CTS: Packing

This took forever even though I’ve been planning for weeks. I had to dump some less likely to be used gear from the list in order to make everything fit in the slightly smaller test bag that I had at home.  The official CTS bag had more than enough room for everything I needed.  The biggest casualty here was my backup Camelback which would have come in really handy once I arrived at the start to discover that I had left my primary water bladder drying at home…  I had to make do with my fuel bottle (Hammer Perpetuem 2h bottle) and add my 500mL Kleen Kanteen for water in the pack.  This was sufficient to make it the roughly 20K between aid stations but really slowed me down as I had to dismount if I wanted to take water.  The let everyone I had just passed (yes, I was predominantly passing people as I purposefully started near the back every day) overtake me and meant that I found it difficult to find my own rhythm and establish a pace with the riders around me.  A side benefit was the break this gave me – my legs were always strong after a moment of rest while drinking.

My packing list based on the listed supplied by a CTS email update:

Riding Clothes:
3 regular jerseys
3 long sleeve jerseys
3 cycling shorts
4 socks (wool preferably - 1 wrapped in plastic bag for pak)
2 pairs cycling gloves (1 wrapped in plastic bag for pak)
Sun glasses + spare set + lenses
2x Shoes (1 or 3 would have been better - my second pair is lace up and pulled off in the mud on the 3rd day)
Helmet
Long pants for the neutral rides to the start of day 2 and 3.
Vaseline for the knees on cold starts
Cycling raincoat

Off Bike Clothing:
2x Comfortable long pants
Bathing suit that can double as shorts if warm
2x long sleeved shirt
Down vest
2x short sleeved shirt
3x underwear
2x comfy wool socks
Sun hat
sleep wear (long cotton pants and a soft t-shirt)
Shoes –can double with shower shoes- but will want them to be very comfortable and loose fitting
waterproof gloves (overkill it turns out)

Camp Gear:
Sleeping bag
pillow (actually I skipped this and used one of the long sleeved t-shirt stuffed with my down vest - much better!)
Towel
Shower shoes (see above, my water running shoes were perfect with wool socks for after the shower scene)
3x Plastic bags for wet clothes
Camera (I skipped this as well - see Race Day Rush for some captured moments)
Headlamp (very good!)
Garmin + charger (heart rate monitor made pacing much easier)
 
Toiletries:
Chamois cream
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Contact lense stuff (including spares)
Shampoo, Conditioner and soap
Sunscreen (very important for us redheads
Bug spray
Ibuprofen and methocarbamol flavours (Robaxacet - I assume no liability for this recommendation)
Lip balm

Spares bag:
spare brake pads (ouch - read more about this later and take multiple sets in the future)
2 tubes (whew! just enough)
patch kit
lube
chain in grease
pedals
shift cable
2x tires
spare spokes (a good idea that I didn't implement this time around)

Nutrition:
Hydration Pack (including bladder! argh!)
Hammer Perpetuem - put 2 hour servings in ziploc bags for mixing in bottle with water supplied at aid stations
Hammer Recoverite: drink immediately after finishing race before cleaning bike and possibly again at the end of the night to load and avoid cramps)
Clif Bars just in case - Chico does provide them at the aid stations.
Some sort of gel for when you feel a bonk coming on since you haven't been drinking enough Perpetuem
Trail mix before bed (Chico fed us so well that I didn't actually break into mine and am still working my way through it at home)
Electrolyte tabs (very important - with these I FULLY avoided cramps - whoot!)

On Bike Gear (some of this pulled from the above and some dedicated allocation):
camelback /w 1.5L water (more can be supplied at aid stations if needed)
water bottle /w 600mL solution mounted on bike (Hammer Perpeteum)
Electrolytes 12 per day (36 in total - but I forgot to take them regularly and it was OK)
Carb/protien powder (3x2x70cc scoop bags of Perpetuem) x3 = 18 in total
1 clif bar @ start of race + more at aid stations
Duct tape- bring a small amount to fix anything
Multi-tool
Derailler hanger
Quick link
Shift cable
2x spare tubes
CO2 kit (big cartidges if you can find them)
Pump
Patch kit /wTire levers
Phone
ID and health card
$20
Spare socks and gloves in a plastic bag
Rain jacket - if this won't fit use a small vest - if this won't fit adapt a plastic bag :)