Sent a letter told them they can't own such a simple word that is a common term used in biking and that they should donate all profit from the epic model to IMBA as they (IMBA) had used the term "epic" before they (Specialized) did.

Yep TF is a great resource for GPS users along with this website's route section not the forum part the the database page you can literally put together an entire AZT through trip and get it loaded into the unit.

When I did the AZT in 06 I had to go over to Scott's house go through all of the tracks from his 05 trips and come up with my track. Now I could do all of that myself as well as plotting out several other long trips.

All you need is Topofusion http://topofusion.com/ all of the maps and aerial photos down load for free off of line I have the pro version one time only payment of $40. TF will take care of all of your GPS to PC interactions, down load tracks from the net then up load them into the GPS for races, down load active tracks from the GPS of the ride you just did. Multiple known tracks can be linked with hand drawn tracks to create new routes, then the file can be manipulated to fit in GPS for use in the field. Way points can be created in TF and loaded into the GPS and points taken in the field can be loaded into TF. You can also see all of the elevation/grade data and a profile for tracks, as well as travel times and difficulty and effort index.

Not sure about putting it on the handle bar rigid I should think it could wear out faster that way. My first one lasted a couple of years with lots of use taking it on every ride with suspension. There are times when it is a big help to have the unit on the bars I think you will want the handle bar mount, it is great to be able to just look down and know the right way to go at a junction.

Disassemble and carry http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,90.0.html or detour.

That has become impractical.  If everyone used older Garmins it would be a layup, but with the Delormes and newer Garmins there isn't a one size fits all method.  A 20x500 works on the Vista but not the 60CS, and on the new Garmin units the user would have to enable each of the 20 tracks - it's easier to have one big track. 

Of course TopoFusion alleviates all these issues.  Track simplifying & splitting works great and is fast/easy.

Agreed TF works great on this I had no trouble making my own versions of the Coco 250 I got it all loaded up just in time to see that Scott had just posted the whole thing already split. It was good practice tho.

There is a thread in the winter section that gave me an idea:
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,520.msg6660.html#new

going to give this a try next time I go out in borderline temps

I can't see putting one of these in your bag, maybe outside the bag if you were using a tent of some kind to hold the heat in.

If you want to use fire to stay warm then I would say start a small fire and sleep next to that.



 

Thanks for that info. I have now just scratched the surface of a whole new level of map geekdom! (I decorate my walls with maps, I am a card-carrying map geek.) I have a much greater appreciation for TopoFusion now Scott. Thanks again for the Black Friday sale.

It looks like the critical limiter on the Legend C is the lack of an SD slot, making it impractical for long routes like TU which is my goal for the year. Unless someone has a good workaround for that problem?

I'm guessing after Christmas will be a good time to be Oregon shopping.

Lack of an SD slot won't stop you from loading a long route/track and following it. What you won't be able to do is track yourself at a very high resolution. I think the limiting factor is the 10,000 track point limit and that is the same for both Legend and Vista, C or HCx. TopoFusion can simplify tracks as well as segment them to fit the 20x500 system used by Garmin. I have the pro version not sure is the lower one's do or not, but usually the race directors post a version that loads right up for you.

Go with the free map sources it is nice to have some background info to help with navigation.

The Legend C will work fine I was happy with mine until it died (too many days on the bars)(it did the AZT800, AZT300 and many days rides) I have the Legend HCx now. The only thing the disc slot gets you is more room to store active tracks I set mine to make a track point every second so the file gets big fast. On longer rides the active log overfills and the only way to get the track is off of the card but I get a very detailed track.

All of the geekyness aside someone still has to have already mapped out the whole system to have all of the data in the first place.

I know Scott has already mapped all of the trails in our local Mountain Park so it would be a simple (easy for me to say since I don't have to write it) matter of writing the code. If you had already ridden the trails in the most fun direction then the program would just link them in the original direction.

But if everything about the trail is a ? how would the program be able to know what is really on the ground. Even if it knew all of the grades for climbing and descent how could it know that one side is nice and solid ride-able up and then the other side of a hill is all loose and only good as a down hill.

Cool idea tho and Scott doesn't need to sleep much anyway.

I have used mine to haul water out to do trail work as well as tools with the 5 gallon jug full that's 40 lbs and I can do easy climbs on ST.

You can clear small down trees but even a big rock step will stop you, one of the pains I found over rack and panniers was the vertical jackknife effect. When you go to pull the bike over something it wants to pivot vertically, you'll still get there tho.

Bob's are a great way to go on well built trails anything with moderate grades, with good width should be mostly ride-able

I had one of these for the AZT in 06 I destroyed it the first time I used it (they claim to be 30% stronger now).

I am not a big fan of space blankets as they are not breathable and you end up wet.

I can see a use for them as a safety item for long days but I wouldn't want to use one much.

With a synthetic you should be fine as the bag is still going to keep you warm even if you are soaked in your own sweat.

Lately I have been using down bags and I like to keep dry. I used to use an REI bivy sack with a small tarp for over my head. Then a poncho replaced the tarp but now I have one of these http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/61 it is small when stuffed but makes a good sized shelter (not the two person they say but one for sure) I think i can stay dry under it so I dropped the bivy. I took it on the Coco 250 but never did need it so I can't say for sure yet how it will do in a rain. Hopefully we will get some rain soon (we always need it) and I can set it up near the house and see how it does.

Well, obviously $$$atellite phones are better. (Still not sure I get why snakebite requires two way communication.)

So you could get by on one way, say if a spot gave you the ability to relay a text message but it can't so for now two way is the only option.

Cell users have reported good luck getting messages out even if they can't talk. I doubt that helps where you are. I should think that Sat texting isn't too far off.

I bet you will find a sat phone some where regionally at a reasonable rate. Maybe one of the Alpine clubs would have one to loan out short term. 

Ya I would not have thought of telling any one man or woman to hitch hike from Flag to Page tho I did meet some nice people biking along that route. And I did meet one guy who was planning to hitch from Lee's Ferry to Flag.

When I arrived there in the spring of 04 whooping and swooping down to the state line. I was pulling a Bob trailer and had a rack and panniers on the front of the bike. Well over 1000 miles of riding with the added miles, via Tuba city 230+ mile detour around the canyon. I was warned in Flagstaff that road bikers had been beat up and mugged along that route. When I was on the south rim a guy driving a tour bus told me he had done the route once as part of a transcon trip. "When I asked for water they gave me shit I had to ride all the way to Cameron then they let me have water and let me sleep out back".

I don't doubt that these things happened, but I had a totally different experience. I bought bottled water (I don't know that bottled water was always available in the past). I said hello to every one I met even the craziest looking guys hanging out behind the building. I found every one to be very friendly.

If water wasn't there to be bought I don't know. AZ state laws (or so the wivestells say) it is against the law to deny water to any one. But the reservation is not AZ. I could see some one pissing someone else off just by what the person said about another person. And it would not surprise me that you could easily get your ass kicked on the res. Maybe back then you had to ride all the way from Page to Cameron the only place to buy anything is Cedar Ridge and it's just the one store.

Back at the state line I was getting whoops back from one of the camp sites as I rolled it to camp I pulled in to that last camp site. I was immediately offered both wine and beer, dinner and all of the water I wanted.

At the end of the 06 trip I had the camp to myself for several hours but eventually people showed up. Several miles north there is another trail head where the actual hike starts and there quite a few cars there.

While the state line is quite remote there is a very popular hike near there something called "The Wave" both times I have been to the State Line TH there have been groups staying there before or after doing the hike to "The Wave".

No guarantees of course but I bet someone would give you a lift.

I should think a bike shop would hold a box for a small fee (nothing is free after all).

Not sure if USPS would ship anything that big worth checking out then you could have it held for GD.

Hmm, thinking about this a bit more, I'm very tempted to get a PLB beacon for one specific situation: snakebite. Australia is full of deadly snakes, and it's not uncommon to see one. If there's two of you, one goes to get help. Alone, you're pretty stuffed - any movement accelerates the spread of the venom. I'm not sure you'd survive a 24 hour wait period either...

Sounds more like you need a sat phone seems like 2 way communication would be key in the snake bite scenario.

Yeah. interesting point that PLBs don't have a "I'm ok, tell my partner to stop worrying" button that you could push every 6 hours or so.

Whats better then live in person.

Yeah, looks like the SPOT has the exact two features I wanted: an "I'm ok" button, and a "I need help, but not a helicopter" button.

Two issues:
1) It's $99 USD in the US, or $230 AUD in australia. I hate that. (Yes, I'm looking at you, Burton.) One website charged $99 for international shipping. Ridiculous.
2) You seem to have to get a $130 USD/year service contract. Pity you can't just enable the contract for shorter periods. Sure, some of us might spend significant portions of the year in the wilderness, but for most of us, it's only a week or two per year.

I am surprised no one is importing Spots I checked their website it says to contact them for distribution opportunities.

With snakes like that it still sounds like sat phone country to me.

>Sat phones are pricey tho.

Horrifically so. At a quick glance, $1500+ (well, in australia anyway), compared to $2-300 for a PLB. Plus it seems you need a "plan"...which is annoying for something you hope to never actually use.

Then again, if you had a sat phone, you'd probably end up using it for more mundane purposes, like coordinating car shuffles or something.

I'd try to find some one to share the service cost with, put together a small group a private time share kinda thing.

There is one bike shop in Page

http://mtbike.mountainzone.com/bikeshops/detail.asp?bid=542445

Or if money is not an issue have a shuttle service out of Flagstaff bring it to you at the State line.

How about getting a room reservation for a date near your finish time you should be able to figure an estimate time line to get through from the South Rim. There must be a hotel call them a see if they will let you ship something to them and plan for you to pay for a room (something you might want to do anyway). Then have friends ship the bike you should be able to pre plan this with a known hotel and box and label it yourself. You should be able to hitch hike from the state line to Page.

"Off Trail" travel!

I had forgot about that part I agree lot of adventures take place "off trail" unless there is an official ban on bushwacking how can that be such a big deal.

Back in the Canyon I did a raft trip last fall and during our pre trip ranger talk he did recommend using the sat phone to call in right away even if we didn't end up needing help. Better to call first let them know you might need help rather then wait until the last minute. At least let them know you might need help get things going in standby mode speeds up any real rescue when the time comes. Seems like in some cases the sat phone 2 way might be better then a spot.

Caller "is it safe to drink salty water" operator "well it is better then not drinking at all". Caller "OK thanks" "have a nice night"

Sat phones are pricey tho.

You can do a lot with a Bob no doubt as long as the trail is not super tech that might be a good way to go.

Old Man Mountain racks mount through the skewer and brake bosses if your bike has them or clamps if not. I had one but sold it to a friend who wanted something easier to put on and take off. So that would work.

Seems like you added something, I didn't see paddle listed in the OP but I guess you won't be hand paddling will you. Then I bet you still have some fishing gear to add to the list. The more you add the more the Bob makes sense. And then there are the fish would you want a cooler to bring them out in you could with a Bob. Again as long as the terrain is not to tech.

Looking back at your second post you mention spending $200 on a backpack it seems like you be be better off to put that into a Bob for sure. You still want to be careful not to get carried away and get over loaded.

Umm... go to Firefox?  IE 6.0 is the bane of all web developers and full of security issues.  Upgrade!

I have been with Firefox (on Scott's recommendation) since April I will never go back to IE. The spell checker alone is worth the switch.

Yesterday I could see the pics today I am getting a bandwidth exceeded message even the avitar has changed.

Good write up tho I enjoyed seeing the pics (yesterday) the route looked a little tame but the countryside beautiful.