Michal Ozogan

At 2am I was ready to go. 2 hours of sleep wasn’t much, but the night was the best time to ride and I didn’t want to waste it. Hot weather has offered me a kind face as I didn’t shiver when I was getting up. My sleeping system was very simple and it took me only 10 minutes to pack it up. With a mouth full of food, I was tackling a gravel climb.

I tried really hard, but I couldn’t fall asleep. I saw lights of riders, that were passing by and slowly climbing the hill. It didn’t matter in that moment. I knew that rest was best for me and I felt a little bit better. As I stayed calm, my core temperature dropped, but sleep was only a dream. I don’t usually sleep on these events at the first night. Mainly because I’m too excited and eager to ride.

I got stuck between two mountains, unable to move. Without strength nor a plan I simply sat next to the water fountain and drank excessive amounts of liquids. This was no bike adventure; this was a survival game. Me and the others were dehydrated, burned and our stomachs were severely bruised. Despite all conditions I found hope.

My favourite bags on a bike are those that are easily accessible. Within a second I can open it, grab what I need and close it. No time is lost. And that’s very important as I try to be in a saddle as long as possible. There is nothing better than a lot of space in my cockpit. And this Apidura Racing Top Tube Pack should be a great aid.

The shelter was spacious, that was great – but there was too much moisture in the air. I had a feeling that water was everywhere and that me and my sleeping bag were completely soaked. The next night was going to be hard. I hoped I would dry out the bag in the sun. But that was long ahead of me. I ate my last panini from the petrol station and with new strength, I continued to Central Beskids.

For the past 5 years, I was in pursuit of long bike journeys that allowed me to cross high mountains, deep forests and travel wide distances. I slept short, biked long and (in a way) enjoyed every moment. But this time I prepared for a different challenge myself. Riding up one hill, again and again, meter by meter, to achieve the highest mountain on Earth – 8848 meters. It’s lucky we’re not on Mars.

I was awake long before the alarm clock. But to have your eyes open is one thing and getting out of the sleeping bag is another. It took me half an hour of convincing to get the job done. It wasn’t easy to pack all my things, including the rescue blanket which changed from a small square to a huge piece of trash. The cold helped me with the speed.

Even though I slept 1200 metres above the sea level, I wasn’t cold. It was better than in a valley next to a river. I had four walls, with little holes, and it gave me enough isolation from the outside. I had a bird family that was protecting me from the danger outside. Or at least, I believed they were.

Seat bags are part of basic bikepacking equipment on longer journeys. But they aren’t necessary. Like everything they have advantages and disadvantages and it’s up to you how you will spread out your gear across the bags. Unlike the classic panniers, they don’t use the metal rack, so they don’t tend to be damaged in hard terrain.

I signed up for Carpatia Divide at the end of April. There wasn’t much information, because it was the first year of the event. For some time I was actually thinking it’s some kind of scam for too-enthusiastic bikers. From what I understood, there was a precedent race called Transparatia, which was more or less ordinary mountain bike stage race. But CD was going to be a classic bikepacking adventure in a remote location and without any kind of support – as I like it.