GDR riders --
Is the course doable on a cross bike?  Anyone ever tried it?

Doable, yes. As fun, not in my opinion. Faster. no way. It's been tried and usually results in excessive flats and contact point fatigue at best.

Dropped something or forgot something where he stopped to eat is my guess. When you're carrying so few things, it's hard to leave stuff behind. Esp if it was a jacket or leg warmer or glasses.

Ugg I really dislike riding without a helmet and I mount a light there anyway. I think I'm just so used to it that it feels weird without one. Plus it's warmer. The only exception is that I'll take it off on extended climbs when it's hotter than 85-90F. Of course I love that we all get to make our own choices on the TD so maybe we'll see a helmetless rider sometime.

As to a recumbent...you have fun with that My impression is that they climb like crap which would annoy me to no end if that's true.

My guess is that Matt has eyes on The Place cafe today at the worst and Pinedale/Boulder at the best. The question mark of Togwotee pass looms large. Expect to see him make good time to the summit of the pass, then just over the crest he turns off the hwy and onto the road to Brooks lake lodge where last year we found many many feet of snowpack remaining, followed by mud. A lightning fast downhill once eventually back to the highway leads to Union Pass which was more or less clear last year. Too bad it leads to one of the "worst" downhills in the race that somehow has a ton of climbing in it. haha

Matt looks pretty good in that picture. He must have hosed off in Lima and the mud has been reasonable today. I'm guessing he's eating at Sawtell and he'll move on shortly. There is a hotel there that's not tooooo expensive but I bet Matt will keep moving tonight unless he knows something about the course ahead that will benefit waiting. He doesn't like to stop early for any reason.

Blaine is moving on as well, nice work! He'll know what's up ahead as a vet and has probably got a plan for the next couple days in his head. We'll see if he tries to catch Matt.

SS minutia ---

Changing gears is a no-no and Jon knows this hence getting all fixed up before the race. Any change is just a really inefficient shift. As to faster or not? In much of the climby divide terrain it's pretty good. Near the end it starts to be a disadvantage with the long road detours and then the final run into the finish beyond Silver City. A SS in the lead over a gearie would be hard pressed to hold a small lead without favorable weather (headwind).

Only 4 racers have ever finished on a SS. Kent, Jenn, Nathan Bay (25+ days so GDR was "over time") and myself. For a fit true multiday racer, I'm certainly convinced it's not much if any of a disadvantage over most good climbing courses but for most people the SS is an added challenge on top of the already very large GDMBR challenge. When it's muddy it sure is nice! You can still break the chain with enough of the really bad mud but if you're careful you should be okay. Drivetrain refreshes are cheaper at least and a Surly SS cog will go the whole race easily so that leaves a chain and cog in Steamboat/Salida (~$40 retail). I also went the whole race on the chain lube I carried from the start which was two small bottles (4oz?). I think I went 300+ miles without a relube near the end, partially just to see how far it would go before it started to squeek. My already old chain tensioner rattled itself to death by Pie Town and the horizontal drop out/QR combo finished up without issue anyway.

As to a fully legit fixie racer (no offense intended to Deanna but her time doesn't really push the boundaries of racing all course deviations aside) I would love to see it. It's certainly possible but their ass better be iron As for me, I'm all for coasting for the foreseeable future.

I ran a 32x17 on a 29er. It is a giant gear for myself. I tried a 16t in training (rode White rim in a day with it at a group pace with extra weight on the bike) but could not convince myself to go that big. Going too big really sucks a lot more than too small.

According the the conversation I had with Jon Billman on Thursday before the race he's running a 32x18 and has his cog issues sorted assuming he left whitefish which he did so he should be fine. Kent is also on a 32x18. They are both on 29ers this year. Kent ran 32x17 in 2005 on a 26er. Jenn ran a 32x18 on a 29er in 2008 for the female SS record.

Anyone else even considering asking about gearing for the Divide on a SS I recommend a 32x18 (29er) or easier. The climbs are long, sometimes steep, occasionally loose and you're pack ing a multiday load of gear and food and sometimes water. The problem is the just keep coming and coming and coming until Cuba, NM. I'd love to see someone go fast with a 16t someday, they'd have to be a monster. When I ride it again I'm planning to use the 17t.

Deanna had to walk an unholy amount of climbs with her gearing I'm sure. It was definitely slower. I cleaned most climbs but did walk now and then. The 17t sure was fast up the climbs when I could turn it over though.

Long SS blah blah blah ing done...

Matt should hopefully be able to move well from here. Full of food and ready for faster riding, he'll feel like he's flying as the course dries out and the tires stop sinking so deep. The (horrendously bumpy) rail trail should be okay when it's wet and there is some pavement mixed in there too afterwards. Dinner at flagg ranch is on a tight schedule though I think so hopefully he'll grab a quick bite just a little over the border to power a long push at night. I feel terrible for Erik. I hope he gets his bike fixed ASAP and can hang in there mentally long enough to leave Lima. I dropped there in 2008 and in 2009 I mailed home some maps and a canadian bill with a note to my wife on my way out of town and it sure felt good to leave.

We're not to togwotee pass yet...

Hopefully we'll here. Maybe he went back to the outdoorsman?

EDIT: In 2008 I left helena and then had to return as the repair didn't take. Sort of a bummer but best to use shops while you have them available. After the outdoorsman there is only a small shop in Pinedale (super nice but very limited) in the hardware store until Steamboat. Jackson is a WAYS off route.

A frame with more clearance can buy a little time but if the mud is sticky there is really nothing much you can do. You could spray your bike down with PAM or silicone spray but it will wear off pretty fast.

Looks like Matt is riding okay beyond Lima. It's soft for sure but it appears he's rolling and mostly through the very worst of the mud (so far). This is the location last year from his "this f**king sucks" note he left for Kurt and I recently sans Joe. The picture is on the old laptop and I'm here in STL but I will see what I can round up today.

Kurt and I had a dry afternoon until near the border where new rain didn't drastically screw us over. I *think* Matt will continue to have an improving route for a little while but there are some spots coming up, for sure after the rail trail and the pavement that could be really boggy again.

I'm feeling really bad for Erik.

The rest of the riders further back, stay warm in the snow and be careful. If you stick this out, you'll warm up down the line somewhere and this will be an epic story for you.

And, uh, how does M. Lee keep mud from killing his bike? pixie dust?

Get off in the worst mud. Keep cleaning it out. Carry your bike. Pray to god of your choice.

Oh man. I checked out the leaderboard last night and made some dire predictions to Marni. I'm not too happy that I'm right : ( (this is chris obviously)

Awesome job Jefe!!

I wonder if it's in stores. I want to try one on.

EDIT: Doh this is really Pivvay

The comments are hilareeeeous. 

Oh comon, this one is a classic:
"Look at that picture! The guy is riding in the middle of the road, doing a wheelie where there is a double yellow line. So, that possibly means there is a blind curve or hill, but a situation where passing is prohibited. If he is in the middle of the road, and car comes around the corner or over the hill and doesn't see him, he could get hit. I wonder who would be at fault."

People that comment on 9news.com have some serious issues... If they could only visit Antelope Wells and see the long, straight, flat road that stretches for miles and miles and miles... haha.

(P.S -- congrats to the herd of finishers yesterday!!!)

For those of us easy on gear, on the light end (I'm 155lbs or so) and that pack light, 355's and Olympics seem to hold up. I raced AZT and the Divide on 355's (29er) and TransIowa, GrandLoop, CTR and multiple Kokopelli's on Olympics (26er)

EDIT: This is really Pivvay, not wifey.

If you have time on your hands this weekend, I just received Chris's first memory card from the camera today in the mail (covering Banff to Salida).  There are over 400 pictures on there, but if you take the time to sift through them, there are some classically hillarious and beautiful shots. 

Enjoy!
http://picasaweb.google.com/marniplesko/BanffToSalidaTourDivide2009?feat=directlink

Chris does have a super lightweight sil-nylon (I think) bag that can stuff down into nothing -- that way when he needs to carry extra water or extra food, he can... otherwise he prefers to keep the weight off his back.

Yep, he left Salida a bit late.  He had to wait for the bike shop to open at 9:00 am to get his drop boxes and essentially a new drive-train, tires, etc.  He was at the bike shop for nearly an hour getting it all put together, then had to run the extras/olds to the post-office before leaving town.  So... he is quite well rested and ready to hammer out the rest of this course.  He knew people would be ragging on him for taking some good stops, but he knows that if he lets himself run low, he'll be going awfully slowly which makes it miserable on the single speed -- if he took a night or two to actually get some real rest, he could really put together some good efforts (i.e. the 170 mile day yesterday that only took him a little over 12 hours of ride time).  He's feeling good, motivated, and now has a chain ring that's not folding over onto itself 

Don't quite count him out yet 

I'm not so sure about Kurt leaving Chris behind.  15+ hour stop and I know Plesko hates to be alone... 

Yeah, Chris stopped last night in Kremmling while Kurt decided to push on toward Breck.  Chris called me last night to see if I wanted to drive the two hours up to visit him in Kremmling and get to have breakfast together, so of course I drove up to see him.  He said that he and Kurt were super bummed to part ways, but Chris was really tired and knew his body needed some real food and a decent night's sleep, while Kurt is trying to make a deadline in Salida.  By the time Chris left lunch in Breck this afternoon, he was looking 100% more refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the course.  We'll see if they end up hooking back up in Salida tonight or not... it'll all depend how quickly Kurt can bust out the pass over to Salida...

Oh ok, thanks for clarifying!  I assume Matt knows where he's going after all these years 

Since I really have nothing better to do... any ideas why Matt seemed to take Continental Dr (by i-90) instead of Harrison Ave (Hwy 2?) after Butte?