CTR 2012 Planning

[DanHickstein]

Yeah, there were lots of cows on the Seargents Mesa section when I rode through last year. I was running out of water towards the end of that section, and when I finally got to the little stream listed in the databook it was completely covered in cow crap. Ugh. I felt bad for the through-hiker that I met that had no choice but to filter and drink it.

And don't forget about the sheep on segment 22! I rode through there in a rainstorm and suddenly about 2000 sheep and a south-american dude pop out of the mist. I thought that I'd been teleported to Peru or something.

Having a water bottle on top of the downtube was bad enough - putting one on the bottom could get pretty gross.

[sherpaxc]

I use a bladder in my frame bag and keep a Kleen Kanteen type bottle under the frame.  That way I never have to worry about how filthy poopy covered it is as I unscrew the top to drink from it (totally covered).  I use that for my electrolyte mix.  I only drink from it when I'm stopping or on the hike a bike sections (so on the CTR about every 20 yards!). 

Just another option.  I have also used it to boil water in a fire when I was in a pinch and it worked well.

[dgjessee]

OK, here's a dumb question but it just occurred to me last night... what to do with your bike when you go in stores? Riding the routes here in my home region I know pretty well which spots I can comfortably leave my steed outside and which ones I need to lock it up or take it inside. That comes from just being able to "read" the circumstances. So what do most people do when they go in a gas station or, perhaps more challenging, when you duck into a restaurant for an extended period of time (~10-30 mins)? I doubt anyone is carrying a lock with em in this race... thanks!

[Yogi the Barry]

I haven't done the CTR, but when I don't have a lock and I'm on my road bike, I sometimes remove the front wheel and either stash it inside or carry it with me. At least somebody can't swing a leg over the bike and pedal off...  -B

...what to do with your bike when you go in stores? ...

[Done]

OK, here's a dumb question but it just occurred to me last night... what to do with your bike when you go in stores? Riding the routes here in my home region I know pretty well which spots I can comfortably leave my steed outside and which ones I need to lock it up or take it inside. That comes from just being able to "read" the circumstances. So what do most people do when they go in a gas station or, perhaps more challenging, when you duck into a restaurant for an extended period of time (~10-30 mins)? I doubt anyone is carrying a lock with em in this race... thanks!

Bailey: I left it out front of the restaurant with everyone else's bikes. We could see them from the window.
Copper: I left it outside the restaurant by a window.
Leadville: the guys at the bike shop said that it would be safe to leave it in front of their store while I went to a restaurant. Two of us stopped at a gas station on the way out of town, and we took turns watching the bikes.
BV: a few of us took turns watching bikes for each other while we shopped at King Soopers. I left it at the bikes shop while I ate pizza next door.
Mt. Princeton Hot Springs: a few of us parked our bikes in front of the little store, and the clerk said that she'd keep an eye on them.
Silverton: I left it outside a restaurant and watched from the window. When I stopped at a laundromat (I had some infections that required bleaching my clothes), I brought it inside. At the store on the way out of town, the owner yelled at me for trying to park it on the deck--but then he kindly offered to watch it while he drank his coffee and I shopped!

When I have to leave my bike where I can see it out of a window or something, I usually make it harder for someone to ride away with it by doing some of the following:
1. Threading my helmet straps through the wheels.
2. Dropping the chain.
3. Removing a wheel.
4. Putting a strap over the front brake lever, to lock the front wheel.
5. Tying it to a post.
Most of these are pretty lame, but I figure that they'll at least prevent a thief from quickly riding away with it. But none of them will do much if someone throws it into the back of a truck.

I've considered carrying a little luggage lock with me, but it always gets jettisoned when I think of the weight and how little security it actually adds.

[dgjessee]

Thanks everyone! Good insights from your experience Toby. I kind of figured that was how everyone has done (and I will) do it. As for a luggage lock - I'm pretty sure zipties offer more security in this instance AND if you cut them in the right spot they can be reused.

Once again, why zipties are second only to duct tape in their usefulness :-)

[Done]

As for a luggage lock - I'm pretty sure zipties offer more security in this instance AND if you cut them in the right spot they can be reused.
Once again, why zipties are second only to duct tape in their usefulness :-)

Never heard of that one before. Great idea. Thanks!

[joeydurango]

I just never worried too much about it.  I won't say there's no place your bike could get stolen, but everywhere the route passes through is pretty small-town.  If I was going to be inside for any length of time, I just parked my bike at a window - or close - and sat near the window.  My bike sat unattended in Bailey, Leadville, BV, Mt. Princeton HS, and Silverton with no issues or even close calls (that I know about, anyway!).  The most nervous I got was during my time in the City Market in BV - it was a busy morning, I was pretty zonked out and having a hard time figuring out what I wanted to bring for the next big stretch.  My bike ended up outside for a good 30 minutes, leaning on a picnic table.  When I came out it looked happy to see me... or maybe that was the delirium speaking.

[speedracer]

I second Joey Durango's response.  I would have responded the same way without reading it.  Same places and all.

[timroz]

I was hoping someone would steal my bike in BV.  At least until that 20,000 calories I ate at K's had less desire to become vomit...

It sat outside the City Market for at least 40 minutes with 2 other bikes and no one watching them.

[dgjessee]

I think it's obvious that most of the time in these small western towns, there's not much to worry about. But I did get the best answer yet from a Tour Divide rider I met recently: use your chain and quick links like a lock cable. It would take a thief way too long to figure the links out and it would take a substantial cutter to get at the chain too. So maybe a good idea for anyone bikepacking in more threatening areas than we'll see in CO.

[Yogi the Barry]

I read a few years back one of the GDR racers had his bike stolen in [Grants/Milan?] NM at a McDonalds I believe. Folks witnessed the theft, called the police and the racer got his bike back very quickly. But we're talking NM, not Colorado. Anything that's not monolithic or part of the bedrock is subject to being stolen in my lowly state of NM...

[woody]

Here's a quote from "Kurt Refsnider’s 2011 Tour Divide Setup"

"and a very light cable and lock. The last item simply keeps honest folks honest since there are a few towns along the route with some rather suspect characters hanging around the gas stations and fast food restaurants"

Here's the link:
http://salsacycles.com/culture/kurt_refsniders_2011_tour_divide_setup/

Woody

[woody]

I read a few years back one of the GDR racers had his bike stolen in [Grants/Milan?] NM at a McDonalds I believe. Folks witnessed the theft, called the police and the racer got his bike back very quickly. But we're talking NM, not Colorado. Anything that's not monolithic or part of the bedrock is subject to being stolen in my lowly state of NM...

That was Matthew Lee's bike.
I think the cops and ML tracked it down by looking at his SPOT online.

Woody

[bartspedden]

Looks like water on canyon is open, a co-worker rode there this weekend and had pics. 

[mtnbound]

I went to the CT bikepacking talk at REI in Boulder last night.  Some interesting stuff.  One thing that stood out (and surprised me) the most was that they hiked 100 miles.  One of the brothers kept stats and found that they rode about 50 hours for 400 miles and hiked 50 hours for 100 miles. (their stats are at www.singlespeeding-on-thecoloradotrail.com) They both used boots and flat pedals instead cleated bike shoes (though that is their personal choice - they felt that the cleats hurt too much on the rocks).  They mentioned that even the best and lightest riders still hike around 80 miles.  They also pushed and did not carry the bikes at all. 

While I know that these guys did it as a tour and not a race, I was wondering if is this a similar experience that others had (particularly the amount of hiking/pushing).

[Yogi the Barry]

Judd & Tedd might not be the fastest and lightest of riders, but they are the real deal - strong and determined! Go Back of the Pack Racing !!
http://www.backofthepackracing.com/

I went to the CT bikepacking talk at REI in Boulder last night.  One of the brothers kept stats and found that they rode about 50 hours for 400 miles and hiked 50 hours for 100 miles. (their stats are at www.singlespeeding-on-thecoloradotrail.com) They both used boots and flat pedals instead cleated bike shoes (though that is their personal choice - they felt that the cleats hurt too much on the rocks).  They mentioned that even the best and lightest riders still hike around 80 miles.  They also pushed and did not carry the bikes at all ...snippage...

[mtnbound]

They are definitely the real deal!  They rode rigid singlespeeds on the CT -that says it all.  When they said they weren't athletes, it made me think of the line "I don't think that word means what you think it means".

[JReeves]

I was wondering who was doing those presentations.  Great to see that they're out there spreading the sport!  I've spent a lot of time lately on their Singlespeeding website to kind of break down my ride this coming July.  Their data is very helpful, and I too was astonished at the amount of hiking involved.  It's definitely one of those things that if you didn't find out in your research leading up to the race, it would be a huge wrench in the the so called spokes!  With that in mind, I actually ordered some new shoes that I think will be a nice fit for the CTR.  I got the Mavic Razors.  I've been riding in some Sidi Dominator 5's and even on short little walks/hikes, they just don't work.  The heel tread of them is really narrow and rolls a lot, as well as them just being really stiff.  The reviews on the Razors sound like they're a great option.  The lugs on the soles are thick and wide/stable, and they have a little more flex to them, which will make hiking a lot more comfortable.  I'll be sure to post a little review on them on here if they fit the part as well as I hope they will...

[joeydurango]

I'm by no means the lightest/fastest out there, but I finished in under six days in 2011 and hiked a whole bunch.  Not sure how much exactly, but before seeing this post I'd been estimating 80-100 miles.  There is simply a lot of walking, no way around it.