Every time I look it is different! Yesterday on some site it was 90% rain on Friday.

I would feel cheated somehow though if there wasn't some good knee deep mud somewhere and maybe some snow storms. And of course 10 miles of snowshoeing. Followed by fires, smoke and 110F temps. Super nice in Colorado now....however and it doesn't seem to be changing any time soon.

What basemap do you recommend using?  I have a Garmin eTrex20 and only have topo map of the area where I live loaded.  I keep looking at the gpsfiledepot and Garmin maps but I haven't found the right combination yet to cover the entire route.  Does the Garmin Topo 100k US have enough detail, then what do you load for the Canadian Section?

Thanks in advance!

My garmin us topo has plenty of detail--all roads seem up to date and good topo lines. For canada..... I'm using ACA maps and following the track on the GPS screen without the basemap. Or following someone else...

Honestly I don't want to ride the Superfly even if the new one gets here in time because I am not confident in the frame anymore.  I don't wanna be riding 3000 miles wondering if my frame is cracked or is going to break mid race.  There weren't even 1000 miles on the bike yet and the frame was done...so what makes me think that it will last for the TDR?   

Just curious where these are breaking?? I have one that I will probably have to use and want to check it out now for cracks.... and yours is the last yrs model? 

Good to see you have a new frame in the mail!k How stressful. All your bags fit on the new one I hope....

Here is my gear list, lots of rookie mistakes; please let me know what I am doing wrong via my blog....
http://febikes.com/2012/05/25/packing-for-the-tdr/

Just out of curiosity
What are olive oil and oatmeal for. I didn't see a stove.   
What is the emergency bivy for if you already have one?
personally when riding if I have a wind/rain layer over either knee warmers or tights I am warm so I just take leg warmers.
Good start.
It would be a great study in psych on what people take. I always plan light and at the last minute throw in extra things.

oops I do have spare brake pads for both wheels, adapter for valve, 1st aid kit, and some other stuff I didn't put down like hat/balaclava, warm gloves, warm socks, shoe covers etc. Writing it with 5yr old hopping on me. I didn't weigh it too carefully actually so would be more and no food . I ride in the snow a lot. Not so much in the rain but have been in it enough to know I don't like it..... I might have forgotten other stuff to write down....  Good luck!

Well here is my long awaited gear list if your interested.

http://livethinline.blogspot.com/

Jarral

I sewed some loops on the top of the seat bag and put some stretchy cord through. I also put a strap through the relevate patch for backup....

Is it better to buy the map from Garmin on the SD card so there's plenty of room on the GPS for the Topofusion gpx file?

You can purchase the card or just save the maps from your computer (if you buy DVD or download) to a card you can buy and stick in the back. I would save the map on the SD card on the GPS- you can run out of space if you are saving your track on the divide. It is also harder to use the maps to look at on your computer etc if you buy it on a card--buy the DVD or download. They may let you copy the maps from card you buy to your computer but I did have one I bought on a card and you couldn't use the maps on other GPSs or use them on a computer. I don't know for sure with this one. Good luck!

[Chris Bennett]

Couple of things about the TD Start List spreadsheet:

- Several of you have entered an N (No) in the ‘Emailed TD Site?’ column. If you haven't yet, please email tourdivide@gmail.com as soon as possible. I won’t do it for you and unless you want to ride stealth (no Spot tracking), TD needs to know who you are. If you have contacted TD and you still have an N, please change it to a Y.

- To Chris Bennett: You have a Y in the aforementioned column, but someone highlighted you as TD having no record for you. If you haven't done so yet, please contact tourdivide@gmail.com. If it’s all done, let me know and I’ll remove the comment.

- If you have contacted TD but haven't listed yourself in the TD Start List, feel free to do so at any time. There's nothing mandatory about it, but it gives us some cool stats (at least I think it’s cool)

- When you enter your name, enter yourself at the bottom of the spreadsheet (last row below the last name). There are several blank rows just for that.

- Do NOT enter your name at the top of the spreadsheet. Column titles are there and it’s not for new names.

- Do NOT attempt to sort the spreadsheet, ever! It’s the 3rd time in about a week that I have to do some major cleanup because someone attempted to sort the spreadsheet and messed it up badly, and it's a lot of work. Enter your name at the bottom and I’ll sort it for you. Thanks.

- To The Lone Ranger: Sorry, no fictional characters in the Start List. You're welcome to stay anonymous, just do not enter your name in that spreadsheet. Maybe some other spreadsheet, or do your own. This one kind of copies the Tour Divide model, and from what I can see, it’s only real names of real people who live in real towns that are in that list. Thanks.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ami9kLAhoE7GdHNKN2xQSTA4T0JiRmMxaUJlc01UbEE#gid=0

For future reference you can make a form for others to fill out on google docs that will add data to your spreadsheet and you can make the spreadsheet uneditable by others.....but they can look at.

I use Garmin Mapsource to open the map product such as (https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=255&pID=28229) -good topo map with up to date roads- and then you can open the track from track leaders and send it to either the GPS or the sd card. Only 10000 data points per track-Scott has a version with 10000 that you can download.  And only one track to the card or more to the internal memory. You select the maps you want to put on the GPS and send it to the card or GPS> I put it on a card as the map file is large with this long of race. I don't think you can put other maps other than Garmin products on (or at least easily). You have to buy the maps on card or download or poach from a friend. I should sell the SD cards with the data loaded!! I also sent all the way points (food/water/bikeshops/etc) from the ACA gpx files to the garmin/card.

OH I have a garmin Etrex 20 and used it for 2 days with lithium batteries and it is still showing quite a bit of juice left. Takes some time to learn all the tricks so don't delay.

and don't forget vit C (in drink mix or whatever) neutralizes the iodine/chlorine for taste.

I just looked at a govt site and they say 5 drops/L (7 drops if cloudy) and let it sit for 30 min.

check out these webcams
http://www.explorerockies.com/banff-webcam/

and rainy? weather? doesn't look so bad in web cams above.
http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/Banff+Canada+CAXX0023

Thanks for the work Scott, et al.

Now just pedal my bike for me.....

Jarral

If I was around there I'd try it myself. Wanted to see how strong my pal Eszter H is. My cousin lives in Idyllwild so I'll tell her go cheer you on! What fun doing the race for the first time. Have a blast!

I heard the race was delayed. Anyone know for how long? was if for weather?

I think the problem is that the race is so long. The first time I got the maps I looked at them and by the end my head was spinning with names of towns all muddled together. It wasn't until I'd gone over the maps several times and read a book that I finally started to get things straight. I even camped out as a kid down in NM around Chama a bunch but the first time you look at the rules you're clueless. The other thing that confused me the first few time over was that the route stuck to the "main" route for so long that you just keep following the main route on the maps.  But in NM it seems pretty much standard to take the alt routes. It wasn't until I looked at the Trackleaders route and talked to friends that I realized the route everyone racing takes is not the main route in NM.

So it took a while for the rules to make sense with the maps for me. The other place I thought was different-- I was looking at the new "cycling the great divide" book and they had the route going left on Hwy 35 away from the CDT alternate and down to Hwy 152 to silver city. I had the book first so that got stuck in my head and I didn't realize the route went up sapillo creek for quite a while and then the alt CDT trail.....

That's half the fun of this is just figuring out where to go and seeing new country right in my backyard! Thanks for helping clear it up!

Aerobars. You should really ride with the bars a bit--if you are leaning too far out, your back and hamstrings/calves can get strained and your balance is off. You really need to get adjustable ones like the REI version so you will be able to bring them back farther (like on Kurts bike). Most tri bikes have a goofy geometry and they push the seat so far forward the bars are mounted out farther on the handlebars. But really, don't you feel like a dork talking about aerobars on a mt bike. But they do make a big difference. Also you can add a cross bar at the end of them to mount lights, etc.

Route. I was talking with a friend from last yrs race and down south the route on my new maps was quite a bit different from the route they took. They did most of the alternates, the single track just before Silver city, and the route is also changed on the roads coming into Silver city bypassing a busy road. I plan on going with the GPS track that will hopefully be posted by Mr. Morris.

Hey if you finished the CTR or are going to (just keep the legs moving) here is a link at the CT site.
http://www.coloradotrail.org/completers.html
fill out the form and email it in.
Can't wait to see the blue dots going past Gunnison! I think I'll take a camping trip and ride some of the route during that week.....have fun.

Here is one I found from the Snowtel data... and Colorado is way low. ~55% for whole route now in the state.

http://nris.mt.gov/NRCS/snow/watersheds/ShowMap.asp?month=3&year=2012

Thanks. That sounds horrible to have to carry your bike. cant' push it? I guess you need some walking shoes also! Those mules make the trail too loose to have fun riding anyway!
jarral