Jay Petervary counts his experience navigating winter on two wheels not in years, but decades. As an ultra-racer, event organizer, and outdoor educator, Jay never lets cold weather stand in the way of where he’s headed next – even when that destination is very, very far away. Recently, Jay shared his hot take on riding through the cycling’s chilliest season. Dive in below.
What’s your relationship with winter?
With snow in my yard seven months out of the year, I have a pretty close relationship with winter. I’ve been living in the Tetons for over 20 years, and this area offers a lot of opportunities to recreate in the winter, so that’s what I do. While I might ride a fat bike on snow a fair bit – because I don’t ride a trainer – I also like other winter sports, like backcountry skiing.
I’ve been consistently competing in winter ultras since 2007 and have been hosting a winter ultra, Fat Pursuit, for the past 10 years. I also teach winter expedition riding through workshops and camps.
At this point, riding in the winter is very natural for me and not much different than riding in the summer, other than wearing a lot more clothes and using some different equipment.
I enjoy the crisp, cold air, winter landscape and the challenges adverse weather can present.
I am no stranger to riding in the winter and I really do love it!
How do you prepare for a winter ride?
I hate being cold and don’t want to cut myself short during my ride. So, when preparing for a winter ride, I start the ride dressed warmer than needed and then take layers off as I warm up. It’s the opposite of what one might do in the warmer months when you just stuff a shell or extra layer in your pocket “just in case”.
I always have spare gloves and extra buffs. I also always make sure my feet are warm by wearing two pairs of socks, no matter what the temperature is, because nobody has ever ended a ride because their feet were too warm!
And while getting dressed, I like to sip on a cup of tea to warm my insides before heading out, but also because I am not as thirsty while riding in the winter, and it can be difficult to stay hydrated.
What does #winterultra mean to you?
#Winterultra to me means events that are in a winter climate and on snow. A winter ultra is also long enough where you must start to incorporate and/or consider being efficient with outdoor camping skills, such as stove use to make water or a hot meal, and also be comfortable overnighting, sleeping out.
When signing up for a winter ultra, one must have all the skills to be self-sufficient to spend the night outside and be prepared for any and all winter weather i.e., -20°, 50 MPH winds and deep snow that can stop you from moving.
A winter ultra requires more skills than just being able to ride a bike.
Words by Jay Petervary
Photo – Fredrik Marmaster
