How do you naysayers know that Erik did not take an alternative route to get to Lima as the rule indicate to be legal?  were you in the car?  have you spoken to Erik?

Besides that the rule does not refer to what the rider is to do if there is no alternative route you may cross the route in order to get to the town when necessary when there is no alternative this becomes necessary.  Based on the description of what the were riding before his breakdown I doubt there was a possibility of going backward because what they had just come over would not be drivable.  

The official people involved Mathew and the race coverage seem to be still covering Erik so I think that indicates that mathew felt that his solution to his problem was reasonable and not putting him at an advantage, the point of the rule.

for those of you who feel extra strong about following rules and not open to the fact that there is always room for a different interpretation please stop watching Erik's Dot.  pretend he does not exist. the rest can keep watching and enjoying his effort.  

The point of the rule is to keep riders from benefiting from a car ride. Did Erik Benefit from loosing an entire day.  Should all racers who have raced in previous years scratch because they have reconnaissance of the route?  Maybe matt should scratch because he knows the route and the stops and the people on the way so well that he has serious reconnaissance of the route, he definitely has an advantage. Was there and alternative route to Lima? No.  Erik’s choice was to take the random ride from the remote spot where he had an issue or to stay there and get hypothermia this should cost him the race?  There was no alternative. Obviously Mathew the maker of the rules was aware of his situation.  I kind of cant believe this is still being discussed. The rules are to keep people from cheating do you think that was what Erik was attempting? He has made no effort to get an extra advantage over other riders. The racers who skiped some passes last year and took the highway instead they deserve to scratch. He has suffered enough walking and waiting and loosing a day let the race go on.

Hey North of Beyond get that stick out of your ass.