No bike shops in Eureka. Looks like she headed out of town the second time, returned, and is now on north end of town, east of Post Office a few blocks. Not sure if it is a motel/lodge/?

Sure hope she is OK. She appeared to be quite capable first 2 days ~ 140 mile/day.

~ And now for something completely different ~

Alexandera Houchin (ITT) looks like she made it to Eureka, hit the hardware store, rode a mile out of town, came back to the hardware store, and is now at the muni park in town. She was on fire the first two days. Bike issues? Anyone have intel?

Glen

+1 Mark !
Stayed in Butts Cabin w Mark. Astounding how little gear he carries.

Piss luck. Damn fine rider.

With all his mech troubles, I have but one word of advice, XT

Andrew Kulmatiski (ITT) has been kicking it in high gear. On track to place maybe second??

Anyone have an idea why he stopped for such a long time shy of Cuba? He had been right on Brian's time up till then.

Any way you look at it, and amazing ride!

Possible factors:
2011 Snow reroutes, easier course
2012 ?
2013 Wet weather, washed out northern portion of course after a couple days
2014 Very wet for X days
2015 Great weather
2016 A bit wet
2017 Hooboy! Let the games begin - First day mud fest, *Koko Claims new route, more wet weather, fire reroute

*If I can do it at age 66, I don't wanna hear no whining from you young whippersnappers! 

Current projections are for 9 Grand Depart riders to finish sub-20 days. That's the lowest # since 2014 and tied for second lowest since 2011. Include the more successful of the ITTs, and the average per year is about 13 riders finishing in 20d or less.

Can you give the percentage of starters vs sub 20 day averages? That way it takes into account a weighted average of the starting wolf pack.

I know that this year, compared to 2015, it took me 2 hours longer to reach Elkford - and I'm in a bit better shape than 2015, although slower than the average GD racer (I'm 66, give an old man a break). Anyone have numbers for the route length considering the new Koko Claims and fire reroute?

"If you are a purist you would walk to the side in the unbroken snow."

Ah yes Bob...but then I would be off route, and relegated! We must respect the rules!

At the rate of melt on Togwotee Pass, it will be bare around 17 days from now, assuming melt does not accelerate.

The snow melt data:  https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/snow/snowplot.cgi?TOGW4

Looks like melting is at rate of 1.3" of snow water equivalent per day, translates into 2.9" snow per day. Assuming that melt is similar on Union. I would expect that in 10-12 days the amount of snow on Union will be 1-2 feet, packed, and at my speed, a well worn trail just to my liking!   (Thanks fast guys!) 

From the web cams in the area, looks like bare below 8400' or so. Togwotee Lodge @8654' isn't bad, T. Pass ~9800' has 54" snow, Brooks Lake Lodge  @9200' has snow (gosh golly darn what the Brooks Lake road looks like right after T. Pass!).

The 2011 reroute took off after Warm River Campground, down to Jackson Hole, then on to Pinedale. (You DO have the 2011 reroute in GPX and corrected cues, don't you??  Am I the only one prepared? ) We've still got a couple weeks before we get to Union, so who knows?

Gotta admit that Ashley has large brass ones that drag in the snow! Street cred bump+

We's all in this together, and fortunately I'm a bit slower, thus have the luxury of employing volunteer 'trail breakers' - ha.

"...I have said numerous times I would never race the route again..."

Odd, my wife has told me the exact same thing! Just one more, honey, I promise! 

Version 1 had issues: there were three tracks nestled under on GPX file. V2 is out and current. I smells Union Pass on that one!

"...bring a map of the area, and look for flags that mark the track poking out of the snow"

Or frozen TD racer body parts...

Going to be interesting on Union, as it is not just a up a pass then down, it's a long rolling section up high. Currently Togwotee Pass (next to, and about same elevation as Union) has 58" snow, with 2.4 inches melting each day. Let's see, I make it to Union 17 days from now, 58" - (2.4*17) = 17" left. Oh goody! I feared that it would all be gone... Hey, if Justin can hike the whole thing, then the least we can do is freeze our tooshies off trying - eh?

However, I may trade the snow for no mosquitoes - last time I required an emergency blood transfusion just to keep up with the little buggers. Some brought doggy bags!

Be interesting to see how Ashley Benns does on the pass - currently in Pinedale NOBO.

As a geologist, I am allowed to say this: 'The new route rocks'   ! Not sure if I like this one, or the Lava Mtn Trail more...then there's the backside of Union Pass in the dark...

On a reroute note: Anyone have the pulse on Togwotee/Union Pass situation? Snotel says Togwotee is 68" snow. In 2011 that meant using the Victor ID - Jackson Hole detour.

Sure seems quiet on bikepacker this year - nothing like years previous.    I finally got a Facebook account and there's lots of chatter there.

>> Yikes!  You guys are really trying to weed out the rookies early this year <<

...wait 'till you get to the really hard part of the route ! 



messing with rookies...I'm a baaaad boy!

Paul Attala is doing a reccy of an option for the re-route to avoid where the bridges are out today (27th May): Have a look at the possible route and his progress here (use the replay function):

http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide17

Reroute takes off ~ 3 miles north of Elkford. Looks like a gnarly climb at the start: Paul walked ~3 miles, could be snow but the percent grade is > 10% for last 2 miles - so says Google Earth, summit at 6700' or so. Uber available??

Total detour/new route is 53 miles. Two climbs, at the start (4300' to 6700' over 5.5 miles) then near finish (3500' to 5300' but gentle). Then looks like we then take Fernie reroute for 10-15 miles, to Lodgepole Road, then to Flathead north of Butts Cabin, over Cabin/Galton - can you say 'Snow', I knew you could! Resupply may take some imagination day one.

However, nothing written in calc-alkaline compressive margin intermediate rock yet (I'm a Geologist, humor me). Supposed to get final route in a couple days, the boys/gals are working hard.

Website says $65 while Greyhound is $44-$53 and I'd like to take my bike with me because shipping a bike is expensive.

Check out Bikeflights.com for shipping bike. You box the bike and buy postage online, they pick up from most residential and businesses. Shipping is via one of the major carriers (Fedex, UPS...). I've used them twice. My 55 pound bike box from Deming NM to Reno NV = $65, three day delivery. Beats $150 airline fee.

Although you are to be commended for the idea, there are many places where you would have trouble:
Josephine Falls reroute after Elkford Canada, the road/stream on Flathead Pass, Richmond Peak Montana (parts are damn dangerous - even on a bike), Lava Mtn Trail Montana, several misc. places in Montana where the road/trail gets real nasty even for a bike, Union Pass hike-a-bike (but I'll bet there is a reroute around it this year).

Having never been on a modern trike, I can imagine that with the dual wheel stance you will have a rough time what with picking the 'best' line through rocky/potholed sections. Many times, even tho being careful to ride the best line, I have found myself apologizing to my bike! I would think a trike will have triple the trouble (ie: hard to pick the best line for three wheels tracks vs one). Another issue may be snowed in sections (passes) where you have to walk the trike long distances, and possibly over downfalls or avalanche debris

You might be better off riding those parts that you can and going on paved routes around the tough parts. I would strongly encourage you to not sign up for the actual TD race if you are not racing the actual route, rather sign up for the TD trail tracking - same basic map, SPOT tracking, etc. - and designed for those who are touring the route and do not have to follow the TD rule set.

Your're a good and creative caregiver - Best of luck!

A lot more snow than average in Wyoming, and a bit more than average in Montana. Not sure of snow in Canada.

Wyoming snowpack map http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/wy_swepctnormal_update.pdf
Note that the route goes through the Wind River range (Togwotee and Union Passes) that sit at 199 percent of normal snow.

Togwotee Pass historic and present snow data: https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/snow/snowplot.cgi?TOGW4
Note that the snow depth is roughly the same as in 2011, a major snow year.

Montana snowpack: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/mt_swepctnormal_update.pdf
Route goes through the Flathead, passes of mention include Whitefish, Red Meadow Lake, Stemple, and Richmond.

This topic gets kicked around every year, and snow melt for the next 7 weeks will tell. If too much melt (as in Idaho lowlands presently) then flooding, if not enough, then reroutes around some passes possible, ala 2011 for example. In 2011 the race (no Canadian Flathead Valley), veered from going over Whitefish Pass to cutting through to Lower Whitefish Lake, then around Richmond Pass, modified on Stemple Pass, around Togwotee/Union to going through Jackson , to Pinedale - not an ACA alternate route!

While 'fun' to speculate, normally reroutes will not be decided upon until late - so no panic if you don't hear from Matthew or Scott until even a few days/hours before the race. I would familiarize myself with the ACA alternate route from Sparwood-Fernie-Rooseville (nice and fast - fairly flat- had to take it in 2013 due to flooding), in case the Canadian Flathead is snowed in. I make my own GPS routes from Google Earth for the ACA alternates, and save them separately just in case. Or get the latest Shimano Dogsled!

Personally I am anticipating reroutes. It's still a race!

On the other hand, the news that Josh is racing made my heart sink: now I've got to settle for SECOND place - drat! 

Glen

By the way...

A fund for Mike Hall's family has been set up as a Just Giving page at:  https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Mikehall

First place, around the world race
Twice first place, Tour Divide
First place, Trans Am race

First place, in our hearts forever