It's great you can get out there and enjoy it. that's what it's all about.    Look at Hal Russel, he just finished his 6th Tour Divide (canada to mexico under 30 days) at age 70.  ... View more

you ride the same trail but harder and faster. ... View more

I have a forerunner 235 and my next one might be the garmin instinct.  I use the 235 to broadcast my heart rate to my Garmin Edge 520 and never have to wear that stupid strap on my chest again. ... View more

I have a silca and a silca seat roll.  It's better than any seatbag I have ever used and I can keep a multi tool, patch kit, a tube and some cash in it. seat roll: https://silca.cc/collections/packs-on-bike-1/products/seat-roll-premio?variant=25057215816   tool: https://silca.cc/collections/mobile-repair-1/products/italian-army-knife-venti ... View more

Revelate, Oveja Negra out of Salida, Co, Ortlieb and salsa.  Revelate is an alaskan company and they sponsor Lael Wilcox who might be the best ultra cyclist in the world.  On the last tour divide she put french fries and hot dogs with sauce in her top tube feed bag.  REI carries Revelate and reddit.com/r/bikepacking seems to like their bags too. ... View more

I have done a 50 and 80 mile trip in Colorado.  Get on the Durango-Silverton railroad and ride it for about an hour and there is a out and back trail.  50 miler took about 7 days.  Beautiful country in the San Juan mountain ranges. ... View more

I think they are absolutuely  unnessesary and I have backpacked since I was 13. Maybe it was my old school scoutmaster but he wouldn't allow us to even use sticks.  The belief that they also create a false sense of security is pretty strong.  Maybe in ultra distance races or through hiking I could see it as it can double as tent poles and people in the Leadville 100 use them but I think they are dangerous and not needed.  I think it's cheating a little bit too. ... View more

What kind of bike did you get?  I used to live in Colorado and now that I am in New Orleans all I want to do it ride up and down mountains that we don't' have here.  I like the idea of the Salsa cuthroat but when I do the Colorado Trail in a couple years I think I need to get a more mountain bike, bike than a gravel touring type bike.  Relevate designs makes some great packs https://www.revelatedesigns.com/ Bedrock is a colorado company if you prefer to support Colorado businesses https://www.bedrockbags.com/   ... View more