Grand Loop 2009

[ScottM]

Sounds good, Dave.  Just do 5 or 6 more rides like that between now and then, ok?

Grand Loop route tracker, for all nutcases going any direction, any speed and starting at any time:

http://topofusion.com/tracker-grandloop.php

Dan M. plans to start tomorrow.

[GrizzlyAdam]

Sounds good, Dave.  Just do 5 or 6 more rides like that between now and then, ok?

Grand Loop route tracker, for all nutcases going any direction, any speed and starting at any time:

http://topofusion.com/tracker-grandloop.php

Dan M. plans to start tomorrow.

Looks like Dan is out on the KT.  Looking forward to armchair-ing this one again this year.  Best of luck to all you who give it a go.

[krefs]

After doing the KTR last weekend, I'm pleased as punch at my decision to skip the GL this year.  Overall the KT was in decent shape - the shandies on Yellowjacket were all rideable, and the sand south of Rabbit Valley was fine, but the climb up Beaver Mesa is not going to be a friendly one this year.  I also wouldn't count on any water between Salt Creek and Hideout other than the thick stuff in the Colorado or off route at Westwater. 

[ScottM]

With the widespread rain right now, even Beaver Mesa may be firming up...

I can't wait to get out there!   

[wookieone]

So anyone have a route from Lunch Loop/Tab TrailHead to Koko picked out? I have no real idea, but just wanted to make sure someone did, otherwise I could find out, maybe MikeC could set us non-locals straight???  Ok that's it for now, I think, less than a week to go.....hope the rain lets up...sort of...


Any other plans than meeting at the lunch loop @ 6:PM???


Ok see you soon, Jefe

[Marshal]

To avoid most of the traffic:

MC being local and all might have a better route but I would recommend the following:
Cross bridge and jump on the bike path, go west on the bike path a couple of miles then get on River Road (Note: RR parallels 6 & 50 all the way to Fruita)follow RR (note: you can stay on RR with a left & up over the over pass) to Fruita, then at Fruita cross back over the Interstate and use Hwy  6 & 50 to Hwy 139 intersection, left on 139 & back over interstate and on to TH

[MikeC]

So anyone have a route from Lunch Loop/Tab TrailHead to Koko picked out? I have no real idea, but just wanted to make sure someone did, otherwise I could find out, maybe MikeC could set us non-locals straight???  Ok that's it for now, I think, less than a week to go.....hope the rain lets up...sort of...


Any other plans than meeting at the lunch loop @ 6:PM???


Ok see you soon, Jefe

Barring alien abduction or ice cream overconsumption, I was planning to escort y'all from LL to Loma.  After that yer all on yer own...

MC

[Stefan_G]

My buddy Max is out there with his friend Josh now.  Looks like he didn't get Scott his SPOT info, but you can see their progress here:
 
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0O8e8INDey2fFUa9kTNQYenPRjdj3Q2B1  (Charlie is his brother - it's Charlie's SPOT)

They're not planning on "racing", but Max's touring pace is definitely a race pace for many of us.  I'm already enjoying following along.  The next couple of weeks will be fun to watch.  Looks like they started from Loma around 7:15 this morning (5/25).

[ScottM]

Cool, Stefan.  I got him added to the TF tracker page.  It'll be interesting to see how progress goes today with all the rain / snow (!) the La Sals got yesterday...

[Stefan_G]

Yeah, I guess they had started on Sunday, but had to bail because of all the mud and clay, so they cleaned up and restarted on Monday morning.  Looks like they had a nice long sleep last night.

[JimL]

Will be on the road by ~4pm EST today, pushing for GJ by Thursday sometime.

(Weather dependent) I'll probably do a short ride at the Lunch Loops on Thurs evening, scouting/timing a route from the motel.  If it's too muddy or whatnot, I'll probably still do a road ride to the TH and back, looping around through downtown to check out urbana-proper.  Post up if you're interested in riding and/or hitting up a pub 'n grub-ish after the ride.

[MikeC]

(edited to add clarity...)

We've got an alternative singletrack finish to the GL.  In exchange for riding this slightly longer singletrack, you can skip the dreaded powerline loop up high on the Tab trail.

It is (coming off Little Park Road):

Right turn on the Gunnector (Gunny connector), the turn off spot from Little Park Road looks like this:


That puts you onto about ~1.5 to maaaaaybe 2 miles of singletrack, bringing you back to Little Park Road.  Cross the road, descend for ~6 seconds on the main Tabeguache, then peel off to the right onto Pre-Nup.  Fun ST that brings you back into the Tabeguache Trail again in a few short minutes, *skipping* a few short steep climbs but adding a minute or two of swoopy ST to even out the time.  From there, descend the Tab another ~30 seconds then make a left onto Pet-e-kes. 





Descend Pet-e-kes (please ignore the actual name and just call it what we do: "Pedophile") to the bottom then take the last ~1/4 mile of Tabeguache to the parking lot whence you started a few days before.

Got all that?

The point of this option was simply to add fun ST instead of steep crappy jeep road and pavement.  The GL already has plenty of the latter two, and not remotely enough of the former.  When I tried to explain this to Scott a few days ago he was skeptical of the idea.  Then I took he and Chadlicious out on this exact link today and they both emphatically declared it a 'no brainer--fun instead of grinding'.

Opt to take these options and you're allowed to skip the 'powerline loop' on the South end of the Tab.  Pretty sure everyone knows where that is...

One last shot of the two bromancers practicing what could be the most critical GL skill:


GPX file is attached to this post.

MC

[ScottM]

The bromancers (?!) will be heading out tomorrow morning, going backwards.

Both of us have SPOTs, so you'll be able to follow all the action packed excitement.... as we crawl up onto the Uncompahgre.

Perhaps we will see Max/Josh and those starting May 29 somewhere 'out there.'

Best of luck to everyone.

[MikeC]

BTW, nice Milk Money Chadilicious!

[DaveH]

Tomorrow, not fair!!!  

I was really looking forward to riding with you guys.  

Backwards, eh?  No wonder you want to do that singletrack off the start.  That crappy steep Tab heading up would prolly have some  hiking involved methinks.  On the way back in though...hmmm I think I prefer road!  

It's a good weather pattern for backwards - doesn't look like there will be any killer heat on the Koko this year.  

Koski traverse - yes or no??

Have a great ride gents and hope to see you out there.

[Pivvay]

Sorry I won't be joining ya'll but I look forward to the reports.

[frejwilk]

Scott,

So, you and Chad are riding clockwise (ie opposite 'normal') starting Wednesday? Interesting..

I wouldn't say to watch for spectators, but I'd recommend at least being ready to deal with heckling at some point...

If you need to bail to Moab (since descending off Fisher Mesa is sooo hard), I might be able to help with recovery. At the very least, there is a big event you're all (even non loopers) invited to on Saturday night here. Keep it in mind..

Re: Trading for ST. I'll be curious to see if anyone decides that the power line option is what they'd prefer. Timing issues aside, it's hard for me to imagine standing at the divide road and deciding to turn right with that option at the end. Time will tell I guess.

Good luck to all,

FW

[ScottM]

Yeah, since backwards we figured we'd set a new precedent and ride some ST at the start.  No Koski this time... maybe next.  Gotta see how reverse works first.

Going backwards it didn't make much sense to wait for the 29th... but I'm glad we'll probably see ya out there.

[Chad B]

I was really looking forward to riding with you guys... 

.... for the first 5 minutes until you shoot off. I think we will [enter dreamy music here] get more face time with you when we go this direction since you may want to know stories, conditions, etc.

Fred, we might need some AZT/GLR story session on Saturday, hope to be able to swing by depending on our arrival back here in Grand Junction.

[Stefan_G]

No Koski this time... maybe next.  Gotta see how reverse works first.

Hmmm, that's too bad.  I think the Koski traverse would be 100% rideable in the reverse direction.  Almost all downhill that way too!