Julian Bikepack Challenge Group Start Friday October 13th, 2017

My Julian BFL Trilogy

Johan, the event’s main man came up with a BFL (big friggen loop) from the original Julian Bikepack Challenge beach, mountain and desert loops. 294 Miles with around 28,000 feet of climbing. Loops were trimmed, refined and new sections added to eliminate repeated terrain.

Of course I was keen to give it a go and one of my bikepacking cohorts was in too. Sharon traveled all the way from Boise to partake.

The training leading up to an event is always my favorite riding. You have goals in mind and the training is not heart, lung and leg searing so the rides are long and enjoyable. I usually start at 100 mile weeks then build up to 150 to 200 miles weeks. Since the BFL is right out my backdoor I can train on big sections of it. I was particularly excited about exploring new sections I had never ridden that are now part of the course.

The training went well and I was able to get my bike and gear set up figured out as much as I can. I planned on going light, keeping anything off my back and resting as little as possible. I put a double chainring on my bike (which I had to shift by hand), faster tires (29 by 2.6 inch Nobby Nics), new brake pads, shift cables etc. My gear was a bivy, no sleeping bag, down puffy jacket, wind/ rain jacket, extra knickers, socks, cap, wool gloves, standard full finger gloves, base layer and long sleeve wool top, Electronics included a smart phone, rechargeable light with spare battery, rear flasher, power pack and cables to recharge with and a spot tracker. Frame bag held a 100 ounce bladder and a few other small items. Minimal tools with no spare tubes cause I just never get flats, So I went with frame bag, two bedrock tapeat bags, a cheap handlebar bag and a rear seatbag held in check by a butchered up clamp on seatpost rack.

We got going at 6:30 AM from Julian and quickly worked our way down to Lake Hodges around 50 miles away. Pitted at a stop and rob and felt pretty good. Shortly thereafter the heat went through the roof (upper 90’s) and Sharon started feeling the effects. I felt pretty good but it was obvious she was in trouble so we slowed way down, took breaks and met up with Johan in Rancho Sante Fe for an extended sit down break. By then it was pretty obvious that our attempt was in jeopardy. We made it down to the coast and sat on a bluff overlooking the ocean. We called my wife Shirley and arranged for her to pick us up. It was evening now and the weather was good so we were able to get some night riding in towards the west end of Poway where we were picked up. I had no interest in continuing and the weather forecast looked hot and the last section goes through the desert. On the way back we cheated and stopped by Dunkin Donuts for coffee and treats!

The next two days Sharon joined Shirley and two other women for a bikepack outing to Mt. Laguna and back. It was cooler at the higher elevations and they had a great time.

I started to lament that I didn’t get a good chance to give it a proper go since I had worked pretty hard in getting ready. I looked at the weather and it looked like a cooling trend so I picked a 3 day period to give it another shot. I wanted to do the desert section first while it was the coolest. Sharon was game to ride the desert having not done so before. She had a flight out in two days so her plan was to do the desert and then get ready to go home while I continued on from Julian to do the rest of the BFL.

We started at about noon and we made great time down to the halfway point in Borrego Springs. Of course that section was mostly downhill. We had dinner in Borrego and resupplied. Usually cooler weather in the desert this time of year meant west winds. Our climb up Yaqui pass started windy but the wind got stronger and stronger. We finally made the top and it was now full darkness. Off onto Yaqui Well wash where the first half mile or so was so loose that it was easier to walk. It firmed up and we were able to ride but the wind persisted. Up Plum and over towards Shelter Valley the wind was buffeting us. Not only was the wind working against us but it was blowing cholla cactus balls all over the trail and several of them were thrown up from the tires onto our legs! Then a stretch of pavement that was pretty fast since we were getting some favorable tail. Then up Oriflame where the wind worked against us. By now it was very late and we decided to bivy for a few hours. The wind was strong and the sleep was light. We got up and continued on. We turned off on Rodriquez Canyon and we now faced our strongest winds. The top third of the climb up Rodriquez Canyon the wind was ridiculous with sand pelting us and making it hard to control our bikes and stay upright. Even the descent down Chariot Canyon to Banner was sketchy due to the high wind. We took a break at the Banner Store out of the wind before we began our 1400 foot climb up to Julian on the Old Banner Toll Road. The wind wasn’t as strong as before but now it started drizzling and raining on us, and getting the plant life wet so by the time we made the top we were soaked. We got back to Julian around daybreak and Sharon was ready to turn off to go back to our place as she was at the end of her ride. I decided that I was at the end of my ride too since I was cold, didn’t want to face another day of wind and cold nor the 200 miles left to finish the loop. Back home, a fire, breakfast and hot shower beat the alternative to continuing on!

Now I was getting bugged by not even coming close to completing the BFL so I studied the weather report and picked another 3 day window to complete the ride. I had always been in awe of some of the times and mileages that the top riders would put down in these bikepacking races and my goal was to be as “efficient” as possible and to operate on as little rest as I could. I had decided that this year would be my last year of bikepack racing and pushing hard. My goal from here on out would be to bikepack for the fun and adventure of it and not put in huge days in the saddle. So I decided to give it one more chance.

I got a good start at 6:30 AM and quickly worked my way down towards Lake Hodges. But little did I know that the Coast to Crest trail which is part of the BFL was hosting an endurance 50 mile mountain bike race. It was an out and back affair on single track and of course as luck would have it I had to go against the grain for around 10 miles as hundreds of racers were working their way back to the finish area! I yielded trail since I figured anyone with a race number had right of way and although it took some extra time in the whole scheme of things it wasn’t that bad. I made good time down to the beach at Del Mar and the weather was perfect. Heading back inland I stopped at Roberto’s for some Mexican food and a Burrito to go. A stop at a market for snacks and water was quick and I made my way into Penasquitos Canyon. I reached the Poway trail system and by the time I got to the end of it and it’s hike a bike section it was now dark. I continued on through the bridal paths of Poway and took a short off course detour for some more Mexican food. Then it was up and over the mountain towards Ramona. It was getting late now and the climbing was relentless but overall my legs were feeling good. Finally I made my way up to Ramona and took a new back road route that Johan had put in that I had never pre rode. Of course I couldn’t find my way through even trying to follow the GPS track so I backtracked and took the main route into Ramona. By now it was getting towards 1 AM and I stopped at another stop and rob for water, snacks and some hot coffee. I sat down outside and listened to a group of young guys trying to impress each other with their grasp of the “F” word!

Onward towards the Ramona Country Estates on a paved road that trended downhill, then a steep climb up to the trailhead to Cedar Creek Falls. The single track steep descent is always fun especially in the dark. My plan was to bivy at the bottom but the bugs there made it an uncomfortable proposition. So I continued up to the saddle of Eagle Peak on a 2.5 mile rough and overgrown hike a bike. Normally during the day without gear and fresh legs much of it is rideable but being tired, loaded and late I made the decision to hike up the whole thing. I figured not much time would be saved by trying to bike it and during one of my training rides I went off one of the numerous steep edges and I didn’t want a repeat of that experience!

Once up to the saddle I was able to remount and descend down to Cedar Creek and then up to a flat turnout section. At this point I decided to get some rest so I broke out the bivy and bedded down. Within a half hour a truck came down the dirt road and kept it’s lights on me for several minutes. They then proceeded to pull in right next to me and park. Hunters of course and they made a crap load of noise fumbling around with their gear. I decided to try to get some rest but they made so much noise that I found it impossible. Then inexplicably they pulled out and took off. I was pretty pissed at this point and could get no sleep and it was getting close to sunup so I packed up and continued on. Within about a half mile I come to their truck parked right smack dab in the middle of the narrow dirt road. I even had trouble getting my bike around it. About a mile later I come across the 3 hunters and asked them why they parked there so no one could get by since it is a forest service road opened to the public. One of the guys who looks like he came off the deliverance movie set just stared at me and his friend told me to just move along. As I realized I was just looking at crazy I took his advice and pedaled on. I am sure that it was nothing personal against me, but that they were pretty used to screwing with people and I was probably only their first victim of the day! Later on after I turned off onto the climb up Boulder Creek Road they drove by me dusting me in their pursuit of Bambi and his friends. Of course they were about as unstealth as possible and I am sure their day ended up with a big fat nothing!

After the climb up Boulder Creek Road I faced another long and steep climb up Engineers Road and then down and over to the Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant and store. A late breakfast and restock at the store and a quick visit with the amazing store owner left me feeling pretty good and ready to tackle some more riding for the day. The next section through Cuyamaca Park yielded some great riding and single track but by now my butt was hurting big time! Usually my Brooks saddle and lycra allow me to do long rides with a minimum of discomfort but not on this fine day. At the restrooms near School Camp I changed out knickers and readjusted my saddle to get some relief and although it was better the damage had been done!

Now that the fun section was over it was back to climbing for hours on end. East Mesa Fire Road up to Granite Springs for a short break then a single track over to Deer Park Road. Deer Park fire road is a steep, rocky, nasty climb that seems to go on forever but somehow my legs felt OK and I was able to ride most of it. Then a single track over to the top of Champagne Pass. It was getting towards dusk now but I had enough light to enjoy a great downhill on Indian Creek Trail before I continued my climb up towards the Big Laguna trail network. I finally topped out and was faced with some of the best riding of the route. As I approached the end of Big Laguna Lake the clouds started coming in, it was getting windy and the temperature was dropping like a stone. I layered up but my feet were cold and even with my wool gloves couldn’t keep my hands from getting numb. The only thing that I could feel for sure was my sore butt and in less than one minute I lost all motivation to continue on! I stopped and thought for a long time what was ahead of me. Over 100 miles left to go with the prospect of facing a cold foggy headwind as the course turned west, descending Oriflame in the dark, and then the endless climbing from Borrego back to Julian. Plus I was thinking about the discomfort and further damage my butt would take from another 20 plus hours in the saddle. The will quickly faded and I made the call to Shirley to pick me up. She has always been good about trying to talk me over the cliff but she pretty much knew that I had my mind made up and we agreed that I would start riding back towards Julian as she worked her way to pick me up. Once we met up I got my bike quickly into the car, dialed up the heat and headed home to a warm fire, a hot shower and lots of sleep.

So there you have it. Three attempts and three failures but lots of memorable stories. I learned a lot about what it takes to push oneself to the extremes and much of it ain’t pretty. Is it the anticipation or journey or destination that makes all this worthwhile? Perhaps I didn’t want to finish because undone things are always an opportunity to try again, although if I do it again it will be at a much easier pace with lots of rest and recovery.

First attempt: Around 90 miles with around 5,000 feet of climbing.

Second attempt: Around 100 miles with around 10,000 feet of climbing

Third attempt: Around 195 miles with around 20,500 feet of climbing.