Tag: TWC

The new Bill showed up in the Teton Valley this past weekend. Screw competitiveness and hello fun was now the new motto. Learn, observe, and soak it up. Being almost 48 now it is a must. Enjoy it while you can remember the good times, right?

We stopped into the Togwotee Lodge to grab a map. And then drove over the pass to our cabin we rented. Shocker … at 3 in the afternoon. If anyone knows us at all then they know we don’t arrive until like 10 or 11 in the evening. Being there so early and in daylight was weird. So we went on a quickie fat bike ride and took a look around.

When we returned we partied like it was 1999. Beer, brats, and staying up late doing cross words. Like I said party!

The next morning we woke up and drove to the start of the The Togwotee Winter Classic and prepared for our race, me the 35 miler, and my partner the 25. Without nerves everything was easy. Get the bike out jump on and start. For me I just wanted to ride the loop and have fun. To be in the moment and not expect to keep up with the leaders or go for the win. Nothing to fuss over and no scrambling with last minute details. If I needed to adjust the air in my tire then I could do it out on the trail.

And we were off like a swarm of bees making our way up the initial climbs. The race director had mentioned that the lodge groomer had broke down and the trails were not groomed. But thankfully the great folks at Togwotee Lodge did do a last minute groom the night before after their rig got fixed. So at least the start was groomed. That meant a fast front group followed by all the stragglers. I choose straggler for a bit.

Soon though the front group slowed down to a reasonable pace and I joined them. I wondered to myself why all these years I worry about starting so fast. So this time I did not burry myself and still made it to the front feeling fresh and excited. Very fun to be riding with blue skies overhead and the most beautiful scenery around.

There is a beast of a climb just before the 35 miler turn. JayP actually climbed the beast and left everyone for dead while we just trudged up on foot. Some even managed to do a respectable job getting back on and climbing the rest. Me, I just walked up it thinking that I was on my own from here. That was OK, in fact I didn’t expect to stay with the lead. I was right where I wanted to be. Riding my bike in a beautiful place. Well … soon would be riding.

On top of the climb I saw Jay and a bunch others heading up the 25 mile route. They turned to see who would go off to do the 35. I stopped and looked left down the hill. OMG, no fresh snowmobile tracks, just powder. Now I understood the directors warning that it wasn’t groomed. I waved good bye to the group and bombed down the hill. I was in the lead.

For a while I wondered if I was the only fool to take on this walk-fest 35 mile today. Last week I did JayP’s Backyard Fat Pursuit so I was no stranger to walking. And I did not have any expectations. Just wanted to be out there. And I was … alone. Now walking.

My elbows started to hurt. And for the rest of the day this was the only lagging problem. It felt like tennis elbow, probably the effects from the week prior at the Pursuit.

Then I was caught by a rider, I think Paul Nash. Then two more, Adam and Chris Leiferman. The day even got better. People to ride with … walk with.

Two of us had like 4.0 wide tires and the others, Adam and Paul, had real fatties. I am guessing 5.0’s. Every time I got off to walk Paul would catch me and Adam and his brother would extend their lead. I did not expect to ride and got on when I could but I did have that observation. This fits into my new motto. Fatter tires for more riding pleasure. I made note to get fatter next year. But no worries. It seemed Paul and I were putting out the same effort and would end up riding together today.

At the end of the valley farthest from the lodge I went poking around and found a half buried solid track. I was able to ride back to Adam and Chris. This was fantastic, what a bit of luck. All three of us walked the next series of hills coming out of the valley.

Soon it became apparent that we could ride and to our joy we could. The day was turning out fabulous. As we headed back towards the CDT trail Paul caught back up to us and then we became the 4 amigos out on a sunny winter day. The next hour or so was filled with fun decents, animal tracking, and funny jokes.

There was a pause at the CDT junction for a bit while we debated on which way to go. I reported that we were to go right due to my recollection from two previous years. Finally we found a sign to validate my claim and we were off again, this time with a rider trailing us. Wow, could this party arrive at the finish line with 5 riders?

The pace slowed so I took the lead. I reported that someone was joining us but no one looked back. It seemed as if everyone was kid of at the end of their rope. So I just set a reasonable but quick pace. Nothing that would burry me but enough to at least have a fun race to the lodge.

“Your’e dropping everyone”, came a voice behind me. I just pedaled on figuring I could make a little break and make it interesting. It was close enough to the finish I could get a little competitive and still have fun. Not like starting out wanting to win and getting buried and passed like the year before. I was having a blast.

I pulled away and had a sizable gap. I had tested my legs on a couple climbs and realized I should settle down a bit. Then it came to me … I was going to win. But thinking that was a mistake.

It was a mistake because I formulated an expectation. I was leading and far enough out to assume I would win, right? Soon I started seeing things I have never seen. And making climbs that were not in previous year’s courses. Yep, I was lost. Seems like the old Bill showed up just in time to mess up the expected win.

So I slipped back into my new self, stopped caring, and just enjoyed the ride. The view was outstanding and the sun was out. Fabulous day. I was able to determine I had passed the cut off to the lodge and rode backwards on the trail we started on. The view of the Tetons was outstanding.

I rolled into Togwotee Lodge and took a moment to turn off my GPS. I was dragging my feet because I was a little embarrassed to go inside. I got lost while leading the race. And by now everyone I had been riding with was probably waiting for me. I went in to the “sign in sheet”.

“The winner!”, someone yelled from across the room. Everyone started clapping. All racers seemed to make the wrong turn and do the extra 4 miles. And as a bonus, I won.

And that is the most interesting part of the weekend. But not all of the fun. The entire weekend was fun, and relaxing. We hung out at the lodge and ate Elk Burgers. Then we stayed another night at the cabin and enjoyed a scenic drive home the next day. All fun. Not just fun “except for the race where I got waisted”. Without expectations fun just happens.

Togwotee Winter Classic: A Tale of Snow, Grit, and Unexpected Triumph

So, there I was, squinting at my GPS in disbelief. It cheerfully informed me I had another 8 hours to trudge back to Togwotee Lodge. The last glimpse I caught of Mo was way back at the starting line. And now, here I was, smack dab in the heart of a snowstorm that felt like it was personally out to get me. They did say, “Choose the 35-mile course, and you’re basically signing up to be a lone wolf.” Well, call me Mowgli, because I was about to dance with the wolves, or in this case, snow.

Enter stage left: a legend among mere mortals, the kind of person who probably eats Tour Divides for breakfast and Iditasport Invitationals for lunch. Jay Petervary was ahead, and I, like a diligent apprentice, shadowed his every move, soaking up the art of snow racing.

The opening act of the 2012 Togwotee Classic was less “classic” and more “comedy of errors” for yours truly. Picture this: everyone else is gracefully biking through the snow, and then there’s me, letting air out of my tires not once but a half dozen times, running alongside my bike like it’s a petulant child refusing to cooperate. Talk about a crash course in humility – and I mean that quite literally.

But as they say, necessity is the mother of invention (or in my case, desperation is the father of somewhat questionable decisions). I tried to keep up with Jay P, but the man was a blur on two wheels. My attempts to mimic his grace were akin to a penguin trying to fly – ambitious but fundamentally flawed. Then, in a moment that felt more like a scene from an action movie, I let gravity take the wheel on a downhill stretch. Suddenly, Jay was back in sight, but my energy tank was flashing red.

Cue Adam Leifelman, another rider who seemingly used my draft to close the gap. We exchanged war stories about trying to keep up with Jay. My contribution? A self-deprecating quip about needing to shed a few pounds to truly compete in this snow bike racing gig. Adam’s response? A laugh and a nod. Solidarity in suffering, my friends.

As the race progressed, something miraculous happened. Jay started to push his bike up the hills, and I – yes, I – managed to catch up. This was my moment. I shadowed his every move, learning the secret language of snow biking: how to read the trail markers, the art of the light pedal stroke to float atop the snow. And then, as if by magic, I found myself in the lead.

Carbo Rocket fuelled my veins, and for an hour, Jay was nowhere to be seen. I dared to dream. Could I, the underdog, the newbie, actually pull this off? With 15 miles left, I shifted into what I like to call “beast mode” (though it’s less roaring lion, more determined turtle). I navigated hills and valleys, always half-expecting Jay to zoom past.

But he didn’t.

Crossing the finish line at Togwotee Lodge, greeted by Mo and Dave, was surreal. I lifted my bike overhead, not just as a gesture of victory, but as a salute to every unexpected turn this race took. And guess what? I smashed my GPS’s 8-hour prediction by clocking in just under 7 hours. Take that, technology!

So, there you have it. My first snow bike race was a cocktail of chaos, learning, and sheer, unadulterated joy. And to think, it didn’t even take me 8 hours.

In two weeks we will be in our first snow bike race somewhere near Togwotee Pass and today was good training. We “tried” my urban loop which comprises mostly green space fitness paths. In the winter these become pretty fun snow biking opportunities.  Today dodging the poop bombs (bad dog owners) was not a problem but interestingly enough it actually snowed in Bozeman. Enough to test our resolve on these inner city trails.

Whenever we turned West the fierce wind blew snow into our faces so hard that the snow stung like hail and opening the eyes was a trick.  It was hard to see and with the snow piling up the trails started to disappear.

Once home the storm subsided and stopped. Maybe 3 inches fell during our ride but it was enough to give us a taste of riding for multiple hours in challenging conditions.  In two weeks we find out if this toughened us up.  Maybe next time I can actually show my girlfriend around Bozeman. Today was just a complete white out which made it seem more like Togwotee Pass.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, FEB 18:

• 2008: Let Levi Ride and First Road Ride of the Season
• 2006: Trip Across Montana Picture Posted and New Photos In Photo Oasis
• 2002: Single Track is Calling

Dive into these snapshots of time for a mix of humor, adventure, and the beauty of the outdoors through the lens of my experiences.