Actif Epica Fail

I had such positive feelings about this event, and I was not let down, however I didn't make it much past the first checkpoint at about 30Km.
The trip to Winnipeg started off with me getting a head cold during the flight from Vancouver, and ended with my bike lost when I arrived in Victoria. In between things were good, ya I failed to finish (possibly the first event i have never finished where I actually wanted to continue), but the experience was spectacular! -41 with the wind chill, a frozen bike that took every bit of strength and will power I had to inch forward, and absolutely soaked in sweat clothes from that effort to the toque frozen to the stubble on my head and my inoperable camera covered in ice under my jacket. At -41 things freeze and fast, after heading out of  checkpoint one, I was blasted by a stiff head/cross wind that immediately had me uncontrollably shivering, I could see no way out of this condition due to the effort I was producing to pedal my frozen Krampus singlespeed, any clothing I wore was wet and everything wet freezes at -41, I made the decision to abandon and turned back to the checkpoint. Pretty much end of story, the event was well organized, and the incredibly flat lands of southern Manitoba were strikingly beautiful in a barren sort of way. Due to bike/environmental conditions this was by far the hardest 30km I have ever rode nothing else was close. I will go back, Actif Epica and I have some issues to work out.

From pre event ride only -14

In hindsight leaving bike outside to fully freeze was a bad decision!

Three wheels Fat bike insanity!

Flat

Mascot