Wow, Stagecoach 400. What a dynamic adventure. Came in at midnight, sleep at 2, and up again at 6 wired and ready to bike all day again. Weird I don't have to.

Matthew, thanks for waiting up. I wanted to apologize for being such a drunken space case at The Hub.I was already curled up on the couch half asleep chatting with my boyfriend, who insisted I needed to return to the bike shop to sign in. I didn't expect to see anyone and the prospect so confused me that I was incapable of basic comprehension. Now thinking about it I wish I had written something in the favorite memory box. Like the time I was trying to find my way back to Idyllwild on the singletrack that we used on day one to route around the restricted road. No longer having the trusty GPS track to follow, I predictably got myself lost. I wandered through the sage and hoisted my bike up a 50-foot near-vertical rock outcropping before I was finally willing to admit I was not on the right trail, then panicked because I was lost, proceeded to try to run back down the rock outcropping while hoisting my loaded bike, slipped, managed to butt-slide rather than tumble face-first over the bike and into the abyss as I nearly did, and ended up crumpled in a heap at the bottom with rock rash and bloody shins from hitting the pedals on the way down. Eventually I made my way back to the right trail and found my way out, But I laugh when I think about how I nearly killed myself six miles from the finish. I'm sure fellow Stagecoach riders are full of stories like that. Yourself included. (Crazy story, hit by a car right at the beginning.)

I'm in awe of Eszter's ride. Huge congrats to Tracey, Kiwi Katherine, and all of the other finishers. And thanks to Brendan, Mary, and everyone else involved. It was a great adventure.

I don't know if these are widely used in mountain bike circles, but DryMax socks are worth their weight in gold. I've run some 50K's in pouring rain and mud, feet wet the enter time, grit rubbing against my soles, and came out without any blisters. Also Hydropel or Climbing Salve applied generously, even if only once, can do wonders.

I don't think compression sleeves really do all that much to prevent swelling. If you're prone to edema (I am) I think the best thing to get is a pair of shoes one size too large. I don't use clipless pedals so I'm not sure how large shoes would affect pedaling in that regard. But they're nice for stuffing extra socks if it's cold, and also allows room for my foot to grow.

Go Jill go!

Congratulations, Kurt. I watched your "no sleep" strategy with interest, because I too have wondered whether it actually slows a person down overall to stay awake continuously rather than nap for a couple of hours. I need to figure out how to go two full nights without sleep for UTMB this summer, and it always interests me to see how it affects other people. Glad you got through it; amazing effort, and fun to follow.

I agree with others that you're trying to change something that already basically works. The GDMBR isn't a race, it's a route, and the Tour Divide was created as a "group ITT" on this route. People can argue what this means to them or means at all, but the fact is there will always be people starting on different dates and gunning for their own fastest possible time. Runners going for "records" on specific routes already have this figured out with the "Fastest Known Time" concept. http://wiki.runnersworld.com/index.php/Fastest_Known_Time This concept (and possible forum-based record) will work for the GDMBR, and seems to be happening already.

The risk of being bothered by a large animal while you're quietly sleeping is so minimal, and pretty much the only reason would be if you were sleeping with your bacon and a black bear wandered by. Large predators don't prey on humans; even incidents with black bears and mountain lions are rare enough to qualify as a "winning the lottery" fluke, and most biologists attribute this behavior to "bad" black bears and mountain lions — i.e. misfits. Agree with others that you should educate yourself, if for no other reason so you don't fret about it so much.

Thanks for the beta on the pre-ride. As far as surface water, a lot could change in a month. Seems smartest to stock up adequately between supply points, but I'll probably be carrying a small filter so I can horde water if it's available.

I'd love to hear how your ride next week goes. I ran some trails near the Sunrise Highway during the San Diego 100 last year; that's about the only part of the entire region I've even seen. Well, that and Sea World. Looking forward to this ride!

The Homer Epic also looks awesome. I rode a few of those snowmobile trails out at the End of the Road when I lived in Homer. This photo (if the attachment works) is from a ride Geoff and I did out to Caribou Lake and back to McNeil in January 2006. Back in the days of regular mountain bikes. I think Geoff was riding a Trek 6700. From my memory of those trails, unless it snows quite a bit right before the race, they should be in great condition for the bikes.

Yes, that's really the best thing about the Iditarod Trail. It's so unpredictable; could be a highway or could be waist deep snow, and it might even be both for two different people in the same section of trail in the same race. I almost started laughing when Beat described to me what the Dismal Swamp was like only one week after the Susitna 100, but then I flew over that area and yeah, it really was that bad. It looked like a herd of drunken moose had tracked out an otherwise unbroken swamp. It is what it is and there are no guarantees.

If there had been more skiers they probably would have dominated this year's race. It's tough to say though. I'm not a skier but I question their advantage over snowshoes in the really soft and deep snow. Skiers often end up dragging sleds in this race so that advantage is gone as well. After the skiers' advantage really began (the soft but at least broken trails beyond Skwentna) their feet were both too shredded to continue. This is at least the impression I got from both of this year's skiers (I met them both when I flew into Skwentna on Tuesday.) I really only talked to Radjko but Andrea who continued beyond there and eventually dropped in Puntilla was also pretty miserable. There's A LOT to be said about comfortable footwear whether you're walking with a bike or walking on skis. It seems feet (as well as lack of food or fun) are what ended most peoples' race this year. There seemed to be few serious injuries beyond Billy's and Lindsey's frostbite.

However, the Alaska Wilderness Classic skiers seem capable of skiing for days on end and they're breaking trail as well. One of those skiers would do well in the ITI. However I think both Ed and Cory have said they're not interested in returning, and Pete called skiing a "one time thing" as well. Must be a reason for that, I believe. Possibly because it's not a fun trail to ski.

On that note, are you coming up for the White Mountains 100 later this month Sean? Now THERE's a fun course for everyone.

The 2012 ITI is officially over. The last racer, Dave Kelley, made it into McGrath at about 3:45 this morning. Noone, not even Tim Hewitt, is continuing on to Nome this year. I think this is the first year that has happened. The weather patter for the McGrath race this year was:

Day 1 - blizzard, dumped 3 feet of snow around the confluence of the Yentna and Susitna
Day 2 - high winds
Day 3 - some winds followed by another snow event.
(by this time I was sitting on my couch, so this is just armchair observing)
Day 4 - snow falling
Day 5 - negative 45 degree temps
Day 6 - negative 45 degree temps
Day 7, 8 - 8" to 1' of new snow fell on the final section of the course
Day 9 -Racers get passed by the Iditarod circus and the lead mushers.

Add to that a stomach bug that got passed around Rohn.

Nice way to lay it out there day by day, Sean. Day 1 through 8 was essentially Beat's pace, although he missed most of the 30 degree wet snowstorm into McGrath (and also managed to avoid that stomach bug.) Add also temperatures well above freezing (he saw up to 37) on day two, and you have a week of 80-degree temperature swings, heavy precip, and high winds. Who knows what "real winter" means, but in these years of advancing climate change, wild weather swings will probably become more common rather than less.

It's interesting you mention Billy's snowshoe and sled system may have not actually provided any advantage this year. I wondered about it myself. Beyond the time it takes to put everything together, a sled that massive would drag so much more than a wheeled bike, even in waist-deep snow. I'd be curious to hear what he thinks of that system. I also wonder how he's recovering from his frostbite. Have you heard from him?

Footwear seems tricky if you're planning for a lot of bike pushing. If you're basically prepared to push 300+ miles, you need something comfy that doesn't sweat too much, but if you're bringing a bike you also need something that will keep your feet warm during long periods of pedaling. I discovered in this year's Su100 that I can't just wear the warmest footwear possible and hike 100 miles. The system that worked great for me at -30 to -5 during an earlier training trek was terrible for -5 to +30 during the Su. I actually burned the skin around my ankles and had painful maceration across my soles because my feet were too hot (and wet) for too long. Of course layering systems are best but I think it would be a tough balance to strike. Anyway, footwear is tricky whether you're dragging a sled or using a bike as a laundry cart. Either way, if this year's weather is any indication of years to come, walking is probably the way to go in this race (unless your feet can handle 300+ miles of "walking" in ski boots.)

2007 Surly Pugsley, 16" gray frame
70 mm Speedway rims, built at Speedway in Anchorage in early 2009
Shimano XT hubs
Two Endomorph tires, with option for two nearly new Larry tires thrown in for extra $100
Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes
XT rear derailleur
XTR front derailleur and shifters
Truvativ crank
Full housing
Spare singlespeed ring and hub on the front wheel, useful if rear hub fails mid-ride
Comes with Revelate Designs frame bag. There is some wear to the bag.
Willing to throw in Old Man Mountain Sherpa rack as well. It's drilled to mount on front wheel but I do need to ensure I still have all the hardware. If I can't find the bolts and top mount, I will let you know. These are easily replaceable through OMM Web site.
Unsure of stem and handlebar measurements. I can probably guesstimate this information if needed.
Ergon grips
Terry saddle

This bike definitely falls in the "well-used" category and there are currently a few rust spots on the frame caused mostly by rubbing of the housing and frame bag that I haven't yet buffed out. It's been a good bike. Finished the 2008 Iditarod Trail Invitational and 2010 White Mountains 100, ripped up lots of steep snowmobile trails in Juneau, Alaska, some (minimal) beach riding. Most components are original from 2007 but this bike has had annual overhauls. The brakes, cassette, chainrings, and cables have all been replaced fairly recently. The frame bag and rack make it nearly winter-touring ready.

Right now I'm only posting in the bikepacking.net Classifieds to see if there's any interest. I'm reluctant to sell this bike for mostly sentimental reasons, and it has been a great bike, but I've been riding a 2010 aluminum Fatback as my primary fat bike for more than a year now. I am trying to simplify my increasingly overcrowded stable of bikes. Will consider offers. I was thinking somewhere in the range of $800. Something to consider if you've been wanting to try a fat bike but don't want to make a huge investment. I can sell locally in the San Francisco Bay area, and also am willing to ship via FedEx to anywhere, as long as you are willing to pay the added shipping costs.

Send a message if interested, or e-mail jillhomer@gmail.com. I can send pictures via e-mail.

It's tempting, but I'm not the most proficient singlespeeder. The climbs may just work against me enough to the point of throwing my knee out and not finishing. This will be a fun puzzle, though, figuring out how I can take my melee of bikes and make them into something that will work for me in a self-supported summer ride. I've been wanted to piece together a touring rig again anyway, so this is the perfect excuse. In all likelihood I'll just put a few gears back on the Karate Monkey. She's an old, heavy horse, but at least I've swapped out a few of the more busted parts since the Tour Divide. Same wheels still, however. Hmmmm.

Looks like a beautiful course. I'm definitely intrigued. For those that know the course better, I'm curious what you think about the viability of riding it on a singlespeed. I mainly ask because my current bike options are a little limited right now. If I can put a kit together by April, it's basically going to either have to be on my Fatback or Singlespeed Karate Monkey. So I guess my question is, what is a bigger handicap, fat bike or singlespeed? Thanks in advance!

Also, when do you think the GPS track will be available?

Paxton — yes, I rode in 2009. Finished in 24:07:24.

I've already spoken to several fast women who are planning to give the route a go in 2012. So far, most of them are taking a "wait and see" approach with the snowpack and the weather, rather than just assuming they'll go with the Grand Depart. There's definite strategy to the ITT.

I share JayP's opinion that ITTs will grow in popularity in the coming years. The survival of the Grand Depart is almost entirely dependent on Matt Lee's continued organization of the Tour Divide, which may continue indefinitely but it's tough to say. If he does "retire," I don't see too many volunteers lining up to invest the kind of time and money he does, given there's no financial incentive. Without central organization, too many people are likely to do their own thing to really call any one depart the main race.

But Divide "racing" will live on. I just believe it will eventually become more like the Pacific Crest Trail, AT and CDT records, pursued by individuals doing their own thing on their own time.

Technically, Jenn Hopkins of Great Britain was the first woman to race and finish the full Banff-to-Mexico route, finishing in 28:16:40 in 2008. However, she raced the Great Divide Race with a prologue instead of the established Tour Divide. Mary finished that same year in 29:17:37. Thanks to different start times, they actually arrived at the border only about an hour apart.

Jenn is also the only woman as far as I know to race on a singlespeed, giving her the singlespeed record.

As for 2011 times' effects on the current "records," who really knows? Caroline, Kurt and Jefe have clearly all raced the Tour Divide in the fastest times, although not on the established route (which does change from year to year anyway, although never so dramatically.) I think its popularly accepted in the ultrabiking community that the route itself is still the overall record goal, given Jay Petervary's and Cricket Butlers 2011 ITT challenges of Divide records rather than the Tour Divide itself. I also believe ITT Divide racing will become more prominent in the future, giving Divide records more of a Fastest Known Time kind of standing rather than a reflection of TD race results.

Although not the expert on Divide racing, I have tons of journalistic tidbits and facts. Ask me more questions. :-)

Congratulations, Sharon! I didn't even know you guys were coming down for this. It sounds like you had a fantastic time. A little bit different than the riding in Southcentral, eh?

Congrats to everyone.

Thanks for the info! I'd love to take you up on the sunrise climb. Not sure how long I'll be able to hang on but it would be fun to try. I'll head on over to your Web site to upload details. Hope to see you there.

It was the HardCoere 100 write-up and pictures that first convinced me to check that place out back in July. The singletrack we rode was incredibly fun but the fireroads we used to connect the singletrack (almost all uphill) were indeed brutal. It was a warm day as well. I carried three liters of water and three hours later I was out of water. The region we rode didn't seem to have much surface water. I was curious how much you'd realistically have to carry in order to ride 100 miles in that park.

But yes, I find your event super intriguing. The timing is bad for me to participate in any kind of riding capacity (I have pacing commitments at the Slickrock 100 in Utah the following week, and a possible Grand Canyon R2R2R overnight hike days before that, ouch. Not to mention I've been injured and haven't been on a mountain bike in six weeks.) But if you have a place for support volunteers, I would be interested in helping out (I know the 100 is unsupported. Wasn't sure if the Everest event was also zero-support.) But it would be fun to meet some more South Bay-area cyclists and of course have some of the better trails at Coe pointed out to me. I'm otherwise free that weekend. Let me know.

- Jill Homer

So glad you guys are working to raise funds to keep Coe open. I've ridden there once and while I appreciate its existence and look forward to checking out more of the area, I can't imagine too many things that would hurt more than 24-plus hours straight on those trails. More power to you, for sure.

I just wanted to add another link. A digital version of the book is now available for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch directly through the Apple store at http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/be-brave-be-strong-a-journey/id450467827?mt=11.

Also, Amazon is offering it for the sale price of $12.20 at http://www.amazon.com/Be-Brave-Strong-Journey-Across/dp/1463533136