Category Archives: Actif Epica

Actif Epica, Fat Bike Race, Informative

Actif Epica 2019: Race Registration is Live

Posted for the Actif Epica Race Team (posted to the AE Site Registration Page today):

“Registration is now live for Actif Epica 2019, the weekend of February 15th-17th. Sign-up is available via Webscorer:
(https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=155624)”

Actif Epica 2019 Registration - Webscorer Page

So giddy up Fatties … time to register and get training for a terrific winter ultra race challenge! 🙂

Need some perspective on the race then check out my video “Actif Epica Race 2014 – Meeting the Challenge”:

* BTW, when the video ‘appears’ to end at 3:49 – keep watching and you listen and be inspired by the Ultra Foot Racer (now avid fatbiker) Gregory ‘G-Mac’ McNeill, when I walk into the finish with him along the Red River approaching the Forks!  This is exactly when G-Mac and I first bonded and fellow adventure friends and partners!  He is awesome in many ways – athlete, adventurer, photographer, volunteer, stalwart friend …

Cheers, Fat Tom K

Actif Epica

Actif Epica Race: Views from the Roving Responders

So with all my planning and preparations for upcoming fatbike adventures on Lake Winnipeg, I decided to not race Actif Epica this year and return to my Roving Responder role again. 

Lucky for me Steven Sloat (former AE fatbike racer) decided to come out from West Man to also support AE; so he stayed over at my place and we teamed up.

2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 0c
First up – the Actif Epica Pre-Race Meeting at the Forks the night before – no nervous folks there at all! 😉
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 0d
There’s Gregory ‘G-Mac’ McNeill (fellow MB fatbiker & photographer extraordinaire, who decided to race on foot this year – 162 Kms!) and Steven Sloat (fellow Roving Responder).
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 0 copy
Roving Responder preparations are very detailed and ‘exhausting’ – so of course we needed to be well hydrated! 😉
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 0b
Good thing racers were also using GPS – mostly …
2018 AE - Cyclist 200 Start
Start of the 200 Km (new option for 2018) for the cyclists.
AE 2018 Race - XSM Ambulance, Truck & Snowmobile
The real ‘Safety Team’ Roving Responders was the Xtreme Sports Medics headed by Robert Paige (XSM President) and medics Kas & Natasha (who are also going to be out on Lake Winnipeg on 2-4 March for our “2018 ‘Alfred Barr’ Lake Winnipeg Crossing & Campover”.
AE 2018 Robert Paige - Xtreme Sports Medics Roving Responder
Here’s Robert Paige in action at one of AE’s Check Points (making sure all racers are doing well enough to continue safely)!
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 3
This when the roving responders and safety team are at their most important!
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 1
Here’s MB Fatbikers Dan Lockery & David Ristau (Finished 1st & 2nd the 200 Km Race!) riding off the Floodway to be met by Steven & me.
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 1b
Dan & David seemed very happy to see us after the long, completely dark and exposed section along Schapansky Road and the Floodway!
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 2
Here’s Ryan Haug (3rd 200 Km) stopping in for some Floodway hospitality.
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 4
Here’s Mb Fatbiker KC Turczak, who finished tied for 5th (200 Km) with fellow MB Fatbiker Pete McAdams (oops – no flash – no picture).
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 5
I snagged this picture collage from KC’s social media posts.  Very impressive KC! 🙂
AE 2018 Gregory Finish with Robert Xtreme Sports Medic
Think yer winter rugged tough?  Check out Gregory ‘G-Mac’ McNeill finishing AE 162 Kms (yup, 100 miles!) on FOOT after pressing on for 34 Hrs & 51 Minutes!!!  Btw, that’s Roving Medic Robert Paige giving G-Mac congrats after keeping on eye on him for many hours!
2018 AE Roving Responder Pics 6
So what do two exhausted Roving Responders eat after AE?  A proper meal of course! 😉

Check out the full 2018 Actif Epica Race Results HERE

Cheers, Fat Tom K

 

Actif Epica, Fat Bike Race

Actif Epica Race is underway: Check it out Live on-line or in Person

Posted for the Actif Epica Crew:

Returning again this year, we will be hosting a live blog for the Actif Epica race weekend with links to our social media, live timing and race updates.  http://live.actifepi.ca/welcome-to-the-actif-epica-2018-li…/

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This year’s Actif Epica Spectator’s guide brought to you by Tetro Design (http://www.tetrodesign.com/) is now available to download for spectators, support crews, or anyone that is interested in finding out more about our event and the route. The guide is available here: http://actifepi.ca/spectators-guide/

Actif Epica Website Thumbnail

Some of local fatbikers and previous AE racers will be active today and into the night as Roving Responders (I’m partnering with fellow Westman Fatbiker and AE Finisher Steven Sloat who’s coming out all the way from Shilo!).
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Plus Robert Paige and his Xtreme Sport Medics Team will be there to ensure that everyone is safe!
Actif Epica 2016 - 6
Xtreme Sports Medics SUV om Lake Wpg

Cheers, Fat Tom K

 

 

Actif Epica, Group Rides

Invite to Fatbike at the Forks and Kick-off Actif Epica: Fri & Sat Evenings 16/17 Feb

Posted for Wayne Bishop:

Come and hang out with a lot of awesome people as we kick off the Actif Epica with our Fat bike friends at the Forks . We have a Strava challenge for you, 850 M starting under the walking bridge.

Come celebrate the efforts of these amazing endurance athletes and the pilot grooming project put in motion By the legendary Alex Man.
Alex Man by Fatbike Trail near the Forks Feb 18

You might even see me on my SnowDog I used to groom the trail …14 Jan 18 - 2WR SnowDog on River Trail

Come have a rip and show your support of fat bike if at the Forks . 6:30-8:30pm Friday and Saturday Night 16/17 Feb 2018!
You can even buy someone a beer at the Common!

Actif Epica, Group Rides, Ride Report

Ride Report: Actif Epica Recon Ride – 11 Feb 2018

Posted for Dan Lockery and the Actif Epica Trail Crew:

Sunday, February 11, 2018 – Final Recon Ride for Actif Epica 2018

Six of us convened in St. Malo and were met with moderate winds (20km/h from the NW) and a reasonable starting temperature of about -15C (5F) at the start. The forecast was calling for the winds to pick up from the North West later in the day and cool off.

Gravel road conditions have changed somewhat since our last visit to this section of the route. The surface still has ice on it but some of the snow that has fallen since has collected, providing a bit more traction.

The trail sections have blown in and not seen any traffic, so we walked the majority of those. Closer to the Senkiw bridge, the field still has some strong ice-crusted surfaces where riding was possible but nearer the trail that leads to the suspension bridge was soft and deep, similar to last year.

We went as far as the suspension bridge and marked the route on our way back with pink flagging tape. Upon leaving the protection of the treed areas the wind had indeed picked up and was somewhere between 40-50km/h sustained and gusting. Gearing up for the return trip we took a slight detour to avoid more walking and made it back to the vehicles after about 3.5 hours of riding time.

Thanks again to those that came out and joined us for a bit of excitement this past Sunday! Trail conditions are shaping up nicely with more snow in the southern sections and closer to Winnipeg having a bit less. There are minimal flurries in the forecast between now and next weekend so we don’t anticipate much change before race day.

11 Feb 2018 Recon Ride Pic 1

11 Feb 2018 Recon Ride Pic 2

11 Feb 2018 Recon Ride Pic 3

We look forward to seeing you all next weekend!

The Trail Crew

Actif Epica, Group Rides

Invite to Actif Epica Recon Ride: 11 Feb 2018

Posted for Dan Lockery and the Actif Epica Trail Crew:

With registration closing tomorrow night (friendly reminder if you are still thinking it over) and a little over one week to go. That means we are planning our last recon ride for this year’s event:

11 Feb 2018 Recon Ride Invite Pic copy

Date: Sunday, February 11, 2018

Time: 9:00am

Location: St. Malo, we will meet at the checkpoint location (in the parking lot at the arena)

Purpose: To scout the trail conditions and put up some course marking from St. Malo to the Senkiw suspension bridge along the Crow Wing Trail (note: this is part of the longer courses, 162km and 200km).

Who: The trail crew will be (mostly) riding at a slow rolling pace (on fat bikes) and would love it if you brought ANY type of bike and joined them (bring friends on bikes too!).

The Plan: To put up course marking materials, take a few pictures of trail conditions and enjoy a fun, sociable ride from St. Malo to the suspension bridge (and just beyond). We will return along the same route and the distance estimate is about 37km to the bridge and back, adding in a short bit of planned extra south of the bridge might push that up to 40km round-trip at most. We will roll out at 9am from St. Malo and as always, if you happen to be late, you can follow our tracks and the Crow Wing Trail signs (white arrow on blue background) to catch up with us as we will be stopping periodically to take pictures and put up course marking. We estimate the total riding time to be approximately 3-4h. Also, there will likely be a post ride discussion over coffee/food at a local establishment should you feel so inclined and have the time to join us. In addition, if you would like to come out but have a shorter time budget to spare, with the out-and-back route planned, you can join us for however much time you can spare and then double back the same way.

Important Note: All participants join us at their own risk (e.g. please be safe, wear appropriate winter riding clothing, a helmet, bring blinky lights for improved visibility, enough food and water for the ride and a basic repair kit). Citing a famous quote, “YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU”, so please respect the nature of a winter riding adventure, it can be unforgiving.

Hope to see you on Sunday!

Actif Epica Trail Crew

Actif Epica, Group Rides, Ride Report

Ride Report: Actif Epica Recon Ride – 21 Jan 2018

Posted for the Actif Epica Trail Crew:

Meeting in St. Pierre-Jolys this morning, six of us set off to scout a bit of new trail for this year, along with some favourite stretches that we don’t get to see often enough. Temperatures were mild again at -7C (20F), with a light wind from the North East.

21 Jan 2018 Recon Ride Pic 2

The recent warm weather with temps above freezing and the previous extreme wind conditions left the fields and roads scoured with minimal snow/ice cover except for spots with shelter where drifts tended to accumulate. That made for a mix of mostly ride-able surfaces for wider tires and the odd stretch where the crusts were thin, finding us punching through and walking for a bit to break up the ride.

21 Jan 2018 Recon Ride Pic 1

One of the usual roads near St. Malo (Goulet Rd) that has been un-plowed in years past appears to now be included in regular clearing. This happened last year as well and racers might find this to their liking as it certainly sped up travel from St. Pierre to St. Malo and back for us today.

21 Jan 2018 Recon Ride Pic 3

On our return trip we opted for a slightly shorter route to be respectful of everyone’s time. That left us a chance to revisit the short section of new trail that is being used this year on the dike around St. Pierre-Jolys. The approach to the dike is off Parenteau St. In St. Pierre and it wraps around town, crossing highway 59 and Provincial Rd 205, before turning in toward the checkpoint location at the Museum (Cabane a Sucre).

Thanks to those that came out and joined us! Not to worry if you were unable to make it out, we have plans for a couple more scouting trips yet. That being said, next week we are taking a break again as another of the triple crown events is happening (the Arrowhead 135). Good luck to all taking part!

Actif Epica Trail Crew

Actif Epica, Group Rides

Invite for Actif Epica Recon Ride: 21 Jan 2018

Posted for Dan Lockery and the Actif Epica Trail Crew:

After a short break for some fun with the 2WR crew at Falcon Ridge last weekend, we’re heading back out to scout the trail, including one of the changes to this year’s route. Come join us:

Date: Sunday, January 21st, 2018

Time: 9:00am

Location: Meet at St. Pierre-Jolys (in the parking lot of Le Routier restaurant).

Purpose: To scout the Actif Epica course heading South from St. Pierre-Jolys to St. Malo along the Crow Wing Trail.

Who: The Trail Crew (Dallas, Pete and Dan) will be riding at a slow rolling pace (on fat bikes) and would love it if you brought ANY type of bike and joined them (bring friends on bikes too!).

The Plan: To go have a look at this section of the route (which includes an update for this year), take a few pictures and enjoy a fun, sociable ride-out from St. Pierre-Jolys to St. Malo along the Crow Wing Trail and then time permitting, either return the same way or take a shorter route back. The total distance will be approximately 40-50km. We will roll out at 9am and estimate the total ride time to be somewhere between 3-4 hours. In case you are late setting off, you can follow along with the blue-and-white-arrow, Crow Wing Trail markers (and look for our tire tracks!) to catch up with us along the route as we will be moving at a comfortable pace and stopping to take pictures now and then. Also, there will likely be a post ride discussion over coffee/food at a local establishment should you feel so inclined.

Important Note: All participants join us at their own risk (e.g. please be safe, wear appropriate winter riding clothing, a helmet, bring blinky lights for improved visibility, enough food and water for the ride and a basic repair kit). Citing a famous quote, “YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU”, so please respect the nature of a winter riding adventure, it can be unforgiving.

Hope to see you on Sunday!

19 Jan 2018 Recon Ride Invite Pic

Actif Epica, Group Rides, Ride Report

Ride Report: Actif Epica Trail Recon Ride – 7 Jan 2018

Posted for Dan Lockery and the Actif Epica Trail Crew:

Compared to the recent cold spell, riding this past Sunday was far more comfortable and forgiving. When we arrived at the South side of the Senkiw Bridge the temperature was reported as -7C (20F). There was a light wind from the North West but once we found tree cover it was hardly noticed.

7 Jan 2018 Recon Ride Pic 5

Setting off from our meeting point we took our bikes for a walk. The snow was soft and sugary due to minimal or no traffic and recent high winds that brought whatever little snow there was to collect in the sheltered areas. Conditions were warm with cloud cover and flat lighting so it was a pleasant day to wander through the trails along the banks of the Roseau River.

7 Jan 2018 Recon Ride Pic 3

We walked all the way along the trail as far as the road entrance and met up with two more of our group (bringing us up to 8 riders) and then proceeded to head South toward Ridgeville. The day before had seen wind speeds gusting up to around 70km/h (~40mph) which scrubbed most of the fields/roads clean leaving minimal snow in the open areas.

7 Jan 2018 Recon Ride Pic 1

Due to walking and the corresponding slow progress, when we reached the turn toward the final mile for Ridgeville we opted instead to make a more direct return trip back to be respectful of people’s time on such a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

7 Jan 2018 Recon Ride Pic 2

Thanks to those that joined us for this one! Not to worry if you were unable to make it, there will be a few more yet to come. That being said, next week we are taking a break as Sunday is the first in the 2WR Manitoba Fatbike Series events at Falcon Lake. Good luck to all taking part!

Actif Epica Trail Crew

Actif Epica, Group Rides, Informative

Invite for Actif Epica Recon Ride: 7 Jan 2018

Posted for Dan Lockery:

Happy New Year!

We figure the best way to welcome the New Year is to get out and scout the trail. Come join us!

Date: Sunday, January 7th, 2018

Time: 9:00am

Location: Meet at the South side of Senkiw Suspension Bridge (https://www.google.ca/…/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0x5…).

Purpose: To scout the Actif Epica course South of the Senkiw bridge heading toward Ridgeville and going as far as we can South toward the border along the Crow Wing Trail.

Who: The Trail Crew (Dallas, Pete and Dan) will be riding at a slow rolling pace (on fat bikes) and would love it if you brought ANY type of bike and joined them (bring friends on bikes too!).

The Plan: To go have a look at this section of the route, take a few pictures and enjoy a fun, sociable ride-out from South of the suspension bridge toward the CAN/US border and then return, following the Crow Wing Trail. The total distance will be approximately 40km. We will roll out at 9am and estimate the total ride time to be somewhere between 3-4 hours. In case you are late setting off, you can follow along with the blue-and-white-arrow Crow Wing Trail markers and catch up with us along the route as we will be moving at a comfortable pace and stopping to take pictures now and then. Also, there will likely be a post ride discussion over coffee/food at a local establishment should you feel so inclined.

Important Note: All participants join us at their own risk (e.g. please be safe, wear appropriate winter riding clothing, a helmet, bring blinky lights for improved visibility, enough food and water for the ride and a basic repair kit). Citing a famous quote, “YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU”, so please respect the nature of a winter riding adventure, it can be unforgiving.

Hope to see you on Sunday!

Actif Epica, Ride Report

Ride Report: Actif Epica Recon Ride – 12 Feb 2017

Posted for Dan Lockery and the Actif Epica Trail Crew:

“AERecon Ride #5 Report – February 12, 2017

For the final recon ride we chose a section of trail that would represent some of the varied trail conditions that participants may encounter on event day. That meant a trip back to St. Malo and we headed South along the route to the Senkiw Suspension Bridge.

The temperature was warm to start, around -8C (~18F) with a steady wind from the West. The forecast high was calling for above freezing later in the day.

We met up in St. Malo at the checkpoint (and starting location for the classic route), with four riders and one course marking official (thanks Dallas!). Road conditions leading into/out of St. Malo were wet, but much less icy than our previous warm weather ride when it had rained.

The first dirt road section heading away from St. Malo was passable with wider tires but saw the MTB’s struggling and walking on occasion. When we reached the highway crossing we compared notes and decided to split up. The MTB’s detoured to the suspension bridge so they could hike in and check things out. The rest of us continued on through the trail sections where conditions were near perfect to begin with. The trail has been well used by sleds and we made fast progress until arriving at the fenced off section that had not seen any sled traffic in some time. We were walking through there in mixed snow depths until arriving on gravel at the other end.

After passing through Senkiw, the gated trail is walking-only down to the bridge with soft and deep snow conditions due to shelter from the trees and minimal deer traffic. Once past the field, things improve closer to the bridge. Turning back and by the time we met up for coffee/lunch, icicles and snow were melting as the day heated up.

Since then, we have been out along the Southern end of the route and had a look at some of the fields. Mud has started to poke through the snow in places and with warmer weather on its way later in the week we might be riding/running the edges of the trail to avoid getting bogged down in our “Manitoba-Mud” on any dirt sections (the mud won’t let go without a fight, we advise you avoid it if possible!).

Thanks again to all that were able to join us for the recon rides this season. We had a great time getting to know and ride with you over the past few months. To those traveling to get here, have a safe trip. We look forward to seeing you all on Friday at gear-check and the pre-race meeting!”

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 12
Dallas, Charles and KC pondering the ride ahead.

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 10

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 1

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 5

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 2

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 6

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 7

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 8

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 9

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic 11

Actif Epica, Group Rides

Invite to Actif Epica Recon Ride: 12 Feb 2017

Posted for Dan Lockery and the Actif Epica Trail Crew:

“One week to go. That means we are planning our last recon ride for this year’s event:

Date: Sunday, February 12, 2017

Time: 9:00am

Location: St. Malo, we will meet at the checkpoint location (in the parking lot at the arena)

Purpose: To scout the trail conditions and put up some course marking from St. Malo to the Senkiw suspension bridge along the Crow Wing Trail (note: this is part of the longer courses, 160km and 200km).

Who: The trail crew will be riding at a slow rolling pace (on fat bikes) and would love it if you brought ANY type of bike and joined them (bring friends on bikes too!).

The Plan: To put up course marking materials, take a few pictures of trail conditions and enjoy a fun, sociable ride from St. Malo to the suspension bridge (and just beyond). We will return along the same route and the distance estimate is about 37km to the bridge and back, adding in a short bit of planned extra distance south of the bridge might push that up to 40km round-trip at most. We will roll out at 9am from St. Malo and as always, if you happen to be late, you can follow our tracks and the Crow Wing Trail signs (white arrow on blue background) to catch up with us as we will be stopping periodically to take pictures and put up course marking. We estimate the total riding time to be approximately 3.5-4h. Also, there will likely be a post ride discussion over coffee/food at a local establishment should you feel so inclined and have the time to join us.

Important Note: All participants join us at their own risk (e.g. please be safe, wear appropriate winter riding clothing, a helmet, bring blinky lights for improved visibility, enough food and water for the ride and a basic repair kit). Citing a famous quote, “YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU”, so please respect the nature of a winter riding adventure, it can be unforgiving.

Hope to see you on Sunday!”

12 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Pic

Actif Epica, Group Rides

Invite to Actif Epica Recon Ride: 5 Feb 2017

Posted for Dan Lockery and the Actif Epica Trail Crew:

“Only a couple of weeks to go… Once again, it’s time for some trail recon:

Date: Sunday, February 5, 2017

Time: 9:00am

Location: Emerson Complex, Emerson MB (101 Church St.), this is where the 200km bike route starts

Purpose: To scout the Actif Epica course between Emerson, heading North along the Crow Wing Trail to Ridgeville and back.

Who: The Trail Crew (Pete, Dallas and Dan) invite you to join them at a slow rolling pace (perhaps including some walking again depending on trail conditions and recent snowfall) and they would love it if you brought ANY type of bike and joined them (bring friends on bikes too!).

The Plan: To follow the Crow Wing Trail leaving Emerson before it doubles back and then ride along the border on our way to the town of Ridgeville. The approximate distance is about 36km one way and we will be taking a shortcut on our return route to keep the ride time more reasonable. The plan is to set off at 9am from the Emerson Complex and we estimate the usual ride time of about 3.5-4 hours. In case you are late arriving to the start, you can look for our tracks and the Crow Wing Trail signs will guide you (white arrow on blue background) to catch up with us as we will be stopping periodically to take pictures. Also, it is quite likely that there will be a post-ride discussion over food/coffee should you have the time and inclination to join us for that.

Important Note: All participants join us at their own risk (e.g. please be safe, wear appropriate winter riding clothing (it might be cold), a helmet, bring blinky lights for improved visibility, enough food and water for the ride and a basic repair kit with parts/tools). Citing a famous quote, “YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU”, so please respect the nature of a winter riding adventure, it can be unforgiving.

Hope to see you on Sunday!”

5 Feb 2017 Recon Ride Invite Pic

Cheers, Fat Tom K