Doing The Hard Things – April 2025
What’s inside: From the Director of AdventureAdventure Team Registration2 New Communities Set to Launch ProgramsVolunteer TrainingMade U.P. PodcastsLeadership SummitJumping into the OutdoorsTraining Day 160 If you’re worried about doing it wrong, don’t! I came home from spring break with a story to share. Cable (my 14-year-old son) and I went to camp for a few days during spring break. We had a bunch of stuff planned, like shooting the bow he got for Christmas, scouting our hunting area for the best spot to put a bow blind, and getting all the gear (rods, reels, and tackle) ready for spring fishn’. Cable loves to fish, and he has collected a lot of gear over the last several years that’s all kinda been living in a hogpog of small tackle boxes and little plastic boxes. When we got to camp, I surprised him with a brand new tackle box I figured was big enough to consolidate all of his stuff into a one-stop shop. He was pretty excited. When he was ready, I helped get the stuff together and set him up with a workspace. Then, I discretely moved on to another project… leaving him to figure things out independently. Of course, that didn’t last long 😂 “Hey, Dad. Can you come here? I don’t know how to do this.” I went over to the table and asked, “What’s up, bud?” There was gear everywhere. He had a lure in each hand and looked up at me, kinda overwhelmed, “I’m not sure what to do. I don’t think it’ll all fit.” This was an important moment for both of us. Naturally, I have opinions about how I would set up that tackle box, but this was his box, not mine, and I wanted him to own every step. So, I just started asking him some questions. “How do you think you should organize the lures? By species? Or maybe by lure type?” He pulled out two plastic trays from the tackle box and said, “At first, I was gonna have a tray for bass, another for pike, and one for walleye, but a bunch of the lures can be used for multiple species, so that doesn’t make sense.” He set the trays down and got quiet. “I think organizing by lure type makes the most sense.” I nodded. He continued, “I can put all of the floaters together in this (showing me an empty bin), countdowns in this one, and spoons in another.” He smiled. I smiled, too. “I think you’re onto something, Cable,” I said and started to walk back to what I was working on, but then stopped and added, “If you’re worried about doing it wrong, don’t. This is your tackle and box; you can set it up any way you want. If you don’t like it… change it. You’re the boss.” I wanted to share this story with our 906AT community because I think we (adults) all too often miss opportunities to encourage curiosity and empower kids to get creative and make decisions. In this example with Cable, I was trying to let him take control and let him know I trusted him! I also wanted to make sure he knows there’s no wrong way to set up his tackle. Even if there was a right and a wrong way – what’s the worst that can happen? He has to do it again? Heck, there’s nothing wrong with learning that way (hands-on). It’s fun for adults to feel like they have all of the answers, but what’s the cost for our kids? Let’s give em’ some space to run with their ideas. Who knows. Maybe they’ll teach us something we didn’t know. By Todd Poquette Mark your calendars! AT registration opening soon! Adventure Team Youth Registration: Saturday, May 3 @ noonEarly Registration for kids of volunteers: Friday, May 2 @ 6:00am – 9:06pm Step 1: Sign upStep 2: Show upStep 3: Enjoy the ride (especially the hard stuff) Many of the teams sell out within a few hours. Set a reminder and be ready to register! Adventure Team kids learn how to do hard things AND that they are capable of doing them without always needing an incentive. Learning how to do the hard stuff for the sake of doing it is a skill that will serve them as children and adults. The goal of Adventure Team is to reach all youth, regardless of ability, goals or equipment. From there we focus on discovery. Everyone rides at AT, no one sits out – regardless of age or experience. This is about developing a lifestyle, building a community, and removing the finish line. Failure is viewed as an opportunity to learn. Competition is within the individual: You vs. You. If you’re on our mailing list – watch your inbox, we’ll be sending more information via email regarding registration as the date gets closer. In the meantime – click the link below and watch the video on how to prepare for registration and make sure you’re ready to claim a spot. ADVENTURE TEAM REGISTRATION INFO We’re adding 2 new Adventure Teams! This year we’re excited to be running Adventure Teams in 15 communities in the Midwest with the addition of Adventure Team Kalamazoo and Adventure Team Ludington. This means more kids will be given opportunities to get outside, get off the sideline and get into the elements. This is what it’s about. This is what we show up for. Today’s kids, tomorrow’s leaders. Adventure Team Coach Training: Get er done! Volunteers! Don’t wait – get your online training started (and finished)! Deadline to complete: April 23 If you’ve registered to volunteer, check your inbox for instructions on how to go through the online training. It will come from There are nine modules covering everything from Adventure Team mindset, basecamp logistics and expectations to trail etiquette, riding, first aid and abuse prevention. Take this seriously – take notes – and come prepared to Adventure Team! VOLUNTEER Made U.P. Episode 3:
Doing The Hard Things – March 2025
What’s inside: From Basecamp – Podcasts are LIVE – Become a Volunteer Leadership Summit 2025 – Jumping into the Outdoors The Polar Roll – Experience I’m finally a part of the 906 Adventure Team! To understand my excitement is to go back to the beginning. Now, I wrote a lengthy story for this newsletter – I am not a human of few words – but many. However, rather than fill up the entire first edition of this newsletter – I asked Todd if he wanted to record a podcast and talk about the experiences that brought me here and why my passion for this organization is so personal. I’ve never been afraid of doing hard things, in fact, I seek them out. A quiet and shy child I was drawn to broadcast television not because I wanted to be famous or loved the spotlight, but rather because it scared me…. pushed me outside of my comfort zone. From my time in the news industry as an anchor, reporter and co-host of a lively lifestyle program to backpacking Isle Royale, Pictured Rocks, Glacier National Park and beyond… I have throughout my life sought out challenges and adventures that pushed me to my limits. It’s where I found myself. It’s where I connected to that “something that is bigger than all of us.” It’s where I found my strength and cemented my values. I shared that with my daughter from a young age. Taking her backpacking, canoeing, hiking… I watched her thrive, connect, push her limits, break and build herself back up through outdoor adventure. Parenting my son was a completely different experience, one that pushed me to 906AT. This organization was the catalyst to incredible growth for my son. And it’s the story I wanted to share with all of you. It’s a story about commitment, doing hard things, having open conversations and never giving up. Click here to listen to my conversation with Todd and the first episode of the new #blametodd pod. After you listen, I think you’ll understand why, I have for years been waiting for an opportunity with 906AT that fits my skills, my beliefs, and my life’s mission. And why I want to be a part of the team that cultivates a space that encourages and creates space for kids to push their boundaries, do hard things and find their inner strength, confidence and worth. I’m here for it all. I’m here to do it myself… to keep pushing through my discomfort. The world needs this. Our kids need this. And I will work my tail off to keep the 906AT mission moving forward. By Elizabeth Peterson Made U.P. Podcast – these episodes will be longer formatted, deep conversations about the inner workings of doing hard things. They’re honest, raw, gritty, tough conversations and topics about life, living, failing and picking up the pieces. They’ll be about 906AT events and they won’t be. We’re making it up as we go. You’re going to have to tune in to see where it takes us. *intended for audiences 18 and older. #blametodd pod – these episodes will be shorter – focused on topics around 906 Adventure Team, people, experiences and programs. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube ChannelClick here to follow us on Spotify “Am I good enough to volunteer?” That’s the question we hear – the question that may be holding you back from volunteering and potentially giving a child an opportunity to participate. Here’s our answer: It all starts with showing up. If you know how to ride a mountain bike and have experience on a variety of trails; paved trails, two-tracks, singletrack, etc, you’ll be just fine, and by the end of the summer your riding skills will be better, too. Our common ground isn’t skill based. It isn’t performance driven. Our common ground is core values and providing opportunity for people to discover a better version of themselves. Getting better takes hard work, patience, and let’s be real, a community that supports you. Last year 1,200 kids got on bikes through Adventure Team programs in 13 communities. This year we’re growing that number to 1,300+ kids in 15 communities. That means we’ll need 550+ volunteers. We can’t do this without you. We can’t get kids on bikes without you. We need you. VOLUNTEER NOW Leadership Summit 2025 The 2025 Leadership Summit will look a little different than past summits. This year 906AT implemented a new learning management system for volunteer coaches. This new system is branded and streamlined, which allowed 906AT to require the online training for all volunteer coaches. This change to the volunteer training is providing an opportunity for an expansion of the volunteer training (rather than an in-person version of the online training). The two-day summit will focus on an indoor training day to include sharing the 906 story, practicing connections with kids, first aid in the field and Q&A for a panel of current lead coaches. The second day will focus on outdoor training and will include bike skills and bike mechanics. REGISTER NOW Have you ever climbed a tree? When I was a child, my siblings and I were allowed to climb as high as we wanted as long as we could get ourselves back down. I do not remember my parents ever “saving” us, nor did we sustain any injuries from falling out of the tree. I just witnessed this same policy with a group of pre-school children who were on an adventure with a forest school class. I think it is a bit unusual to see an outdoor school class with this policy these days. At the adventure that I witnessed the kids were safe – not safe from all risk but safe in that the adult on site knew where the child was and that the child could explain how to get themselves back down. Imagine the feeling of accomplishment that child felt when they successfully managed the climb and descent on their own.
IT’S TIME TO ROLL 2025
YOU AND THE CREW GETTING READY TO ROLL POLAR ROLL-MS FIELD MANUAL Your single source of truth for all things related to the Polar Roll Mass Start Event is contained within the PR-Field Manual. Packet pickup, Locations, Start Times, and more… all in the Field Manual. Read it. Also in the PR-Field Manual: A detailed explanation of the inherent dangers associated with this event, safety precautions, and the rules. Your preparation is your responsibility. When you show up and take the line you are telling us you have read everything we provided and ya know what you signed up to do, and you’re ready. If that’s not the case… you should stay home. GPX FILES POLAR ROLL GEAR STORE CLOSES February 23, 2025 BUY NOW POLAR ROLL ULTRA FIELD MANUAL Your single source of truth for all things related to the Polar Roll Ultra is contained within the PR-Field Manual. Packet pickup, Locations, Start Times, Required Gear and more… all in the Field Manual. Read it. Also in the PR-Field Manual: A detailed explanation of the inherent dangers associated with this event, safety precautions, and the rules. Your preparation is your responsibility. When you show up and take the line you are telling us you have read everything we provided and ya know what you signed up to do, and you’re ready. If that’s not the case… you should stay home. LIVE TIMING Supporting Partners
Polar Roll 2025
The 2025 Polar Roll is gonna be one to remember: We’re bringing back the Point-to-Point MS30 format and we’re spicing up the MS15. EX routes are gonna get some updates, and we’re planning to roll out some brand new backwoods winter adventures for ya to enjoy. PR-ULTRA is back for the third year, and the route is gonna get some updates. Last but not least, we’re happy to share that Polar Roll will be presented by 45NRTH this year (and into the future). Now let’s get some damn snow! REGISTRATION OPENS NOVEMBER 3RD AT 9:06 AM Days Hours Minutes Seconds REGISTER GET A TRAINING AND NUTRITION PLAN TO BE A #FINISHER MS EVENT 02.15.25 Read More EX EVENT 1.1.25 – 3.16.25 Read More ULTRA140 EVENT 2.17.25 Read More POLAR ROLL – MS (LIMITED TO 400 SPOTS) Date: 2.17.25 Why: You love winter adventuring with 400 of your best friends.Who: Anyone signed up for the Polar Roll-MS, their support crews, friends and family, and sponsors. What: 15 or 30 miles of machine groomed singletrack, by bike or on foot. When: February 15, 2025 Where: Start Line: TBD, Finish Line: 319 East Division Street, Ishpeming, Michigan 49855 Routes: Will not be released until the week of the event. GPS is required! If you do not use GPS, go off course, or cut the course, you will be disqualified. Event start times: MS-30 (Bike/Hike) *Reference PR25-MOD1 Field Manual when it is released MS-15 (Bike/Hike) *Reference PR25-MOD1 Field Manual when it is released Event Cut-offs: 12 hours for all event lengths. Timing company: https://www.superiortiming.com/ 2025 Field Manual: Coming Soon. POLAR ROLL – EX Date: 1.1.25 – 3.16.25 Why: You prefer your winter adventures alone, or with a small group of friends.Who: Anyone looking for a challenge, or seeking a winter goal. What: EX15, EX30, Duathlon for Dummies, IQ Test. When: January 1 – March 16, 2025Where: TBD Routes: EX routes will be available one week prior to the opening of the EX window. Start Times: Whenever the hell you want. Event Cut-offs: 24 Hours, All events. Timing company: Refer to the Field Manual for details. Again, this page covers only who, what, when, where, and why. Polar Roll Field Manuals provide a much deeper dive into the nuance and fundamentals of each event. 2025 Field Manual: Coming Soon. POLAR ROLL ULTRA (LIMITED TO 75 SPOTS) Date: 2.17.25 We’re not looking for race resumes, but we do need some info if you wanna do the Ultra. You need to Email Todd. Why: Because you’re looking for a new challenge that will take you to your limits. Who: This event is capped and will be limited to participants whom we allow to register for it. What: PR-Ultra (140 miles) When: February 17, 2025 Where: Start TBD, Finish: West End Ski & Trail, Ishpeming, MI Route: The 2025 route will receive a few “enhancements”. Stay tuned. Start Time: 7:00 AMEvent Cut-off: 48 hours. Buckle Times will be established once the route is finalized.Timing company: https://trackleaders.com/ Again, this page covers only who, what, when, where, and why. Polar Roll Field Manuals provide a much deeper dive into the nuance and fundamentals of each event. In compliance with MCL 324.51113 of the Commercial Forest Act, none of the funds raised for this event will be used as payment or compensation for use of any part of the event that traverses property enrolled in the Commercial Forest Program. 2025 Field Manual: Coming Soon. COMPLETE THE TRIPLE CROWN GET INVITED TO THE SECRET EVENT Supporting Partners
Book and Podcast recommendations for Volunteers – May
2024 VOLUNTEERS – APRIL UPDATE Summit Attendees, Volunteers, and Presenters, It was mentioned several times at the summit, but it’s worth saying again… We are here to be a resource for developing resilient youth, and we need YOU to help us do it. Therefore, helping you is as important as helping the kids because you deliver the messages to them. To that end, I wanted to share some resources. You’ll find links to two books. I highly recommend them. Junger and Haidt are two of my favorite writers. TRIBE is an incredible book that reinforces our desire and need for community. Anxious Generation is a call to action. I hope you enjoy them both. Additionally, I shared a couple of podcasts. Huberman Lab and Jocko Podcast are two of my favorites. Both of the episodes I shared with you speak to our mission. The third podcast is actually a podcast in which I was the guest, and Julie Cunningham was one of the hosts. TRIBE We have a strong instinct to belong to small groups defined by clear purpose and understanding–“tribes.” This tribal connection has been largely lost in modern society, but regaining it may be the key to our psychological survival.Decades before the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians-but Indians almost never did the same. Tribal society has been exerting an almost gravitational pull on Westerners for hundreds of years, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species. The most recent example of that attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredibly intimate bonds of platoon life. The loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment may explain the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans today. Combining history, psychology, and anthropology, TRIBE explores what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging, and the eternal human quest for meaning. It explains the irony that-for many veterans as well as civilians-war feels better than peace, adversity can turn out to be a blessing, and disasters are sometimes remembered more fondly than weddings or tropical vacations. TRIBE explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved even in today’s divided world. Anxious Generation THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Coddling of the American Mind, an essential investigation into the collapse of youth mental health-and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood. After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on most measures. Why? In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the *play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies. Most important, Haidt issues a clear call to action. He diagnoses the “collective action problems” that trap us, and then proposes four simple rules that might set us free. He describes steps that parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments can take to end the epidemic of mental illness and restore a more humane childhood. Haidt has spent his career speaking truth backed by data in the most difficult landscapes-communities polarized by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the public health emergency faced by Gen Z. We cannot afford to ignore his findings about protecting our children-and ourselvesfrom the psychological damage of a phone-based life. https://youtu.be/etEJrznE-c0?feature=shared HUBERMAN LAB Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology, and by courtesy, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. He has made numerous significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function and neural plasticity, which is the ability of our nervous system to rewire and learn new behaviors, skills and cognitive functioning. https://youtu.be/fQPj5Xww5UY?feature=shared JOCKO PODCAST JOCKO WILLINK is a decorated retired Navy SEAL officer, author of the book Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he is a leadership instructor, speaker, and executive coach. Jocko spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, starting as an enlisted SEAL and rising through the ranks to become a SEAL officer. As commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, he orchestrated SEAL operations that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the US Army’s First Armored Division bring stability to the violent, war-torn city.Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War. Jocko returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. There, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield. TEACH WONDER We know that powerful things are happening in education and that those powerful things often go unnoticed or are siloed (within a community). We’ve built a space to share those powerful things, where we aren’t constrained by distance and scheduling. We’ll combine our 35 years of K – 12 teaching experience with the unique perspectives of our guests
POLAR ROLL PHOTOS – RESULTS, GEAR STORE AND MORE
SAVE THE DATE MS EVENTS 2025: FEBRUARY 15, 2025ULTRA EVENT 2025: FEBRUARY 17, 2025 GEAR STORE CLOSES 2.25.2024 VISIT STORE MS EVENT RESULTS view results PR-ULTRA RESULTS MS EVENT PHOTOS RYAN STEPHENS PHOTOGRAPHY Rob Meendering Photography Fresh coast exposures PR-ULTRA PHOTOS rob meendering PHOTOGRAPHY Fresh Coast Exposures
Happy Valentine’s Day, Polar Rollers
TEN THINGS BEFORE WE ROLL 1. MTB? NO. 3.8” OR LARGER. 2. SNOWSHOES REQUIRED? YES. 3. SHOULD I RUN STUDS? YES. 4. IS GPS REQUIRED? YES. 5. CAN I USE MY MTB? NO. 6. SHOULD I RUN STUDS? YES. 7. PACKET PICKUP? READ DA FIELD MANUAL. 8. RACE STARTS WHEN? READ DA FIELD MANUAL. 9. READ DA FIELD MANUAL! 10. POM HATS + COOKIES? IF YOU FINISH. VIEW THE MAP GEAR STORE OPEN NOW
IT’S TIME TO ROLL
IT’S TIME TO ROLL. This update is broken into two parts: Polar Roll-MS and PR-Ultra. If you don’t know what that means it might be safer to stay home. POLAR ROLL-MS This field manual provides the basic doctrinal framework of Polar Roll. Content discussions include fundamentals, culture, logistics, routes, maps, event partners, the mission, and more. The topics, gear recommendations, community code of conduct, rules, and logistics apply to all Polar Roll formats: Mass Start (MS), Expedition (EX), and Polar Roll – Ultra. The primary audience for this manual are Polar Roll participants, support crews, friends and family, partners and sponsors, and 906 Adventure Team staff and volunteers. Polar Roll is a winter event. Winter events are generally more dangerous. The stakes are much higher. Mistakes carry larger consequences. You signed up for this. Your understanding of the event and you preparation for it are your responsibility. If you are not completely confident in your ability to handle the rigors of this event you should stay home FIELD MANUAL GPX FILES LIVE TIMING GEAR STORE OPEN TILL THE 25TH HUGS + BACON SINCE 2015 PR-ULTRA This field manual provides the basic doctrinal framework of Polar Roll. Content discussions include fundamentals, culture, logistics, routes, maps, event partners, the mission, and more. The topics, gear recommendations, community code of conduct, rules, and logistics apply to all Polar Roll formats: Mass Start (MS), Expedition (EX), and Polar Roll – Ultra. The primary audience for this manual are Polar Roll participants, support crews, friends and family, partners and sponsors, and 906 Adventure Team staff and volunteers. Polar Roll is a winter event. Winter events are generally more dangerous. The stakes are much higher. Mistakes carry larger consequences. You signed up for this. Your understanding of the event and you preparationfor it are your responsibility. If you are not completely confident in your ability to handle the rigors of this event you should stay home. FIELD MANUAL GPX FILES DOT WATCHING STARTS 2.19.2024 GEAR STORE OPEN TILL THE 25TH
Ten more years for Tara
We started 2024 excited to celebrate our ten-year anniversary, but life had other plans. On January 19, 2024, an automobile accident claimed the life of our Adventure Coordinator, Tara Gluski. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her family, friends, and everyone who knew her. When we lose someone we love, it’s normal to ask what we could have done. I did it for a couple days and decided I (we) must do something different. We must move forward and dedicate our energy not to what we could have done but to what we can do – honor Tara, and ensure her memory, and impact lives on. To that end, I want you to know our team is ready to dig in and continue her work. Here’s a list of people stepping up, what they will be doing, and a way to contact them if you have questions or need help. Youth Adventure Teams/Communication/Questions (Volunteers, Families)Julie Cunningham Sponsorships, Grants, DonationsLeslie Accounts Payable – Bookkeeping Gear Store Questions Questions regarding Events (Polar Roll, The Crusher, Marji Gesick), New Adventure Teams, Organizational Inquiries Todd Poquette Submitting EX event results: Send event results to this email Nicky Bates I sat down with Elizabeth Peterson on the TV6 Morning Show. We talked about Tara’s impact on our community, how we plan to move forward, and what’s planned for this year. You can check it out here. One last thing. At some point in the near future, we will look to bring another employee into the team to support our growth, not to replace Tara, but rather to carry on the mission with us. Adventure Coordinator, the title Tara held for five years, will be retired. There will never be another Tara, and therefore, there will never be another Adventure Coordinator. Todd PoquetteDirector of Adventure Ten more years for Tara… I want everyone to understand we’re gonna honor Tara forever, not just ten years. I want us to look forward instead of looking back. Let’s look at what we can do instead of what we could have done. Let’s lead by example. That’s what she always did. That’s what she would do if it had been one of us.
EX KICKOFF – MS UPDATE
2024 Polar Roll: Here’s where things stand When I sat down to write this update we were supposed to get 3-10” of snow. it went south of us. As it sits today, the trail orgs have not had enough snow to groom. That should change. I just don’t know when. We’re supposed to get hit by a system this weekend. We’ll see what happens. Expect conditions to be enhanced (the way we like it). The goal is to give ya some new looks this year and change up the routes, but so far, at least, the weather has given us a big FU. We’ll open with EX routes on NTN. When we have enough snow, we’ll add a couple of routes in RAMBAland. There is a new EX15 on NTN. It’s a miniature version of the long. A lil’ bit of FU and a whole lot of fun. The EX30 might look the same, but it’s not. It’s going in the opposite direction, and we adjusted the route. It’s a great ride. Updates will be provided weekly via blog posts and in the group on Facebook. EX: What it is. What to expect. EX events are intended to be done solo or in small groups. You have the flexibility of picking who you do it with and when. Unlike the mass start routes that are groomed for a specific date the EX is open for 60 days. Conditions will vary. Be prepared. Expect some hike-a-bike. We’ve come up with our share of bad ideas over the last ten years, but the EX format ain’t one of them. Mass Start events aren’t for everyone. This format offers those folks an alternative. It’s another way for us to get more people off the couch and “into the game”. Not to mention, it’s a helluva lot easier to do events that flex with your schedule, and there’s something special about going out alone and doing hard stuff. Also, when you do hard shit (like 906AT events), it inspires others to do the same, and you’re supporting eleven youth Adventure Teams around the Midwest. Refer to the “recommended gear” in the PR24-MOD Field Manual (see below). GET THEM GPX: Where to get them. How to read them. GPX is required for all Polar Roll events (Yes, MS too). EX events do not offer course signage. MS events do, but “signs fall down, bears eat them, and people move them”. You are responsible for your navigation. PR24-EX15-109… It’s not just a bunch of numbers. PR24 = Polar Roll 2024EX15 = EX route, 15 miles109 = January 9th, the creation date It’s pretty straightforward once you get used to using em’ for a while. All mass start routes will begin with MS. The ultra file will have “ultra” in the extension. On that note, if you go to RIDEWITHGPS right now, you’ll see the file we uploaded is called “PR23-ULTRA2132023”. That is last year’s route. We uploaded it as a reference until the final route is complete for 2024. FIELD MANUAL: You need to read it. Here’s why. Excerpt from PR24-MOD1:This field manual provides the basic doctrinal framework of Polar Roll. Content discussions include fundamentals, culture, logistics, routes, maps, event partners, the mission, and more. The topics, gear recommendations, community code of conduct, rules, and logistics apply to all Polar Roll formats: Mass Start (MS), Expedition (EX), and Polar Roll – Ultra. The primary audience for this manual are Polar Roll participants, support crews, friends and family, partners and sponsors, and 906 Adventure Team staff. Polar Roll is a winter event. Winter events are generally more dangerous. The stakes are much higher. Mistakes carry larger consequences. You signed up for this. Your understanding of the event and you preparation for it are your responsibility. If you are not completely confident in your ability to handle the rigors of this event you should stay home. Listen, we’re here to have a good time just like you, but we can’t ignore the facts. All of this stuff is dangerous, and if we’re honest, that’s kinda why we like to do it, but each of us needs to own the decision to show up. No one is gonna be out there to save you, for EX or MS events. The Field Manual has everything you need to know. It’s your responsibility to read it. You are responsible for your choices, preparation, and outcomes. DOWNLOAD Complete the Endurance Trilogy The Triple Crown consists of three of the toughest events on bike or foot. From the grueling singletrack of Marji Gesick, the relentless wilderness of The Crusher, or the unpredictable weather of The Polar Roll, 906 Adventure Team events are no walk in the park. Athletes that complete one from each of these three events below are granted lifetime entry into our Hall of Pain and are eligible to attend our annual “secret event.” You do not have to complete all three challenges in the same year, you just have to complete one of each sometime in your lifetime. When we came up with the idea for the “Hall of Pain” back in 2019 we thought we’d be lucky to get 50 people to do it. We were wrong. Today, there are almost 240 people who have completed the “Trilogy”. That’s f$%*&@! crazy. You can too, and if you manage to do all three before October, you’ll be able to join us for the first “Secret Event”. Good Luck. You’ll need it. 2014-2024 TEN YEARS OF DOING HARD THINGS Some people dabble in testing themselves. They like to do something hard, check it off the list, and talk about it for the next twenty years. Other people commit to living outside their comfort zone, for life. They constantly look for new challenges. They don’t rest on what they did in the past. Every day is a new opportunity to prove themself, and inspire others. Here’s to the next ten years and the challenges ahead. One day at a time. One