In 2011 a family friend gave Mikey Intrabartola his beloved bike — a 1984 Tom Kellogg road bike that he could no longer ride due to his struggle with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. The friend, Tom Daily, was an avid cyclist and had this bike custom made for his large frame. He knew that Mikey, an experienced cross-country rider, would appreciate and care for the vintage bike for the next 30 years.

It was right around this time that Mikey had been dreaming of his next adventure. Having gone on multiple months-long trips with his mountain bike through Europe, New Zealand, and Australia, he was ready to push himself further - harder - and faster.

He had heard about a grand depart on this thing called the Tour Divide, a 2745 mile mountain bike route traversing the Rocky Mountains; a self-supported, ultra-distance cycling race from Canada to Mexico that would test him physically and mentally. This was it. He would ride in honor of Tom, raise money for the Alpha-1 Foundation, and be the 15th person to reach the border out of 116 riders in 2012.

Only a handful of MTB ultra-cycling routes existed in 2012, and the concept of “bikepacking” was just starting to take hold. When he returned home to the Adirondacks that year, Mikey decided to create a route like this in the Adirondack Park as a gift to cyclists like himself who were willing to push the idea of riding a bike into the realm of exploring a region. In the spirit of gratitude for the health and privilege to take on adventures like these, he also wanted to create a route that encouraged others to give back as well. In lieu of any fees, he would ask riders to make a donation to an organization of their choosing.

Because of the complexities of public and private lands in the Adirondacks and the lack of reliable maps and trails, it took three years to scout, map, and complete TATR. The first grand depart took place in 2015 and the route has evolved ever since.

Mikey (and his wife Michele) continue to volunteer their time to maintain the route, organize the annual grand depart, and assist riders who wish to explore the Adirondack region by bike. They live in Elizabethtown, a stone’s throw from the northeastern section of TATR.