CTR 2011: Race Updates & Results

[Loudpawlz]

Eric Cutlip is out.  Just posted up on FB that he is back home in Leadville due to circumstances beyond his control.

[rosered73]

Deb, I am Marco Capote's mom and I just sent you an email. 

Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, his 18th birthday is August 7th. He was so pumped this morning to start. He's been planning this all summer. Mom & Dad think he is a bit crazy but he's totally into it!

[jeffkerkove]

True, I am out.  Came down with something after Bailey.  Not sure if bad food or a bad water filter session or if I have been harboring a virus for a while that decided to finally show it's face.  From Hwy 285 to the Georgia Pass section I could barely walk....little own ride....lot of shuffling the feet and what-not.  Achy joints and body.  Very flu-like.  Also, had no appetite and all I wanted to do was drink water.  I think I drank like 180 oz of water in a few hours.....very odd.  I was also shivering cold and wearing a jacket. Riders passed me with their jerseys unzipped.  I knew something was wrong.  This race/ride/route is way too hard to go at if half ass.  Right now planning a ITT of the CT in 2 weeks.

Few race notes....

1.  I spent most of my time riding with Ethan and Doug.  Jesse was off the front from the start.  Only saw him a few times the rest of the day.

2.  Doug crashed in the first mile of the race on one of the log drops.  Think he broke a finger.  Finger did NOT look good when I saw him in the Dredge Lot outside Breckenridge.

3. Kevin Thomas is on a SS.  Strong rider.  Had to battle with him at Vapor Trail 125 last year.

4. Weather is forecasted to get pretty dangerous the next few days....lots of heavy rain and lightening.  Personally, knowing the weather forecast right now, I would NOT want to be on any of the ridgelines around Breck, Copper, or Leadville this afternoon/evening.

Going to be interesting to watch how this unfolds.

Finally, Yes, Sonya Looney is also out.

[DaveH]

Jeff - so sorry to hear you were hit by GI/bug issues in your ride.  I'm so glad to hear you will do an ITT in 2 weeks.  When you were riding circles around the rest of us 2 weeks ago (while fully loaded no less) I was sure you'd have a great ride.

Heal up, hope for good weather in 2 weeks, and enjoy the spectacle that rages on here.

[jeffkerkove]

A few photos......


Heading up to Georgia Pass with Eathan.


Cruising along with Doug about 4 hours into race.


Pretty typical CTR terrain.


Doug's possibly broken finger.  As he said..."It barely bends or fits in my glove."


Ward Baker climbing up to Georgia Pass.

[Loudpawlz]

Got a text saying Jon Csakany has dropped out as well due to illness. He finished up his ride at Breck this morning.

DJs finger looks nasty. I'd have that wrapped around a cold beer already.

[Stefan_G]

DJs finger looks nasty. I'd have that wrapped around a cold beer already.

Doug told me on the phone (when he called me to inform me about the trail closure) that he had dislocated it within the first 5 miles of the race!  He said it hurt pretty bad, but was manageable and he was still riding.  On top of that, he rode 5 bonus miles up 285, then 5 more back down in order to catch the gravel road detour that was supposed to avoid riding that piece of 285 to begin with!

It's gonna take waaaay more than messed up fingers and 10 mile detours to slow him down this year! 

[ETURK]

ETURK, I think I met you camping last week. My son was not sharing the bubble maker very well with your son.  For that, I apologize, and for you...we wish you great success on your ride! 

Thanks! Forgot who u r but I do remember the battle of son's during the family/friends camp out!

Its raining AND THUNDERING here in Silverton. Still sticking to the plan early AM plan, but will be looking for bail points if the clouds build up.

[KDub]

Looks like it's raining pretty hard around Camp Hale.  Looked like my husband David Weber was down around Camp Hale/Ski Cooper road area and now trackleaders.com is down. Any word about that area?

[DaveH]

Looks like it's raining pretty hard around Camp Hale.  Looked like my husband David Weber was down around Camp Hale/Ski Cooper road area and now trackleaders.com is down. Any word about that area?

Trackleaders is working fine for me, but you can also try BlueDot - also with a radar option.  http://bluedot.mobi/ctr.php

It looks like for the most part riders north of BV are enjoying good weather.  Weather is quickly building in the Collegiates, and Monarch & beyond is looking fairly socked in.

DW's last point puts him near Tennessee pass and on route, looking great actually.

[DaveH]

OK a few more of David Weber's points have popped in.  Unless he's jumped in a helicopter I don't see any way that those points actually reflect reality.  Nothing to worry about other than to keep in mind his spot is reporting potentially incorrect positions.  It is something he should know about due to the 911 implications.

[Stefan_G]

More Delays on the CT.  This sounds pretty minor though.  Along the trail under Copper Mountain Ski lifts:

Subject: Delays on the Colorado trail
 
Good afternoon,
 
Tomorrow afternoon [August 3rd] our lift construction will be causing delays on the CT.  We will be flying lift materials into place starting at noon and going through 5:00pm.  This will be taking place off the 3rd switchback that is half way across the mountain trail.   We will have personnel east and west of the Helicopter staging area to tell hikers about the delays and hold them in these locations until it’s safe to pass.
 
If you have any concerns or questions feel free to call or write.
 
Thanks
 
Mike Looney
Manager Slopes and Snowmaking
(970) 968-2318 ext. 55303
Cell: (970) 389-5947
Fax: (970) 968-3178
Mlooney@CopperColorado.com

[ETURK]

OK a few more of David Weber's points have popped in.  Unless he's jumped in a helicopter I don't see any way that those points actually reflect reality.  Nothing to worry about other than to keep in mind his spot is reporting potentially incorrect positions.  It is something he should know about due to the 911 implications.

My spot acted up when I was in the cascade creak area, either because it was in my pack deep or because of the clouds - I wonder if cloud cover affects spot performance?

Flash flood warning for the Silverton region till tonight!

Meet two german ladies at who are riding the entire CTR! They didn't know about the race but hell they are doing it for fun! They are both taking their time and aiming for Durango IF the weather clears up.

[mtbcast]

Some Steve Lacey fans called in with an entertaining, if not disturbing, cheer. Toby Gadd called in to say he’s out. And Clark Davidson called in from Frisco.

You can get the audio here, via RSS,  or on iTunes!

[riverfever]

True, I am out.  Came down with something after Bailey.  Not sure if bad food or a bad water filter session or if I have been harboring a virus for a while that decided to finally show it's face.  From Hwy 285 to the Georgia Pass section I could barely walk....little own ride....lot of shuffling the feet and what-not.  Achy joints and body.  Very flu-like.  Also, had no appetite and all I wanted to do was drink water.  I think I drank like 180 oz of water in a few hours.....very odd.  I was also shivering cold and wearing a jacket. Riders passed me with their jerseys unzipped.  I knew something was wrong.  This race/ride/route is way too hard to go at if half ass.  Right now planning a ITT of the CT in 2 weeks.

Few race notes....

1.  I spent most of my time riding with Ethan and Doug.  Jesse was off the front from the start.  Only saw him a few times the rest of the day.

2.  Doug crashed in the first mile of the race on one of the log drops.  Think he broke a finger.  Finger did NOT look good when I saw him in the Dredge Lot outside Breckenridge.

3. Kevin Thomas is on a SS.  Strong rider.  Had to battle with him at Vapor Trail 125 last year.

4. Weather is forecasted to get pretty dangerous the next few days....lots of heavy rain and lightening.  Personally, knowing the weather forecast right now, I would NOT want to be on any of the ridgelines around Breck, Copper, or Leadville this afternoon/evening.

Going to be interesting to watch how this unfolds.

Finally, Yes, Sonya Looney is also out.

That's exactly how I felt. I had on a down vest, fleece gloves and hat and a rain jacket and LS base layer and was freezing even in the sun. Stuff that I normally devour had me chewing for minutes trying to get it down and then the heaves started. I bivied on Kenosha and just got colder and colder and then finally rode back down to Grant and then Bailey in the dark looking for a room but with all of those starters there were no vacancies. The people at the Rustic (somethin or other right at the turn onto 285 in Bailey) were wonderful and gave me water/Coke and let me sit there in my sleeping bag while they cleaned up for the night and I tried to figure something out.

I will NOT be back. I don't think I have the mental toughness to be able to do this event in a group setting. I quit racing XC year's ago b/c I was tired of it and wanted to look around more. I had a lot of time to think last night but I'm actually a bit disappointed in myself for, in a sense, tainting something that I truly love to do. Ride my bike. I may try to find a few like-minded folks and do a more fun trip along the CT next year since I have to go back to work this month. There will have to be plenty of stopping at creeks to chase trout along the way though because I have neglected them for way too long trying to focus on this "race".

Curiak....maybe you're interested?

I think that events like this one have the capacity to change people. It took a bit for me to figure it out but I think it finally did. Thank you Stefan.

[ScottM]

The collegiates (as seen from Salida) are very dark and look pretty nasty right now.  Jesse caught up to Dan H, who started a day early, and they seem to either be riding or huddling together.  

[cactusdick]

Damn Csakany out.  How about ethan, jefe, and Kevin Thomas,  where they at, any sightings.

[sanjuanrider]

Watching the radar overlay on Clark Davidson right now (6:45 PM MST) he is hopefully taking refuge under the shortest high alpine tree at timberline (11,700').  From knowing the location on the ten mile range that he is currently on, it is probably one of the steepest slope angles of the entire CT, with a 50+ pound loaded fully rigid steel bike, in what appears to be the bullseye of the rain for the area, he is toughing it out hard core at this moment.   

[29singlespeed]

Wow, rough start so far! Amazing to see Ethan and jefe on course after the td!

[KDub]

Thanks for all of the updates on Dave. Trackleaders did come back online for me and I talked to dave in Leadville, no I suspect he is hunkered down hopefully staying somewhat dry. Looks very wet. Thinking of you Dave. So many people are rooting for you. xoxo