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Choose some heavy duty tires, eat a lot, and send it!

oh wow, I had no idea there were crashes back there!

Absolutely good call out. You can’t really tell from the video but that train was nearly stopped. I was really far down past that before the whistles reached the crossing

@@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel Thanks for the measured reply. I was a bit behind you and had to slow up for a few seconds for the train to pass. It wasn't going fast. Seen some crazy stuff at other gravel races - mass blowing of stopped signs and chicken runs with pickups - as well as jumping tacks before trains, and it's just not worth it and can result in races losing their permits.

Totally agree with you. Maybe it was sketchier behind me as the train got closer. I’ve been stoped by trains at a few races, it is what it is. I see the same thing in group rides when the light changes and people blow the light - not worth it.

I think this course was about 90% gravel/dirt, but very smooth and fast

Yeah Steve can really throw down on those punchy climbs. I hung in there until that last wall of a climb. Those were 500-750w efforts for me

@@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel would have been 900 watt efforts for a moose like me! 😂🐄

Oh yeah? What kit were you in?

@@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel blue DVC kit... Purple canyon Grizl

@@dopamethyldopa oh yeah I remember you for sure. We were flying there for awhile!

Just providing the realistic experience 🤣

@@rickyfretwell thank you, and that’s a great question! Right now I’m fully intending on doing it again on the hardtail. The descents are rough and fast so some more practice on skills there will be immensely useful. But as a larger rider @ 6 foot 1, 200lbs, the climbing advantage was really solid for me. If I were to do it a 3rd time and had a full sus XC bike, that would be a fun experiment though!

@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel I could tell you were causing them grief and catching them on the climbs. From the angle of the camera I noticed you slowed some on the descents but didn't look like much. Was moving faster than me on a full sus I'm sure hahaha. I'm new to it and from south alabama. I made the trip to leadville in June and rode my bike for some practice and opened my eyes to I need alot more practice lol. Planning on 2025 racing for first time even if I have to do the camp to get in. I have an older epic and a newer stupjumper .. I'm thinking the older epic is going to be my ride for leadville because of all the climbing. Great content .. Showed places I haven't seen yet.

@@rickyfretwell if you set your mind to it, you can and will do it! The community and amount of information for this race in particular is overwhelmingly awesome, but I recommend putting most of that aside and just ride

@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel thanks for the information and encouragement. I need all the help I can get lol.

For the Red course it was probably 60% gravel

@@foundfoundfound1 100%. I was on a hardtail and would get passed by folks on full suspension, then catch them on the climbs. My descending confidence needs work for sure

Oh cool! I see I’m in your video as well! Yeah I had a sidewall slice at mile 27 and had to change a tire, took awhile. Still had a great day out there, hope you did as well!

​@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel bummer. Glad you were able to get a new tire. Was that at Pipeline or Outward Bound? My day was amazing until having to deal with Powerline, Turquoise Lake Road up, And Boulevard. Those almost broke me. Haha. Glad you were able to.get your buckle and not have to do it again. Unless you like it and you want to. For me, it was a one and done.

This was my first time at Leadville. I actually did fairly well considering Brown Corral start and a sidewalk slice at mile 27

@@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel congrats. Seems mostly gravel style. I was surprised to see some extra rocky areas. Your video showed areas you don’t see in the official recaps. Kind of want to do this race Lol

@@chrismoore1182 it’s like a puzzle. There were long paved areas, gravel, loose chunky descents you need a MTB for, single track, just all kinds of stuff.

@@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel Yes, I would be on my epic evo 7 with FA. Did you qualify for the race? curious how to get there. I might look into the stage race first as an entry to it.

@@chrismoore1182expect to have to place top 3 in your age group or better to get in by place. The coin lottery can be only about a 1/50 chance depending on how many stay for it and how many who stay already have an entry. For me to place in the 50-60 AG it probably would have taken an FTP of almost 4.5 - 5 watts/kg at sea level.

I did! I had to let go of my target time when I had a sidewall slice and needed to swap tires, but I still finished and got my buckle

Acclimate. Took me 8 days to feel good up there.

I felt pretty good up there. Some people handle altitude better than others

@@WoollyAndTheCosmicGravel biking recovery is like having a mild hangover I'm not so sure I like this stuff lol