Alright, is anyone still bringing snowshoes?

Sure am. Anyone who wants to try the Flathead with me, let's do it! Wouldn't mind the company on the potentially very hazardous creek crossings.

Amazing work by the race organizers w/the detours. Where do we send good wishes and good beer?

Well, let's put it this way...I'd venture to say that most of us only have a finite amount of time to do the route.

I can totally understand that.

And, for me at least, this is a once in a lifetime effort. Taking 10 - 12 hours to hike less than 12 miles over multiple passes is not conducive to getting the thing done.

I can only take a philosophical approach to the slow parts of what this race may entail, but maybe you can relate: if you look at the race as a microcosm of life itself, there are long, slow parts that are painful, and easy fast parts that are enjoyable and easy. Without having to trudge through some of the pain, the easy parts won't seem as easy and the race as a whole won't be as fulfilling as it may have been, if you simply avoided the slow parts (unless real safety issues are a concern on the course, then this metaphorical little thing breaks down). I come from a total underdog/wrong side of the tracks perspective, so dealing with someone giving me lemons often gives back the reply of not "make lemonade" but more often, "GREAT! I LIKE lemons, What else do you got?!"

There is just this uncontrollable part of the race, no matter when it's run and that's the weather. What if we're told that there's a good chance that it'll rain every single day, or every day will have a headwind,  or it'll be 5 degrees warmer every day than usual? Mountains just have this characteristic of having extreme and often unpredictable weather. THAT's par for the course.

With my last practice ride of 4 days before the race, I realized that personally what I needed to have to  keep myself going was sincerely: multiple coping mechanisms. Something to keep motivating me - that's going to be different for everyone, but it seemed pretty important, no matter what my fitness is. I guess this is the, "mental aspect" that people talk about.

I've got snowshoes (yah you betcha! Cheesy ) but I ain't packing a ski pole like you did for your test run.

I'm going to pack a collapsible one, as the non-collapsible one gets a little awkward with anything else. I would suggest trying it out, since as a tool it can come in handy, propping up your bike when you rest, shooting photos, helping to walk through it, etc. Lots of ski-resorts will have them seriously littered about and they'll become revealed when the snow melts. The one I got was in the, "free" pike of a gear swap that was happening in Breck. I though, "Why not?". It was later dumped in Hartsel. Expect to pay $5-10 for a used pair at any thirft store/sports recyclery along the way. (I also want to share these techniques that I tried, because I want people to succeed in getting through some of these snow passes. )

Come Hell or High Water, I'll make the border in New Mexico. Whether or not it's on the "official" route (per se, whatever that will be this year) remains to be seen. It'll be epic, yeah. But what I was really looking forward to was riding my bike. Not trudging through snowbound passes at a rate of 1 per day. So, with that in mind? Yeah, it's f*cking depressing. And epic. So sue me if I am of two minds about it. I know for sure I'm not the only one. Cheesy :p

I think I'm talking for more than myself in saying, I want you - and everyone to succeed with their goals.

Would you say you NEEDED those snow shoes for that section?

Without those snowshoes, you'd be post holing every step up to your thigh from the 1/2 mile point the South Trailhead to the Selik campground.

I hate to say it, but this sh*t is getting depressing totally epic.

I was hoping my ride report showed that even with that snow, it can be crossed with a cheap pair of snowshoes.

The minstrel/Chinook-like winds in South Park that were blowing me literally off my bike proved way more spirit crushing - going 4 mph on HW 24, hoping to get water and food in Hartsel.

I do too, as I whither without enough water (um, not a problem on this leg!) and it's also easy enough to grab while riding. It's just a Profile Design Aqua Rack and I should mention it's the second replacement. There's a flaw in the design though: the bolt used to clamp it to the seat post creates a point of weakness on one of the "arms" that holds one of the water bottle holders. With enough force, it'll sheer off right there. Not rough single-track approved. The stock water bottle holders also aren't as grippy as they could and I've had bottles fall out. For the TD, I'll replace them with just regular cages and perhaps have some sort of leash to attach the bottles to the holder. Or just use cheap gatorade bottles, if and when.

Off camera is a small backpack that also has water-reservoir capabilities. I also had my sleep system lashed on, as I found the bike floated better without weight over the front wheel - even pushing the bike from the handle bars will have some of your force pushing the bike down into the snow. What I found was it's better to push the bike from the back and let it track itself. If I had a larger pack I'd all the gear I could fit in my bag, as hiking with a load is easier (for me, with lots of long-day hikes under my belt) than pushing a loaded down heavy rolling thing.

Here's on-the-ground report of Boreas Pass, between Breck and Como, CO:

The pass is basically snowed in from the start of dirt on the Breck side and is completely unrideable about a half mile in. Before that, you can make your way via an icy patch that's walked over enough. The snow is around 3' to 6' deep with deeper drifts here and there. I did grab a pair of snowshoes before I left and was able to, in perfect conditions, make the traverse from Breck to Como in about 10 hours. I pushed the bike with one hand and used a ski pole in the other. I'm no slouch, but considering the distance between Breck and Como isn't 120 miles of dirt road, nor 12 even miles, you can imagine what the pace was like.

I'm getting mixed reports from the locals of Summit County as to when the pass will be clear. Some say the record snowfall will be gone within a week, given the beautiful weather they've been having since... Saturday, while others are betting that local ski resorts (A-Basin, in particular) will be open until July 4th. Some even wonder if the road will have some sort of service done to it. I particularly doubt that, a lot of the interesting routes were serviced for Memorial Day weekend, which is also the start of camping season in CO, but Boreas wasn't touched.

In Colorado, anything below 10,000 feet looks a lot like this:



Anything higher than 10,000 feet, looks a lot like this (this is a serviced route - the snow drifts are mostly from the plow, post holing is doable, albeit not very fun around the peak):



I'm going to try to get out and do some recon of the route between Breckenridge and Salida in a few days. I'm expecting pretty dry conditions, even there, below 9,000 feet. I'm half expecting the high passes to be impassable, but that's only my guess.

Those photos of the road in RMNP are nothing but incredible. To put some sort of perspective on it, the road *does* top out at over 12,000 feet and it's not maintained during the winter. I'm impressed that more snow hadn't blown off, as the Chinook winds at RMNP have been brutal recently. Then again, this may be where that snow blew into.

And also, I think in the grand scheme of things, no one is really going to care what one web page says about what you did or didn't do some where at some time, so don't base a decision off that. Do what you personally want to do. If inside you're saying "yes", go for it, if not, I mean, don't. We all aren't pressured by sponsors and careers in ultra-endurance border-to-border mountain bike careers, right? 

Speaking purely for myself, I want to see the Flathead. The environmental issues surrounding the area are intensely interesting and I want to be one who tells the story of the area to help others understand what's there and why it should be protected.  I'm comfortable that I can do the route safely and willing to backtrack if I find conditions unsafe. I am not going for the GC - are there any rookies that honestly are?

I've been stuck between highly flowing rivers before and I understand and acknowledge the risks. I'm going to go out to the mountains as soon as I can and see how much fun postholing w/a 45+lb bike over a pass in the Rocky Mountains is like and how I feel about losing my balance and potentially hurting my knee or breaking my leg.  I'm totally cool with people who aren't comfortable with doing this route, but I think everyone should be realistic at the potential dangers of the route in total. It could snow on us on any day. Thunderstorms are a complete given and being caught in the wrong place during one can sincerely be a bad position to be in. And other things. "Be Prepared" has been hammered in my brain all the way from Cub Scouts. Let's do it!

Curious what folks are feeling about the Canadian Flathead and the snow.

Death or Glory!

I am a bit confused, how are we to "race" each other on different courses?

I'm guessing the Flathead route times will be able to be added to the Combined TD GC, where the detour will, well, not, but will be counted for the year's GC. It's a time trial, so no one is really racing anyone else, except the clock, right? Taking the Flathead route will probably automatically make you "lose" the GC, if that's important to you, but put you in the running for the combined GC, which records will also be unattainable. If someone's goal is to make a record time on the course, I don't think this year's Grand Départ is going to be the best time to do it.

I think it may not be the worst idea to do the Flathead with a small group, if not for the high creek crossings. The snow trudges will be difficult, but I'm not worried about going hypothermic or being washed downstream. It'd be nice to be able to, at the very least, walk in a group, locking arms, over any high streams. I'm sure the we can ask for a gloss over the "no help to fellow riders" rule for that one?

That's really nice of you, Carly! I'll call on Monday!

I'd hate to actually call it training, as that's what actual athletes do but my regime, my Jean-Claude van Damme-esque preparation of defeating the big boss man seems to have naturally progressed as so:

The start of the year was focused on general fitness at the gym, with some focus on speedwork/plyometrics/core exercises/and whatever you call those routines where you do a bunch of things and look silly flailing about and when stop, you want to die. Circuits?  Get that heart workin'

Lots of boring trainer activity, while watching, uh Jean-Claude van Damme movies. Some forays outside; when it's nice out, take the fast bike and go fast, when it is threating to snow/snowing/has just snowed, take a fixed gear bike with no brakes and the biggest tires I can fit on the frame and point to a direction, try to make to the destination. Lots of snow. Fit in a longish ride somewhere. Around this point I stopped drinking booze of almost any sort. I had it coming as I was becoming a embarrassing lightweight.

With the arrival of the mountain bike and the destruction of the fixed gear, I've slowly transitioned into (don't laugh) learning how to ride a mountain bike. The closest trails here are single track, steep and technical (hello, Front Range!) and my knowledge, limited and it's been very sobering and humiliating (in that, like good, educational way) to learn to ride in what's basically an entirely new "sport". Sometime along this, I vowed never to enter a XC MTB race.

Since I live 15 - 30 from these trails, that turns into my go-fast time and the time on the trails turns into my hill work and bike-handling time. Funny how that commute can pack on those miles.

I'm blessed to live in an area that has an amazing array of parks, so it's been a pleasure to extend my rides in an attempt to link up the various parts and traverse whole swaths of area, usually getting a bit lost in the process. These longer rides start working you mentally, since if a storm rolls in/you really ARE lost/you're running out of daylight/you have a mechanical - you need to address it.

Going to fit as many overnighters as I can, but obligations to others will limit that. And I'm broke I'd say I'll hit about 6,000 miles of riding once at the start of the TD. I'm certainly not fast, the bike is not light, and my interest in taking the yellow jersey is far down on my priority list -  I think after "crash nudist colony bachelor party", but I'll make a good go at it.

I knew post-holing up 14ers during snow storms this winter would be good training! I knew it! Now, how to bring my plastic mountaineering boots on the ride...

nth'ing the interviews. They're really interesting and fun.

TD Beard?! Pssssh - I started that thing when I submitted the Letter of Intent! Bike Prom this weekend will see the 'stache w/waxed tips. Considering bringing wax on TD. Will have to weigh pros/cons...

The CTR is looking attractive, mostly because it starts so close to my doorstep and I want to visit Durango sometime this year.

Is this race a, "just show up, ready" kind of depart? I won't be in the peak of my fitness, but I'd like to give this a good go, if I'm feeling up to it.

Those would look darn good with my kit. Just sayin'!!!

You would certainly need this

Nice work on the phone-in interview, Forest!

Anyone in the Denver/Boulder - uh, Colorado area want to do some ultra-long days/overnighters together to, "Train". I was thinking even pre-riding the route, maybe from Steamboat to Salida. Partly to see what the snowpack is on some of those passes and the creek crossings, etc. And to do a major shakedown.

PM if you're interested. I'm in Denver. There's a 300 km this weekend and a 600 km next weekend the local Randonneurs are putting on, as well. I was thinking of doing it fully loaded and being, "that guy". But I'd rather ride more specific routes for TD training.

Artiste...I love that you referred to your forehead as gigantic but I could not help but think of having to squat behind a tree to see a man about a horse (not sure where that phrase comes from...any ideas Toby?)

Tom Waits, Nighthawks at the Diner? (the record, that is). Although, that's about a dog...

and then have the wind blow a particle into an eye only to be faced with the tough decision of either ignoring the irritating flake of dirt or run the risk of removing said contact with potential poop particles about the fingers. A difficult decision indeed.

To be honest? I'd only be in that position in, ahem, emergencies - just because I'm not sure I'd have the right equipment to do that up, properly, when I'm done - no shovel and I don't know I'd pack that back in with a baggy to the nearest dropoff point. 

I think I'd do my best to deal with the eye pain, finish my biz and then deal with the eye. Perhaps bring along some hand cleaner - one of those little bottles you can put on keychains or something. Knowing me, I'd probably just use, you know, my mouth. Most of the infections in my eyes are caused by the bacteria on my face, to be honest, that's why the sunscreen getting in my eyes from sweat on my forehead is so problematic.

My eyes are probably well and truly disastrous compared to yours. Wearing glasses is just so simply out of the question. Contacts provide much better sight for me, hands down.