Anyone know of any durable trail running shoes that would be a nice option for flats?

I've been riding in La Spotiva TX3's, which are an approach shoe. The upper is bomber, and the sole is sticky, but it's not as soft as a gum sole, like you may find on a 5.10 MTB shoe. My flat pedals aren't the greatest - I sorta started riding in flats since riding a 29+ bike in the winter with clipless just sorta felt... wrong

Can you think of a section to do to get a "flavor" of the most technical descents? (the closer to Denver the better).

From Waterton, the course generally starts buffer and easier, then gets harder on your way to Durango (I can't remember which way it's going next year!). It's fairly "smooth" riding from Waterton to Kenosha, but then gets a little chunkier. Perhaps a good taste would be from Kenosha to Georgia, then finishing at Highway 9? I remember being pretty tired up Gold Hill, and that's when I started to HAB in earnest. Still hard to get a feeling for how the terrain will be handled by your body after day 3, you know?

Sleep system: another personal preference, but I went with a very UL bivy, a sleeping bag liner, and a UL pad. It was very cold, but very light! I still don't know if I'd go with a sleeping bag, but I would check out some of those Patagonia puffy pants. It's part of their fly fishing collection

If I'd do the CTR again, it would be for a legit. race, going as fast as possible. With that sort of terrain, every ounce counts. Getting between resupplies before the stores close can be a huge part of a successful strategy. Bring your best form to the race!

Personal preference for sure, but I would NOT personally go for a fully rigid bike. It's just too much for those poor hands and wrists. Unless of course you've got a well-dialed in 29+. Don't have an opinion on Lauf forks (never used one!), but I would probably suggest a conventional telescopic sus. fork for sure. I've never ridden a FS as a bikepacking rig, but this, and the AZTR seem like obvious choices. Just leave with a perfectly tuned sus. that's been very very recently maintained. I'd hate for someone to scratch b/c squish problems. (I blew a seal after Sargents Mesa en route to Durango - it was a nightmare).

Gearing. Good question. I did it on a 1x10, something like 32 up front and 11-36 up back, so fairly tall... I would have appreciated a little more on a low end for sure. There's some legit. terrain on the CTR. Lots of fun tech. stuff you may find yourself too tired to clear cleanly, but there's also a lot of huge grinds up hill, as well as a lot of small ups and downs, going around small drainages. Being able to spin up something - even very slowly, is still going to be faster than walkin' it.

I would consider flat pedals, given all the hike-a-biking, unless you have a pair of shoes you love to hike in for dozens upon dozens of miles. I thought I had a great pair of very comfy shoes to hike in, but were still clipless compatible. They totally fell apart before Copper. You live you learn!

The CT right now would be perfect to be on! A little chilly in the morning, but the trees are so on fire!

Chris is out there SS and fully rigid, which just makes me hurt inside. I'm amazed he chose fully rigid again after last year.

"racers alone must police themselves" (http://tourdivide.org/the_rules)

Please relax on the calling out.

Back in the day, the math was worked out to perhaps prove FS would be more efficient in terms of power, but there's a weight penalty of the suspension system itself.

I think there's some VERY compelling suspension tech. out there now that can be tuned well for the terrain of the TD, but there's no way around it: it adds complexity and things breaking on the TD isn't a happy time for the rider.

Anyways, we'll see what Stefan wants to do? I know he's been very involved in some personal issues.

The fire closure that covers a significant portion of the route is still on, and isn't planned on being lifted until the stated start of the GD.

A good bet is that the GD will be delayed.

This fire is extreme circumstances. In late July last year, it was so rainy in the San Juans (near constant), I almost had to quit on my 2 month trip.

The part closed is absolutely the best part of the route, without question. Missing the San Juans would be criminal Taking the highway from Silverton to Durango really would be a soft CTR.

I've heard all the, "the race is getting too big, where's the purity?" comments for like a decade now. If you think it's going, it's gone already honestly.

I'd say, relax. If you want people to race a certain way, be the person out there racing a certain way. Put up or shud it. Anyone that's claiming a win or a record and has done some questionable things will be called out. It's a gentle-person's agreement out there. Be the best version of yourself, if all the advice I can give ya. No one is out there fer yer entertainment.

Another fire to keep an eye on - this one looks like it's going to be contained, but any riders in the area may suffer from the air quality:

http://www.kktv.com/content/news/Hundreds-evacuated-in-Silverthorne-for-Buffalo-Mountain-Fire-485278541.html

The turnoff for this neighborhood is right by the dam to Frisco.

One of the worst years in recent memory for forest fires in CO

[This does not affect the TD/GDMBR route]

Been a little dry in Colorado:

http://www.westernslopenow.com/news/local-news/entire-san-juan-national-forest-to-be-closed-to-public/1230848678

This does not affect the TD/GDMBR route, but something to keep an eye on, if other land managers follow suite.

The MTB Project version of the trail:

https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/479729/colorado-trail-the-entire-mtb-route-imba-epic

includes the Tarrayal Detour, so I'm guessing the 470 mile version is the 285 detour.

Tom not sure about the discrepancy over mileage, but the CTR follows the Tarrayal Detour south around the Lost Creek Wilderness, instead of another detour one can take on 285. That detour itself is 75 miles.

I believe Toby's GPX file has waypoints for water sources.

http://tobygadd.blogspot.com/2012/01/colorado-trail-race-gpsgpx-tracks-and.html

I found most water was plentiful enough while riding a bike that it wasn't too much of a worry, except for right after Marshall Pass and through Sargents Mesa to around HW114. This is a pretty well known dry spot on the trail.

Between Lake City and Silverton can also be a bit dry, as it's so high up. Fill up in every town you visit, as well as at the Princeton Hot Springs, and you'll be in good shape. We'll see how the snow levels affect water levels this year. Been a wet, but hot spring here in the front range.

Point Of Contact?

Hey everyone! I did a presentation about this tour a couple of weeks ago, and we managed to film it, then throw it up online. If you're looking for some inspiration, perhaps this will give you that fix:





https://youtu.be/kJ_U6cmGBHY

Cheers, everyone!

So I broke a crank brothers candy pedal on a ride last weekend. Pedal slid right off the spindle - gaskets and bearings all shot! I've literally run out of moula for this ride and am resorting to an old pair of shimano clipless pedals. I also have some straight egg beaters.

How much am I going to regret the shimano's when it gets muddy?

Uhuh yup. I've had that happen about a couple of times now, even during the Tour Divide. That photo shows me holding my pedal after it gave out in NM.

Those things need to be maintained every 3k miles, or they just go to hell. The tiny roller bearings are just the worst. I've had them crap out on me on a different tour, too. Don't trust them anymore for long distance stuff.

It's been almost 4 years since I moved on from Crank Brothers to Time. If you like Crank Brothers Candies, check out the Time ATAC XC. I've been riding the same pair for 4 years now.

Yeah you know that part in Fight Club, where you gotta stand on the front porch for a while until the let you in? It's like that, but without the obscenities thrown at you. You see, what's gonna happen is-

oops sorry rule #1.

 

Is Gold Dust a black diamond trail?

Noooooooooo. It's a very fun, swooopy, banked, directional trail. That blue diamond is sometimes put on trails used for snowshoeing? See how it's higher than the sign itself? That's so you can find it, when the snowpack is high.

Oh man! How much of that is really going to melt in a month or so...wow

Hard to believe when you compare that to the fact that Conifer Mtn has received its lowest snowfall in 25 years

In a month? It'll melt out, fine. Snow level is actually much lower than usual. It's amazing to me that they've plowed it, already. In some years, they wait till June! So I'd say, we're a couple of a weeks closer to melt out then usual. I think the Northern part of Colorado is going to be great riding.

Photos of Boreas Pass! The good: it's been plowed for the year!