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Cross Florida: The Spanish is a 520-mile self-supported ultra endurance route traversing Florida from Saint Petersburg to Saint Augustine, linking sand roads, singletrack, and remote backcountry into one of the toughest challenges of its kind. This year’s overall winners were, Brett Hack—HuRaCan finisher, original Team Duzer RAGBRAI rider, and proven endurance specialist—and Karlos, better known as Singletrack Samurai, the mind behind some of Florida’s hardest adventure routes and a longtime champion of the bikepacking community, took on the course together. Battling heavy weather, complex navigation, and long days where every decision mattered, the pair relied on Priority 600-series bikes (ADX and HXT), purpose-built and dialed for the demands of the route.
Cross Florida: The Spanish isn’t new—but riding it as a complete, continuous route is a different story. For Karlos, who designed the event and knows every section individually, this was the first time experiencing it exactly as published.
That added a unique challenge. Beyond riding the route himself, he also had to manage logistics, shuttling riders, and getting himself to the start with only what he needed—nothing extra, nothing forgotten. Familiarity helped, but it didn’t make the miles any easier.
For Brett, the route demanded focus above all else. After past rides derailed by navigation errors, staying on course became the primary goal. Some instructions were vague by necessity—leave pavement, follow blazes, commit. The uncertainty was intimidating, but it also delivered some of the most memorable riding of the entire week.
Both riders leaned into setups that prioritized durability and consistency over novelty.
Brett rode his well-sorted Priority Bicycles 600-series setup, refined through years of riding long and hard. Comfort upgrades, trusted bags, and a balanced load kept things manageable when conditions deteriorated. Despite relentless sand, storms, and singletrack, the bike took the beating without complaint.
Karlos chose the Priority 600 HXT specifically for its electronic shifting and Pinion gearbox. For a self-supported ride where rain, mud, and long days can quickly turn drivetrain maintenance into a liability, the appeal was straightforward: fewer things to worry about. No chain to clean or lube. No derailleur to knock out of alignment. Just ride, manage the day, repeat.
Both bikes proved themselves not by standing out—but by staying out of the way.
Florida didn’t make it easy.
Early storms soaked gear and damaged electronics, forcing adjustments on the fly. Day one ended earlier than planned for Karlos—not because he couldn’t continue, but because stopping was the smarter move. The miles would still be there tomorrow.
Day two became a lesson in patience: chasing GPS tracks, dealing with failing electronics, and pushing through discomfort. Mechanical quirks popped up, repairs were made, and momentum came in waves rather than straight lines.
This is where the race stops being about speed and starts being about efficiency—how well you eat, how you manage rest, how you handle setbacks without compounding them.
Somewhere deep into the ride, the dynamic changed.
After trading leads and regrouping multiple times, Brett caught back up to Karlos. With singletrack ahead and fatigue setting in, the decision became clear: ride together.
What followed wasn’t easier—but it was better. Riding into the night side by side, the miles passed differently. The pressure eased. The ride became about forward progress, shared problem-solving, and keeping each other honest.
At that point, winning wasn’t about splitting hairs—it was about finishing strong.
With five miles to go, exhaustion finally took a back seat.
After more than 500 miles on the route, the pair rolled into Saint Augustine with enough energy left to ride aggressively through town—curbs, traffic, sharp corners, and all. They crossed the finish together at Castillo de San Marcos just after sunset, dusty, spent, and fully satisfied.
Final times and bonuses can be sorted later. What mattered was the choice to finish side by side.
Cross Florida: The Spanish isn’t about podiums or hype. It’s about preparation, adaptability, and making good decisions when everything feels stacked against you.
For Brett and Karlos, the ride reinforced why they keep coming back to these events—not for the suffering, but for the clarity that comes with it. The moments where trust matters more than pace. Where reliability beats complexity. Where riding with the right people turns something brutal into something unforgettable.
That’s the win they’ll remember.
Bike: Priority 600ADX/X
Bike: Priority 600 HXT
PRIORITY 600HXT
$ 3,599
About:
Combining cutting-edge responsiveness and range of Pinion Smart.Shift, unmatched Gates Belt durability, and modern MTB geometry the 600HXT is ready for anything on the trails ahead.
PRIORITY 600ADX
$ 3,499
Our belt drive Pinion hardtail, designed with Ryan Van Duzer for cross-country & bike-packing adventures. Comfort + Capability + Compatibility make the ADX the ultimate adventure bike.