In October 2021 I joined a few other riders at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. for the fall Grand Depart of the Trans-Virginia 550 bikepacking race. The route covers 560 miles along the spine of Western Virginia mountains to the finish in Damascus, with an elevation gain of over 45,000 feet.
The race was, beyond a shadow the doubt this race the hardest physical challenge I have ever undertaken. The climbs were grueling and the descents were often challenging in their own right, semi-technical affairs with ruts, rocks, and potholes galore. I pushed on alone in the dark woods for hours. I screamed and grunted frustrated noises loudly in the in the middle of nowhere. I ate gas station food, crashed on the side of trails, and put on the same stinky, dank clothes every morning. In short, it was a great vacation.
Check it out:
By the way, first bikepacking race = first bikepacking race video. Please excuse the occasional vertical portrait iPhone footage. I know better and will keep it all horizontal next time.