Hello folks, just spreading the word about t​he fourth annual Canada Bikepack Summit​, which ​happens September 27-29 in beautiful Canmore, Alberta. We're excited to be hosting another amazing weekend of all-things-bikepacking in the heart of the Canadian Rockies!
  
The Summit weekend features daily group rides around our picturesque mountain headquarters, plenty of unique seminars & talks, an optional pre-Summit overnighter in Kananaskis, great food, great people, swag from our partners…and beer! Look at all those smiling bikepackers at last year's Summit! 

Tickets ($239...Canadian! Great value;) ) are now available, and we do sell out! Space is limited to 50 riders.

Full details & registration are at our Summit webpage www.bikepack.ca/summit

Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/401564957314270/

Cheers,
Tim  
Summit volunteer crew

Great ride by Zoe Chauderlot of France! 2nd placed woman, rookie rider, aged 26. Pushed through lots of mud, had some tough mechanicals to deal with, and almost scratched at one point. But she rode really hard to get in under 21 days. Been watching her dot from the start and really impressed!

Found a pic in my pile of shots from day 1, big smile and charging up the hill into the high Rockies trail an hour or so into the race. Congrats Zoe!

Congrats to Tom Hainisch for a new record (2 days 11 hrs) on year 4 of the BC epic! Still a few riders cranking away on the course http://trackleaders.com/bcepic19f.php
Always a great race to follow with the kootenay lake ferry crossing “equalizer”, where timing can make or break a lead in the race!

Kudos to race organizer Lennard for putting together a great route.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bike or Death Pod w/ Sofiane Sehili post race:   http://bikesordeath.libsyn.com/

More chatting with Sofiane on the Bikepack Canada podcast https://www.bikepack.ca/podcast2/2019/6/27/54-sofiane-sehili-armistice-at-brush-mountain-lodge

(Also enjoyed Steve's chat with Evan Deutsch a few episodes earlier. And there's a good one in the archives with Josh K prior to start of '17 TD)

Anyone know what bike Nate Ginzton is riding?  I noticed that at least 3 of the lead 4 bikes are Ti.  Being a big Ti fan myself (Ti Fargo) it is interesting to see such a strong showing after the recent dominance of Cutthroats.

There are a few pics of Nate in Ovando back on page 5. Looks like a full-sus Pivot.

More great photos, thanks Angler! So cool to see Hal Russel, remember listening to his many call-ins over the years.

In that case, it's probably fine, but it's an odd (and VERY strenuous) project.

Agreed, but what a prime opportunity to earn that elusive "Snow Shovelling" badge

This was my thought as well.  If a state road crew is clearing roads because that's what they do...cool...fine by me.  But if there are folks doing these types of things specifically as an assist to the TD riders...I'd rather they not.  It's not as though the riders are directing it, but that kind of help - at the very least - bends the spirit of the race.

The photo in question - along with what we've seen on the Brazos and will likely see in CO - is one more grain of sand in the ever-growing pile that proves Koko Claims is unnecessary hike-a-bike on a race filled with places to walk...last I'm going to say about it...this year.

This is where I'd seen that photo last week https://judice.com/
you can read more on Day 42 of this person's GDMBR ride blog but they wrote "As I got closer I realized there were a couple of adults supervising and in fact these kids were from a Boy Scout troop camped nearby who decided to shovel out the road. How incredible is that."

Whether or not they were doing it with any awareness of the Tour Divide ... ?

josh k and sofiane back on day 1. so amazing that these fellows are already halfway across WY. what a race!

I was thinking the same thing! Hopefully they have a different reason for clearing it.

I remember seeing this pic a week or so ago - maybe on the TD Facebook page? - and as I recall it mentioned it being a troop of Boy Scouts clearing the Ashton-Flagg Rd

Anybody know if a bar end exists that attaches via expanding plug into the open end of a handlebar? (as opposed to clamping around the bar)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dajia Far Bar? Check them out on the Velo Orange site. Or Crust Towel Rack.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Try theRadavist.com home page and click "Reportage".

Do I dare do this?...yes I do, and I apologize in advance...

"Mustarded" in this context is an adjective.

Running to hide in the corner...

HA! I stand (well, sit...I'm at work...) corrected. Chalking it up to Canuck grammar foibles

Stocked up on snacks and hotdogs for later.  One photo shows the bagged and mustarded meal being squished into a bag.  Mmm Mmm delicious!

Excellent use of "mustard" as a verb! I never really considered hot dogs as a "for later" kind of food lol. Thx for the great pics!

Anybody know why Josh Kato went back to a Salsa Fargo for this run down the TDR? Hadn't he been on a Cutthroat the past couple of years? Just curious...

He is on titanium Fargo. Talked a bit about bike choice in his chat with Ross Burrage on "the hidden athlete" podcast.

Last ones from this morning - Blackshale suspension bridge, then lots of riders heading south on the Smith Dorrien as we left the sunshine and into rain in Canmore. Good luck & safe travels to all TD'ers!

A few more.
Past Josh Kato & Steve Halligan on the Smith Dorrien Rd, then down to the cool Blackshale Ck bridge!

A fe pics from morning of day 1. A few km into the High Rockies trail after leaving Goat Creek.

Howdy All.  I'm bacccckkkkkkk..... and I hope that is okay.

One week to start of the TDR so here are the updates for Ovando Montana:

1. For Dot Watchers the Blackfoot Angler webcam will again be up and running with [hopefully] the sound on only at night so if you arrive late you can still have your moment in history recorded: AS LONG as you roll up to the camera.
Web address is: https://video.nest.com/live/6oAK3yyGlJ

2. Blackfoot Angler's hours will be 8 am to 6 pm or more as needed for photos.  
I am the person who for the last 5+ years [??] takes the photos of the riders as they are coming thru [to the best of my ability].  I will make the bikepacking.net thread on the TDR race the only site I post photos.  Last year was a bit combobulated with multiple sites and I ain't doin' that ag'in.

Webcam bookmarked!
Good luck and safe travels to all riders. Always love this time of year, starting to see all the loaded bikes and TD riders arriving in Banff/Canmore where I live. Look forward to checking out the start in a weeks time!