After fifteen years of downhill and enduro racing, I decided to branch out and try something new. I love riding bikes and thought, well, maybe the more you ride bikes, the more fun you have. So, after years of sprinting down rock gardens, I decided to check out the mountain biking endurance scene. There are a ton of events out there, each varying in length and conditions. Living in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, I decided to participate in a local race called Vapor Trail 125. Although it’s conveniently located 10 minutes from my house, it’s arguably—and inconveniently—one of the country's most challenging mountain bike races.
What makes Vapor Trail so hard? Well, there’s the 125-mile (~200 km) distance, the 17,000 ft (~5,200 m) of climbing through technical mountain passes, and the riding between 7,000 and 13,000 ft of elevation the entire time. Yet the real kicker is the fact that a lot of this takes place in the dark. Vapor Trail starts at 10:00 pm and racers ride through the night, many not finishing until late the next day—and some not finishing at all. Because of the mileage, pitch-black conditions, and the small group of riders that even dare to take on this beast of a race in the first place, you’re guaranteed to ride solo almost the entire time—talk about a real mind trip! Although this event seems impossible, the race supporters have your back with aid stations, cheer squads, and well-trained medical staff to help guide you along the way.
This year was particularly special because Vapor Trail established a duo category, designed to allow participants to split the distance with a partner. One person rides all night, covering 75 miles (120 km) and 12,000 ft (~3,700 m) of climbing; in the morning, the other rider takes over and finishes the race. My brother Ryan Gardner was visiting, and the duo category was our perfect introduction to this insane race. I decided to take the night portion because I had never done anything like this and wanted to get the authentic Vapor experience. Thinking back to my college days, I reminisced about staying up late and thought, if I can party all night, why shouldn't I ride my bike all night? Logical, right?