I’m interested in finding out what the records are for unsupported off-road unicycle touring in terms of time and distance. What is the longest unsupported ride?
In cycling terms, unsupported means not having a support vehicle but picking up supplies and other stuff in towns. In ‘Polar’ adventuring terms unsupported means getting from Point A to Point B without any external help whatsoever.
Using the polar definition, what’s the longest ride from Point/Time A to Point/Time B that had been done? There’s no official record, I’m assuming but I want to get a feel of what has been done and is possible.
The longest I’ve done in terms of time is 2 days/1 night and the distance was 198km. I’m sure people have done more distance and been out for longer. So, what are the numbers?
I think Gracie’s continental divide ride would have had more unsupported sections than her across America ride, as the regular route across the USA (west to east or the other way around) is pretty easy to do without carrying too much gear as there are many towns along the way. Hence, there wouldn’t have been many unsupported sections on the across America one but the continental divide ride would have had some longer unsupported sections, I think. I have a guidebook for that, which I’m looking up.
I think Samuel Johnson’s ride had a support vehicle.
The folks that did the ride in the interior of South Africa (2010 or 2011), I wonder what their longest unsupported section was? Their website seems to be offline.
And I think the first EOB winners, the ride across Panama, may have been a 3 day unsupported trip.
From my searches, no one has done 5 days without any form of support. If I am wrong, do tell me.
Going onto my trip in Patagonia, one of my major concerns was that I would not be able to find support for too long of a distance. That is the reason why I mostly followed the route of another cyclist, he had documented it really well, so I had an idea about how many days I would be without new food supply.
The reality is that I was never without any help for really long. I would meet people who would give me chocolate or other bars, I was invited at people’s places for a meal. I think that in those really remote regions, people tend to be really generous. There could be nothing at all all day except one farm a few km out of the way but they would almost always help me.
I was also able to find in really remote places restaurants or gas stations with a few food.
I still had to carry food for about 6 or 7 days sometimes and I pretty much used everything once or twice ending up being quite short to the point that my body really struggled riding and reaching my destination. This was only in Tierra del Fuego and the South of Patagonia. The unsupported distances achieved were quite limited given the poor conditions of the road/weather: crazy winds and gravel roads.
i would say the most I did unsupported was probably around 4 days and 200km, but I’m having a hard time being precise and I’m not even able to say for sure I was not offer an apple or something along the way.
I guess tours that do not follow roads (so trails where cars can’t go) have the most chances to reach unsupported records
