Nice suggestions. I made a mix with some of your recs for my Kokopelli ride yesterday. It really does help you get through some of the mentally challenging parts. My fav for the day was Turn Down For What!!

A few songs come to mind along a certain theme of keeping moving:
I Still Can't Stop by Flux Pavilion (if yer into dubstep)
Bullet Train by Stephen Swartz (feat. Joni Fatora) (... can't stop this bullet train ...)
Sure Shot by Beastie Boys ('cuz you can't and you won't and you don't stop ...')

Yes!!! Great suggestions!!!! Totally putting these on my list!!

Ha ha ha ha!  Holy cow!!!! What did I just watch? That was awesome!

If you were compiling the ideal soundtrack for CTR, what songs would HAVE to be on it and why?  I'm constructing a playlist for my training (not sure I'll bring music with me tho on CTR). But for training, might be nice to have a little something to help keep me in the rhythm or to motivate.

400 calories a balll. 37gm fat, 19gm carbs, 7 gm protein.  64 mg potassium, 19 mg sodium.

1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Coconut Oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp of chia seed or flaxseed
1/3 cup powdered milk (or crushed nuts or other protein based powder or drink mix)

Mix all together.  If its too moist, add more powdered milk and coconut and chia or flaxseed.  Then once it forms a semi-solid ball, roll it around in a mixture of powdered milk and coconut.

For more fun, consider adding in any of the following:
Dried fruits
Nuts
Chocolate chips
Nutella instead of peanut butter (or any other nut butter)
Powdered coffee

Exactly!! The shelf life is about 2 weeks if you use powdered milk.  You could use more flaxseed instead of chia. I made my first batch without chia and they were just fine

I have a recipe that uses coconut oil (lard consistency) and peanut butter with chia and flax seeds with a milk protein powder.  I roll it into balls and coat with coconut, milk powder and/or crushed nuts. You could add in powdered coffee and any alternative protein powders as desired. Tastes yummy, easy to swallow and super calorie dense (about 400 cal/ball).  Still playing with it, but should have an ideal mix of protein and fatty acids to help with recovery. Carbs and lytes as well

Nice answer!!!! Thanks!!!!!

Sorry.  I'm new to using a forum and new to CTR too.  I hope this is the right way to post a question.  Ok... I have a Garmin 800 that I was hoping to use for navigation (along with the CTR data book as well).  Does anyone have any experience using a Garmin 800?  Do I need to download some map or something?  Or can I just download the gpx file?  I've used the Garmin to get around other mountain bike rides (much shorter) and have done well.  Just wondering if anyone else has used before and has any advice to offer.  I'll also take suggestions for more detailed maps than what are provided in the CTR guidebook.

Wow!  That was pretty neat to see the contours!  Thanks for sharing!

I'm working to try and not set firm goals, just because I have no way to even know what a realistic goal is at this point.  I'm just super anxious about so many unknown factors and right now that anxiety is motivating me to train like crazy and learn like crazy. I played with a different setup yesterday and an even different one today.  That's all I can do.  Practice, practice, practice!!! 

I really do appreciate everybody's feedback.  This will be my first CTR so I really am depending on trying to learn from other people's experiences and it is super helpful to hear your experiences and ideas.  Thank you!!!

Is that a vote of confidence from Ben?!!!
I'm like 75% set on the idea of a Durango start, but I'm really gonna work hard (train hard) to try an get to Silverton at end of day 1 (but bring extra food just in case). I've got a route that is comparable based on mileage and elevation (but obviously not similar terrain) that I'm gonna practice next week if weather permits. 

The really hard thing, right now, is my setup. I got a Sweet Roll, rode with it yesterday in Horsetooth and it was a total fail.  My frame is too small I think. And, I learned that i definitely Cant carry more than 2-3 pounds on the bars (cuz I am too weak) and the SweetRoll holds substantially more than that, and therefore is going to be a bit overkill. Its too bad that I got a pocket and everything to go with it only to realize it's just not gonna work logistically with my bike and I don't think I can HAB with that much weight on the bars. I'm looking into a seat bag like the Pika. I'm, most likely, gonna hafta use a camelback. I just don't see how I can possibly fit all my gear on the frame. Gonna try a different configuration with the SweetRoll today.

Thank you Moutainjah... thats good advice.  I can get super hyper-focused on a goal and its probably better to focus on controlling what I can, like being prepared... and having FUN!

I'm probably overthinking this.  Since the moment I made up my mind to do this, all I do is obsess over little details like this, and how to carry water and how to treat water and should I use full suspension or hard tail?  Its amazing how many details there are to think through.  My goal is to have fun. I guess I was really anxious about making it to Silverton on Day 1.  I'll keep pondering on it.  Thank you for your thoughts.

Hmm... I have a lot to think about.  Well... got 33 more weeks to figure it out!!!  Thank you.

Thanks for the insight.

Hello all!  Planning to do CTR for the first time next year.  I have so many questions.  Currently, I'm weighing the pro's/con's of starting in Durango with everyone else.  However, it seems substantially more challenging to ride the CTR Northbound.  So, I'm considering an ITT starting in Denver and riding the CTR Southbound.  On the one hand, starting with a large group may be very beneficial.  But, the segments of the Colorado Trail that I have ridden are simply MORE FUN in the Southbound direction (and thus, perhaps riding the CTR Southbound may be more FUN).  Any thoughts?