2011 Tour Divide

[Jeff Tomassetti]

There is quite the Florida contingent forming here.... Seaturdl, Jeff Tomassetti, Naked Indian, me.... any othrs?

Should we not be getting together to ride? 

Yeah! See you at the Huracan 300.

[BobM]

How do you Florida guys (and other flatlanders) train for the climbing?  I have a few nice 3 mile long, 600 foot elevation gain hills around me but that's about it.

Bob

[Rob Colliver]

600' hill?
You lucky lads - I live on an Island! Not sure how to train for hills TD size - does it count if I put the front wheel of the turbo trainer at 30 degrees?

[Seaturdl]

I do hill repeats. I also watch wind forecast. I go out on windy days and push a big gear and do not tuck.
I also try to stand and pedal on really windy days for around 20 min then sit and pedal and repeat.

[Slowerthensnot]

How do you Florida guys (and other flatlanders) train for the climbing?  I have a few nice 3 mile long, 600 foot elevation gain hills around me but that's about it.

Bob

ride in hurricanes?

[trebor]

i personally feel that living in Florida is an advantage for climbing. before I explain why, i also believe first and foremost that climbing is mental. if you are willing to enjoy when your front wheel is pointed up, it makes it much easier.

in Florida the predominant trail surface is sandy. so i think the added resistance is the first training advantage. the second is that it's more or less flat here. to ride a 100 mile route means i'm going to pedal nearly the entire 100 - as apposed to a mountainous region where i may only have to pedal 60% of a given distance because i can cost the downhill section and rest/recover.

another minor advantage is the ability to ride all year long without interruption from extreme winter weather.

just my thoughts.

[pro_out]

I'm not a Florida guy, but I am a flatlander. The climb training is not that difficult, however the THIN AIR part of it is.  

[BobM]

ride in hurricanes?

Ha!  You ride in and around Hurricane(s) all the time, don't you?

[Blackhound]

15 miles up the valley from me is a 9 mile climb.  Will spend a few days riding up and down it in preparation for TD11, may get train to and from start as well rather than a flat road.

My sleeping bag arrived yesterday, ended up with a Western Mountaineering Summerlite rated to 0degree's.  Packs up a lot smaller than my other bag so hopefully will not be buzzing the front wheel on the bumpy bits.

Well below freezing this weekend and 3 of us are out overnight - taking my 4 season bag though!

[Slowerthensnot]

Ha!  You ride in and around Hurricane(s) all the time, don't you?

Yuppers!

[BobM]

15 miles up the valley from me is a 9 mile climb.  Will spend a few days riding up and down it in preparation for TD11, may get train to and from start as well rather than a flat road.

My sleeping bag arrived yesterday, ended up with a Western Mountaineering Summerlite rated to 0degree's.  Packs up a lot smaller than my other bag so hopefully will not be buzzing the front wheel on the bumpy bits.

Well below freezing this weekend and 3 of us are out overnight - taking my 4 season bag though!

How's the rest of your TD sleep system configured?  Bivy, tent, tarp??

I assume your 0 degree bag is Celsius.

[Blackhound]

Bob, yes 0 degrees celsius.

Got a silk liner and and Alpkit bivvy bag.  Beyond that a bit unsure.  I have a very light weight tent which I can split and just bring an outer, possibly with the addition of a bug net.  A tarp is an option though I do not have one currently. Still a bit of work to do here.

[BobM]

Bob, yes 0 degrees celsius.

Got a silk liner and and Alpkit bivvy bag.  Beyond that a bit unsure.  I have a very light weight tent which I can split and just bring an outer, possibly with the addition of a bug net.  A tarp is an option though I do not have one currently. Still a bit of work to do here.

If you haven't seen it yet, Marshal Bird's wrap-up of thoughts on his amazing 2010 ride is here:

http://desertmountaindivide.blogspot.com/

and he has excellent recommendations on gear.

[Seaturdl]

Blackhound,  you will love that western bag. They are some of the best quality bags made.
I use to sell them.  I have two western bags that I have had for over 10 years they are awesome.

[phil_rad]

How do you Florida guys (and other flatlanders) train for the climbing?  I have a few nice 3 mile long, 600 foot elevation gain hills around me but that's about it.

Bob

Bob, here in Germany some of the best and strongest riders come from the north; it's flat, I mean table top flat. Anyway, the wind is a great substitute for mountains, at least as far as training goes. I've never been to Florida so I can't say if there is always wind there.

Bob, are you going to give the TDR another try next year?

Phil

[Marshal]

i personally feel that living in Florida is an advantage for climbing. before I explain why, i also believe first and foremost that climbing is mental. if you are willing to enjoy when your front wheel is pointed up, it makes it much easier.

in Florida the predominant trail surface is sandy. so i think the added resistance is the first training advantage. the second is that it's more or less flat here. to ride a 100 mile route means i'm going to pedal nearly the entire 100 - as apposed to a mountainous region where i may only have to pedal 60% of a given distance because i can cost the downhill section and rest/recover.

another minor advantage is the ability to ride all year long without interruption from extreme winter weather.

just my thoughts.

I think you have the right idea, along the same line...


Not all but many/most of the climbs along the Great Divide route have a steady relative easy grade.  And if you attack them with the right pace they become a simple, steady, smooth, sustainable effort. So in that sense if you live and train in ‘flat’ country a long ride into a headwind or sandy terrain is great GD route simulation/training, even harder in many ways.

Of course the absolute best method for any sustained climbing, and the Great Divide does have tons of it, is to improve your watts/pounds ratio.

And of course there are two ways to improve this ratio, 1st and best is to lose body weight/fat, 2nd is to shed bike/gear weight.

Imo almost anyone, flatlander or not, who starts without a lot /any excess fat, ie: they are truly ‘fit’ and a light well thought out bike/gear will find the climbs to be a very enjoyable part of the experience.  

And not counting the incredible views and scenery, as has been said, there is that fun downhill waiting on the other side!.  

[BobM]

Bob, here in Germany some of the best and strongest riders come from the north; it's flat, I mean table top flat. Anyway, the wind is a great substitute for mountains, at least as far as training goes. I've never been to Florida so I can't say if there is always wind there.

Bob, are you going to give the TDR another try next year?

Phil

I'm hoping to, but still need spousal approval  .

I had a bit of a medical issue last year that has been resolved, but I also need to get into much better shape generally, as Marshal has pointed out above.

Climbing for me is more a mental than physical challenge (up to a certain grade!).  Not being able to coast combined with lower speed makes it seem a chore, so I need to work on attitude as much as anything.

Bob

[exto]

Bob, here in Germany some of the best and strongest riders come from the north; it's flat, I mean table top flat. Anyway, the wind is a great substitute for mountains, at least as far as training goes. I've never been to Florida so I can't say if there is always wind there.

Bob, are you going to give the TDR another try next year?

Phil

Although I'm living in North Germany, I really don't like the wind. You forgot to mention, that the wind most of the times brings rain with it

What I really like, are long and steady climbs around 5 to 7 percent. For me, they could last for hours. Seems, if the TD is full of those climbs, so I think this race will be a "must do" for me in one of the next years...

[BobM]

Is the GDR officially dead now?  As of a few weeks ago they still did not have their 2010 winner listed and now:

Firefox can't find the server at www.greatdividerace.com.


Bob

[Nathan Jones]

I will more than happily renew the domain name and host the site if that means I can finally have some bragging rights on the interweb and possibly keep said GDR alive!  Scott?