Greg, congrats on finishing, even tho DQ'd (family visitation).

Not to get twitchy, and I mean this in a positive way, but I agree that you took a hard line on places along the route. I enjoyed most of the read, and appreciate all the effort to compose it.

Some thoughts: The mines you mentioned happened to contribute to the US making all kinds of war implements that were needed to supply our European allies during two world wars,  and Butte is the home of Robert J. "Rob" O'Neill, the Navy Seal that pulled the trigger on Usama Bin Laden - you're welcome. I feel for your trying to sleep and having someone disrupt it (it's happened to me), although you are ready to actually fight a stranger later when you are the one being noisy at night. I agree that a lot of people riding 4 wheelers or motorcycles could benefit from riding bicycles.

 In short, what Briansong said. Sure hope you take a kinder look at things. I know the Euro view of America is a bit slanted, and same with our view of 'over there'. Here's hoping you try to see the whole picture. (By the way, we share a mutual friend - not saying who).

A few years back the forum had a raging series re ethics of the race. One of the top points made was that racers must call out others for infractions, rather than Matt or Scott doing so. I respect and appreciate Scott and Matt tremendously, but do feel they should be consistent when relegating racers (ie colored dots, listings as 'off route' etc.) - if done for one, done for all. [What am I saying! Crap, next year my dot will be black.  ] Matt almost blew a fifty amp fuse for all the grief he got for being a referee - not fair and can't blame him. I don't know Guy Martin. Have no ill will against him, and no idea why he followed the route he did. Just riding the darn thing is quite an accomplishment.

While I've tried twice, and failed both times, I know what it means to follow the ethics and rules of the race. I feel that any true racer should be obsessed with studying the race and ethos thereof. As I've said, the greatest honor possible as a racer is declaring your own violations, if any. No one likes a snitch. However, no one likes to have followed the rules and then have others who don't claim equal honor and 'glory'.

In the end, each racer carries the inner struggles of their race, but also bears the outer flak of others. The TD is not a collection of ITT's - rather a community loosely bound by mutual respect, understanding of the rules and ethics, and honor. When you enter the arena, you take on the aura those who honorably have come before. Those 'ghost' dots can be felt on route.

So watcha saying, chatty man? Just this - Dave is right on, the community must self-police, and no one should get panties too far embedded when we discuss these things among ourselves. (Where did Toby Gadd go? Ethical Gadd, or E-Gadd for short - ha)

Hope to meet you all next year!

WTF - Guy Martin is claiming a TD finish after skipping Spray Lakes / Brush Mountain / CDT Alternative / not following the route around Fish Lake/Union Pass or Atlantic City, or out of Steamboat, plus others!?! Certainly it is not "proper" and I am surprised no-one else is calling him out on it. #followtheroute. He's clearly relegated and the dot should have changed colour on day 1 when he missed Spray Lakes.

Yeh, amen to that. Something not sitting quite right, what with all the special celebrity treatment - just sayin'....

I'm running under a pseudonym next year, perhaps 'Muy Gartin' ? And I demand only brown M&M's and Perrier in my dressing room!

#‎TourDivide16‬ Hal Russell called in with his finish call!

http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td16/

For those that don't know Hal - he's a great guy, humble and friendly. Hal is the type of rider that is the 'glue' holding the race together. We focus a lot on the winners, and rightly so, yet so many others are out there with a neat story too.

I was proud to have met Hal last year and bump into him along the race. I consider him and 'old guy', as I am a full year younger!

Good on ya Hal!

Any clues on Connor? He's been at Buffalo Valley Ranch for 12 hours?

Marty Johnson has his spot tent in Cuba since yesterday - anyone know if he is still riding w SPOT malfunction, or ??   
Rode w him last year and stalking this year.

Hal Russell on the way to Grants - go Hal! One heck of a nice guy! 

An ITT worth watching: Connor O'Leary started from Banff at 5 am, now going up Flathead Pass (160 miles in, at 9 pm).
Last year he was running with the big dogs, until injury in Ovando.

Sez target is 14 days...

Reminder: Chris' old record 19 days. Currently on track for 15 days 8 hours.

Next up: Race for third between Kevin (single speed) and Sofaine (gears). 5 miles separates them.

This has been one stunning year for the record book!

And to all those still riding - be proud and keep going!

Did he make any statements about a goal?  I would think sub-14 would have been the mark he was shooting for.

What do you think the limit is?  You can always shave off 10 minutes from the previous run, right?

Fun to speculate. In the past near-history of the TD, record times have fallen by 21%. Performance increase is not linear forever tho. Most performance curves for human powered activities are parabolic, that is, they flatten out after a steeper upward curve. Going from 15 days to 14 days is easier (NOT for me!) that 14 to 13, etc..

So, how fast can the next winner race? Some performances are punctuated by exceptional individual performances: Did you see Lael coming along before last year and destroying the record? No.  Expect Mike/JP/Josh/... to try for sub 14 days. Yep. Expect some future racer to do a sub-13 day? Hmmmm....

Me? I'll be happy to finish! Third time is a charm----- :>

Single Speed: MY KNEES HURT thinking about it! Hats off to those who can and do.

Mike Hall: Now at 13 days one hour ride time, fully rested. Kato's 2015 time from Mike's location was 20 hours to the border.

13:20:00 projected time? Wooof !! Good on ya Mikey!

I accuse The Geologist in the Magma Chamber with the Burrito.

Hey, gettin' kinda personal there - and it wasn't a burrito!

Lael is officially "in the family", like endurance mafia. Not OT at all to recognize a record holder! If it's purity you want, I suggest Pro Wrestling. :>

Lael Wilcox WINS the Trans Am bike race !!!!!!!!  18:00:10

Ya, I know it's the TD forum...

Lael Wilcox is in second place in the Trans Am. Over two days faster than the 2014 women's record! Woooof !!!

PS Can we have two TD categories please? One for mortals, another for Mike Hall !

And on a related note: Trans Am - packleaders.

Lael Wilcox is in second place, 2 miles behind Stefen Streich as they pass the 3,600 mile mark! Evan Deutsch is third, 6 miles behind Lael.

Take a look under Trackleaders Trans Am 2016 tracking.

Go for it Lael !   

Hearty Hal Russell does Fleecer at night! Puts to shame the youngsters, eh? 

Ride on Hal - we be watching! 

I just read that Yellowstone is being evacuated due to fear of the "Massive Volcano" eminent eruption? Any one else hear of this and will our portion of the there be effected?

Relax, the Geologist is here!    I'm familiar with Yellowstone in an odd way. In 1959 (August 10th) our family was camped along the Madison River there. We left, and seven days later an earthquake caused a landslide to bury all the campers, and create Quake Lake. So rather than be part of the geologic record, I went on to record geology.

Anyway, back to the mega chamber Supervolcano explosive event that's coming. When? Aha! That's the question - and I'm not telling. Will be lots of warning; quake swarms, magma chamber rising to shallow levels, swelling of large land areas, geysers and hot pools will go 'funny' (technical term!), etc..

If it goes, Matt will be busy notifying all racer's next of kin as to the new re-route. Gonna be a big noise! Bad from Banff to Mexico.

Y'all relax - eh? 

Josh - You've been an inspiration to us all. Turn this into something good - to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield! Let Kharma take care of the bastard.

Bill Littman - anyone know what a) caused his return to Banff (knees?), and b) what's up with the route he is on now (deviated from Graves Creek Road)?

And finally- Chris Plesko, another rider not of this earth! Crush it Chris!

Hi, new kid here, from the UK
Mike Hall rode first big distance on Di2 on Trans Am race i think, he actaully went out to see how many miles he could do on a single charge and completed the 4000+ miles.

He has a spare Di2 battery with him i think from the limited kit he does take, amazes me that he needs less than i do for a single night away!

Lael Wilcox is on the Trans Am - had Di2 battery go out a couple of days into the race. Has spare and charged the first one that night.

TWO women in the Trans Am leader pack, by the way!

Hey Flinch- are you local? Have to catch a beer some time
I am going to try to get some pics and post later today

Unfortunately - no - I LIKE beer! I figured that Mike was at Jax (best milkshakes on planet) and called there to pass on message - they gave phone to Mike.

Just talked with Mike Hall - in Eureka.
Mike wanted the word passed that the SPOT trouble appeared to be that the batteries had jostled loose from the contacts. He thinks it is fixed now. Seems in good spirits!

Glen