CTR 2012 Planning

[Foster]

Anyone know how they are getting from the Denver Airport to the start?  I was thinking about riding my bike from the airport, not sure of the distance or a good route thru the city though.  Anyone done this before?

[mnmtb]

When are you coming in?  I am driving from Minneapolis and will be in the area a few days early to ride. Sunday I will just be doing last minute tasks and driving around so I could pick you up and get you where you need to go if that works.

Zip

[Woodland]

Anyone know how they are getting from the Denver Airport to the start?  I was thinking about riding my bike from the airport, not sure of the distance or a good route thru the city though.  Anyone done this before?

Pena Blvd to Tower Road to Colfax and then the High Line Canal trail almost the whole way. Probably close to 70-80 miles, 60 of it on High Line canal (goes right to waterton canyon)

I've never ridden any of that though :-)

[Foster]

When are you coming in?  I am driving from Minneapolis and will be in the area a few days early to ride. Sunday I will just be doing last minute tasks and driving around so I could pick you up and get you where you need to go if that works.

Zip

Thanks for the offer man, that would be sweet.  I haven't bought my ticket yet but I am thinking of flying in either saturday or sunday.  If you were to give me a ride what would work better for you?  Tickets on either of those days are the same price so it really doesn't matter to me.

Eric

[mnmtb]

Anytime Sunday would work best for me.  Although later on Saturday I could be back down from the mountains.

PM me for contact info if you like

Zip

[mikepro]

For what it's worth, I'm flying in on Saturday and planning on riding (pedaling) into town.... following whatever route Google dishes up.

[Flounder]

Hey Eric,

You might look into flying Great Lakes air out of Prescott. It's a super easy flight on a tiny 17 seat plane. The cool thing is the flights are $125 and not only does it fly LOW over the whole CTR route, you literally walk your bike to the plane and they load it on...right there. Your bike doesn't have to get TSA molested or ride ten miles of conveyer at Sky Harbor.  Just a thought. That's how I'm getting up there, but I live in Prescott, so it's a no brainer.

Christophe

[Foster]

Hey Eric,

You might look into flying Great Lakes air out of Prescott. It's a super easy flight on a tiny 17 seat plane. The cool thing is the flights are $125 and not only does it fly LOW over the whole CTR route, you literally walk your bike to the plane and they load it on...right there. Your bike doesn't have to get TSA molested or ride ten miles of conveyer at Sky Harbor.  Just a thought. That's how I'm getting up there, but I live in Prescott, so it's a no brainer.

Christophe

Sounds like a sweet deal.  I checked it out and there are only flights on friday the 27th for the cheap price.  In that case I might just hang out around the Trailhead and do a little riding and hanging out.  So do you even have to box your bike?

[Flounder]

Sounds like a sweet deal.  I checked it out and there are only flights on friday the 27th for the cheap price.  In that case I might just hang out around the Trailhead and do a little riding and hanging out.  So do you even have to box your bike?

Eric, I'm boxing my bike in just a standard cardboard bike box. I've spoken with the very nice people at Great Lakes, and they only require the bike be moderately disassembled and bagged in plastic, but the bike will have to make the baggage journey from the GLA gate in Denver to baggage claim. For that journey, I'm boxing my bike. The GLA gate is probably one of the closest gates to the main terminal baggage claim area, so it's a short trip. Beats making long conveyer journeys at Sky Harbor and DIA.

As an aside, it's just a fun flight. It's usually just me, a couple other people, and two young friendly pilots. It's like a road trip instead of a flight.

I'll also be making the flight home from Cortez on Great Lakes. Same drill in reverse, but that time I'll just bag my bike in plastic and help them carefully load it in the plane. I'll be right there to unload it by hand in Prescott. No conveyers. From Flag, the Prescott airport is about 90 minutes away. Because our airport is slightly larger than a garage, you only have to be there about 30 minutes early. Very convenient. I literally can go from my couch to my sister's house in Fort Collins, Co in under 4.5 hours total moving time. I've spent that much time just getting to Sky Harbor and my butt in an 8" wide seat.

[Foster]

Sold me on that one.  Do they charge extra for the bike and bags?

[Foster]

Also, how about parking a vehicle there?  Is it free?

[Flounder]

Bikes are $50. As for parking, I'm pretty sure it's free. You'll chuckle when you see our "airport." There's six metal folding chairs in the "lobby."

[Foster]

Sweet, just booked it.  What flight are you taking?  Mine leaves early friday morning the 27th of July.

[Foster]

Bikes are $50. As for parking, I'm pretty sure it's free. You'll chuckle when you see our "airport." There's six metal folding chairs in the "lobby."

How do you get from durango to cortez?  Is there a shuttle or are you going to ride your bike there?

[Flounder]

I'm flying out to start my ITT on the 19th. Gotta be at Outdoor Retailer in SLC during the race dates. I'll be riding to Cortez if none of my Durango-ite friends can get me there. Doubt there are shuttles. That, or I'll wag a hundy dollar bill outside the Steaming Bean and see if I can shake out a ride.

[Foster]

Cool man, best of luck on your ITT.  Hope you have a great time and thanks for all the great info it save me a bunch of dinero.

EF

[mtbordie]

Anyone looking for a light I found a 300 lumen flashlight that also has a
low setting of 100 lumen with posted run times of 3hr and 24hrs and it
uses AA batts its made by Terralux. I'm happy with it and it was around
50 bucks I think the run times at least on high are pretty close.
As far as mounting I put velcro on the lamp and on both sides of one
of the vents on my helmet and it worked out great. It seemed the best
light that I could find for the money and is plenty bright.

[Yogi the Barry]

Re: Lights
Taking two BD Spots, which puts out only 10 less Lumens than the Storm. Why? Because I'm a ski instructor and can get them at a good price. It's also a bit lighter, less waterproof, uses 3AAAs. I've used these lights quite a bit for [ski] hut trips and moonlight skiing, but I'm skeptical of the 50hr [highest setting] to 200hr [lowest] battery life when using the single LED spotlight. I'd be happy to get 50hrs of life at a mid-brightness setting. Spot also has two other light modes which are nice around camp - twin red LEDs to help retain night vision and twin white LEDs as a flood. More than likely, I'll only have one light mounted for riding and that will be on the helmet. Princeton-Tec EOS is staying at home. 2nd Spot will be backup and camp light. Really doubt I'll need two lights burning when riding at a turtle's pace during the night.

I am also still debating lights but so far I am going with 2 BD Storms (helmet and on the handlebars).  They put out 100 lumen each but good points are light (3.9 oz w/batteries), waterproof and only use 4AAA each, ...snip...

[Juan Speeder]

Well damn.

I've had a bike issue that'll take ~10 days at best to fix, and it's hard to get my training on without a bike, though I'll be hiking with a heavy pack and doing mind-numbing gym routines in the interim.

As a result, I'm gonna do a ITT starting August 13.

If anyone is worried about fires/water availability, or for whatever reason, they are welcome to join me.

[pharmvet]

Hey guys,

Just got back from a 9 day bikepacking trip.  First three days were from Waterton to Leadville on CT.  Trail was perfectly clear, though very dry and soft.  Be ready for water management as many of the smaller streams were not flowing.  Heat was a real problem as well, so keep up with those frozen burritos (i.e., lots of salt)!  Small snowfield on back side of Searle but that is probably already gone by now.

Last 6 days was a loop in the Tincup/TaylorPark/Gunnison that incorporated some of the CT north-bound, from La Garita detour to Chalk Creek TH.  Amazingly Sargent's Mesa was just as hard coming the other direction.  Hmm, imagine that!

No Apple at Lujan Pass TH!  Has anyone heard anything about him?  I hope he is OK.  Kind of bummed not to see him but hopeful we were just early.

Water was a concern but all the regular sources were flowing well.  Got water out of Baldy Lake and Tank Seven was flowing well, at that time.  Sargent's is always a bit of a challenge for water but you just got to get through the rocks!  It was good seeing it from the other direction, definitely not easier, but good. 

Saw some Tour Dividers on Marshall Pass road (we took a detour down Marshall Pass road to Sargent's for breakfast, then back up Old Monarch Pass road to the Crest and Fooses).  Ice cream at Monarch Pass store, then down off Fooses Creek.  Brutal but fast.  Good water at Angel of Shavano CG, then ripped it all the way back to truck at Chalk Creek TH.

No issues with fires, though could smell smoke outside Lead.  Forests are tinder dry and I would not be surprised as the summer moves along that there are issues. 

I would definitely consider doing the ride ITT this year instead of waiting for official race start.  The trail is already clear (didn't ride South San Juans, but can only imagine they are clear already too with our lack of snowfall) and the water sources are only getting thinner.

No CTR for me this year but am hoping to do it NoBo next year.  Hope springs eternal!

Lastly, consider supporting Colorado Trail Foundation.  They work hard to keep the trail clear and rolling for all of us.  Segment 12 is going to be a real chore to get cleared (300 blowdowns in 2 miles of trail!), not to mention all the other regular maintenance they do and we get the benefit of.  If you don't think it's important, ride CT in spring and enjoy the winter's effects!  Climbing down off the soapbox now.   

Have a great ride, 2012 CTRers!  Looking forward to following you guys!