A very late write-up about the Italy Divide 2019

A recent post by 3rd place finisher Jay Petervary in the inaugural Atlas Mountain Race had me thinking about my ride at 2019 Italy Divide....Jay made a quick little FB post about his race and noted that he took the time to sit, relax and take in the culture and this had me wanting to be back on the trails, just my bike and I and some many hours spent in the saddle, but also some time chilling around people from another culture, another way of living as they go about their daily lives.
There's no doubt these guys race hard, really hard but the fact JP mentioned the need (or want) to sit and take some culture in, makes me happy about how i performed in Italy last year.

I breakdown a bikepack race in to three 'levels', with of course, the underlying goal of finishing. 

Level 1, The Ride
Everyone does the same route in a bikepack event however, the environmental conditions play a large role in how we 'see' the route. The beauty in this is that we all ride at a different pace and thus our experiences on route are can vary considerably. For some, a hike-a-bike might happen in the wee hours of the night and the singletrack seemed super techy and the fatigue levels were super high but for another rider reaching this same trail in daylight and feeling fresh, could mean it was a highlight section of the entire route. Then there's the weather. Weather systems in any given area means it could be a matter of hours or even minutes that can change a super fast dirt track into an oblivion of mud stuck to the bike and terrible words coming out ones mouth!

On the 2019 Divide, the winners, Sofiani Sehelli and James Hayden were way out front and ended up getting smashed with some snowfall up the mountains, within the last 100k of the route. They froze, they walked, they trudged on and finished together, as conditions meant that staying together was the safest method of travel. As time went on, conditions got better and two days later, when i came through, the temps were still cool at around 0C but the mountain roads had cleared and riding was totally feasible. A totally different experience for me.

I chose Maxxis Ikon 2.2's on my Cutthroat for this event. On the Tour Divide in 2018, i rode Ikon's as well, but on my Fatboy frame with 29er wheels from @wovenprecisionhandbuilts, out of Ottawa, Ontario. I love the Ikon tire. It has never let me down, ever. Many riders were going quite thin on tire choice for the Italy Divide, down to 40mm, is what I noticed...and many had flats. Route-wise, there is some full-on techy, rockie, rooty nastiness but also miles and miles of pavement too.  I always err on the side of bigger tires, for more volume, not only for tough riding but also for comfort, as my Cutthroat is fully rigid. 

Level 2, The Mental/Physical Element 
A quote that I have on some blackboard paint in my bathroom cupboard door says: "Your attention dictates your direction".  There's no doubt that I like to push myself, in everything that I do.
Typically referred to as "type II" fun, the physical and mental challenge of a bikepack event can often be attributed to your attitude. In my line of work, which is Adventure Guide Training at the post secondary level, the most important attribute we teach our students is that attitude will get you through anything. Bad weather, terrible route conditions, poor gear choices, etc, etc... the list can go on for pages, but how you act at any given moment is without a doubt a large contributing factor as to whether we finish something, or not.

On the Italy Divide, I had very few moments of poor attitude, if any, that i can recall...I truly enjoyed the long, steep climbs. I know there are other's out there that also enjoy the climbs, be it a long and drawn-out low grade cruise of an insanely steep grade, that could end up in a hike a bike...to me, it's all good. The large crowds of people swarming our route in the city centers was probably what tested my patience the most. I live in a village of 900 people, in a very rural area, so trying to navigate thousands of people walking, while on my bike, tired, muddy and dirty was probably what 'tested' me the most and in hindsight...not a big deal.

In short, you can smile and laugh, or, you can bitch and moan...the choice is always there...it's up to you to decide on the direction you take.


Level 3, The Experiential Element
By far my favourite aspect to riding in new areas is the immersion into a new culture, or, at the very least, being a passer-by on a bike and getting a sense of daily life in a totally different part of the world. One of the biggest debates I always have with myself is between riding at as much of a race pace that I can sustain or stopping to take in the new cultures, sights, smells and sounds. The aspect of  the race usually takes a back seat for me and the stopping for longer periods of time, to soak in the culture and new experiences, seem to take precedence. I feel that if i was to repeat an event, that race mode would kick-in and the need to stop more and take-in the local fare and culture would take a back seat.

Not returning to an event for a second or third time is what begs me to stop more often than I probably should, especially knowing that I could keep riding into the night. No excuses now that i set up a K-Lite with a SON dynamo....just awesome! 

In Italy, as I passed a cafe or pub I pass, I'd ask myself if I should stop in and see what's going on....to see what it's like to have a beer at that particular establishment. I'd sit in a corner and quietly sip a pint of new brew and watch the locals pop in, the bartender chat with staff and clients and listen to the banter of people in a different language. I love it all and would find it terribly difficult to not stop in and experience new places.

Pizza & Beer around corner. How could you not stop and enjoy this! 

I feel as though I took good advantage of most stopping opportunities in Italy. I sat down and ate at restaurants. I hopped in to small pizzerias and quickly ordered a pie or two and chatted with the staff, who often had just as many questions for me, as I have for them. Tasting local fare and glancing around to see what happens in these tiny villages on a random night of the week is really fun for me and helps me understand different ways of life and it encourages me to gain a greater perspective on other cultures. Travel kills all prejudice (I think Mark Twain is quoted saying something along these lines...).

Naples (Mt Visuvius in background)

As I type out this blog post, almost a year later (yup, true story), I cannot help but share my sympathy for all Italians as they cope with devastating hardship and loss during the COVID19 outbreak. It's impossible to imagine what it is like there now compared to a year ago, when the sun shone bright on every little village I rode through and people were out and about their daily lives, working, shopping, playing...living a normal life. Not now though, not even close and as COVID19 sets in on the rest of the world, as we all take shelter, away from one another, within the confines of homes, it is painful to realize that a new normal is taking shape and that the end is unknown. We don't know how all this will unfold in a month, 6 months, or even a year from now but what we can do, is adjust our attitude so that it points forward. We can continue to strive toward the top of the next massive climb and peer over the summit in hopes that brighter, healthier days lie ahead of us.

Until next time, #grindon.

I'd like to thank:
Giacomo/Jack, the organizer/route planner of the event. Great job!
Zeno's and his family for picking me up at the finish and hosting me overnight at their home. So kind and I hope that you're all well during this epidemic.
Woven Precision Handbuilts for their incredible carbon wheel builds and hubs.
Thief Bikepacking Bags for endless supplies of feedbags, frame bags and stickers!

Tour Divide 2018 - Post Ride

The start, in Banff, with Crazy Larry. 

I'm glad I decided to do the Tour Divide. It had been on my list for far too long and things lined up nicely to get it done this year. I did very little "extra" or intense training leading up to the TD, but rather I came into it very rested and without injury or illness. Someone once said, it might of been Lance Armstrong, that; "it is better to be over rested than to be over trained for big events"...I went with that advice and it seemed to work well for me.
For gear preparation, I was not at all worried or unsure about anything. I've had some practice over the years, in variable conditions, right down to enduring -40C/F during some Fatbike Ultras and going to university (mostly riding and skiing) in British Columbia for six years. The intense heat and super long climbs were tough to prepare for here in Ontario, Canada, but I knew they were coming, both heat and climbs, so I prepped as best I could, mostly mentally.

I had a blast the entire time. Sure it was tough, long days in the saddle, a little wet and cool in the first week and insane, record breaking heat in the last week, but that is what you sign up for - the 'epicness' of it all. 

Highlights of the ride include the everyday wildlife encounters, from large moose to small little critters dancing between my wheels. I enjoyed the endless hours being alone in the middle of knowhere, wondering what was around the next corner. I looked forward to riding into the many different communities and chatting with other riders on the tour, or some of the locals who had information to share about the area, or updates on the route. 

It was always a good time at a local brewery or pub, people-watching for a little bit, tasting the local fare and leaving with a full belly of food and riding into the night while scoping out a sweet spot to camp, or finding only a shitty spot, but being too tired to care! 

I learnt that I can push myself quite hard in this kind of event, both physically and mentally but that I still have room to push deeper, should I choose to do so. I rode hard, but not to the point of killing myself, as a goal of mine was to also enjoy every aspect of this 'race', including the people I would meet and the landscapes that I would pass through. I feel that I blended the riding and enjoyment factors quite well. I know that if I should return, I could put my head down a little more, dig deeper each day, and perhaps cut off a few days, making better time overall. ...we'll see. 

My body and mind held up very well during my 24 days on the bike. My only complaint being my left knee that bothered me for about 9 days, until I used some Tech-Tape to fix the issue, and also, more stretching each morning, midday and night.

I was comfortable the entire time, both while riding and while sleeping. I feel as though I packed enough for the cool to cold range (0C to -5C) and that i was sufficiently packed for cover from the sun and heat (up to 45C!). My two favorite peices of gear on this trip were my sun sleeves/legs and my Gore-Tex socks. Both of these items were crucial in being comfortable. 

Using the sun sleeves and legs for sun protection, on this trip, was at an all-time high. I wore these items almost every day, unless it was a full-on rain day, where I'd be wearing my Patagonia Storm Chaser rainshell (awesome and superlight). 

It was another goal mine to come of this ride with little to no signs of sun tans and definitely not a sun burn and I was successful. 

The Gore-Tex socks by Rockie Wear are incredible. This peice of gear was new to me as of April 2018. I always wore vapour barrier socks instead, but I realized that the gore tex sock will offer more durability and protection for little to no weight penalties. I made the right decision. I wore the waterproof for the entire first week, as it was rainy and cool, to the point where some people were getting really cold feet/toes on the long and fast decents, having to stop. Another bonus is that your base layer socks (mine were lightweight merino wool), never got wet and thus, I only had to bring one pair of socks with me on the tour. 

Lately I've been thinking about what I would not bring with me next time, mostly in order to save some weight, but I am at a standstill as to what it would that I remove from the kit. ... I did take with me a very lightweight lonsleeve sun shirt from Outdoor Research and a light pair of 3/4 shorts. These I used at the end of my ride, as casual clothing for the trip home...

I could remove my thin fleece boxer shorts and thin merino t-shirt from Specialized, but these were fantastic to have at night, for sleeping and getting out of my riding kit, in order to keep my Mountain Hardwear Ghost Spark -2C down sleeping bag a bit cleaner and functional. 

I did have way too much food at the start. I was carrying enough snacks for almost 4 days, which weighed about 5 or 6 pounds. 

I had two jackets...a Castelli wind shell (125g) and my Patagonia rain jacket(250g)...however I used my wind shell almost every day, as it was the perfect peice for cool mornings and chilly evenings.

My Top Fives of what worked well for me:
1. Gore Tex socks
2. Sun legs and sleeves
3. Lauf Carbonara front fork
4. Specialized fatbike frame with 29er wheelset, for clearance
5. No stove

What I would change/didn't work well for me:
1. I'd strongly consider a dynamo front hub to minimized battery usage
2. Less food off the start
3. Remove a shirt and pair of shorts
4. I'd strongly consider not bringing the 7 maps of the route...
5. I would bring a second Garmin GPS with the route loaded onto it, like my 520 or similar. 

Clothing - Tour Divide 2018 (L to R) Smith Overtake Helmet with Petzl 250 lumen Actik light, Black Diamond Eon 500 lumen light was on my barness, Rhyme shoes, Windriver UL folding pack (stored away when not carrying xtra food), Smartwool Merino short sleeve jersey, OR sun shirt, Specialized merino T, Smith sunglassed, PI riding cap, OR sun hat with neck shades. Top center: OR 3/4 shorts, GORE bibs, PI sunlegs in bright white. Storm Chaser shell in blue, Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody in burnt orange, Castelli wind shell in white, Grey OR sun sleeves, Merino socks, Gore Tex socks, long compression socks (did not bring), Shimano Windstopper gloves, riding gloves, blue Gore Tex shell mittens, CRAFT beanie and neck buff. 

Sleep system: Sea to Summit UL non-insulated pad (400g) , MSR Carbon Reflex 1 tent (1.5 lbs) and MTN Hardwear Spark -2C down bag (1.5 lb). Total weight is under 4lbs. 

Repair/food/other: L to R: zip ties, mini pump, Almond butter, body wipes, route maps and cue cards, repair parts, tent poles, VEGA nutrition shakes, dehydrate meal (did not bring with me), Toothbrush kit, batteries, more repair parts (all fit inside a SMITH sunglass case), 1 light blue battery stick (as a back up, did not ever use it), 100L of water purification tabs, bagged beef jerky, rice and instant coffee/electrolyte powder. Not shown is roughly 20 energy bars, candy, etc... In hindsight, it was a bit too much food on the start. I would bring/use the VEGA type proteins/carb powders a lot more as instant fuel. 

The Grand Depart with Crazy Larry sending us off! 

It might look like this is nearing the end of the tour, but this only at midday on day 2, at the MacDonalds in Fermie, BC. Be ready for mega sticky mud! I lucked-out by using my fatbike frame and a set of Woven Precision carbon 29er wheels with Maxxis Ikon 2.2's, which offered incredible mud clearance. I never had to walk my bike because of mud build-up. 

"Take'r to Dacre" - Fatbiking Calabogie Backcountry

Managed to sneak in a full weekend of riding with a good friend, Jarrod Forrest. It was two of the coldest days so far this winter. After our mid-winter melt, smelling spring in the air and dusting off the gravel bike, frosty was quick to return, with a vengeance, I might add.

Day 1 - Saturday, 3pm to 7pm

She was crispy out!!

Snow surface conditions were absolutely perfect! It was go-anywhere style riding. I arrived at Jarrod's later in the afternoon on Saturday, around 2pm. We immediately geared up and left from his place. The plan was to do 50km, in a loop. It was breezy and about -15C before the windchill and had to be close to -30C with the wind.

LAUF Carbonara fork coming in handy for these bulletproof conditions.

Our Saturday loop started out on some road. I stopped a few kms in to pump up the tires. I felt squishy and slow. The added air helped dramatically. We veered left onto the gravel and right away things felt warmer. The hills helped with the 'warmer' bit.  We climbed up Mt St Patrick, an Irish community between Calabogie and Dacre, where we pulled into the Holy Well, to, well...warm up...

The Holy Well was a little soaked

 Kenelly Mtn Road was the crux of this ride. A long and dragged out gravel climb that steepened near its peak. We hung out on top, at the new cell tower for about 5 seconds. Worth it. The descent was eyeball popping, meaning that my eyeballs froze and then popped outta my head as if cherry bombs had been inserted into them. Favorite part for sure.

Finishing off the ride. Full moon ahead. 

 The remainder of the ride had us blinking red as we approached sundown and moon-up. Gravel road lead to some inconsistent skidoo trail, to more gravel and then the final few kms of pavement bringing us full circle and back to Jarrod's warm and cozy fireplace. The evening was short but sweet, as we guzzled a brew-dog at the +Calabogie Brewing Company  in the Village of Calabogie. Highly recommend the Campfire stir fry. Filling with a hint of spice.
We also drained a whitewaterbeer.ca/ seasonal, the Straight Outta Cobden. Just enough 'hoppiness', for a red ale. I could have a few, but not tonite, not with what lies ahead for tomorrow.


Day 2 - Sunday, 10:30am to 2pm

Sunday's ride was a little more on the tolerable scale whereas Saturday coulda went sideways pretty fast should something epic had gone done, like a big crash or major mechanical. Saturday I worked all AM at the College and arrived at Jarrod's a little foggy from presenting to 70+ for two hours, but the ride helped clear my head.

K&P Rail Trail - the ice highway

Studs would be nice to have on sections like the above. Note the lake beside Jarrod and note that there isn't much difference between where he is riding the lake ice! It was fast going with the odd HOLY SHIT moment. With the eyeballs just-a watering, some sections were shaded and pure ice. Some ice was smooth, which could still hurt but at least you slide whereas other ice sections were rutted from skidoo/Atv traffic. Those sections would rip you to pieces. Luckily we managed to keep the rubber side down.

Wood section

 We stopped at an intersection not far after chatting with a group of ATV'ers in Flower Station. We decided to take a right onto Fish Creek Road as it showed a promising route back towards Barrett Chute Dam and familiar territory to Jarrod. The road had been plowed in last weeks warmer weather and we ended up riding through a recent logging operation. A misleading right hander took us 1 km off route but we quickly found the entrance to the funnest terrain yet.

Open creeks kept us on our toes

Animal tracks abound everywhere and we were having such a great time in the woods, on the old logging trails, rolling through the dips and twists, wondering if we'd eventually sink our front end into a depression only to not ever see it again. Jarrod proved that the latter could happen, as he flipped himself over the bars, gracefully I might add, as the ice cover hole he rode into slowly gave way and his front tire disappeared - (no pics unfortunately) .

Bomber conditions in the wooded sections. 

 From Fish Creek Road to Barrett Chute was the best where our fatbikes shined! Some open creeks had us tiptoeing lightly over the open rocks to avoid soaked feet in -15C weather. The sun shone throughout the ride and we both felt great, even though the majority of climbing would happen in the last third of this route. We both enjoy climbing so it was to no avail that smiles remained on our faces even while grinding our way up.

+SpecializedCanada
+Lauf Forks
+Specialized Bicycles

Gate To Gate

The first bridge, exiting Kiosk

Ninety nine years ago, the CNR railway pushed its way through the dense forests of Algonquin Park, over and across its many lakes and rivers, to service the small logging communities and mills that once thrived amidst this landscape, in an attempt to move northward, connecting Southern Ontario to the vast Northern landscape and its desolate communities. It moved supplies and tourists into the wilderness, taking resources back to the southern cities, like Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.

Lunch along the Petawawa River

This was back in 1915 and was known as the Algonquin Route, traveling 128km through Algonquin Park, crossing water 17 times. It is now an abandoned rail bed, stripped of its steel rails since November 24th, 1995. It is where Chief Amable du Fond once stood along the shores of that same river and where Kiosk was once a booming mill, run by the Staniforth Lumber Company. That's where this bikepacking "overnighter" adventure began.

Yup, two Via packs!

This "overnighter" has been sitting in the 'chat' room for some time now, desperately trying to make its way to fruition. Last weekend it finally happened. As company I had Jarrod Forrest with me. Jarrod is no stranger to riding a bike. He's typically on the podium for every event he signs up for. He's also had the opportunity to ride some bikepacking miles of his own, doing a 600km+ trip to visit family, rather than driving his car there...yeah, he's that kinda guy.

Crossing over the Petawawa River

This time of year in the Park, there is no one around, except the odd hunting party. We noticed one group of hunters within the first 10 minutes and that is all we saw for people or vehicles, the entire ride.  Our chosen route was to ride Gate to Gate (Kiosk to Achray) and then another 45 km to the Forest Lea Trails parking lot, totaling 150 km, the last eight was on gravel road, the first 135 km on rail bed.

The Swamp Crossing

Our route began at the northern tip of Algonquin Park, at the Kiosk gate. Our shuttle driver (Thanks Dad), left us around 5:30pm on Saturday afternoon. With an hour and a half of daylight left, we wasted no time to make our way down the line a few kilometers, find a camp and rest up for tomorrows blast through the Park. A moose appeared next to us about 10 km into the ride. A cow moose, she was chewing on some water vegetation down below as we rode past on the raised rail bed.

Cruising through the colors

Camped next to Cochon Lake, we set up the GoLite Shangri La 5 teepee tarp tent and made ourselves comfortable for the evening, listening to the 30 to 40 km/hr winds push their way from north to south (yes, we had a nice tail wind the entire time). Knowing that we had upwards of 135 km to ride the next day, we woke at 7 am, boiled our water for oatmeal in a bag and some coffees and rode out at 9 am. Little did we know about the surface conditions of the rail bed and that it would deteriorate significantly as we moved in a southerly aspect.

The ShangriLa

Bag meals....It's all about the long-spork

With bikes loaded for an overnighter, we knew that a long day lie ahead, but we did not anticipate being crushed by what we called the 'favorite part' of the trip, the washboard. To clarify, the 'washboard' that we rolled through could last anywhere from 500m to 5 km in length. It was spaced out in a way that made for a roller coaster-style feeling and then throw in the chunky, slick rocks that make up a rail line. It was a recipe for a beat down and felt like you were riding a bed of well-oiled, extra large Lego pieces that were piled-up by a mean little kid every meter or so. Being able to sit on the saddle to pedal became a luxury. We agreed that about 30% of the route was washboard, the other 70% was great riding.




At around kilometer ninety, we arrived at the "swimming hole". Luckily, for us, this 600m section was only about 1.5 feet deep and with the solid rail bed underneath, we slowly chugged our way through the cold water all the while, unbeknownst to us, that our drivetrains were also collecting some water vegetation. After 25 minutes of plucking, pulling and cutting the weeds from our drivetrains and wheels, we set off with wet feet, continuing south, towards Achray. We contemplated hikebiking the swamp to keep our footwear dry but did not want to risk injuring our feet. We packed our fall riding boots (northwave winters and Lake MX303) as footwear and the daily high for Sunday was +10C, so we were comfortable with having some wet feet given the milder weather.

SwampThing Drivetrain

If you've ever canoed through the interior of Algonquin, you are aware of how serene and magical it can be. Mix in the fall colors, the emptiness of no one around and a rail line that has you riding high-up along the banks of its many rivers and lakes and you have the perfect wilderness bikepacking adventure. The Algonquin Route is unlike other rail lines, since it twists it way through and around the many lakes and rivers and since it is not maintained, it it overgrown in many parts, making for interesting riding with a varying landscape.

Considerations

There is little to no cell coverage throughout the entirety of the Park rail line, so one should be prepared with a SPOT or similar device. A map (we used Jeff's Map) is also a good idea. 

Spreading this ride into two nights would be ideal, to better enjoy and explore what the Park has to offer. 

Consider purchasing a park pass and pay campsite fees or at the very least slide a few bucks into the receipt box at either gate. 

Note that the route is marked with "No Trespassing" signs along the rail line and it is still owned by the CNR. Use at own risk.

My Gear List (main items)
Specialized Fatboy Expert with 4" Dillingers

Specialized's Burra Burra bags held up really well
on the bumpy washboard

Specialized Burra Burra  bar harness and Burra Burra saddle bag 20L
Screaming Beaver half-frame bag (the Grundy)
GoLite Shangri La 5 teepee tent
Western Mountianeering Summerlite 0C
SOL thermal bivy
Thermarest Xtherm pad
Primus ETA XL stove/pot combo
the usual fix-it gear for bike/etc...
Insulating layers for evening
LS Specialized merino-tech layer
Ibex merino 3/4 knickers
MEC 3 layer hardshell
For food we each packed a Backpacker's pantry dinner, some oatmeal and preferred mixes in ziplocks and a bunch of bars/snacks.

+SpecializedCanada
+Outdoor Research