Anyway, if trail closures/re-routes do occur, how is made known to the riders?  Since a few of us are planning on leaving on Saturday, 2 days b/f the GD, we may run into issues before the group (or at least until they catch up/pass me!).  We may be the scouting/test group/guinea pigs!

I'm gonna guess one of 2 ways: you see signs on the trail or you learn of closures from other trail users somehow.

Noticed that Dave Nice is on Boreas Pass road proper...instead of heading for the Gold Dust route.

I remember seeing that Gold Dust had been added. Anyone know the details? Is Dave off route or was there an option??

Picture sent in by TD rider Ryan Correy in Lincoln...

Wow - that is some serious QT with each other!! Do you ever change positions to change things up, or is the rear rider always looking at the others back??

I'm in. GD. Rookie. Nervous. Excited as hell.

How bout the CT Databook - has cues, profiles, maps on small pages.

That is all I plan to use, cut out the relevant pages throw them in a ziploc and reset my computer at each segment. I know the trail pretty well to the Hot springs, but beyond is new for me. I will have a GPS, but only as backup in the bottom of my pack.

Amazing! Hard to believe he (and all the others) have been going since mid-Feb! What an adventure.

I did a classic Buff creek loop last week, riding the CT from the South Platte to the Wellington Lake road and then looping back through to Buff creek and the trail is in great shape - super sandy and granular east of Chair Rocks. The Wellington Lake road has been smoothed out all the way from Bailey in and I was clocking close to 40 mph on a short stretch of it (wind at my back)! No washboard!!

Too bad the CT route doesn't join up with the Buffalo Burn trail - so much nicer than the old road segment that the CT follows in that area...

Guys, check these out...I was going to get a pair and test them out over the summer. Reviews on the site are not great...but at 12 bucks worth a try.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/41/28891/ITEM/MotoCentric-Overtrek-Gloves.aspx

Thanks, some good ideas...never thought of getting fitted, I just adjust my seat, jump on and go! Although I've never noticed the bike being the culprit, been riding it for years in current setup. I think the workouts must have something to do with the back aches since they seem to coincide pretty well - it's possible I am using some bad form.

Or maybe I am just getting old 

What do you guys recommend if you are riding, running and doing some strength training (push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, ball exercises, etc) and your back is consistently achy and tired?? That is my situation at the moment. I can't really pinpoint what it is that aggravates it, and I don't really notice it while riding. But after a longer ride or a tough workout I look like a 70-year old - all hunched over.

Do I just keep it up and hope the workouts will strengthen up my back, or should I try some more recovery/stretching/medicating??

Looks as if Mike has completed his EU leg - can't wait to 'follow' along with him in India on his next leg.

Thanks for the pics from the start. Good to see the setups. Mike H's setup looks tight! Love the dashboard shot...that is a lot of electronics on one bike - any reason why he has two cyclocomputers? One a backup? Or does he display different data on both instead of having to scroll through on one?

I stand corrected on my earlier statement...as he is now heading back to his original track.

Looks like Mike H. is going to cross the Isthmus into Istanbul instead of taking his southerly track. I wonder what changed his mind...I know they don't have to stick to any route - just about getting the miles. Maybe he's just enjoying Greece...

Can't imagine riding a bike through Istanbul - hope he has some good maps!

Mike Hall is on an epic push right now...I don't see any significant stops since yesterday morning. I noticed he finished 10th in the TD last year.

He looks to be riding through some beautiful country (from what I can tell). I have to say that his route seems the best. Guy up in Ukraine must be chilly!

Can't wait to see some pics of the guys in India - dodging cows and rickshaws and dudes pushing tables on wheels loaded with vegetables right down the middle of the street! 

How do you raise enough money for such an endeavor?? These guys are taking all kinds of flights, ferries, buses...shipping equipment I'm sure. I wonder what it costs to tackle such a thing.

But man, how awesome...what a way to see the world. Brave indeed to ride clear across India!!

I don't want to start an internet wrangling over rules, though.

I have a feeling you may already have!!

I think if you get in a motorized vehicle at all for any reason you are done as far as competing in the race.
CTR Rule FAQ section http://www.climbingdreams.net/ctr/ctr_rules.html

Another first timer here beginning to obsess about CTR 2012! I have ridden from Waterton to Mt. Princeton as a bikepack trip - so for me the big unknown starts kicking in on the long backcountry section to Silverton.

- I have dreams about bikepacking these days,
- I spend hours surfing while I should be working,
- I print up people's trip reports and read them over coffee before I sign in to work,
- I fiddle with my bike and different mounting options for gear in my frigid garage while the snow piles up outside,
- part of my strength workout includes carrying my bike up the hill behind my house and then tearing through the trees back down,
- on a training ride the other day I had ice in my beard (a first for me on the bike),
- bikepacking.net and climbingdreams.net/ctr are saved on the bookmark toolbar for quick access,
- I panic that I'm going to lose my job, because it will most likely mean no CTR for me this year (shouldn't I be worrying about losing my job for other reasons 

My wife said something the other night along the lines of, 'I picture this race to just be lots of cold, wet, painful, lonely bike riding'. Well, yeah that probably sums it up better than most...but isn't that really why we want to do it!

I hope to be there on Monday, July 30th at 6am!

Hi folks, introducing my noob self. I keep poking in to see what is going on the the bike packing world and following the races, so figured I'd say hi. Good stuff. Thanks

Curious... I've noticed the CTR follows the official Colorado Trail Foundation route for cyclists except for the Lost Creek Wilderness detour. I've scoured the forums to learn why, but have had no luck. Could someone enlighten me as to why? Hoping it is not something real obvious, but hey I'm a good here.

Thanks!

I think the CTR stopped using the Lost Creek Wilderness detour due to mileage - 80 mile detour on Lost creek detour as opposed to approx. 20 by going into Bailey and using 285 to Kenosha.

Question for all those Divide veterans out there - you are Dave Bruno (or Jefe although he is farther out) and you've been riding all day, sun is getting low and Teton Pass is in your sights...do you climb it now, most likely in the dark, or bivy and then climb it in morning? I would think you go for it now, but the legs have got to be getting tired now...

What's going on with John Richardson? Looks to me like he started up Divide Creek Road, but then decided he needed to get to Wise River pronto (or before the Fleecer Ridge I keep hearing about) and now he is working his way back to where he left off?