Kaltag Confessionals: Getting the Sit Rep on all things Yukon River

 

Last night Ryan finally got off the Yukon River.  He was welcomed into the Kaltag school, where he blissfully had the gym to himself.  We were able to chat on the phone for almost an hour while he unpacked and started the process of getting all his gear dry…what I got to hear about was a lot of crazy stories about a crazy few days out on the river. 

Speeds during the 60+ mile stretch from Eagle River to Kaltag averaged around 2.5mph…that translates to walking speed, not biking speed.  I knew he was pushing his bike more than he was riding, but I can’t imagine what it was really like.  Good news, Jill Homer, ITI 1000 Women’s Bike record holder and gifted writer (this article does a nice job over overviewing her accomplishments on the trail and in publishing), was willing to share her description of the trail conditions (Jill’s husband Beat, is a uber-veteran of the race, competing the 1000 mile race on foot): 

​​You descend onto a ribbon of ice nearly a mile wide in places, a blank slate covered in snow and only the occasional stake to indicate the trail. The North Wind sweeps down the river, erasing any semblance of tracks from those who passed through before. The trail is as soft as beach sand. The temperature is well below zero and the 40mph gusts make it feel like 40 below — if 40 below was not just a menacing phantom all around you but actively wrestling you to the ground.

On bare skin, this windchill feels like a thousand needles tearing into your flesh. If you remove a mitten for a minute, your fingers will freeze stiff.

You can’t stop. Not for a meal, not for a drink, not to fidget with your audiobook.  You can’t stop moving. In this way, 5 hours pass. And then 10. Twenty miles. A hundred to go. You find a broken chunk of river ice you can hide behind and barely get your stove started to heat water and a quick meal. It’s still too windy to bivy, so you stand up and keep marching.  15 hours. 20. All this time, the North Wind roars.  You’re so utterly exhausted that you don’t even understand how you’re still moving, but the mind understands when it’s been stripped of all choice.

He describes his time on the river as the hardest thing he’s ever done, and I can see why…60+ miles basically carrying your bike through thigh deep snow 600 miles into a race does not sound like an easy jaunt through the woods.  At one point the wind and snow were so bad he had to army-crawl while pushing his bike (on its side) forward. The wind blew his sleep pad blew away, so there’s an unfortunate loss (if you’re in Unalakleet and have a spare sheet of cardboard or two, I know a guy in the market…). Did I mention he was happy to get off the river?

Upon arrival he set up shop in the village’s school, a place of fond basketball memories with Chris and Dan last year.  Kaltag is the junction of the northern and southern routes, and so the first time Ryan’s back on familiar territory (from here on out, he’s done the rest of the trail on foot).  I think it was rewarding to have a sense of expectations and options.  He was most excited for his drop box and was filled with self-high fives for what a great job Past Ryan did setting up Current Ryan.  It was filled with candy and fresh KT tape for his face.  He’s been raiding the drop boxes of scratched racers, but so too have those in front of him.  All he wants is candy…and so do the other racers.  He says he’s basically been starving from the start, but not so starving that he hasn’t snagged up Rob’s salty nuts or thrown shade at generic hot chocolate (apologies for the poor video quality and whoever packed the generic hot chocolate)

If you recall, the post office was closed in Shageluk, but turns out that was a moot point…we checked the tracking numbers of his drop box and that box has been “In Transit” since 2/26.  Good news is box delivery has been confirmed for the next two locations.

We caught up on random things….Barkley Marathons, whether to start the shishito pepper seeds, our niece's pole vaulting meet, books he’s downloaded (Lonesome Dove and Shantaram (43 hours FTW!!)…thanks Aaron for the recs!).  There were a few moments of frustration over a few choices made, but agreed that there was plenty of time to dissect after he did the damn thing.  He was upbeat, funny as always, and optimistic.  

As the three walkers were hours out, he was thrilled to have the gym to himself and didn’t have to feel bad about spreading his stuff out everywhere. All his stuff was blanketed in snow from the ground blizzards faced on the Yukon.  

Oatmeal for breakfast, fresh veggies from a trail angel teacher (seriously, fresh food is so coveted by racers, but that had to be like $13 dollars worth of vegetables), and an Alaskan “KFC bowl” for school lunch (ehem, take note SD Legislature, even a remote Alaskan village knows the value of ensuring every child does not go hungry!)

You may be thinking, “Emily! He looks SKINNY!”  He does and is…hoping he stuffs as much food in his face as possible over the next few days.  Update soon from his trek to Unalakleet (spoiler alert: he made it and is currently mowing down on some pepperoni pizza).