Hey all,

Unfortunately, I will not be able to race this year.  I have too many logistical problems that can't be solved, mainly time off from work.  It's a total bummer but ya know it could be a lot worse, right?  Good luck to everyone trying to tackle this monster and thanks to everyone involved in organizing this.  I can't wait to watch the drama unfold.  Have fun, be safe!

Tim Graczyk

Thank you for all your time spent with this, it is much appreciated.

Wow I didn't see the 285 segment coming but over all I think it's better this new way.  The Ten-Mile segment is awesome, pretty steep but really nice when you're on top.  Serious consideration about the Cataract Ridge section makes me second guess attempting this on a fixed gear but we'll see.

Let the obsessing begin!

TimG! - What month of the year did that happen to you?

Early to mid August.

The Coney/Cataract addition would be a intense to say the least.  It is very possible that "you might die" as wookieone stated.  Here's a story to hopefully convey that message.

In 2000 my beloved canine and I attempted a thru-hike of the CT.  On a couple sections my soon to be wife joined us for a few nights.  The three of us were making our way towards Coney on foot.  It was a partly cloudy day and a small looking storm seemed to be brewing in the distance maybe 8-10 miles away.  I kept my attention locked on this while still trying to cover ground quickly.  Having already made it this far on the CT I felt confident in gauging storm distance and strength so I figured we would be able to make it over Coney and down the other side before the storm found us.  However, this was not the case.   In the span of about 10-15 minutes after I first noticed the clouds gathering there was the first flash of lightning in the distance.  This was are cue to move it or lose it.  We literally ran downslope with fully loaded packs to the nearest "shelter" which was nothing more than a small patch of willow shrubs.  This could not have taken more than a couple minutes as we were still well above treeline and the storm was already on top of us with sideways hail and lightning closing in quickly.

We quickly crawled into the willows with my wife laying on our dog and me laying on both of them and a tarp draped over all of us.  Almost immediately the lightning was very close to us and the pea sized hail was beginning to accumulate on the ground.  There would be a flash and before the flash was actually gone there was ear drum vibrating thunder.   Also mixed in was the sound and feel of the lightning striking the ground within a hundred yards or so of us.  After one or two of these flashes, sonic booms, and strikes we both honestly assumed that we would all die.    My wife was screaming, my dog trembling and the storm kept pounding us for about 15 minutes.  For that time which felt like an eternity I kept waiting for the bolt of lightning that would take us out.  I honestly 100% felt like that was it and what I remember thinking was the search and rescue would have an extremely difficult time finding our bodies way up here in the shrubs and covered with a green tarp. 

The storm then blew out nearly as fast as it gathered.  We were left with about 2 inches of hail covering the surrounding area.  We were too exhausted and emotionally spent to even move, so we spent the night right there just happy to be alive.  The next day we decided to not continue on over Coney and into the Weminuche.  We bashwacked down Kitty Creek and finally to some lake and then back to civilization. 


Sorry to make this so long but........yes "you might die."

Yeah DaNM

That's exactly what I'm talking about.  The world needs more people like you.  Way to go getting to Durango last year that's awesome.  Have fun out there.

Hey,
I just voted for removing possible all detours.  I think this is the best way to have a CTR.  Yeah, it's hard super f=ing hard, but it's not called the "Colorado Trail-except for the sections that we think are too difficult- Race.'"  Maybe some won't finish maybe some will, isn't that what it's all about?  I personally DNFed in 08 but that was my choice, obviously others finished.  Wouldn't it be refreshing if there was one event that was almost too hard for most to complete?  Eliminating all detours now sets the precedent of this being "THE" benchmark singletrack race by which all others are compared. 

Either way I'm in and I'll crawl to Durango if I have to.

Greetings Earth People,


My name is Tim Graczyk and I like bikes.....ALOT.  So here I am creating another account in this virtual instant information reality and am wondering what to say.  Well, I feel that in some way riding bikes provides me with a sort of influence over the collective consciousness.  Cycling is really the only viable solution to our world crisis.  Do it, have people see you doing it, and hopefully cause another to wonder..."Could I do that?"