wheelie machine?!  I'd be a little scared to step into the back door lest the front wheel comes flying up.....

My primary insulation is the beard.  But unfortunately it doesn't cover my nose as well, so I carry a velcro on face mask (It is also neoprene, and I think from Serius) just in case it gets really cold so my nose doesn't fall off.  Unfortunately this makes my glasses fog up pretty easily...... us 4 eyed nerds have it rough.
That balaclava would work fine if you are into the neoprene thing and it fits comfortably.

Pretty sure cruise ships aren't equipped to go to the pole yet. But, if you think about it, a nice, three or four-month out-and-back would mitigate the need for a flight out. Those early 20th-century explorers did it.

That would be like alpine climbers getting picked up at the top of their peaks!  Totally cheating.... Ocean->Pole->Ocean, no prearranged support.  Although you could get a team of 20 bikers and place food drops for yourself expedition style, just to get a couple folks to the pole and back....

Biking to Nome in 1900!
How did he do it without MTBR?!

We are really soft today.

I loved making his own pedals, sailing (I've tried this but without a big enough sail, strong enough wind, or enough need)

And, he turned 20 on the trip!

I use an older Singer model I got from eBay.  It is well built with metal internals, but I do push it pretty hard compared to making quilts and dresses.... It can go through 2 layers of 1" tubular webbing, but 3 is a stretch....
I break needles fairly often sewing heavier fabric like this project.

sometimes I'll think about $/lb but, performance is the biggest factor.

I have been known to calculate $/calorie at the grocery store on occasion (if whole milk and skim milk are the same price I'll get the whole milk every time.... gotta live somehow)

Claimed.  Thanks.

The small ones are really fragile, I consider them one time use.  One time I tried one as a ground cloth - on slightly sloping snow.  It was like sleeping on a sled.  For single overnighters it could be done with care and style, but I wouldn't plan on more than one night.

I have gotten racked on the stem a few times.....

How necessary are computers and GPS for the CTR, and is the Spot mandatory?  I like to minimize electronics, along with their weight and cost.

Pivvay, are you trying the Iditarod this year?
So,.... Mike C only said no to the North Pole.  Hmmm.....

I'll be making a gas tank at some point.  How do they work by the seatpost?  It seems like that would be more secure and out of the way, but harder to access while riding.
Do they use stiffener on the sides?

Somebody should start by riding from the pole to the coast.  It would still be rather impressive.
Reading about the ice road, it takes them 20 days going to the pole, uphill with cargo, and only 10 days coming back to the coast.

and, somebody needs to make a good and accurate movie of Shackleton, although the book is better
not to hijack my own thread or anything

I've read Shackleton.  Most EPIC adventure EVER, at least in recorded history.

I've seen Mike's setup for Nome.

There is an ice road from the coast to the pole?!

Hmmm.... maybe National Geographic and the North Face will sponsor Mike C..... 

Just an idea......
Maybe somebody should start with a short bikepacking trip in Antarctica?
Going to the South Pole, you couldn't carry enough food, and doing it supported would be an ethical compromise and a logistical headache.
While you're at it, packraft to Antarctica from South America....... 

[Homemade Frame Pack for 18" Vassago Jabberwocky or Bandersnatch ONLY]

For Trade/Sale:
Homemade Frame Pack for 18" Vassago Jabberwocky or Bandersnatch ONLY

I made a second frame pack that is much nicer, so may as well pass on this one.







WARNING:
This is homemade and the first frame pack I've made.  No warranty or guarantee or anything.

The fit to the frame isn't the greatest.
The sewing details aren't the prettiest.
It may not fit around your front derailleur or cables.
This will ONLY fit an 18" Vassago Jabberwocky or Bandersnatch.

Features:
Lots of velcro
Two #5 molded tooth zippers, divided by a velcro adjustable divider
Made from light and tough Spectra 500D coated ripstop nylon
That cool homemade look
Lower width for a thin profile and less volume to fill with heavy stuff
Great for day rides as well as bikepacking

For Trade or Sale - 29er tires, backpacking gear, avid G3 rotors - 160 and 185, gold, silver, a good 70mm stem,......
Make an offer - but only if this will go on your 18" Jabberwocky or Bandersnatch!

I'm about to make my own pogies and have some questions.
Here is the link to the MTBR thread if you are interested.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=6197654#poststop

Thanks!

It seems that on the flat and uphill the bike and bars are fitting well, but then on long rough downhills, my back, shoulders, and hands hurt.
I am 5'9" on an rigid 18" Jabberwocky (2x9) riding in Lake City, CO.  Almost everything is big.
Some of the tension may of course be from riding rigid (I am tempted to get a shock, but weight and price are big)
I started with a 100mm stem, then switched to a 90mm stem.  The ergons help considerably, so I might just pick up an 80mm stem and try it out for a bit.
The structural integrity of big sweep bars kinda weirds me out too.  Then again, riser bars are also working against physics.....

I realize the tradeoffs....

I am dropping about 1.5 POUNDS in the tire/wheel area going from Mavic A317/DT 14g spokes/Deore hubs/tubed Intense S-29  to Stan's Flow, 14/15/14 spokes and al nipples, DMR Revolver hubs, tubeless WWLT front, Ardent rear.

OK, forget weight on the bars.
something with more sweep that isn't a funky bar and will be reliable in the backcountry

How noticeable is a 2 deg change?  I think the EA70's I have are 9 deg, which feels close, but would the 11 deg sweep Salsa bars be much of a change?

Or maybe I'll try a shorter higher stem first.