It depends on what type of trip you want to have. Having to average only thirty miles a day, you can knock out the ride in under three hours if you want,  but is that the purpose. Ride time, is it > or < camp time.

Amy bike you choose will be the best choice because you can't not have fun.  I ridden the loop a couple dozen times and in all different formats. My favorite bike choice so far was a $100 chopper from malwart. Not so good for climbing or rough sections but felt awesome on the cruisers.

here's chapter two...

COLD ROLLED-Chapter 2: The Thirty-Year Winter on Vimeo

teaser. Trails built specifically for a fat tire bike sounds awesome.

Mathewson said ‘please discuss’ so…
(insert can of worms icon here)
The growth of this 'race' along Adventure Cycling Association's Great Divide Route has changed a lot since a few guys started timing it about ten years ago and the yearly incarnations of the actual race, plus the armchair racing, have been interesting to watch.

In the 'olden days' the race coverage used to have very little real time action, updates were the payphone call-ins or maybe a veteran rider would write conjecture about what the handful of racers out there were riding through. There was almost no GPS tracking and no real time maps with layers for bears and weather. Information on the route like resources for food and water, or elevation gains, daily mileage expectations, et cetera was gleaned from scouring for a post write up blogs or researching maps. It wasn't as much of an organized race, as it was ITT's by some seriously prepared riders all on the same day.

The popularity of riding the route has grown and because of the open nature of the Tour Divide non-event, so have the number of riders on the Grand Depart. There are seasoned professional bike racers towing the line right next to much less experienced, amateur riders and everyone’s interpretations of the long ride ahead are different. Each year these riders simultaneously raise and lower the bar by challenging the elite cyclists to improve upon the previous record, while at the same time providing a record to the amateur cyclist that they are worthy of the challenge. This is evidenced obviously in record times by the fast people but also by the first to Single Speed the route or to complete the route without detours.

It used to be that maybe the hardest part about the race was the unknown. Now we know it can be done.  The number of people that want to ‘race’ the route will continue to grow, as will the varying interpretations of how to race it. Discussing the details of the ‘rules’ like using this mobile device or that bike feature are inevitable and if the Tour Divide wants to maintain the original spirit of the event it may need to set more stringent parameters and limit the scope of its inclusion by looking much further into the future.

I personally like the idea of a thousand cyclists of all ages and abilities all leaving from Canada on the second Sunday in June in a Grand Depart fashion heading out to ride the whole route, but feel that is not in keeping with the original racer’s (actual and armchair) intentions. I also agree that to ride the route completely self supported (carry everything, with no resupply) is the next incarnation to attain and to beat.

The current iteration of racing the route and it’s coverage is great. Thank you everyone from ‘organizers’ to first time posters for your contributions. Please keep adding to the actual coverage of the race and it's riders.  It really is the reason we are here.

Thanks vikb.   That is a great start.  I will do a little more research and may be in touch with some questions.

Happy to see this post.  I will be in Sooke this July for a week and was wondering what was around to ride.  I'll need to rent a bike and since my time window for a ride will be small I'd probably prefer the techy stuff to the laise fair bikepacking. 

Thanks for the stoke

the previous two posts are great, thanks for taking the time to put them up

Not sure if I envy your wet and cold conditions, but admire your perseverence. Good on ya. Great post with some telling photos, thanks.

I hadn't heard of this event before so had to look it up here: http://www.arcticultra.de/en.php?Race_Info

Website says: "Yukon Arctic Ultra will follow the Yukon Quest trail, the trail of the world's toughest Sled Dog Race.". Sounds interesting. How does it compare to the Sustina or the 'Iditabike Invitational'?

Every rider, area of travel, length of trip, et cetera is different but in addition to your listed, some other items to consider:
*Mylar space blanket
*Lighter/matches depending on elevation and a small candle (Menorah size)
*Multi-tool w/saw blade (Leatherman/Gerber) or a small folding saw like a Opinel/Silky/Bahco
*Duct tape rolled onto itself or section of straw stuffed with Petroleum Jelly Cotton Balls and sealed.
*Button compass
*Empty Altoid tin to hold most of the above
*Hard Candies
*Laundry softened hankerchief/bandana (ever wiped your cold face with a brand new one...sucks)
*Lip balm and similar sized sunscreen (Dermatone)
*Heavy duty safety pin
*Pea-less whistle (Fox 40)
*Small head lamp/button light
*Folded portion of heavy duty Aluminum foil
*..........

Nice list Yoreskillz.  My pack has much of the same items. I have rolled my duct tape around a chapstick. (just remember to not tape down the up/down adjustment) It also doubles as a firestarter. 

When I ride in the winter I usually get warm enough that I don't need many layers, but that is when I am riding or moving.  If stopped for any length of time that comfort level fades and I get cold quick.  So year around I carry a second layer of warmth in case I am moving extremely slow or not at all. Everything can usually be pulled over the top of what I already have on - hat, shell gloves, shell pants and coat.  Plus extra gels, handwarmers.

I am jealous you got out and I didn't.

Image taken September 2012 on a short bikepacking trip in Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina.

video here ... https://vimeo.com/50855402


BikepackingPisgahsig by M Chris Hunt, on Flickr

That was a fantastic video.  The multiple camera views, the actuiions shots, the scenery and the story.  NICE.  Thanks.

Yes sir, that was a great video.  I will send my cousin in Boise the link because we need to do that trip. Soon.

Your kit looks pretty similar, a few notes:
-there is a bug spray / sunscreen combo made by bull frog
-I like more calories, that looks like about a 1/2 day's worth
-water filter vs. multiple bottles

thanks for the good post

Looks like JP didn't have a big mileage day yesterday. If my calculations are correct he needs to get near Hartzel today but tons of climbing lay ahead!

The elevation profile seems to show a few good climbs for the next 100+ miles in to Silverthorne and then up and over through Como and on to Salida.  Fortunately the weather looks fair with warm temperatures going through Colorado.  And he now knows the route well enough to pace out certain sections.

Great fun to still be following the TD action.  Congrats on the finish Rob Roberts.

sure he is driven to retake the record.

There is a link on trackleaders to his webpage and a nice write up on some of his reasoning. I do not doubt he will give the TD a wicked thrashing.

Get yourself some JP!!

From what I have read from and about JayP, he does not mock this course. quite the opposite really.  He held the course record until this year's Grand Depart riders beat it, so this should be an interesting 'race'.  I wish I had the time to follow splits, etc.
Hopefully some others will add to the excitement.

Actually the memory of the hardship and agony fades very quickly and all you have left are the visions of being high up on mountains with the majestic morning glow of the sun turning the alpine grass the most beautiful green you have ever seen in your life.  Only the tip of the serenity is captured in these pictures!

Having done a 200 miler a few weekends ago, this makes sense.  The elation of making the big passes and the final push towards the finish are all happy memories for me now and the hard work, sore muscles, et cetera have all faded. I may even do it again.

I guess the magnitude of what you have accomplished just is not apparent in the photos.  I have ridden/hike-a-biked most portions of the CT and it is definitely a monster.  The effort required to complete a few sections in a day, let alone all of it in four days, seems to lose some of the edge when compared to the serene paths in the photographs.

Thanks for your honest reply

The post-ride, mini write ups are a nice view into the challenges you all faced. I wish my worst moments started after a three day, four hundred mile bike ride/push. Still nice to hear that even though most of us couldn't compare, you all still face the same demons we do. Especially in contrast to the beautiful photos that Ed and Jen are posting up.  I would guess that for a lot of the racers, their memories of the trail are so much less idealic than what we are seeing. All of it is inspiring. Thanks for all the posts.

I liked the picture of the rider mounting the bike first thing in the morning.  For me, that is a very telling moment.  After resting all night, eating, sorting gear, maps, and myself out its time to ride again.  Putting my leg over the bar, clipping in and sitting down always brings back the previous days effort, especially in the physical sense. Parts of your body that felt okay on land, feel a little tender on the bike and the thoughts of another big day ahead become more real. The transition from normal person to machine.
I think this is the rider with the toe injury.