CTR 2008 write up
- Thread starter riverfever
- Start date
Twenty-niner
New member
Fantastic! Thanks for the 30-minute detour here at work. Very inspiring:
I'd love to hear more about what you learned if you have the time. Race strategy, but moreso the things you learned about your gear. Your setup is very similar to what I'm hoping to dial in... backpack, gear on bars, seat bag.
Greg
I'd love to hear more about what you learned if you have the time. Race strategy, but moreso the things you learned about your gear. Your setup is very similar to what I'm hoping to dial in... backpack, gear on bars, seat bag.
Greg
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Sweet write-up. I'd heard about your mechanical issues and that you'd pulled from the race. Dang impressive if you ask me just the same. It takes me 2 days to get to Wellington Lake from Waterton, which you did in 8 hours. Based on that, what you did in 7 days would be more like 2 weeks or more for this guy.
Well done!
BTW, on page 1 where you are referring to the Hayman Fire, is that maybe Top of the World on Segment 2, right before you cross the highway into Buffalo Creek Rec Area? That area burned in 1996 during the Buffalo Creek fire. Hayman burn area was further west, along segments 3, 4 and 5 out past Wellington Lake and Lost Creek. There is a major detour around all of that now.
Well done!
BTW, on page 1 where you are referring to the Hayman Fire, is that maybe Top of the World on Segment 2, right before you cross the highway into Buffalo Creek Rec Area? That area burned in 1996 during the Buffalo Creek fire. Hayman burn area was further west, along segments 3, 4 and 5 out past Wellington Lake and Lost Creek. There is a major detour around all of that now.
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Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
What a great experience. Sounds like you really left it all out there on the trail, which is what it's all about.
Like Greg, I'm axious to hear how your gear performed. Jeff at CDW should be sending us our bags any day now.
Can't wait to read more!
Christophe
Like Greg, I'm axious to hear how your gear performed. Jeff at CDW should be sending us our bags any day now.
Can't wait to read more!
Christophe
riverfever
Adventurer
You're totally right Dave...sorry. That makes so much sense now. Thanks for catching that.
It was such an amazing trip. Obviously my primary goal was to win. I don't know that I've ever not wanted to win when getting on a bike. After day one it became clear that this was going to be a matter of survival and I'd be thrilled to finish.
I'd love to share info on what I learned. It seems that everyone that races in these events is extremely tight-lipped about gear and, while I understand that, it's a shame b/c it really could allow for someone that just wants to see the trail to be able to do it more efficiently/enjoyably.
29er...I'll tell everyone about gear BUT you. I say this b/c I see in your sig that you have a Westy and that makes me jealous. I have been trying to find someone stupid enough to trade one for my Jeep for months and have come up trumps. How smart are you?
Bags from CDW worked out great. I seam sealed the stitching and had zero issues with things getting wet. Sleeping gear was kept in the front. The hammock will be ditched next year in favor of either a 1 person solo tent or just the fly/footprint from one. It'll be so much less bulky. I brought a lot of Perpetuem with me and that was a huge mistake. In the heat of the day it breaks down quickly and started to make me sick. My food will be drastically different and lighter next year. If you play your cards right, there's plenty of opportunity to get food along the way until the black hole after 50 where it got me. I could go on for days. I'm amazed at how many emails I've gotten from strangers that say they were inspired and would like to try this. What do you guys wanna know?
-Chris
It was such an amazing trip. Obviously my primary goal was to win. I don't know that I've ever not wanted to win when getting on a bike. After day one it became clear that this was going to be a matter of survival and I'd be thrilled to finish.
I'd love to share info on what I learned. It seems that everyone that races in these events is extremely tight-lipped about gear and, while I understand that, it's a shame b/c it really could allow for someone that just wants to see the trail to be able to do it more efficiently/enjoyably.
29er...I'll tell everyone about gear BUT you. I say this b/c I see in your sig that you have a Westy and that makes me jealous. I have been trying to find someone stupid enough to trade one for my Jeep for months and have come up trumps. How smart are you?
Bags from CDW worked out great. I seam sealed the stitching and had zero issues with things getting wet. Sleeping gear was kept in the front. The hammock will be ditched next year in favor of either a 1 person solo tent or just the fly/footprint from one. It'll be so much less bulky. I brought a lot of Perpetuem with me and that was a huge mistake. In the heat of the day it breaks down quickly and started to make me sick. My food will be drastically different and lighter next year. If you play your cards right, there's plenty of opportunity to get food along the way until the black hole after 50 where it got me. I could go on for days. I'm amazed at how many emails I've gotten from strangers that say they were inspired and would like to try this. What do you guys wanna know?
-Chris
DaveInDenver said:
Twenty-niner
New member
Agreed. That's utter silliness. I have no interest in racing at this time. For me, it's about flowing smoothly down miles of singletrack ribbon without a curfew, visiting beautiful places in the backcountry under my own power on the most efficient and beautiful machine mankind has ever produced, and spending time with my bros, who are some of the coolest, kindest people on Earth!
Haha! Yea, my Westy is sweet, for sure. It's about another 12 manhours from being nearly mint. I don't need a Jeep, but I am about to pull the trigger on selling the bus. Times are hard at the Twenty-niner HQ.
I'm not familiar with Perpetuem, but I assume it's a fancy endurance energy gel, drink or food? Did you take real food, too?
I hope you do. Maybe a few of us can hook up for a nice 4-5 day journey here in the near future. We'll even drag Mr. Brady along.
Greg
Topmounter
Observer
Awesome stuff, thanks for sharing.
Dittos to promoting the sharing of information, someday I would love to do some multi-day rides on the CT and I don't think my car-camping setup is going to get me very far :bike_rider: :REOutCampFire03:
Not to mention, maybe if more people road the CT as a multi-day expedition, then maybe they would see fit to finding a better alternative to the current detours.
Dittos to promoting the sharing of information, someday I would love to do some multi-day rides on the CT and I don't think my car-camping setup is going to get me very far :bike_rider: :REOutCampFire03:
Not to mention, maybe if more people road the CT as a multi-day expedition, then maybe they would see fit to finding a better alternative to the current detours.
IntrepidXJ
Explorer
great write-up river 
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
A) Don't you dare sell the bus.Twenty-niner said:
B) Perpetuem is a fancy drink made from monkey spit and wood pulp. At least I imagine that is what woody primate pee would taste like. Perpetuem is high cal replacement mix made by Hammer. Gak. I've tried it on longer road races. It works but eating a bar grip would have more flavor.
Chris,
Thanks for sharing. You are spot on about the racing aspect of this mode of travel and the broader appeal to people less inclined to compete. I love to race, but the allure of traveling the back country with no clock ticking is right up my alley. You'll win'er next year!
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riverfever
Adventurer
After Leadville my food looked a bit different than when I left Waterton Canyon. I always had a decent amount of GU's, bars, and Clif shot blocks. I also took several dehydrated meals. I started off just eating the dinners all the time but I found I really dug the breakfast ones in the morning. Stay clear of the eggs they were horrible. The best was the granola and blueberries. If I passed through towns, I would get 2 pastries or coffee cakes or something like that for the next morning.
After Leadville I started eating breakfast (granola) and a bar. I would use GU and bars to ride a full 6-7 hours with no breaks. Then I would stop and stretch, clean up a bit, cook a hot meal like Mac and Cheese or Stroganoff and then I usually took a little nap for 30-45 minutes. I was able to ride well into the evening (sometimes until 11-12) on GU and bars. When I stopped for the night, I would have another bar, a small bottle of water with 2 scoops of Perpetuem (Flounder's description is spot on but it's not THAT bad), then another small bottle with 2 scoops of Recoverite (also by Hammer). Then I would crash.
Hammock was nice but even with an underquilt, I still got chilly at times when I had to camp anywhere 10,500 to 11,500. There were several nights when I just slept on the ground in my bag and wished I didn't have the hammock and UQ. Of course, I got lucky it didnit rain but a solo tent or fly/footprint combo would still be smaller and keep me dry.
Clothing was tough cuz I didn't wanna bring too much but I knew there would times when I'd cold. I rode in jersey and bib shorts. I would clean them when I could. I slept in Marmot rian pants (cut off below knees) and I had one of their Precip jackets. A Craft base layer was my favorite piece of clothing. Also had arm/knee warmers, a beanie, and wool socks.
After Leadville I started eating breakfast (granola) and a bar. I would use GU and bars to ride a full 6-7 hours with no breaks. Then I would stop and stretch, clean up a bit, cook a hot meal like Mac and Cheese or Stroganoff and then I usually took a little nap for 30-45 minutes. I was able to ride well into the evening (sometimes until 11-12) on GU and bars. When I stopped for the night, I would have another bar, a small bottle of water with 2 scoops of Perpetuem (Flounder's description is spot on but it's not THAT bad), then another small bottle with 2 scoops of Recoverite (also by Hammer). Then I would crash.
Hammock was nice but even with an underquilt, I still got chilly at times when I had to camp anywhere 10,500 to 11,500. There were several nights when I just slept on the ground in my bag and wished I didn't have the hammock and UQ. Of course, I got lucky it didnit rain but a solo tent or fly/footprint combo would still be smaller and keep me dry.
Clothing was tough cuz I didn't wanna bring too much but I knew there would times when I'd cold. I rode in jersey and bib shorts. I would clean them when I could. I slept in Marmot rian pants (cut off below knees) and I had one of their Precip jackets. A Craft base layer was my favorite piece of clothing. Also had arm/knee warmers, a beanie, and wool socks.
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