I was checking InciWeb to see the status of the Pacheco fire outside of Santa Fe and ran across this at the bottom of the bulletin.

"The Santa Fe National Forest will be implementing Stage III Fire Restrictions across the Forest beginning Friday, June 24. Stage III Fire Restrictions will restrict access to/use of certain parts of the Forest, yet there will be recreational opportunities available. A detailed list of what will be off limits (restricted) and what will remain OPEN will be available, Wednesday, June 22. Open areas will remain under Stage II restrictions."

Here is a link to the Pacheco page:  http://inciweb.org/incident/2344/

Haven't seen the level III statement yet on the SFNF site.  Hope this doesn't cause the course to get closed.  Once it's posted, the closure order should be able to be viewed from one of these links.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/conditions/index.html

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/index.html

First, who all plans to camp at the Red Canyon campground on Friday night?  In other words, how many sites need to be saved? (Normally only allowed 2 cars per camp site.)  And, Dave, what time are you planning on getting up there on Friday?

I think I am going to head out with you all on Saturday morning, but I will either do a very different Dixie 200 or 300 course, depending. 

I've been having a hard time trying to figure out just what I want to do this week.  Looking now at heading up and doing Three Peaks in Cedar City  on Friday, then camping at Red Canyon on Friday night.  I'd reallly like to meet up and discuss some bikepacking/backcountry racing topics with everyone.  And, hopefully, I'll get a chance to meet up with some other regional marquis names (namely Scott and Chad)  thru the season.

I'm actually looking to do a route out to St Johns, then up around the Aquarius Plateau/Hell's Backbone to Boulder to Escalante to Powell's Point to Tropic.  Then, depending on what I feel like, either just heading back to the TM TH or continuing on thru the 200 course from Tropic.  So, it will either be 185 or 285 miles total.  If things get shortened, I'll just do a couple extra days of car camping and riding around TM and Cassidy, then a nice loop down to Hatch and the reservoir.

Well, hopefully Dave Harris, who created the Trans-Utah course and is a moderator on this site, will add to this too, but...

The TU only goes to Boulder, UT.  Dave hasn't created the rest of the route to Moab yet.

Even if the course was finished, you would still have to find transport from Durango to Moab (or St. George, UT, if you want to do the TU in it's normal direction) to do them both!  And that's a lot of distance between any combination of the two towns!

The TU can be problematic almost any time of the year since the elevations vary from about 2500 - 10500.  Bad thing about August (or any summer months) is the extreme heat you'll face from St George until you start climbing up the plateau beyond Cedar City.  Or, put in reverse, the heat you'll encounter from dropping off the Markagunt Plateau before Cedar City to the end in St George.  If the route does get completed to Moab, you'll also have to deal with the heat in many stretches from Boulder to Moab during the Summer!

Well, I'm not out of doing this yet!

Here is something that would do pretty easily (and probably pretty close to option #1).  A little 143, then the road to Duck Creek.  After DC, take the ATV trails to FRs to  Navajo Lake, then just do the North side of Navajo back to the VRRT downhill.  Alternate routing is in red.  Only lose 3 miles, less, I'm sure, after elevation gets put pack into the routing.


I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do next week.  Just really can't find the interest to go to the Kaibab and Flagstaff now.  So, thinking maybe do a 3-day trip (Wed - Fri) around the end of the TransUtah route, starting at Pine Lake to Boulder, then take 12 to Escalante, then up the canyons and back to Pine Lake.  Never did get to doing that last Fall.  Snow isn't bad, just have to see if the FS knows about trail conditions/tree downage (don't want to go thru what was on the '09 TU route up there!)

Then, I could head back towards Cedar City and do the 200 over 3 or 4 days.  Finish up with a day at Three Peaks and a day at 'The Goose', before heading back to Vegas?


Weather is causing havoc in so many ways.  Looking to push my main travel plans back to mid-July.  They are starting to shut down the forests in New Mexico.  So, wait a bit and just do 2+ good weeks in Colorado or Idaho a bit later than planned!  Gives things in CO time to finish melting and maybe ID and SLC will be thawed by then?  Then again, if it gives it enough time, maybe I can get up to Oregon and do the first run of the COR 350 course? 

Thanks for the link Dave!  I download the snowpack data and overlay it on all the travel scenario rides every couple days.  I won't make the call on the big trip until as late as I can.

Dave,

Where is it you go to get the imagery data for the .kml/z overlay data for the snowpack?

Got a couple other places that I'd like to monitor.

The New Mexico route still looks more likely and probable, but I'd like to be able to overlay the snowpack data with a bunch of biking and hiking routes in Idaho to see if I still may be able to to a Northern trek. 

Webcam views and SNOTEL data I've seen don't seem promising, but I'll monitor both routes and make the final Summer travel plan call as late as possible.

There is plenty of water on route but there are some long dry sections.  Good planning is key, best not to wing it, especially if temps are high.

Dave (or even Chad),

On the 125 route, what are the (reliable?) waters sources you guys know?  Only things I know of, and in order of appearance on the route are:  Parissawampitts Spring (old, volunteer guy at the visitor center said he though so, though a bit off-course), Deer Lake, Crystal Spring (possibly running) and Dog Lake.  A couple other sink holes and tanks on the last 30 miles that may have water, though I'd rather not have to use them!

Also, on the Paunsagunt route, any good water sources before getting all the way to the valley leading to the Tropic reservoir?

Since Idaho looks to still be snowed in, I'm planning on 3 weeks thru Flagstaff, Gallup, Santa Fe, Albequerque, Los Alamos, Angel Fire, Taos, Durango and Cortez starting about 24th.

But, since I won't be going North, and since I just feel the need to get out of town before the big trip, I'm looking to take a week starting the 10th and do (my modified) Paunsagunt Enduro over 2 days and the Kaibab 125 over 3.

Could be an optical illusion, but in your first photo with you on your bike, it seems like your elbows are extended pretty far out from the bike.  That could be the cause; elbows out and more parallel to the ground would put extra stress on the inside of the elbow from supporting your upper body.  See the pathetic drawings I have attached.

Your overall body position doesn't seem bad, though you do kinda look too big for the bike.

You didn't cut down/narrow the handlebars did you? 

Hmmm, ex-BMX racer?  Not use to keeping the elbows out for offensive or defensive purposes are you?


If my observations are correct, you may be able to fix things with a bit wider bars, a longer stem with a higher angle and/or riser bars (along with correcting your arm positioning)?

But, if I'm way off on my observations, I tried!

Riding the cliffs there should give the feel of, without the pain of, riding the VRRT. 

Thought there might have been a good reason you changed up the route in the SE corner of the Pauns, so I just went with the 200 routing.

I had forgotten about the Paunsaugunt Enduro loops.  After looking at the Enduro tracks, I came up with this, just under 97 miles.  Sort of a mashup of the Lite, 200 and Enduro course, with a little bit of road thrown in. 

Using 89 down to Hatch, then using the Lite climb up to the ridge will bypass the hiking on the lower section of Grandview.  Then you get to continue on Grandview for some ridgeline views above the cliffs until you join up with the 200 course.  Should make a nice start to a 3 1/2 week road trip!

I am torn on those final miles.  The marathon "trail" is more dirt road/double track than trail, but it does have some interesting spots and an awesome descent into Navajo.  Finishing on the VRRT west of Navajo is a treat too.  

That said, the lure of a techy singletrack descent is strong....your guess is close with Blowhard being the key element.  It drops about 3,300' in 6.9 miles.  It also starts out at ~ 10.7k' and is likely to be under 15' of snow June 25.

When you are in the area I highly recommend checking out the Paunsaugunt section of the route.  The stuff from Pole Canyon to Red Canyon is a blast and super scenic, one of my favorite areas anywhere to ride a bike.

Marathon does have some rocky sections that will keep you entertained.  Some nice open meadow areas to go thru too.  Just pretty much the way it has to be, unless you would turn this into a late-summer event.

I may make a 2 day, 90 mile loop of the Pauns area.  Start at the lower Thunder Mtn TH and ride down route 89 to connect into the Southern plateau routing.  I've never ridden the area south of the reservoir.  Thought about it for a while; may just be time to do it!  And, it allows for a finish that will give me my Thunder Mountain fix for the season.

Hadn't browsed thru the forums for a while and was wondering if the event was still on and set for the 25th (start date I thought would be used).

Yeah, there could be a bit better routing towards the end, but probably better to just make this 'the' route for the course.  You did also have to change the start/finish point and routing for last years courses because of snowpack!

Just because I'm curious, what was the routing you were thinking about for the finish?  Unless there would be something of a shuttle from the finish back to the start, I can't really see anything other than trying to connect Lower Pond to Hancock to Blowhard to Wood Ranch.  That doesn't make for a long, continuous downhill finish though.

Good luck to all who do the course. 

I doubt I'll be in for it, though I may spend a few days at Bryce/Red Canyon and the Mark and Pauns Plateaus around that time.

I can get almost 40 hours out of my Lithium batteries in then Vista HCX. Seems unreal but left them in until the unit dies.

Damn, that is impressive!

I get about 15 hours of solid riding and mapping time out of my 2700mah NiMH batteries with the 60CSx.  I normally ride at a .2 mile or 800 ft zoom though, which probably eats battery life with redraws.  But, they are rechargeable, I have 4 sets ready to go for the GPS and the camera and I travel with a power inverter.  I could switch, but I'd rather be on the trail with an extra couple ounces of weight and help save the planet!  Guess I might change my mind if I were to try to take on something like 'The Divide' or such!

I know this is kind of off-topic, and we do have some serious programmers here.  But, for those of us who aren't programmers or don't want to be anymore, check out my latest blog entry that gives a little background, examples and a tutorial on how to use Google's new app, Fusion Tables, to add mapping to your site or just to share routes with the world.  This is the future of mapping on Google!

http://dirtypursuits.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-they-took-my-maps-and-gave-me-fusion.html

I could see putting this one in the bucket list.  I have never spent any time in that part of the country.

I was up there for the first time in 2002 and fell hard for the area.  Unfortunately, it wasn't until last Fall that I got to return.  In 02, I planned on spending 2 weeks up there, I spent over 2 months going down the coast and into the interior of Central Oregon!  

It's a wonderful area and the scenery changes greatly throughout the journey.  Big vistas, big, exposed peaks, volcanic areas, killer lakes, ridgelines to the horizon, old-growth, moss-covered forests, etc...   I need to scan some of the photos I took from my 02 trip.  Didn't take as many pics this last trip and some didn't come out so great, otherwise there would be more posted on my central oregon Picasa pics.  

Just so many people you see out doing every outdoor activity; biking, hiking, climbing, kayaking.  Plenty of visitors, but the locals know what they have and truly appreciate it and are continuing to expand the opportunities.

It's kind of amazing that I did get to put the course together; just hope I can get up there to ride the complete route!  Started thinking about this course once I discovered bikepacking.  Knew there had to be a route.  Was planning to go to Idaho, instead of Oregon last Fall.  But, changed plans and bought all new maps when I got to Bend.  Saw the route and decided to ride to map, actually blowing off some pure enjoyment rides I planned to do.  Spent the week riding on a stuck-down Fox Triad and even blew out a tire out at Waldo Lake, which had me fixing a flat, hiking to camp (doughnut emergency tire wasn't going to do on the last couple miles of dirt road), tearing down camp, bikepacking back to the car and returning to Bend late on a Saturday night to get a couple new tires on Sunday morning.  Thank goodness for WalMart, cause they still have Blue Laws in Oregon!

What is the approximate break down of road, 2 track, single track etc etc.  In general how ‘rideable’ would you judge the single track to be with a loaded bike?  Looks like lots of lava rock in some of the pics.  And the profile shows some truly impressive climbs.

Check the map pic I attached.  It will give you the visual you need on the breakdown.  Yellow is ST, Red is DT/FR, and Black is pavement.

It's made to ride!  I won't make a course that is BS HAB!  Now, just like on the Apache course, there may be a short section here or there that can't be avoided, but that's it.  My thoughts on courses are that it should be rideable and enjoyable, and give you a nice challenge (though even on a course as such, there may still be times when you ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?").  But, it shouldn't be made to just screw with you to see how long until you break!

Yes, there are some volcanic areas, but nothing nasty to ride thru.  I've avoided the technical lava at the top of the McKenzie River Trail.  You'll go thru a lava area on the road to Sun River, but it's just the scenery.  The shots with the lava were actually around Sparks Lake, at the West base of Mt. Bachelor (actually the area, Sparks Lake/Soda Creek, is where the shool and church were located in the original, JW, Rooster Cogburn movie).

Oh, yes, there are some impressive climbs on the route!  But, those 10-12 mile, 3-4,000 ft. climbs out in the Oakridge area are all on forest roads.  You'll enjoy the 15 miles coming down the Apline Trail though!  Old-growth ST down to Waldo is killer; it was stellar too, doing it as a night ride with just a helmet light!

(note to all:  if you haven't already, check out DesertDog's web site https://sites.google.com/site/dirtypursuits/  he is building up a very nice bikepacking/racing orientated site!!)

Thanks.  Need to do more on it though.  A little here and there gets done, but I just haven't been able to find and keep the motivation to do everything I've planned to do.  Also doesn't help that Google is screwing around and dropping features that I need.  And I just really don't want to dive so deeply into programming again.

My legs are hurting just from reading your road trip description.  Nice.  I might see you at PMC.

Actually, changing up my travel plans for the next few weeks.

Heading to UT for a week, then going to AZ after Easter.

Here's the reasoning: 

http://dirtypursuits.blogspot.com/2011/04/two-weeks-and-change.html

I got April Fooled by the program.  I thought it actually updated the surface imagery, as well as the cloud cover, but found it just uses a set of 12 images from 2004!  So, I had viewed the March view, then the April view, saw the differences and thought the surface/snowpack imagery was regularly updated.  However, I saw what was really happening after playing around with the program a bit more!

Oh well!  Wasn't the best resolution at close zoom levels, but it still would have worked good enough for trip planning when using a .kml overlay!


I updated the original post to include the above at the beginning.  Hopefully nobody else gets 'fooled' by it!

Well, hopefully the weather is warm enough next week and beyond.  Just not too warm!

Looking to go to Phoenix to do a couple trail days on Monday and Tuesday (2 of 3 between McDowell, Hawes-Pass, and the K Trail areas).  Then, Wed - Fri, do a full (rte 69 - 74) BCT bikepacking loop.  Saturday, the 16th, head to Prescott for the PMC.  Then, 'relax' with a Sun - Tue Sedona trail ride session.  Finish with a Wed low-elevation Flagstaff or Kingman trail day.  

After that, return to Vegas thru Easter Sunday.  Then, on Monday, head North for 7 or 8 days in St. George and Hurricane!

Anybody that wants to do a ride that fits the schedule, let me know!

I'm so ready for some extended road trips!



P.S.

Scott, Chad, Lee...

If you could, send me any track files you're willing to share of the Florence-52-
Ripsey-Superior area.  All new to me, wouldn't mind doing a BP trip through the area.

Disregard this thread. 

I got April Fooled by the program.  I thought it actually updated the surface imagery, as well as the cloud cover, but found it just uses a set of 12 images from 2004!  So, I had viewed the March view, then the April view, saw the differences and thought the surface/snowpack imagery was regularly updated.  However, I saw what was really happening after playing around with the program a bit more!

Oh well!  Wasn't the best resolution at close zoom levels, but it still would have worked good enough for trip planning when using a .kml overlay!

But, here is what I originally posted:





Below is a link to the page for information on and to install the NASA World Wind program (version 1.4.0).

http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/download.html

Not sure how many people know about this program, and there is a lot more you can do with it beyond what I will mention, but...

You can use the program to get a general map overview. And, if you have .kml files (or .gpx files that you can convert to .kml) you can use the program to view current cloud cover and, by scrolling/zooming in with the mouse, current snowpack thru a route you may be planning on doing soon. Just go to File/Import KML/KMZ file ..., load your file, then zoom in to view the current conditions.

I know there are many times that people will want to know if a route is going to be doable, and with this program, you can at least see if you have a 'clear' route or will have to be trudging thru snow fields. Now, for river crossings, there is another site to check those potential issues. But, thought this might be a nice additional tool for folks to use.

I figure at least a few people may want to use this to view the current conditons thru the TD or CTR routes?

Myself, I'm using it to monitor the situation/conditons thru late Spring/early Summer for the Sierras, Central Oregon, Idaho and the San Juan region of Colorado. Hoping to do a 6 to 7 week trip from around the end of May to the beginning of July. What I do depends on the conditions. I know the options, and this will help me plan the route.

Check it out.

What more could you need?

The kitchen sink? 
Though I'd say it might be deflated and stored in one of the saddle bags!

I got the preliminary course finished and have the start of a home page for it.

https://sites.google.com/site/dirtypursuits/cor350

Take a look and give me your thoughts.

The track file is 18,000+ points, so it will load up fine in MapSource or TopoFusion.  Just don't try it with Google Earth; it will hang it.

Not sure if conditions will allow it, but I'm hoping to be able to go up and ride it the end of May.