2011 Tour Divide

[Singlespeedpunk]

10th June 2011 in AW sounds good to me for many reasons.

1) Banff will be easier to leave from while in the knackered and brain-addled post-TD mode.
2) NM might be a little cooler (for this guy who passes out when it hits 80degC that is good)
3) CO north might be a little dryer (if I want to push and carry through mud I can ride from my house!)
4) Flying back to Calgary from the south USA is big $$$ ontop of an already $$$ trip!
5) I will be the first ever person called Alex to try it on a singlespeed that direction (my one claim to fame!)

SSP

[BobM]

2) NM might be a little cooler (for this guy who passes out when it hits 80degC that is good)

I pass out when it hits 80 degrees Celsius as well!

Bob

[Majcolo]

My father is giving serious thought to being at the start line in AW also! He will be 66 at the time of the race. He is looking at a 100 miles per day pace. He wants to ride like Kent, but with gears.

He plans to follow all the rules for his ride to be counted as a legitimate TD finisher. If he does make the start line I will ride with him to Banff while also staying within the rules - there's no way I can pass up riding the Divide with my dad!

It will be great recon for a 2012 attempt to set my best S - N time, assuming the world doesn't end. 

[bruce.b]

>>It will be great recon for a 2012 attempt to set my best S - N time, assuming the world doesn't end. <<

    Yeah, I worry about this too. 2012 might be the last year to make an attempt.
    bruce.b

[smoore]

Been talking for a while how it would be great to start from AW.  Banff has always seemed like more of a "destination" to me, plus I just think it would be cool to meet the riders going the other direction.  12:00 pm would be a perfect start time.  I'm game!

[firetwofire]

I'm not sure about the S-N but I'm in and will be seeing you boys and girls June 10th at the start or around Steamboat when we cross paths.

[phil_rad]

I've been thinking hard about a rematch in 2011. If I can get the time off from work again, I'll be there in Banff.

[wdlandparker]

I am more than likely gonna ride it this year, so I look forward to seeing all of you in Banff on the 11th!

[scott-australia]

Has there been anything further said regarding the cap on riders that Parks Canada had mentioned (59)?  The idea of S to N sounds interesting, as the thought of trying to escape AW seems a bit daunting.

[Mathewsen]

Has there been anything further said regarding the cap on riders that Parks Canada had mentioned (59)?  The idea of S to N sounds interesting, as the thought of trying to escape AW seems a bit daunting.

Nothing further said or determined. The discussed cap number (49) is rooted in a definition of what parks canada considers a maximum acceptable 'group ride' size. Look to Winter Solstice (12/21) as the unofficial release for 2011 TD plans, but if you must carve out your details before then, use the TD contact form to get your dialog rolling.

Northbounding is always encouraged under the ITTD premise, regardless of what southbounders are up to. Scott Morris has held the northbound record way too long! It would be good for divide racing to see it challenged, and a concurrent start with the grand depart would be neat.

[robinb]

Has there been anything further said regarding the cap on riders that Parks Canada had mentioned (59)?  The idea of S to N sounds interesting, as the thought of trying to escape AW seems a bit daunting.

The new parks superindendant has already brought some promising change in the form of a paved trail from banff to canmore, mtb trail building and signage and multiple events such as a road bike stage race - just last week we had a subaru triathlon put on by a for-profit external business. 

This week the local paper announced that parks are going to start assessing new ventures (re. events) and how they can align with park values.  Great news, but these things take time... 

BTW - parks are much more concerned with how your activity aligns with the core values of the park rather than a participant cap.

[afie]

What is the correct length for the newer Canadian section? The TourDivide.org splitchart says its 263 miles to the border, yet the distance to AW is 2796 miles. I thought the US section was 2490 miles, not 2796-263=2533 miles?

[Mathewsen]

What is the correct length for the newer Canadian section? The TourDivide.org splitchart says its 263 miles to the border, yet the distance to AW is 2796 miles. I thought the US section was 2490 miles, not 2796-263=2533 miles?

Alex, the honest truth is figures are a bit mixed up and the sum so dang long no one has yet to properly split hairs on the matter.

There's GPS miles, and there's ACA route (map) miles, with not much (serious) reconciliation betwixt the two. ACA says Canada is now 254 miles (with the Flathead addition). I have not clocked it (on the ground) myself, and would appreciate hearing from any 2010 riders as to what their speedos read at Port of Roosville.

If i'm not mistaken, the split chart overall distance incorporates a slight addition from new bike path in Steamboat + math from the two alternates (usually raced) in NM. The first alt is 1 mile longer than the main route and the second alt is 17 or 18mi shorter.

If you take the main route border to border length (US-only), which is 2493 (+3 mile for `07 Ovando, MT reroute) then add 254, and subtract 17, you get about 2730. Since neither the main route or the alternates in NM are compulsory, it's a bit of a head-scratcher as to what figure to publish on the TD home page. In the end we erred on the side of listing the main route figure and rounding down 1mi to call it a clean 2745.

Scott Morris generously helped TD with the split chart and based some of his 2010 (re)calculations off Chris Plesko's `09 GPS track. He may have a comment on GPS miles vs. map miles in Canada and what, if any, adjustments he may have applied there or elsewhere on course.

[EMathy]

I'll be there, singlespeed Salsa Fargo at the ready.

[Slowerthensnot]

I'll be there, singlespeed Salsa Fargo at the ready.

south or north bound?

[EMathy]

South bound. The group start sounds neato. Plus that's the route I know. It's tempting in many ways to head north. I'd lessen the risk of the New Mexico rains and in theory hit less snow up north. What's the fun in that, though, right?

How are you, man? We haven't met officially but I'm a admirer of your exploits, for sure.

[Singlespeedpunk]

So, the ACA maps...

Does any one know of they are revising them for next year and I should put off buying until next year (allowing for the face they will have to ship to the UK...which can be slow!) or should I get them soon and spend some time studying them / planning / finding a way to carry them.

The ACA "about or maps" says that the directions are included for both N > S or E > W for their routes...is this the same for the TD maps?

I did a ride today with my full kit and a higher gear than I am planning to use...tough but do-able. Joining a gym next week to work on my weak points: core muscles, upper body and the wok I am smuggling under my T-shirt

Thanks,

SSP

[Slowerthensnot]

So, the ACA maps...

Does any one know of they are revising them for next year and I should put off buying until next year (allowing for the face they will have to ship to the UK...which can be slow!) or should I get them soon and spend some time studying them / planning / finding a way to carry them.

The ACA "about or maps" says that the directions are included for both N > S or E > W for their routes...is this the same for the TD maps?

I did a ride today with my full kit and a higher gear than I am planning to use...tough but do-able. Joining a gym next week to work on my weak points: core muscles, upper body and the wok I am smuggling under my T-shirt

Thanks,

SSP

as far as i know i think the divide maps are north to south only.... last year didn't have much trouble with doing the directions on the maps backwards....

I'd say just get them now haven't heard of any major changes happening so... study up =)

reminds me i have to order the maps again soon myself =)

[Marshal]

1)   I just double checked my maps and the miles (km) notes are all N to S.  You might email ACA to see if they have a S-N file they might send you.
2)   I believe they came out with a new Canada map last year, again I would email ACA with all your map questions, that way you will be 100% sure.

Comment on Maps:
For my 2010 attempt I bought the ACA maps early and studied them incessantly in conjunction with the GPS route overlaid on TopoFusion and Google Earth.  I also and read and re-read all the blogs, books and accounts I could find. 

And while I don’t necessarily recommend this approach to all, I left all the bulky maps home and instead used just a GPS combined with home made profile sheets marked up with town, water, food locations and pavement sections.  (I also carried an older GPS unit pre-loaded with all the GPS tracks tucked away as an emergency back up but never used/needed it)

Using a GPS proved time and time and time again to be much more efficient when compared to those racers around me who were using the classic map/cycle-computer method.  I can’t tell you how many times I passed and re-passed racers who missed turns, stopped at turns, stopped to fiddle and reset their computers, were reading their maps on the side of the trail etc etc.  At night the GPS would become even more efficient. 

And the simple profile sheets (20 profiles on 2 double sided, water resistant sheets)were also important as they allowed me to “at a glance” determine where I was in relation (miles and climbing) to upcoming towns, water spots, food spots, pavement sections and possible rooms or camping spots. 

I have absolutely no doubt this is the ‘fastest’ method when ‘racing’ (short of fully memorizing the route ala Matt Lee). 

[depart]

I received a message back from ACA a few weeks ago regarding updates to the maps...an update and reprint in April 2011 is the plan for the 6 US maps of the GDMBR.  The Canada map will remain the same.