2014 TDR ‘grand depart’ from the North or leave from the lonely South?

[Slowerthensnot]

I'm a fan of the lonely start are having banff to finish in is sooooo nice! i do think a few of the climbs are much more demanding at least on a fixie going NB

wish i could this year, but current boss would freak if i blew off from the shop in june =)

[Prometheus]

I stopped at Separ a year ago, December, and they seemed fine.  I've driven by a few times, since, and they've been in business.  I'm not sure I've ever seen them not in business.  I don't know what keeps them open, since there aren't any gas pumps.  They aren't a 24 hrs operation but I don't know the hours.  We may be passing thru there again in the next few weeks.  I'll see if I can find their hours.

When I stopped there last year, I found a working water faucet at the NW corner of the building.  I'm not sure I'd drink the water without letting it run for a while and/or treating it since it's hard to tell how long it's been sitting in those pipes.

Did you ever make it by the store to find out the hours?

[bpeschka]

Did you ever make it by the store to find out the hours?

Not yet, but an sure I or someone in the family will be by there over the holiday period.  Will post something when I find out.

[fastmtnbiker33w]

Border traffic?!!  LOL.  That's funny.  There is no border traffic at AW.  That place is deadsville.  The majority of the vehicles out there are Border Patrol and one killed a cyclist outside of El Paso this past Fall....said the rider weaved in front of him.  I think they are on a bit of notice to give cyclists plenty of room. 

I was at the AW start this past summer.  I plan on actually riding this year and starting at AW since it's only about a 3 hour drive from my house.  I think the 8 am start is too late, but it doesn't really matter that much.  It would be nice to see more than 6 there this coming summer.  All that area north of Silver City should be interesting.  I saw that post report from the guy who finished up when those vehicles were stuck in the mud.  Crazy!  Fires are a crap shoot out there.  They've closed the forest in May/June before. 

Something weird is going on down here that makes me concerned for this summer.  We still have hundreds of Mourning Dove hanging out in the desert.  They usually have all migrated through here by the end of Thanksgiving.  Hundreds of them are here.  We've had a snowfall already and they are still here. 

Matt Lee suggested I start up north and by the time I hit the south, I'll be skinnier and better able to handle the heat.  Matt Lee doesn't live in El Paso.  I'm not worried about the heat....or trying to be skinnier. 

[Marshal]

So far looks like only three signed up for the NB GD

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnV6xT65HkPRdE5WZ2c4S0pyZnd5Tk51cko1ZzJneFE&usp=sharing#gid=0

So even with more to sign up as we get closer to start date--looks like if you race NB you will 'most likely' ride the entire route in true ITT fashion.   

[Prometheus]

Border traffic?!!  LOL.  That's funny.  There is no border traffic at AW.  That place is deadsville.  The majority of the vehicles out there are Border Patrol and one killed a cyclist outside of El Paso this past Fall....said the rider weaved in front of him.  I think they are on a bit of notice to give cyclists plenty of room.  

Yes, I should have qualified what I meant by traffic.  The only vehicles were the trucks, and only about ten passed me.  But still, double long trucks traveling at probably close to 80 MPH can be a bit unnerving.  The only other vehicle I saw was the one BP agent, who kindly stopped and asked if I was doing okay.

[mikepro]

Yes, I should have qualified what I meant by traffic.  The only vehicles were the trucks, and only about ten passed me.  But still, double long trucks traveling at probably close to 80 MPH can be a bit unnerving.  The only other vehicle I saw was the one BP agent, who kindly stopped and asked if I was doing okay.

Unless you find yourself pedaling the lonely highway between 1am and 6am, at which point the BP may zoom up on you from both directions, swarm around you with 3 trucks, driving over the sage and thorns to circle in a high-speed split-second blockade, stop your progress, shine a spotlight in your eyes, and ask you "what's up?" and "where you going at this hour?", ending the interrogation with "well, be careful, 'they' may jump you and take your bike".  True story, I think.

[fastmtnbiker33w]

LOL.  Those clowns crack me up.  I always give them hell at the unconstitutional checkpoints.  I think my response to something like that would be..."Dude!  Seriously?  My video camera just caught all that and I'm now uploading it via satellite.  My friends are going to crack up when they see what you guys do down here."

I'd like to see an illegal try to ride my bike.  Most of those guys average about 5'4". 

[Jettman]

I will be heading north from NM. I want to at least finish the part of the route I didn't in 2013. Gotta make it to Atlantic City!

[Marshal]

Well I bought a ticket for Calgary--guess I will be SB for 2014..........