Hi Chris,

I went with a Hexamid Solo. It is really a rainfly with a bug screen. Super simple and weights 15.9 oz. For a bag, I went with the Zpacks 20 Deg. Mummy bag, 16.7 oz. The Therm. neoair is 12 oz. Total sleep system is under 3 lbs. Have had no failures yet.

Hi Marshall,
Thanks for the recon. Is that photo on the TD route?

Best regards,

Steve

I'll go with 4:15p in honor of tax day....

First AZTR 750 golden spike, no?

Looks like their less than a mile apart at 3:53 PM

Don't make a decision that would endanger yourself. This heat wave came at a real inopportune time for the racers out there. Bets of luck re-hydrating and keeping calories down.

Humm, sounds good to me--I hope to do a better job on both in 2014! 

Ha--And for 2014 the most important thing to always be in my rear jersey pocket (vs tucked away in the bottom of a bike bag) will be some Geronimo Cream and A&D.  Hopefully this will help me to remember to use it while stopped and away from the bike.........

OK….enough of this, I see "A & D" mentioned frequently, What is it? I'm surely going to regret asking this I think:)

Snow...
I've been watching the snow fall pretty steadily and hard here in NW Wyoming this winter.  The following link provides a very good picture of the snow situation along the GDMBR's northern half... and it isn't looking good.  Many snow monitoring sites are reporting 150% or greater than average snowpack.     http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/snow/

I am now considering a NoBo Grand Depart or even an ITT later in the summer.
I would like to hear from those of you who rode in the 2011 TD and endured the reroutes.

If the snow pack is that bad, perhaps it makes sense to at least put a possible NoBo start in the back of ones mind as plan "B"

I was wondering about that as well.  Seems that people are shipping to the "supporting" bike shops.....Absolute in Salida and Orange Peel in Steamboat seem to be the 2 big ones.  I know they are open 7 days a week.

That's pretty respectable.  I had my SS at about that weight for CTR without water but about a day and a half of food.  I'm rolling a bladder on the frame from here on out and I'd be stoked if I could be at that weight or less.

I think there will be a bike mfgr. come along soon to build a ultra racing specific MTB with an "in frame bladder." The Specialized Shiv has a bladder inside. there is so much wasted room inside the tubes.

Bladder and bottle full of fluid in your test, or no?  Food incl. or no?

The bladder and bottle were both full. I had about a pound of dried fruit, nuts and two hammer flasks full of honey. The food was not counted in the weight. The food all fit in my jersey pockets. I stopped for a burger in a little mining town in the Bradshaw mountains called Crown King. Camped out, tested gear. Rode the next day home.

To the Long Ranger's point, "loading for your fears." You're sooo right. Living in Arizona we do not get a chance to test for foul weather here. I tested a light Mont Bell rain coat three weeks ago in the only rain we've had since Thanksgiving. I felt a bit under-gunned and have since upgraded to the Goretex rain shell. It feels like overkill, and no pit zips. But yes, my fear is the wet. I'm getting the input here that wet but warm is gonna be the impetus.

Can't thank the forum enough for these discussions.

All this gear thinning talk has me wondering what kind of weight totals you veterans are seeing. I did a "full load" test trip last weekend and was 43.11# total. That included my 100oz. bladder in frame bag and a 20oz bottle. I cant really see getting much more than a half pound lighter. I have nothing on my back.

Thanks for all the valuable input.

Steve

I picked the 30 for the heart rate ANT. Valuable to me. Aside; I upgraded to the eTrex 30 from the Edge 305 for following tracks on a larger screen. I made an assumption the 30 would do heart rate zones. It doesn't, it only reads heart beats per minute. Odd the edge 305 is programmable to heart rate zones and the much more detailed eTrex 30 isn't.

Well, whatever you eat, I learned this the hard way. I can ride, eat, mess with my music, look around and still maintain control of my bike without my hands on the bars, as long as there is nothing on the bars. Add a loaded sweet roll. The game plan needs to change. you go from being in control to being on your haircut in a nano second.

Don't get so desperate to stick to a plan that you do something stupid like I did and push your luck. I did and a small fall on a slick surface and now my shoulder will require extensive rehab/surgery. I am out of 2014 after a solid year of training. Missing a few days here and there will not submarine your chances to complete the TD but taking chances in training will. With luck I will tour the divide in August. Without luck I should still have a good winter of training for next year as I am moving to Phoenix in a few months. Really, really enjoyed the preparation training and races last year and all of the comments, stories and advice on this forum even though I participated very little. The cordillera V was fantastic and I will use the first 4 to get me through the rehab and cycling withdrawals. Looking forward to all of your stories of an epic 2014 TD.

Hi Endo,

Too bad about your shoulder. Give me a PM when you get to Phoenix. I'll show you all the good stuff around here. Lucky to be able to ride essentially 365 days a year here. I feel for those who are just now able to ride outside.

Steve

Hi Addy,

Sorry, I did leave that entire question open ended. I am doing the TD this year. No, I was not cold. Neither my feet or body, but the storm was a warm one. I had dinner last night with a 2012 finisher, she just laughed. "You're not gonna keep your feet dry." I guess you being in BC makes you the perfect guy to answer this.

No safety concerns but hypothermia I guess could become an issue. Even at mild temps, had I gotten cold.

Thanks,

Steve

Hey Gang,

Living in Arizona, don't have the luxury to test raingear (in action) to any solid extent. I used this last weekends storm (3-1-14) to test both my Goretex over socks and my Mont-bell rain coat.

First the over socks; I ride with knickers. There is a gap of about 6-8 inches between the top of the over sock and the bottom of the knickers. I used legwarmers to cover the gap. My socks were wet inside nonetheless. I think the rain permeated the legwarmers and simply ran down my leg, into my socks. How to seal the gap? don't really want to wear rain pants and gorilla tape sounds a bit painful. Ideas?

Second the rain coat; The coat is very light (7oz) and sheds water just fine. Problem is two fold, how to adequately ventilate? The pit zips are full open and on extended climbs, I am as wet inside the coat as it is outside the coat. Also it is size large. I need the arm length but the girth around the torso would honestly fit me twice. It is annoying, my knees whack it with every pedal stroke.

Does anyone have something that is a bit more svelt in the torso with an integral hood (or zip on)

Any help would be really great.

Steve

Hi Andy!

Welcome to the forum. Where are you coming from (no hills). I arrive the 10th as well.

Steve

No, I have no skills. I had Tim @ Phantom Pack Systems make it. I knew I would have limited room in my frame bag with a FS bike. I have all the room I need. Not doing the CTR or AZT this year. Just the TD. The two Velco straps on the seat tube make it really ride well, no movement at all. here's a better picture.

I just "full load" rode and rain tested my 2014 S-works epic today. The poor picture of the fishing scale says 34.6#. It includes a 100oz bladder with about 70oz in it. The frame bag is small. It holds a full bladder, two tubes and my down jacket. I had a 2013 S-works epic and upgraded just the frame because of the added frame room. It makes the difference between nothing on my back and using a Camelback.

Super ride and comfort, not compromising speed.

All I need to add is a 20oz. bottle, a few tools and my aero bars, Thinking 37.5 ready to race

Steve

Another consideration with aerobars; my bike fit guy and I changed to 170MM cranks. The smaller pedaling circle allows for a lower upper body position, without putting undue stress on hip flexion. Being too crunched up long term can cause illiacus muscle spasms and soreness.

There was a study be Cervelo Bike Engineers, testing crank arm length and how it relates power output. They tested 140-220MM cranks on their racers. There was no difference in power output. They did get measurable aero gains with shorter arms.  

Steve

Hey there Tanman, I fly to Banff on the 10th. If I can be of any assistance to you, being in Phoenix, please ask.

Steve

Phantom Pack Systems frame bag. Perfect fit. Moved to 2014 frame. Used only two overnighters. Will fit any XL Epic frame, 2012-2013. Any reasonable offer, does me zero good. Pretty small inside, will hold one GU and a tube  (kidding)