Information
The Mule Trail race is open to unique riders willing to complete the entire course, on a human powered bicycle, while being self-sufficient and self-supported.
Riders are required to have a GPS device to receive course files and use it to navigate during the race as well as a satellite tracker (SPOT or INReach) to share their location at all times.
Rules
The rules for participating in The Mule Trail Race are simple:
- Be self-sufficient, self-propelled and self-reliable. No outside support
- Complete the entire course as designed. If you have to leave the course to seek shelter, food, supplies or care, be sure to return at the same point. No shortcuts!
- Keep your satellite tracker turned on during the entire race
- Be nice and courteous to fellow participants, race crew and locals
- Leave only your tracks behind
- Respect all traffic laws at all times and stay off private property. The entire course is done on public roads and trails
- Have fun and be safe!
Equipment
Our choice for The Mule Trail are Fat Bikes with either 26x4, 27.5x3.5 or 29x3 inch wheel/tire setups. This is mainly for the stability while loaded, control on loose gravel, comfy ride and advantage on muddy and sandy sections, however you can ride any type of bicycle as long as it human powered (NO E-BIKES). Most of the course is suitable for any mountain bike or gravel bike. Long, steep climbs will require very low gearing ratios. 28 and even 26 tooth front chain rings are recommended for 1x setups and it never hurts to have cassettes with ranges up to 46T or 52T. Braking power will also be important for long steep downhills on a heavy bike. Add some heat or rain and you'll be cooking rotors and pads in no time.
Nutrition and
Hydration
You can decide how little or how much food and water to carry, however we recommend you carry enough liquids and food with you to last you at least 4-6 hours and refuel as you go. Even in the deepest portions of the jungle you'll never be more than a few hours to a store (called Pulperias) to refill bottles and packs and load up on food. There will be small restaurants along the course too (these are called Sodas) where you could get a warm meal. The exception to this is at night. Most establishments in the rural areas will rarely stay open past 6PM, so if you plan on pushing through the night, you may want to load up in advance.
Gear
The essentials: riding clothes, bike, shoes, helmet, GPS, hydration pack, map, sun shades, gloves, rain jacket, lights, money, sleeping bag, tent, hammock, personal care, cargo bags, tools, spares, phone, camera, etc.
Lodging
Hotel Emanuel in Agua Buena is our host hotel for the event, however there are other lodging options in near by San Vito. Once on the course, riders will need to figure out their own sleeping arrangements. There are a few rustic, basic lodging options (called cabinas) along or near the course, mainly in some of the bigger towns the trail passes. Most people will be willing to provide you a space on their yard for you to set up or even rent you a room in their home if you ask nicely. If you decide to take a power nap in the wild, we recommend hammocks over sleeping on the ground. Lots of slithering critters out there especially at night.
Weather
The weather in Costa Rica is quite unpredictable. The months of January and February are the driest, however that means temperatures will average low to mid 80s Fahrenheit/26-29 Celsius, but they could get near 100 Fahrenheit/38 Celsius, especially near the coast. Humidity will be high too, often over 80%, without completely ruling out the possibility of a scattered shower to get things sticky. Ventilated clothing, proper hydration as well as avoiding extraneous efforts during the really hot times of the day will prevent heat related illness. Rain may bring temperatures down to low 70s F/20s C , especially at night but unless you are caught in these conditions at one of the higher points of the course the temperature will rarely dip below 60 F / 15 C. Just remember to apply plenty of sunblock.
Water
Crossings
There will be plenty of water crossings along The Mule Trail, most of them will be small streams and creeks that provide no danger, otherwise offer a great opportunity to cool off. Others will be a little bigger and require more attention, especially the Térraba river (Costa Rica's largest) at KM 70. The Térraba CANNOT be crossed by foot. Arrangements will be made with a local family to offer boat crossing service. The Parrita, Savegre, Turrubares and other main rivers can be waddled through if no torrential rains have increased their flow. The beach portion of the course starts at the mouth of the Barú River and it crosses a few other creeks as they reach the ocean. This segment of the course can only be completed during low tide. Finally, unless you have purifying tablets DO NOT drink water from a river or stream. You never know what's upstream.
Risk and
Dangers
This event is not for everyone and while we assume that most experienced riders in these type of events are prepared to face anything that comes their way, it never hurts to remind us what could be out there. Costa Rica is famous for it's biodiversity and protection of natural resources. The Mule Trail gives you a front seat show of some of the most remote areas of the country, so it's good to remember that we are invading the territory of many especies of wild life. Small to mid size wild cats of different varieties, alligators and venomous snakes are all out there, however you are most likely to be chased by a vicious farm dog. Either way, never let your guard down.
The Mule Trail Grand Depart
Saturday, February 8th, 2025
7:00 AM
Cañas Gordas de Agua Buena
Coto Brus, Puntarenas
Getting There:
If you are coming from abroad, you must arrive to San José, Costa Rica at least two days prior to the start. The race start location is about 300 KMs south of the capital. There will be ground transportation service leaving San José the day before the event. The journey south takes approximately 6 hours by car. It's very scenic but also a long drive. There is also the option to book a local flight to Golfito (located about 2 hours from Agua Buena) vía Sansa Airlines, which only takes about an hour. A shuttle can be arranged to transfer you from the Golfito airstrip to the host hotel in Agua Buena, however your bike and gear will need to be sent via ground transportation service; as the local planes are small, twin engine, turboprop aircrafts, with limited cargo capacity. If enough people are interested, a private chartered flight can be arranged from San José directly to the landing strip in San Vito, just 10 min. away from the host hotel.
The Royal Trail (450) Start
Sunday, February 9th, 2025
4:00 PM
Playa Dominical
Osa, Puntarenas
Getting There:
Dominical Beach is located in the southern pacific of Costa Rica, approximately 3.5-4 hours from San José. There will be a shuttle leaving San José the morning of the event bringing the participants to Dominical beach.
The official start will be just before sunset, on the beach near the mouth of the Barú river, however the official start time might change slightly depending on the tide conditions.
Finish Line Location and Closure
Wednesday, February 12th, 2025
7:00 PM
Santa Elena de Santa Cecilia
La Cruz, Guanacaste
Getting There:
The finish line is located about 8 kms from the town of Santa Cecilia near the Nicaraguan border. The exact location used for the finish is a primitive road used only for local residents. We’ll be expecting riders to finish as early as Tuesday 11th, and all the way until the finish lines closes on Wednesday 12th at 7:00 PM. Riders on the 630 course will have a maximum of 108 hours or about 4.5 days to complete the journey. The 450 course will have a maximum of 74 hours or a little over 3 days to complete their adventure.
There will be two cut off points:
- At Dominical Beach (KM 180) on Sunday, February 9th, 7:00 PM
- At Bagaces (about 120 KM from the finish) on Wednesday, February 12th, at 7:00 AM
Riders choosing to continue on the course beyond those points can do so on their own, but will be considered scratched from the race and most return their race tracker, if rented from the organization.