2011 Tour Divide

[Area45]

I'm even more confused now too! My Section 3 didn't include any addenda. Did yours?

I just looked at the website and there's only one small change to the route for Section 3. Wonder if that's in my narratives file?

[BobM]

Cyclosource store policy:

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Returns and exchanges:
If you find it necessary to return an item, please package it carefully and ship it fully insured to: Adventure Cycling Returns, 150 East Pine St., Missoula, MT 59802-4515. Use the back of your order form to tell us why you are returning your purchase and indicate if you would like a replacement, an exchange, or a refund.

Adventure Cycling Association's guarantee:
We guarantee everything we sell to give you complete satisfaction. If an item does not meet your expectations, you may return it within 30 days of receipt and we will replace it, refund your money, or credit your charge card.

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Tell them you received the wrong edition and ask that they send the correct one.

[6thElement]

I'm even more confused now too! My Section 3 didn't include any addenda. Did yours?

I just looked at the website and there's only one small change to the route for Section 3. Wonder if that's in my narratives file?

They'd printed off the section 5 changes and included them, the section 3 changes are here:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/addenda2.cfm?id=213220278&rt=Great Divide

Definitely going to give them a call tomorrow  and point out that policy Bob.

[cadetb1973]

Is Matthew Lee returning anyone's emails out there?  I've sent him three emails--the first one a week ago--and he won't respond . . . Anyone else not hearing from him, or is it just me?

-Cadet Bryant

[Mathewsen]

Is Matthew Lee returning anyone's emails out there?  I've sent him three emails--the first one a week ago--and he won't respond . . . Anyone else not hearing from him, or is it just me?
-Cadet Bryant

Yes, Cadet welcome to the club. There are quite a few new members of late. I'll get to your SPOT questions as i unbury. Please don't take offense. We have a three-week old new baby at home / have been out of town on/off since last Wednesday.

[BobM]

Yes, Cadet welcome to the club. There are quite a few new members of late. I'll get to your SPOT questions as i unbury. Please don't take offense. We have a three-week old new baby at home / have been out of town on/off since last Wednesday.

Congratulations, Daddy!  What's the new addition's name?  If you haven't named him/her yet I suggest Velveeta for a girl or Bubba for a boy.

Bob

[cadetb1973]

Ah, gotcha'.  Sorry Bro . . . I had no idea about your new little one.

[Mathewsen]

They'd printed off the section 5 changes and included them, the section 3 changes are here:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/addenda2.cfm?id=213220278&rt=Great Divide

Definitely going to give them a call tomorrow  and point out that policy Bob.

TD would like to softly suggest you go a little easy on ACA when you phone them. They are used to serving a clientele with a more casual touring bent, not so dependent on utter cue currency (as our ultra forum is). In fact, getting lost is sometimes a bonus when you're touring

[Mathewsen]

Congratulations, Daddy!  What's the new addition's name?  If you haven't named him/her yet I suggest Velveeta for a girl or Bubba for a boy.

Bob

Alma Francis Lee; inspiration from 'Alma Brown', Hud 1963

[Mathewsen]

Ah, gotcha'.  Sorry Bro . . . I had no idea about your new little one.

No Worries! I'm just glad I'm not trying to organize and race this year. Before Alma arrived I struggled a lot with the inevitability of sitting this edition out, but now that she's here and the sleep dep is on, it makes it easier. That...and my form is terrible.

[robinb]

That...and my form is terrible.

i've heard you say that before the start of every TD... but... i believe you this time

[naked indian]

I'm ready to ride.

[Jilleo]

Today, May 10, I went on a road ride through Kananaskis country. Took this photo at the Elk Pass trailhead, which is the bottom of Elk Pass (first Continental Divide crossing on the GDMBR.) There was about 18-24 inches of snow across the trail. You could cross-country ski it. I know there's still a month of melt to go, but still. All of those jokes about carrying snowshoes to use on high passes for the first week ... having seen this and the piles of snow everywhere else, even in the town of Banff, I'd be inclined to take that advice a little more seriously.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xOoo6AbHOUwEROgnGX014mgcQVyOlV_8DpfA8xlpc_A?feat=directlink

[6thElement]

Uh oh. Nice conditions update Jill, my snow shoe jokes were in jest. I had been starting to consider my winter riding shoes for CA and MT though until I reached a postal drop...

Matt, I'm not about to go postal down the phone As I said in reply to Casey I can understand ACA not wanting to write stock off, but when ordering a full set of "new" maps, I wasn't expecting to need to use addendum.

[BobM]

Matt, I'm not about to go postal down the phone As I said in reply to Casey I can understand ACA not wanting to write stock off, but when ordering a full set of "new" maps, I wasn't expecting to need to use addendum.

FYI - when you click "order" for map sections 3 & 5 it says this for 3:

Current Printed Version: 2009

and this for 5:

Current Printed Version: 2011


Bob

[6thElement]

Ahh, thanks Bob. Looks like I was one of the few to get a remaining 2009 for section 5. Cancel the phone call, I'll just follow up with an email to Sales with my opinion.

Now about that route into Silver City, are we supposed to be coming in from the North or from the East?

[sluttyduck]

I guess I'll have to get to work in the basement and make some snow shoes that I can clip into with my Sidis.

[BobM]

Lock the brakes, strap a short set of skis to the wheels, and the downhills will be amazing!  I actually have considered the feasibility of that kind of setup for pushing: slide instead of trying to turn wheels through snow.

[Mathewsen]

Now about that route into Silver City, are we supposed to be coming in from the North or from the East?

From the North on the CDT.
Way, way up thread I posted links to Gmaps of the three bigger route changes on the drawing board for 2011. See post here: http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,929.msg17016.html#msg17016 Only the Gila change (change #3 in post) is required by all TD challengers. It is provisionally listed on the new ACA map as the 'alternate' route until ACA can collect enough feedback from BoB users, but regardless of how that pans out, it will be the TD line heretofore. The Gold Dust Trail (#2) will be for SoBo only, and the Wise River, MT section (perhaps the most expansive /interesting revision of all) will have to wait until after Casey Greene (ACA) can spend more time engineering a sweet route. Check the Gmaps for comparison to your ACA map that appears to be in error. I have not rec'd mine yet so I can't comment on this but I'm sure Casey will remark on it ASAP.

[Jilleo]

Uh oh. Nice conditions update Jill, my snow shoe jokes were in jest. I had been starting to consider my winter riding shoes for CA and MT though until I reached a postal drop...

Here's my two cents. Definitely wait until a week or so before the event and check final snow reports. If May temperatures have been mild and snowpack is still well above normal (which of course should be close to zero in mid-June), then consider bringing snowshoe-like platforms for your feet. A pair of plastic children's snowshoes from Super Target weigh probably in the range of two pounds and cost about $30 (Not even sure if they're stocked at stores this time of year, but you can probably find cheap snowshoes online.) Strap those to you bike shoes and it will make the difference between simple slogging and punching to your thighs and scraping your shins to shreds in snow banks, sinkholes and other areas of deep, rotten snowpack. You might still do that, but the snowshoes will help. Seriously.

Good luck to all with the final prep! I'm excited for you guys and more than a little bit jealous.