The Nxrth's 2023 Gravel Race Calendar is now live! It's the perfect time to start filling spring, summer, and fall weekends with races all around the gravel community. Head to our Gravel Events Listing to browse through events that are organized by dates and states and start texting friends to plan memorable weekends. As race dates are constantly being added and finalized, we'll continue to monitor the gravel community and make updates as quickly as we can. If we missed an event, send us an email at info@thenxrth.com.

Our first 'Bikepacking Gear & Adventure Day' is coming up on Monday, April 3 at 7pm. If you're looking for bikepacking community and ideas for planning your next adventure, we hope to see you there. Here are the top 6 reasons to join us. Bikepacking Gear & Adventure Day is a virtual event on Monday, April 3 at 7pm CST. Presented by Tailfin , we'll talk about all the gear and adventures we're most excited about for 2023. Register for the event here . 1. Connect with the bikepacking community! Over 100 local bikepackers are already signed up for Bikepacking Gear & Adventure Day. We'll have a lively public chat where you can ask your route questions, give your gear suggestions, and share that one idea you've been dreaming about. We'll be polling everyone about their favorite gear, bikepacking styles, and places to ride so you can see where everyone else is riding, and what hidden gems you should check out next. 2. Hear from our incredible bikepacking and route creating panelists This is your chance to hear right from some of your favorite adventurers in the bikepacking community. Hear about the gear and destinations they're most excited about and then ask your own questions as well. Here are the guests who are joining us: Ashley Carelock - Rodeo Labs [ Ashley on Instagram ] Ashley Carelock is a Texas native turned Coloradan and a self proclaimed diesel engine. She stumbled into bike racing in 2015 and quickly became hooked after winning her first race, a ten hour fat bike race in Silverton, CO. She has a special interest in ultra endurance events, especially multi day bike packing races. She lives in rural Southwest Colorado on a small farm with her two dogs, a flock of chickens and a hive of bees. Dave Schlabowske - Life Above Eight [ Dave's Website ] Dave Schlabowske was the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Bike Fed and is Event Organizer of the Hungry Bear 100 and Tour de Chequamegon community bikepacking event. He has also designed and published some incredible Wisconsin bikepacking route such as the Valhalla Beach Party, Wisconsin Waterfalls Route, and the Tour de Chequamegon. Matt Acker - Salsa Sycles [ Matt on Instagram ] Matt is an endurance cyclist who enjoys bouncing around between road, gravel, mountain, and fat bikes. There’s something about spending hours on end on the bike that he finds soothing and compelling. 3. Surprises from The Nxrth We've been busy planning some adventures we can't wait to share with you. Be the first to hear some exciting new announcements and get in on some special pricing only available for guests of Bikepacking Gear & Adventure Day. 4. Discover new routes and destinations to plan your next adventure We're going to be talking about favorite bikepacking adventures around the northwoods and beyond. Join the conversation and discover some new adventures to add to your planning list. 5. Find out the new gear we're most excited about for 2023 We love our gear, do we not? Let's talk bikes, bags, cages, tires, and everything else we're excited about for our next overnighter or expedition. Join the conversation add your favorite new frame bag to the mix. 6. Prizes from Tailfin, Wren, & The Nxrth We've got some fun new gear prizes to send to a few lucky winners from Bikepacking Gear & Adventure Day Here's what we're giving away: Prize 1: Surprise New Product Announcement from Tailfin You'll hear more about this exciting Tailfin product announcement at the event. They spent over two years to get this right and we can't wait to send one to a special guest from Bikepacking Gear & Adventure Day. Prize 2: Perseverance Adventure Drop Bars from Wren Sports We got a chance to test one of these out and they're fantastic for bikepacking and other adventures. We're excited to send a guest home with a brand new one of these. Prize 3: Gravel Bear Tee from The Nxrth This bear was designed in Wisconsin and lives on the most comfortable t-shirt you will ever own. Register For Free Here

We recently opened a Borah store with our first run of jerseys. Made in Coon Valley, Wisconsin with American-made fabrics, these feature Nxrth-y fades and adventure topo lines. They should have hit mailboxes now and we're excited to show you how they turned out. Let us know if you'd want us to open another round of orders in the future: info@thenxrth.com . And here they were (pictured below) in production at Borah's solar solar-powered facility. Printing, cutting, sewing, and ironing.If you ordered one, thanks for repping The Nxrth! We hope it was worth the wait and that you enjoy your new jersey.

At the end of 2022, we polled our readers with a series of questions about adventures, events, riding styles, and more. One question we asked was, " What kind of events does our region needs more of? ". The options included gravel, fat, and bikepacking as well as racing and non-racing formats. Here is the breakdown of responses from 140 respondents. The most popular category people said they want more of is gravel non-racing events. This was especially interesting since the 2nd most popular answer was 50-100 mile races (basically the opposite, right?). While the total responses are fairly evenly split between racing and non-racing I think it's important to note that if you look at our Gravel Bike Race calendar, for example, there are significantly more races than non-races. Now many of the races emphasize community more than racing, so it might be a moot point. But as event organizers think of ways to bring more people to the starting line, I think it's pretty important to place a lot priority on how the event builds community and includes people of all backgrounds and abilities just as much as on the competition and challenge itself. Another interesting point to note is the large amount of people looking for more bikepacking group trips. And I think it's great that more of these types of events are popping up. In just the last year, we saw the first Hodag Country Ramble , the first Gravel Pizza Overnighter , and this year Iron Bull is hosting the first Midwest Bikepacking Summit , plus more new events that are in the works from other groups. And of course you can't forget about the incredible Tour de Chequamegon annual community bikepacking trip every fall. These are all great community building events and I'm excited to see more of them popping up. Just for fun, here were a few of the write-in responses people also gave for this question: Gravel events that are fun rather than stupidly hard Women’s development opportunities Gravel events under 50 miles I don't know. I don't care about races. Non-gravel, paved bikepacking events, unguided Fatbike winter bikepacking (outdoor camping) Gravel rides shorter than 65 miles Unique races, like Rule of 3 or something besides the typical events we already have Now if you're looking for new events for gravel season, check out our Gravel Race calendar.

Today on International Women's Day, Claire O'Leary shares about her experiences racing and doing solo adventures as a women. She recently started a new FTW gravel camp where she's working to encourage and equip more women in cycling. Hear more of Claire's story and check out her new event here. By Claire O’Leary Last week, I was chatting with a bike shop manager and he said to me, “I don’t need to see more men in cycling. I want to see more kids, bigger FTW (femme/trans/women) race fields.” It stuck with me. He was referring to his work coaching a junior cycling development program, and I was talking about my own plans to encourage more women-identifying riders to explore gravel . But it takes everyone creating safe, welcoming environments to grow this sport for everyone. On International Women’s Day (March 8, 2023), I can’t help thinking about my own experiences riding and racing this past year. In the spring, I had the opportunity to attend a free women’s gravel camp in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. I love big solo gravel adventures and fast road rides hanging with the guys, but this hit different. We were encouraging each other up mountain climbs, and smiling and sending it on the way down. It was the first time that fitness, skills, and confidence had come together for me on the bike, and I’m a better rider and a better person for the experience. With a few days off between jobs in June, I headed up to the North Shore for a few days of solo adventure. My big ride of the trip was riding two-thirds of the storied Straddle and Paddle bikepacking route in a single ride. Afterward, another rider sent me a message that she barely rides around Minneapolis by herself. That comment made me sad, but also made me want to share more about going on adventures that make me question the root of my fear. Last summer, I wrote about how amazing it was to have a big field at Freedhem 76 . I’ve been at gravel races where I looked around at the start and didn’t see any other FTW riders. This was not one of those races. At the finish line cookout, other riders remarked about how cool it was to have so many strong women trading pulls. And in August, I got to be a part of the 1,000 Women of Gravel. When Gravel Worlds (the “real” one in Lincoln, Nebraska) announced their plan to get 1,000 women registered across all distances, a lot of people wondered if they’d hit that mark. But as the initiative progressed, the race promoters showed that it was more than a hashtag. The elite women got to line up at the very front and lead the entire field out of town. In the final minute countdown before the race started, I looked around that front corral with the biggest smile on my face. These experiences churned around in my brain while I rode countless hours last fall. As I started a spreadsheet to plan 2023 adventures, I jotted down a few overarching goals. One of them: “Encourage more women in cycling.” I didn’t know what that would look like at first, but as I talked with other riders, we shared stories of gaining competence and confidence–and the kind of environments where our confidence blossomed. I wanted to create a space where riders wouldn’t be afraid to ask questions or tackle terrain that scared them. From there, a plan hatched to create a women’s gravel camp in the Driftless Area this spring. As I’ve talked with potential riders, themes are emerging. They wanted to build community and learn skills in a supportive environment–one that they might not have found yet. It takes momentum to encourage and equip women in cycling. The Nxrth has published countless stories about strong women racing and adventuring, including Lisa Gose-Nelson’s account of overcoming medical challenges to finish The Filthy 50 , and Nicolete Reker’s epic Driftless bikepacking trip . We need more women (and that means all people who identify as women) out riding bikes and creating more of those stories. And that starts with every one of us.

You're invited to the first ever "Bikepacking Gear & Adventure Day", a virtual event where we geek out about all the bikepacking gear and adventures we're most excited for this summer. Guests Ashley Carelock, Matt Acker, and Dave Schlabowske will be joining us on Monday, April 3 at 7pm CST. Learn more and register for FREE here. It's time to start putting some epic bikepacking adventures on the calendar and planning the gear that'll help you go further and have more fun this summer. The Nxrth is thrilled to announce a brand new virtual event called " Bikepacking Gear & Adventure Day " presented by Tailfin. We have some fun guests joining the event and we want you to be a part of it too. REGISTER HERE We'll talk about: Favorite gear picks for 2023 Best bikepacking routes Incredible bikepacking adventure destinations in the Northwoods and beyond Q&A with your questions about gear and adventures Join us on Monday, April 3 at 7PM CST for this live bikepacking event. Register for FREE here. REGISTER HERE Win Prizes We'll be giving away a few prizes during the event. Check them out here. 1. Wren Sports: Perseverance Adventure Drop Bar ( See More ) 2. The Nxrth: Gravel Bear Tee ( See More ) REGISTER HERE

Wyatt Bikes was founded in 2011 by a 21 year-old named Wyatt Hrudka. Originally selling asian-manufactured singlespeeds, he now manufactures high quality, fully-customizable, 100% made in USA bikes near La Crosse, Wisconsin. Today we share his bike manufacturing story and take a look at his fat bike, the Maverick. To learn more about Wyatt Bikes , visit their website and follow them on Instagram . From Loading Docks to Local Bike Shops Wyatt Hrudka learned to ride a bike when he was 4 and would soon be jumping off loading docks with it. As he got older, he worked in a local bike shop in Manitowoc and later attended The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he worked in the outdoor recreation department. Working in the outdoor recreation department, he noticed that gear was often out of tune and that a lot of people didn't take good care of their bikes. This inspired him to start his own bike company that focused on providing a solution to these problems: a brand, "Wyatt", of single-speed bikes that were affordable and easy to maintain. Perfect for college students. Starting Wyatt Bicycle Company While studying Business Information Systems in college, Wyatt chewed on this dream to build his own bike and start his own bike brand. But the complications that come with manufacturing were enormous, and the minimum order quantities for bike frames were really high. But with some light connections to overseas manufacturing (thanks to another previous job), Wyatt was able to source manufacturing options and place an initial order for half of a shipping container, 150 single-speed bikes. Despite being turned down for loans from every lender, Wyatt did what any scrappy college student would do. He went to his parents for a loan. With a small loan, 150 bikes, and an unheated storage facility with no electricity, he set out to sell single speeds for $350 apiece. To oversimplify the long, arduous process of figuring out the heck he was doing, he slowly but surely got some bike shops on board as well as made a website to sell direct to consumer. Made in Asia to Made in USA: The Journey to American-Made Bikes Wyatt always dreamed of building his bikes in the USA, but it was a long and difficult journey to get there. After a failed Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a USA manufacturer, Wyatt was forced to design and build a new fat bike, the Driftless Fatbike, in Asia. But after years of working with Asian manufacturers and the inability to control the quality of the product and ensure ownership of his designs, Wyatt was ready for a change. He bought a welder, a mill, some belt sanders, and a frame jig, and began to look for welders in La Crosse. With the help of a local manufacturing partner, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wyatt was able to start building frames start to finish right in La Crosse. He even switched his tubing to 6061 aluminum, which is manufactured right in the USA. While most other "Made in USA" bike companies only assemble in USA their foreign imported materials, Wyatt gets American-made tubing, American-made filler material for welding and then does all of the manufacturing and welding right in the USA (Bangor, WI) as well. Quality and Customization Wyatt bikes are for people who care about where their bike is made and want the most capable and fun bike that they can ride year-round, even in the winter and on the beach (more on Wyatt's fatbike later). Every part of Wyatt Bikes are designed with the highest quality in mind. No cutting corners. Wyatt Bikes doesn't use model years just for the sake of putting out an annual update. Instead, they view their bikes as constantly improving and are small enough to just make things better and better and constantly improve. Wyatt's goal is to make as many bikes as possible, as efficiently as possible, without waste and added cost. With competitive pricing and the ability to customize every aspect of the bike, from color to any components you want, Wyatts are are thoughtfully designed and constructed to be the most capable and customized bike you can get. Meet Maverick, Wyatt's Fatbike Wyatt makes two bikes: The Maverick and the Vista. The Maverick is their fat bike and is designed to handle any terrain, from the snow-covered forests of winter to the sandy beaches of summer. It can be equipped with the largest tire on the market, the 5-inch V-tire 2XL, making it possible to conquer even the toughest terrain with ease. The bike is designed to be lightweight, yet durable, ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride no matter the terrain. According to Wyatt: "The Maverick is different from the rest of the pack. It is an American-made fat bike with modern trail geometry and massive tires. It is the missing tool to keep your free riding spirit alive when the snow hits the ground. The Maverick’s roomy cockpit is made for short stems and wide bars for better control over the big front tire. The slack head tube angle, low bottom bracket, and optimized chain stay lengths make for a balanced ride to keep you feeling confident on the steep downhill sections and allow you to climb like a mountain goat on those daunting hills. Maverick is designed for having fun whenever and wherever you ride." A Purposeful Adventure Wyatt's journey to starting Wyatt Bicycle Company and building American-made bikes was full of complex logistical challenges and is an ongoing labor of love. Making bikes in the USA that have so much quality and capability at a competitive price point can't be easy. But it sets Wyatt apart from other other companies and puts a lot of passionate riders on his bikes. Want to learn more about Wyatt? Check out WyattBikes.com and go peek at the Maverick while you're over there.

5 local fat bikers are competing in the Iditarod Trail Invitational starting in Knik Lake, Alaska beginning this Sunday, Feb 26 at 5PM Central Time. The race has a 350 mile and 1,000 mile option and is the world's longest running winter ultra-marathon. Hear from the 5 local riders competing and follow their dots on the embedded map. Jump to Section Track Leaders Map List of Local Racers Question: How did you get here? Question: What are you most challenged by? Question: Gear Highlights? About the Iditarod Trail Invitational in Alaska The Iditarod Trail Invitational is an annual ultra-endurance race that takes place in Alaska and is considered the oldest event of its kind in the world. The race follows the historic Iditarod Trail, a 1,000-mile route that runs from Anchorage to Nome. The event is open to both runners and bikers, with participants either completing the entire distance or the shorter courses that finish at the 350-mile mark. The ITI is known for its brutal conditions, which can include sub-zero temperatures, strong winds, and deep snow (read: hike-a-bike). Participants must carry all of their own gear, including food, water, and shelter. Sound fun? Here's where you can follow their dots starting on Sunday at 5pm Central Time Follow Their Dots on the Interactive Track Leaders Map 2023 ITI Racers from Wisconsin & Minnesota Leah Gruhn: Duluth, MN [ 1,000 Miles ] Jere Mohr: Duluth, MN [ 350 Miles ] Amanda Harvey: Minneapolis, MN [ 350 Miles ] Kendall Park: Madison, WI [ 350 Miles ] Matt Fluegel: St. Paul, MN [ 350 Miles ] Interview with racers from MN & WI: How did you get to this point and what made you interested in biking the Iditarod Trail Invitational? Leah Gruhn I want to ride my bike to Nome in the winter, across the Alaska Range and along the coast of the Bering Sea because it sounds like a terrific adventure. The Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) is the longest, oldest, and most prestigious winter bike race that there is. For many years I have raced the Arrowhead 135 (in northern Minnesota), which was inspired by the ITI and is similar in many ways. The ITI is the event that many Arrowhead 135 racers look to as the next step in longer, more remote, more challenging winter racing adventures. I raced the ITI 350 to McGrath seven years ago, and I was struck by the beauty of the landscape and the camaraderie of the racers. I have wanted to go back ever since. This year I am looking forward to many of those same experiences and more – my husband Jere will race in the 350 mile ITI, and then I will continue on for another 650 miles to Nome. In that last 650 miles, the new experiences that I am most excited for include the feeling of the energy of the famed Iditarod sled dog race, traversing new (to me) terrain, and passing through numerous Native Alaskan villages. Many of the racers on bike in this event have a background of bike racing, and then they add on the element of winter camping in order to do races like these. My background is different from that model, in that I was going on long and remote canoeing and winter camping trips long before I ever thought of participating in a bike race. After I participated in my first bike race 13 years ago, I was able to utilize my winter camping background to be successful in biking winter ultras. Finally, long trips are special to me because I find it easy to be immersed and live in the moment. On shorter trips, I’m often thinking about what came before the trip, or what will happen after the trip. But long trips becomes more of a lifestyle than simply a trip. Amanda Harvey Getting to the start of the ITI 350 has been a years long process. Going from track racing to winter ultras was a bit of a pivot. But I love adventures and riding my bike, so it makes sense for me to go on big rides with my bike. Wanting to complete the Arrowhead 135 was my starting point. So I worked on my qualifier for that race, did the St Croix 40 to prep and make sure I actually enjoyed racing in the winter. Turns out these races are just my speed, a mix of riding, camping and a lot of planning. Kendall Park I haven’t been racing bikes for very long, but I’ve been an athlete most of my life. I used to play football in the WFA and a bit of rugby during the off-season. These days I’m too beat up for high impact sports, so I picked up cycling. It was no surprise that I gravitated toward the more extreme end of the sport. The past two years have been a whirlwind of escalating races. My first race was a local Wisconsin gravel grinder, the Ironbull 85. Last summer I completed Unbound XL and the North South Colorado. When I learned about the Iditarod, I had to do it. Even when I was training for the XL, I was looking past Unbound towards the ITI. My first winter ultra was Actif Epica 2022 during a blizzard. Riding through bad conditions is a great way to stress-test equipment and winter cycling skills. I recently wrapped up a four-day, 200-mile bikepacking trip in Minnesota's North Shore region, led by Alexandera Houchin and Ben Weaver. The temps rarely rose above 0 during the day and dropped down to -30F at night. It was an invaluable experience in many ways, including being the best possible ITI shakedown I could get in the lower 48. Matt Fluegel I saw a fat bike outside a bike shop for the first time the Summer of 2014 and I was instantly drawn to it. After a test ride and some rentals of fat bikes that Winter I decided to purchase my first fat bike in the Spring of 2015. Because of the time of year I first used my bike for ripping up the local single tracks. The more I rode the more I became interested in the sport and all that it has to offer. Soon I was Bike-packing in the Summer and competing in my first Winter fat bike race that following season. I kept pushing myself to train and race in longer races and now that hard work has brought me to my rookie attempt at the 2023 ITI. I became interested in doing the ITI in 2019 while I was preparing for Tuscobia 80 in early 2020. Once I finished Tuscobia I could put the qualifying races for ITI in my short term goals and the ITI in my long term goal. Everything came together really quickly. I’m always looking for the next big race to take on in my life and the ITI is the perfect challenge for me right now. Looking ahead at the race, what are you feeling most challenged by? Leah Gruhn In events like these, anything can go south at any moment, whether it’s something that is easily fixable (e.g. flat tire or broken chain) or is an insurmountable issue. For me, keeping moving on the trail will be all about careful and thoughtful work before and during the race to reduce the chances of problems, being my most resourceful problem-solving self on the trail when issues arise, and being grateful for every moment that I am not having problems. From past long-distance cycling trips, namely racing Tour Divide in 2017, I am anticipating that I will be careful to pace myself, balancing moving with resting in order to be as efficient as possible. I also know that I will be pushing myself hard, with little margin for error. Amanda Harvey First thing I'm most challenged by is some persistent knee pain that flared up before Arrowhead this year. I've been working on it with my coach and my PT, but I'm still apprehensive. The other big thing is just the unknowns, mainly the weather. Anchorage has gotten a lot of snow, so will the trails be packed in enough for riding? I hope so. If there is a lot of hike a bike, then getting my mind ok with that will be something to work on. Kendall Park My biggest concerns are major mechanicals, getting sick, the airline losing my bike, and other uncontrollable, race-ending mishaps. I want to say that I feel prepared, but I feel it’s better to approach the ITI without expectations. You have to respect the Alaska wilderness. Matt Fluegel I think the most thing I feel challenged by is keeping my fingers warm and frost bite free. I had some challenges at Tuscobia 160 with frost nip and I came away from that race more concerned about temperature regulation in my hands then I ever had before. I have planned a more complete glove and expedition mitten layering system for the ITI. I will also not only bring along chemical hand warmers on the trail, but I plan on proactively using them. Do you have any gear highlights you want to mention? Leah Gruhn I will be riding a 2023 Salsa Mukluk with studded Dillinger 5 tires. On that I have a set of custom Cedaero bags, which I love due to their quality construction / durability, light weight, and customizable nature. Cedaero is based in Two Harbors, Minnesota and they have been absolutely wonderful, working with me to create a set of bags for this event. Some of the bags that I have are standard patterns (e.g. Custom Full Frame Pack made for a Large Salsa Mukluk, a Tank Top Bolt-on Pack, and two Devi’s Draw Packs). Other bags have been customized for me include a lightweight handlebar bag that will hold my puffy jacket, panniers sized to my needs, and a padded bottle holder that will securely hold my thermos yet keep it easily accessible. All of these bags are color-coordinated - grey with trim in Bordeaux to match my bike frame. My wheels were built with Onyx hubs, made in St. Cloud, Minnesota, which are considered to be the best for cold weather. With only a few exceptions, everything on my bike has been made by Minnesota companies, which I am proud to ride to Nome. Amanda Harvey Firstly, I love my bike Aurora. She's an Otso Voytek. We're gonna see the aurora together in Alaska or I'm camping out until it shows! Second, I'm gonna shout out my -40⁰ Marmot CWM. It's the coziest sleeping bag that makes snoozing when it's below zero something to look forward to. Third, I'm looking forward to riding with my Sturdy Bags XL Cargo bags. They have patches for inspiration and a reminder that I can do hard things. Amanda Harvey's gear setup Kendall Park I design and sew a lot of my own gear. The centerpiece of my kit is my mid-layer, which keeps me warm and dry in a wide range of temps. It has minimized the amount of layering/delayering I have to do during a race. This sport is a niche within a niche. Very few companies make gear specific to winter ultra fat bike racing. Racers are forced to cobble together a mix of equipment designed for skiing, mountaineering, cycling, etc. Drafting my own gear takes a lot of work, but it is worth the advantage of having equipment made specifically for me and the demands of the sport. Matt Fluegel I made a lot of gear updates to my system for the ITI. I’m excited to race in my new 45NRTH Wolfgar BOA boot. I’ve always raced with 45NRTH boots before but the Wolfgar is their extreme Winter cycling boot. My sleeping system got a big o’ upgrade on the temperature rating when I brought along my Sea To Summit Alpine Ap3. With a temperature rating of -40 I won’t have to worry about sleeping cold if the trail is my lodge for the night. Finally two of the most important pieces of equipment with me during the ITI will be my Garmin eTrex 22x for navigation and my Garmin inReach Mini 2 for satellite tracking and emergency communications. My Mom sleeps better knowing I have those two Garmin products. Jump Back to the Track Leaders Map Above

The Mammoth Gravel Loop was derived from a now defunct gravel race that took place in northwestern Wisconsin called the Mammoth Gravel Classic. Only an hour from the Twin Cities the route is a great opportunity to dip your toes into bikepacking or just get away for a quick overnighter. Created By: Bill Biwer Originally published on Bikepacking.com and featured here with their permission. ROUTE OVERVIEW ​ Distance 105 Miles​ Elevation 2,145 Ft Days 2-3 Days From BIKEPACKING.COM: This 110 mile route is over 80% gravel roads, most of which are well maintained and fairly hard-packed. If you ride just after a heavy rain, which can wash out the crusher fines on the hills, expect to find exposed baby head rocks. To give riders a taste of the other riding options in the area, we included 3 1/2 miles of rough, looser ATV trail, a similar length of easy CAMBA single track and the last 12 miles are on low-traffic, rolling, freshly-paved town roads. Think of the ATV trail and single track as the amuse-bouche, gravel as the main course, and the pavement as dessert. Mammoth Gravel Bikepacking Route Map: BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. They inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. They believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. More here. Disclaimer: If you choose to ride this route, you do so at your own risk. You are 100% responsible for being prepared for all conditions and making sure that biking these routes is legal. Before riding, check local weather, road conditions, closures, and property ownership. Obey all traffic laws and follow land use restrictions. Do not ride these routes without proper safety equipment and navigational tools. The accuracy of these routes cannot be guaranteed neither can we guarantee that these routes are on public property. TheNxrth.com and its contributors are in no way liable for the personal injury or damage to property that may result from cycling this route or any other routes on this website.

Boasting over 100 miles of unpaved dirt and gravel, and accessibility for a midwesterner with a family and full time job, this weekend bikepacking route is a great escape that provides easy access to the Chequamegon-Nicolet wilderness. Created By: Dave Schlabowske Originally published on Bikepacking.com and featured here with their permission. ROUTE OVERVIEW ​ Distance 107 Miles​ Elevation 3,753 Ft Days 2-3 Days Recommended Tires 38mm+ From BIKEPACKING.COM: This 110 mile route is over 80% gravel roads, most of which are well maintained and fairly hard-packed. If you ride just after a heavy rain, which can wash out the crusher fines on the hills, expect to find exposed baby head rocks. To give riders a taste of the other riding options in the area, we included 3 1/2 miles of rough, looser ATV trail, a similar length of easy CAMBA single track and the last 12 miles are on low-traffic, rolling, freshly-paved town roads. Think of the ATV trail and single track as the amuse-bouche, gravel as the main course, and the pavement as dessert. Tour De Chequamegon Bikepacking Route Map: BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. They inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. They believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. More here. Disclaimer: If you choose to ride this route, you do so at your own risk. You are 100% responsible for being prepared for all conditions and making sure that biking these routes is legal. Before riding, check local weather, road conditions, closures, and property ownership. Obey all traffic laws and follow land use restrictions. Do not ride these routes without proper safety equipment and navigational tools. The accuracy of these routes cannot be guaranteed neither can we guarantee that these routes are on public property. TheNxrth.com and its contributors are in no way liable for the personal injury or damage to property that may result from cycling this route or any other routes on this website.

The Straddle and Paddle bikepacking route traverses the north shore of Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, two of the Minnesota Arrowhead’s finest natural playgrounds. Straddle your bike through the north woods and paddle a canoe on the finest short day-trip loop the Boundary Waters has to offer. Created by: Peter Pascale Originally published on Bikepacking.com and featured here with their permission. ROUTE OVERVIEW ​ Distance 180 Miles Elevation 7,733 Feet Unpaved 81% Days 3-4 From Bikepacking.com : Straddle and Paddle starts and ends on the scenic Lake Superior shore, and travels the gravel, double-track and trails of the Superior National Forest. Dubbed ‘the Minnesota Arrowhead’ for its pointed shape, this region supports some of the best gravel and adventure races in the midwest – the Heck of the North, the Grand du Nord, and the Gravel Conspiracy to name a few. And now this route ties it together to support your northwoods rambling adventure. Lakeside rustic campsites abound (some with well water), and dispersed camping is allowed anywhere in the forest – providing ample flexibility. Straddle & Paddle Bikepacking Route Map: BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. They inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. They believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. More here. Disclaimer: If you choose to ride this route, you do so at your own risk. You are 100% responsible for being prepared for all conditions and making sure that biking these routes is legal. Before riding, check local weather, road conditions, closures, and property ownership. Obey all traffic laws and follow land use restrictions. Do not ride these routes without proper safety equipment and navigational tools. The accuracy of these routes cannot be guaranteed neither can we guarantee that these routes are on public property. TheNxrth.com and its contributors are in no way liable for the personal injury or damage to property that may result from cycling this route or any other routes on this website.

The US Fat Bike Open recently took place on Feb 11 in Green, Bay WI which was the final race of the 4-event Snow Crown Series. Casey Hildebrandt and Leah Vanevenhoven won 1st place in the Men's and Women's categories that included $1,000 prize from Wren Sports in both categories. Here we chat we them about leading up to the race and the most challenging moments of the day. The Snow Crown Series is a 4-race series taking place around Green Bay, Wisconsin. To learn more about the series, visit their website . Interview with Leah Vanevenhoven and Casey Hildebrandt. Have you done the Snow Crown events before and what are they like? Casey Hildebrandt Actually, this was my first Snow Crown series event! I've always wanted to do the series, or at least one event in the winter, but by the time my cyclocross season winds down in December or January, I'm pretty spent and just want to be home and spend time with family and friends. I've done a few fat bike races in the last decade or so, like the Badger State Games and the Fat Bike Birkie, but the U.S. Fat Bike Open is by far the most professional and best atmosphere. Shoutout to Sarah and George Kaptiz along with all of the volunteers and venues that make this series pretty rad! Leah Vanevenhoven Yes! This is my third season doing the Snow Crown series. I bought a fat bike from George at Broken Spoke when I moved back to the USA in 2020 and he gently nudged me to race. Three years in, the Snow Crown races are some of my favorites of the year. It's the dead of winter, often terribly cold conditions and yet everyone is bundled up and in good spirits to have some fun in the snow! George and Sarah do a fantastic job hosting the series, it's a very uplifting environment and the positive energy is quite contagious. How did you feel going into race day morning? Leah Vanevenhoven I felt great. I've tried extra hard to simply enjoy the Snow Crown races this winter because my schedule hasn't been allowing me to train as much as I'd like. I'm not much of an early riser so the 1pm races suit me well. I did pre-ride the course because last year I flopped at this race; dropping my chain and having a hard time maintaining power. With minimal snow, the course had more of a MTB feel to it this year; this style of racing is within my wheelhouse. Casey Hildebrandt I wake up most race mornings wishing I would have slept better or gotten more sleep - I was tired, but I think the drive over to Green Bay made me feel a bit more tired than I actually was. Once I arrived, checked it, and got on course I was ready to roll. I finished off my cyclocross season in the U.S. with a top ten finish at the National Championships in Hartford, Connecticut and then came back home for two weeks before heading over to Europe for the Kerstperiode - three weeks of the most legendary cross races in the world all within a couple hours of each other. I raced seven UCI races in 12 days, capping it off with two races in the United Kingdom before heading back home and was absolutely spent mentally and physically. I took three weeks off the bike, had a week of easy riding, and then did some baseline testing with my coach the week of this race. I knew I was in pretty good shape after how I felt during my power check, but was still a bit nervous how my body would respond to a race after a nice off season. What was the toughest moment of the race for you? Casey Hildebrandt Whew - this is a good question! I slotted in the lead right off the start line and into the neutral start. I stayed on the front all the way to the climb up to the 14th hole. No one came around me the entire first lap and my plan was to race smart and make a move when the time felt right. Once we hit the icy climb, I hit the gas a bit and after a minute of climbing I crested the top with Caden Budd a few seconds back and no one else close. Caden, along with Corey Stelljes, were the two guys I was concerned about, so when Corey was no where to be seen and Caden got on my wheel, we hit the gas and stayed away all race. To answer the original question, the toughest moment was when Caden pulled through halfway or closer to the end of lap one and just laid down the power. He was pulling through like a freight train and I had to really focus and talk myself through hanging on until we settled in. Corey put in a good chase and closed the gap down to 15-20 seconds on lap two, but once we recovered a bit from the initial effort to get away, Caden and I worked really well together and blew the gap wide open. Leah Vanevenhoven The first lap, I got passed by Leia. She held first place for 4 out of the 5 laps. I wouldn't let her out of my sight, thinking I wouldn't catch her but knew I could keep the consistent pace I was holding to stay within her reach. These moments were tough to work through. She climbed faster than me on the big hill climb and had a strong cadence at the top that would propel her through the next section of the course. At the end of the 4th lap, I found myself creeping in on her and the group she was with. It's all a daze of passing her on a hill, speeding down the hill, and pedaling as fast as I could for a few minutes refusing to turn around to see if she was behind me. When I finally looked back halfway through lap 5, I was alone. A great race tip I once received was to look forward, not back. Knowing she wasn't within sight, I focused on finishing strong. According to my race results, the 5th lap was my fastest. Coming around the last corner, the crowd didn't know who'd be in first. The eruption was electric from the spectators and the cheering was something I've never experienced; I threw my arms up in victory. What did you ride and do you have any favorite pieces of gear you want to mention? Leah Vanevenhoven I'm part of the Specialized family for all my bikes and raced with a Specialized Fatboy. Because it has been a mild winter, I like to race wearing the 45NRTH Ragnarok cycling shoes. They're lighter and have a better power distribution than my 45NRTH Wolvhammers I typically wear for cold conditions. I recently upgraded my helmet to the Kask Protone Icon and it's extra comfy (and light) on my noggin! Casey Hildebrandt I don't actually currently have a fat bike of my own, but George Kapitz invited me to come do this race and graciously gave me his custom, next level Salsa Beargrease to race on. That thing is decked out with the nicest equipment and is by far the nicest bike I've ever ridden! Sram Eagle AXS, HED Big Deal carbon wheels with Berd Spokes, Wren carbon bars, and even the CeramicSpeed oversized pulley on the rear derailleur. I certainly could not have asked for a nicer bike from a nicer dude! I picked it up two weeks ago and my first ride back from the off season was some winter singletrack! I was able to dial everything in one more time on my home trails at Jack Lake the following weekend and felt comfortable enough to let it rip on race day. During the pre-ride and warm-up, I dressed pretty warm with two sets of shoe covers, a long sleeve base layer, short sleeve jersey, long sleeve jersey, vest, thick gloves, and a cycling hat under my helmet. I quickly realized I was way overdressed and went back to the car to take off one set of shoe covers, change out the long sleeve base layer to a short sleeve one, and took off my cycling hat. At the start line, still feeling a bit warm, I took off the shoe covers and went with my normal shoes and even ended up taking off my gloves on the last lap finishing the race with bare hands. Thank you to George for pushing me to get to the race and providing me with such a nice bike - it was great to represent Broken Spoke and bring home the win, but even better to have my teammate Leah Vanevenhoven win the Pro Women's field! I also want to give a big shout out to Caden Budd - at just 16 years old, he made it a great race and put up one hell of a fight in that sprint finish. It's great to go to battle with someone so strong and young who also happens to be a teammate! He has a bright future ahead of him in this sport and I'm excited to see what he accomplishes. He reminded me why you always spring through the line if it's close!