Rightfully ranked as one of the top bikepacking races, the Colorado Trail Race features beauty that makes the grueling miles worthwhile.  At 300 plus miles and 50,000 feet of gain, the CTR is definitely a challenge even before factoring in elevations of over 13,000 feet.  The race is a self-supported ITT with a suggested start time.  This year, that day is July 29th with this year's event traveling from Denver to Durango.  If you plan on racing the Colorado Trail…

Though this 107 mile race has aid stations approximately every 25 miles, riders better not show up unprepared.  The Badlands will demonstrate why they are so named, and this mostly singletrack race will test riders with terrain, elevation gain, and conditions.  The MDH rolls out at 6 AM on August 4th from the CCC Campground approximately 15 miles south of Watford City, North Dakota.

You might think a mountain bike race in Georgia is easier than a race in the high mountains, but you would be greatly mistaken.  This beast of a mountain bike race has over 56,000 feet of climbing packed into a 350 mile course.  In addition, racers will have to deal with the heat and humidity of August in the southeast US.  Trans North Georgia starts August 18th from the Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike Get-A-Way in Ellijay, Georgia.  Information on the…

The official unofficial gravel world championship takes place in Lincoln, Nebraska on August 18th, 2018.  Featuring around 150 miles of southeastern Nebraska, the rolling course climbs 10,000 feet before the finish.  Categories include open, masters, single speed, tandem, and fatbike/cargo/recumbent for both men and women.  Win your category; earn the stripes.

The Vapor Trail 125 is an invitation only ultra-endurance mountain bike event.  Entrants are vetted by the organizers to make sure they are not getting in over their heads, but it's the course that has the final say in that.  The event starts at 10 PM from the Arkansas River in Salida, CO.  The challenge of the singletrack is amplified by the dark.  In addition, the weather through the night requires advance preparation from the racers.  Long climbs and extreme…

The Black Hills Expedition is 460 miles through the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming.  This is a rugged self-timed and self-supported ITT.  The organizers will provide a route and a suggested start time with the group start for 2018 being September 17 and 6 AM.  They also invite you to just come and enjoy the solitude.