Gearing up for the Arrowhead 135

It takes an odd person to get excited for sub-zero temps ... But I'm that odd person. But there's a goal to this odd excitement - the Arrowhead 135.

Valentine morning we had temps ranged from -18F to 0F. I took this as an opportunity to go on a long ride - Hopkins to Victoria and back on the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, just over 30 miles total. I was out for just under 3 hours without any stops to go inside.

Frosty selfie

My trusty drop-bar Pugsley (it'll get flatbars before AH135)

Here's the gear that I used on today's 30 mile ride.

The CamelBak Lobo (3l) is great, layered under my jacket and vest with insulated tube. I need to blow air back in the tube after drinking to avoid freezing in the tube.

For my lower body: Zoot tri shorts; team bibs; Ibex wool knee length tights; Pearl Izumi AmFIB tights

Upper body: Podiumwear Arrowhead team jacket; REI base layer; Smartwool mid-weight; Twin Six long-sleeve wool; Podiumwear wind breaking vest. I would like a little more wind/cold protection over my belly; after the ride, the skin on my stomach was red and very cold.

And for the extremities & tech: Garmin 1030; Garmin Varia Radar; NiteRider 700; Skull Candy Methods (all tech held battery fine in the cold - Varia & Methods are not on the AH135 pack list, just the light I had with me). 45NRTH Toasterfork; Smartwool skull cap; DAMn swag buff; bike helmet. Smartwool expedition weight sock; 45NRTH Wölvhammer; Planet Bike Comet boot covers.

Sports Beans worked for me in the cold, but the Pro Bar Bolts were hard to eat

Almost ready for January 2021 ... I'll just need to ride 105 miles further, on snowmobile trails, through the remote Northwoods of Minnesota.... OK, I still have a lot of work to do!