by Jess Evans
June 17, 2019

This June we have a very exciting turn of events. At the end of this month, we have two stellar races taking place with one in the East and the other in the West.

For those of you in the eastern US, we would love for you to join us at Dale HollAR on Saturday, June 29. This is the start of the Unbridled Series and a 6 hour race. Get your team together and plan to race in the entire series for a chance to win the series. It is perfect for beginners and seasoned racers.

For those in the western US, we would love for you to join us at the Quarry Mt Quest 6 Hour Adventure Race on Sunday, June 30. This is a fundraiser for the Routt County Search and Rescue. It is the first year for this race, and it is turning out to be a great race course. It is also perfect for beginners and seasoned racers.

If you are super ambitious, you can do the Dale HollAR race, then hop a red-eye to Colorado and do the Quarry Mt Quest the next day. Well, that may be a bit much to ask, but certainly, let all your friends around the country know about both races.

Both Kentucky and Colorado are experiencing a lot of moisture this year. Just how the moisture will make the race more challenging (and fun) is yet to be seen. Be ready for anything, which is par for the course in adventure racing.

by Jess Evans
June 3, 2019

I have been an athlete for a long time, and often a big fish in a little pond. In fifth grade I ran my first race, a ½ mile run at the year end field day. I can’t remember if I got first or second, but I do remember there was a fourth grade girl I was aiming to beat. Rumor had it, she was really fast. The only thing I remember is throwing up at the end of the race after taking a drink of Gatorade. I never drank Gatorade again. I am clearly veering off subject here.

Through the years, I have done well in numerous races, receiving ribbons, medals, and trophies. After college, I had such a collection, I did not know what to do with them. So, I threw them in the trash can which was then taken to the landfill. Yes, my awards have helped with filling up a landfill somewhere. I should have realized I was going to become a race director and could recycle those things. I could have handed out my soccer trophies to the first, second, and third place teams in each category. What difference does it make that it was a young female kicking a soccer ball?

Since I started adventure racing, I have received some trophies, but most have been medals (finisher medals). A friend of mine revealed that he turned his medals into wind chimes. That is a brilliant idea! I tried something similar where my medals are hanging from a small basket in my yurt, where, if there was a wind, they would sound sort of like a wind chime. However, I was embarrassed a few months ago when my parents brought some of their friends into the yurt to show them this very awesome domicile. When they saw the medals, they were impressed and said I must be an amazing athlete. I quickly corrected them, “they are just finishing medals.” I am rethinking hanging them up for all to see.

Honestly, I prefer mugs, cups, and buffs to medals and trophies, because I can use them. However, medals, trophies, and ribbons are great for bringing back memories of my fun adventures.

by Jess Evans
May 27, 2019

For each adventure race, there are moments that will stay with me forever. Those moments may be when something funny happened, when something no so funny happened, or when things get super tough. Moments that often stay with me from a race are when we take time out to get a bite to eat at a restaurant or gas station and interact with the public.

My earliest restaurant moment was when I raced the USARA Championship Race in Maryland in 2014. The race was promising to be wet and cold. The rain had already started coming down in sheets after 10 hours on the course. While passing a Burger King, the suggestion was made for us to stop, dry up a little, and get a burger. It was a very uplifting moment, but I am not so sure the staff appreciated these three muddy, wet racers walking into the restaurant to order food. We had a great time enjoying our food, talking, and dripping all over the floor and chairs.

Since that time, I have entered restaurants ready for a respite looking quite horrific, but delighted they did not kick us out. In the ARWS Championship race in 2017, we found this great little place to eat in Pinedale, WY. It was day three, and we were in last place. Stopping to eat in a lovely outdoor café and talking to local patrons melted our worries away. Also my ice coffee was heavenly. In the Untamed New England race of 2018, we pulled up to a restaurant and bar somewhere in the northeast. I remember asking the waitress what state we were in. She laughed saying she had never heard that question before. Remarkably, I was serious. Owen slumped on the floor, he was unwell at this point in the race, and Jason and Robert were eagerly reviewing the list of food on the menu. To my relief, they did not kick us out, but I would not have blamed them if they had. We looked and smelt like we had been in the woods for days.

When racing and bike packing, it lifts my spirits to stop and talk to anyone curious enough to ask what we are doing. People are shocked and fascinated to learn how many miles we have traveled and where we hope to end up. They also marvel at our bikes and equipment. A man at the Grand Tetons wondered how I was riding a lefty bike without falling over. I lied and said it took some practice. I had some kids admiring my Cannondale Lefty at an Albertson’s in southern California. Adventures like these are so much fun, and getting to stop at a restaurant or grocery store adds to my enjoyment and opens a new world to non-racing folks.

by Jess Evans
May 21, 2019

Luckily, I have had few equipment malfunctions during races. But, as is my habit, I worry I will be less prepared to handle the malfunctions that will inevitably occur.

My most recent malfunction was with my water bladder. After my 700 mile bike trip from Canada to Montana in 2015, I decided to put a water filter in my hose to save time when refilling my water bladder with natural water. Water purification tablets may require as much as a 30 minute waiting period. That is too long! The filter idea worked well for the most part. It was a bit cumbersome at times, but mostly met my needs. I had read that it would work for 1,000 gallons of water filtering. Perfect! I knew it would take me a long time to get through 1,000 gallons. Therefore, I used it happily for 3 years. Then in the middle of a 4 day race, on day 2, my filter failed. I could no longer get any water through it. We had finished our overnight paddle and were standing in the rain at a TA switching to a bike leg when I discovered my loss of water access. I tried removing the filter and putting the nipple on the end of the cut hose, but the hose was too short for me to drink. I would have to take my pack off to drink every time. I got a bit frazzled trying to figure out my water situation and was wasting time while my teammates were done with their transition activities. After them offering to help me gather my things and me insisting I do it myself, we came up with a solution. I would carry water bottles, one of my own and one of a teammate’s. A simple solution but not one I liked because of the lack of convenience. A bladder and tube are much easier for accessing water often. My teammates patiently helped get me through that minor meltdown and equipment malfunction.

There are any number of malfunctions that can occur during a race that may require creative thinking or getting out of your comfort zone. Your lights may fail in the middle of the night. Numerous bike issues may occur: chain break, derailleur break, brakes failing, flat tire, and so on. Wardrobe malfunctions are always a possibility as well. During one race, I thought I lost my gloves; I absentmindedly put them in a different pocket. I had to resort to using my extra pair of wool socks to keep my hands warm on the fast and cold down hills on the bike. My gloves showed up a few hours later, but I discovered that my wool socks were a perfect substitute. During the 2nd day of a six day race in Wyoming, my shoes were hurting my feet so bad, I opted to take them off and walk barefoot (with socks) for a while. I could have continued on into the second night like this except that the small rocks were starting to hurt my feet. I have contemplated carrying my crocks or sandals in races for that reason. If you carry your running shoes while on the bike legs, it is possible you’ll lose a shoe or two. The rest of the race you’ll have to wear your bike shoes, which is not too bad if they are comfortable to walk in. I lost my right shoe during the Breakdown one year, but luckily, found another right shoe in the woods and used that the rest of the race. It worked out quite well. Good karma, I guess.

Many various malfunctions could happen during a race. Trying not to get too frazzled and letting your teammates help you sort out the situation is probably the best way to handle it. Because we are adventure racers, we are used to pushing through discomforts. As long as you keep plodding along, even with your malfunction, you’ll reach the finish.

by Jess Evans
May 13, 2019

I have been riding a bike since elementary school or earlier. I do not remember learning how to ride a bike, but I remember riding one at a very young age. In the spring, my siblings and I would ask my dad or mom to pull the bikes out of the shed and pump up our tires so we could hit the driveway. We rode up and down our sandy, hilly half-mile long driveway. On the way down to the road, there were two hills to climb. On the way back to the house, we had to climb three hills, with the second hill being quite long. As we got older, we would venture off the driveway and down the dusty roads. We would ride down Meridian to Walker and then Black Squirrel or maybe down Evans to Eastonville. I dreamed of riding my bike all the way to my Grandparents in Black Forest 10 miles away, but I never got that far.

In 2015, I bought my Cannondale 29er. I fell in love instantly, and we are still quite happy together. We have adventured in 15 states and Alberta, Canada so far. Upon buying my Cannondale, a friend showed me how to care for the bike. While I have been riding since before the dinosaurs, bike maintenance was a new concept to me. It was years before anyone taught me I needed to maintain my bike. Of course, now it seems to be a ‘no brainer’, but when I first started learning about cleaning the drive train, I was shocked no one bothered to tell me this all these years. How do you keep your bike moving smoothly? Clean it!

There is plenty I do not know, but I feel I can get by, at least minimally. As I learned in the 361° Adventures AR Clinic earlier this year from Mike’s Hike and Bike, taking a bike mechanic class is super helpful. That is still on my “To Do” list. This class can help all of us be prepared for infield repairs during races or bikepacking trips. Mike also gave advice on what needed to be done to prep for a race. Prepping our bikes for an adventure race should include filling tubeless tires, lubing the chain, getting fresh cables, tires that are free from abrasions and cuts, lubricant on gears, and a clean bike. During a race, racers should carry a bike multi-tool, duct tape (the magical all repair tool), zip ties, patch kit, spare cable, chain lubricant, rag, spoke wrench, derailleur hanger, and chain quick link, to name a few items.

As usual, the more I learn about bikes, adventure racing, nutrition, and a bunch of other things, the more I realize I do not know squat about anything. I am slowly learning to be a better bike owner and rider. That is all I can hope for, to continue learning. Happy adventuring!