Austin Killips is about to start her ITT targeting 13 days.

James enjoy the trip, I bet you could use Kurt's route to add a bit of spice at will, and then always bail and ride the GDMB route whenever your looking to make better time, and actually come up with a come up with a pretty fun route.

Tim

https://scontent.fphx1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/448568996_3624668791115927_5724027793283448568_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=fWv8kMADDHgQ7kNvgHlpVHG&_nc_ht=scontent.fphx1-1.fna&oh=00_AYARgU1elfpxO54OwPiOATz8dX2ZNwSe-Ia2CMBsLiauBA&oe=667A7CB6

I've been watching Johnny no shoes, because I got to meet him at the AZT start, and all of the SS riders. Keeping the top 3 highlighted but I see there are 5 or 6 all pretty close with this far left to go.

https://scontent.fphx1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/448781584_3623871847862288_6169592335919344420_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=zMlj8AC54qkQ7kNvgF3auj6&_nc_ht=scontent.fphx1-2.fna&oh=00_AYDx3y_J03mq_XOZUEhybJvxN_dA4hlTBgwYIoDfdEtOjA&oe=6678FF29

Finally managed a screen shot of Lael's dot at just 8 minutes old. Meaghan Hackinen looks to have a 46 mile lead.

LTD looks to be headed off course, and he's back apparently needed a spare tube.

Have you seen this? https://bikepackingroots.org/2023/11/13/kurt-refsnider-completes-cdt/

Since there is no "official" website for the TD, sending out automated updates on route changes, etc., I can see how someone could miss the route changes at the last minute. Especially if starting from the south end since there isn't a large number of people standing around talking about the course... Hopefully, he finds out soon.

Yeah it's a bummer but keeping up on changes before the start is on the racers. And it looks like everyone else went the right way.

Compare the other great accomplishments to each other:  Mike Hall's sub-14 day run, Ulrich's super-human push last year after getting stuck in the Basin, Houchin's incredible SS run last year, the Kato/Petervary/Beltchenko slugfest to the finish in 2015.

Chris Plesko's run stands alone.

23 hours and counting...

He was the first true SS and rigid in the AZT 300 in 09, his record held until 21 I believe.

17 hours ........

Three single speeders targeting 16 days

Zachary Del Greco

Alex Kowalski

Johnny Price

I only see one Pink SS dot? Gisele Nepolello

Do we know whose all in for the Triple Crown?

Best of luck to all.

jjmundt thanks for starting the stalking.

catchacold thanks for the info.

Great to see some action on the old school site, I don't think I need to sticky this tho.
 

Luckily the arguing has stayed away. Better to be just an empty space then one filled with noting but BS.

Facebook has the AZT race group as well as the AZT hiker class of group, yeah it gets to be the same questions every year but I also ended up doing a shuttle for an trail runner scouting for a FKT attempt. So that was cool.

Glad to see the forum back up, who knows as time marches on, whats old is new, someday maybe people will tire of those less desirable platforms and come back for the OG experience.

Apparently, according to some schmo media hack, you are only bikepacking if you're racing.  Otherwise you are just touring.  

Apparently, there's now bikepacking overlanding style: so machismo meets capitalistic materialism?

https://bikepacking.com/plog/overlanding-whats-in-a-name/?fbclid=IwAR1vlpul4U_BK7RP7l9UngkXZJiexXjG9bWyJqoAebIQSSEZfK3-s1XIQOo

Started out as a pretty cool trip report but turned into an add for bikepacking.com



 

Dangle mug! Gravel gets you to the next trail a necessary evil if you will.

I end up on the yearly AZT class of facebook groups, the thru hiker types often comment about all of the bikes on the trail, as we are banned on the big three trails they do they get used to not seeing us, I have seen positive comments that the bikepacking crowd are more friendly towards hikers.

In 15 years bp kit has gone from email order and wait, to pick it up at REI even the tiny bike shop in south Tucson has a handle bar harness in stock.

Luckily there seems to be nothing about bikepacking that gets people wound up or atracts trolling the way they do at the climbing forum, it seems like every day theres a post that is deleted for breaking the first rule: don't be a jerk. They will take a rant and just run with it, once they get close to 20 pages they start post crap just to get to 20 pages. I doubt Scott wants to have to deal with that and I don't want to volunteer to moderate either.

Next up ebikepacker.net....   

This site may have helped jump start bikepacking, but yeah there's not much action at the old school forum based site. 

The .com site pumps out info daily and there are facebook groups for states and races, local bike shops leading group camp outs.

If the goal of this site was to jump start bikepacking I think it has succeeded in that goal.

The forum @ Mountain Project is always busy, but its mostly climbers arguing, lost and found, and seemingly a drain on resources for the host, so maybe it's all for the best.

So if your fav trail is overrun with bikepackers you'll know who to blame, Thanks Scott.

ps I still come here and try to be the helpful guy there's just not much action.

The bike industrial complex says you need a brand new gravel bike. It will be inspired by 90's mtb geo but will of course be brand new.
on the ohter hand....
Mountain bikes have been used to ride gravel well since forever and any old mtb will handle gravel so there's really no need to buy a new bike.
on the other hand...
New bike day is awesome and you should just buy a new bike.
on the other hand.........
Your old bike likely needs new tires and 2 skinnier tires is cheaper then a whole new bike.
.....
New bike day....I mean if you have the cash just sitting there. 

Hey Yall!! I have never done this ride before but am really interested.

Iv done alot of self supported multi day routes and lots of bikepacking but this would be my first group event in a race format. I was wondering if someone could help me understand the sleeping arrangements, I definitely don't plan on doing a "non-stop ride".

Is it correct that the only designated sleep areas are at the 3 stage stops? Or can a rider just set there own pace and sleep where ever they need/are allow in the national forests?

Cheers,
Pat

The stages are just a way for an event that has some camaraderie time built in, the stage stops are the only place you can stop the clock. Great to see people are still doing this, always had fun and enjoyed the stage stops, there's no requirement to use the stage stops. You can camp anywhere it's legal.

Tim

Someone posted this today https://www.facebook.com/zen.chi.1/videos/633071441621188

Nothing is cheaper then a basic pedal bike, a used e-bike likely has range loss, you would likely have to budget for paying for camping or lodging to charge.

Maybe there's a more Euro based bike touring group out there.

Overly aggressive itinerary, trail is not closed because it would just be asinine to go over there any way, rescued for clicks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb_n_dvr7BM&t=5s

Some around flag then tusaysn to rim

Sedona!

IMG_2149.jpg
It is not so much the snow and -12C but the death mud when it begins to melt

There's some sweet riding to be had on the Black Canyon trail, gets you back to Phx.