Well the chat has quieted down...Mark is about to finish and Sheila should be hitting the South Rim today or tomorrow.  Thanks for all the shout outs to Sheila.  I'm leaving today and will meet her at the finish line.  To break Jill's record, she would have to finish the race in 28+ hours...by 3:30pm Friday (AZ time)...rough estimate. Even if she didn't rest, I don't think that's doable.  So, we are looking at a late Saturday or Sunday finish.   I'm looking forward to seeing her.  

Go Sheila Go!

Thanks Y'All...Steve Blank

Rich-  It's trail magic!  She would love to see you.  She'll get a mental and physical hug that will last her to the north rim.  Go for it!

Hmmmmm.  Don't know about that one.  I do have a selection of nice beers to choose from.

Hey Guys.  I haven't formally introduced myself.  I'm Steve, Sheila's husband.  

I just talked to Sheila.
OK...new plan!  Sheila bonked (my word not hers) 12 miles outside of Flagstaff.  Her words: "I had nothin' out there."  So, she is back to town, in hotel with a Denny's next door.  She said she was gonna try again in the morning.  I told her if she wants to finish not to worry about the time, she's got 2 extra days if she needs them...and frankly unlimited days as far as I'm concerned.  

Positive energy directed to Sheila.
Mantra: I will finish this stupid thing.  

Sheila's Quote of the day:
"Why do they make a bike race on single track that no bike can be ridden on."

She really wanted to finish on Friday.  I told her at this point not to worry about the time.  She needs rest and recovery...then HIT IT HARD and finish.

Also, I'm meeting her at the finish with OREO's and MILK...and flowers and balloons and hand made signs and lot's of food.  I'll bring my camping gear.

Is there an alternate route using Hwy 67 from the north rim to Jacob's Well, then to HWY 89A where it intersects back up with AZT?  Did anyone else notice they are off trail...both Blake and Max took the road rather than the trail.  And now Aaron is doing the same thing.

Getting interesting at the front. At 3pm AZT time...it looks like MAX took a wrong turn and AARON has made up 11 hours on MAX across the ditch.  I don't think AARON has slept however.  

NO Wrong turn for MAX...just wanted a nice place to sleep.

Sheila just keeps moving.  She was having lunch in Pine the last time I talked to her.  She found a Brew Pub.

I have been on the phone twice today with my wife, Sheila Torres-Blank.  She was ready to give up but is now back in it. She had some bike issues with her handlebars. She's gonna rest in Phoenix, get some, wait, make that lot-o-food, hit the bike shop then back on trail.  She knows she's in the back of the field but doesn't care.  She said she crashed a couple of times and has seen two rattlers and her feet are shredded.  She talked by phone to Rich Wolf who had a hard day yesterday with a fall off the trail into a cactus and told her he's out.  No official word on that yet however.  She also saw Ron Thomson on the trail.  By my unofficial tracking, it looks as if 7 riders remain.  Can someone verify...  

Also, Sheila will be turning 46 years old on May 5th.  I hope to greet her at the finish line on or before that day!

ScottM, Do you have anything to do with Trackleaders.com? The answer is probably no but it's worth a shot.  My wife Sheila Torres-Blank is racing and I would like to add a picture to her name on the tracking site.  Do you know how or who I can send it to?

Thank You Toby for your reply.  More than a dozen have now taken the wrong alternate that I spoke of.  I'm really scared, Sheila will be hitting that section today...I'm crossing my fingers that she makes the correct choice and stays in map contact.  She's an awesome navigator so she should do fine.

My wife Sheila T is racing so I have been watching her carefully.  She is still outside Lincoln a ways.  She's near the back of the pack so I've been watching that "group" of riders.  Anyway, I noticed right before Lincoln, around Ovando, Montana there is an alternate route you can take.  Many have started on it, then when they get to a section on Hwy 200, they just stay on it back down to the main route.  Is that OK?  8 people took the alternate but didn't actually go on the alternate, just jumped down HWY 200.  The 9th person that didn't stay on track was Cadet Bryant, poor guy is down in Missoula, 7 hours off the route.  I know this is an "underground" race still and no race director can monitor everyone but if you know you messed up shouldn't you go back and fix it?