Working out the details

I really enjoy the planing aspect of a big solo effort whether it is a long ride, a lap race, or my first unsupported race; KTR. Since I am still fighting the crud and not riding I have had a lot of time to think about random details for KTR.

Here are a few of the numbers I have rattling around in my brain right now:

10 minutes, 30 seconds - The time it takes to remove my pack, hook up my filter, pump 150 oz of water into my bladder, pack up the filter, and put the pack back on. (And that is from a clean water source with a clean ceramic filter) There is nothing fast about the MSR ceramic filter.

4.2 lbs - the weight of 5600 calories worth of Hammer Perpetuem and Hammer Gel and my means for carrying them on me during the race

120 - the number of Endurolyte capsules I will start the race with

7 Hours - the actual runtime of my Wilma LED light, at 100% (750 Lumens), with a 328gram, 6.8 Ah battery. Sweet!

5:28am - Beginning of Civil Twilight on May 19th, 2007

Tires are another item I have been thinking about. For my KTR recon trip I mounted up an almost-new set of Schwalbe 2.25 Racing Ralphs. As you can see from the pic below, the tires didn't fare too well in the rocks so I don't think I trust the sidewalls for the race. Although I never flatted in three days but I think I got lucky because both tires have threads coming through in various places. I did like the traction and the overall performance of these so I might try to track down the SnakeSkin version which supposedly have thicker sidewalls. The Kokopelli Trail is a flat tire waiting to happen in many areas and if I rode terrain like that more often I would convert to UST wheels and tires. For now I am sticking with Michelin latex tubes.


Parting shot; my wife says that I am not a patient sick person.