I changed the default to an ESRI 'topo' map -- do you guys think it is any more detailed?  The "Imagery" layer is pretty darn close to google's.

Yeah, that is much better thanks Scott.

Nice effort Cloudrider. Shame you had to pull the pin.

Thanks Scott. I thought it might have been something like that. I wonder when/how they are going to start charging the general public for using it?

DaveW, I was going to ride down and Spot stalk Steve at Woodenbong but I’ve been crook since I last saw you so missed that opportunity. He is doing well and has outstanding self motivation!

I bet Steve Halligan’s head is spinning now that he has hit the heady delights of Byron Bay.
He has a pretty healthy 2800km lead over Brendan so he could enjoy a week on the beach to recover.
Not really liking the mapping option on Trackleaders either. Is this the new standard map or a “tiered” Trackleaders package?

Well, 11 adventurers set off from the northern tip of Australia today heading south (mostly) on the Terra Australis route. It is going to be one tough, long ride with thousands of kilometres (metric miles) of outback riding before they even get to the big hills......
Follow their progress here - http://trackleaders.com/terraustralis18

Go Go Go Aaron D!

Yeah! Go Aaron!!
How late in the season is this attempt? Was JP’s record run a few years back this late?

I'm just now getting to it, great stuff Dave!!

Glad you like it mate. Lots of typing time when you peck away with only two fingers....

I have finally finished my write up on how I saw the 2018 AZTR 750. I think it took me longer to write about it than to actually race it - you may need hydration and a burrito to get through.......
https://dave-livingthedream.blogspot.com/2018/05/2018-arizona-trail-race-750-good-bad.html

   Lewis Ciddor is here with me at the Bike Ranch here Hachita.   First Australian, 28 yrs young, bike messenger, has only been bikepacking about 2.5 years.  More pics soon.

Outstanding effort, that!! Well done Lewis and thanks for the photo SWTH.

Seriously!!!  how'd he do what he did with so little gear!?  Or maybe that's why he was so fast

Ability to suffer - thats how he went so fast with so little gear. That is what seperates the really fast from the mid-pack amatuers (of which I am one!)

As for missing a turn? I took a wrong trail climbing Marshall Pass in 2015. I discovered I was off track when I came back onto the route so I descended the route until I found where I went off then turned around and climbed again. I was pissed with myself but thankful I discovered it when I did, not a day later when it would have been impossible to rectify. I wonder if the guy that missed Gold Dust even knows he missed it!

Also, go Lewis!! Only 200km to go and it’s (almost) all downhill!

Jill - there are a some who declared at the outset that they are NOT RACING to AW from the outset - Gary Braun, Bill Littmann, Chantal Hindrup, Mckayla Holloway, Chris Hubick, Sharan Gurkar, Grace Ragland and Shem Simmons.

All of those "Alternators" know 100% that they will be relegated. (Other than one odd Spot turned off/on). The TD these days ONLY relegates people for route violations and no-one seems to self relegate for other rules breaches - people even write themselves about rules violations ... but even pre-2010 that was happening (e.g. people drafting). [Toby Gadd was great at keeping this point alive.]. If this is a change then perhaps you can make the call to call people out - you've surely read the same blogs / books / articles and know exactly what I am talking about ... but we've both chosen to stay silent on it. However by staying silent perhaps we are not helping to maintain the "gentleman's agreement" ethos underlying the premise of self-supported ultra racing. Toby was stellar at keeping that alive but was basically driven out of writing here years ago by the tone of the discussion on bikepacking.net.

I personally know RS (who is biking with WS) and they absolutely trained to race - but as Mike Tyson said: "Everyone has a plan until you're punched in the face". In their case they adapted and decided not to turn off the Spot and go home, but to adapt and try to continue as best they can. I think we can all agree that that is the true TD and bikepacking ethos - have a plan, try to execute it, and if it goes to hell then come up with a new plan.

This discussion in various guises has been rumbling on for years on bikepacking.net, with past comments even on how anyone over XXX days should be removed (yes, removed!) from the Trackleaders page. But I don't recall when anyone here (including me) has been brave enough here to post when a front runner or friend breaks the rules. 

Dave

Jill/Iowagrjz I agree with you guys completely.

Dave

If you aren't racing, don't get a Spot tracked on the race page. Or nominate so Scott can make your dot white from the start.  If you intend following the rules and going as hard as YOU can, great, you ARE racing.  Racing yourself and the route.   That's what the TDR is about, otherwise you are just touring.
As for calling out rule violations? Do it! This is a race, not a popularity contest. You can try being popular if you are touring.
Rant over, as you were. ....

The climb out of Elkford is somewhat steep, but paved, and a fairly steady grade. I think it hurt more because it was the first thing out of the gate when I left Elkford in the AM. The climb up from Corbin wasn't too bad from my recollection, but there was the "road that became a river" on the back side of it that required some HAB. Based on the photos I've seen, I'd say the Koko route is probably tougher.
 from a riding standpoint (but I haven't ridden it).

Yeah, Steve, I would agree. Koko looks more like AZTR than TD.  

Ok, so where will the golden spike be? It's normally around Brush Mtn in Colorado but Dom is powering so I am guessing somewhere around Atlantic City or even Pinedale? Which way will the wind blow in The Basin? Dom could be in for a free ride there.

Can anyone on route grab some shots of Dom Irvine for us dot watchers, please?

It looks like Jason Carter (ITT) is off route in The Basin or is using an old route gpx/aca maps. I don't think the ride into Rawlins is anything special.....

Dave, I think that koko does add some time.  It's a bit hard to say exactly but I'd say maybe 2-3 hours.  It's really hard to say for certain yet as the weather plays such a pivotal role as well and we don't have enough runs through Kokos to say for certain yet.  The thing that koko does do, in my opinion, is add a potential for early injury if one isn't careful.  Namely Achilles strains.  It is a very steep, long walk up.  Also, the descent down isn't anything to sneeze at.  Fairly risky downhill in TD terms.  Definitely feels like more climbing to the point of rejoining the old trail in the Flathead.

In 2016 I made it over the top of cabin pass on night one.  In 2015 I made it about 40 miles short of Cabin Pass.  In 2014 I made it to Sparwood on night one.  Last year, via Kokos, I made it just past Fernie and didn't reach to the top of Cabin pass till a few hours later on the morning of day 2.  However, I was in superb fitness in 2016 and mediocre in 2017 and regularly fit in 2015 and 2014 but fairly inexperienced and with much heavier kit than 2016 or 2017.
I would say on average that just past Fernie, via Kokos, is the equivalent of getting to Butts Cabin on the old course.
Kokos is much prettier than the old route as you don't have all the mining to ride by but I do miss the "rivulets" on the road we all had to wade through after passing Corbin pass area.

Thanks Josh (and Iowagriz/andrewk). It looked like a rugged climb up Koko this year with all of the trees down. So, all up, not much difference time wise but it might work the riders harder, early on in the race?
 Cheers.
Also - “regularly fit in 2015”...........

This has probably been answered somewhere in the past but how does the Koko Claims reroute compare to the old Elkford, Sparwood, Corbin, Flathead route? Yes Koko is a nasty climb but there was a big climb out of Elkford on the old route, then another up from Corbin too. Just asking as to the relevance of the green pace flags being the old route versus this new one?
Cheers.
P.S. Go the Aussies!!

Pretty amazing to me how far in first place overall Dom Irvine, Nobo, is right now.  50 years old and blazing!

Yeah, he is blazing along! Missing the Gila HAB and the Polvadera Mesa would save a lot of time though. They were the standout butt kickers from my ride.
Great to see so few scratches so far as the weather hasn't been terribly awesome up north I hear.

  One of these years a NB rider will win & folks will realize it's the better direction... ;-)

If I did the race again I would be going Nobo (not that I would be anywhere near winning pace  ). That Gila kicked my butt Sobo and I would prefer to get it out of the way early while still fresh-ish. Shame the racers missed the Gila H.A.B. this year. 

Dom is crushing it so far. Lets hope he can keep it up. Anyone know anything about the NoBo rider Swiz?

Looks like the first scratch is Grizzly Adam. Didn't even make it as far as last year?!

Come up and play with the crocodiles and snakes in your own back yard...

After you, kind sir.....

Hughie, I hear you. I have suffered serious FOMO for the last three years but I can revisit those feelings to some extent through my unnecessarily detailed blog of my ride. This is the reason I have the blog, to detail the highs and lows so as to jog my fading memory, not for self promotion.......so please don’t read it.....
I can’t wait to see those dots start rolling down the trail. I just hope there is an easy, all in one place to follow the action. Coverage seems to be getting splintered more and more with us dot watchers the losers.

Cool, thanks. In the end, it's all just pedaling...

Going for some redemption this year, Grizzly?

Hi,

First post here!

Just bought flights to Denver from the UK to have a go at this epic event, however having some problems with US Customs / Homeland Security!  I need to apply for an ESTA (Even as a UK Citizen from birth), which requires I have a POC in the USA - name and address.  I don't know anybody in Colorado, so struggling with this... Any ideas?

Changed a bit from my last trip to Colorado in 2012...

We need to do the ESTA thing from Oz as well. I just give a hotel where I think I will be staying the first night. Didn't get asked again upon entry in April just gone.

Put it on a trolly, check in, and drop at oversized. It is not a complicated or arduous task.

Even if it was an arduous or complicated task it would be perfect training for the TD. Get used to words like hard, arduous, brutal, painful, awkward, cold, hot and even mind-numbing. They, plus many more, will get much use during your ride.