Alaskans Spell Bicycle: B-icicle

(above) NRCS civil engineer Jeff Oatley on the course of the Iditarod Trail Invitational Jeff soaking his feet after the big race

To NRCS civil engineer Jeff Oatley, expending 11,000 calories a day alternately pushing and riding a bicycle across 350 miles of some of the country’s most remote, frozen terrain is actually part of the reward of competing in the Iditarod Trail Invitational.

Billed as the “world’s longest human-powered winter ultra-race,” Jeff views the competition as not only a chance to see some of the country’s most remote terrain, but also as a source of personal satisfaction, having traversed the Alaska Range (the Northern end of the Rockies where Mt. McKinley is located) using only human power.

Having led the pack for at least half of the course, Jeff further distinguished himself by coming in third among ten bikes that completed the race.  Shunning a compass or GPS technology, Jeff chose instead to rely on backcountry ingenuity and experience to navigate his way to the finish line.

Sleeping for only a couple of hours per day, racers often “nod-off” while pushing or riding their bikes only to awaken when they tumble off the trail into deep snow.  Jeff says he slept about seven hours total during the five days it took to complete the course.

"...and they're off!"  bicyclists start the Iditarod Trail Invitational

Race organizers say the trail conditions this year were the most grueling in memory.  Jeff had to push his bike for 140 miles, slogging through fresh snow as his group broke trail over Rainy Pass (elevation 3,600 ft).  But the weather conditions only seemed to heighten Jeff’s excitement about the race.  “We encountered some dangerous weather conditions with  temperatures  dipping close to the minus 40-degrees Fahrenheit range — and we were at a point in the trail where nobody in the world knew where we were,” said Jeff. 

Jeff says that living in Fairbanks prepared him for the Iditarod Trail Invitational.  His daily bicycle commutes to the USDA Service Center and long training rides in minus 45-degrees Fahrenheit temperatures helped condition him to the cold he experienced during the race.  He also had the opportunity to test cold-weather camping gear in real situations which helped him shave the weight of his emergency survival gear down to only five pounds.  Bikers from warmer climes just don’t get the same cold-weather training and experience.

Learn more about NRCS in Alaska

Like the mushers running the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, cyclists must carry everything they need to survive including food, camping gear, water and spare parts.  Accepting help from anyone other than race volunteers will disqualify you from the race — although you can buy food at the checkpoints that occur every 50 miles or so.

Jeff reports that he has gained back all seven pounds he lost on the trail and he’s closing in on his sleep deficit.  And although he hasn't decided whether he'll enter next year, with the rewards he's reaped thus far, we're betting that next year's race will again find Jeff rolling up to the starting line.
Your contact is Cassandra Stalzer, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 907-761-7749.