Good point BeetRuth. And I understand how that would piss you off.

In 2014, Kirsten at Brush Mountain Lodge gave me the best advice - "ride your own race and don't worry about anyone else." If you finish the race, you're badass. And you'll know you did it self-supported.

Hope you get to race it next year. It's a ton of fun in between all of the pain and suffering.

That's some good advice! Thanks....each to their own and just get one with it!! I'll apply it to my dot watching too! :-)

And here we go with the definition of racing again. They are out there pedaling the route (over snow, hike a bike, through the rain) and we're here commenting on a forum. So I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt. They are still in Montana with over 2000 miles left to race. Who knows what will happen over the coming weeks.

I give kudos to all of the racers out there whether they are at the front or back, riding completely solo or alongside someone.

Let's not bash them, let's support and encourage them!

I'm not bashing anybody's efforts, I'm just thinking if I was a girl competing out there (hopefully next year) I'd be pissed off at the idea of team mates, not people who just met onroute and found they had a similar pace, but actually calling themselves a team (see http://www.bikepacking.com/news/quad-bikepacking-race-team/) riding with each other. It goes against the spirit of things, it's supposed to be an individual effort

Unless your're riding a tandem, if you're riding in a team you 'aint racing the TD.

That includes you Adventure Syndicate girls LC & RC! Being a "team" and all that looks to me like yous is keeping each other pretty good company!