12 day mountain bike trip!

[flownosaj]

Have you figured out what GPS you're going to use?

[turbodog]

Trip is 7 days, but we are driving from MS to CO. That will take total of 12 days.

Yes, expect pictures. Although I am going to need some web hosting space. Know of anything free?

GPS: after a battle with a gps, the software, and a crappy card reader, I am not taking one. If we die of exposure then so be it.

P.S. Anyone wanna donate some $ for gas money?!

[turbodog]

Here's a little exercise for the astute.

In the mtn bike trip pictures on www.sanjuanhuts.com there is an "anomaly".

1. can you find it?

2. if you do, please PM me with it to see if you are correct. If you post it in open forum, then the secret will be out.

I pointed it out to the people that own the web site. So they know about it. Please don't bring up ancient history.

But it IS a good little easter egg. See if you notice it.

Followup: it's in the "slideshow" link at the top of the page.

[cy]

my cross country loaded touring weight is 22lbs including painiers, sleeping bag, clothing down to 10 deg, tent etc.

that was hung on bruce gordon tubular crome-moly front racks. I chose not to ride with bobs trailer due to not wanting to pull an extra 18lbs (w/dry bag) but that was on open road VS single track.

I wonder which is more effecient on single track? bobs or traditional panier/racks.

The heck you say! It took me 2 YEARS of Google searches to find a rear and front rack for a f/s mountain bike. No way I'm wimping out with a bob trailer now!

That's like saying put down that surefire and pick up a mag!

[turbodog]

My front rack and bag/pannier setup came in today. It's mounted and looks sweet.

At some point I'm going to put up some photos.

[turbodog]

Finally got everything packed.

In the meantime, someone swapped my svelte racing bike with a brick. If you happen to see my bike, let me know.

This thing feels like it weighs a ton!

Taking pictures in a minute; be back in a few.

[turbodog]

I snapped some pictures. I also weighed the bike.

30 lb rear wheel load

25 lb front wheel load


But, that's FULLY loaded with gear AND water.


I've got a crummy website on google that I'm putting together.

See it at: http://turbodog99.googlepages.com/sanjuantrip

[turbodog]

Pictures!


The bike, fully loaded. Front and rear racks, bags, and panniers. It's leaned up against a table and the reflective strips are playing havoc with my flash.






Rear FS rack's lower attachment method. This is an exclusive design made by www.oldmanmountain.com AFAIK, they are the ONLY makers of FS bike racks.







Rear rack's upper brace. It fits under the brake bolt.





Rear shock's "gilbaldi(???)" cover. Goretex. Keeps mud/water out, but doesn't score the shock cylinder.






Another underexposed picture. Shows the rear end. Note my pillow strapped on top and my nifty RED tires!

[turbodog]

I'm working on a complete gear list. If anyone wants it, PM me. Or I may post it anyway. I haven't decided.

[Darell]

Darell will love this part.... I estimate our gas bill will be over $600. That's in a 14 mpg Dodge durango.

Swell. Almost as much fun as my neighbor who drives to the gym in order to ride the stationary bike or walk on the stair climber.

Leave the lights home and take O2 bottles is my big advice after 20 miles at altitude last week! I ended up with three simultaneous leg craps that left me squirming on the dirt gasping for air like a carp doing the funky dance.

Ok... the lycra/viagra thing I didn't need an image of!

[Darell]

isnt this only a 7 day trip and not 12 though?

Ah. You forgot the gasoline-burning part of the exercise!

[rscanady]

Yes I did,

T dog,
Please please post your list, I am tentatively planning to do this trip for my sabbatical in 2 years and really look forward to you comments.

Ryan

[turbodog]

Warning: random thoughts follow, try and make sense as best you can.

What follows is my list of what I am taking and why I selected it.

My list is compiled from:
a. www.sanjuanhuts.com (trip's web site)
b. their trip "bible" http://www.sanjuanhuts.com/images/mtn_biker_bible.pdf
c. my own biking experience
d. my camping experience
e. google searches of a _very_ few others that have done this trip. few as is the # of people who made a web site, not as in total attendees.

FYI: the trip usually books SOLID months before the season begins.

For those that don't know, here are a few tidbits:
1. starts at telluride, co (or durango)
2. ends at moab, ut
3. there are huts stationed approx every 35 miles
4. huts are stocked with food, sleeping bags, and hopefully water

So, no camping gear is required. You just carry clothes, bike support gear, and whatever else you think you need.

0. racks

I used front and rear racks to distribute the load. If you use only a rear it makes the front end get light, light enough to wash out on loose turns. Using only a rear will shave weight and costs, but I'm going with a dual setup for now. It also has allowed me to have smaller bags which will help me fit through tight singletrack.

The front rack adds weight. Specifically, it adds to your moment of inertia of the front end. It makes it more resistant to turning, but not in a friction-type way, in a heavy-type way. I am sure that I'll adapt quickly. I adapted to the feel of all the extra weight in about 10 miles.

Final note on rack selection. I wouldn't even consider a front rack only. You are asking for death.

At one time, before the front rack got added, I was going to use a handlebar bag. It was pretty slick. It had a plastic mount and detached for off the bike jaunts. It also rotated downward no matter how tight the mount was. I ditched it after I got the front rack. This was nice, because it used the entire handlebar. I had to remove my light mount and speedometer.

[cy]

looks like you are just about there...

so how much weight including paniers are you taking along?

[turbodog]

It's in the notes above I think.

But anyway.

55 lbs covers bike, gear, and water.

looks like you are just about there...

so how much weight including paniers are you taking along?

[turbodog]

Gear, or all the stuff that I crammed into the bags and panniers:

1. CLOTHES

regular socks for dry days (2)
"wicking" socks for wet days (1)
"drawers" (1)
gym/comfort shorts for around camp (1)
bike shorts (2)
wicking t-shirt (2)
biking shoes
sandals for around camp
regular t-shirt (1)
knee warmers
hat
helmet
gloves (no fingers)
bandanna
sunglasses
skull cap
waterproof uninsulated parka
fleece pants for around camp
fleece jacket
sleep bag liner (33x72 or so)
stuffable camping pillow (luxury item)

We purposefully asked for the hottest time of the year so we would not have to bring so much cold/wet weather gear.

Most of this list is self evident. I have included quantities for some items, all others are 1 in quantity.

For those that question the small quantities of some items please remember that there are NO showers on this trip. Stinking is part of the fun, so why would I want to carry extra weight?

[Darell]

Oops... double post.

[turbodog]

2. Healthcare

band aids (variety)
aleve pills (14 or 2 per day)
pepto-bismol pills (10)
tums (10)
sinus pills (7)
spf 45 sunscreen
bug spray (100% deet)
chamois butter, large tube
chapstick (spf 20)
baby wipes (60) (there are no showers)
toothbrush
toothpaste
visine
bar soap
nail clippers
bathcloth
packtowl
tweezers
qtips
TP

Here again, nothing is earth-shattering.

I like Aleve, but anything should be fine. Although, I would avoid excedrin due to the caffeine content. Caffeine will drain your body of water.

Sunscreen is a must due to the long exposures outdoors and high altitude. The altitude means thin air. This means higher UV doses.

I plan to use the chapstick for my ears. They are exposed and will burn.

Nail clippers. A hangnail on your toe could turn nasty with all this peddling.

Tweezers. There ARE cactii here.

The packtowl is a super absorbent towel. You use it and wring it dry. It will wring 90% dry as opposed to maybe 30% for a cotton one. I plan to use this IF I am able to find a creek/etc to bath in.

[turbodog]

3. Bike/Tools

normal tool kit (a park tool all-in-one thingy)
extra tire (folding)
extra tube
real patch kit (glue type) (2 complete kits)
quick patch kit (glueless)
chain lube (10w30 castrol, made 1 drivetrain I had last 13 years)
brake cable
derailleur cable
derailleur hanger
spare derailleur
spare chain
shock pump
brake pads (f & r)
swisstool/leatherman/etc
elec tape
bic lighter
spare spokes
front rack bag w/ panniers
FS rear rack
rear rack bag w/ panniers
FS front rack
3, 6' lenghts of small rope
park cassette cleaner brush
flashlight bar mount

The park tool stays in my seat bag all the time along with a spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, and $20.

The extra tire, tube, cables, D hanger, D, spokes, and brake pads were recommended in the bible from theire web site.

I added the park cassette cleaner due to my experience with riding in the mud. It's impossible to clean your rear cluster without this thing. And, some other riders' web sites have mentioned dealing with mud if it rains a lot.

The lighter is in case we have to spend the night "outside", if we don't make it to the next hut.

I put off this trip for an entire year because I could not find a rack that would fit a full suspension bike. I knew that there were seatpost racks out there. I tried them. They tended to rotate around sideways after a while.

After a year, really, of google searching I finally found www.oldmanmountain.com This dude has the ONLY source for FS rear *AND* front racks out there. The rear rack is about $120 and the front was about $95. They are sweet and handmade in the USA. You get a discount if you order together. But I ordered separately.

[turbodog]

4. personal

petty cash $150
digital camera
camera batteries (3 sets)
cell phone
driver's license
american express card (don't leave home without it)
hds flashlight
duracell 123s (7)
playing cards
rook cards(great game, like spades with a floating trump)
creative zen mp3 player
earbuds
aaa battery (3)

The cash is in case I come across a store or need to buy my way to civilization in case of an unrepairable mechanical item.

There is _NO_ phone reception except at the peak of 1 mountain. I'm not really sure why I am even carrying it. I will leave it off.

1 light and 7 extra cells. The 123s share with the water purifier.

mp3 player.... for those 20 mile uphills.

[turbodog]

5. food/etc


msr miniworks ex water filter
www.uvaquastar.com device
1 liter nalgene (3)
water bottle (2)
ziploc bag (6)
dri-bag (medium)
dri-bag (large) (2)

The MSR device is at: http://www.mountainsafetyresearch.co...niworks_ex.asp

I'm not planning on coming down with the hershey-squirts so we are filtering all water. After that, we're gonna nuke it also. The water filters should support our 4 person group easily. And if one should break, we will likely get along just fine on the other.

The 7 123s I am taking should run the UV water filter and the light for a week with some left over.

San Juan recommends 3 liters carrying capacity for water per day per person.

The dri-bags are for clothes/etc that MUST stay dry. I don't trust my panniers and bags for waterproofness.

[turbodog]

Careful we don't report you.

Oops... double post.

[turbodog]

Like I said, none of this is earth-shattering. But I'm hoping that at least some of this crap will pay for itself.

The park gear cleaner is a sweet little tool. Check it out at: http://www.parktool.com/products/det...4&item=GSC%2D1

It will really clean the rear gears. The brush is also nice for cleaning everything else. Works well in the mud. It weighs next to nothing.

The spare chain..... that's a different story. That sucker is HEAVY. Maybe I can talk someone else into carrying it.

The leathman is also pretty heavy.

But NOTHING is as heavy as 3 liters of water! However, I didn't mention that I am NOT taking a camelbak or backpack of any kind. I don't want to ride that much with weight on my back. It's heavy and hot.

I am using water bottles. WHY?

Proper water intake in the dry climate out there cannot be over stressed. It's much easier to gauge water intake with a bottle that a camelbak. So, at least my 55 lb total bike weight INCLUDES water weight.

Swapping bottles also gives me an opportunity and reminder to dismount and walk around for a minute.

[turbodog]

Copied from www.sanjuanhuts.com

day
miles
ascent
descent


Day 1
14.9
2,800'
550'

Day 2
26.3
1,600'
3,500'

Day 3
34.3
1,800'
1,800'

Day 4
37.2
1,600'
2,200'

Day 5
32.5
2,100'
5,900'

Day 6
22.5
4,000'
900'

Day 7
38.4
2,000'
6,200'

Total
206.1 miles
16,300' ascent
21,050' descent

[Steve K]

cool stuff!

a quick question: why bring a chain? Would some short sections of chain, and a few quick connect links (such as SRAM or the Wipperman ones) work just as well in the event of a chain breaking? Or is there another, more severe, failure mode that I'm not thinking of, such as the chain breaking, and then slipping off the bike down a 100 foot cliff? :-)

Heck, I'm a roadie that uses 6, 7, and 8 speed stuff 'cause it's pretty robust. I have no idea what sort of stuff happens to the off-road guys on the newer equipment.

good luck,
Steve K.

[turbodog]

I've seen a chain become mangled pretty bad if it gets ground up between the crank and the bottom bracket.

cool stuff!

a quick question: why bring a chain? Would some short sections of chain, and a few quick connect links (such as SRAM or the Wipperman ones) work just as well in the event of a chain breaking? Or is there another, more severe, failure mode that I'm not thinking of, such as the chain breaking, and then slipping off the bike down a 100 foot cliff? :-)

Heck, I'm a roadie that uses 6, 7, and 8 speed stuff 'cause it's pretty robust. I have no idea what sort of stuff happens to the off-road guys on the newer equipment.

good luck,
Steve K.

[picard]

holly smokes. are you going to ride the whole 260 miles? I hope you submit trip plan to relatives just incase you get lost. becareful out there.

[turbodog]

Here are some better (outdoor) pictures.

[cy]

55lbs including bike and water is ultra light

subtract say 24 lbs for a fully suspended bike.
say 6lb for water, that leaves 25lbs for paniers and gear.

petty darn light for total weight!

I'd pack a spare chain, kevlar folding tire, rear derailer and spread parts to everyone going.

[turbodog]

Thanks.

I'll take that as a compliment.

There's already a spare chain INCLUDED in that weight.

That darn thing's heavy too!

But your math doesn't add up....

55-24=31
31-6=25

I still think it's not too bad though.

55lbs including bike and water is ultra light

subtract say 24 lbs for a fully suspended bike.
say 6lb for water, that leaves 15lbs for paniers and gear.

petty darn light for total weight!

I'd pack a spare chain, kevlar folding tire, rear derailer and spread parts to everyone going.