Hello. New to this forum. New to bikepacking. So this might be a dumb question, but when the AZTR route deviates from the AZ trail is there a guiding principle as to why or is it different in each instance? I?m considering a ride and wondering what the differences would be if I rode the AZTR route or chose to stay on the AZ trail, for example staying on the trail through Mount Wrightson Wilderness. Thanks for any input.

Bicycles are not allowed in wilderness designated areas hence the route deviation to pass around them. The route then rejoins the AZT outside of the wilderness boundaries.

HDPE.
If you plan on using a zipper and opening with one hand (while riding) a lot of other stuff is too thin/flimsy. The bag won't retain it's structure and can make unzipping a pain. My experience anyways.

I have used inner bar ends at the TD. They are great. However, I would stick with using older bar ends and just wrapping them in ESI grips. I tried the SQLabs inner bar ends at my last TD. They worked for a while, but eventually the ergo shape proved TOO ergo and ended up aggravating my ulnar nerve horribly. I will go back to using regular bar ends. I have these old Easton and they are great.

Thanks for the real world experience Furiousbot.
I was looking at the SQlabs ones but they seemed rather short in length, thanks for your feedback on those.

Bummer about the ulnar nerve pressure, which is something I've also dealt with over the years racing ultras. Finally have it figured out for the most part but don't want to re-aggravate anything on an experiment.

Some cheap old aluminum things wrapped in layers of bar tape is probably the route I would try.

Hi,

Has anyone used inner bar ends? Whether something modern like the SQLabs inner bar ends or the old Onza's you've had kicking around your parts bin since the 90's. Looking for people's experience, pros/cons with running bar ends inboard as an alternate hand position.

For context...
I'm planning a road (mostly pave, some gravel) tour this summer and am thinking about adding an additional position to change pressure on the hands. Not planning on switching to drops, not running bar ends at the end of the bars, not getting togs, not adding aerobars...

Thanks!

Randomly tried putting the email address attached to the account in as the user name... it worked!

Hi folks. I thought I would kick off the 2020 planning thread with a couple of rookie questions.
The first - can someone please confirm the direction for 2020? Is it Denver to Durango? Sub question - is this the tougher direction?
The second - roughly what will the start date be? I need to apply for leave from work in the next month but understand the exact date may not have been set yet. Within a week or so will be accurate enough for me as I plan on coming over early to party err.... acclimatise to the CO elevation .

Thanks in advance.
Dave.

Unless things have changed..  
Starting in 2013 the CTR goes in the Eastbound or Durango to Denver direction on odd years (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) and Westbound or traditional Denver to Durango direction in even years.. Strong guess for 2020 being Denver to Durango.

I've raced (and completed) in both 2015 and 2016 and toured in 2012 (traditional direction). You'll get arguments both ways as to which is more difficult and people have posted very good reasons for both. It's up to each rider. Personally I found the Durango to Denver direction easier because I was able to get more of the high altitude stuff out of the way earlier and as I fatigued over the course of the race the course got *easier* (I put that lightly). IMO the traditional direction is harder. I also come from sea level so there's that.

Typically it's the last Sunday of July but there have been variations on this.

Good luck in your prep!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j73OsXo19vI

stealth

1.
cautious and surreptitious action or movement.
"the silence and stealth of a hungry cat"


Stealth camp means no one knows where you are.

For your own safety avoid the homeless camps that surround all large cities.

I recall reading this guys journal.  He is a better story teller than I am.
"Free camping, its what all us adventure cyclist do. I´ve done it all over the world and never had a problem. Today my luck ran out."
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1mr&page_id=447413&v=F

As someone who's been fortunate to have toured and stealth camped in many places around this world this is a somber reminder that no matter how great a time you're having, vigilance and discretion are always key and even then sometimes shit just happens. Glad the author made it out safe.

Great post, everyone on here should read it.

Super tidy setup! Bike looks ready for adventure. Nice work on the bags and a clever solution to the bulging. Do you trim the extra strap/velcro lengths or leave them longer for adjustability in case?
Great work, Enjoy your ride!

subscribed... get after it folks!

That smile says it all. Hugest Congrats Alexandra.. what a ride!

Last mile or so! What a performance in a tough conditions year. Hat's off Chris!

Re: elapsed race time.  Maybe the replay control could toggle/flash between current time and elapsed time.  I remember debating about what to put there a while back.

Good Solution... not too invasive... 

Sure thing, request away!

All the plots should zoom and pan on a computer.  Mousewheel or pinch zoom when 'focus' is on them should do it.  On my Pixel phone they zoom through pinching too.  Maybe drop me an email smorris@topofusion.com with the device/browser you are using.

Sorry, no, we pull scratches off the plot to reduce confusion.  A checkbox to add them back in could be interesting though.

#2 - I built this in a while ago but it didn't gain too much traction.  Since I have to do a little work to find and convert sunset/sunrise times I haven't been adding it to trackers, but I could for longer races like TD.

#1 - It would be a little odd since elevation would be on its side, flipped 90* from what we're used to.  But I agree it could be interesting to see.

My dad suggested this when he would watch me race...
have the 'Race Elapsed Time' somewhere visual on the 'Main Map' tab as well as the 'Leaderboard'.

This years version with the weather overlay is awesome! continually improving for our viewing pleasure. Thanks Scott!

Awesome job! Congrats on your finish of that beast of a ride! Great detail in the TR as well. I'm sure many future racers will glean advice from it.

Take shoes off put them under the bivy to raise the head up then whatever else to make up the desired height/comfort. Nothing extra or specific as a pillow.

For deluxe luxury I've used an old discarded water wing, those things little kids wear around their arms while swimming. Open it up by cutting along the seam, careful to not puncture it. Put a knee warmer over it, good to go.

Helluva an effort Dave... wow  Enjoy those beers!

The heat is thrashing my backside so I’ve gone nocturnal until Friday when the temps look a little more comfortable. Will head back out this evening and attack oracle ridge with an assortment of stimulants to keep me going. I hope the French Onion Soup is still on the menu at the sawmill.

Fatigue has definitely set in and speed has suffered. There have also been some poor decisions made on a befuddled brain. I’ll get there but it won’t be pretty.

Had a rescue chopper circle yesterday. I had to make sure I’d not accidentally pressed the SOS button on the spot tracker. I can not afford that sort of bill. A thumbs up and a wave and it was off. I spent the next hour hoping I did not come across a hiker or cyclist who was waiting for it.

The 300 section is the bit I’m most concerned about with the heat. I’ve an extra bladder in my backpack that I lugged full over the big hill to Ripsey wash. A surprise water cache was the only thing stopping me having to ration until Freeman Rd.

This trail is stunningly beautiful and everything is alive, flowering, and growing like crazy. I’ve startled quite a few rattlers in thigh deep grass growing either side of the trail. Some sections have had so much of that jumping cactus covering the trail it’s been flicked up by my tires and jammed into my calves. Forget the Afro comb, a good sized gerber with pliers in a feed bag is doing the trick. It still hurts like a bastard

Thanks for the support here and FB. The whole ride has been incredible. Whether it be incredibly beautiful, painful, exciting, frustrating.... you get the idea. On the motivation side of things, one of the many motivators is making Elliot from Roadrunner Cycles live up to the promise of picking me up from the border IF I finish this thing. At least I know there will be beer.

Hell yes Dave!

'Skittles' is good but I think 'Tenacious D' is pretty dang fitting for a trail name for Dave. Keep on it man!

downside for desert dwellers is that October is the beginning of our riding season. Really tough to stay in the kind of shape needed for this during the AZ summer. So, we give up our advantage of riding all winter to be in shape for April.

Hah! you AZ guys get no sympathy from all the rest of us busting our a$$es in 34 degree ice rain in January/February to get ready to ride across the desert in April!

Echos of the FB convo. Mark posted this idea there, something I've been thinking about as well. Separate start dates for the 300 and the (now) 800...
How about the 300 in April and the 800 in October? Larger starting groups perhaps bringing more competition. Gives us northerner's a reason to get down to AZ more than once a year! Just a thought.
John's only rest from the AZT will come between May and August