So, I used to be a cop. I instructed arrested and control tactics (how to fight) at my department's academy and I was a very competitive triathlete (had sponsorships, raced at Xterra worlds, etc.)

About two years ago my patrol car was hit by a car traveling 75 MPH. Long story short, I was left walking with a limp and unable to ride my bike, run, or swim. (I was unable to return to work despite my best efforts and I was eventually forced to leave my career.)

I decided that I was not going to let anything take my life from me. I began working on my fitness again by riding my bike. As my fitness grew I found that I was able to ride distance at a moderate effort but I was unable to attain that voracious power that I used to have.

I decided that I would find races that built on my new found talent (or lack thereof). I remembered an old article that I had read in a mountain biking magazine about the GDBMR. I decided that was my goal.

I ordered my bags from Epic (Revelate) and I have spent the last year (plus) training and racing. Sure I'm not fast, but I'm passionate about my bike, being on it, and suffering.

I don't know if that qualifies me to be at the TD start line by anybody's standards but I'll be there because it's something that I need to do for me.

Another day in paradise....

I think somebody needs to contact the complaint department at Revelate, my bags don't have a keg strap either....

My comment a couple of pages back about a Pug or Mukluk and changing out the wheels in CO isn't looking too stupid now

 I wonder if the floatation works on the mud too...

Those tires SUCK in mud.

To be honest though, I am starting to seriously consider bringing my fatback.

I'm packing skiis for the DH's, showshoes for the climbs.

You could just get a 907 or fatback snowbike and switch rim sets further south.

Has the 'official' TD gps track come out?

Hey Blackhound and anyone else who may be interested. I'm going to be riding from Calgary, I was tentatively thinking wednesday the 8th. If you arrive in Calgary on tuesday the 7th, I can take you on great warmup ride. We'd start around 8am with breakfast and coffee at Cadence cafe, a cycling meet up spot in NW Calgary. Then I have inner city single track that leads to great back country roads, through Cochrane, the Ghost river valley, finishing off with 30 km of single track into the park. About 130km. It would be an honor to share some our best roads and a cool trail. It's the second half of this ride but in reverse.
Epic Devils Gap loop.

I'm down with that.

I'm really torn about pedal selection. I usually love Crank Bros egg beaters but I am worried about their reliability...

Any suggestions?

I am looking for a good TD pillow, probably air. I am a side sleeper and I need to raise my head. I have tried stuffing clothes etc. in a bag, and I tried my down jacket. Any suggestions?

This pillow is good. It hardly adds anything to the weight of your bedroom (ie sleep system) and is a welcome luxury after a long day.

I am an avid side sleeper too and I can never sleep on my back at home. That being said, I have found that after a super hard day riding you just get so tired that you will pass out anywhere. I just did a 100 mile snow bike race where the temp got down to -16 at night (not including windchill) and after 18 hours of straight gunning, I was whooped. I actually fell asleep on the trail standing up while leaning on my bike and then again I slept at the next check point sitting upright in a chair for 1.5 hours.

Just my 2 cents but a pillow sure could end up being an extra few ounces that you haul for 2700 miles.

On a lighter note:

Trying to decide on this years divide fashion? Elvis, Bowler, Hawaii 5-0 ?

5-0 alllllll the way!

I'm debating between carbon and ti for handle bars and seat post. Carbon would be good because it's light and it's what I usually use. Ti would likely be better because it will likely hold up better, i.e. it won't break if I take a major header.

I've personally never had problems with carbon breakage but I've seen some epic fails.

Thoughts?

I'm itching for my bags to be made by Revelate so I can load up and see what I've got to lose from the load.

It's tough to wait for the bags but ooooohhhhh sssssoooooo worth it.

humm, rigid fixed has to help in the ol weight race

Even just going with a carbon front fork saves close to three pounds.... Too bad I don't have the legs for a fixie!

Dry weight for me, including everything except rider is about 34.

Casey, yea, I have stopped watching the snow fall maps along the divide and started looking for the lightest possible raft for the creek / river crossings.  

These things are light and will fit in your epic/revelate handlebar harness! I've seen some video of Eric from Revelate, he has been able to do a bikepackrafting trip. Pretty sick....

https://www.alpackaraft.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.catalog&CategoryID=&ProductID=126

You're correct that a lot of the climbing isn't particularly steep, but that's not the case everywhere. One of the Flathead climbs is painfully steep, some of the MT climbs on old mine roads are quite steep, and there are some very steep climbs that stick in my mind from a few different parts of Colorado. NM has a few steep ones, too. Singlespeeders have clearly shown that granny gears aren't required, but I sure enjoyed having mine. 2x10 could work, but it really depends on the gearing. On a 26er, it could work, but on a 29er, you essentially lose the two lowest gears, and the granny isn't all that small anymore.  Also think about the ease of getting replacement 10-speed parts and the decreased durability of a 10-speed chain.

This is pretty much what I was thinking but sometimes it's hard to turn away from how sexy that setup looks..... 

Guess I'll just stick with what is familiar, 3x9. Maybe I'll be able to con my wife into letting me get XX for a race bike next year (as if she will ever forget how much the tour is costing!).


Thanks for the help.

I have a question for the veterans out there.

What do you think of the 2x10 vs the 3x9 set up for the tour?

I know it is a personal choice but I am looking for perspective from those that have ridden the climbs. From what I have read, there is a lot of climbing but the grade of most of the climbs isn't horrible (i.e. It was carved out for steam locomotives).

Thoughts?

It truly is a trial and error process.

I have found that for longer triathlons (up to Half Ironman distance) that I need more calories/hour than my smaller training partners but on longer day trips I don't really drink or eat much more while on the trail. The dinner table is a different story though....

For me that means being a calorie camel, gourd when I can and while I'm on the trail eat to keep myself moving to the next meal(s).

We're called Clydesdales.... 

Exactly what I'm saying....

Everything we have to carry is bigger and heavier!

I eat like a horse, a very... very large horse.