Going Long and Hard.

huffster

Well-Known Member
There's a Bivy in there. It's all rolled together so all I need to do is unpack it, roll it on the ground, and crawl in. 2 minutes.

Thanks for the reply. Bikepacking fascinates me. I'd need to make quite an investment for bags, harnesses, sleeping bag/tent, etc. I have some stuff, but I'd probably need to drop $5oo to be better prepared. If I ever get myself to do it, I'm sure I won't start in the winter.

A bivy does seem like the smallest, lightest and fastest set-up, so I totally get why its your choice for what you are doing. I see myself preferring a small tent to be more than a sleeping cocoon. Of course, that means one more "roll" to try and strap on somehow. Perhaps a small enough tent could still be rolled together with a higher temp sleeping bag and still be about the size of your "sleep system".
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
I was doing some hike a bike today with the 35lb fat and noticed a good workout with the triceps and calves. @jimvreeland, I recall you saying last year that you had to push quite a bit at Alaska and/or JayPs. Have you changed your workouts in the weight room to condition for this?
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
A bivy does seem like the smallest, lightest and fastest set-up, so I totally get why its your choice for what you are doing. I see myself preferring a small tent to be more than a sleeping cocoon. Of course, that means one more "roll" to try and strap on somehow. Perhaps a small enough tent could still be rolled together with a higher temp sleeping bag and still be about the size of your "sleep system".

There's also a difference between a "race" set-up and a "bikepacking" set-up. If I'm touring, I prefer a small tent to the bivy. If you've spent any time in a bivy, they're not very comfortable, so you spend minimal time in there. Perfect for racing because it motivates you to keep moving.

The gear will get you. My base winter kit cost a little over $1,000 with another $500 or so in backup layers in the bags. $8,000 bike. $1,000 in bags and mounts. $1,000 Marmot bag. Close to $1,000 in lights and electronics. It's insane. Basically my budget for every single XC, CX, and TT I've ever done dumped into one race.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
I was doing some hike a bike today with the 35lb fat and noticed a good workout with the triceps and calves. @jimvreeland, I recall you saying last year that you had to push quite a bit at Alaska and/or JayPs. Have you changed your workouts in the weight room to condition for this?

Yes and no. I've done a shit ton of upper body work this year in the weight room. But I'm also running a much lower gear than last year though so I should be off the bike a lot less.
 

Pampa

Well-Known Member
Perhaps a small enough tent could still be rolled together with a higher temp sleeping bag and still be about the size of your "sleep system".

I rolled together my sleeping system: Light tent (Zpaks Hexamide Solo), sleeping pad (Therm-a-rest NeoAir Lite) and sleeping bag (Marmot Plasma 40). The roll fit with room to spare in an OR Heavyweight dry sack (20L) and the diameter wasn't too bad.

IMG_0158 (1).JPG
 

Pampa

Well-Known Member
Looking at your tube location just gave me an idea.

It worked well. It was out of the way, didn't fell and it was handy. I also carried another tube, in a thick ziplock, in the pouch on top of the saddle bag.

Very neat setup you have going on. Taking notes, taking notes :)
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
I look forward to following your adventure again.

Thanks. Will try to post the Trackleaders link if I get it in time. If not, hopefully someone can do it while I'm on course.

My goal is to finish. Hopefully under 48hours. JayP personally signs off on your ITI recommendation, so this is for all the marbles and I'm seriously feeling the pressure. I know I'm not a contender for the overall so I need to ride smart and ensure a finish. Another DNF here would set me back another year towards racing the ITI350.

I scheduled my flight wrong and will be arriving (next) Thursday night in West Yellowstone. Will have to build my bike and pack gear quickly as gear check is first thing Friday morning. Meeting at Noon. Race start at 5pm. Less than 24 hours from the plane landing to racing. Not that it should be an issue because I barely slept before the race last year anyway...Just wish I had a little more time in there for a test ride. Good news is I'll have a couple days to kill in Yellowstone afterwards if I don't freeze to death. I can go see Bison or maybe get mauled by a Mountain Lion. Or just sleep for a couple days, that might be good too.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
Thanks. Will try to post the Trackleaders link if I get it in time. If not, hopefully someone can do it while I'm on course.

My goal is to finish. Hopefully under 48hours. JayP personally signs off on your ITI recommendation, so this is for all the marbles and I'm seriously feeling the pressure. I know I'm not a contender for the overall so I need to ride smart and ensure a finish. Another DNF here would set me back another year towards racing the ITI350.

I scheduled my flight wrong and will be arriving (next) Thursday night in West Yellowstone. Will have to build my bike and pack gear quickly as gear check is first thing Friday morning. Meeting at Noon. Race start at 5pm. Less than 24 hours from the plane landing to racing. Not that it should be an issue because I barely slept before the race last year anyway...Just wish I had a little more time in there for a test ride. Good news is I'll have a couple days to kill in Yellowstone afterwards if I don't freeze to death. I can go see Bison or maybe get mauled by a Mountain Lion. Or just sleep for a couple days, that might be good too.
The weather looks nice and cold too

Image1.jpg
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
wow that's really cold

It doesn't feel any different than the cold we had a few weeks back. It was single digits and in the negatives with windchill. During the 60k Fat Pursuit it hit -43 with windchill, that's cold. I think. I've only ever been in -20-25ish during Tuscobia. That was the year everything I owned froze solid and I survived by eating ice out of my beard.
 
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