I can't believe I've never heard anyone mention this place! (Maybe because a lot of riders hit Mt Lemmon off-hours) But still!

http://www.mtlemmoncookiecabin.com/about

Hey everyone, I'm looking for good gloves for the CTR. They need to come in women's sizes and preferably as waterproof and warm as possible without being too bulky. Any recommendations would be awesome. Thanks!

Endura Full Monty - not sure on Women's sizing...

Had few people inquire about services so we thought we'd post some deets. We need at least 4 people to make these shuttles work so we thought since you all are on the forum, you might have friends that are participating with you. So spread the word that there's a service out there that will work with you. Option 1- We can pick up at the Picket post Trail head(Superior) Thursday afternoon/evening and shuttle you to Tucson. Then an early am(6amish) shuttle on Friday am to Parker Canyon Lake so that you are there by suggested 8am start. Option 2- Just shuttle from Tucson to PCL on Friday. Price is $85 for option 1 and $45 for option 2. Spread the word and leave the driving to us!! Happy to answer any other questions offline if needed. 52zero 23svn zeroonetwoniner Cheers!

Give Tara a call at Homegrown MTB. They are offering an option to go from Picketpost to Tuscon, and then on to Parker Lake on Thursday. I just booked a spot.

I just talked with Over the Edge in Sedona - who appear to have purchased the Magic or Mystery Van (you all know it, retro 70's style van) - and they don't seem to be offering the Picketpost to Parker shuttle. At least the guy I talked to didn't think so.

Any other options that people know of? I'd rather not do the option into Tuscon, and have to find a place to stay and then get up early to drive down the morning of the race...but I guess if that's all there is, I'll do it.

These Arctic Cooling towels are excellent for fighting heat - used one in the Dixie last year, and it was a godsend in places.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00USDKNUG/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687602&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B007SOZ1FU&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0M379V3RS4PMDY615YCH

Making me nervous with all this talk of backup GPS devices!

My eTrex came right off the Garmin bike mount that was on my stem a couple days ago - mid-ride. Just flew right off, and I never even noticed it go (pitfalls of jamming to tunes while riding). I got damn lucky and found it not more than half a mile back down the trail. I never quite clipped it fully into the mount.

I used to have a Delorme Earthmate GPS - and the thing never failed me for 10 years. Built to last - not so sure about this relatively new eTrex of mine.

These are super worn down - but you get the idea. Pretty well protected.

And also I guess I'd like to start a conversation on foodwear.

I'd like to start a conversation about foodwear, too! 

Got nothing bad to say about X-Alps for HAB

But now I see the GPX has been posted on bikepacking.net since 2012, so...nevermind, I guess.

I understand the higher elevations have a lot of snow pack this year.  As a result, the route may not be snow free as early as we will like would like, but the ITT option is open.
After talking to both Paul Koski and Bill Harris I have created a GPS track but I want to put my boots on the ground to survey parts that are new and unproven.  Note, the GPS track I create will not have all of the new Paradox route included as parts of it are still under construction and will be at least one more season before its available.  The route I have will go into Nucla and misses Bedrock completely.

I think what initially attracted me to this route/race years ago was that a GPX track was NOT being handed out - as part of the experience of the route was finding your way. My $.02

Had few people inquire about services so we thought we'd post some deets. We need at least 4 people to make these shuttles work so we thought since you all are on the forum, you might have friends that are participating with you. So spread the word that there's a service out there that will work with you. Option 1- We can pick up at the Picket post Trail head(Superior) Thursday afternoon/evening and shuttle you to Tucson. Then an early am(6amish) shuttle on Friday am to Parker Canyon Lake so that you are there by suggested 8am start. Option 2- Just shuttle from Tucson to PCL on Friday. Price is $85 for option 1 and $45 for option 2. Spread the word and leave the driving to us!! Happy to answer any other questions offline if needed. 52zero 23svn zeroonetwoniner Cheers!

Are there any shuttle options that do Picketpost direct to Parker Lake - versus stopping in Tucson for the night?

Mesquite ATA member now. Enjoying my new t-shirt and endless online resources. 

What are the various pros and cons of stopping in either Patagonia or Sonoita? Both seem to have decent resupply options...

...haven't been able to ride a bike for the last 18 months.

What? No fatbikes down there! 

Hello, my name is Britt. I am planning and training for CTR in 2017. What's a realistic goal/finish time if I plan on sleeping at night 5hrs? Thank you for any suggestions and help.

If you average 5mph and ride 16 hrs every day (sleep 5, other stuff 3), you'll do it in 6.875 days. It's just math. You'll probably average less than 5mph...or maybe more, who knows. I rounded total mileage up to 550...fyi

I just joined the ATA, and have been reading my new guidebook. Sitting here on a wintry day picturing myself among the Saguaro is getting me all giddy! I am in for the 300 if I can get everything lined up.

I think I saw earlier in this thread or perhaps in the Rule Changes thread that someone will post info about the Picketpost shuttle down to Parker Canyon. Is that accurate, or is the shuttle something we should be organizing on our own?

[CTR 2016 - July 24th, 6am. Waterton Canyon TH.]

CTR 2016 - July 24th, 6am. Waterton Canyon TH.

Yeehaw!!!!!

Is there a printed map of this route? I guess I'm old school. Haha. Trying to see if I can make the race this year prior to a GC kayaking trip.

Probably start here:
http://www.aztrail.org/

Looks pretty slick, Rick. How much do you suppose it all weighed thru the Canyon?

Its so lame to hear a racer say he is not riding at night so he can "see" all the terrain during the day.

Pretty sure that riding through a night in these races is one of those experiences that just can't be missed.

In a moment of raw, stripped down emotions, I likened the experience (to myself, of course) to walking through a tunnel that gets narrower toward the end. It's easy at first as it gets dark, adrenaline is flowing, your amped to have ridden all day and are now STILL riding, you've switched over to night mode, maybe it's clear, and a full moon...but around 1am or so, it starts getting hard, you have a lot of darkness left and by 3-4am the eyes are getting heavy, body is yelling to stop moving, but you keep pushing through that narrow part of the tunnel. And then...you see the sky brightening just a tiny bit and you realized that you've made it...you've squeezed out the narrow end of that tunnel into a new day. Weird what you come up with when you are stripped down to the core, isn't it.