Purism

[Eszter]

I'd love to see someone pull a Mike-Curiak-self-supported-Iditarod on the Tour Divide. Start with all your food, don't go into any buildings. No hot meals. No trail magic. While you're at it, filter all of your water, no commercial sources. People have done dumber things.

I'm envisioning a Bob trailer, panniers (front and rear), and trying to get up that "singletrack" wall in Canada.

But - think about all the good food you'd miss. Platoro breakfast, Pie Town, Brush Mountain Lodge.

[Done]

It's all about where we each choose to draw the line. There is nothing truly "pure," just different shades. Some people have pizza delivered to the trailhead, and some refuse to stop in hotels. Style counts, especially when it enhances the challenge.

[robinb]

I'd love to see someone pull a Mike-Curiak-self-supported-Iditarod on the Tour Divide. Start with all your food, don't go into any buildings. No hot meals. No trail magic. While you're at it, filter all of your water, no commercial sources. People have done dumber things.

I have to admit - I have thought about this...

[Jilleo]

Curiak had a ~150-pound bike for 24 days on the Iditarod. Arguably you'd need roughly the same to complete the Tour Divide unsupported. Can you imagine dragging that much weight up and down some of those double-tracks in New Mexico, or avalanche debris in Canada for that matter? Would take some serious strength on top of the necessary illogic. Intriguing.

[Adam Alphabet]

I get unsupported where (to me) there's a certain logical rationality to going this 'style'; extremely remote, no option for resupply routes etc... Coup from Golite did this years ago on some of the long hiking trails and Ryan Jordan and crew did the Arctic 1000 to push UL gear and technique back nearly 10 years ago but voluntarily carrying a tonne more food on a dirt road bike touring route where you pass right through many a town along the route seems illogical and kind of pointless, each their own.  Challenging some of the remote stretches of Alaskan wilderness with pack rafts and 9 days of food from start to finish of a trip, that's sounds like a *pure* trip to me.

[Jilleo]

voluntarily carrying a tonne more food on a dirt road bike touring route where you pass right through many a town along the route seems illogical and kind of pointless, each their own.

You captured why these types of debates are silly if entertaining. Style is always open to personal interpretation; very little is "necessary" these days.

[Briansong]

I love this topic.

There is a book called "Ultimate High, My Everest Odyssey." A guy named Goran Kropp wrote it. He was a purist on Everest. He took it to this level of extreme; He rode a bike, from Sweden to Katmandu, Nepal. He carried EVERYTHING he needed from beginning to end including all his food. He had a HUGE bob like trailer. He eventually made it to Everest Base Camp. He was there the year John Krakauer was there during the big rescue (2005?) He eventually summited unassisted, alone, no sherpa and no supplemental O's He then turned around and rode home with his girlfriend. He even participated in the rescue mission.

The guy wound up dying while attempting something else as nuts. I've forgotten, I think like walking across Antarctica after swimming there or something.

Now that's a purist!

Steve.  Fantastic read by the way.

[THE LONG RANGER]

I think he died, falling off a fairly moderate rock climbing pitch (~5.9), when using protection. Unfortunately, the pro didn't hold. It's pretty sad.

[THE LONG RANGER]

Here's the route -

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/air-guitar/105802381

The guy rules - and he shows a lot of intelligence in his decisions on his adventures. This was an unfortunate accident, I guess it goes to show that no one is immune to chance.

[Briansong]

Here's the route -

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/air-guitar/105802381

The guy rules - and he shows a lot of intelligence in his decisions on his adventures. This was an unfortunate accident, I guess it goes to show that no one is immune to chance.

They tried to make "Kropp" into a verb in Sweden. The guy was an adventure rock star. The book was amazing, might just put it in my carry on to Banff on Tuesday. I just google some stuff on him. His bike rig weighed 240 pounds. NOT TD stuff!! The guy could probably still knock it out in about 16 days. 

Steve

[Eszter]

While we're on silly ideas of self-support - put together a cross country dirt route that doesn't go through ANY towns. Make any resupply or post office at least 10 miles off route. Choose your strategy. Ready, GO!

Popcorn is ready on this end.

[mbeardsl]

Haha - Probably take you longer to find that much dirt especially out east than it would to ride it "pure" (can;t put enough quotes around that...)  Also just about impossible to go through the midwest and not see towns closer than 10 miles apart.

[aarond]

To be really pure, you need to just start with some snares and a bow and arrow, and then hunt and gather your food along the way.  Anything less is really pretty lame.  And you have to do it on a Pugsley.

[mbeardsl]

Start with nothing and sift through the dirt to collect enough raw materials to make your own iron.  Then make the bike...

[bruce.b]

   I like calling it "riding style" much more than "purism." All my bikes are rigid, single speeds and style better fits why I prefer SS than purism.
I wouldn't even consider bringing more than necessary on a ride. I don't find it fun to ride a heavily loaded bike, which is why I got into bike packing.