‘Dacks to the Max

Inge and Carl Aiken Ride the 580-mile Adirondack Trail Ride

By Linda Waxman Finkle

What do you get when you mix six-million pristine acres of mountains, valleys, lakes and cliffs, with one of the fastest growing types of bicycle travel – and throw in individuals who live for extreme physical challenges? The Adirondack Trail Ride, of course! Conceived by local Mikey Intrabartola, just five short years ago, this ride/race is already achieving legendary status. 

TATR is a solo, self-supported 550-mile bikepacking ride through some of the most challenging parts of these mountains. The route promises and delivers trails that are rugged, technical, rocky, and full of routes on pavement, dirt road, single- and double-track. And, just for fun, it also features bushwhacking, river crossings, creeks, lots of insects, and all kinds of weather. Typically, half of those who start don’t finish, and no more than 14 have registered per year, with several racing multiple years to try and improve their times because, amazingly, it’s also a race. So, who would actually want to put themselves though this cycling version of “Naked and Afraid?”

Inge Aiken’s infectious excitement for life is evident from the moment you meet her (Athlete Profile, August 2018). As a former pro cyclist, multiple Adirondack 46er (completed in every season and every month), runner, skier and all-around multisport athlete, the East Greenbush resident wanted to tackle TATR since she’d first heard about it. “It sounded like a great way to explore the Adirondacks’ farthest backroads after falling in love with these High Peaks 20 years ago.”

Over the years, she test-rode various sections of the route, and grilled Mikey about the event. Her biggest concern was that these days, most of her exercise had been coming from swimming because of recurring foot problems. This year, heavily recruited by Mikey, she agreed to give the TATR a shot if her husband, Carl, would do it with her – to celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary! “To my great surprise, he said ‘yes’! For the majority of our marriage, I was the one dragging him on hikes, runs, etc., and he happened to greatly increase his fitness level this year. Being into swimming meant my bike fitness was not up to par, so we had a bit of a role reversal.”

Into the Woods – The two 58-year-old engineers set out on the traditional second Friday of September race start with the other riders in the “Grand Depart” from Northville’s Waterfront Park. Participants can also go on their own anytime May through October.

There were times during the ride that Inge describes as “soul crushing.” The first day and the last, wading through river crossings with water almost waist-deep, plus a slog on foot up a hill where it felt like walking in quicksand, only to realize they had gone the wrong way, were especially challenging. They averaged 75 miles a day, covering 300 miles of pavement, 200 of gravel, and 100 of rugged single-track, including 20 miles on day one.

“I was being pushed to my limits, and Carl coaxed and encouraged me every day. He’s a much stronger mountain biker than I am, and he learned patience as I tried to be tough. But, the constant change was a bonus for us because we were never bored!”

TATR has official rules, including no support crews and finishing with the bicycle you start with. Participants are lucky to see even one of their fellow racers over the ten or so days that they’re out on the course, and human contact typically occurs when restocking at a Stewart’s Shop, a hardware store, or if they choose to stay at an inn. Riders can camp anywhere, except private land, and there’s plenty of water around, if there’s a way to purify it. But other resupply options are few and far between, and can require long detours off the race route. Carl and Inge did their best to plan carefully for the challenges they might find along the route, and for their on- and off-bike equipment.

Trail Magic – The first re-supply opportunity is at Speculator at mile 70, the next at Indian Lake at mile 108; many times, good choices are at least 50 miles apart. According to the rules, however, “Trail magic” is allowed, like when free apples and coffee appear unexpectedly at a stop, or better yet, Lobster Scampi and steak. That was the surprise in Oswegatchie, a tiny town in St. Lawrence County. TATR is a big deal for the residents, who track the riders, and folks from the town’s Education Center wanted to prepare something special. The magic continued that night with hot showers and a dry bed, as they listened to heavy rain. “I was getting run-down, so the timing was ideal.”

It happened again, about 150 miles later in Essex, near Lake Champlain. “Rolling in at 9pm, we found that the town was basically shut down. We called the owner of the Essex Inn and got a luxury suite with a gas fireplace to dry our gear. No hot meal, but hot showers, and Sprite and trail mix for dinner. We promised to return, and celebrated there a week later with margaritas and a delicious meal!”

Their careful planning, lack of major mechanical issues, and good luck with weather paid off when they rolled back into Northville together, with Inge smashing through the previous women’s record of 11:06:02, completing the ride in 7 days, 11 hours, and 27 minutes. Zach Verhey of Wallkill set the men’s record in 2019 at a mind-blowing 3:12:43.

“We didn’t need to modify our bikes,” said Inge,” who rode a Santa Cruz Highball, while Carl was on a Specialized. “They were super lightweight, and pretty high-end with the best componentry available and tubeless tires. Knowing that we’d be out in the boonies for days, we wanted superior reliability with minimal maintenance. We didn’t even need to pump up tires, and just squirted some lube on from time to time.”

Next Time? – When asked how she would do TATR differently the next time, Inge cites hotel stays as a way to soften the rides’ impact on the body for both sleeping comfort and reducing needed gear weight. Logistics get in the way, however, with actual inns in this region located more than 100 miles apart, and the grueling reality of riding multiple 100-mile days to get to them. She didn’t miss anything that she hadn’t brought, but would carry fewer gadgets and clothing to lighten up the load, remembering those times when she needed to carry her bike over difficult terrain.

She also says she wouldn’t worry as much about eating healthy food along the way, focusing on what’s available to build-up energy and satisfy cravings, including subs, snack foods (think peanut M&M’s and chips), and lots of Gatorade.

Already a fan of the Adirondacks, Inge was once again impressed by the stunning beauty of New York State. She also saw firsthand how depressed some of the small towns in the western part of the Adirondacks are, especially those that rely heavily on tourism. What surprised her most? “I now know that, even at this age, I can still do really hard things like TATR.”

It sounds like that recognition, and the beauty and fun of the ride itself means that there are many more challenging rides, races, and adventures in Inge’s and Carl’s future. Congrats to the both of them on this impressive achievement!

This article is reprinted from Mohawk-Hudson Cycling Club’s BikeAbout newsletter. To learn more about the club and read their December 2019 “50th anniversary of MHCC” special issue, visit mohawkhudsoncyclingclub.org.

Linda Waxman Finkle (LWF518@gmail.com) is an Albany-based writer who enjoys running, skiing, cycling, kayaking and ZUMBA. When not pursuing stories or sports, you’ll find her hiking in a National Park, waiting at an airport, or creating at a sewing machine.