Anybody seen one that can be downloaded to an eTrex?

Regarding notification of racers about detours/closures is there any contingency plan for notifying those of us without phones?  I don't foresee any issues until maybe after Brazos Ridge.  Several years ago they posted notices at Bode's for Mike Hall, et. al., about the closure of Polvadera Mesa.  By Abiquiu we're pretty spread out and word of mouth amongst racers might not be reliable.  Or maybe us idgits without electronicals are just SOL on this issue like not being able to call ahead to motels.

Has anyone had issues with condensate under the screen of their eTrex 30?  No rain exposure and wouldn't evaporate until I took the back cover off.

Orange Seal is decidedly NOT made by the folks at Orange Peel in Steamboat.  It's made in Austin, TX.  When I was through Orange Peel in 2013 they not only didn't carry it, they'd never heard of it.  The new "Endurance" formula lasts even longer.  Once you've used it you won't go back to Stans.  I kind of hate to give away the secret.

I mentioned the "food in the room" because it appears in more than one racer's recap/blog from last year.   

While we're back on the subject of technology, let's stir the pot a little bit:  Let's say Racer A has no cell phone and is hours ahead of racer B.  Racer A gets to Lima at midnight to find the motel is full, in part because Racer B used his cell phone to call ahead from the trail to book a room and have food left in it.  Does racer A have a beef?   Is he just SOL because he's too lazy to master the increasingly important and omnipresent technology? 

Racer A understands that in the event of a wildfire reroute in New Mexico Racer B may be his only way of learning about it.  He also understands that there's not likely to be many, if any racers behind him to worry about.

Thank you, SlowRide!  Works perfectly.

Justin, aka Long Ranger, I wanted to thank you for the helpful video on downloading tracks to a Mac, and wonder if you, or anybody else, can answer another technical question.  Is there a way to scroll away from the track screen on an eTrex 30, say to go to the "Trip Computer" screen, without having to start from scratch to re-access your track?  Someone showed me a nifty way to scroll back and forth quickly between "Map" and "Trip Computer", but I don't see how to go back to a track without starting over.  I am currently accessing the track via the "Where To" page.

Can we briefly return to the tent vs. bivvy vs. tarp debate and add the "fast fly" option for ultralight tents?  That is, use the footprint and rainfly only, leaving behind the tent itself.  The potential downsides being slight heat loss, bug exposure, and heavy rain runoff overtopping the footprint.  My quilt is warm enough and I'll be swaddled sufficiently that only my face will need bug dope.  That leaves the runoff issue which will hopefully be a rare event and mitigated by attention given to footprint siting.  Otherwise, it looks like all positives:  light, small, freestanding, wind proof, no dew, much less condensation, and fast set up.  The negatives for the other options have been well covered except for small mention given to how hard it can be to appropriately rig a tarp. 

I know I'm overlooking something and that this crowd will quickly set me straight.  (Shelter in question is a Big Agnes Fly Creek I, 1.25 lbs in "fast fly" mode.)

Judging from the lack of replies it must not be something done frequently/ever and I may have to rethink it.  I have thought that the governments biggest concern is that I drive a vehicle up there, but then don't return with it, ie., my crossing the border at Roosville on a bicycle and not in my truck.  I wondered if I'd be stopped and made to prove that I hadn't sold the truck in Canada. 

There would obviously have to be trust on both parities' accounts.  That would have to be gained by communication prior to June 10th.  I still haven't heard from the feds.   

Anybody know if it's possible for a non-family member to drive a vehicle back to the States from Banff?  I'd like to drive to the GD and hope I can find someone to drive my truck back.  I'm not posting anything about it's availability until I'm sure a non-owner can get back through US Customs.  So far I've not heard anything back from the government.  If it's possible for a non-owner to cross the border with it I'll post something under a new heading in case a racer's family or friend would like transportation back.

Mike

Joey, I can confirm all the compliments about your store.  I was trying to ride the Idaho Hot Springs route last August when all the fires started.  It got too smokey so I caught a flight to Denver and rode The Divide to Del Norte, then over to visit my son in Durango.  I had been wanting to see your store and I was not disappointed.  Not only is your stock first class and hard to find in a standard LBS, but the whole place is so tastefully done.  It was busy.  You should be very proud.

About your plumbing, I'm a doc with lots of miles (temporal and cycling) with wilderness adventures and a case of Giardia, if you want a free consult.  There may be a "poor man's" approach to a diagnosis.  You're too young and fit and your temperament too good for this to just be something "in your head."  I've never heard of exercise withdrawal as a cause of anything except obesity and depression.  Having said that most of these things go away as mysteriously as they start and time is ultimately the best healer.

If you want me to call your store and leave you my email address or phone number I'd be happy to.  The cycling community owes you plenty.  You hand out priceless free advice all day.

Mike

Judging from the drop off in forum activity we're all exhausted from the exciting finish for first.  Nonetheless, I'd like to congratulate three other specific dots I've been watching who I don't know personally but whose back stories I know something about:

1.) Robert Orr, who to my knowledge knocked almost a week off the previous 60+ record and who has forever queered any notion that anyone of his generation could be satisfied that a sub-25 day run is laudable, has a SPOT beacon still fixed a mile from AW.  I cannot imagine that for any reason, four days later, he's still camped a mile from the border.  Does anyone have any further knowledge?  I got to pass him on my ride north just south of Platoro and was anxious to confirm that he really was his stated age.

2.) Next across, Sarah Jansen, a professor of philosophy who has kept a wonderfully open diary about her TD prep.  Her blog illustrates a devotion to the race comparable to Marshall Bird's, but with MUCH greater naiveté.  I admired her honesty but feared she was in for a rude awakening.  Instead, I watched as she got faster, and faster, and faster, moving up to third spot amongst the women.  Then I watched as her dot detoured all the way to Alamosa and I was crestfallen.  However, undaunted, she returned to the race and finished very strong.

3.) Mirko Haeker finished next.  He had related to me, in response to a journal I kept of a tour of The Divide in '13, his disappointment at having to pull out of the TD that year.  He had come all the way from Germany.  He returned this year and finished in 22 days showing a resilience  and determination that sets this race apart.  I can only imagine the logistical hurdles that must be jumped to come from Europe once, let alone twice.

I'm sure everyone still on course has similar stories that make them worthy of following and supporting.

Cool temperatures, light wind, scent of AW in the air - only a depraved Cormac McCarthy character coming down out of the Animas Mountains could stop her now.  Go young lady!

Just had a nice meet with Alex Harris at Bode's.  He's dreading the heat (88 degrees in Abiquiu), not much to a Texan but probably tough for mountain folk and Eskimos.  I couldn't figure out why he was asking so many questions about Polvadera Mesa until I remembered he got re-routed in '13 and pulled the plug north of here last year.  He just wants t stay ahead of JP's ghost at this point, knowing the other four are away.  Looks like he ate about 5,000 cal.  Very cordial, unassuming, and relaxed fellow.  I'd post photos if I knew how.

Go Alex!!

I'm really pulling for Lael, but it's bittersweet.  No one has more class and great results than EZ.  And she's right:  appreciate each of their rides since they really are different courses.  Long live EZ; Go Lael!

BTW, for those of you who follow professional Cross Country racing I wonder if you've noticed how much Lael and Howard Grotts look alike.  And climb alike.  Check Lael's climbing segment times versus the front-running men.

After reading the Gypsy by Trade post on how it came to be that Lael didn't know about the reroute, and considering that she has no access to the internet, i.e.. she's doing the race as purely as it was meant to be done, I am all the more interested in how her race compares to EZ's.  Both EZ and Lael are as classy and ethical as this race could ever hope for and if it comes to pass that Lael does surpass Ezster's time I think there is one perfect way to settle if it should be recognized.  Let Ezster and Lael decide.  And remember Lael isn't even half way yet!   

I ascribe much of this year's blistering pace to two things:
1.) This forum's recent (last two years) clear message that preparation is very important.  That includes having seen the route before.
2.) Weather IS the Divide.  As Jill Homer said, some good luck you can make, other good luck is purely good luck.  It's almost like results from years like this need an asterisk,
*Abnormally conducive conditions.

Nonetheless, being able to ride 25 hours a day is only marginally influenced by #1 and 2.

I envision Lael Wilcox as the female embodiment of Cjell Money.  There is such a joy and natural talent to their racing.  Do yourself a favor and visit Lael's blog, as well as her partner Nicholas's (Gypsy by Trade.)

I just went back over the entire 2015 TD thread looking for a couple posts I wanted to re-read.  I was amazed how much of it has been devoted to electronics and technology, particularly since the race is ostensibly a physiologic and mechanical endeavor.   Maybe there will be a future division relegated to low tech/no tech racers, like singlespeed or NoBo/SoBo or male/female.  It would also be fun to go back and review the first TD forums and see what the focus was.