So what will he do starting tomorrow?  After 14 days with near bottomless riding, he's done with the tourdivide.  Mike, seriously, what will you do immediately after this?

Return leg?

I have had guys come by who are doing some respectable mileage, a bit much to mention that the race is sort of over.

Today was the busiest day for riders, now seeing clumps? come through. Not really peletons.

I have just had an Australian refuse a free Beer.

Wonder if he will be stipped of his Citizenship?

Mike is actually English, he lives in Cardiff.

I had two Brothers stop by about 5 years ago who are Welsh and poke it. I think there had been some doubt amongst the locals as to whether there was an actual Welsh language or I was pulling their legs.

It was my Chef's birthday so they sang Happy Birthday in Welsh.

it does not seem to work like that. Mike spent the night, admittedly he arrived about 10.30 and probably would have kept going if he had been here a few hours before.

The main difference seems to be the number of hours in the saddle, not how much time they spend here and there. There was a lady who came by last year who seemed to have chatted with everybody she met, but was still doing an excellent time.

Is this the beginning of the end of the 2013 TD?  Mike has what, 180 miles to go???  He can spin that out before noon right?  

The fun will continue for days to come.  Watching the rest of the field jockey and push for better positions and faster times.  Go, go, go!!!

I am at the 2/3rd mark give or take and the main field has yet to arrive.

PS Thomas had Dales Pale Ale, the Steam Engine Third Eye blew just before he got here and he helped move the barrel in! No need for needles etc to rehydrate here.

I guess the next target will be 200 miles a day.

Thomas Lane left 30 minutes ago, trying to work out where to aim for tonight, has no need to stop in Salida.

Many guys just went through Como today, Gunther stopped and had a beer.

Tim kept going despite being shouted at by Gunther. They seemed to have camped at Hartsel, not a good spot.

I told Gunther about the detours further south, he did not know about them, I am unclear how riders are told?

I am reminded of many years ago when I used to to the London to rides.

The London to Brighton is limited to I think 30,000. Many more just do it, it is all on public roads.

If memory serves me right the official start is at 6am so the fast movers would be back in London before many had started.

So what?

Now that would be silly.

All of the 2012 southbound finishers rode the full route. There were snow detours in 2011 and I believe a fire detour in 2010 (?) 2009 and 2008 finishers rode the full route. Riders contested the border-to-border route from 2004-2007.

If you want to be literal about it, though, no one has ridden the exact same route during any year of the Tour Divide. In 2008 they rode the Fernie route through Canada. In 2009, the Flathead segment was added. In 2010, fire detours. In 2011, snow detours. And in 2012, there were the two singletrack sections (Gold Dust Trail and CDT in NM) that had been added a few years earlier, which the 2009 crowd did not ride. And this year, it seems there will be fire detours again. So, in that regard, it's always been a little different.

I have had a few people come down the Gold Dust, it goes from the edge of Como to the top of Boreas Pass. This year the top couple of miles are on the route. The lower section is semi serious Singletrack so would be challenging for those hauling gear and very challenging for those heading north.

It does form part of the third loop of the Breck 100.

Big detours that would affect the time substantially, yes.

So how is that determined?

I think last year only one guy did the whole route.

So any detours and it can not be up for a record?

It is all downhill in Colorado, apart from the bits that go up.

Liam stopped and had a drink, now he is not originally from Australia so the drink was non alcoholic, he wanted to get to Salida tonight which seems a stretch. He had a bad day with achilles but is confident of catching the 2 in front.

Brian's SPOT has been playing up, met him a mile or so outside town walking the puppy. He is feeling good and also aiming for Salida, more likely stop past Hartsel, he likes to stop 10 ish and then get going in the early hours.

Looks like he is going past Roberts Cabin, so another 10-15 minutes.

Beware Liam! - knowing my brother, he's never going to give up chasing down AH and JO. I'm incredibly proud of what he has achieved here - as a real rookie, he's still up there holding his own with the best. And it looks like he's had a great day today! Go Liam!!!

Hopefully he will pop in, I have found my Camera, well one of them, the other is still a mystery.

Alex and James blew through Como, I did not see them.

Looks like Liam will be here about 5pm, Brian maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow.

I really think this is more of a race against yourself. There are no prizes, no grandstands in Antelope Wells, and no fat checks waiting at the finish line for the "winner" of the grand depart. I listened to Billy Rice's explanation last night and I think he put it really well. Basically, the race is you against your goal, not against the other riders. If I set out to do it in 21 days, and I do it in 19, then in my mind, I just won. Yes it's a race, and let's not forget that, but I think everyone is a little lost on exactly who or what their opponent is.

Absolutely, just to finish it is a major accomplishment.

I paid more attention last year to the expected times that each person put down and the time taken to get here. Usually the number of days to get here was about how long they had put down for the whole course.

There seem to be many serious contenders who never get this far, wondered whether that was down to the inevitable fact that most will not be able to match initial high expectations. Those with a more realistic attitude seem more likely to finish.

Well said proud Mum, he's doing a great ride as is Alex H [no tent for a sleepover?!]

I'm mildly fascinated by Brit SoBo ITT Kerrin Walker. Cruised along after an early depart [he's on 19 days now] and let Mike Hall go straight past near Pinedale/Atlantic City then jumped on Craig'S wheel for a couple of days without any apparent discomfort. Craig departs and next bloke along is Jesse C so he goes domestique lead out man yesterday and today for Jesse.

Conspiracy theory? Is this some British strategy ...does the guy talk a lot, cause distractions, lulls the chasers into a false sense of disillusionment...   

No lead out, they were cycling side by side. Anyway Jesse is Australian and Craig Canadian.

Kerrin has a plane to catch and a job to get back to and intended to hang with Jesse as long as he could to speed his process to the finish.

Some people like Mike are happy cycling alone, others like company, it is very common for rides to come through in groups, you find one or more people who are going at the same pace as you or thereabouts and stick with them. These groups form and reform down the route.

I think Craig would still be in it if he had been able to hang with Mike.

X3

For the non Americans following this thread, the US Media has a LOT of advertising for prescription and non prescription drugs.

One of those things that is very odd to an outsider.

When you say "riders" do you mean racers?

I don't think there are many forum members who are not riders at some level.  I can't imagine there are too many people willing to read this stuff if they don't actually ride.

Those riding the Divide.