Day 12: No better luck with the mud and snow; took 2 hours 40 minutes to go 4.5 miles around Brooks Lake.

Tour Divide: Day 12

Felix Wong's avatar
by |

Ride time: 6:50 a.m.-11:00 p.m. (16.2 hours)
Miles ridden: 78 on-course + 0 off-course = 78
Total on-course miles covered: 1133

MTBCast Call-in

Felix Wong Fights Mud along the way to Brooks Lake

Submitted by sherry on June 24, 2008 – 1:20 p.m.
Racer update about: Felix Wong

Hi, this is Felix Wong calling in at 1pm on Tuesday, June 24th. I just got over the Togwotee Pass in WY this morning. The pass itself wasn’t too bad but however the section beyond it by Brooks Lake was absolutely horrendous. Lots of snow.

Even worse that the snow was mud. There is so much mud that collected on my bike that both of my wheels seized. I had to spend a lot of time trying to clean up my bike. Just trying to get rid of enough mud so the wheels would start turning. I used a stick, my fingers. I tried dragging my bike through snow even, even when there were dirt areas adjacent to the snow. Just to try to get enough mud off my bike so that the wheels would turn.

I also tried to picking up my bike and carrying it however will all of the mud on the bike the bike weighed about 50-60 pounds so that wasn’t very practical. It took me about 2 hours 30 or 2 hours 45 minutes just to go 4.5 miles down to the Lake. After that I still had more bike clean up to do just so the bike was rideable.

I also had a front brake problem which I had to fix which was quite difficult when there’s mud all over the place. I think the bike is rideable again. It had a lot of chain suck; I tried to remedy that.

Up to now, I’ve done 20 miles today. I think I’ll be lucky to get 70 miles today. Difficult day. Hope it gets easier. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-24 14:01:06 EST.)

From the Notebook

  • Togwotee Pass not bad, though trucks went roaring by.
  • The 4.5 miles to Brooks Lake was strictly hike-a-bike and took 2hr30min or 2hr45min. Lots of snow and mud.
  • Mud was like clay. It clumped to tires and frame, and seized the wheels. Also stuck to chain. Spraying with valuable water from my water bottles didn’t work.
  • Encountered an unexpected supply stop: the Lava Mountain Lodge. It was new.
  • Union Pass: first half I climbed well. Second half was harder. After more snow: exhausted.
  • Had to walk up little climb after snow.
  • Rode to campground (Mile 124.6 on Adventure Cycling map) in darkness to 11:00 p.m. Couldn’t see very well and hence was averaging only 6 mph during darkness.
  • Sound of river, light from stars; no bears.
Day 12: No better luck with the mud and snow; took 2 hours 40 minutes to go 4.5 miles around Brooks Lake.
Day 12: No better luck with the mud and snow; took 2 hours 40 minutes to go 4.5 miles around Brooks Lake.