2013 Litespeed Pisgah, Extra Small.

-USA-built, titanium hardtail frame
-Optimized for 27.5 inch wheels, but can also run 26 inch wheels

-Fox Fork, 32 with Kashima coat, 110 mm travel
-Chris King headset
-Shimano SLX shifters
-Easton EA 70 handlebar
-Thomson Elite seatpost
-Shimano XT 2x10 crankset, front derailleur and Shadow Plus rear derailleur
-Chris King hubs
-WTB Frequency Team rims
-WTB Bee Line 2.2 tires (set up tubeless)
-Problem Solvers external BB
-TRP Spyre carbon mechanical disc brakes
-Shimano Ice Tech brake rotors
-Specialized Oura Pro saddle
-Look S-Track pedals

Here is a link to Litespeed for frame geometry: http://litespeed.com/our-bikes/titanium/mountain/2015-pisgah-t1

This bike has seen light use on local cross country trails and on short bikepacking trips. It has a few small blemishes, but is in overall beautiful condition.

Asking Price $2650

Beautiful video, Aaron! Inspiring, to say the least!
Thanks for sharing!

Had the good luck of picking up my husband, Leo, at AW yesterday morning. He had to leave Silver City at midnight to arrive at AW at 9:45am, but it sure made for a beautiful finish! Cool breezes, birds singing, and thunderstorms had passed over during the night, so the damp desert smelled amazing! The US border agents were very kind, even gave Leo an ice cream bar "reward" for finishing! One wanted to make sure riders had arrangements to get back to civilization. It seems he has shared his home with a number of rideless racers over the years!

Who is the rider in the 3rd photo entitled "6th finisher?"

[Desertrat]

It's good to hear Forest Baker's update from Del Norte, as he is only a few miles from my husband. Desertrat, he had the nicest things to say about Brian, as did my husband, Leo. Sounds like you raised a wonderful young man!!

Also interesting/sad to hear Forest mention seeing the two paired up Swiss riders riding in a paceline. How would something like this be addressed?

My time off from work started today and I am leaving tomorrow morning to start a little road trip to (fingers crossed!!!) meet my husband at the border. This forum has been a great place to learn more about the race from various perspectives. As the wife of  a rookie, I was so stressed during the first week, watching my husband's dot slowly zigzag through Grizzlyland. As he's settled into a pace and his initial knee and achilles issues have seemed to work out, I have relaxed, enjoyed any updates I've received and stopped refreshing riders' locations so frequently!

Thanks for the info, support and entertainment and best wishes to all the riders! You are all amazing!!!

Hi its Mrs NH here ....

It's day 11 and those of us doing the "alternate TD" (aka "left at home to single-handedly wrestle two toddlers") are doing it tough

Silence, Isolation and loneliness not a big issue; the question "why" has been 987 times and I cannot even be alone in the bathroom.

Food remains a problem; in honour of the TD, Miss 3 has decided to eat like a grizzly bear and Mr 5 is refusing to eat anything that is not authentic "TD racer food" ... Can some helpful riders please confirm that carrots and broccoli are legimate racer food?

Distances travelled; well let's just say a 3 year old takes her own sweet time to stop and smell the roses especially on the way to the bath

Sleep; suffice to say that I envy MH at this point ...

I should mention that I am relying heavily on smartphone technology (sorry Toby) There have been frantic messages to Montana at all hours of the night (eg. Where are the spare batteries for the nightlight, how do I pay the electricity bill) The messages have only been one way though. I can't say that NH's racing has benefitted greatly from kindy updates or skype calls with toddlers whose only contribution is to tell him that a snowboard would be better in the snow than a bike

So it's true what they say.  The Tour will be physically and mentally exhausting and push you to the limits of your endurance ... And that's just the wives..

Love this!! Wish I could think of such a clever, but honest way to describe the last two weeks in our house....nevermind the weeks leading into LP's departure for Banff!

Scratch probably....make that definitely. Best wishes to Jesse!!

Jesse and Kerrin are here. Kerrin arrived first, and I expected Jesse about 30 minutes later.

We had a major electrical storm, thunder, lightening, a little bit of moisture, Kerrin just missed it. What we think happened is that half way down Boreas Jesse had a flat, he was running tubeless and put a tube in. Coming into Como it is pretty open, he was found on the town limits dazed and confused cycling with a totally flat tire saying he was looking for a guy called Como. We sat him down, got some water and coke into him, we thought he had major concussion. He had obviously come down on his right side, knee and wrist hurt but no cuts or major abrasions.

Now he is now lucid, but it took him sometime to come around, he was insisting he was third in the race, all he rembers was the thunder and lightening.

We think he was near a lightening hit and was blown off his bike.

Oh dear! With altered level of consciousness, it is probably wise to seek medical attention!

So, where is the halfway mark? The discrepancy between trackleaders and cue sheet mileage has me confused. Thanks!

Reunited and it feels so goood?

Craig Stappler's last call in to mtbcast was quite timely. He said the best thing about the Jackson Lake Lodge is the internet, where he was able to check other riders' positions. He might be logging on to trackleaders when he can, but I'm pretty sure he's still getting his wilderness experience! :-)

Interesting discussion regarding the use of technology. It seems there are many valid points on all sides...it's a changing world and certainly riders are all at different levels of "techniness". My husband initially refused to take his phone, which was fine with me, given that he would have minimal cell service along the route anyway. He decided last minute to take it, instead of sending it home from Canada, and I can't say I have heard from him more because of it. If he is in a place with cell service, it is likely a place with land lines, too...like gas stations or TD rider-friendly establishments. I suppose he and fellow riders can use their smartphones when wifi is available to check trackleaders if they want. This is something that should be available to international riders who have smart phones, even without US service plans.

Thanks, Matthew Lee, for the reminders regarding information that shouldn't be conveyed to riders. We aren't out there, we don't really know the state the riders are in and I am sure that giving information that may change their course of action could actually be detrimental to them. If they choose to call home, I think that messages of love and support are best.

desertrat, your son and my husband, LP, are probably in the same place right now. Just heard from Leo having breakfast at the Montana High Country Lodge. He said he and Brian rode together yesterday and had a bit of trouble getting off course on Fleecer Ridge. Brian's Spot still seems.....spotty. Did he get a new one in Butte?

Looks like he did :-)

Oh, isn't that a terrible thing to watch?! He'll probably figure it out when he gets to the highway, but that appears to be a good way down the road.

As far as letting a rider know (not sure if you were really asking or wishing you could call him), Matthew Lee said this in regard to Billy Rice going off track as he was headed north a while back: "It wouldn't be anyone's place to contact Billy to inform him he made a mistake. It's probably also not kosher to discuss non-compliance here on the forum 'as it happens', so it might be used by tuned-in racers to correct their own bad behavior."

Hope Liam figures out his mistake quickly!!

[MY]

Wow, what a day! It's past 1am in Pittsburgh and now that I see my husband's blue dot 'parked' in Seeley Lake Motor Lodge - I can finally turn off the computer and get some rest. Well, yes, maybe I am pathetic but somehow I feel I am not the only one who wants to make sure her loved one is safe. Anyway, if anyone is ever going to write/post a definition of a "blue dot junkie" anywhere - MY photo goes with it!!! Good luck and good weather to all the riders! What you are doing is waaaay beyond ordinary - enjoy every moment of it!

Jape: You are not alone! I am in California, so at least it is earlier here, but my husband has been riding 'til very late at night and I just can't sleep until I know where he has stopped. I've also been waking up really easily at night. Once that happens, I have to get up to see where he is! Combine that with working some intermittent graveyard shifts and my routine is all messed up!
I got to talk with Leo by phone while he was in Butte today and asked him to send me a check in message with his Spot once he is stopping at night. Earlier this year he set it up so that I get the same message whenever he presses the "Check In" button: "Don't worry! I am fine and probably having a great time :-)"  (Yes, he included the smiley face). That way I can stop refreshing over and over to see if he really has stopped moving. He remembered tonight and it was quite reassuring, though I might not buy the whole smiley/having a great time message after seeing him off course for an hour.
Don't feel pathetic! We put a lot into helping our guys get to where they are and it is natural to worry, fun to follow along....and ohmygod, so stressful when your rider is off course!! I think we'll settle into this just as the riders do after the first few days and hopefully we'll start sleeping better, refreshing locations a little less frequently...and maybe my appetite will even come back!  ;-)

Ovando Update:  At 1235 the following have left Ovando, MT after a refuel stop, a couple of photo ops, and, for one, a two hour nap:  Thomas Lane from Austin, TX, Markley Anderson of VA, Brian Pal of WA, Leo Pershall of WA and Forest Baker of CA.  Nice guys, all of 'em.  And yes, Brian Pal's GPS seems to not be tracking as well as he had passed and arrived into Ovando prior to Forest Baker by several minutes.  The Top Ten are thru!  Photos Attached! [Craig Stappler on Jun 16,  Mike Hall on Jun 16, Alex Harris and Marco Nicoletti Jun 17, Thomas Lane leaving town Jun 17, Forest Baker, LeoPershall, Markley Anderson and Brian Pal refueling Jun 17.]

Thanks so much, Angler, for the update and for posting these pictures! I am happy to see my husband, Leo Pershall (of California, but we sure wouldn't mind being from Washington), attempting to muster a smile with what appears to be a mountain of cheese in front of him!

Oh my. Worked a night shift last night and am a bit delirious myself. I seem to be talking to my husband's blue dot...."just stop there and go into that campground and sleep"...."why are you stopped there in the road? Go sleep!". Totally realize I have no idea what's actually going on, but I was blessed with a vivid imagination! Time for bed!

Watching my husband's blue dot and a handful of others moving from Corbin over Flathead Pass. Hope that cabin can hold more than 2 riders!

Wife of a rookie who is starting in the GD tomorrow. Having been present for most of his bike races for the last 5 years, this race will be a test of emotional fortitude for me! Hoping with all my heart that I get to pick him up in Antelope Wells! Sending wishes for safety and fun to all the racers! You are all amazing!