I have been on pace for 26 days for most of the race. Then on Monday I screwed up coming down Magnus before the baptist church water fill.  I have no idea what happened but I crashed and had to take an hour and a half ambulance ride to Socorro(I think that was the city). My son who is racing this year as well (we ride all day alone because his pace is much faster than mine. He was at the church wondering where I was when I showed up in complete disarray. He accompanied me in the ambulance. They stitched my ear, eye, right knee, right elbow, left elbow(plus added a tube in the elbow) and I hurt my back.  24 hrs later we got a ride back to the church where our bikes were and pushed on. Still trying for 27 days we started up the CDT last night late(we did not do the reroute because we came to do as much of the whole original route as possible. All of a sudden about 11pm last night my son became violently ill. Throwing up literally all night. We knew we could not come back down to the Sapilla CG until daylight. Took three hours to walk down with my completely delirious child( who had been talking about doing it next year without me in 23 days. A forest ranger said he was in trouble and needed to have an ambulance get him to Silver City.  So here I sit waiting on the answer of what is going on with my son.  And he says to me, "dad we are going to finish thing one way or another.
We have trained for three years for this race as much as possible.  Not all of us just ride bicycles all day every day.  Family school and kids are part of life.
I am done ranting, but if the doc allows him to continue and we do in fact finish.  Would probably be 30 days at this point and if you elitist assess thinks that's too long. Then the hell with you all.  Make it a professional race.


Peter D Kraft Sr.

Best 2013 TD post yet!

Nice.

While watching the TD and seeing some posts in the TD thread regarding family members searching for transportation options from Antelope Wells I started thinking what is needed is a listing of ride resources so people planning a bike packing trip could find need transportation before heading out.  I am thinking about us as a community creating a list and updating it with reliable people who are interested in making a little extra cash by providing riders transportation.  This wouldn't be limited to the Divide route, but for all routes.  The listings would be for end points and anywhere along the route.

We have people who post here that live along many of the routes.  If they, with there local knowledge, know of someone who would like to make a little extra cash now and then hauling cyclists and bikes, they could post the location, name and contact info for the person interested in providing the service.  When one of us has one of those chance meetings that result in a ride, if the provider is interested, post their info.

Over time we could create a valuable service to all bikepackers and bring additional economic benefit to those along the routes.  This would be an incredible resource for those of us who want to do the Divide in pieces over a few years as time allows or for the cyclist with mechanical or health issues along one of the routes.

What do you guys think?  Any ideas as to how to make this happen?

"Daaaaamn! Keeping a Garmin 705 alive for 14 days is as challenging as the TD."

I am in the process of building a rando bike with a Schmidt dyno hub.  It will power lighting and take care of usb charging for a Garmin 800 Edge and an IPhone.  I am no engineer so I won't try to explain the system but the go to guy is Peter White of Peter White Cycles.  He has a ton of write ups on these systems.

Lloyd sounds like a great guy.

In regards to the after race ride thing, it seems like it is an after race activity so the rules regarding assistance during the race should not apply.  I don't want to step on anyone's toes but I have an idea about developing a list of contacts at various locations along the more popular routes for for hire ride assistance.  Such a list would really help those of us who would like to do sections of some of the routes but don't have local contacts.  I will bring this up in the main forum after the race is over.

"now what to call it so nobody is upset?"

How about absolutely F----ING AMAZING.

Also the little tourist place in Separ might be a source of someone who could provide a ride.  Does anyone know the name of that place?  That would be a good relationship to develop for future riders.

Call one of the motels in Lordsburg.  If he needs a place to sleep and stay they would probably know someone who could help.  Lordsburg is a bit economicaly depressed so I am sure someone would be interested.  Best of luck.

An amazing ride!!!!  Congrats to Mike.

I am always a bit shy about the idea of approaching someone's door close to the border.  If you see someone outside that is a different story.  Camping south of 10 is pretty iffy in my mind.  I came across some smugglers in the Sky Mtns a little bit to the west one time and that put the fear of God in me.  Lots of strange stuff going on south of 10.

Are there any open businesses in Hachita?  I don't recall any but I haven't been there in a few years.  I am curious as to water sources on the last leg.  There are tanks but that is off the course.  BP guys are always quick to offer some and there are plenty of them in the area but not something one would want to count on.

Current conditions at Lordsburg:  91 F  wind SE 18  gusts 20

Mike Hall isn't going to get anything easy.  He must be feeling 10 feet tall and totally exhausted.  What a ride!

Reminds me of that old (pre metric) joke, where you find four Irshmen you are sure to find a 5th.

Could it be that frequent trips to the pub is good TD training?

Mike Hall's secret weapon? 

The JET Bicycle - The most dangerous unsafe bike EVER

Winds at Lordsburg NM currently SE at 20 mph.  That sucks.

I am a little cranky this morning.  Probably not enough coffee yet and it is an intervals day.  Anyway, for me, I like to have the option of making a mistake.  That is probably what draws me to the outdoors to start with.  I have several GPSs and I rarely use them.  I prefer map and compass and good obsevation skills.  I like it that way but I don't fault those that like to do it other ways.  Signs would take those choices away.  If you want signs there are lots of paved bike paths.

Screw all that sissy stuff lets just paint a yellow line the the whole way.

It is going to be getting hot the next couple of days.  104 in Lordsburg NM on Friday.

All you need to know about roads in NM can be learned by looking at the windshield of a car from NM.  As I recall there is a mother of a hill right toward the end of the reroute before the long down hill.  It starts at the ruins of the old town.  Last time I was down there was several years ago after a nasty flash flood and it was a mess.

I think the idea of rando like controls with a cut off is a good one.  Those time limits even though very liberal really keep you moving.

Sorry to hear Eric is stressing over some of the things said here.  These guys have enough on their plates without having to deal with that kind of stuff.  Just because you think something doesn't mean it should be blasted all over the internet.  Restraint should be our guiding principal at such times.

It looks like a little confusion with the reroute up front.