Vapor Trail 125

This has J's name all over it! Fausty too!! @mtnbikej @Faust29

http://www.vaportrail125.com/

EVENT DETAILS
Vapor Trail 125, September 8-9, 2018

The Vapor Trail 125 is an ultra-endurance Mountain Bike Event. It is by invitation only, entrants are vetted to confirm that each one is ready for an event like ours.

The Vapor Trail 125 is somewhat unique among endurance mountain bike events. It’s an all-night ride, but unlike a 24 hour race you won’t be at a place where you can re-stock, get shelter, or quit ever hour or two. During the 8 hours of darkness you will visit only 1 Aid Station, and will enter a portion of the course where medical assistance is hours away. It gets very cold in that portion of the course, and you’ll need to be carrying any clothing changes you might need.

There are long sections of technical singletrack, some navigated in darkness. Riders have to have very good bike handling skills in addition to their climbing fitness, and must have demonstrated that they know how to ride carefully and self-rescue if they have a problem.

We often get requests for entry from people who, for example, just finished the Leadville 100. They think they’re ready for something 25% longer. But the mileage doesn’t tell the tale. Veterans of both the Vapor Trail 125 and Leadville 100 would agree with this statement:

“The Vapor Trail 125 is like riding two Leadvilles in a row, and one of them is at night.”

You may have done lots of racing, and you may be very fast. But if the events you conquer are the kind where you can get away with a water bottle and a couple gels in your jersey pocket, you haven’t done anything like the Vapor Trail 125. Races like that are great, we have great respect for the Leadville 100. Nothing wrong with dirt hundies and 24 hour racing, but we need to have an idea that you’ve seen some adventures with a little less structure.

The event starts at 10 PM on a bridge over the Arkansas River at 7,000 feet elevation. Participants ride through the night, and most of them through the entire next day never dropping back below 9,000 feet until the last 8 miles. The course draws a large circle through some of the highest mountains in North America. There are multiple high points near or above 12,000 feet. There are six long sustained climbs that each can take 2 hours or more to complete.

It can rain, it can snow, it can be windy and/or cold. The night is always cold in the high country, temps below freezing can be expected for 6 hours or more. There is roughly 17,000 feet (~5,200 meters) of cumulative climbing (accuracy confirmed by Strava).

There are 4 aid stations, and there are some people out on the course during the event, but people who get involved in this event need to know how to take care of themselves. On many parts of the course a rider can be 10 or more rugged miles from any kind of help. That rider needs to have the clothes needed, skills and tools for fixing a bike, water and nourishment, and good judgement. The people who participate in this event have to have done this sort of thing before and proven that they know what to do and what to have in order to take care of themselves. For this reason we require each rider to submit a ride resume prior to being allowed to register.

Officially, all riders are required to have at least one strong light suitable for riding on technical singletrack with a burn time of 5-7 hours. This light should be rated to 200 or more lumens. Also each rider must have a backup lighting system with a burn time of 8-12 hours. This backup light needs to be bright enough for the rider to use to ride slowly on a dirt road and be seen by other riders and vehicles, and bright enough to be used to get out of the woods in the event that the primary light fails. Each rider also needs a rear blinky light which can easily be seen by vehicles overtaking the rider and other riders.

This year, 2018, the event will start at 10 PM on Saturday September 8. The fastest riders will finish in the late morning of the 10th but most will finish in the afternoon or evening of the 10th. To review our Frequently Asked Questions, click here.

The entry fee for the 2018 Vapor Trail 125 is $150. The fee is non-refundable, and your paid entry cannot be transferred to someone else. If you’re not completely sure that you want to participate, and you can’t afford to lose your entry fee, you probably shouldn’t register for the event.

If you would like to participate, please contact us and send us a list of the bike races, big rides, adventure rides, etc. Keep in mind; recent experience is going to be more relevant than races from years ago. Convince us that you’ve done things that are at least nearly as hard as the Vapor Trail 125.

 

I don't see the upside.Why do it?

 

What's the upside to any of these kind of races?? And why? I'll tell you why, not that I could ever do one of these things, it's so you can say you did it and brag about it on the intrawebs! D'uh...

I'm pretty sure people that do these actually have pretty good reasons for doing this kinda race/adventure...

 

Sounds like one hell of a challenge.

 

Because you can, or think you can. That sounds like plenty of reason to me.

It could not run through more gorgeous terrain. My bro Colin did it. Badass as he is, not itching for a repeat.

 

If I was up for this, I think I'd send in a resume, frame my acceptance letter and hang it on the wall. Then I'd go out (on my own or maybe with a few friends) and do it in the daytime so I could enjoy the scenery. Maybe make a 3 day ride out of it, if that makes any sense. It definitely is gorgeous out there, and most likely serene at night sitting under the stars, in front of a small campfire, ala @mike, @evdog or @schillingsworth. .

 

Well said...

I’m not sure which would kill me first... the 6 major climbs, the 17,000 feet, or the all nighter.

 

We have a winner for understatement of the year!

 

I looked at the site before posting my comments.....

My longest ride to date is 127 miles (on a road bike). It took me close to 9 hours to complete, and the last hour wasn't fun at all.
I understand that there are riders out there who are looking for the next challenge (and are much more capable them me), but riding in the dark and HAB are no fun in my book.

For me, if one day ride (during daylight) is not challenging enough for you find a week-long stage race.
On that note, I'm seriously considering signing up for the BC Bike Race in 2019........ and I'm looking for a partner? Anyone?

 

I should submit a picture of my #endurohuffy and a link to my Strava and see what response I get. “Um, thanks but you haven’t even ridden the distance of this event in all of 2018 so far.. we’re gonna have to pass.”

 

Come on one of my rides. Guaranteed vapor trail.

 

Or you don't know if you can but you want to find out. Probably over my head but you don't know until you've tried.

I'd be more likely to do it if I lived closer and had ridden the area a bunch. As someone who's only been there once I'd probably want to ride it mostly during daytime, for the views. And on my own, for free.

 

This event might qualify as a cruelty to humans case.

 

I sent in my resume. Fingers crossed.

 

Past my bed time

 

You must've posted this in your sleep then....LOL

As Rob Warner would say....