The important thing is that a place like Como Depot commits to treating everyone equally, not simply Hall because he's the race leader.

I can tell you that when we pulled in there, a group of tourists who had come (gasp) all the way from Silverthorn, we were treated like royalty. No one should miss Como.

There is a good alternative to the interstate, and Adventure Cycling may re-route that piece in the future.

I use a Dakota 20 with a handlebar mount. Waterproof, bombproof, AA batteries with long life.  I never use waypoints, just tracks from an internet download, or a route I clicked out on Google Earth.

Basemap is from GPsfiledepot or a questionably legal Garmin sd card.  I'd buy them honestly if the Garmin maps actually worked.

Load the track from topofusion.  Load the topo maps from GPSfiledepot.com.  You will not get lost.  The track is very accurate  If you go off the road to water a bush, you will see you are off route.

Any serious blue dot junkies might like to check out this one:

http://www.yukonriverquest.com/yrq/app/12yrq/results.php

I'm following a friend in a 715 km paddling race on the Yukon. She is in one of the magenta two person kayaks.   The display is pretty entertaining, though no call-ins.

Interesting that Greg Strauser decided to leave the route around Kremling and take the roads to Del Norte.  I've toured that on a road bike, and the GDMR is so much nicer.  Smooth cruising in Colorado too.  I'd rather do a GDMR tour in Colorado than make it to Mexico via those highways, but to each his own.  Hope he is enjoying the ride.

Hi there,

 what do I need to do to get a good knowledge of the route, and make a go of it?

Chris,

Buy the map set from Adventure Cycling.  It details food, water, trail conditions etc.  Download the GPS track from Topofusion and load it into Google Earth.  Fly the route in google earth.  Put the route in a good handlebar mounted GPS.  Then all you need is to be able to ride and ride......

Congratulations to Ollie!

What's the distance from Silver City to the finish line at the border? 

Go Ollie 

We did it in three days this spring!!  Smooth or paved roads, 124 miles, these guys will knock it out in no time.  Nice border guards and friendly dogs at the line.

I don't know how a vegetarian could survive out there.  At a remote lodge in Montana "What do you have on the dinner menu?  Oh, we have everything, sirloin, t-bone, ribeye, prime rib"

I find it interesting the the number of people that seem to eat junk while on this race! Back when I was racing Ultra Marathons and providing support for RAAM. A product called Ultra Energy was developed

I remember a guy named Lon Haldeman who won a number of RAAMs.  He ate can after can of spaghetti-Os.  Some people are just multi-fuel machines.

Food is a challange on this route---"ok at the Exxon station we need two lunches, a dinner, and a breakfast......thats 14 cheese n crackers, 20 slim jims, ten hershey bars....."

I'm surprised they spent so long in Abiquiu.  Probably had a big breakfast and waited for Bode's general store to open.  Either that or visiting the Georgia O'keef museum. The next section has a monster climb and no suppies for awhile.

The leaders are into New Mexico!  The Colorado section, beautiful as it is, is really perfect for a cross bike.  Lots of smooth, fast rolling dirt, and a fair bit of pavement.  Hitting northern New Mexico is like flipping a switch; it becomes a mountain bike ride.  I like them both for what they are, but don't be surprised if the mileage drops a bit.

 I guarantee that any/every rider's time would be slower, and there would be heck of a lot more DNF's, if everyone were ITT/solo the whole way.  Including mine.

Well, you've done the race, and know yourself, but I don't think you can speak for everyone.  The most miles I ever logged on a trip was across Sweden and Norway, where I rode two weeks hardly talking to a soul.  It was light all night, my orange tent glowed, and the birds started singing at 2 AM so I couldn't sleep much.  Had I been with someone, I might have done something other than just ride 16-18 hours a day.  Mentally I was at peace, and company would not have made my body go any faster or farther.  I think an ITT would actually be easier for me, nothing to to disturb my meditative state.

The record time is a mix of conditions and effort.  Everyone will have their opinion as to which is more impressive.  Wasn't the JayP record done in a September ITT, with no snow to hike?  To me the performance we're watching this year is amazing when one factors in the snow they dealt with up north, which far outweighs any advantage of having some company.

They are now in day 12, the time many top riders finish the RAAM.  Still a long way to go.  One heck of a ride.  

@newfydog what do you think of the Schwalbe RR's is there a reason you don't run them on trips?

I love those tires, but I fear the sidewalls are too light for loaded extended travel.  Also, all my trips seem to involve some extended pices of road, and a slightly worn Geax Saguaro has essentially a continuous center bead so the tire can be pumped up hard and you just ride the ridge without much buzzing on the road.

We'll be riding hiking trails from Nice to Rome in a few bikes and the bike I'll be on has a Racing Ralph----maybe I'll try it and see how it goes.  It is easier to find a shop in Italy than Montana!

The Saguaro has been good to me.  My wife and I just spent three weeks in thorn country, rode some of the incredibly rough AZT, did the Antelope Wells to Silver City leg, and did some rides around Bluff, Utah.  Four well used Saguaros with Stan's, no flats.

We ride Racing Ralphs at home, but Saguaros on trips.

Thanks!

An answer in 5min 13 seconds!  This internet thing works

We're heading down in a few days to do some riding and will probably do the Border to Silver City leg.

Is there a good shuttle service in Silver City who could take us to the start?

Hey, I'm heading down next week to ride out of Patagonia and do most of the 300 at an old man/old lady pace.  It sounds like we should replace our thin, light Racing Ralphs and the like with something like a Rampage. 

Is there a good shop in Tucson or somewhere I can visit on the way down to pick up the required combat gear?

I just put two golite bags up on ebay.

They are really warm, and really light.  I found that in my old age, I do better with a slightly heavier zippered bag, but they ought to be be perfect for someone putting weight first.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190584072874

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190584071798?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649