“If you're not failing 50% of the time, you're not setting big enough goals." - Various
As mentioned here I planned to ride the Caldera sometime back in August. My calendar was empty for both September and October and that just wouldn't stand.
I had a good training run on the Tahoe Tussel but I was packing considerably heavier for the Caldera. Not really planning to race I took a few luxury items like a camp chair, warmer clothing and sleep system etc. Also water, lot's of water capacity. With the warmer than expected temperatures I definitely did not need the warmer setup!
To boil it down into something coherent really doesn't do the route justice. It is over-the-top in pretty much all metrics. Exceedingly beautiful, exceedingly unexpected, exceedingly difficult. To complete the full 500 is to know you have arrived as a bikepacker. But that's not all there is to it. I've tasted several sections of the route before. The Mt. Patterson climb, the Glass mtns, the Bodie Hills and the area around Bridgeport and south to Mammoth. I really wanted to put it all together into a full route experience. But alas, it was not to be. I started the route in Walker vs Mammoth as logistically, that was easiest for me and I wouldn't have to leave a car. I rode many new to me sections but ultimately DNF'd (did not finish) in Mammoth. I spent 6 nights, 7 days on the route with 2 of them being half days. On the positive side, now I have another continuing goal, finish the damn Caldera 500!
Warning! Photos ahead!
Day 1 Walker to a high point up near Sonora Pass.
Day 3
Day 5
Day 6.
