Unbound Gravel 2023 - just keep smiling!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Unbound 2023 was an experience to be remembered. Starting in mud, surviving the heat, then wading back to Emporia through the downpours left us hanging by a thread. The gravel tandem life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies folks! This is gravel cycling at it's best and worst. Thanks for watching this episode, and if you’ve enjoyed it, please help us out and hit the subscribe button while you’re here!
Special thanks to Ottawa Bike and Trail for providing SAG support at Unbound this year last minute. If you’re riding Unbound in the future and would like an amazing SAG crew, check out OBT!
Thanks also to the The Feed for sending ride snacks. Whatever nutrition you like while on the bike, The Feed is sure to have it.
Music in this episode includes:
Lars Eriksson - (Stay) True
Sven Karlsson - Up and Ahead
OTE - High Energy
Pip Monday - Some Kinda Medication
Lindsey Abraham - Shuffle and Dime
Sven Karlsson - Semi Cool
Greetings from Thailand. Great ride given the conditions and on a tandem- wow!
Awesome, and thank you!
Hi guys! Wish I’d seen you out there. This was my first gravel race (I’m 52) and aside from the challenges we all had to face with mud, heat, rain, etc - it was a good day. (I say that now but there was some pretty salty language flying in the moment :) But honestly, I count myself really lucky! I hope I can do it again next year. Take care and thanks for the video! I enjoyed it!
Awesome work Beth, hope you make it back next year! And thank you!
the real spirit of gravel is behind the peloton. thank you for sharing this with us!
Thanks Victor, glad you enjoyed it!
This video just saved my several thousand dollars. No entry fees.. No travel... No lodging... Thank you for posting!!!
I know right 🤣
And no replacement bottom bracket and bearings!
@@backofthegravelpack (great vid)
@@bikebudha01 Thank you!
Great video. I tried the 200 variant and DNF’ed at 135. It was an awesome day and great atmosphere. The mud sucked and there were more muddy sections on the 200.
Dang, 135 miles would have still been a long day out there!
I’m pretty sure the “hope he has a sock sponsor” guy (6:15) is Travis Longfellow… he used to do videos with Vegan Cyclists, for like a year or so when he was younger (even did an impossible route) but now he’s moved to Austin and rides for the Aviators. He’s got a pretty big Instagram presence if you wanna tag him
I thought the same. Was wondering if he DNF'd as he was walking the route in reverse?
Nice. It looked like he was having a tough day unfortunately.
Yea most likely where he was at and direction he was going, it was to hitch a ride back to town.
@manhattanmtb Youth MTB Team volunteering at Texaco Hill…and doing our best with provisions we had! Even down to our coaches emptying water from their RV rigs. 12:15 We know y’all were tired, thirsty, and frustrated. Thanks for being nice about it. 🧡
Yep volunteers everywhere for the event were doing everything they could to help riders with what they were provided, certainly no fault of theirs. We always do our best to be kind to the folks volunteering their time out there!
Last year's vid was my favorite unbound video, this is the first one I've watched this year but I can see this is going to be my favorite again. Thanks for all the work done for us. Love y'all 👍👍
Awesome, glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the kind words!
Great job you two on what has to be the most epic Unbound. Keep up the fantastic job with sharing the fun and love of tandeming. Glad you avoided mechanicals out there. Ty from Ty Rides and I were hanging out at the back on the 200mi, especially after I petered out for a bit around the same time as Rick.
So amazed what you guys were able to to @TimHornik! Simply amazing! Sounds like you may have had some mechanical issues too, imagine it was a heck of a day.
8:50 is me on the ground dealing with the tubeless flat from Hades.
Bummer. Not a bad place to deal with a flat though.
It's great seeing the diversity of bikes and riders at Unbound. Maybe one day I'll head over to the states and ride it for myself. Fom the many Unbound videos elsewhere it seems most people walked that muddy section; it looked horrendous!
Heck yea give it a go! I think if we were out for a solo ride, there was a fair amount of that stretch we could have ridden, but not worth it with all the people and with the risk of losing a rear mech.
Snacks on the back is a great segment and thoroughly enjoyed the gel face 😂
Haha glad I'm not the only one! That was by far best part of this episode!
Great video,really enjoyed that.Much respect to both of you for finishing strong.
Much appreciated, glad you enjoyed it!
sweet video guys, thanks for sharing, PS: i am the 1000 subscriber 🙂
Awesome! Thank you! That the one we've been waiting for!
Thumbs up from a long time roadie. But good god, 3/4 of this video is "selfie" time.
No thanks.
Appreciate the input, always a challenge balancing the footage.
Great video! Got some PTSD though 😂 Congrats on the finish!
Thanks John, hope you had some fun out there too! Heck of a day for a bike ride hey?
Hi there! I have enjoyed your video of the ride. I was the gal at the water stop. I wish I would have had more to share but certainly glad it helped. You two were doing great!!!
Oh that's awesome, thanks so much for volunteering and sharing your water with a few wary souls Missy! It was much appreciated and kept us moving.
So... have to ask. Is this race/ride worth it? Would you do it again? I know it's the biggie of them all, but with that mud and miles of hike a bike, it seems like there are better events out there even though this is the most famous.
It is a great route and event, but it is very very expensive. Maybe worth doing once to see what all the fuss is about type thing?
Gravel bikes are trying so hard not to 'identify ' with being an eighties MTB.
Good thing I rode MTB in the 80s!
Holy crap, this looks like RAGBRAI in the mud!
I think we actually lucked out a bit. If the same amount of rain hit the entire course, there would have probably been at least two or three more sections like that one.
You should ride the BAK some year. It’s always a fun week😊
I've heard that from more than a few folks, someday!
Awesome video! Beautful. Nice work! I need to get out there and ride those gravel roads.
Yes you do!
This kind of riding isn't for me. Full on roadie. Thanks for the video and reaffirming my choice not to do it.
Fair enough!
Waw, a million emotions. Love the tandem riding, very rare that we get an insight in to it at an event like this!! RESPECT!
Thank you very much!
Congrats on finishing a ride that was all sorts of sucky unpleasantness and misery.
Sorry to hear you both didn't like the Betty Lou PBJ bars - for me, they're okay. Of course, a real PBJ sandwich is the way to go. I also like Skratch's Peanut Butter and Strawberries energy bars.
Nicely done video. Maybe someday, I'll attempt the 100 mile UG. LOL
Thanks for sharing, sir 🍻
Thanks Karl! I am more of an uncrustible fan than the Betty Lou's, but I also wasn't really in the mood for a sweet snack at that point! BTW, you could always come give the 50 mile unbound a go someday!
I could do the 100 mile ride - just would need to train a bit more. 😂
@@karlr6810 It's a great ride, but maybe when there is a bit less mud.
The unicycle champs at The Mulready Pub
There you go
Awesome effort ! Thanks for posting the video
Glad you liked it!
Great effort. Congratulations from Australia
Thank you so much 😀
The great pyrenes on my training rides in the Ozarks try to eat me!
Sounds like this one was seen over many miles that day. Poor dude looked pretty hot and tierd, but he was near a house so hopefully he made his way home eventually.
I see myself a lot around the Judge 😂
That was as close to a heart attack as I got that day. I think we should have stopped sooner haha!
Snacks in the Back...racing team.
Maybe the only team that would prioritize ride snacks over results!
Way to get it done, guys! I now have a new found respect for tandems! Especially when dealing with conditions like that!
@TysRides - Thanks man, but that is nothing compared to the effort it probably took to get through the 200, can't wait for your video! Amazing stuff.
Brilliant effort guys, everything about that was epic. Awe inspiring landscape and brutal conditions, chapeau.
Thanks Andrew!
Way to persevere!!
Thank you!
Always love seeing you two at events!! That was a long 100 mile ride, but we’ll worth it!! Love the video. Summed it up perfectly!
Thanks so much!
A few years ago I did the Breck Epic. Same deal, way too many people at the start. Every day started with waiting/walking as hundreds funneled into the starting singletrack... Ugh...
This usually isn't too bad, but the early mud sections introduced some mayhem.
Woo hoo, congratulations of a hard fought finish. You got the Full Monte on that race. Thank you so much for sharing. Caught a glimpse of my bicycle friends DeAnn and RJ, also on a tandem, in your video LOL.
Thank you, and they did awesome on their tandem!
nice video！
Thank you! Cheers!
Fantastic
Thank you! Cheers!
Thank you for taking the time and energy to record, produce and to post this!!!!!! It was a fascinating watch. I especially enjoyed your teamwork and the snacks from the back :) That was a nice feature.
Our pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the video - but more thanks for your efforts! WELL DONE
Many thanks!
That looked BRUTAL! Awesome job as always! Great video!
Thanks so much!
Looks like someone(s) from my past, tandems are the only way to travel! From Missouri, congratulations on your finishing!
Hope you're back in your tandem John, and hope all is well!
That terrain is just brutal. No tree cover to protect you from cross/head winds and sun. Endless monotonous grass fields.
It does tend to get a little toasty, and windy on occasion.
Great work - It was a hard one! Also great seeing you guys out there!
Always great to see you at an tvent Frank. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your ride buddy!
BTW Frank, I'm pretty sure there is a quick shot of you in the intro from somewhere. Wild West maybe?
@@backofthegravelpack Yes, I saw that! Definitely Wild West Gravel Fest.
@@backofthegravelpack I made it. I enjoyed the cool tailwind at the end, and finishing during a downpour was pretty exciting!
I'm about 2/3rds of the way through and both of you are just an inspiration, being able to deal with that much adversity together and maintain your attitude is incredible.
Thanks Jeff! It was for sure a long day out there, but we signed up for it so might as well try and enjoy it!
Congrats, for me 100 mile on the road is already brutal, I could not imagine 100 on gravel and a tandem bike. Awsome.
Thanks Max, it was an interesting day.
Congratulations! It was definitely a tough day! Well done. 👍🏾✌🏾
Thank you 🙌
Nice to meet you two at the start line! I can certainly relate to the over heating.. It wasn’t that bad out there but the mud sections certainly burn some unexpected matches! But all in all we had a great time! Keep up the great work and content!!
Likewise, thanks for saying hello, and glad to hear you had a great time!
17:47 US Pro Rider for AG2R Larry Warbasse NICE!
Haha yea, you probably couldn't hear me, but I said something similar but a bit more colorful in the background when I realized who it was. Straight from the Giro to Unbound!
Thanks for let me bogart your stick (5:35).
Haha nice, and no Problem! Sorry we didn't have time to get everything clean. Hope the rest of your day was better!
Really enjoyed your coverage and what a epic adventure on the bike.
Thanks so much!
The life of a stoker on a tandem, eating snacks and enjoying the scenery!
On this ride, stoker was working really hard to keep us moving forward!
It was great meeting you out there & congrats on finishing! That was a tough day!
Likewise, thanks so much!
So awesome to watch, Thank You for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
15:39 There goes Ltd...
Yep that was the front group, going about twice our pace haha.
@@backofthegravelpack Doesn't matter, you did it!
Nice job persevering through tough conditions!
Thanks!
Wish I could’ve met you two there!! So awesome!
Thanks so much!
Great Video - Great Attitude. Nice one guys! 🙂
Thanks Nick!
Y'all are awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Love your videos. Congrats on the finish
Thank you! Cheers!
I see me at 9:31
A guest appearance on snacks from the back hey?
@@backofthegravelpack I passed you guys while you were doing your snacks. I am that guy on a cream long sleeve jersey behind you at 9:30-31
Nice video- also from England
Awesome, and thank you! It was like another British invasion out there this year, seems like lots of folks made the trip over.
Yes a Great video. You both did great.
Thanks so much!
It was great seeing you out there!!
Likewise Tamir! Hope you had fun out there.
congrats on finishing!
Thanks CJ!
I'm glad you can condense a 5 hour ride into 30 minutes. Congradulations on finishing.
I think we had about 4 hrs of footage to wade though, so Sunday was a long day of editing!
@@backofthegravelpack You can post the raw footage. It might give some bikers perspective on what a century ride is like. ;)
@@timroden6617 Haha, mostly just lots of footage of us going very slowly up hills!
@@backofthegravelpack The real pain.
tandem team beast
Most of the beast mode was coming from the stoker on this ride haha!
Great video ❤
thank you!
May try that next year
You should for sure give it a go!
@@backofthegravelpack i rode 85 miles today. In prep for dust bowl in July. I was thinking if you all can ride on a tandem I need to stop complaining and keep going.
@@viper2fast505 Heck yea nice work!
Yeah unfortunately it's part of the deal when you mountain bike I guess gravel Riders aren't used to it...🤷♂️ oh well you made it through so that's good
It wasn't so bad, and we weren't exactly in a hurry through that stuff.
Congratulations on a very tough race. Glad you got some breaks going your way after that tough spot.
Thanks Richard! I'm also very glad we got those breaks, or we might still be out there!
No thanks🤯
Luckily it is almost impossible to get in through the lottery anyway haha