Coco 250

[plesurnpain]

I sure want to make it down for this. It will be really tough but I'm in the mood right now to do more bikepacking while I can. I'm sitting by a fire on an over night in park city right now after s great day of riding.

[Jeff Z]

Here goes the new guy again... What is everyone taking for gear? Tent, jetboil, dehydrated food? I bought all this stuff and now  not sure if I need half of it. Not to mention it's heavy. I have been riding with 2.5L of water in frane bag and up to 3L in my osprey. Does that sound like to much for this ride? Any advice will help. Can't wait.

Like Ray, I'm not planning to bring any cooking gear. I'll stock up on stuff I can eat without cooking at the start and in Cottonwood. Thinking about ditching the bivy as well. If it is going to be dry and not TOO cold up on Mingus then I'm thinking sleeping bag and pad are sufficient. But that depends on dry, warmish weather. Not something we can depend on.

[Wyatt72]

Great advice. So your filling up at a store in cottonwood and filtering water out of the verde?

[Jeff Z]

Great advice. So your filling up at a store in cottonwood and filtering water out of the verde?

Yes. My understanding is that the Verde is the only dependable water source between Cottonwood and Williams. There is Coyote Spring, but I hear that had a dead rat in it one year.

[Wyatt72]

Got it. Makes good soup but jot good drinking water

[cseistrup]

I spoke with the manager of the Maverick station in Cottonwood yesterday. I informed her of the race, and their energy bar rack should be full for the race weekend. Maverick is the last store before the climb up Mingus. She was really excited to help. They have Power bars, clif bars, kind bars, some honey stinger waffles, and more. She is looking into getting some powdered drink mixes, but doesn't know if her soft drink rep can provide them.

[Bug Shield]

Hi all.  My first post is for the purpose of committing to this event. 

I'm debating on the use of my ECR that I have set up as a commuter with dyno headlamp vs. my hardtail mtb without.  Any input on that is appreciated.

My goal will be to finish in four days.

[cseistrup]

What are your other options for light?

[Bug Shield]

That would be helpful, wouldn't it?

L&M Vis 360+ (http://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/vis-360/vis-360-plus).  Not much light and I would have to pack an external battery charger if I was going to use it much.  Not sure how likely that is.

[AZTtripper]

It's been done on rigid MTBs but a FS would be preferred, I have done the loop twice once on FS and then on a HT. If you go fast in the day you may not even need that much run time on the lights. Get a $30 headlamp and mount in on your helmet that's enough light to keep moving on the HAB and the roads into camp. Mingus is when you'll likely need it, I always get caught on the steep HAB at Sunset shortly after you top out it's all wide road. I've never finished day 3 in the day light used the lights just for the drop off of Williams. And I am slow so riding in mostly day light is quite possible. Just enough light to keep moving, something light is better.

As for the water on day 3: I think people have been filtering from the spring, originally there was a lid but that's been gone for years. There's always the Verde, as long as it's running clear, you can check when you cross over the first time just before Cottonwood.

[ScottM]

Like Ray, I'm not planning to bring any cooking gear. I'll stock up on stuff I can eat without cooking at the start and in Cottonwood. Thinking about ditching the bivy as well. If it is going to be dry and not TOO cold up on Mingus then I'm thinking sleeping bag and pad are sufficient. But that depends on dry, warmish weather. Not something we can depend on.

Right, but since it's only 4 days, if the forecast looks good going in, I've left the bivy home before.  I do carry a warmer sleeping bag than usual racing, with the motto of 'race hard, sleep harder.'

Currently the west sure seems in a pretty regular rainy pattern, but that could change...

[raybum]

The key is to leave Schnebly as soon as you can see...and then in Cottonwood, tell the BBQ place to be quick...(they are really SLOW).

[JoePavlik]

90% chance I will be attempting this the weekend of oct 4th leaving at 9am and hoping to return to flag late monday afternoon/evening. I wish I could go with the mass start on the 10t/11th but I have a road race that weekend which I already have paid for. If anyone is in the same boat like me I'd like the company.

Also Anderson Mesa is destroyed by cows at the moment. making the first 30 or so miles of the route pretty annoying.

[geekonabike]

Count me In, w/ gears most likely.

[cseistrup]

I usually run single speed, full rigid on my Karate Monkey, but I put a Reba and 6 gears on for the race, glad I did since pre-riding the Mingus climb. All that's left is Stan's Rims. Tubes on the Lime Kiln Trail would be the end for me. Last time I rode that trail, my tires had so many thorns in them, they looked starry as the night's sky.

[scottruff]

I'm in and planning to make the group start. I look forward to meeting everyone.

[cforsand]

I am in, signed up this morning.

[BryanCB]

Any other out of towners want to split the cost of a hotel room Thursday evening? I'm going for the thru ride but look forward to starting with the group on Friday and riding with others during the first stage! Also, where can I park my truck overnight in Flagstaff, any suggestions? E-mail me if your interested in sharing a hotel room, thanks.

[cforsand]

I expect to be driving into Flagstaff Thursday evening and take a room and would consider sharing.  I come from Los Angeles so it is a fairly long drive for me. Depending on time I might make a stop in Williams to scout the route through town there as I have not seen it before.

Last year I did two days of the ride starting in Flagstaff before I bailed in Cottonwood. I hope to do better this year although it is looking to be pretty hot in the lower elevations and heat exhaustion may get the best of me.
Last year I parked on a residential street just about 2 or three blocks away from the Friday morning meeting spot/restaurant. My SUV was parked there 3 days without issue and would probably do that again unless someone offers a better suggestion.

-Carl

[Wyatt72]

I am coming up Thursday night. I was going to sleep in the car to save money but would be interested in sharing a room if it's cheap enough. Also interested to here about your thoughts on riding straight through. Id be interested in doing the same if the pace was right and you were looking for company.