How much of the CDT course on busy roads?

[2013TDhopeful]

I am hoping to do the CDT this year or next, but all of my biking has been in the East.  I know of too many road bikers who have been hit, so I only ride off road.  I have hiked a couple sections of the CDT and it was all bike/foot traffic and assumed when I heard about the CDT that it was all trails and logging type roads, but have learned since starting my research that there is a lot of millage on paved or dirt roads that may have heavy or fast moving vehicular traffic. 

My primary concern with biking the CDT now is being hit by a car; is that a valid concern? 

About what percentage of the race is on conventional roadways?  Thanks in advance for any information. 

[chrisx]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Divide_Mountain_Bike_Route
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_Trail

cdt  is a trial mostly open to bikes
gdmbr is a road mostly open to all people and machines

[THE LONG RANGER]

The GDMBR is comprised of everything from hunting trails to Interstate Highways.

The traffic is usually pretty low. The most dangerous parts I've found are:  the Interstate section, right outside Butte, MT; The dirt road between Rawlins, WY and the CO border,  Summit County in its Summer Season, and anywhere, you find yourself on the 4th of July weekend. The road to Steamboat Springs also sort of sucks. And the road into New Mexico. Sadly, people have been hit by cars while on route, so it's not joke.

I'd seriously keep your wits about you, wherever you are, to avoid an accident. The end of the day, especially. Hopefully, the chances of you getting hit by a errant moose is higher than a motor vehicle, but like any non-closed-course, you gotta be careful.

[THE LONG RANGER]

ALSO - the Yellowstone section in WY - anywhere there's tourists, in Vacation Mode, who aren't thinking of repercussions of the Real World, I get anxious being around. But tourists in Yellowstone will stop on a dime in the middle of the road, open their door right in front of you and take a picture of a bear cub, without thinking twice. It's nice later on in WY, when you could potentially go all day without seeing a car, and more likely to see a wild horse.

And to give a little perspective, things like doing the GDMBR have completely killed on-road touring for me. Being away from so much traffic is literally heaven on wheels. Not dealing with the constant buzz of a car while riding is def. addictive.

[AZTtripper]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Divide_Mountain_Bike_Route
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_Trail

cdt  is a trial mostly open to bikes
gdmbr is a road mostly open to all people and machines

Yeah not sure what we're talking about here there is no race that I know of on the CDT http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_Trail

The GDMBR race the one all in the US and TD the one the starts in Canada are the only races that I am aware of. Neither one really uses the trail sections of the CDT. Both are primarily road rides from what I have seen and heard. Not that I have done either.

Anybody know if the whole CDT single track route has been biked lately. I know it was done back in the late 80's, early 90's. Of course there will still be Wilderness detours and busy roads at some point on this as well.

What are the races listed hear http://www.bikepacking.net/ultra-records/ that don't have some high traffic roads?

The Grand Loop maybe? The big snow bike ones no doubt. The AZT is out as is the CTR and of course the big trans con rides. The Coco 250 isn't bad. TNG maybe? Dixie 200's not listed?

It just seems like it would be hard to put together a big ride without some roads with heavy traffic. At least in the lower 48.

[2013TDhopeful]

Thanks for the info.  I was making a very large and incorrect assumption that the CDT was the basis for the GDMBR.  I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail years ago, and from way over here on the East coast, was envisioning another long distance trail, but on a bike.  I hate to dwell on such a negative issue, but does anyone know how often there are serious injuries involving vehicles and riders doing the GDMBR?  I have done a few searches, but have not come up with much.  Hopefully because this is a rarity.  Thanks. 

[THE LONG RANGER]

I hate to dwell on such a negative issue, but does anyone know how often there are serious injuries involving vehicles and riders doing the GDMBR? 

I think this is a rarity, but you may want to talk to Adventure Cycling and see what they say. Sadly, the community lost Dave Blumenthal in 2010.

With roads, you're gonna get motorized traffic (or why would there be roads?) and GDMBR is made of mostly roads. Other options could be the Arizona Trail and the Colorado Trail, which include a ton more single track, but I believe still have detours around Wilderness areas and those detours are roads (Colorado for sure). Another option would be the Trans-Canadian Trail:

http://tctrail.ca/

Which is currently being mapped out, etc. I don't think there's much traffic in the northern provinces!

Another interesting option could be the Sierra Cascade Route,

http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/sierracascades.cfm

Which I'm sure has way less traffic than the Pacific Coast route. I doubt I'd ever do the Pacific Coast route again, but I'd jump on the Sierra Cascades route any day. It's designed to sort of meander with the PCT, but again, they're two wholly different things.

[chrisx]

In August - September I rode from Portland, OR to Truckee, CA along the Sierra Cascades route more or less.  The Oregon section has huge potential to be a long distance mt bike route with lots of single track.  The bike shop in Sisters sells IMBA maps of said trails, and rents 29ers too.  On the road sections people were getting 4 tires across the center line.  At Crater lake 4 different people offered me a ride up the hill.   The upper Clackamas river was very photogenic

The Northen California section is polluted with logging trucks and beer people.  That's why I got an Amtrak in Truckee. 

[2013TDhopeful]

Does anyone have an estimate on what percentage of the course is paved and how much is unpaved?  Thanks.  

[KenSmithMT]

Less than 10% is paved, but that could be as much as 250 miles.  I would recommend researching the GDMBR (Great Divide Mountain Bike Route) and the Tour Divide.  The Tour Divide is the race following the GDMBR.  There are lots of forum links here about them.  You'll get a pretty good feel for what it is about.  Ride the Divide is a good movie about the Tour Divide and shows a lot of the route.  If you’re serious get your hands on the Adventure Cycling maps of the GDMBR.  http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/greatdivide.cfm   They spell it out mile by mile and are indispensible if planning to do the route.  You can also download GPS points for the entire route  on the link above.  I’ve heard there are also good books about the route but have not read any except Eat, Sleep, Ride about the Tour Divide.
My advice on the few busy sections…get up early and ride.  Get off of those sections of road before 5pm.
Good luck and Happy Trails.

[caseygreene]

I think this is a rarity, but you may want to talk to Adventure Cycling and see what they say. Sadly, the community lost Dave Blumenthal in 2010.

Dave's is the only incident I know of.

[2013TDhopeful]

Thanks for the info and resources.  Watched Ride the Divide last night and it is certainly a lot more of a road race than I realized, but it still looks like something I really want to do.  Looks like camping and resupplying is also going to be less of a factor than anticipated since there are so many hotels and places to buy food along the way.  Seems like the two biggest factors are just keeping your sanity with the endless hours on the bike and keeping your body from wearing out.  I don't have good knees from too many years of running, so I'm afraid that will end up being my "Achilles heel".