Leaving for Maah Daah Hey
Design, Build, Ride. Design the bike, build the bike and then ride the bike. And of course, teach students at the University of Iowa to design and build bikes.
Tomorrow, we head to North Dakota to ride a round trip of the Maah Daah Hey Trail, 366 miles. John, Dan, Brant, Gary and me.
The Maah Daah Hey Trail, running North/South through the Little Missouri National Grassland, is the longest single-track trail in the country. Located in western North Dakota, the Little Missouri National Grassland is the largest grassland in the country. Within its borders is Theodore Roosevelt National Park. A predominant feature of the grassland is colorful and beautiful badlands, a rugged terrain extensively eroded by wind and water. It’s a mixed-grass prairie with both long and short grass. I’ve been there twice but not since 2015.
Single speed pays the bills! The relatively hot days we’ve had for the past two weeks have been a god send for preparation. With the hills and nearly 30 hours of riding each of the past two weeks I’m feeling good. (Not being director has meant my job the past two weeks has exclusively been swim lessons with Brooks and riding my bike).
We’ll take six days, carry five liters of water, having access to water approximately every 20 miles (water pumps). Carry all of our food.
The bike loaded. This bike has a name (and it’s the first time I’ve used it): Atlantis.
Plato's Atlantis is a timeless allegory about the delicate balance between progress and ruin. Add to this: The Space Shuttle Atlantis. That Atlantis was named after RV Atlantis, a research vessel used by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution between 1930 and 1966. This naming convention followed the practice of naming orbiters after historical ships of discovery. The original Atlantis was the first American ship built specifically for oceanographic research.
Details: Outdoor Research has been a tremendous sponsor over the years. I used an OR Bivy in the 1995 Iditasport.... But these dry bags in combination with Aeroe Spider Rack have been my go-to for the last seven trips over the past two years. Dingle speed - 34/21 and 31/24. Two liters on the fork, two in the frame bag (thanks, Andy!), and 40oz under the down tube. The red bag has all my food - summer sausage, cheese, tortillas, trail mix, jerky, 3,200 calories a day. Foam pad, because it won't go flat. Garmin eTrex 32a, iPhone (Ridewithgps). Two charging packs........One change of clothes, rain gear (for Woody, I'll ride nude if it's a downpour ). Yes, my SPOT tracker.
