Iditabike is an event for the hardiest. Ride 100 kilometers (62 miles) over snow in Alaska? And in February?

A scene like this one makes me wonder what it would really be like to ride through the snow on a fat-tired bicycle. I’ll never know, I suppose, unless I moved well away from Southeast Louisiana; but I guess it takes a lot of energy to push through the snow. Especially a heavy, wet snow.

If a short ride on a snowy day takes extra care and planning for most folks, what must it be like to participate in Iditabike? Imagine riding over snow; in temperatures that can get far below freezing. One of my cycling books mentions the race; and tells of it being a “clear night”.  Yes, it looks as if Iditabike doesn’t stop for a little thing like darkness. I wonder, do the riders get to see the auroras? I think  would be beautiful to ride under those Northern Lights — if I could stand the cold.

I’ll bet my thoughts would turn to hot chocolate, if I were out there. And a warm room, with a cozy chair and a blanket to snuggle into. And a good book to read! But daydreaming could be perilous on the Iditabike trail; possibly fatal.

Maybe my imagination is running away with me; but I suppose Iditabike riders would need to stay alert to wildlife. I would not like to be struggling to ride through snow with a kodiak bear chasing me. From what I know about bear encounters, it’s best to avoid bears if possible. Part of that is making some kind of sound so you don’t surprise the bear.

Jingle bells, jingle bells🎶…