I can get to Carson Summit via 4x4 drive (I've been there, done that a few times) for the drop off.

A hike-a-uni is far easier hike-a-bike, so I do have that going for me.  I have a geared hub so on the detour to Silverton off Stoney Pass will be a blast!

I know it won't be easy, but I've ridden 50 miles of single-track before on my weapon of choice and several times in the 20-30mile range off-road.  I'm planning on riding what I can, hike-a-uni what I can't and just take my time and have fun with it.

To keep my honest I'll definitely make an announcement on this forum when I make my attempt so perhaps I'll see some of you folks out there along the way.  Most likely it's going to be an August attempt in 2010.  You can read about some of my experience on my blog at:
http://munisano.blogspot.com

Thanks!

Thanks for the advice.  The caveat I forgot to mention is that I'll be traveling by mountain unicycle.  Seriously, now clowning around!   So since it is very difficult to carry a whole lot and be able to ride I'm looking for good routes where I could possibly be met by crew support at least once a day.  I imagine my rate of travel would be on the order of 30-35 miles a day (based on prior experience).  I have no bike-packing experience but have been an ultramarathoner for a long time, including many 100 mile + runs.  I also have a lot of mountaineering experience in the San Juans of Colorado.  I'm looking into doing something completely new for me, but I think I've got a pretty good background to work from.  Anyhow I'll keep you all posted on my progress, perhaps I'll see some of you out on the trail?  Thanks for all the advice.

Sorry,

Yes I was thinking something like the last 100 miles of the Colorado Trail.  Would that be more like Carson Pass to Durango? I like the idea of at least a 100 mile ride, and not a whole lot more...  Still, I love that Monarch Crest Trail so thought about a hybrid route that would incorporate that as well i.e. Monarch Pass to Slumgullion Pass...

In preparation for a future thru ride of the Colorado Trail in 2011 I'm looking at riding a contiguous portion of the Colorado Trail next summer (2010).  I'll most likely be out of the Lake City, CO area so I had a couple thoughts on my options so feel free to comment and/or suggest other ideas...

1. Highway 50 (or Monarch pass) to Slumgullion Pass (following the appropriate mandatory detours).
2. Spring Creek Pass to

Any other thoughts?  I'd like to stay semi-close to Lake City for support reasons, so I'm even interested to hear about some other non-Colorado Trail route options that would have at least a few vehicle access points and are in the 100 mile length range.

thanks!

So that begs a new thread for the Q&A forum:


'Handle bar bags for unicycles'   

It's actually not a joke.  There are handlebars for unicycles (I have one for my 36" road/light-xc unicycle) helps take a little pressure off the boys if you know what I mean.  The handle bar I have actually has two water bottle cage attachment points though I've never tried using them.  There has been mixed success with mounting bar bags on unicycles.  The end result has been that one is better off keeping the uni as light and strong as possible and just backpack the weight, though a small tool bag under the saddle is probably not an issue.  I've also seen long distance riders duct tape a spare tube around the hub...  We can cover as much mileage as bicycles, just quite a bit slower, still it beats walking (most of the time)

Yeah, I ended up hiking up / unicycling down the Mt. Elbert East Ridge Trail.  I posted a report over on 14ers.com if anybody is interested:
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=7042&parmpeak=Mt.+Elbert&cpgm=tripmain

I had an absolute blast but my quads are still on fire!

I'm going to have a day to kill Leadville, CO and I'd like to use it to do some riding.  I'm considering tackling part of the CT in the area.  It will probably have to be an out and back as shuttling probably won't be an option.  The "bikepacking" content is the fact that I'm scouting out the CT for a future thru-ride attempt.  So I'd like to do some CT riding, however any route choice advice would be greatly appreciated.

Anybody know why the Alabama section of the Pinhoti is closed to bikes?  It's a darn shame.  I've run/hiked a bunch of it and it would be a great place for a thru-ride for those of us that live close by.

My Fall schedule kind of got changed around quite a bit because of my ultrarunning focuses.  So I don't know if I'll have time for a Georgia Pinhoti "unipacking" trip or not; perhaps in November/December (I like it cold anyhow!).

The route I'm think about unipacking is starting from Dug Gap and heading SOBO to Huffaker Road at Simms Mountain Trail a distance of ~70 miles.  I could probably get it done all in one long push, but I want to have fun with it and not travel too much in the dark...

I'll definitely post more to this thread as we get closer and if my plans shape up; would be nice to see some other folks out on the trail!

All I've learned so far is from:
http://trails.firstworks.com/trails/trails.cgi/default/index.html

and the actual Georgia Pinhoti website:
http://georgiapinhoti.org/

I'll be sure to add information to this thread as I learn more.  I'm hoping to make this my first over-nighter Uni-pack!

All,

I'm an avid ultra-marathon runner / mountain unicyclist (I hope to combine the two disciplines in the future).  Anyhow a pair of unicyclists I'm familiar with are attempting to ride the GDR on 36" unicycles:

http://divideby1.blogspot.com/

Check them out, follow their progress and show your support!

One of these days soon I hope to embark on my own UNIpacking epic.

Cheers

There has got to be some folks from my neck of the woods?  I'm in Huntsville, Alabama. So I'll throw this out there in the hopes that maybe somebody, especially out of the Atlanta area has experience on the Georgia Pinhoti trail.

Has anybody ridden the contiguous portions of the Georgia Pinhoti trail (http://www.georgiapinhoti.org/):
Dug Gap to Huffaker Road at Simms Mountain Trail? ~70 miles this seems like it would be a great place for a leisurely two day bike-packing epic (or a more difficult one day shot). I'm considering doing this sometime this fall and any trail beta, trip reports from somebody who's done this would be greatly appreciated. I'd imagine I'd go North to South unless there was a good reason not to? Thanks...

I'm Rob from Huntsville, AL.  I'm a long time ultra marathon trail runner who turned to mountain unicycling (muni) to cross train.  I've completed well over 100 ultra marathons including some of the toughest 100 mile races in the country, Hardrock, Wasatch Front, Leadville, Western States, Massanutten etc... I've also ridden my mountain unicycle some reasonably long distances on trails both locally and at places like the Monarch Crest Trail and along the Continental Divide in Colorado and various places in-between.  I enjoy getting out and riding or running for the whole day up. I've even covered 50 miles at a 12 hour mountain biking event a couple years ago (about to attempt my second at Dirt, Sweat and Gears very soon!) Now I'm hoping to combine these two passions of mine into full blown, multi-day mountain unicycling epics; ride everything I can, hike when I must.  I don't have many peers as indeed it's a tough and challenging way to travel but also very fulfilling on so many levels.  I imagine my future adventures will, necessarily, have to be somewhat supported else my resupply range much shorter as carrying enough gear and being able to unicycle comfortably will be a real challenge.  Think riding, but at more like on a fast-packer's schedule.  I'm very interested in this site to try and learn from others, gain important trail "beta" and hopefully have a cheering section around when I do finally embark on one of my future planned epics...