And 23 hours, 57 minutes, and 44 seconds later he rolled up to Texas Tavern in Roanoke as the first solo rider to complete this 255-mile route in less than 24 hours. This bested the previous record, set by Olga King in 2018 at 15 days, 2 hours, and 28 minutes using the Collegiate East variation of the Colorado Trail. She’d decided that eating a small amount every day was better than eating it all at once and braving the final days without any sustenance. View The Classics, The Bikepacking Journal is our printed collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography.Find details here alongside a growing collection of web exclusive features... Have one to share? And also just this renewed sense of gratitude or appreciation for everything the way that it is.”. This Event Took Place Wed. Sep 30, 2020. Learn more here. Jeff “Legend” Garmire has broken the unsupported speed record for a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail, completing the west to east hike in nine days, eight hours, 18 minutes. To complete the trail in that fashion, Sophia would need to carry all her supplies, equipment and food on her back. It was an emotional moment AJ said they had anticipated for weeks. Despite his worry for her, he said she was courageous — not only because she was attempting something so extreme, but because she was immersing herself in the experience. For a closer look, watch Neil’s post-ride interview with Lachlan on our YouTube channel. Feeling great, pushing, eating, dropping the dropper, sending, picking good lines to … Powering through more sandpit jeep roads and rolling dirt roads. “When you're absolutely exhausted and you can't take another step, you need this other side of your being and I wanted to see what my limits were or where they were and then find a way to push past them. But if I went off grid for a month or went out to hike the Colorado Trail, it would all fall apart.” Interested in setting an FKT? AJ said he’d use a data book from the Colorado Trail Foundation to compare the curves in the trail map to Sophia’s tracking device to determine where she was. We have a lot of work to do so you stop thinking about that and just enjoy like the rest of this.’”. No help from other people, no restocking in stores, no mailing resupply packages to post offices along the way. On her 20th day, Sophia had 60 miles to go. She accepted her sunburned face, bloody, cracked lips, and oil-slicked hair. In 1974, the vision of a fully connected trail between Denver and Durango was taking shape. Learn More, We have ~100 routes on our worldwide bikepacking routes map. Stephen Hartzel set off on June 20th in an attempt to beat what was the current fastest time of 28 hours, 4 minutes by Ira Ryan. Covering almost 500 miles of dirt ultimately helped her feel more grounded in herself. Laura Hamm set out on an ITT on the 255-mile RockStar Gravel route in early June, finishing the course in 1 day, 2 hours, and 34 minutes. “What she's trying to do is really test her resolve and see what's out there and that she can do it. In the past two years of completing FKTs (Fastest Known Times aka (also known as) records)). Fastest known times are exploding as runners use solo sufferfests to compete in the contest-killing era of social distancing. The journey that you are about to embark upon follows a portion, or perhaps the entire 485 miles of recreational trail that crosses Colorado from Denver to Durango. The Grand Loop is often referred to as the original bikepacking trail race, a ~360-mile loop following remote desert terrain between Moab and Grand Junction. Beyond finishing the trail and establishing that record, Sophia had a deeper and more profound goal in mind: to come face-to-face with herself in her entirety. She even started eating ProBars again, she said with a smile. In this feature story, Ben Page offers a reminder of the value of getting out on shorter, simpler trips, instead of getting wrapped up in planning something big... With the majority of grand departs postponed or cancelled for 2020, some eager riders are focusing their attention on FKT (Fastest Known Time) attempts on various routes to stay busy. On September 21, Mike McKnight set a new men’s supported fastest known time (FKT) on the Colorado Trail while traveling west to east and by using the trail’s Collegiate East variation. The Colorado Trail FKT write-up and record boards. 31 likes. Toward the end of the journey, she had a similar experience with dirt bikers, who offered her a ride with the promise of returning to the same spot. ... December 1, 2020. 2020 Colorado Trail Unsupported FKT Attempt. “It's you and your pack and then you just figure out how to get yourself to the finish line.”, RELATED STORIES: Acute bronchitis brings runner Courtney Dauwalter's record-breaking attempt on Colorado Trail to a halt. to support us & get The Bikepacking Journal. BT 700 XL: Kyle Messier. The loop was Kurt’s first ever ultra race, which he completed back in 2008, but on June 9th, he set out to chase Dave Harris’ record time set back in 2009. But each morning, she found herself tightening her pack’s shoulder straps and hip belt so it’d fit better. Step by step, steady and surely. “So, we rode around and then they dropped me off there and then took off,” she said. You can read more about his ride on Instagram. Colorado Trail Supported FKT attempt 2020. “A couple of CLIF Energy BLOKS, six pecans, a tiny bit of peanut butter, one more electrolyte packet and one little bite of ProBar left.”. Visit this section to learn how to choose a route, and some insight into navigation. Would love to meet this guy. You can see photos of his setup and ride stats on his Instagram @kurt.refsnider. There are countless new cycling events popping up all over the world, many of which are self-supported, multi-day rides that follow long bikepacking routes. And a long, long trail. “I think that physical exertion and physical activity in general brings out a different layer of people,” she explained. On July 3rd, Jay set out on the 1,030-mile Arkansas High Country Race route with big plans to set a new FKT. Colorado Trail Foundation. Read messages they have sent to MapShare. September 22, 2020 September 22, 2020 Jeff Garmire. The Kokopelli Trail is a classic bikepacking route that spans 140 miles of rugged jeep roads and singletrack through some of the most captivating terrain in the area. She added some hydrogen water, coconut oil, two small pouches of peanut butter, a pound of pecan halves, and energy chews to the food stash. But this woman took it one step further. Then, on Aug. 23, 2020, the 25-year-old reached the Durango end of the Colorado Trail and summoned the energy to sprint into her mother’s and father’s waiting arms. Kept hiking. It's fine. All FKTs are certified through FastestKnownTimes.com, and Sophia is working to complete her trip report — which includes a GPS file and pictures — by Friday for review. Second water stop was at mile 77 at the Colorado River along a single track multi-use trail thick with brush. A month ago, Mike McKnight completed an FKT on the famous Colorado Trail, moving west to east, then taking the Collegiate East Route. A woman and her pack. There are a few events that are still in process or are open to ITTs all summer, including the Trans South Dakota Race which starts on Saturday, as well as the Colorado Trail Race, Lost Elephant Ultra, and the Smoke’n’Fire 400—all of which are open for ITTs according to Trackleaders. The 140-mile route runs from Moab, Utah, to Loma, Colorado, following a mix of technical singletrack and doubletrack, and after some early headlight issues, Lachlan flew through the route in just 11 hours, 14 minutes—besting Kurt Refsnider’s previous record by just 38 minutes. Instead, she learned to soak in the Colorado Trail for the wonder that it is, record aside. Prior to starting the journey, Sophia had decided she wanted to finish in nine days, meaning she’d need to cover 54 miles every day. The TRT FKT. That might be the last time I see him,’” she said. The 13.5-mile trek to the river crossing took the … Earl Smith set out on July 4th from Black Sheep Coffee in Harrisonburg, Virginia, hoping to bag a new record on the RockStar Gravel route. On a post on Instagram, Tang said she may attempt it again in 2021. . He started on … “My wife's asking everybody that comes out of the trailhead, ‘Did you see somebody…?’ We were … very happy to see her, of course.”. If all goes well, he hopes to beat the current unsupported speed record of nine days, 12 … “That's kind of what I sought while I was out on the trail. After 53.5 hours, covering 371 miles, Kurt knocked a whopping 7 hours off of the previous record—burning over 24,000 calories in the process. She took a bite of a ProBar and turned the camera off. At mile 223 of the northbound Colorado Trail, a choice must be made to go east or west. We provide inspiration and information through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of gear, news, and events that help our community thrive. However, the hike wasn’t all joyrides and new trail friendships. Tears were flowing as they embraced their daughter, whom they hadn’t seen in more than 21 days. Jeff Garmire is Attempting an Unsupported FKT of the Colorado Trail by Ryan Jordan on August 28, 2020 Expedition News , New Features UPDATED (6-Sep-2020) – Jeff set a new FKT (unsupported) on the Colorado Trail today with a time of 9d 8h 18m. After a spring with no events or serious training opportunities, Lachlan Morton set out for a new record on the Kokopelli Trail. The 6 Best Baselayers of 2021 | Baselayer … In addition, the Colorado summer had dried up some water sources, which led to one 30-mile stretch without anything but what she called “glorified puddles” that were murky with cow waste. She continued past the miles and miles of puddles until she reached cleaner, flowing water. With all the challenges Sophia voluntarily threw into the journey, and that the trail bounced back at her, she said she wouldn’t have changed a thing. “There’s so much space around,” Sophia said as she filmed herself on the first day of the journey. It didn’t long for the trail to swallow her up — in a good way. Click the link below to learn about each. Colorado Trail Record (FKT) Trip Report. While researching the trail, she discovered that there was no recorded fastest known time, also known as a FKT, for an unsupported woman on this particular trail. A friendly reminder that there’s still a pandemic, and we don’t recommend putting yourself or others at risk by travelling long distances to participate in events. Originally published in The Bikepacking Journal 03, Ditibised is Alexandera Houchin’s extraordinary story of training for the Tour Divide, framed in four seasons…. The fourth issue of The Bikepacking Journal hit mailboxes this spring. Read more here. She found answers to her existential questions in the most mundane of moments, she said. I'm just going to beeline for the goal.’”. I lost my gratitude,” she said. We believe travel by bicycle encourages conservation and inspires respect for people and cultures. Published on Jul 31, 2020 4:21AM MDT Outdoors Primary category in which blog post is … “We got (to the Durango trailhead) early and basically waited for her to come in,” he said. Her goal has been to empower herself and then eventually help others who could use some help.”. Ajay Pickett. “This trip has provided so much for her that she now has this reserve of what you’d call wisdom, power, whatever, to reach in whenever there is an obstacle,” AJ said. For the past three weeks, Sophia had been hiking the 485-mile trail from Denver to Durango alone and completely unsupported, meaning she carried everything she needed on her back. Walking 485 miles provides a lot of time to think. Meaghan Hicks from iRunfar tells the tale of Scott Jaime’s supported FKT from 2013. Jeff “Legend” Garmire set out on the Colorado Trail at 6:52 MST Friday morning with a 32-pound pack and an ambitious goal to thru-hike the entire trail in under 10 days. “I think I got swept up in the whole trail community and the socializing aspect of thru-hiking,” she said. “Kind of just like soul-searching and figuring out who I was independent of everyone else, of my conditioning. 13 years later, in 1987, the Colorado Trail was completed. The Trail – The Colorado Trail a continuous, narrow path from Denver to Durango for hiking, horseback, and bicycling. A month ago, Mike McKnight completed an FKT on the famous Colorado Trail, moving west to east, then taking the Collegiate East Route. I spent my first summer in the Mile High City climbing all 58 14ers in … Following a short trot around the camp, she dismounted where she’d left off and kept hiking. “Ultimately, I settled on just pre-made, ready-to-go, bust-out-of-the-pack-and-down-the-hatch-and-off-you-go-type food, which ended up being ProBars,” she said. The Best Backcountry Skis and Boots of 2021 | Ski Reviews; November 28, 2020. “I’m alright with this unprecedented level of scrappiness,” she wrote on her website. Podcast 032 | Jeff Garmire and the Colorado Trail FKT By Daniel Booth November 9, 2020 No Comments. But the trail had other plans, and Sophia said that was OK by her. She resisted the smell of pizza while passing by a store. It’s an incredible feat to complete the 500 miles of the Colorado Trail. View All Features. The trio embraced in a tearful reunion at the trailhead. What is the current Colorado Trail FKT for your sport? After setting a FKT on the regular BT 700 route in 2019, Kyle Messier returned to … He also reminisces about the records he set on Yosemite’s signature and scary Half Dome cables route, the 100-kilometer “O” Circuit in Chile’s Torres Del Paine National Park, and Zion’s Angel’s Landing. Nearly 100 riders signed up for the grand depart from St. Jacobs, Ontario, but Kyle still managed to finish in record time, completing the 1,112-kilometer route in just 92 hours. “I feel like there's nothing that I could ever complain about again and if I start to lose that gratitude, then it's time to hit the trail,” she said. It was a goal her parents had worried over since she didn’t have experience hiking beyond 20 miles, AJ said. She scoured the company’s website for the highest-calorie bars — oatmeal chocolate chip — and ordered $350 worth of them. He started on September 14 in Durango and finished 500 miles northeast in Denver on September 21. Sleep Strategy on the Colorado Trail FKT. Follow along online. Lael Wilcox, Kaitlyn Boyle, and Kurt Refsnider set off together early Friday morning on the Kokopelli Trail for a self-supported time trial between Loma, Colorado and Moab, Utah. Once they arrived, she opened all 84 packets and rewrapped them in thin plastic wrap with the help of her dad, AJ Tang. She fell asleep to the evening songs of coyotes. Laura rode the route solo and self-supported, and is also the women’s record holder for the RockStar Trail course as well. Where is your breaking point?’”. EDITOR'S NOTE: A few weeks after submitting her report, the board rejected Sophia Tang's record, citing a technical error that appears to be inconsistent with previous record approvals. Although the original Rockstar VA grand depart was scheduled for May, the event has been postponed until October 3rd, 2020. It travels through some of the most spectacular country in Colorado, through 6 wilderness areas and eight mountain ranges. For the final week, Sophia kept up the massive mileage on 800 calories or less per day. The next few months were full of preparation: reading gear reviews, building muscle, long hikes and lots and lots of research. Personal Blog We’ve compiled a list of FKTs (Fastest Known Times) that have been set in the last two or three months, including each new record holder’s name and a quick synopsis on the ride. Here are your questions answered, first and only woman on record to have completed the trail in that fashion, Acute bronchitis brings runner Courtney Dauwalter's record-breaking attempt on Colorado Trail to a halt. 10 Top FKTs from Summer 2020 On day 21, she paused, took her phone out of her bag and recorded a video. I have experimented with two sleep strategies. The miles inched by. Created by the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Association in 1988, the Kokopelli Trail has one of the oldest FKT cultures of any long-distance mountain bike trail. But after a while it was like, ‘Alright, get it together, Soph. Free Outside: Colorado Trail Record (FKT) Trip Report. The MapShare site shows the progress of someone tracking with an inReach satellite communicator. She just set the new female self-supported fastest known time (FKT) on the Colorado Trail in a blazing 10 days, 12 hours, and 36 minutes. I think in the process, she realized a lot more than what she asked for.”, ‘Wasn't about what I did, but who I became’. . As the days ticked by and she grew further and further from her nine-day goal, she quickly realized the amount of food she had brought wasn’t enough to sustain the enormous daily mileage she’d been aiming for. After setting a FKT on the regular BT 700 route in 2019, Kyle Messier returned to ride the BT 700 XL (BT 700 + GNR Route). Then, early the following morning, her father drove her to Waterton Canyon in Jefferson County, where the trail begins. During this difficult stretch, her parents limited their own dinners at home in Aurora — a long-distance display of solidarity — knowing her meals on the trail were shrinking, she said. Her parents have seen a transformation too. She stumbled across the Colorado Trail in January and decided it was something she wanted to pursue in full later in the year — it’d be her first backpacking trip. The Colorado Trail (CT) runs 500 miles from Denver to Durango. ... Andrew and Ryan interview some of the folks who came together to make friend’o-the-podcast Jeff Garmire’s recent FKT of the Colorado Trail a success: Maggie Slepian, Dylan Harris, Nik Tizekker, and, of course, the Fastest Known Tiger himself. The average elevation of the Trail is 10,300 feet, topping out at 13,271 feet. Shawn Forry’s unsupported FKT novel of a recap (10,000 words). It just came as the perfect opportunity to be out there and really meet myself.”. So, whenever I'd be met with these challenges, I would think to myself, ‘This is one of those tests. BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. The CT was first conceived in 1974, but was not completed until the late 1980's. Cick the link to see them plotted or select from the links to the right to filter. She said she remembered thinking, “Life is short and I really wanted to ride that horse.”. Bryan Williams set this FKT … Without the burden of races, Colorado’s long-distance runners are shattering trail records. Spurred by periodic short naps, she pushed on. While outdoor recreation companies have produced top-notch light-weight gear in the past few years, packing almost 500 miles-worth of food was a whole different story. She overcame her fear of heights and hiking in the dark. A few weeks afterward, Sophia is continuing her recovery and reacquainting her stomach to her usual food. The North Bass Trail brought gnarly terrain, and navigating it by headlamp was a tough a way to start the morning. Let us know in the comments below. This greatly concerned her parents as they followed her progress from home. Widely known as the “father of the FKT,“ Buzz winds back to his speed records on the John Muir Trail and Colorado Trail. Stephen completed the full route in just 27 hours, 27 minutes—raising over $3,000 to benefit Don’t Shoot Portland in the process. On September 21, Gnarly athlete and ultrarunner Mike McKnight set a new Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Colorado Trail, a 485-mile-long path from Denver to Durango. Courtney Dauwalter: 8 days, 30 minutes is the current FKT for the CT using the Collegiate West option, which is the route I was doing. AURORA, Colo. — As her food supply dwindled, sleepiness clouded her head and her body pleaded for rest, Sophia Tang kept going. THE STORY OF THE COLORADO TRAIL, AND BRYAN WILLIAMS' FKT RUN. “The food situation was interesting in that manner … just because I wanted to go a certain distance, but my body was like, ‘You're not putting enough energy or fuel into me and we cannot go that far right now.’”. Forward. “I’d forgotten that there was anything beyond just daily, routine life.”. On Aug. 1, Sophia packed the brick of bars in her pack along with other necessities. by Backpacking Light on November 6, 2020 Places, Podcasts. On Aug. 23 at 7:37 p.m., she finished the trek — 486 miles in 21 days, 12 hours and 52 minutes. “All these ‘monkey mind’ thoughts going through my head. During his ride, Kurt slept for 35 minutes total, saw four bears, and had zero mechanicals along the way. “Every day was just like, ‘I'm so glad to be here.’”, "It really wasn't about what I did, but who I became," she said. The Oregon Outback route is a 364-mile gravel route across Oregon, from south to north. Although the majority of grand departs have been cancelled or postponed until later in the year, some events and routes are open to ITTs (Individual Time Trials), attracting eager athletes looking to set new records. View The Map, There are some routes that are made classic by their sheer perfection, and others by races. Although we do our best to keep up with them on our events calendar and through event recaps, many never get covered—but we’re hoping to change that. The result is still awaiting verification from fastestknowntime.com. Welcome to the Trail . “I didn't have a really good sense of who I was and what I was capable of,” she said. Then, on Aug. 23, 2020, the 25-year-old reached the Durango end of the Colorado Trail and summoned the energy to sprint into her mother’s and father’s waiting arms. Summary of supported FKT progression for the full Colorado Trail: Click the link below to find out how to start. She took them up on the offer for a few minutes of thrill. Colorado Trail Record (FKT) Trip Report September 17, 2020 September 20, 2020 Jeff Garmire The last time I spent any amount of time in Colorado was when I lived in Denver after college. To date, Sophia, who calls Aurora home, is the first and only woman on record to have completed the trail in that fashion. “So, I would sit down, and we would just chat or eat food or whatever and then it ended up half a day was gone.”, In one instance, she passed a camp with four horses and after politely declining a joyride from one of the campers and continuing up the trail, she turned around and went back. His time of 7 days, 13 hours, and 16 minutes bettered the previous record set by Scott Jaime in 2013 of 8 days, 7 hours, and 40 minutes. “Unsupported is kind of like the Spartan style, where you carry everything from start to finish except for water from natural sources,” Sophia explained. Simply put, bikepacking is the synthesis of mountain biking and minimalist camping; it evokes the freedom of multi-day backcountry hiking, with the range and thrill of riding a mountain bike. Did we miss any FKTs that were completed in the last few months? “I’ve gotten so caught up in it. September 18, 2020 | News. After pushing through some uncomfortably warm temperatures, losing his jersey, and riding just under 200-miles per day for five days, he set a new record of 5 days, 12 hours, and 6 minutes. 10 days, 12 hours and 36 minutes later, she stepped off the trail in Durango with the new women’s self-supported Fastest Known Time (FKT). “So, I'd end up stopping at 20 miles or 25 miles and then be like, ‘Alright, I gotta take a nap,’” she said. “When I had parted with him and I was walking away, I was like, ‘Oh dear. So, it was perfect for Sophia. We picked six of 2020's best FKTs, spoke to the athletes who set them and asked British artist Owen Delaney to help illustrate how impressive these runs really are. “It really wasn't about what I did, but who I became,” she said. “This is all that’s left of my nine-day food supply,” she said in the video, showing a small pile of wrappers. 'I'm so glad to be here': Woman finds renewed gratitude while setting record on Colorado Trail, The COVID-19 vaccine is in Colorado. Start Here, Broadly speaking, there are three bikepacking genres to choose from – Multi-day Mountain Biking, Ultralight Race & Gravel, and Expedition & Dirt Touring. “It came at this time where I was in the middle of this period of transformation,” she said. There have been countless ITT attempts on the route for 2020, but John Wiygul set the current FKT on June 13th with a time of 9 hours, 5 minutes, 43 seconds. “She was actually really reaching out to reach in,” AJ said. We’ve put together a recap of some of the more recent record setting attempts here…. “But I was (originally) like, ‘You know, I'm not going to do any of that. There have been countless ITT attempts on the route for 2020, but John Wiygul set the current FKT on June 13th with a time of 9 hours, 5 minutes, 43 seconds. Make sure you read the guidelines and prepare in advance. The Dirty 130 is a 130-mile route in southeast Tennessee and southwest North Carolina, following a mix of forest roads, singletrack, and asphalt. If you care to play around with the Colorado Trail route on CalTopo. And despite hours upon hours of hiking ahead of her and a dwindling food supply, anxiety was beginning to creep in about returning to daily life. It definitely came to me. Learn More, As important as it is to have a reliable bike and pack as light as you can, choosing the right route is perhaps the key to your enjoyment. Read more about the FKT craze at this recent article from FiveThirtyEight data analysis site. “And so, I was dreading the end but then I was also kind of excited to see and to bring everything that I learned from this experience back into this world that has, more or less, stayed the same while I was gone.”. The Colorado Trail is a long-distance trail running for 486 miles (782 km) from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States.Its highest point is 13,271 feet (4,045 m) above sea level, and most of the trail is above 10,000 feet (3,000 m). “This will affect her life in a positive way throughout her life. The last time I spent any amount of time in Colorado was when I lived in Denver after college. “I would meet people and really be able to resonate with them and socialize,” she said. You can even reply. Mikaela Osler left the Colorado Trail near Denver on the morning of July 30. Despite the food shortage, Sophia said she was in tune with her body and would have known if she needed to seriously consider leaving the trail.