Another US Epic event ready to roll - Anybody from here involved this year?

http://trackleaders.com/ctr15

Wish I was there - maybe next year...

Plenty of folk getting stuck in today. I've only just realised its going the oposite direction this year.

If / When I go, I think I want to go classic.

If / When I go, I think I want to go classic.

?

Dont they alternate the direction each year?

Chew wrote:Dont they alternate the direction each year?

Not sure, but I'd prefer to do the traditional direction. If they do alternate it, I better put my name down for 2016 then...

Chew wrote:Dont they alternate the direction each year?

I dont think they alternate it, but it does occasionally switch. not sure if theres a pattern but from what I can work out it seems to rarely go eastbound twice in a row.

Ian wrote:

Chew wrote:Dont they alternate the direction each year?

Not sure, but I'd prefer to do the traditional direction. If they do alternate it, I better put my name down for 2016 then...

Care to share car duties?

GregMay wrote:

Ian wrote:

Chew wrote:Dont they alternate the direction each year?

Not sure, but I'd prefer to do the traditional direction. If they do alternate it, I better put my name down for 2016 then...

Care to share car duties?

Hi greg. Planning to head out for the ctr 2016.

Happy to share logistics, I'm based in glossop for this side of the water. I will however be slower than you and Ian on the trail (that's not false modesty, I'm just not that quick) so beware a long wait for sharing finish stuff

FLV wrote:

GregMay wrote:

Ian wrote:

Chew wrote:Dont they alternate the direction each year?

Not sure, but I'd prefer to do the traditional direction. If they do alternate it, I better put my name down for 2016 then...

Care to share car duties?

Hi greg. Planning to head out for the ctr 2016.

Happy to share logistics, I'm based in glossop for this side of the water. I will however be slower than you and Ian on the trail (that's not false modesty, I'm just not that quick) so beware a long wait for sharing finish stuff

We need to gather in a pub to thrash this out properly

Ian wrote:

FLV wrote:

GregMay wrote:

Ian wrote:

Chew wrote:Dont they alternate the direction each year?

Not sure, but I'd prefer to do the traditional direction. If they do alternate it, I better put my name down for 2016 then...

Care to share car duties?

Hi greg. Planning to head out for the ctr 2016.

Happy to share logistics, I'm based in glossop for this side of the water. I will however be slower than you and Ian on the trail (that's not false modesty, I'm just not that quick) so beware a long wait for sharing finish stuff

We need to gather in a pub to thrash this out properly

The obvious suggestion is to find a pub equidistant to us all and ride there :)

It's good to see there is some interest in doing this next year. There were six Brit finishers in 2011, one in 2012 but no starters since then. It's an incredible route but very tough so it is wise to do it in an even year when it runs in the "easy" direction from Denver to Durango. Try to spend at least a week in Colorado at altitude before you start this event. Most important is to get some shoes that are comfortable for walking. I know of a great little training route in Scotland!

AlanG wrote: I know of a great little training route in Scotland!

Good shoes for walking needed for that too

AlanG wrote: I know of a great little training route in Scotland!

I hear it's easy.

I don't still wake with memories of that muddy sheep field of hell.

Is that the "there is no trail behind my house" trail?

After you've done the CTR you will have nightmares about Sargents Mesa.

Planning on doing HTR next year and then in the next couple of years have a go at the CTR.

Up for a race in the States next summer too, TD or CTR, if I get my sh*t together over the winter...

AlanG wrote:Is that the "there is no trail behind my house" trail?

After you've done the CTR you will have nightmares about Sargents Mesa.

Thats the one :)

Jesse Jakomait is about to cross the line, that it FAST

Hes done. 3 days 20 hours 46 mins (if im not mistaken)

Jeepers that is fast.


Ian and FLV - I know myself and Ian are going to be at the Alpkit BSO at the end of September - would this be a good time to have a sit (pint) and chat about the CTR2016?

His profile says hes on a 150mm travel full sus bike too

I've not got tickets for the BSO as my wife is going to squeeze a human out around then. Can you get day tickets do you know.

I'll just have a look eh, then I'll know.

GregMay wrote:Ian and FLV - I know myself and Ian are going to be at the Alpkit BSO at the end of September - would this be a good time to have a sit (pint) and chat about the CTR2016?

Might need to be the middle of the day - I'm off up to the 3PCX in the afternoon for the race on Sunday.

It's on my radar for next year too......
Question for Alan Goldsmith we spoke briefly about this on the HT550

Is there much pushing across traverses and downhills?

Uphill pushes are fine.

Thanks Mark McP
PS Have now recovered from the Highland Trail! Did the http://www.manx100.com/ at the weekend. Highly recommended it. Nearly all rideable and fantastic descents.

D Faff Master wrote:Did the http://www.manx100.com/ at the weekend. Highly recommended it. Nearly all rideable and fantastic descents.

That's been on my radar for yonks. Glad to hear it's good!

Hi Mark, Glad to hear that your knees have recovered from the HT hike-a-bike!
As I remember from my Denver-Durango 2012 ride, most of the pushing is uphill due to a combination of the gradient and altitude. Slopes that would be easy over here are brutal at 3500m when you are 5 days into the race! There are some unrideable climbs (large parts of Ten Mile) but not so many. You should plan to spend at least a week in Colorado before the race to get acclimatized to the altitude. Fortunately there are plenty of towns above 2000m with vaguely exciting riding. Salida was a great place to hang out and ride for a few days. It's no fluke that most of the fast riders on CTR are from Colorado
One section that you would not like is Sargents Mesa. It is undulating, never particularly steep but has a rough, rocky surface that means riding for any length of time is a complete waste of energy. It's the equivalent of Lochinver to Ledmore on HT (your favourite bit!). It is also mostly in the trees so you don't get the stunning views most of the route has. This section is the exception, the majority of the route is either fire road or beautiful flowing singletrack.
Downhill pushing is generally just short technical bits, very few if you are a good rider.
Disclaimer: I may have forgotten some of the type 3 fun bits!

Thanks Alan. Especially for the heads up about Seargents Mesa I'll make sure I do a short day then so as not to stress my body too much.

RE Altitude seems I'm a quick responder been to Colorado and the Himalayas before and felt fine.

Going to spend the whole summer (school holidays) out there. Before the race will probably do a mini trip out to Boulder, Nederland area to acclimatise with the option of riding over Rollins Pass to Winter Park (spent a whole summer mountain biking in this valley in 1999 - over 600 miles of MTB trails in that area alone).

Easy enough to cycle along the front range back to the start of the CTR.

After the race I'd like to visit Crested Butte, Salida and Fruita . So will probably hire a car/pick up truck. Looks like Maggie is going to be able to come out for those last couple of weeks too :)

Anyone else want to come to Boulder /Nederland?