Iditarod Trail Invitational '20 Part 1

Early season Autocross 2010 PC Matthew Milenkovic?

I've been contemplating in my mind what I want to write for my race report. Of course, there's the typical approach of the start, all the stuff that happened along the way, and then the finish with some pretty pictures. And that may seem like the race report but it doesn't cover my journey. Not even close. I've been thinking about what it means to me to compete. What is my timeline? Where did I start? How did I get to where I am now?

My mind and conscience, how have they grown? How have they not? Racing up to this point in my life has, not to sound super dorky, been my life's work. Some folks look to art. Some to their profession. Some, even the way they live their life. My story has always been racing.

The sensation of speed as I remember it, came rather subconsciously. As a young child growing up on West 27th Avenue between Minnesota and Spenard, I would develop these complex tracks and cities that I would push my little hotwheels around on in the dirt. I would imagine the sensation of speed and drifting around corners.

Some of my favorite tv shows were Knight Rider, Transformers and MacGyver. I remember when my dad got his first serious remote control car, a 12th Scale Kyosho Plazma pan car. He had a beautiful Harley Davidson 1200cc Sportster that I absolutely loved to ride on the back with him. Hell, I used to fall asleep on it. Haha

One summer afternoon I was playing in the street with my friend Skippy, and he told me about BMX Racing. We used to race up and down the street and I was one of the faster kids, but I think what really hooked me was the rush of adrenaline from competing.

More BMX Racing. This is a better representation of what I was doing.

We raced behind the YMCA on what was actually a really nice track. I really like BMX racing and picked it up quickly. My dad built me up a sweet GT Mach 1 (from Paramount Cycles when it was on Northern Lights.)

I was 9 years old I think. 1989/1990. Yes, that's a sweet mullet.

I enjoyed BMX but the YMCA felt differently about the BMX crowd. I guess we were just a little too Bad Boy for them.

It didn't take long for me to pick up another competitive hobby. This time it was Remote Control cars. Some folks may think they are toys, but there is a legit, serious crowd and market for them.

It was R/C cars were I started to learn the intricacies of racing. Thousands of setup options are available on competitive style R/C cars. Roll centers, toe, bump steer, ride height, spring weight, anti-roll bars, electric motors, battery matching, tire compounds are all common words thrown around the world of R/C car racing. There were many different classes of racing, 4wd touring cars, Pan cars (Prototype bodied, light, quick and high grip) for indoor/outdoor racing and 2WD/4WD offroad classes! During the summer, I would play baseball (another story, another day) but as soon as the temperatures started to drop I would turn the heat up and charge the batteries on the R/C's!

Eventually the R/C club started to peter out. It's enjoyed a resurgence a various times in Anchorage. When I got into high school I started to follow motorsports. My friend who I met through a church youth group had a Honda XR100.

A Honda XR100 that I learned to ride around my friends house. We used to jump it into snow berms in the winter!

Ohhhhh man! My mind was blown!

My first opportunity to borrow money from the bank! 1995 Suzuki RM125

I really enjoyed riding dirt bikes. I pleaded with my father to let me get a motocross bike. He made some deals with me, I had to work for it. I learned how to perform the maintenance, upgrades and taking care of the other responsibilities that came with owning a motocross bike. I got my first job and the payments were made by me. I remember riding the bus to work, going to the bank to make a payment. I even did a couple of motocross races. They were really tough. I wasn't that strong when I was younger and continued to try and ride often to get better and stronger. Not long after, I was 16 years old. You know what that means, getting your license! I was already looking at pickup trucks to carry my dirt bike.

My dad helped me buy a 1992 Nissan Hardbody P/U for my first vehicle. Man, I used to look forward to washing my truck and bike. I was hooked. I loved driving. It gave me a sense of freedom, independence and need to explore. Not long after that, I absorbed my dad's 1988 GMC Sportside P/U. We lowered it, put some cool tires and wheels on it and a nice exhaust. I was so cool ;-P

Here's an example, mine was black and the exhaust exited in the rear.

The next part of my life is a bit of a blur. I was grappling with growing up, rebelling against anyone who knew better then I, and experiencing difficulties dealing with my feelings. I didn't take very good care of myself, emotionally and physically. I ended up getting a DUI, lost my job, got removed from my Associates program with only one semester left to finish. It was a dark moment in my life. I felt pretty lost. I felt like that wasn't what I wanted in my life. After some stellar parenting by my dad, I got a job at Young's Gear building driveshafts and doing bench repairs. I got back on track making by car payments. My dad continued to let me stay with him (like any good millennial right?) I doubled down on car racing. I found something that I wanted to be great at. Racing.

One of my best friends and I decided to build a race car. We had grand visions of road racing and ultimately racing the Fur Rondy Grand Prix (RIP.) I won't go into it as that's another story but I had found my calling. I had something in life to be passionate about again. It was all I ever thought about. I traveled to the 12 Hours of Sebring, Petit LeMans many times. I worked, daydreamed, raced and built cars. I always thought about how I could better my skills. I thought of ways to make the 1986 Mazda RX7 handle better. I thought about how I could adjust my 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution to get a little closer to what was at the time the quickest car up here, the Nissan GT-R. I spent two winters in Laguna Seca at Skip Barber learning the in's and out's of race car driving. It was there that I learned I was out of shape. I was trying to compete with younger, smaller versions of humans. I knew that if I wanted to go faster, I had to lose some weight.

There was a really adorable blonde that came into our lives. Palmer the Lab I didn't care for being outside, the darkness and snow. I had never really understood what it meant to go for a hike, or a bike ride on trails. But Palmer helped me discover my love for exploring again. Just like getting my license, or when my dad would let me ride my bike farther and farther from the house in 3rd grade, I felt a need to go farther and farther.

In 2011 I bought my first fat bike, nicknamed the HULK. A Green, 170mm spaced 9:ZERO:7. I started to look into racing fat bikes and one day stumbled over the Susitna 100 and the Iditarod Trail Invitational. Guys like Tim Berntson, Jeff Oatley, Kevin Breitenbach, Pete Basinger, Jay Petervary, John Lackey all seemed like rockstars to me! (Don't tell them I said that.) Like many others I watched in awe. I knew that I one day wanted to take this event on. And so I developed a plan.

Some of you may have seen or remember my emo Susitna 100 videos. They're rather comical to watch now. I finished in 8 something hours. The stretch from Rohn to Nikolai this year took over 20. Hahahaha

I decided to try the Iditasport 225 in 2015. Man that race really showed me a new world. Sleep deprivation, cold weather, general route finding, gear setups. Not long after that while in Boston to watch my then girlfriend Laura run the Boston Marathon, I sent off my application to participate in the 2016 Iditarod Trail Invitational.

I remember this day very well. It was a sunny day in downtown Boston.

What a year to sign up! John Lackey had just set the record to McGrath, faster than the dogs! The year prior Jeff Oatley hauled butt all the way to Nome in 10 days! It was a time of growth for the race for sure. Trackleaders website was really starting to catch on for all the different bikepacking events including the ITI. The professional "dot watchers" were born.

My first finish. 2016 PC ITI

Ooof. I was really cold and got some frostbite. My second finish in 2017. PC ITI

My third finish in 2018. PC Laura Fox

My fourth finish and fastest time. PC ITI

Just before we got on the plane 2020. PC Corrie Smith

So here we are now. I've had an incredible time getting here and I wouldn't change a damn thing. My dad, family and friends have always and continue to support me. I've met amazing people, seen amazing things and experienced parts of myself that I don't think I would've found had I not been daydreaming as a little kid on W. 27th Avenue. I feel like now I'm ready to give a race report.

Fatback Corvus FLT

I love this bike. It does everything that I want. Greg Matyas of Fatback Bikes/Speedway fame has developed an amazing fat bike endurance/race machine. I never feel like my bike is a hinderance, but an infallible piece of equipment. It's always the right choice for me on the Iditarod Trail Invitational and any other race or expedition I partake in. The shop is a leader in bike prep for winter travel. They understand what happens in the wide range of conditions that Alaska can throw at us and how to form your approach. 

Check 'em out at:  Fatback Bikes and local to Anchorage, Speedway Cycles

The entire bikepacking community has benefited greatly from Eric and crew at Revelate Designs. Lots of people try different pack setups over the years, but you can never go wrong with their gear. I have made small changes based on the conditions that I expect, but the harness, seat bag, frame bag setup has been my go to. And at this point it will continue to be for me in events like the race to McGrath.  

Check 'em out at:  Revelate Designs

Fatback Corvus FLT Sz Lg

HED 27.5" x 85mm Carbon Big Half Deal 

Fatback Alaska Edition Hubs

45nrth Dillinger 5’s w/studs

Fattystripper rim strips

30t absolute black chainring

Raceface Next SL Crankset and BB

Shimano XT pedals

Sram XO1 Eagle drivetrain with twist grip shifter

SQ Labs 611 Ergowave saddle

SQ Labs 30X Carbon 16deg sweep, medium rise handlebar

Wolftooth Fat Paw grips

Fatback Carbon flex seatpost

Raceface Turbine stem 

Garmin Oregon 650T gps 

Revelate Designs pronghorn large bag

Revelate Designs framebag (strapless design made for Corvus)

Revelate Designs Expedition Pogies 

Revelate Designs Viscacha seat bag

Revelate Designs Mag Tank 2000

2x Revelate Designs Mountain Feed Bags (one sweet, one savory)

Revelate Designs Jerry Can

Bedrock Bags HONAKER bag

MSR Whisperlite international stove and white gas fuel

Some quick thoughts of the 45nrth 27.5" x 4.5" Dillinger 5 (B-Fat) tires and HED BHD Carbon rims. Once I trusted the interface between the tire and the rim, I started to let more air out of the tires when needed. I had no problems riding where Kurt and Tyson were riding. Now the Cake Eater 4.0 tires I initially tried did not fit on the Big Half Deal well at all. Fattystripper rim strips (Rim Strips) were absolutely necessary to run the Cake Eater 4.0's tubeless. The 45nrth tires fit a little bit tighter, and maybe I could have used the tires without the rim strips but at this point I did not have time to test that. 

As for the B-Fat performance, the taller tires are a welcome change. I've clipped pedals many times on some of my favorite trails around Anchorage. The higher bottom bracket has helped clear some of the stumps, clumps and snow buildup on the sides of the singletrack trails. I don't know that they're any faster or slower than similarly tall 26" tires, but I think that the industry is going to head that way. Might as well get in front of the line. :-)

March Update '20

About a month ago mi amigo Sachi passed on. It's hard to find the words to describe just how I feel. I don't know that I've ever felt such a extreme depth of sadness like this. I am reminded of Sachi whenever I feel the need to get ready for a walk, when I go to the kitchen to make a meal, when I walk into the door after work or a ride. My condo rings eerily quiet. No toenails on the floor, no slopping of water or gentle nuzzles when she wants my attention. I'm happy that she no longer is in pain. But the space in my heart is large. She was not just a great dog, she was a great friend. I miss her a lot.

Whoa...this Coronavirus thing... White Mountains 100 was cancelled, my favorite racing Supercross (dirt bike racing inside stadiums for those who aren't aware of what this is) has all but cancelled much of the remainder of the season, people aren't supposed to get within 6 feet of each other and for some weird reason people are hoarding toilet paper. Steve McQueen had a saying:

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting."

But this is ok. There's no hurry. Sometimes the trail is slow, sometimes it's fast. It's just something that you learn to accept. I've decided to adjust my racing season some now. I wanted to partake in an Idividual Time Trial of the Arizona Trail 300 but I think that might not be a very good idea. So I'm adjusting and will just start working on getting stronger in the weight room and building my aerobic speed. :-)

Just outside of Skwentna. I'll take a snowcat trail when I can get it!

I had an opportunity to participate in ITI again. The quick and dirty version of this race report is this:

Tyson, Kurt and I pulled out to a huge early lead and held it the entire way over the rest of the pack. In the last 50 miles Kurt attacked and neither Tyson or I could reel him back in.

I'll touch up the race report at another date. There's a lot of story to give and I'm having a hard time processing everything.

I'm going to work on a bike/gear post. Keep in touch y'all.