“Never Forget The Feeling” : Singletrack Everesting with Payson McElveen
"30,188 Feet To Remember" (or 8,848 metres he'll never forget)
Photo by:
Orange Seal
Everesting is hard. Everesting on singletrack? Something so hard even most mountain bikers who’ve taken on the challenge of equalling Everest’s elevation haven’t tried it.
Over Memorial Day, U.S. endurance racer Payson McElveen took on the challenge. Everesting entirely on singletrack. Orange Seal was on hand to document the incredible effort. The result is Never Forget the Feeling: 30,188 Feet to Remember. Or, in the Canadian translation, 8,848 metres to remember.
Under the best conditions, riding 8,848 metres of vertical elevation gain makes for a grueling day on the bike. Everesting on singletrack adds a huge level of difficulty to the already monumental task. It’s slower riding. The descending is more demanding. There’s so much more room for error.
The epic took McElveen 17 hours. To add another level of difficulty, his starting elevation was already at 2,100 metres (6900 feet) above sea level.
Watch McElveen’s ride as he races to finish the challenge before midnight:
Payson McElveen – Never Forget the Feeling: 30,188 Feet to Remember
More from Orange Seal:
“Inspired by Rebecca Rusch’s “Giddy Up For Good” climbing challenge for Covid-19 relief, Payson McElveen set out Everest 100% on high country singletrack in an effort to explore his limits and rediscover the childhood feelings of self discovery that drew him to bike riding many years before.”
Orange Seal has a few more details on the ride. Head there for the story.
