My first “Lost Travel” Drifty experience as both an employee of Lost and participant was a whirlwind of excitement and challenges. Arriving at Token Creek County Park on Friday, August 2nd, around 3 PM, I was ready to dive into the setup for the event. The kickoff party promised to be lively, with a food truck scheduled for 5 PM, although it wouldn’t have been needed until 5:30 PM. The space was fantastic, even if the 87-degree heat was intense.

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I spent some time getting my bike rack put together and after going through Jake’s spiel with tips and thoughts on the route, I indulged in a hilarious tarot reading. Sharing a tent with my friend Mel, I learned the hard way that inflatable pillows aren’t my thing, as I slept like garbage that night. Up early but was able to fall back asleep for a bit  (I later regretted this decision as I should have prepared better.) Of course, we started with a bottle of champagne at 7:45 AM, as is tradition for an event like this!  My first experience with panniers had me nervous about tipping the bike and clipping in. Just as we set my bike up, a pannier cord got caught in the tire. Jordy, our bike guru from Wheel & Sprocket, saved the day, though my bike missed the official kickoff and group photo at 8:15 AM. 

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Going into the adventure, I knew it would be difficult but hoped to have some fun. Our group faced several hiccups, taking three hours to cover the first 10 miles. Our stops seemed reasonable; we regrouped with drinks at Peg & Doc’s in Dane at 12:30 PM and reached On the Rox by 1:45 PM, enjoying the welcome sign and coupon! Meeting Rob & Jennifer, who were visibly stressed, reminded us of the day’s demands. We continued on for a quick stop at Kwik Trip in Sauk for supplies where we ran into Tyler and team.  Although we had some disagreements about our pace and the need to move on, we ran across the street to Jose’s Mexican restaurant for a margarita and quesadilla.

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Hoping to make up time on the water, our transition was slow, and our paddling start at 4:45 PM took time to find a rhythm. Once Carol and I switched roles, we hit a groove, paddling until 7:45 PM. Despite our hopes of catching up with other Drifties and every sight of a red canoe getting excited it was someone we knew, we didn’t come across anyone we knew.  We set up camp just as the sun set, surrounded by a few other groups of folks enjoying an evening on a sandbar.

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Sunday morning saw us back on the water by 7:15 AM. Carol and I were determined to pass others with our early start but didn’t manage to. We paddled straight to the transition, arriving at 10:45 AM. My arms were sore, and the thought of biking 57 more miles was daunting. The hills initially beat us, but we pressed on to Pleasant Ridge Store for a hearty meal, where we encountered Sara & Tanya. The heat was intense, and we had some stragglers in the group, but nothing too crazy. One teammate humorously grabbed a pitcher of water and poured it over her head, providing a much-needed laugh.

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The final 5 miles of hills (WERE TOUGH!) but led us to the Military Ridge State Trail, where I struggled with my road bike through sand and potholes. A water break at Ope in Barneveld at 3:30 PM made us realize Driftyfest was about to begin. We met locals who encouraged us, praised our efforts, and bought us a shot!! Feeling boosted and proud of our accomplishments thus far, we called a friend for a ride and agreed to bike until he arrived. During this stretch, my backpack fell off my bike and so did I. At this point I was officially ready D.O.N.E.  I was however able to get up and continued the remaining miles to Mt Horeb.  

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Here we ran into Sara and Tanya again and recommended they grab and Uber as well.  After talking it through with our friend we were able to all share a ride to Driftyfest. Six girls, six bikes, and our Valiant Steed, arrived at Driftyfest by 6 PM we may or may not have took some pulls from the campfire Rum that Sara received. Ready for much needed beer, I enjoyed delicious food from Mi Casa Su Casa.  It hit the spot! Driftyfest felt a bit rushed as people were packing up by 7 PM, but I was ready to get going.  I had envisioned arriving by 4 PM to enjoy more festivities, our obstacles said otherwise.

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Reflecting on the timing, I realized I hadn’t considered the team’s pace or the paddling time. Our average was 3.33 miles per hour over 20 miles, taking a total of 6 hours of paddling.

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Would I do it again? Heck yes! I’m determined to finish next time, perhaps with an extra day or an electric bike. More than half the group completed the journey, which was a huge accomplishment!! Congrats!! Despite always being in last place and barely making transition cutoffs, our stops were necessary for hydration and MUCH NEEDED motivation! It was the perfect blend of fun and hard work. Hoping to rope my husband and more friends in next year! 

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Saturday: 31 miles of biking and 3 hours of paddling
Sunday: 3 hours of paddling and 29 miles of biking
What we didn’t finish: 28 miles of biking. EEEK!

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Monday morning, I felt a bit sore, mainly on my right side where I fell, and a little tender from where I managed to contract poison ivy during a roadside bathroom stop. Overall, I was feeling good and proud of what we accomplished!! 

- Amanda Castleberry