Ashley has just left Fernie so guessing he will finish tomorrow.  Awesome achievement.

 Don't think Chris can catch Terrence.  17 miles ahead with <70 to go is unlikely and when you add in that CP is s/s and TS has gears on a tarmac finish it would need something major to go wrong for that to happen. 

I understand from 'Flinch' a few months ago that if Yellowstone erupts more than the TD route will be in danger!   I also remember him telling me back in '13 that in geological terms it was due to erupt.  (60,000 years or something)

Good to see a smiling pic of Christien Smeja in Ovando.  I rode with him on and off for about a week in Tour Aotearoa earlier this year and he was so much stronger than I was.  A nice guy and we talked about TD during our time together.  Good to see him moving through the field after having to get a new rear wheel in Sparwood.

I am another Lauf fork user and really like them in Tour Aotearoa.  Home to get back to TD one day (2019?) and they would be my choice of fork to take a bit of the buzz out of trails with minimal weight penalty and lack of maintenance.

The rules in the past have been that any alternate is allowable for riders (unlike TD for example).  Only one route is shown on the Trackleaders map and I do not have the ACA maps to check if Sarah is on an approved alternate or not.  Juliana Buhring did something similar a couple of years ago elsewhere on the route.

Hoping that she is on an approved alternate and not such a wrong turning as she has been on the road for almost 3 hours.

I have not ruled out a nobo run in 2019 when I will be 60 and live at sea level.  IF it happens I would fly to NM and spend ~2 weeks in Silver City to get used to the altitude before heading North probably 2 weeks after the GD - and take a chance to check out the section to the Sapillo camp ground when not wrecked.  Hopefully miss the NM storms and get good trails in the North.

Booked my flight today so I will be there.

It has been a great race this year and really enjoyed viewing from afar.  I know the course has changed a bit over the years plus detours due to snow and fire and am happy to look at each race in isolation.  But I have noted that Lael W (17:01:51)  has gone faster than Matthew Lee (17:16:10) ever did and that really puts into perspective her performance despite a few health issues.

Will be interesting to see if the 12 mile section from the Sapillo cg has any effect.  It is quite rough and slow going until you get back onto pavement - though JP will know what is coming.  Once back on pavement it is fast going to the border.

This is a pic I took of Glen Carter two years ago at Whiskey Grove campsite North of Pinedale.  I notice that he is spending the night there with Jeff Hopkins:

103_0261 by blackhound59, on Flickr

Stemple Pass turning onto S Poorman Creek: Glen Carter has just left Lincoln.  Now I warned him last week about that turning. Let's see if he took any notice......

Stemple Pass turning: There is a sign mentioned in the cues but the sign cannot be seen coming from Lincoln - obvious when you backtrack.  This happens  most years to a few riders. One of the problems is that it looks like you are turning into somebodies property and easy to miss.

60+ riders: Glen Carter is 64 and just arrived at Lincoln.

Pictures I took at the start:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/12617230@N03/

Daniel Jessee has not moved in 21 hours, trust all is well with him and just a SPoT issue.

Rod Gemmell has finished and made it back to Phoenix.

Ed will be chuffed with that I reckon at just 23 years old.  Looking like a great race for 4th, rooting for Juliana over this last stretch.

In the 2011 race I rode a Voodoo Scandium frame with Reba forks.  Last year touring, with Chew ^^ there I rode a Niner alu frame and carbon fork.  I thought the washboard roads which I suffered on in 2011 might be an issue but I found it fine.  If I was to go again it would be with a rigid fork. 

That is bad news for Mike Hall Casey.  All being well he should win but no course record to go with it!

Feeling sorry for Craig, not an easy decision.

James Olsen must be at Brush Mountain and now in 3rd place, a fabulous ride.  No phone and no camera I believe - how pure is that?

Mike's set-up does allow him to recharge his 705 via a Plug II as well as his light.  Not certain with Mike's set up but the dynamo charges the gps by day and the lights at night.  At night the gps runs off its internal battery.

Regarding the movie effecting numbers I rode in 2011 after the movie came out.  I was already committed.  Mike Dion was there the night before and asked maybe half the riders if the movie was the reason for being there.  I would say only about 5 or 6 hands went up, most were like me and committed before the movie came out.  

I do wonder if the SPoT tracking is what has boosted the appeal as more people know about it and can follow what is happening.  The movie, magazines and social media have all helped with the appeal.