In September of 2022 I participated in a bikepacking race around Montana. After the race I wrote a recap of my ride. Its featured here https://bikepacking.com/news/2022-montana-bike-odyssey-recap/ as well. I never know what to expect for a trip like this. There is no way to know what will happen, what will break, what will hurt, when you’ll feel great or when you’ll crack.  Maybe you won’t crack. Perhaps you want to.  When I heard of the Montana Bike Odyssey, I knew I had to participate. I couldn’t pass up a 1700…

I took the train north to Aviemore from Edinburgh. My backpack full of food and camping gear. In Aviemore I took the bus up and up, towards the ski hill. Now, patchy with only a little snow left. I asked the driver to drop me near the trail head. Knowing there wasn’t a stop there he looked doubtful but agreed to slow enough for me to hop out. Waiting at the ready, he eventually gave me the signal, swung the doors open, and i jumped out, backpack swinging, smiling like…

The river was icy cold come dawn and having blanketed camp in a thin layer of frost, we took even longer to rise that morning. Our camp was visible from the road, something I always try to avoid and by sun up we had been spotted multiple times by locals on their morning commute. By then the morning routine was steady and habitual, sun with our coffee. As the ground warmed around us, steam rose off the grass, against river water so clear trout could be seen dancing below the…

In the morning we rose in the usual fashion and began our day with a short climb out of the valley. My legs felt the previous days riding and the pass ahead of us, the highest of the trip, loomed in front. We crossed the wide alpine tundra and began a short, loose descent towards Mina don Mario. We found the mine empty, a few buildings and a tiny football pitch covered in weeds. Riding out, we passed the massive opening of a tunnel leading into the mine. I wondered…

Our second day started with the sun. After it had warmed my tent enough for me to summon the courage needed to exit my sleeping bag, I crawled out into the frosty 12000 foot morning. Our paddock was undisturbed and our bikes lay where we left them. Across the clearing I found Alexander crouched on a rock, lighting the stove, to start the boil. Water for our oatmeal was first, it needed to sit, coffee second. We ate and drank our brew, warming ourselves in the sun, until we needed…

In town we found a hotel room and slept for most of our first day. In the evening we rose to find some dinner. Over soup and rice we debated if we should take an extra day of acclimation before riding. We had budgeted 7 days to ride the route miles and 2 days to get back to Lima for our flight. From Huancavelica we would start our journey on the Peru Divide route. Our abbreviated segment would take us 213 miles from Huancavelica north to its intersection with the…