I'm not disputing that the rules for this year are what they are and that Erik's relegation is in keeping with those rules -- since the rules change from year to year, all I'm suggesting is that this is a rule that seems unfortunate (though I didn't know about the 40 miles back option) and should perhaps be reconsidered in the future.

And as for riding one's own ride ethically, it is clear from something I heard or read that Erik considers his time valid and his conduct appropriate, and while I imagine he's disappointed by the relegation in some sense (I would be), I'm guessing he's not too crushed by missing out on his share of the purse.

And finally, NEVER forward HITCH HIKE.

Bummer.

Though I stayed out of it at the time -- the conversation during the race seemed both inappropriate and a bit mean-spirited from some people -- I hope that rule will be rethought. Looking at Erik's position at the time, there was no other road and there was no going backwards -- the only option was the one he chose. While I understand the intent of the rule, it seems inconsistent with geographic reality on much of the course, and thus potentially puts honest, dedicated riders, such as Erik, in a position where simple luck of geography, rather than will, skill, resourcefulness and fitness, forces retirement from the race. That seems inconsistent with the spirit of self-support and self-regulation that is at the heart of the TD.

However I suffered hugely from day 2 onward with severe saddle sore issues. I will blog up all the gory details but will say 90% of the problem could have been avoided, ie it was my fault and not necessarily the saddle I used.  Anyway the constant pain colored the entire experience. 

FWIW, Marshal, I can totally commiserate -- on my first 1200K, I had terrible saddle sores develop on day 3 that made day 4 just awful -- I stood most of that last 110 mile day. It was frustrating on so many levels. I had experienced mostly good pain, as you say, until that point, but day 4 was bad pain, and I was disappointed to have the experience colored in that way. It also definitely cost me time -- I had a legitimate shot at sub-80 hours, which I felt would have been a great accomplishment for my first 1200, but instead finished in somewhere ~82.5h (yes, I realize by TD standards, these are small differences). On the first day, someone told me that on Day 4, "you will see your soul;" he was right, but I wish it hadn't been because of my sores.

Lexi, I see the time for the memorial has changed. Is there still a hike the same day, I assume earlier?

Thanks, Wil

No, afterwords. It's a short loop on the GMC property, I think Lexi said around 1 mile.

In the long run, a helmet is good to a point. A fast descent and an abrupt crash like this is not something it can totally mitigate.

Very true.

The account I read was that there was doubt about the helmet itself but that he was wearing it. Your point is well taken, though, and the emphasis that he was wearing one is important.

Yes, I see -- I read that as "there is now some uncertainty about [whether he was wearing] his helmet," but it easily could be, "about [the condition of] his helmet." Thank you for pointing that out.

I just wish we could all get over the whole 'cyclist was / wasn't wearing his / her helmet'.
Why does it always end up in the first paragraph, or even the headline?

First, I think the paper was seeking to protect Dave's reputation and memory. That article was correcting a previous article in which a trooper stated that it was unclear whether or not Dave was wearing his helmet. That statement, which turns out to be false, was not in the first line of the original piece, or even in the first paragraph -- it was well down in the piece. A pro-bike community such as Steamboat was likely troubled by this prospect and wanted to correct the misinformation as prominently as it could. This may particularly be because as a state, Colorado is fairly ambivalent about bikes, and there are factions that would look down upon Dave, and cyclists in general, for getting in an accident while not wearing a helmet.

Protecting Dave aside, I think we are in general interested in this information because people who feel a sense of loss, especially friends and family, especially those who are not cyclists and are not familiar with our habits and practices, but who are still pained by a tragedy like this, want to know that this was "really an accident," that Dave protected himself and was acting responsibly. I'm not saying that had Dave not been wearing his helmet, this would have been any less of an accident or any less of a tragedy. I'm saying that some would be even more torn apart knowing that he had not.

I say all this from the position of the only cyclist, let alone long-distance cyclist, in a family that has known Dave and Lexi for give or take 20 years, who feel a great sense of their own loss, who feel absolutely shattered for Lexi and Linnaea, and who look at me, a family member, and ask, "do you wear your helmet all the time?" (I do.) I know that people around me are relieved and comforted to know that Dave was wearing his helmet. It may not be important to everyone, but it is for many people.

[EDIT: "of the original piece"]

A further piece from the Steamboat paper on Dave B.: http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2010/jun/26/cyclist-fatal-crash-was-wearing-helmet/

So Erik lives in Steamboat Springs, elev 6700'; will he have an advantage over Blaine and Matthew in the high country of CO? Now that he's caught up Blaine, and within 60 miles of Matthew, this is getting interesting again!

I'm curious, to what degree do those who have ridden the TD coming from lower elevations notice the air? I just moved away from Boulder after 4 years and when there, I found I only really started to feel the elevation at 9K'+. A local brevet organizer advertised a ride that started outside of Boulder (~5400') and headed into Kansas as lowlander-friendly. Now that I'm hooked on the TD and have to start planning for it, I'm wondering whether I need to plan in several weeks at altitude first!

Thanks for the Oz Record tip! I hadn't heard of that. I've long been interested in self-supported fast action. I'm waiting for folks to dig into self-supported road racing and records, like the Trans Am (East-West axis). Chris K was organizing such an event a few years ago, but I recall that Lon H. talked him out of it. I emailed Lon myself about such a concept and he said it was too dangerous. I just can't see it. Though, of course, he really DOES know a ton. He suggested that people would ride too hard and get into trouble on their own -- then end up in a traffic accident. He says backroads dirt touring is a different matter. (As I recall, from our years-old chat.) I still disagree. Folks can ride far'n'fast within their limits -- I mean, they have to. There's no more likelihood of someone riding outside their skills there than anywhere else. Also, one can emphasize backroads as much as possible. The route doesn't have to all be paved, either. Basically, ultralight fast touring -- even credit-card style -- seems totally great/doable/reasonable to me. As folks explore it and dial it in the continent-crossing times would likely drop. I recall the record is 14 days set in 1958 by a Rich Berg, so the lore goes. C'mon, it's low hanging fruit. Right? But for all I know it's now a hot topic and there's a full forum about it somewhere. I'll go look!

People already do it with some regularity, not as long as the TD, but still pretty long: www.rusa.org. Although the longest brevets are 1200K randonnees (~750 miles in <90h), if you search the permanents database (look at the left sidebar), you'll see 9 routes from 1000-3000K; taking the entire permanent system, you could string together rides through at least the middle half of the country (Denver or Salt Lake to IL, MO and points east). The brevets are not completely unsupported the way the TD is, but permanents nearly are (by rule, there is greater flexibility in terms of connecting with people you know en route, though you certainly don't have to do it that way).

I've never used a SPOT on a brevet or randonnee, though I'm sure some have. Certainly, if I were doing some of the longer permanents, I would for safety's sake.