Alan, you got my e-mail regarding a start.....looks like i'm 80% sure of coming over from Australia.

It was good to have Ollie Whalley show up.....Tour Divide Legend.

Event updates all on the facebook page.

Australia's second bikepacking race departs this coming Saturday at 7am.

So far 15 people have signed up. The course is shaped like a 'cherry-bomb', and will cover 385km and around 11,000 meters of climbing. Its roughly 90% offroad with many kms of technical singletrack.

The event will be covered by trackleaders; http://www.trackleaders.com/gdt13

Facebook page is here; https://www.facebook.com/events/384191595006397/422384751187081/?comment_id=429393437152879&ref=notif&notif_t=event_mall_comment

March 9th, 2013. Victoria, Australia

GDT Bikepacking Race.

http://victorianbikepacking.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/gdt-bikepacking-event-febmarch-2013.html

Entry opened for this today;

http://www.1000miles.cz/

Following the Andes in South America.

I really like my Zpacks tarp.  I have the one without a bug net, claimed weight is 4 oz.  This weight doesn't include stakes or seam sealer, but still well under a pound for the whole thing.  With a tyvek ground sheet cut to size, it works quite well.  I have yet to subject it to really bad weather though, rain with variable strong winds could be uncomfortable:

Can you give an update on how the tarp is going? Do you regreat not getting the mossie net included?

60% singletrack over 735kms.

Its going to be a long and hard race.

Trackleaders is being set up, and should be organised in a week.

V Cold, you must be coming to VIC.

Wow, D. Pickett-Heaps is a name I have not heard associated with an MTB race in a long time. He's a former Montezuma's Revenge winner.

Rooting for the two CM's; Chris and Cat!!

Ed

WOW, Dave is back?

Loads of details of the event are now on the facebook page;

https://www.facebook.com/groups/190943500957500/

I love it.

Well, here it is. This is my ultimate bikepacking set up. Just got it all together in the last couple weeks. This replaces a system I've been tweaking for years.

Congrats, it looks amazing! Did you consider getting a rigid fork as well?

forsee larger NoBo groups in the future.

Alternate the start point. Even years Banff, Odd years New Mexico.

June 8: Corbin, near buildings. Possibly indoors, I can't tell. - I slept in a derelict shed, Ollie in his tent.
June 9: Camped at Tuchuck USFS Campground east of Whitefish Divide. - I slept in the concrete outhouse, Ollie in his tent.
June 10: Holland Lake Lodge (can't tell if it's camping next to Lodge or in a room). - We shared a cabin, our first reward for the Eureka break.
June 11: Helena Best Western Motel (as per phone-in). - BW.
June 12: At Grasshopper Inn near Polaris (can't tell if it's camping next to Lodge or in a room). - Shared a room in the Inn.
June 13: Sawtell Mountain Resort near Island Park (can't tell if it's camping next to Lodge or in a room). - Camped beside the resort.
June 14: Lava Mountain Lodge (on highway, east of Brooks Lake / Togwatee Pass) (can't tell if it's camping next to Lodge or in a room). - Got a room at the Lava Mountain Lodge. Left bikes outside, mud frozen solid, well below zero that morning.
June 15: Atlantic City (probably slept on the lawn next to the bar and cafe/shop). - Camped on the spot of the old teepee.
June 16: Rough camp next to road ~8 miles north of Aspen Alley. - Correct.
June 17: Rough camp next to road ~2 miles before Kremmling. - Correct.
June 18: Salida Motel (as per phone-in). - Aspen Leaf Lodge.
June 19: Rough camp next to road ~2 miles south of Del Norte. - Near the end of the pavement on Indiana Pass.
June 20: Rough camp next to road near Canon Plaza, ~5 miles north of Vallecitos. - Camped near the snack shack before El Rito.
June 21: Pueblo Pintado Gas Station area, probably slept in the parking lot or behind a building. - Slept under the roof of a community mailbox.
June 22: Rough camp on side of road ~43 miles south of Pie Town (without Craig) - Best Western in Grants for me.
June 23: Rough camp on side of road ~15 miles north of Separ (without Craig) - Rough camp about 8 miles past the Beaverhead work station

I think that's right. It kind of all blends together. Looks like six nights indoors for me. Way more than I anticipated. Ollie would have been five. Roughly 1/3. Partly due to the crappy weather in the beginning.

Thanks mate,

How did you keep everything charged up?

Rhino
June 8: Corbin, near buildings. Possibly indoors, I can't tell. - I slept in a derelict shed, Ollie in his tent.
June 9: Camped at Tuchuck USFS Campground east of Whitefish Divide. - I slept in the concrete outhouse, Ollie in his tent.
June 10: Holland Lake Lodge (can't tell if it's camping next to Lodge or in a room). - We shared a cabin, our first reward for the Eureka break.
June 11: Helena Best Western Motel (as per phone-in). - BW.
June 12: At Grasshopper Inn near Polaris (can't tell if it's camping next to Lodge or in a room). - Shared a room in the Inn.
June 13: Sawtell Mountain Resort near Island Park (can't tell if it's camping next to Lodge or in a room). - Camped beside the resort.
June 14: Lava Mountain Lodge (on highway, east of Brooks Lake / Togwatee Pass) (can't tell if it's camping next to Lodge or in a room). - Got a room at the Lava Mountain Lodge. Left bikes outside, mud frozen solid, well below zero that morning.
June 15: Atlantic City (probably slept on the lawn next to the bar and cafe/shop). - Camped on the spot of the old teepee.
June 16: Rough camp next to road ~8 miles north of Aspen Alley. - Correct.
June 17: Rough camp next to road ~2 miles before Kremmling. - Correct.
June 18: Salida Motel (as per phone-in). - Aspen Leaf Lodge.
June 19: Rough camp next to road ~2 miles south of Del Norte. - Near the end of the pavement on Indiana Pass.
June 20: Rough camp next to road near Canon Plaza, ~5 miles north of Vallecitos. - Camped near the snack shack before El Rito.
June 21: Pueblo Pintado Gas Station area, probably slept in the parking lot or behind a building. - Slept under the roof of a community mailbox.
June 22: Rough camp on side of road ~43 miles south of Pie Town (without Craig) - Best Western in Grants for me.
June 23: Rough camp on side of road ~15 miles north of Separ (without Craig) - Rough camp about 8 miles past the Beaverhead work station

I think that's right. It kind of all blends together. Looks like six nights indoors for me. Way more than I anticipated. Ollie would have been five. Roughly 1/3. Partly due to the crappy weather in the beginning.

I have read, I believe on MTBR forums, that the alfine 11 doesn't seem to have the staying ability of the 8, and obviously not of the Roloff. 

The 11 speed uses oil, and the 8 uses grease.

Anyone studied the race enough to answer this question.

How many nights did Ollie camp or stay in a hotel?

Ollie proved the Roloff is an option.

View Ollies list of gear here;

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsxMCAU78rPrdGY3UENOdUhsRW5CZnBQZk1fV0xoSEE#gid=0