CTR 2012 Planning

[THE LONG RANGER]

Here's some tunes! and here's our West Coast schedule. Please come! I'd like to meet meet up w/everyone that can make it. It's a hoot of a show. Bring ear protection

[mtnbound]

CDOT's website, updated on July 14, shows the following:

"Closed US 24 Northbound / Southbound Tennessee Pass (Milemarker 162-166)Closed due to significant damage to the roadway as a result of a previously collapsed railroad tunnel. Road will remain closed indefinitely to all traffic, including bicyclists. Access to local roads and locations of interest in the area remain open, although use of the alternate route may be necessary. Road closure began July 10th, 2012 at 2:57pm. Alternate route is Hwy 91 between Leadville - I-70 at Copper Mtn."  [Notice the specific inclusion/referenct to "bicyclists"]

CDOT has expanded the road closure to a 4 mile stretch, basically starting on the south side of Tennessee Pass and it runs 4 miles north on US 24.  Using my crude map skills, Google Maps (which show the CT), the CTR route on the south side of the Pass is fine since the CTR detour doesn't go onto US 24 until about a mile south of the road closure. 

However, the road closure on the north side of the Pass could complicate matters.  The CT clearly crosses the highway in the road closure section north of Tennessee Pass.  My question is does this change things?  The CT merely crosses the highway at that point, no one would actually ride on US 24 other than to go across it to get to the other side where the CT continues; is this breaking the law?  I would not think so but I am throwing this out there.  CDOT does say "Access to local road and "locations of interest" remain open" (emphasis added).  I would think the CT is a "locations of interest" and would remain open.

If one looks at the pictures on CDOT's website, it shows the (now exposed) tunnel under the road and it is huge.  I have a feeling this road closure will last a while, probably several weeks (and beyond the CTR start date), while CDOT either tries to fill this massive hole or inserts some type of support structures in the tunnel the width of the road to prevent any future collapse.

[Johnny_mtb]

I see it does cross 24 in the closed area. Looks like they closed it south of Jones Gulch Road to Ski Copper road. http://cotrip.org/roadConditions.htm?type=alert&id=146299
Wonder if they care if we cross the closed road on the trail? I think the article refers to bikes along 24 and the news this morning was reporting it would take about a month to fix and be ready for the Pro Challenge Race.

[dirtbiker83]

I'm working on the GPX file and was curious if one of you could help me with a stupid question... I downloaded Toby's GPX file and in Garmin BaseCamp I can't get the waypoint labels to go away, so it's virtually impossible to see the track/terrain right on the trail as they are obscured by the white labels. Any suggestions? I've looked all over the program and cant seem to find the right settings. See attached...

[Done]

Hey dirtbiker83,

I don't use Basecamp, but In Topofusion and Topo!, it's possible to turn on/off waypoint viewing. I suppose that could simply delete the waypoints while looking at the route in Basecamp. Just don't forget to keep an original version for loading into your GPS--the waypoints are nice to have while racing!

[Yogi the Barry]

Not meaning to speak for Toby... The half-mile waypoints shouldn't be an issue when you're zoomed-in and following a track on the GPS. I usually bike with the zoom level at the 800' level and the waypoints aren't a distraction. I moved my track over to the GPS with TopoFusion, moving both the track and waypoints, but there was an option to just copy over the track and not the waypoints. There's also probably [I'm guessing] a way to make the white waypoint background transparent, if you want to hack the GPX file in Notepad or some other editor...

I'm working on the GPX file and was curious if one of you could help me with a stupid question... I downloaded Toby's GPX file and in Garmin BaseCamp I can't get the waypoint labels to go away, so it's virtually impossible to see the track/terrain right on the trail as they are obscured by the white labels. Any suggestions? I've looked all over the program and cant seem to find the right settings...

[Johnny_mtb]

I'm working on the GPX file and was curious if one of you could help me with a stupid question... I downloaded Toby's GPX file and in Garmin BaseCamp I can't get the waypoint labels to go away, so it's virtually impossible to see the track/terrain right on the trail as they are obscured by the white labels. Any suggestions? I've looked all over the program and cant seem to find the right settings. See attached...

Those points are the waypoint names. The track has no names for the points. If you want to remove all the waypoints make sure you save the file then copy it and make a new file to play with. Now on the list of waypoints you see listed on the left (ie. 10MileP, 2010Camp1, 2010Camp2) Just highlight all the waypoints you dont want and delete them. Select the first one and hold the shift key down and scroll down to the last one and pick it and this should highlight all in-between to delete. You can scroll down to the bottom and see all the track files. They are the ones with the foot print picture to identify them. They should be labeled "Track 001 Start" etc.

edit: I would keep the waypoints because they actually have valuable information. The names are millage, features, turns and ridge crossings along the route. Check out http://www.bearcreeksurvey.com/ for more info.

[Done]

Edit: updated after second e-mail from Bill Manning

I sent an e-mail to Bill Manning from the Colorado Trail Foundation, and here's what he has to say:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CTF has offered this information to assist CT users including CTR cyclists:

Sinkhole highway closures will not impede CT users traveling along The Colorado Trail.  Users desiring to exit the CT at either Tennessee Pass or Wurts Ditch Road will be able to travel North on Highway 24 to and from Leadville.

--------------------------------------------------------------

If you're riding the Colorado Trail this summer, please don't forget to send the Colorado Trail Foundation some money. The Trail is the best part of the race!
http://www.coloradotrail.org/

[Stefan_G]

Thanks for looking into that Toby.

Based on this CDOT map http://www.cotrip.org/roadConditions.htm?type=alert&id=146299 it looks like CT users will cross US-24 right in the middle of the closure, probably quite close to the sinkhole!  I know there are some old RR tracks near there.  Then the CTR course joins US-24 a fair ways south of the closure.

[JReeves]

Two weeks out!!!  Wow how this has snuck up fast! 
Well it looks like nothing has really lined up in the way of transportation pre-race from Durango to Denver... So I've reserved a rental car in Durango.  Our plan is to arrive in Durango Friday the 27th mid-day.  Saturday afternoon we're going to drop my truck at/near the trailhead and pick up the rental car.  Sunday morning we're going to get on the road early and head to Denver.  Hoping to arrive by noon or so and run around and tie up any loose ends and return the rental car by 4pm right in Downtown Denver.  I booked a room in Highlands Ranch for the night, which will put us about 15 miles from the trailhead Monday morning.  I'm thinking that worse case we can then ride to the start.  Unless anyone on here is looking for some floor space in exchange for a ride to the start line???

[Done]

Two weeks out!!!  Wow how this has snuck up fast!

Eeek.

I just rode the the first section from Waterton to the burn and back. I like this year's start more than the last couple of years. It felt good to start by riding uphill rather than downhill--even if it is on a road!

[dirtyleghair]

Guys, I'm eyeing completing the full CTR next year, but will be starting with the group this year with the intent of making it to Leadville by Wednesday. Is anyone else cutting their ride short and heading back to Denver from Leadville? If so, send me a message and lets see if we can coordinate sharing a cab or a ride back to Denver.

[elobeck]

Can somebody tell me the best water resupply points between hwy 50 and silverton? This is the only section of the CT I haven't ridden.

Erik

[dream4est]

Can somebody tell me the best water resupply points between hwy 50 and silverton? This is the only section of the CT I haven't ridden.

Erik

1-Fooses up the hill from 50
2-Down the hill from Greens Creek Cabin
3-Creek on descent to Marshall Pass
4-Tank Seven Creek
5-Apple's Trail Magic Spot ?
6-Lujan Creek (horrible)
7-Creek below Dome Lakes (average)
8-Cebolla Creek
9-Mill Creek
10-Last fork of Cebolla 1/4 mile before Spring Creek Pass on hwy
11-Creek before no name pass after Carson Saddle
12-Cataract Lake

in 2010 I used the #'s 1,3,4,5,7,10,11

[fastmtnbiker33w]

Thanks for looking into that Toby.

Based on this CDOT map http://www.cotrip.org/roadConditions.htm?type=alert&id=146299 it looks like CT users will cross US-24 right in the middle of the closure, probably quite close to the sinkhole!  I know there are some old RR tracks near there.  Then the CTR course joins US-24 a fair ways south of the closure.

Just spent last week in Leadville.  This is a non-issue.

[Foster]

So I have some questions about the ride. I am wondering if anyone has an estimate of how many miles (maximum) are between water sources and stores/towns to resupply.  I haven't really been able to do much research for the CTR because I have been pretty busy.  So I kinda plan to just show up, ride the darn thing and figure out how to get home when I am done.  I am well prepared but I don't know a lot about the specifics of the route is what it comes down to.  Is there any information on resupply detours/towns along route, water sources in a book or something?  I just need a quick overview that's all.

Thanks!

[anth]

if you can find a copy, the Colorado Trail Data Book has most of the info you want (water sources, milage between them, important landmarks and crossings, etc). Plus, its only $12 or so and small/light enough to bring with youon the bike. Not sure if you could find a copy in Flag but you can order it or find a copy in Denver near the start if needed. I'm planning on using that data book with a gps loaded with the course track Toby was awesome enough to provide. The combo of the two is pretty sweet!
cheers
anthony

[Buttermilk]

Foster, I just put this spreadsheet together last night. it corresponds to the CT DATABOOK. highly recommended. I only used reliable sources (from the book, no first hand experience). I'm planning on 3- 24 oz bottles for most of the route with a bladder  for the drier stretches.

[Buttermilk]

the excel spreadsheet didn't attach on the last post. Hopefully it does on this one.

[Foster]

Very cool man.  The spreadsheet is all I need.  I checked out the data book too but I will just stick to the spreadsheet since I am on a tight budget.  Thanks for the help dude and see you out there in a couple weeks guys.

EF