Matthew Lee vs the Unimog -- off-road to Vegas

[ScottM]

Matthew Lee is out on the bike, traveling with an interesting companion, a Unimog.  Both are blazing a path to the bicycle industry's biggest show -- Interbike.  Follow them on trackleaders.com as they travel some 600 miles across Utah to Vegas. 

For more info on the trip, see Cannondale.com.

[ScottM]

After some delays outfitting the Unimog yesterday, looks like both SPOT devices are rolling as of an hour or so ago.  I think a lot of the route is going to be improvised, so it'll be interesting to see where they end up going, and how much singletrack the two cyclists can hit along the way.

[DaveH]

Awesome!  I was hoping you'd post a link to a trackleaders page for his trip.

I'm quite familiar with most of the terrain he will cover between Loa and Mesquite, NV.  I can do some armchair commentary while they work their way south, even providing some pictures of what they are riding through. 

Much of what they propose to do is ass kicking terrain.  Unimogable terrain (read: ATV route) is often rubbly and  hike a bike for the bikepacker.  Of course I'd expect the 'mog is hauling the bulk of their stuff, they should be traveling light.  It'll be interesting to see if they have any energy reserves to seek out singletrack.  A few mandatory section like Thunder Mountain exist for sure...to find more...well they don't have a lot of time to cover 600 miles!  Of course it is Matt Lee so who knows 

[ScottM]

Any commentary you can provide would be great, Dave.  I'll link this thread from the tracker page.

Things seem to be rolling along well.  Hopefully they'll find a rhythm today and knock out some big miles.  Today's ride will largely be on Skyline Drive, a remote and high elevation route along the western flank of the Wasatch.  Pics and route description:

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/skyline-drive.htm

I think you're right that we won't see much singletrack except a few tasty nuggets like Thunder.

[ScottM]

Hmm, they detoured off Skyline Drive, losing some 5000 feet of elevation down to Ephraim/Manti.  I doubt this was a planned detour.  Hard to speculate as to what's up, but both riders and Unimog are down there.

[DaveH]

Oh speculation is easy

They aren't racing, they are riding/driving.  When you've got a unimog at your disposal it's not much of a penalty to drop 5k' to the nearest hotel.  Just toss the bikes in the 'mog after breakfast and catch a lift back up to skyline drive and you're on your way.

I must say though they are not covering big miles - and skyline drive is a dirt road...it will get considerably slower going once they hit the Fremont trail and parts beyond.  I don't know Nixon but I bet Matt is having no trouble outriding the unimog.  That thing looks kinda slow.

[ScottM]

Ha, I speculate that your speculation is right on the money.  You'd think the 'mog could make pretty good time on a ~graded road, but who knows.  I think the top speed is ~35, and I imagine it doesn't handle well anywhere near that.

It looks like someone is posting updates on the Cannondale blog site.  Latest was from this morning:

BLOG ENTRIES: 9-10-2009: from the iphone of Matthew Lee:  OR2V is on an aspen-covrd mesa at 9k enjoying a french-pressd breakfast and sunrise aftr a pretty burly super-climby opening day. Little bruisd, little sore, we have a tasty GWT descent into Tucker, then 180 mi of 8-11k skyline dr all the way to i70. ps. Big congrats to Loren S. 4 his hors cat ascesion into the world of papahood.
Matthew

[Mathewsen]

hey there. thanks for speculating.

in a hotel in epharam. we actually elected to rip the descent to the valley floor b/c the skyline drive is pretty brutal. the climbing is ridiculous. the rugged nature of the opening day plus today's incessant ridge/saddle smackdowns have us foregoing the final segment of skyline and transferring down route to the freemont trail in order to keep to our schedule. we really wanted to say we rode the whole way but we get in the mog for the first time tomorrow. using maps only is slowing us a bit too. skyline drive views are incredible and there are GWT sections intermingled. lots of potential, DH.
-to bed

[DaveH]

Matt, sounds like a perfect if impromptu adventure.  Looks like you teleported on over to Red Canyon for lunch!  I will be there tomorrow mid-morning at the Red Canyon Campground for a weekend of riding, I was sure  hoping to meet up with you but I'm sure you'll be long gone by then.

Enjoy Thunder Mtn and hit Casto/Cassidy if time allows.

[Slowerthensnot]

Looks to be in hurricane....  gonna go see if i can find a unimog....  got a weird text at midnight as well 

[Slowerthensnot]

found the unimog and left a note see if they show at the shop... maybe i can ride with them for a bit...

[Slowerthensnot]

http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152175&id=609824967&l=0580793112

good times, although we got split up when I went hidden valley and ML blasted ahead on the southrim...  Good good times

always good to tip one back with ML

[DaveH]

LW and I arrived at Red Canyon CG sometime after noon on Saturday.  I expected Matt and crew to be long gone but there they were.



Matt was a bit shellshocked from the first 2 days on Skyline Drive (sounds like I need to get up there for some 'splorin!) and they seemed to have moved into a mode of seeking out cool trails rather than a burly cross-country ride on short notice.  No GPS tracks was hurting them somewhat - and lucky for them they had a Garmin 705 and I had my laptop with me...so I set them up with tracks for Virgin Rim, Gooseberry, Jem, and a route from St George to Mesquite, NV. 

Hard to say how it went beyond there.  Looks like they hit goose with Mr. Nice.  The unimog is now in vegas, looks like they went via Low Mtn/Elbow canyon/Mesquite/I-15.  I'm sure they had some fun on Low Mtn, it's steep & chunky. The guy driving that beast was full of unimog crack and ditched the pedaling duo.  He was fired up!

[David Morgan]

Great pictures.  

Anyone know if there are plans for something cool like this for this September?

David
Monte Carlo Vegas ~ Excalibur Hotel Vegas
Las Vegas Tours ~ Las Vegas Tour

[Slowerthensnot]

i'm thinking i'm gonna ride to interbike this year via the dirt