CTR 2012 Planning

[Foster]

Cool man, best of luck on your ITT.  Hope you have a great time and thanks for all the great info it save me a bunch of dinero.

EF

[mtbordie]

Anyone looking for a light I found a 300 lumen flashlight that also has a
low setting of 100 lumen with posted run times of 3hr and 24hrs and it
uses AA batts its made by Terralux. I'm happy with it and it was around
50 bucks I think the run times at least on high are pretty close.
As far as mounting I put velcro on the lamp and on both sides of one
of the vents on my helmet and it worked out great. It seemed the best
light that I could find for the money and is plenty bright.

[Yogi the Barry]

Re: Lights
Taking two BD Spots, which puts out only 10 less Lumens than the Storm. Why? Because I'm a ski instructor and can get them at a good price. It's also a bit lighter, less waterproof, uses 3AAAs. I've used these lights quite a bit for [ski] hut trips and moonlight skiing, but I'm skeptical of the 50hr [highest setting] to 200hr [lowest] battery life when using the single LED spotlight. I'd be happy to get 50hrs of life at a mid-brightness setting. Spot also has two other light modes which are nice around camp - twin red LEDs to help retain night vision and twin white LEDs as a flood. More than likely, I'll only have one light mounted for riding and that will be on the helmet. Princeton-Tec EOS is staying at home. 2nd Spot will be backup and camp light. Really doubt I'll need two lights burning when riding at a turtle's pace during the night.

I am also still debating lights but so far I am going with 2 BD Storms (helmet and on the handlebars).  They put out 100 lumen each but good points are light (3.9 oz w/batteries), waterproof and only use 4AAA each, ...snip...

[Juan Speeder]

Well damn.

I've had a bike issue that'll take ~10 days at best to fix, and it's hard to get my training on without a bike, though I'll be hiking with a heavy pack and doing mind-numbing gym routines in the interim.

As a result, I'm gonna do a ITT starting August 13.

If anyone is worried about fires/water availability, or for whatever reason, they are welcome to join me.

[pharmvet]

Hey guys,

Just got back from a 9 day bikepacking trip.  First three days were from Waterton to Leadville on CT.  Trail was perfectly clear, though very dry and soft.  Be ready for water management as many of the smaller streams were not flowing.  Heat was a real problem as well, so keep up with those frozen burritos (i.e., lots of salt)!  Small snowfield on back side of Searle but that is probably already gone by now.

Last 6 days was a loop in the Tincup/TaylorPark/Gunnison that incorporated some of the CT north-bound, from La Garita detour to Chalk Creek TH.  Amazingly Sargent's Mesa was just as hard coming the other direction.  Hmm, imagine that!

No Apple at Lujan Pass TH!  Has anyone heard anything about him?  I hope he is OK.  Kind of bummed not to see him but hopeful we were just early.

Water was a concern but all the regular sources were flowing well.  Got water out of Baldy Lake and Tank Seven was flowing well, at that time.  Sargent's is always a bit of a challenge for water but you just got to get through the rocks!  It was good seeing it from the other direction, definitely not easier, but good. 

Saw some Tour Dividers on Marshall Pass road (we took a detour down Marshall Pass road to Sargent's for breakfast, then back up Old Monarch Pass road to the Crest and Fooses).  Ice cream at Monarch Pass store, then down off Fooses Creek.  Brutal but fast.  Good water at Angel of Shavano CG, then ripped it all the way back to truck at Chalk Creek TH.

No issues with fires, though could smell smoke outside Lead.  Forests are tinder dry and I would not be surprised as the summer moves along that there are issues. 

I would definitely consider doing the ride ITT this year instead of waiting for official race start.  The trail is already clear (didn't ride South San Juans, but can only imagine they are clear already too with our lack of snowfall) and the water sources are only getting thinner.

No CTR for me this year but am hoping to do it NoBo next year.  Hope springs eternal!

Lastly, consider supporting Colorado Trail Foundation.  They work hard to keep the trail clear and rolling for all of us.  Segment 12 is going to be a real chore to get cleared (300 blowdowns in 2 miles of trail!), not to mention all the other regular maintenance they do and we get the benefit of.  If you don't think it's important, ride CT in spring and enjoy the winter's effects!  Climbing down off the soapbox now.   

Have a great ride, 2012 CTRers!  Looking forward to following you guys! 

[riverfever]

Well damn.

I've had a bike issue that'll take ~10 days at best to fix, and it's hard to get my training on without a bike, though I'll be hiking with a heavy pack and doing mind-numbing gym routines in the interim.

As a result, I'm gonna do a ITT starting August 13.

If anyone is worried about fires/water availability, or for whatever reason, they are welcome to join me.

Juan...what happened that's gonna take 10 days to fix?

[TobyGadd]

Thanks for the info, Jason. I had been wondering about water. Good to hear that all of the major sources of water are running, but it sounds like I might need to bring an extra Playtpus for the drier sections.

If I remember correctly, Apple doesn't show up until later in July? I think I recall him telling me something about taking care of some other trails, and trying to hit the CT during its busy season, which is late July & early August. But my mind was frazzled that day, so I could be completely wrong. At at rate, I hope that he's OK, and that we'll see him in a month.

Great plug for the Colorado Trail Foundation. I give them $100 each year. The trail is an incredible resource, and definitely worth throwing a few bucks toward.

[Bral]

Jason, Glad to hear that your ride went well.  it was great to meet you up on Searle Pass.  Hope to see you out there again.
Alex

[pharmvet]

Alex,

Looking forward to following your ride.  Tear it up out there!

Jason

[dgjessee]

Going back to the lights - I was planning on taking a fully charged NiteRider MiNewt 600 cordless and only running it on techy sections I happen to hit at night. It should be good for at least 4-5 descents as long as they dont take longer than 30 mins. I have a BD storm as my backup. Anyone else think the MiNewt is stupid?

[pharmvet]

Re: lights,

I really like the Fenix LD20 and LD10 with lithium AA batteries.  They also take alkaline which is fine when all you have access to is a roadside gas station (almost daily on the CT, other than BV - Silverton).  Lithiums last a long time, when you use the lower settings, and I find the LD20 to be more than adequate all by itself as a helmet light.  The LD10 is usually a backup option. 

I've seen too many widowmakers (head high trees across the trail) to not slow down when riding at night, especially on long downs (think Lead side of Kokomo Pass) and reconcile my ride to safety over speed. 

I think rechargeable lights are not really that useful on the trail, unless you are planning on staying in hotel rooms and, even then, it depends on how to recharge the lights.  I would rather carry the weight of batteries than a recharging cord, but YMMV.

Princeton EOSs seem popular as well.  When my friend and I did CTR in 2010, we asked ourselves how much night riding we were planning on doing and carried lights appropriately.  Considering our first goal was to finish and carry less weight, we actually didn't carry any lights (except for camp light which could have been used in a tight spot) then, assuming, rightly, that we would be sleeping at night and not need lights.  All depends on what kind of ride will be riding.

J

[DanHickstein]

I'm getting a late start on the planning this year, but I'm leaning towards a northbound (Durango to Denver) ITT for a change of scenery and to simplify logistics. I live in Boulder, and it seems that I can take the bus to the airport, catch a flight to Durango for about $100, ride the CTR, then keep riding back to my house in Boulder. I'm planning on flying to Durango on Saturday, the 28th and starting the trail that night or early Sunday (29th) morning.

Anyone want to join me? I hear the the CT is twice as beautiful riding northbound . Of course, the climbs out of Durango and out of Silverton are going to be tough...

Also, in case anyone needs some more ride-stoke, here are my photos from last year - I never got around to writing a trip report: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.699427689274.2181252.13306742&type=3&l=986a8104df

Ride on!

Dan

[mtnbound]

dgjessee - I hadalso  thought about taking my mininewt 600 to have bright lights when needed. Even at low settings (275lm), itis pretty bright and lasts about 3 1/2 hours (I tested mine several times - of course it does not meet their stated run time of 4 1/2hrs).  I had thought about bringing a few extra rechargeable batteries since each battery is only a bit heavier than one double AA (though they are not cheap batteries and do cost $$) and maybe the battery charger.  But as mentioned, it entirely depends on your intended riding.  If you plan on a lot of night riding and no stops at motels, it might not work.  If you plan on only an hour or two of night riding each night, each rechargeable battery could last 2-3 nights (at low setting - 275lm), so 2-4 extra batteries could last the CTR w/o a recharger (depending on your expected finish time).   I found it takes about 6-8 minutes to change the batteries (but you must bring the right tool)but only under ideal conditions so that is also a factor.  The mininewt 600 weighs 190 grams. With this light, I would recommend another light as a backup (plus, having a light that has a red light to attach to your pack may be good to have for those road stretches). So, it depends on a lot of factors.

[TobyGadd]

Anyone interested in getting together for a beer in the next couple of weeks? I've organized a couple of casual get-togethers in Fort Collins the last couple of years, and it's been fun to meet other riders before the race.

To get the ball rolling, how the 5:30 PM on 18th at the Rio in Fort Collins sound?

[Homegrown_CTR]

I have also had a mechanical setback taking 10+ days. I am running v-brakes, and my rear crossmax blew apart. I have to have a wheel custom-built that is rim-brake compatible and strong, not something you can buy off the shelf that is of any kind of quality. Like a dork I ordered a Chris King in green, and of course they had to make them as none were in stock. I should have just gotten what they always have; red, black or silver! Anyway, the bike shop guy warned me but I didn't heed it as I was just thinking that if I am paying for a brand new wheel of this caliber, it will be exactly what I want. Joke is on me as I wait for them to get the hub, and I can only train on roads until the wheel is built (right now is a critical training period for CTR, too!). Anyway...
Any info on getting a spot tracker early? I am thinking of starting an ITT on the 29th...

[TobyGadd]

Hey Homegrown: I rode the CTR with V-brakes in 2010. They worked OK, but I went through about 6 sets of pads (almost a set a day!), and destroyed a pair of Rhyno Lite rims. Most of the damage seems to have taken place on the wet days (of which there were a lot in 2010). Constantly applying fresh wet grit, and then grinding it with rubber and aluminum for 10,000+ feet of descending each day, wasn't something that my gear was designed to take. I started with two sets of Shimano XT spare pads (which seemed like lots, ha, ha), but fortunately I was able to buy more in Leadville and BV (Shimano XTR).

So, it is possible to finish with rim brakes. If it's a dry year, you should be fine. But if it looks wet, bring lots of pads--and be prepared to toss your rims at the finish line.

[Homegrown_CTR]

Thanks for the heads up TobyGadd...good to know! I initially just wanted to save money and weight by going low-tech, but as it is turning out I am not sure I am really saving anything as I search for quality v-brake stuff that isn't used up. But I also wanted to do this on my old Schwinn Homegrown (hence the username) so I guess I really didn't have any choice anyway with that mindset. I swear, next year I am going to come into this decade and get a 29er with discs! I guess I will need to bring lots of pads, as you cannot really be sure the shops will have rim pads anymore. I've gone too far with this bike to change my mind now so I will just hope for the best this year.

[TobyGadd]

Better to ride with what you've got, then to not ride at all. My 1994 Cannondale Delta V 700 got me through in 2010, with no mechanical issues whatsoever. As long as you've got a reliable set of familiar wheels under you, and the knowledge to fix things that break, you've got what you need for an excellent adventure.

With a quiver full of pads, rim brakes won't slow you down one bit. Here are some suggestions to make things easier:
1. Make sure that you've got a small pair of pliers for changing those little cotter pins that hold the pads.
2. Set up the brakes so that all you need to do is roll the barrel adjusters as the pads wear, and then roll them back up for fresh pads.
3. Test the pad alignment with nearly-dead and brand new pads to make sure that the brakes will be properly positioned to work with both so that you won't need to make any on-the-fly adjustments as the pads wear.
4. Don't worry about camber. You'll wear the camber out in the first big drop, and then you'll have oddly-worn pads with half the rubber that you need. Set them up "flat," so that they will wear evenly.
5. Once you get everything setup perfectly, don't let the bike shops in Leadville or BV mess with them. I made the mistake of letting a shop in BV install a set of pads while I ate lunch--and they royally screwed things up. Maybe they aren't used to people needing to burn through an entire pad without making constant adjustments.
6. Stop and change pads near water or some nice wet moss--your hands will get covered in a curiously tenacious amalgamation of aluminum, rubber, and grit!

[mtnbound]

For those doing the CTR ITT in the near future, I just saw this: http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21037898/u-s-24-closed-at-leadville-due-giant   

Apparently, a huge 20'X30' sinkhole, 45' deep opened up due to the heavy rains and they shut down US24 north of Leadville until repairs are made.  No timetable given for repairs (though I would expect no more than a week or so).  Is mm165 south of Red Cliff on the CTR route?

"The Colorado Department of Transportation has closed U.S. 24 north of Leadville because of a 45-foot deep sinkhole that opened up after heavy rain Monday morning.

CDOT crews decided to close the highway at mile marker 165 south of Red Cliff as a safety precaution while they determine the extent of the sinkhole's damage, according to a CDOT news release.

Stacey Stegman , a CDOT spokeswoman, said the sinkhole measures 20 by 30 feet and is 45 feet deep .

"We need to know how much damage is under the road before we start repairing it," Stegman said. "Until we get a handle on how far down it goes and the damage around it, we won't know how long it will take to repair."

Read more: U.S. 24 closed at Leadville due to giant sinkhole - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21037898/u-s-24-closed-at-leadville-due-giant#ixzz20AECBNz4
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

[TobyGadd]

Drought! Fires! SINKHOLES!

Can you imagine how ESPN would cover the CTR this year!