Just read Tanner's reply and incident. Holy crap! Glad you're ok. Get well soon!

Hey all. It's Cas (Cassi) aka Red Lantern lol

I had no clue this discussion was going on or rather forgot about this forum until my friend, Wendi, mentioned it tonight. I would have tried to update on here too and what's this mtbpodcast thing? You call in? I'll have to check that out for next time

Thanks so much for the cheering me on. Haha I like the term red lantern. I got a bit sick from days 3-5...you can kind of see on my tracker didn't get too far those days but my goal was to just finish and by god, that's what I was gonna do. Spent way too much $ on gear not to ahahaha. Felt better after that 5th day and pushed on in. Sooo hot that last push in on Gila and PP. Never done something like this/been bikepacking alone. Super green at this. This was crazy hard in all aspects, but what a life changing, humbling experience. I'm so in awe of all those who can do this in under 4 days WOW, and those pushing on for 750 miles crazy. I hope I can someday. It was a bucket list item that has now sparked new bucket list items including to improve my time by a couple days next year. Guess I'm addicted now.

A verbose blog, or rather novel it's turning out to be, to be posted soon.

Thanks so much Scott for hosting these events. Sorry didn't get to chat w/you much. Someday. Chatted w/Ezster. Very nice too meet her. Thank so much to John Shilling and my Mom for meeting me at the trailhead for my finish! That Gatorade and pizza you gave me, John, was heaven. Oh also a 750 rider, John, I think too was there? Meant a lot for the cheering. I could see the dang lights about 1.5 miles out, knew I was close, but talk about the longest last 1.5 miles ever. I'd see the lights then I didn't, curve around, even go backwards somewhat, then back around a ridge, see the lights again, rinse and repeat. I mean can't we just get a straight, preferably downhill, line from A to B for for one dang mile at the finish? geesh That's all I ask. ha jk.

Good luck to those still pushing on in the 750. You can do it! Congrats to everyone that finished!

-Cas