Fireweed - Race Across Alaska

Posted by Fin on 27 July 2009

A few days into my first week of R and R in Anchorage Ron and Barb asked me if I would like to join them and their two friends Doug and Nancy on their trip to a cabin at Sheep Mountain for the weekend. They were taking part in the 2009 Fireweed, Race Across Alaska race and had booked a log cabin up on Sheep Mountain where the race started and ended that weekend. The race was in several categories, the 400 mile race from Sheep Mountain to Valdez and back, the 200 mile to Valdez, the 50 mile to Glenallen and the 100mile to Glenallen and back. We had entered in for the 100 mile event  - 6 months ago the prospect of doing a 100 mile bike race to me was utterly absurd, now it seemed like a good idea and a great way to see some of Alaska I would not be experiencing during the main route of Going South.

Nancy's Road Bike

Sadly, Nancy came down with a nasty flu (swine!) a few days before so was unable to make it and she very kindly leant me her shiny road for me to use. This was a great honour and very kind of Nancy as the bike has great sentimental value to her. Thanks Nancy! As a result I didn't have to lug my 16kg steel Thorn Sherpa touring bike and chase Ron, Barb and Doug round the course. I was secretly hoping to use my heavier Thorn so I would have had a perfect excuse to loosing the race to three 60 year olds...now I had no excuse and was sure they would wipe the floor with me. The Tour de France was mid flow that week so I spent a few spare hours busily learning up on drafting, pelitons and other cycling gobbledogook...in the hope I would know what I was doing by the weekend. It turns out they were in the race just for the ride too, which was a big relief knowing we could take our time and enjoy the the scenery.

Celebrity

I met some great folks up at Sheep Mountain. I was introduced as the 'guy cycling from Prudhoe to Panama' and felt like a minor celebrity. I met a guy called Patrick who leant me his bike stand so I could replace a tyre on the bike before the race. Patrick was heading to Islay in the Western Isles of Scotland for some bike touring. It just so happened that I had completed my practice tour in the Western Isles a few weeks before heading to Alaska so was able to keep up the pretence of a cyclist who knew what he was talking about with cycling advice on the area...I also met Vicky and Marco, friend's of Ron and Barbs, who kindly donated some cool Alaskan cycle shirts to me - Thanks!

Luxury get away

I felt sorry for Doug. He had booked these luxurious cabins for him and his wife Nancy to stay in for the Fireweed weekend nearly a year ago. Now she was laden up with flu and he was sharing the cabin with a bearded snoring Scotsman.

Lew Meyer

The ride went great and we all drafted together for the first 50 miles. Fortunately the smog and haze from the Alaskan forest fires was not as bad as it had been that week so conditions were good. Half way through the ride I heard the unmistakable sound of the bagpipes! There is so much Scottish heritage here in Alaska with many generations of new American descendants of Irish and Scottish families - at one of the rest stations one of these guys was playing the pipes to will us all on and it certainly did! On the way back I pushed on and started to lead from the front. Doug kept hot on my heels and almost pipped me at the post - we finished the race in just under 6 hours 30 minutes. I felt quite pleased with myself for a few minutes and then the loud speakers announced Lew Meyer, was about to finish - he had set off the day before and was about to complete the 400 mile extended version NON STOP in just over 36 hours. He is 75 years old. Incredible.

And the winner is..?

Doug and I took our time driving home, stopping off to check out the Matsu Glacier and the whitewater river that runs below. The following evening back in Anchorage hundreds descended on the Bear's Tooth Grill pub crossed with a cinema. You eat your burger and sup beer whilst watching movies in the large theatre - pretty cool idea. The Fireweed Awards ceremony was taking place so we went along for the evening. Ron won a raffle price of $100 for bike parts at a local shop which was great. It turns out Barb came thrid in her group for the 100 mile race and she got a fabulous limited edition engraved Fireewed glass. Just before the end, the last raffle prize of another $100 voucher was given out. The number was announced but nobody came up to the prize. So they read out another number....my number!

Read more on http://www.alaskadigitalvisions.com/Fireweed-09/Saturday/Helen/Set3/index.htm ›&rsaquo

10 comments. Tags: Fireweed, road race, fin. Location: Sheep Mountain, USA