Readers Rig: Todd Johnson – Unsupported ride on the Colorado Trail

Readers Rig is a series of articles that showcases bikepacking kits from riders around the world. Be it long rides or short, races or slogs, everyone has their own unique set up. We hope you enjoy these rigs and maybe pick up a thing or two to add to your set up.

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Todd Johnson Age: 47 From: Jackson Hole, Wyoming Day Job: Owner of All Star Window Cleaning / Ski Instructor

My name is Todd Johnson and  I live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I own a Window Cleaning business in the summer and am a ski instructor/guide in the winter at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. I’m married with 2 boys and try and ride whenever I can! Life is training. Raise a family, work, and ride!! I got into bikepacking in 2007. I remember ordering my Carousel Design Works bags from Jeff Boatman. My first bikepacking race was the Arizona Trail 300. I am getting ready to ride the Colorado Trail Race (CTR). This is my 5th attempt with 2 finishes under my belt (Denver to Durango in 5 days and 18 hours, and Durango to Denver in 5 days 21 hours).

Last year word was going around in the bikepacking forums about one day doing the entire CTR self-supported, carrying all your own food, while using no services. I started thinking about this idea as time went on. I remember being on a bike ride last year as the CTR was in progress and was thinking to myself…man, I should really give this a go! So having finished the CTR both ways, I thought that this would be a way to look at the race with a new and exciting outlook. This motivated me! My food preparation has been the biggest thing for me. During preparation I’ve had this vision of these 5 bags of food stacked on top of each other in my backpack, and going through 1 bag per day with a goal of finishing in 5 days. Right now, each bag has roughly 4,300 calories. I also have 2165 bonus calories divided throughout the 5 bags. My total calorie count was 23,806 minus 150 calories because my 6 year old son took one of my rice krispy treats. I plan on taking one bag per day and putting it in my frame bag and gas tank, and trying to make the food go away. I want to get lighter as I get towards Durango. I’ve got a breakfast, lunch and dinner for all days, oatmeal, granola, chillimac lasagna etc.. Backpacking food that you add water to type thing. Then I have all my snacks. Cookies nuts crackers dried fruit etc. I’m also bringing powder like perpetuum and recoveries before laying down at night some gels at the start. Bike Build: Salsa Spearfish Carbon 2016 Bike Bags: Bar Bag- Jay Petervary special! Seat Bag- Revelate Designs Pica Frame Bag- Salsa/Revelate Designs Gas Tank- Revelate Designs Clothing: Salsa/Fitzgeralds Bike shop Team Kit, Craft baselayer, Swiftwick Socks Sleep System: Mont-Bell climbers bag 50 degree, Mont-Bell Bivy, Neo-Air sleeping pad Extra Gear: Adidas Terrex lightweight jacket, Gore rain pants, Adidas Terrex vest, Mont-Bell puffy, extra socks, warm gloves, Smartwool beanie

If you want to track Todd Johnson and other Colorado Trail Race participants, visit Trackleaders.com/CTR16 Connect with Todd on instagram: @todd_johnson