2011 Tour Divide

[sigma7]

I always buy one ahead at my local pharmacy.

I would also buy one in advance, but I live on the other side of the ocean ...

BTW, you've got a nice frame


-- sigma7, also riding with a Rohloff

[sluttyduck]

ooooh.
yeah they should sell ones at the gas station, but I don't know which would be best for international calls.

Glad to hear i'm not the only one who doesn't mind lugging around a 4lbs hub.

[Spoonie]

Can someone recommend a place where I could buy pre-paid phone cards in Eureka? What is the most reliable brand? AT&T?

I'm wondering the same thing.  I bought a Rogers sim last time I was in Banff.   In some ways, I wonder if that wouldn't be the better option since you won't be locked into a US network.   I can't get my head around the US telco industry.  Coverage, quality and roaming don't seem to be their strong points

Cheers
Spoonie - maybe I could just get work to pay for the international roaming...

[phil_rad]

IMO cell phones are not necessary on the divide. Just something else to think about; more stuff to bring, i.e. charging cables and where to charge. Also net coverage is not that great along the route.

Just my 2 cents.

[sigma7]

I'll not use a cell phone; I'll use public phones ...


-- sigma7

[MrWaves]

I'll not use a cell phone; I'll use public phones ...

When I rode the route I bought a pay as you go Verizon phone that I bought in WallMart for $30 - that included a camera, that I used, a USB charger and $10 of phone credit. I found it usefull for maintaining contact through texts and through incoming phone calls (cost of phoning out of US is too high and using a pre-pay card awkward) it would have proved usefull to get bikes spares sent to where I was going next as well. I had hoped to use it as an alarm clock but that didn't work if the phone was out of range.

[BobM]

BTW, you've got a nice frame

No flirting on the forums! 

[BobM]

I can't get my head around the US telco industry.  Coverage, quality and roaming don't seem to be their strong points

The US telcom industry is based upon making the most profit possible while providing the lowest level of service.   In any area that has a million customers or more they will make efforts to provide decent service; anywhere else they couldn't care less.

[Jeff Tomassetti]

http://trackleaders.com/huracan

This 300 mile jaunt is a nice TD warm-up in Florida. Start time is Friday 8am EST.

[DBent]

I wish I could make the Huracan this year but life is not willing.  Lots of family stuff to do this weekend. 
Hope to meet the Florida contingent before we all take off for Banff.
cheers and have fun this weekend
Derek

[Done]

I just took a quick gander at the TD start list. Wow, that's an impressive list, both in the number of riders and the breadth of talent! Makes it kind of hard to decide who to root for. But I'll give it a try:

An obvious favorite on my list is my cousin, Dylan Taylor, who I rode the CTR with (OK, I didn't really ride it with him, as he crushed me by a day). Erik Lobeck is definitely worth cheering for--I'm inspired that he's going to be out there again despite the travails of the last two years, plus he's from Colorado. Garrett Peltonen is from Fort Collins--and he's a hell of a nice guy--so I've gotta add him. While on the Colorado theme, I need to add Jefe Branham (who gets extra points for being a legend in these parts), David Goldberg (who's gracious wisdom helped me survive the CTR), Adam Guske (who I don't know, but he's from Fort Collins so he must be OK), Ethan Passant (another Colorado legend), Kurt Refsnider (who, despite being from Boulder is one hell of an inspiring rider), Justin Simoni (I don't know him either, but we are talking about the Colorado list here), and Caroline Soong (who wouldn't root for someone with a beautiful name like Soong from Colorado, even if she is from Boulder). And then there are all of the veterans out there, who have won places my heart even though watching their Spot blips and sometimes an occasional blog entry, like Aiden Harding (extra points for traveling all the way from the UK to kick some American butt). Yes, I'll need to add all of the international riders too, especially the guys from Canada (my Canadian blood, despite being inherently polite and non-nationalistic, secretly wants a Canadian to win). Let's hear it for Reto Koller, who I've never met, but what a name, and from Switzerland too! I've got to add all of the rookies, just for having the guts to show up and toe the line with vets such as Cricket Butler! Speaking of vets, why isn't Matthew Lee's name on the list yet?--there's no way that I can't root for the guy who's to the Tour Divide as Yoda is to the Force!

So, my list of people that I'm rooting for has been trimmed down to just 74 southbounders and 8 northbounders. GO TEAM!

[firetwofire]

Any idea if the l.O.I will be put up on the site? Makes for good reading.

[THE LONG RANGER]

Justin Simoni (I don't know him either, but we are talking about the Colorado list here), [...]

So, my list of people that I'm rooting for has been trimmed down to just 74 southbounders and 8 northbounders. GO TEAM!

Promise not to disappoint! Feeling really strong myself, as training is going well - happy there's 90-something more days before the Grand Départ. The weather in CO has been incredible, which doesn't hurt! I can't say I'm going for the win, but making it in ~21 days is the goal.

[6thElement]

The weather in CO has been better riding weather than the North East this winter!

[BobM]

Does anyone have a link to snow depth (current and historical) for the passes in Montana and Colorado?

Bob

[elobeck]

BobM,

coincidentally this article was published in my hometown paper today....

http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2011/mar/05/snowpack-above-average-northwest-colorado/

[BobM]

BobM,

coincidentally this article was published in my hometown paper today....

http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2011/mar/05/snowpack-above-average-northwest-colorado/

So I guess we just have to hope for a warm and early Spring, but be prepared for postholing and mud.

[Mathewsen]

Does anyone have a link to snow depth (current and historical) for the passes in Montana and Colorado?

There is an obscure but extensive weather section at TD Home > About > Rider Resources > Route Weather Info

So far Colorado hasn't been a problem by the time southbound challengers get there. The worst ever was a few hundred meters hiking across deep slush atop Sand Mtn (FR 42 N. of Steamboat).

Historical culprit passes are Galton, Red Meadow, Richmond Peak, Grassy Lake (Flagg Ranch Rd), and Togwotee. (linked snowtel stations are loose correlations)

The March `11 snowpack data have been released by NOAA. They are definitely in contrast to lower-snow years like `04 `05, `06 and `07. The key is what happens March-May. Spring snowfall + an earlier / later warm-up can have a + / - 50% impact (make or break) on route speed thru problem passes. As the Jan-to-Feb, and Feb-to-March snowpack differential maps show, Jan/Feb `11 snow in Flathead Valley + along the Eastern Divide nr. Helena, MT was good; South-central Colorado, too, but elsewhere, what's on the ground now has been there since the big Nov./Dec. storms.

Time will tell. Diurnal T-storms (which can be made worse by high snowpack) have far broader effect on riding conditions than snow. Prolonged mud doesn't come from snow. Riders should pray for no dew at night (especially along the west side of the Divide) and they'll be in good shape. Dew at night, Divide racer's fright.

[Marshal]

TDR dream bike??

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/on-show-2011-north-american-handmade-bicycle-show-part-5/161480

[THE LONG RANGER]

Does anyone have a link to snow depth (current and historical) for the passes in Montana and Colorado?

Bob

From just personally looking around, snow east of the Divide is pretty minimal - there's maybe a foot of packed, icy snow at 10,600 feet, on the East side of Mt. Evans today, there's going to be more on the North faces. This is relatively normal, as the front range and foothills (especially) climate is very dry. Snow west of the Divide is a whole different story - if you've ever gone West on I-70 through the Eisenhower tunnel, you'll always notice this incredible change.. When I talk to locals, the word, "dumping" is used and many of the ski resorts are looking forward to a long Spring season. Snow is extensively tied to the local economy, so it may be wishful thinking on everyone's part. I'll be in Breckenridge on Monday to see what's going on.