I have the jones 2.5 loop bar which has 2.5 inches of rise to it. I find that the aero position with my fore arms resting across the loop is comfortable, but it doesn't feel secure since my hands hang off the front.

After looking at all the aero bar options and seeing how bulky and expensive they are I started looking for inner bar ends to achieve the same thing. Since I found the loop comfortable enough for my forearms, having pads and aero bars seems redundant

I could only find one set of inner bar ends where the clamp comes completely off which allows them to be attached at the inside of the loop and they're only $13 on ebay.

I'll update with my impressions and photos once they arrive.

    Baffling that removable clamp bar ends are not more common and so hard to find.... what did you come up with?!!!

I am watching a bunch of people this year:  Marshal Bird is pretty amazing and did the TD 13 (!) years ago - the same year I raced it in 2010.  Dale Perzanowski is an East Coast guy - I rode Paris Brest Paris with him in 2007.  It'll be interesting to see what he thinks of the West and elevation.  Also from the east coast is Tim Wagner who slayed the Vermont Super 8 last year and David Landis of The Rockstar fame....they should have no problem with this longer distance. Robert Lesmerises is another VtSuper8 veteran and Guillaume Tessier Tremblay is perhaps my cousin  so I gotta watch him.   I think Sofian really wants to win - and I think he can pull it off - should be to watch fun if there is someone there to keep him on his toes.

I have always wanted to travel the world by bike.  It may or may not happen - but if it does, it will be great if there is a bike shop out there when I need it.  To increase my odds - and to spread the stoke of bicycles to people around the world - I have been giving micro-loans to bikeshops across the world through Kiva.  Kiva even has a group called Long Distance Cyclists.  Check out this latest shop: https://www.kiva.org/invitedby/david17619401/for/1933229?utm_source=social_share_link&utm_campaign=social_share_checkout

This is my favorite film about the GDMBR/Tour Divide.  At the very least check out the trailer... you'll then be sucked in to watching the movie.  Many of us ride the route listening to music; riding the route and making music is even more powerful.  If you wonder about riding this route  - there is a lot of information on this forum; If you are wondering what it FEELS like to ride the route - watch this film.

Great write up Daniel - now I want to hear about your Vermont Super 8!

The Flat Iron Trail has seven water xings  I'm sure it felt as wet as riding through Echo Lake!

George set the single speed record... Gear d record is wide open!

Still refining the route - will get a map out there but don't want this to turn into Oregon Outback Shitshow.  Open to suggestions on that detail.

The photos are breathtaking.  I gotta put this one on my list and start brushing up on my German.

http://www.navad1000.ch/Fotos/Strecke

If the TD and the Navad 1000 aren't giving you enough blue dot action - check out Tour Divide veteran Jeff Mullen as he races against the course record just set by George Lapierre at 2 days 6 hours.

 http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0nhcJ5sOpmtgkfujGVvVS5ByeIPqvNWPa

The XVtMtBkRte is a newly mapped 300 mile route that crosses the state of Vermont from the Massachusetts border to Quebec, Canada.   (Where it connects to the Route Verte and the Trans Canada Trail.)

On track leaders - 30 people racing across florida through the night:
http://trackleaders.com/cfitt
even includes a ferry crossing:
http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/fort-gates-ferry-still-crossing-the-st-johns-river/1029732

Stay tuned right here for more info!

There is also a bikepacking group in NH that is working on a bikepacking route in NH.    Maybe we can link up!

Thanks Mike!   Do you know any bikepackers that aren't on here? 
There are also a few Vermonters on here that I haven't met yet - do you know willapajames?
I have made contact with:
moosevt
jayvt29
laps
Fat hairy

and I thought there was someone in Stowe?

Smaller than the Vermont randonneuring crowd... with surprisingly little crossover.
-yet!

Calling all bikepackers in Vermont.  Time to make yourself known.   The Vermont Mountain Bike Association has a new chapter:  Vermont Bikepackers.   And we have a new long distance bikepacking trail:  420 miles from the Massachusetts border to Quebec border.  ( insert trail name suggestion with your reply.)  We are hoping to map and get access to 1,000 miles of dirt bikepacking trail and roads that links all the best single track in the state.   In the meantime the border to border section has been mapped and biked and it is epic! * It still needs polishing and is still open to suggestions... but for now it is a little bit of everything Vermont has got.   VMBA plays a critical role in communicating and negotiating with all the trail managers - private, local, state, federal, and clubs/ VMBA chapters along the way.  I am hoping all you bikepacking.net readers who live around here can support the cause.  And for now that support just means making your presence known.  PM if you are shy or are a lurker.   Give a heads up to anyone you might know might be interested.

Thanks,

David Tremblay
Moretown, Vermont






*(my apologies to specialized)

Down East Sunrise Trail info:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=115470853280679784165.000495d8d9b7efa60e71f&ll=44.6413,-67.815857&spn=0.977123,1.650696&z=9&source=embed

http://www.sunrisetrail.org/


Let's hear a bikepacking review from someone who has been there!

Wow!  I just checked out the Down East Sunrise Trail - it covers some beautiful ground.  It may work into my ever on-going quest to reach Newfoundland from Vermont.  Should be able to link the DEST to the Fundy Trail when that gets built. 

On the other hand I hate riding in Maine because when you have to go on a road ( and you always do) there is zero shoulder.   I find the drivers to be more tolerant and polite to cyclists - they won't kill youin order to pass you on a blind curve... but I don't want to become another Stephen King statistic.

Oh - and if anyone is wondering.... all those semi-private roads in that HUGE chunk of northern Maine - are off limits to cyclists.  However - you can have a similar experience just about anywhere in New Brunswick.  A huge provence with tons of logging roads and ATV trails and mosquitos. 

Papa Tac -  I'd love to see some .gpx of Newfoundland ... or some suggested routes out of Port aux Basques.    It sounds like it is worth the ferry trip!  I've only heard from friends who have done motorcycle trips ... tales of great beauty and services few and far between!

Also if anyone on here has the .gpx of the Cape Breton Across the Highland Challenge route... I've been itching to explore that ... but my vacation never seems to align with the event.

No Canadians representing Atlantic Canada?

I'm planning another big New Brunswick ride....

Anyone?

Quelqu'un?

This route has yet to be biked in one shot so the first rides will be shakedown rides.  I invite all of you to give it a go.  THere are some issues that go with mountain biking in Vermont: ie, there are many trails that are ok to ride, but not ok to talk about.  I am hestitant to throw out a gpx of trails that local maintainers purposely do not make public (ie Stowe and MRV and even Perry Hill has no public map) Nor have I received permission to run this through the Kingdom Trail system. (but have a green light on using the Circumburke trail) There are also a couple of holes in this route that I am confident will be patched when VMBA adopts this idea.  I am not sure who has taken Patrick Kell's place but it seems people either "get" this sport or they don't.  So far I haven't found anyone at VMBA to glam onto the idea.  The other option is to come up with $200 and start a VMBA bikepacking chapter.  Ultimately that'll be the best move... might help us get through the pay-to-ride areas as well.  We need VMBA to patch a critical hole in the GMNF that follows a VAST trail (read- someone drives a bulldozer down it once a year for trail maintenance) but is closed to mt bikes unless posted otherwise.  The other section we need VMBAs help with is Cottton Brook - which I know has a design in place for a bike trail to Little River. Right now it is 100% rideable but also 100% illegal. Fortunately the road detour will work.  I have no idea what is taking the Lamoille Valley rail trail so long to open up - but I believe it will happen.  Some of that is now rideable - I am leaving it in for now - just have to pop out on rt 15 in a few places.  There are two sections in the NE Kingdom which fall under ok to ride but not ok to talk about.  Both are private land but used by the public.  One is absolutely EPIC - makes Richmond Peak on tour divide look like a walk in the park... NEk is so remote.  (this is the section that makes the whole route run south to north)  Tough to route around Conte Nat. Wildlife reserve and timber lands off limits to bikes but there really should be enough room for everyone up there.  Also not sure of what people think of going through Canada - requires one to lug their passport the entire ride!

I have the entire gpx route but I think I need to edit out the above mentioned sections.. probably no more than 5%.  I will post it up here and see what you think. The single track and private gpx I will have to come up with a plan until permission is in place. (but hard to get permission when the Route is just an idea.)  PM me and tell me who you are and I can probably send it to you.

There are a few sections I have not biked.  I have not done Harriman or the 30 miles of southern GMNF road.  There are a few options in this section anyone who knows them should chime in.  I have not done the LV rail trail - not sure if I want to.. and there is one road in Walden and another in Wheelock I have not ground truthed - but still confident.  I have done only a small portion of the NEK section north of Kingdom Trails - it is just too epic! 

I am looking at last week of August to do some one and two day rides then September 6 - 10 (depending on weather) to ride the who thing.  I am not sure if this is an 80 mile/day route or a 120/ mile a day route.  Maybe even 60/ day!  I rode from Mad River Valley to Morrisville and it took 8 hours!  May have a few more dates open in September ... but you know how trails get in Vermont when leaves are on the ground.

THe design of this route is based on getting across the state on dirt - staying away from cars as much as possible and connecting as much single track as possible.  This is the intial phase, hoping that one day we can connect all the VMBA club single track by dirt roads and trails.  I used the TNGA as a model as well as a bit of the Great Divide Route.  Anyone who has done either will see the signature of Dave Muse or Mike McCoy I hope.

This route starts on the Mass border on Lone Pine Rd - rides up around Hariman Reservoir then next 30 miles is all GMNF roads.  Once at Bromley there are new legal trails to the northern end of the southern section of the GMNF.  I rode on half of them and it is a beautiful place.  The route then crosses to the northern section of the GMNF via class 4 dirt roads and legal trails through Hortonville, Plymouth 5 Corners, Notown and ends up above the green Mt Trail system in Pittsfield.  THis brings you to Aimee Farm where you cross VT100 and climb the historic first legal Fed Mtn Bike trail in Vermont - the Contest Trail.  in Rochester, climb Brandon Gap to Forestdale.  Your choice of Leicester Hollow or the new Mososalmoo trail ..but I am thinking go with the later.  More new trails in the Moosalamoo / Romance Mt / Widows Clearing come out on Middlebury Gap.  Pick up Natural Turnpike all the way to Lincoln Gap.  THis brings you to Mad River single track 180 miles - halfway point at Stark Mt Bike shop. - Cobb Hill - Perry hill single track (Cotton brook trail waiting to be built) Stowe single track  Mud City Cady's Falls.  rail trail to Hardwick.  Class 4 roads to Lyndonville - E Burke - Kingdom trails (need a trail pass) then some serious Northeast Kingdom logging rds - very remote.  cross into Quebec in Norton Vermont and then loop back to Newport on the Tomiphobia Trail.

Suggestions? Comments?  Who wants to go for a ride?

Deer season starts October 22 ( a Monday?) 

I am thinking of an October ITT...  or maybe a winter one.

I see that Tony Cervati has started an ITT. For those who don't know, Tony attempted the TD last year but had to abandon on the first day when he encountered a bear and fell into the Spray River and nearly drowned.

http://type1rider.blogspot.fr/2011/06/statement-from-tony-cervati-statement.html

Tony is also a Type 1 diabetic, so along with Jarral Ryter that makes him the second rider this year with this condition.

Go Tony!   

Tony made it to the US border in two days!   And now he is in Boston with a broken ankle?  What happened?  He was flying!