And yet GPS units, which receive a signal from space, pushed out from satellites that cost billions of dollars to place in orbit, with untold millions of dollars in infrastructure, mapping, etc. are OK?

?

Touche'  

Steve

New TDR signs - good or bad idea?

Don't know if I have the ability to follow through with this idea but I'll put it out there anyway. The company that I work for has a very nice large automated laser cutter. We usually work with normal steel but use stainless steel for 5-10% of the projects. They also don't mind if employees have small projects that can fit into the scrap sections of a large cutting project. The steel sheets are around 8 feet wide by 16 feet long. A sheet can weigh several thousand pounds depending on thickness. The operator just keeps a little library on the side (Solidworks) and inserts designs as space becomes available on a sheet. One guy made signs for a local church camp. I was thinking about the occasional wrong turn plus considering that the basic TDR is likely to continue for many years like the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Trail, etc. I could make signs out of sheet stainless steel and send them out to people who live along the route for installation. I could personally handle putting up signs in most of Wyoming in a long weekend starting at the turn on Togwotee Pass. The signs wouldn't mark every single turn - just the ones that are easily missed. All signs would be the same and could be Any design if someone wants to work something up. Maybe it would be TDR in 8 inch high letters. I'd have our friend in Cora, WY put one on his gate to indicate that it was a welcome place to camp.

This company has given my son a few bucks this year towards getting ready for the TDR so Management is already aware of it. So many people are following his progress here that I should take advantage of the TDR publicity and present the idea when he arrives back in town.

Good idea? Does it rub people, purists, the wrong way?

I think it's a nice gesture. I also think you're correct in your assessment, the purist won't like it. I would liken it to the affixing permanent ropes to Mt. Everest. It basically "dumbs down" an epic event. I am drawn to the TD for it's self reliant nature, anything to remove decision's, no matter how small makes it less attractive to me. That said, it's still a nice and generous gesture to the community.

There you have it. The saline deal in this thread has had an effect on a competitor. I feel for Eric, he now has something also to deal with besides the course, the conditions and his seat post clamp. If he felt the need to comment, it's weighing on his mind.

Steve

Here's the quote from the TD website:

"There is no finish time cut-off, however, current convention considers a competitive Divide Route finish time as approximately 1.5 times (x) course records."

If Mike finishes in 14 days the "competitive" finish time will be 21 days for men.  Personally, I wish this statement would be eliminated from the rules.  It seems pretty meaningless to tell someone they are not competitive if they finish in 22 days and are in the top half of the field.

Thank you.....my point exactly.

A 24-25 day time is great..... it's an incredible accomplishment.  It's an incredible accomplishment to do it in 30 days, or 40 days.  You still have to ride strong and rely on yourself and survive 2745 miles and deal with the weather, riding conditions, resupply strategies etc.  Just because you aren't within spitting distance of a record doesn't mean that you didn't do something awesome, and maybe you had a chance to enjoy more interaction with great people along the way - and they had a chance to feel like part of your adventure.  

Understood, excellent analysis. I think the disparity is simply a function of mortals like me riding side by side with super human riders like MH, CS, JP and the like. even if it's only for about 3 minutes. One of the only sports I know of where the record holder and the 30-40 day guy start an event possibly side by side.

Here's an idea...start another thread and discuss IV therapy and other tangential issues there.  I'm tired of having to read through all those friggin' posts in this thread..the TD '13 Race Discussion thread.  And I don't mean family perspectives/comments, etc.  I love that stuff.

Ya dig???

x2

In fact, it's a tiny bit depressing for everybody. Whatever happens in the rest of this race, everybody knows that 200+ miles a day is achievable. But right now, only one person can achieve it. It means a "competitive" ITT (1.5 x record) might soon be 20 days! When the middle/back of the race staggers into Steamboat/Salida not only will the uber-cool guys in the bike shop have the pleasure of telling them the race is won, there will also be the unspoken question, "Why are you even bothering...?"

This was my exact thought as I was looking at the sub13 day expected times a few days ago. I'll be 53 next year and "felt" a 24-25 day time was great. Now it feels like I would be a "lapper"

Brian Steele called in from The Montana High Country Lodge. The call breaks up some and cuts off but he said he has a fractured wrist but is continuing. Brian Jett called in from the Montana High Country Lodge. Chris Arndt called in from The Places. Eric Foster called in from the Togwatee Lodge. He’s stuck with a broken seat clamp. Forest Baker called in from Rawlins. Nick Legan called in from the Togwatee Lodge. And Tom Lane called in from Pinedale.
http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td13/

I've been following Eric's triple crown progress. Dang the guy can't catch a break. A broken seat clamp!!!

Question for anyone with medical knowledge.  What prophylactic/emergency antibiotics do people carry or recommend for this sort of event.  Disclosure - I am an anaesthesiologist married to a physician travelling with a surgeon, but none of us has any infectious disease experience.  I was thinking along the lines of a stat course of tinidazole (4 x500mg) for giardiasis/diarrhoea and a weeks worth of 500mg BD Ciprofloxacin for any other systemic illnesses or wound infections.

I could see a travel medicine specialist, but I am working every day until I leave and the hospital pharmacy can get me whatever I write a script for.

Cheers, Nick

Just mentioning what a ER Dr. Friend of mine warned me about. Cipro can cause Achilles tendon issues, up to and including complete separation. I have heard the same thing from two separate physicians.

I figure the same Giardia meds but Doxcy for an antibiotic.

Steve 

The S-Works tires are a trade-off towards light weight at the expense of durability and longevity.  Something for a race which doesn't last 2700 miles.  I find the control casing (e.g. Captain Control, Purgatory Control) tires to wear well, resist sidewall damage and be very consistently easy to run tubeless.  Any of their tires in control casing would fare much better on such a torture tour than an equivalent S-Works version of same.  Captain or Purgatory would probably be too much tire for the divide but the Fast Track sounds interesting ...

Hi Red,

In agreement with your assessment. I run a Fast Track Control front and a Fast Track Grid rear. I live in Arizona and in some area's I ride it's rocky as heck. The S-Works, no matter how much I tried can't handle the rocks. That said, the Control in the rear had issues in the rocks. I believe the nature of the TD would allow for at least Control's front and rear. And they do roll my friend.

As far as Stans drying up, I get probably 45 days here in the summer heat before the little rubber coral thingy shows up.

Thanks a lot Bob ., cheers simon
Ps If there are any Australian riders out there looking at the TD 2014 feel free to get in contact - via post or personal email. simon

Hi Simon,
Not an Aussie but I've been to the N.T. I will be a rookie in 2014 as well. Looking forward to meeting you in Banff.

Steve

Christopher,

One year and three weeks.  

I'm going to call Peter again this week and make my decision as to this or the route Forest went.

Thanks again for the advice.

Best of luck!!!

Steve

I'm running a SON hub on my Stan's Arch EX's. Absolutely amazing. I'v a Supernova E3 headlight and tail light. Also runs my GPS and charges cell phone (when light is off). It's great to be so power independent. Don't notice the drag when riding.  I'm using "The Plug" to power the devices. It's a USB port which fits on top of your step. Tidy kit.

Christopher,
Are you running a 29er? I spoke to Peter White about it and he recommends the E Werks or USB Werks, to interface with GPS and phones, I have forgotten. He also recommends the Son28 for use with the 29" wheel due to it's slower hub rotation with the larger wheel. "The Plug" is there a "cache battery" required in there someplace, I think I'm reasoning the plug replaces the E Werks? Geez, just when I though I had a moment of clarity

Steve

I ride a supernova dynamo hub from 1 year. Is light, powerful and fast rolling. When you ride is impossible to note the friction from the hub.
I have 1'000 lumens EVER (if i have power in my legs i have lights) and via a little cache battery i have infinite power for my devices (gps on the day and power for phone and camera in the night, when i sleep).
The weight... My wheels (crest, american Classic rear hub and Sapim laser spokes) is 1750gr.
If I add a 1000 lumens Led light (Magic shine) with one battery on a pair of wheel builded with the same components (but with AC hub in the front wheel) i have the same weight, but with only 2,5 hrs of full power light...
For me is the best choice for the adventures!

Thanks Marco,

Does the hub generate A/C or D/C and what is required to charge phones and GPS devices?. Also, your response to Seal Skinz, why did your feet get wet? was it from the water coming in or your feet sweating?

Thanks for your help.

Steve

Forest,

Thank you for the info, the Sun hub is a power generating front hub, runs your light at night and charges your GPS, Phone, etc during the daylight hours. It does offer some resistance but allows you to carry no charging devices or extra batteries. Down side is just the extra weight of the hub and the small amount of resistance. For simplicity, I think you've helped me decide.

Thanks,

Steve

For those of you still gathering your things, I just posted my gear list for the Tour Divide this year: http://teamkaker.com/tour-divide-gear-list-2013/

This "hobby" is expensive! I estimate that the cost of my bike and gear comes in close to $7k.

Enjoy the bike porn!

Forest

Hi Forest,

Thank you for posting your gear. I closely checked it out. I have 2 questions. First is 3L enough? I realized we all hydrate differently, but if a 100oz and a 20 oz. bottle is adequate between water opportunities, that answers lots of nagging questions. I will carry a Sawyer Squeeze as well.

Second, is your lighting solution adequate? it seems pretty simple. I was really thinking about the Sun 28 hub but, simplicity looks pretty appealing as well,

Thanks again,

Steve

I had the Renegade S-Works 2Bliss as a rear last year for TD. It did work great - but didn't last long. It was nearly bald by Pinedale. Still lasted without a flat until Steamboat, and by then it was as smooth as a baby's butt.

Hi Trebor,
You had no trouble with the ultra light S-Works sidewalls? I used to run them here in Arizona but had sidewall failures nearly weekly. If the TD route would be sidewall friendly, I would absolutely run S-Works. I believe over 2700 miles it would equate to a surprising time difference. I think I will run the Fast Track tread due to the extra knob thickness.

Thanks,

Steve

I'm surprised that there is not much talk about Specialized tires.  Both the Renegade and Fast Track are awesome fast rolling tires that wear very well.  I use them on all my mountain bikes.  They work fine with Stans sealant also. 

I was wondering the same thing. The "fast track" tread was actually tested in a wind tunnel for efficiency. I run the Control carcass front and the Grid UST carcass in the rear, Use exclusively in the  sharp Arizona rocks. Spin fast, hold corners well and wear satisfactorily. Will send a set to Salida in front of me. 

Congrats and Kudos to all the racers. I've been following this since the start. With all the stomach issues, why doesn't anyone keep a couple Cypro or Doxcy tabs in their stuff? or do you and it isn't working?

Thanks,

Steve

First let me state, I have participated in several internet forum's. This site is really the only one I have seen that most, if not all the discussion stays just that, discussion. I see pissing matches start on forums over the most silly things and commend this forums participants for their gentlemanly behavior.

I am participating in 2014. I have been training physically with a coach for the last 10 months and (barring injuries or setbacks) will have nearly 24 months in prior to the start. I will be 52 at the start. My goal is simply to finish.

With this forums help, I hope to be better preparred for the challenges of all manner, physically, mentally, mechanically that are bound to arise. I may even try JP's school. It certainly cannot hurt your odd's.

I just hope everyone remembers that there are, I'm sure many lurkers such as myself, who come here to learn from others experience.

Steve