racinfarmer Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 13 minutes ago, Ez ryder said: I see a lot of guys race sleds with single studs . I don't get it same bite with a double backer and 90% less chance of a pull out A few years back, it was recommended to me by a stud manu to use round backers for the terrain races. I don't remember the exact reason, but it hasn't been a issue yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 Just now, racinfarmer said: A few years back, it was recommended to me by a stud manu to use round backers for the terrain races. I don't remember the exact reason, but it hasn't been a issue yet. All the stud manu's recommend single round backers for XC racing. I have never agree'd with that. A square places more surface area under the backer. Double square backers place even more area under the the backer. Round backers have never made sense to me. I never have and never will use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 My boys on Team 5 were doing so well till the last stretch. Not sure what happened but they are limping into McGrath. Hopefully it's something they can fix and get back in the hunt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) Here is a bit of an update. Seems the south fork of the Kuskokwim is pretty bad this year. We have 5 or 6 teams held up in Rohn for various reasons. My boys on Team 36 broke a lower A-arm just outside Rohn and declared Layover. They have parts now and will repair as soon as their layover is complete. Should be good to go. Morgan and Olds are laying over in Rohn too. Same with Palin and Quam. A few other teams as well. Talked to Team 25. Tyler said the spring perch broke at about 70mph and let the torsion spring come around and rip the outer belt of the track off. The track hit the cooler and ripped a big gash in it. They tried quick seal with no luck. Their race was cut short because of a damaged cooler. From what I can gather seems like a-arms are an issue for a few of the teams. Team 10 may have broken one before Rohn too. Edited February 20, 2017 by Back Country Rebel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 Team 5 was on a decent run before they broke a spindle about 30 miles from McGrath. They limped into McGrath and have parts for the repair. They will fix it once they are done with their 14 hr layover. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckf Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Great reports Tom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 Well it looks like we have another scratch. The bulkhead damaged suffered by Team 30 when Geoff Crouse crashed was just too much to repair. The tunnel was also damaged. If they were 100 miles from the finish line instead of 1900 they might have been able to make a repair and limp it in. Unfortunately their race is over. Most all the other teams that were held up in Rohn got back on the clock, made their repairs and have now made it to McGrath. I don't have any specific details as to what the exact damage was but word from the trail is A-Arm and front suspension issues. Team 18 Zwink/Watson are still having trouble and are back in Puntilla again now. They took an early Layover there yesterday and made some repairs. Once back on the trail they were making good time up the Ptarmigan Valley headed toward Rohn. At some point things must have gone south as they are back in Puntilla now. They haven't officially scratched but the rules say you can't take 2 separate layovers at the same checkpoint. So the clock is ticking for those guys. Late last night we got wind that Team 3 Barber/Spain had some trouble on the Burn then things got worse between Nikolai and McGrath. The guys came in on one sled. I read that they were wet and cold and the one sled was in the water. Not sure how true that is. It's -40 in McGrath right now. Flesh freezes in a hurry at that temp. The guys grabbed some parts and went back after the second sled. This morning I still see one of Team 3 sleds sitting about 15 miles outside of McGrath. This could be the last time the engine was started and the last time the transponder pinged. Hoping they towed in and are both now in McGrath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambroski Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Fucking outstanding updates!!!!!! Thanks for the effort! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 3 minutes ago, Zambroski said: Fucking outstanding updates!!!!!! Thanks for the effort! Toms does an excellent Job... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambroski Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 5 minutes ago, Dave said: Toms does an excellent Job... Understatement of the year. I love it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckf Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 16 minutes ago, Dave said: Toms does an excellent Job... Yes he does. Newfie did a good job with the Caines Quest, too Don't even open your trap and bitch about him, it's not the time or the place to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 8 minutes ago, ckf said: Yes he does. Newfie did a good job with the Caines Quest, too Don't even open your trap and bitch about him, it's not the time or the place to do it. Fuck that jerk... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckf Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 56 minutes ago, Back Country Rebel said: Well it looks like we have another scratch. The bulkhead damaged suffered by Team 30 when Geoff Crouse crashed was just too much to repair. The tunnel was also damaged. If they were 100 miles from the finish line instead of 1900 they might have been able to make a repair and limp it in. Unfortunately their race is over. Most all the other teams that were held up in Rohn got back on the clock, made their repairs and have now made it to McGrath. I don't have any specific details as to what the exact damage was but word from the trail is A-Arm and front suspension issues. Team 18 Zwink/Watson are still having trouble and are back in Puntilla again now. They took an early Layover there yesterday and made some repairs. Once back on the trail they were making good time up the Ptarmigan Valley headed toward Rohn. At some point things must have gone south as they are back in Puntilla now. They haven't officially scratched but the rules say you can't take 2 separate layovers at the same checkpoint. So the clock is ticking for those guys. Late last night we got wind that Team 3 Barber/Spain had some trouble on the Burn then things got worse between Nikolai and McGrath. The guys came in on one sled. I read that they were wet and cold and the one sled was in the water. Not sure how true that is. It's -40 in McGrath right now. Flesh freezes in a hurry at that temp. The guys grabbed some parts and went back after the second sled. This morning I still see one of Team 3 sleds sitting about 15 miles outside of McGrath. This could be the last time the engine was started and the last time the transponder pinged. Hoping they towed in and are both now in McGrath. When will the leaders be leaving McGrath, Tom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 Thanks guys. I enjoy helping the low budget teams with this race. Sometimes they do well and sometimes they are all done before they get to Nome. So far this year all my teams are still in the race. In about 1 hour the leaders will be back on the clock and moving their way through interior Alaska. They will leave the town of McGrath (population 350) and head north toward the mighty Yukon River. The next town they will see is Ruby (population 170) which rests on the bank of the Yukon. It's about 240 trail miles from McGrath to Ruby. Besides the refueling stations which are set up at long ago abandoned mining sites there is absolutely nothing between McGrath and Ruby. For 240 miles you won't see any sign of human existence outside the tiny refueling checkpoint. I'm looking for pictures of what the next part of the trail looks like. There is almost nothing out there. Here are a few I found to give you and idea what the terrain looks like. Realize the first teams will put in the trail and by the time 10 teams have traveled across it it will be pretty wooped out. Area between McGrath and Ophir, The fastest part of today's trail. This is outside of Ophir looking south toward the back side of the Alaska Range. Teams are headed in the opposite direction of this picture. This is the Poorman Checkpoint. This and a few dozen drums of fuel is all that is there. The best part of the trail from Ophir to Poorman looks something like this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 7 minutes ago, ckf said: When will the leaders be leaving McGrath, Tom? Team 16 Minnick/Olstad will be back on the clock in exactly 30 minutes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 -40 in McGrath right now. Those sleds will not like being started in that temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckf Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Back Country Rebel said: -40 in McGrath right now. Those sleds will not like being started in that temp. The coldest temp I've ever ridden in is -30, that was a cold morning. We ended up starting a fire to warm up about 30 miles from camp. I'm sure the racers are better equipped to handle the cold than we were, but it's still got to suck ridding in those temps. Edited February 20, 2017 by ckf typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 3 minutes ago, ckf said: The coldest temp I've ever ridden in is -30, that was a cold morning. We ended up starting a fire to warm up about 30 miles from camp. I'm sure the racers are better equipped to handle the cold than we were, but it's still got to suck ridding in those temps. And the worst part is, the warmest it will be all day on any part of the trail is about -30f. That sucks balls no matter how prepared you are. The leaders are fast and tough but I have a feeling Simon and Davis will be all over them before they reach Ruby. Many teams will push for Galena today. Galena is about 60 miles down river from Ruby and about 300 miles from McGrath. Galena has a population of about 500 so it's a city as far as Interior Alaska goes. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckf Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I never really enjoyed ridding when temps dropped below zero. When it gets colder than that it sucks to stop and take a break and chat with your ridding buddies, or to snap a few pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 9 minutes ago, Back Country Rebel said: And the worst part is, the warmest it will be all day on any part of the trail is about -30f. That sucks balls no matter how prepared you are. The leaders are fast and tough but I have a feeling Simon and Davis will be all over them before they reach Ruby. Many teams will push for Galena today. Galena is about 60 miles down river from Ruby and about 300 miles from McGrath. Galena has a population of about 500 so it's a city as far as Interior Alaska goes. Fuck -40*! I am way too big a pussy for that shit. I actually rode once in -38* and my eyes froze open. I couldnt blink until i warmed up. And i was only out there for about 10 minutes when i said fuck that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Just now, ckf said: I never really enjoyed ridding when temps dropped below zero. When it gets colder than that it sucks to stop and take a break and chat with your ridding buddies, or to snap a few pics. A few years ago we did a tour across northern wisconsin and minnesota. Everyday the temps were below zero F. One day the high was -17*f. And we were doing 200+ mile days. I think it was -28* one morning when we headed out. That shit was brutal. That is why i am the biggest endorser of Klim gear. That shit kept me warm for 1000+ miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Anler said: Fuck -40*! I am way too big a pussy for that shit. I actually rode once in -38* and my eyes froze open. I couldnt blink until i warmed up. And i was only out there for about 10 minutes when i said fuck that! Got real bad frostbite riding sub -40 temps....actually looked like a had a small head growing out the side of my neck the one time....i have a big scar on my neck from that one... Edited February 20, 2017 by Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Just now, Dave said: Got real bad frostbite riding sub -40 temps....actually looked like a had a small head growing out the side of my neck the one time....i have a big scar on my neck from that one... : Lol: Yeah i have no problem pussing out of some of that. -20* is about my limit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckf Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 4 minutes ago, Anler said: A few years ago we did a tour across northern wisconsin and minnesota. Everyday the temps were below zero F. One day the high was -17*f. And we were doing 200+ mile days. I think it was -28* one morning when we headed out. That shit was brutal. That is why i am the biggest endorser of Klim gear. That shit kept me warm for 1000+ miles. My biggest problem with the real cold temps was always my helmet. I used to have issues keeping my hands warm until I started using gauntlets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIQPilot Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 1 minute ago, Dave said: Got real bad frostbite riding sub -40 temps....actually looked like a had a small head growing out the side of my neck the one time....i have a big scar on my neck from that one... Ouch. But don't be surprised if someone here makes a joke about the big scar growing on top of your neck.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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