[Steve Vai]

Yentna - Swentna.

This section was good. Pumped the tires up hard in the morning and just rode my bike.

Went to stop at Chandra's new spot to say hi but, Moose encounter #2 stopped that. Luckily we easily routed onto a 2nd trail to the Skwentna Checkpoint.

I have video of the Moose and Kyle trying to scare it away. Moose ain't GAF though.

At Skwentna I ate snacks and tried helping Graham put a blown up pedal back together. Every year someone breaks a pair of Crank Brothers, and every year people still fucking bring them. Unfortunately he snapped the end of the spindle where the bolt screws in so it was seriously toast. He would end up having a pair flown to meet him in Rainy Pass. That's like a $1,200 pair of pedals now 🤣

 

[Steve Vai]

Skwentna - Shell Lake.

Left Skwentna and 100 feet outside of the Lodge was riding around huge post holes from a Moose walking down the trail. I get to the bottom of the hill and the Italians and Rob were stopped on trail, there was a Moose facing us with it's head down ready to charge. We all dove in the snow as she rushed us but she stopped right before and turned back around. We waited for her to walk away a bit and started walking behind her.

It was slow, and she would turn around every once in a while but we were moving at least. And then another person would catch our group and she'd freak out again. Then we'd walk, then someone would catch the group and she'd freak out, etc...

Eventually enough of our trackers bunched up that Kyle came out to see what was going on. 25 people in 1 spot is extremely rare in this event.

He tried to scare the Moose with the snowmobile, which didn't work. Then we flew a drone at it, nope. Then he even unloaded a round of shells into it, nothing. Moose ain't GAF.

4ish hours goes by and finally Kyle cut us a go around with the snowmobile. We would go out onto his trail and he'll chase the Moose back past us so we can get into the shell lake trails in peace.

It was a brutal slog pushing through that shit. But there was a huge line of us chatting and carrying on so it made it go by.

I'm 2nd below.

After 5 or 6 hours to do 10ish miles, we hit the Shell Lake Trails, which are a blast. It felt so good to be moving but we were all whooped. Rob was walking his bike out of exhaustion. Me and Ethan, guy in front, rode to Shell Lake Lodge.

We were supposed to get up to Winter Lake tonight but we were so wet from the heat that we had to stop to dry out our stuff. I had no food on my bike because my first drop was in Winter Lake so, meat spaghetti it was.

With such a big group the place was packed so I fell asleep on the couch. At some point during the night George Hollerbach woke me up and said his spot in the Cabin was open, so I took that. Plan was to be on the trail before Sunrise to make the push for Puntilla.

 

[Steve Vai]

 

[rick81721]

View attachment 180255

The problem here is choice of transportation mode. Shoulda had these

 

[Steve Vai]

The problem here is choice of transportation mode. Shoulda had these

View attachment 180257

Motors are for the old and weak.

 

[Steve Vai]

If you're wondering, the EVOC Case is tits. I probably had the worst bike to ship and it made it through Newark twice. I was most concerned about the HED rims making it being they crack when you look at them, and these 100mm versions barely fit in the wheel compartments.

 

[bigW]

If you're wondering, the EVOC Case is tits. I probably had the worst bike to ship and it made it through Newark twice. I was most concerned about the HED rims making it being they crack when you look at them, and these 100mm versions barely fit in the wheel compartments.

View attachment 180312

why you take seat/seat post out?

I just drop mine 90% and re-tighten.

 

[Steve Vai]

why you take seat/seat post out?

I just drop mine 90% and re-tighten.

Just because I have it taped at my saddle height and didn't want to mess with getting it back to the right spot. I'm notorious for just setting my saddle wherever and riding until I break myself.

 

[Juggernaut]

We’re down to some mighty fine size nits to pick. 😁