CTR 2010 Status and Updates.

[DaveH]

Finally put some some thoughts down here http://2-epic.com/?p=1269

Whew, now I can move on.  I can honestly say I am NOT thinking about the 2011 CTR, not even a little.

Interestingly, if finishing isn't the #1 goal for this event you probably won't!

[Done]

Nice write-up Dave. All of that swelling was a bummer, but I think that you made the right call. Pushing hard is good, but pushing so hard that you get need to be rescued is bad--and it takes guts and experienced judgment to tell the difference.

Seeing your handful of raspberries makes me cringe. I rode past a huge patch of them, and I only stopped for a couple. Perhaps the only thing that I really hated about the CTR was feeling compelled to miss so many joyful and beautiful moments. Even though you were probably disappointed and stressed with your predicament, I bet that eating a pound of wild raspberries was good for your soul.

[DaveH]

Toby - absolutely!  Those raspberries were therapeutic in the highest degree. 

Racing well generates it's own beautiful moments, in that regard your cup should be full.

[Stefan_G]

Great reports Emily and Dave.  I always enjoy reading about people's experience out there.  Thanks for writing and sharing.

[jakomait]

Can anyone show me how to see animated playback of the spot trackers on the map from the race?  I was in my own little bubble out there and was curious to see how it unfolded.

[Mathewsen]

Can anyone show me how to see animated playback of the spot trackers on the map from the race?  I was in my own little bubble out there and was curious to see how it unfolded.

jesse, days 1-4 here: http://vimeo_dot_com/13928358 (NOTE: reverse the _dot_com longhand in that link, otherwise the vid auto embeds here in my reply)

i don't think scott has compiled a final replay yet

[jakomait]

Thanks Matt, 
I wasnt sure if that was a feature in a link I failed to find but looks like it takes a bunch of work compile.  Really neat to see the flow of riders and where time was gained (or not gained) with sleeping patterns and pace.

[Mathewsen]

Thanks Matt, 
I wasnt sure if that was a feature in a link I failed to find but looks like it takes a bunch of work compile.  Really neat to see the flow of riders and where time was gained (or not gained) with sleeping patterns and pace.

it's pretty cool, ain't it? i think it does takes some time for scott to put together the playbacks but he also puts extra work into bells/whistles like manipulatling playback speed, zoom, etc. to help illustrate.

did you see the new race flow chart? also illustrative of lead changes and circadian rhythm: http://trackleaders.com/ctr-story

the same way almost no one looks at dopplar radar imagery anymore without looping it, animation is the future for tracking data presentation as well. i'd love to see animation become an overlay on the google map eventually. for now vimeo embeds are great and also have their benefits for sharing/blogging.

enjoy!

[sanjuanrider]

Some of my favorite moments of the CTR.  Sorry, I'm not very familiar with making these a smaller size for the sreenshot. These are not in order of race miles or times (just pulled favorites to show).

1st picture:  After Sargents Mesa I was devastated and mentally broke with hike-a-bike until I got to "Apple - The Trail Angel Tent". He got my head back into the race and my physical status boosted significantly.

2nd Picture: Enjoying my last high elevation hike before the start of the descent down to the last Segment and on to Durango.  Finally had clear weather to tackle this ridge after waiting out Hail, Lightning, and Heavy Rains at timberline for 2 hours.

3rd Picture: Bill trying to keep dry under the trail registry box on Kenosha Pass.  The rains this night (1st night) were heavy downpours.  He ended up taking up lodging in the close by outhouse.  I thought this was out of the question until I lost my tent poles and then did the same at Dome Lakes Outhouses several days later.


4th Picture: Toby enjoying an early morning ride through the clouds before dropping down to Buena Vista.  This was an amazing morning sunrise after we rode since 1:30 AM from Leadville after taking lodging the night before to dry out from the once again heavy rains.

5th Picture: The finish (Junction Creek Trailhead - Durango, CO).  Still pouring rain, hail, and lightning up to the last foot of trail I rode.  What a great experience that I will never forget. Thanks for all the memories fellow riders, and the great Colorado Outdoors.

[ramstrong1]

GO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYA :headbang:N GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO R :headbang:YAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN G :headbang:O RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RY :angry9:AN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO R :headbang:YAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO R :icon_rr:YAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN G :headbang:O RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO  :headbang:RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYANGO RYAN GO RYAN GO RYAN

[jalbersh]

It looks like he'll make it, but perhaps not tonight.

[jalbersh]

On second thought, he is in the downhill section.

[sanjuanrider]

He only has one (1) uphill section left to go but it is below timberline so nothing but an easy Hike A Bike compared to what he has already dealt with.  He has past all the rough sections and is moving good.  GO Ryan Go!

[Stefan_G]

Ryan ought to be finishing up in time for a nice lunch in Durango.

I'm curious about how the US-285 experience was this year?  Less/slower traffic than last year?  Was the gravel road detour worthwhile?

[Done]

I'm curious about how the US-285 experience was this year?  Less/slower traffic than last year?  Was the gravel road detour worthwhile?

I can't compare to last year, but I was extremely grateful to be on the gravel road rather than on the highway for as long as possible. When we did hit the road, Andy and I rode together. He took the front with his bright handlebar lights (your creation?), and I took up the rear with my neon high-visibility jersey, flashing tail light, and reflective panniers. Some of the big trucks were a little scary, and we were heckled twice ("Get some real wheels!" and something unintelligible but still profane.) I think that 285 is probably the most dangerous part of the whole ride, aside from the possibility of getting caught up high during an electrical storm.

[DaveH]

I'm curious about how the US-285 experience was this year?  Less/slower traffic than last year?  Was the gravel road detour worthwhile?

Definitely worthwhile, as well as the Monday start.  There were very few semi trucks, traffic was thinner and seemingly more courteous.  Only got buzzed once and it was a rental RV, those things are scary!!  The first 5 miles of dirt was welcome not only from a safety perspective, it was more pleasant to ride than pavement.

[Anvil]

Why not just have the race route return to following the official CT route?  I know riding through the Burn can be challenging but you get no highway at all.  Other than that, IMHO, riding 285 is really not that big of a deal or dangerous.  The D2A route used to take 285 from Conifer to Buena Vista, during the middle of the day on a weekend, and I've never heard of anybody getting hit.

But hey, it was great watching the race and the Spot trackers were addictive!  Congrats to all the racers!

[Sean Allan]

[/quote]

Definitely worthwhile, as well as the Monday start.  There were very few semi trucks, traffic was thinner and seemingly more courteous.  Only got buzzed once and it was a rental RV, those things are scary!!  The first 5 miles of dirt was welcome not only from a safety perspective, it was more pleasant to ride than pavement.

I think that same RV got me as well! Scary to think of some old guy whose never driven anything but a Camry behind the wheel of a 30' death machine....Other than that it was really no big deal, the trail sections scared me much more! Loved the dirt road section, even got to see a bear and a couple of cubs right out of town:)

[Done]

Why not just have the race route return to following the official CT route?  I know riding through the Burn can be challenging but you get no highway at all.

Isn't the 285 detour necessary to bypass the Lost Creek Wilderness section? I haven't ridden up there, but I recall that one racer missed the turn and ended up at a wilderness sign before turning around. Am I missing something?

[sanjuanrider]

.

I'm curious about how the US-285 experience was this year?  Less/slower traffic than last year?  Was the gravel road detour worthwhile?

I didnt think the US-285 experience was as bad as I had feared before the race.  We did get a lot of splash back from the rain but since the dirt detour kept us off the narrow worst section and the fact that the race time made it possible to ride it during the day and on a much less busy day than a weekend it was ok.  I would personnally keep the route the same and the starting time the same to minimize the traffic congestion and night time riding on this section.  Well planned as far as I'm concerned.  We got a bonus at the end of it to see a small Bull Moose in the pond at the top of Kenosha Pass as we rode up to the top of the pass.  That made the heckles and splash back to seem all worth it for that sight.

I hated the section up to Molas pass more than any other highway section.  With the construction it became downright scary for me since they wouldn't allow us to ride in the construction lane and one way traffic started approaching every 15 minutes causing a quick bail off the road into the dirt to wait it out for the direction of flow to restart.  I had at least 4 or 5 heckles/horn blasts on that section.  So glad to make it back to single track on top of Molas Pass.  Luckily for every one else that section should not be any issue again.