My page. My .02
I have my 5th one-way ticket to Banff and as such feel, perhaps with arrogance, that I can spout my opinion of what is and what is not self supported bikepack racing.
The line up of the 2011 TD was only the 4th running of the event. There were something less than 80 people going both north and south. We'd all done our homework.
We'd taken months to pick bike, gear, lights, tires.
We had to figure out how to even sign up.
How to get a SPOT tracker and register it.
We spent hours figuring out how get to Canada with a bike.
How to get from Calgary to Banff.
Where to stay before the race.
How to load tracks on our GPSs and how to navigate.
We studied the route and made notes of where we should re-supply or where there was water.
It literally took me a month to edit the ACA cues (I joined ACA and paid for cues and maps) down to what suited my style and purpose.
I just completed a 500 mile race in Texas. The process used so many times, now repeated.
Where is the water?
What re-supply points are open when?
What gear for what weather?
The track.
The cues.....
All of this brings knowledge. It's part of the journey.
Did I talk to others and ask a ton of questions? Of course. But I still had to find my own way.
If someone hands you a package with everything you need and all you have to do is ride, to me, that's a tour. If you want to take a bike tour, fantastic. Any time on the bike is time well spent. If you want to do an "un-supported bikepacking race", do your work. It's part of it.
Standing down.
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