I have 2 sets from 2010 ish and pulled one of them apart this summer and there was absolutely nothing wrong with them - I will likely cause more problems by pulling them apart then If  I had just left them alone - the inside was completely clean and the grease looked brand new.  Mine are both the ROC model. 

if you do not get along well with the lack of float in the Shimano's - most of the Time ATAC line is similarly reliable I have thousands of miles on mine with no problems

Rim brake or disc brake?

I appreciate the thought - but wouldn't a full A-frame tarp like a Mountain Laurel Design Grace Tarp + their Bug Bivy be a lighter solution?

Specialized Burra Burra? 

What did you NOT like about the titanium 29'r? This would be my ultimate material.  I would want a 29+ bike as well.   I would use a rigid fork. 

I would also probably go for Velocity Blunts or Dually's, or something not single wall.
 

I know this is off topic but I am not sure why everyone is against the Rabbit Hole's - I have had zero problems with mine - I built them myself all the way back in 2013 when they first came out - both front and rear are now on their second hub (the front to go to a new fork (110x15 thru-axle) and the back because the hub had to be replaced.   The rims built up easy and have held up beautifully.  I am a big guy (6' 6" and 260)  and do not ride gently either.  I realize there are "better" options for the money now, but performance wise I have zero complaints. 

I'm really enjoying watching all the Grand Departers still finishing and now another ITT.  This is indeed going to be a fun ITT to watch.  Great to see Connor back out after not getting to Antelope Wells last year.  Not finishing is amazing motivation to get back and give it your all.  He is young, motivated and obviously fast.  This is going to be good!

looks like he was still 2 hours ahead into Macks Inn  4 days 14 h 09 m

A hoax.

http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2014/09/01/yellowstone-volcano-super-hoax/

Yeah what he said the USGS site lists the Yellowstone area  as normal for volcanic activity -  could it erupt -  sure is it likely? not according to the USGS


"The trick, and oh, what a trick it is, is to remain consciously blind to the danger that surrounds you, and simultaneously hyper-aware of every hard bit of pavement or sharp bit of metal that enters your air space. This is the Zen koan of riding your bicycle on the road." Robot, Red Kite Prayer - rkp.com - October 20, 2011

I'm out of contention for the first rider to pie.  Since my encounter with a motorist who wanted to make a grave marker out of a cyclist on the Grave Creek Road after Eureka, MT I've been unable to properly race.  When the truck driver aimed at me I had no choice but to head off the road.  Anyone that has been on that road knows that the right side drops a long ways down into Grave Creek.  Basically, to keep myself and bike from ending up at the bottom of the canyon my legs/feet were twisted in the rocks on the hillside.  There is only so fast a guy can go while eating Alieve and Advil like M&M's (plus I don't professionally recommend it at all).
My left knee took the brunt of the twisting and while I could ocassinally go quickish things kept declining.  By the time I got just past Helena I couldnt go more than 10mph on the flats with a tailwind.
Lots of stuff can happen out there.  Dropping out because of a self-sustained injury like crashing in mud or pushing my body too hard would be painful but acceptable.  Ending my race, while feeling in the best physical condition of my life, because of an act of another person is unacceptable.  This was going to be the last of my racing.  I've never been all about records or first place.  It's always been the journey.
Now...

I'll be back

sad to see you drop out of contention for this year's edition - was hoping you had gone into stealth mode to make a run at Mike Hall - that would have been exciting to to watch -- stay safe and best of luck.

I outweigh you by 50#, and I run 11f/14r in my 29 x 3" tires.  You might end up running less.

The benefit to plus tires is gaining comfort and traction without gaining rolling resistance.  You go the same speed for a given effort but you gain a more surefooted, confident feel.

To me being a permaclyde (6' 6" and 230 on a light day) 29+ felt revolutionary similar to the way all you light people felt with the 29" revolution - so I would say that the + size tires are overkill for some one your size - but I would not hesitate to give it a whirl.   

http://backcountryresearch.com/JAMLOC-STRAPS_p_74.html

These look pretty good but I have no experience with them


"The trick, and oh, what a trick it is, is to remain consciously blind to the danger that surrounds you, and simultaneously hyper-aware of every hard bit of pavement or sharp bit of metal that enters your air space. This is the Zen koan of riding your bicycle on the road." Robot, Red Kite Prayer - rkp.com - October 20, 2011

I can give you some routes on mapmyride from Holland down to the stateline I know this section very well (I live in Saint Joe) However most all of these routes are paved.  There is very little in the way of dirt roads that you can take along the lake.  If we want to build at least a dirt road route we will have to go further inland.  The other problem will be camping.  unlike further north all the land around here is privately owned -- most camping will be stealth.  

Should we just start a separate Thread for the Lake Michigan loop??

I'm trying to put together a section that would route us through at least cannonsburg SGA and Luton Park to add a little (I know its not alot) more single track to the section from Yankee to Rockford.  Might recon some of it for my LJ preps.  I am stoked about this!  Might even force me to make a seat bag and tarp 

Great job! I was actually trying to put a similar route together early last year and was trying to id bypasses for the "non biking" sections of the NCT.   I was looking on a map the other day trying to work up a connector route from Yankee Springs up through Middleville SGA through Cannonsburg SGA, Cannonsburg Ski area, Luton park (I know these 3 are easily linked from discussion on MMBA) then from Luton to the "bottom" of the NCT. 

ML seems to be in stealth mode...

He's back on.  Looks like Eric made up some distance could be close.