2015 TD

[ewoklake]

Just received the complete set of ACA Great Divide maps including Canada, all 2014 editions. They even include a hard copy of the addendum for each map.  Very nice. 

Is there any reason to wait to buy the maps at this point? Thanks!

[BobM]

Is there any reason to wait to buy the maps at this point? Thanks!

Nope, no reason - the website indicates that all are the 2014 versions.  Just be sure to download the addenda as close to race time as possible.  Also, I expect Matthew will be chiming in on whether the Josephine Falls bypass will be needed; ACA is sending people down 43 to Sparwood in the addenda, which is a little weird as they should be rejoining the route at the airport turnoff at mile 20.2 rather than continuing on 43.  If the bridge is repaired I expect someone will let us know and the main route down Fording road will go back into use.

[tanman1337]

So last year I used Golite rain gear during the TD and it worked ok....but not great. I have been trying to debate on rain gear for an attempt at the Triple Crown this year and I'm trying to go with a little better option. I'm going to try out the Showers Pass Elite 2.1 Jacket. Has anyone had any good or bad feedback with this jacket? What are your opinions on Gortex Pro vs. eVent fabric as far as breathability and waterproof longevity?

[ewoklake]

Great question Tanman1337! I plan to use a Mission Workshop Orion jacket which is super light but I'm not sure on its durability for the divide either. Of course Mission Workshop gave me their blessing that the jacket will be great... 

[Striker]

I have had great success with Montane Minimus Jacket - http://www.montane.co.uk/range/men/shell/minimus

Got me through the TD '13 and several other long bike adventures.  Only complaint I would have is the back needs to be a bit longer.

As for pants I used the Montane Minimus Pants but will move to ZPacks™  Challenger Rain Pants - http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/wpb_pants.shtml

The Minimus Pants worked okay but I need more length and room in the knees.

Rocky Gore-Tex Socks finished off the feet and Waterproof-Breathable Cuben Fiber Rain Mitts from ZPacks™ for the hands - wishing for a lobster style mitt.

[Marmey]

So last year I used Golite rain gear during the TD and it worked ok....but not great. I have been trying to debate on rain gear for an attempt at the Triple Crown this year and I'm trying to go with a little better option. I'm going to try out the Showers Pass Elite 2.1 Jacket. Has anyone had any good or bad feedback with this jacket? What are your opinions on Gortex Pro vs. eVent fabric as far as breathability and waterproof longevity?

Hey Tanner, I used a Showers Pass Elite 2.0 in last year's TD and couldn't really fault it. The combination of the underarm zips and velcro wrist closures gives great ventilation. And the zips are actually waterproof! I sweat quite a lot but don't remember overwhelming the fabric. Compared to my Goretex jacket, I find the eVent fabric more breathable: no science to back it up, just my personal opinion. It never felt uncomfortable on the bike and the back length is just right.
   
As you know we wore our rain gear a lot in the ’14 TD and the jacket came through unscathed, it seems pretty tough. Actually haven't worn it here in Brisbane where any rain jacket is too hot in all but the dead of winter.
 
The only down side to the Elite 2.0 is that it doesn't pack down very small. I guess that's the price you pay for a true rain jacket.  I also have the rain hood which attaches via velcro but wouldn't bother with that again. It's designed to be worn under your helmet and for me it becomes uncomfortable after a very short time. Plan to use a helmet cover this year.

As for rain pants, I can't stand full length but had great success with Ground Effect Helter Skelters ¾ length http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product/RAI/HEL

Good luck for the Triple Crown

Aussie Mark

[tanman1337]

Thanks you guys! Great feedback. I was thinking about using the helmet cover as well. I saw that Showers Pass has an eVent cover. I ordered the hood with that jacket yesterday...I thought that it seemed kind of bogus, but after last year I was thinking it would be miserable without one...

[Briansong]

So last year I used Golite rain gear during the TD and it worked ok....but not great. I have been trying to debate on rain gear for an attempt at the Triple Crown this year and I'm trying to go with a little better option. I'm going to try out the Showers Pass Elite 2.1 Jacket. Has anyone had any good or bad feedback with this jacket? What are your opinions on Gortex Pro vs. eVent fabric as far as breathability and waterproof longevity?

Hi Tanner,

If you remember, I had the Gore-Tex rain jacket. Mixed results; It worked to keep the rain out and the sweat in. My biggest complaints were no pit zips and the biggest, the zipper is impossible to work with one hand. I had to stop 5,000 times a day to zip and unzip to regulate. In a normal type rain year, perhaps it would be perfect?

Take care Buddy!

[blurltd]

Tanner, Time Traveler TD here (at least that’s what Angler called me), I was your neighbor at the Y last year in Banff. Got a kick out of your fudge (fudge packer) in the frame bag story. I used the Showers Pass Elite 2.0 or whatever that Event jacket is last year on the Divide. The Event works fine but that detachable hood SUCKS A**. I have a Patagonia Super Cell jacket that I ditched last minute thinking that the Showers Pass jacket was the ticket with the detach hood, all I wished for the entire route was my Super Cell. The Super Cell fixed hood is designed to go over climbing helmets and it went over my bike helmet snugly, kept my chin warm and was almost perfect. Almost felt like I was a ninja during my rainy training days (on a side note it won’t work if you run a head lamp on top of your helmet).

The detach hood on the Showers Pass is designed for kids or people with no chins and it never stayed in place, the wind was always blowing it out of place as the velcro attachments are a joke. There were some days that I was going so slow that I didn’t even wear my helmet in the rain and with my chin hanging out water was just dripping down my jacket through that crappy detachable hood. I was kicking myself border to border for not bringing a fixed hood jacket. For the Oregon Outback this year I’m brining my Super Cell.

Not letting another person riding this route suffer with that jacket if I can help it.

[tanman1337]

Damn Man! Of course I ordered it a few days ago...lol I can't understand why they would make a crappy hood like that... How was your ride man? I never got to see ya again.

[blurltd]

Return it if you can or maybe you might have a better experience. My wife shook her head when she found out it was a detachable hood.

Ride was a dream come true, finished in 37 days tour pace, want to come back and actually race it but the memories, are too fresh.

Be following your Triple Threat attempt this year. Best to you!

[SlowRide]

The Super Cell fixed hood is designed to go over climbing helmets and it went over my bike helmet snugly, kept my chin warm and was almost perfect.

I'll second the fixed hood that goes over a helmet. I rode last year with a Sherpa Adventure Gear breathable shell that had a fixed hood big enough to go over my helmet with a wire brim, the wire brim was great for shaping the brim so the water never dripped in my face. The hood over the helmet also kept rain water from making it's way down my back. I definitely also liked the pit zips and velcro wrist adjustments, which I feel are a must even in the best breathable fabrics.

[Wyatt72]

FYI. Just got maps in the mail last week and they are incredible. There won't be any changes to maps before this years TD. I bought the entire set including the Canadian section. Showed up in three days regular postage.

[SlowRide]

Just got maps in the mail last week and they are incredible.

Hopefully they've changed the elevation profiles to be.... ahem... more accurate.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

Hi All,

I'm just back from the Kiwi Brevet and thought I'd give everyone a heads up about the risk of using the Supernova Plug III with a dynamo to connect to USB. My Plug II failed (second time).

The first time it was electronics but was replaced. This problem is mechanical and suggests a potential design flaw.

When you look at any USB port there is a plastic 'ledge' with four contacts that your plug goes over. I always use a Male-Female connector between the Plug III and what I want to charge. I put the female end into my gas tank bag, and use tenacious tape to hold the male end firm in the Plug (and keep the water out).

What happened was that the ledge completely broke off. It happened on an especially rough downhill section (think after Brush Mountain Lodge but on steroids). I suspect that riding the Divide and then other similar efforts just put in too many vibrations and it just gave up the ghost. Of course at an inopportune time!

My conclusion is that the Plug III is a great system for road biking but you may like to look at another option for the Tour Divide or similar. Pity that the B&M Luxos U light with the integrated USB system has such a pathetic mounting system for the light - it wouldn't last a day on the Divide - or that would be my choice.  Probably just go for the Super-i Cable ...

[bmike-vt]

EWerk or USBwerk? No rigid connections at the unit that converts the power. Cables come out that you can plug into depending on what you are charging.

Been using one on and off. Not enough rough stuff to really compare to what you've ridden though.

Sinewave is also similar. Little black box with cables.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

EWerk or USBwerk? No rigid connections at the unit that converts the power. Cables come out that you can plug into depending on what you are charging.

Been using one on and off. Not enough rough stuff to really compare to what you've ridden though.

Sinewave is also similar. Little black box with cables.

If all you want is the USB connection - i.e. no cache battery - I think that the Universal Cable is your best bet. http://www.pedalpower.com.au/page20.html. Smaller than the Sinewave and a tidy unit.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

Hey yawl—did I miss any key links??

I've got a list of blogs at:

http://lpcb.org/index.php/tour-divide-web-links

You can add more to the list through:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-Y_CAxrccLkZ8zy1zI8myzSd95Er1YZWdlbWkcbt4eo/viewform

[Dillon]

Hi All,
 I need some group knowledge.  I am not signed up yet, vacation time is being difficult.  It might work out to a NoBo start in May or even mid April.  I am resigned to some snow.  How is Colorado this year?  The whole southwest seems warm and dry.  Is a very early start possible?

 

[SlowRide]

How is Colorado this year?  The whole southwest seems warm and dry.  Is a very early start possible?

Speaking for northwestern Colorado it's been a low snow year. I live on route near the Clark Store in Clark, CO. Steamboat just missed having it's driest January on record, a storm on the last day of the month got us over the record low, barely. That's not to say the snow blower can't still turn on, we could get 300 inches in the next 2-3 months if the jet stream moves south. I dug a snow pit yesterday at about 9700' while backcountry skiing and snow depth was at about 4', there's definitely been a lot of melt-back recently with the warm temps. I'd say you'll have to keep a close eye on snow depth reports for the next couple of months and make a spot decision on whether you think it's going to be doable early, remember that many times when thinking of winter in-like-a-lamb means out-like-a-lion. I'd also be keeping a very close eye on the Whitefish Divide and Canadian Flathead, the jet stream is pushing storms north, a NoBo run at a solid pace only buys you an extra two weeks until you'll hit the Red Meadow Lakes and the Whitefish Divide, which could(probably will be) buried. Last year in June it was hopping/carrying over huge debris piles in avalanche chutes on the Whitefish Divide and a 5 mile HAB through the snow at Red Meadow Lakes, the red paint and ghost ski tracks were still visible in the snow from helicopter skiing pickup sites at Red Meadow Lakes. Flathead Pass that time of year could also be a really hairy affair, in June it's an ice cold river running down the trail, I think I counted 17 fords before I stopped counting.