Paul Brasby's Mammoth 450

And it makes me wanna take a back road

Makes me wanna take the long way home

Put a little gravel in my travel

Unwind, unravel all night long

Take A Back Road, Rhett Atkins & Luke Laird (2011)

Endurance cyclist and bikepacker Paul Brasby is back at it!

He created a new adventure bicycle route that explores 450 miles of his favorite backroads in and around the Loess Canyons of Western Nebraska. And right now, he's out there sharing it for the first time with a group of friends. I can't wait to hear their reports and see their images.

Paul calls it the Mammoth 450, as the route passes the dig site of the world's largest mammoth fossil, "Archie." And, contrary to impressions from Interstate 80, the terrain outside the Platte River Valley in Nebraska is not flat. Far from it. The Mammoth 450 gains almost 18,000 feet of elevation, much of it on steep, loose, rutted, non-maintained remote roads through rolling ranch land. Small towns, indeed even buildings of any kind, are few and far between. Riders will need a sense of adventure, along with plugs and extra sealant for goat heads.

Bikepacking through the Loess Canyons of Western Nebraska.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Paul has been at this backroads bicycling thing for awhile. Back in 2014, he created the 120 mile Pony Express Gravel Dash out of Marysville, Kansas, which remains a fixture on the Northern Kansas gravel cycling scene. Then in 2019, he added the unique Pony Express Bikepacking Adventure, an Overnighter with both social and competitive components. See, Pony Express - The Power of One; Inaugural Pony Express Bikepacking Adventure (2020); Pony Express Bikepacking Adventure (2022). 

Over many years, Paul also has been instrumental with other locals in the development and maintenance of the popular Potter's Pasture park, campground, and system of single track trails. He regularly camps out there, while working on the park and leading visitors through the maze of trails. See, Potter's Pasture FaceBook Group. From Potter's Pasture, he created a series of progressively longer gravel road routes in the surrounding hills to challenge every level of gravel cyclist. See, RideWithGPS files for Potter's Fruit Loops. If you're visiting Potter's Pasture, Paul's the guy for the straight scoop.

Paul Brasby leads out the inaugural Pony Express Bikepacking Adventure in 2020.

Most recently, Paul worked with Gravel Worlds co-founder Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey to create the Western Nebraska part of the Great Plains Gravel Route. See, GPGR (Nebraska) - RWGPS File. Not surprisingly, Paul confirmed his nearly 500 mile section before submitting it for final approval. That entire cross-country route opened this year and several through-riders have since completed it. See, e.g., Single Speed on the GPGR - Andy Phillips.

All this comes as no surprise to his family and friends.

Paul has a lifetime of cycling accomplishments and, now well into his 50's 😎, he has shifted in large part to bikepacking. For example, Paul was the first to finish and still holds the Fastest Known Time on the Cloud Peak 500, a 500 mile bikepacking route in and around the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. See, Cloud Peak 500 Page; He's a veteran of 36 days riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. See, Great Divide Mountain Bike Route Page. He was one of the first through-riders of the 421 mile Black Hills BackBone Grande. See, First Through-Ride of the BackBone Grande; BackBone Grande/Double Grande Page. And he was the inspiration behind an annual weeklong bikepacking group ride now entering its sixth year. See, Black Hills Bounty Page.

So, when Paul Brasby creates a route from his favorite roads in his backyard, you know it will be something special. 

The Mammoth 450. A great add to the bikepacking scene and certain to be a memorable experience to those riding it. Wish I were there. 

Take A Back Road, Rodney Atkins (2011).