2016 Tour Divide Preparation

[GregMay]

Looking like I may be an SoBo ITT about a week before the Depart. Trying to balance out work and home commitments to make it easier.

[phil_rad]

I've been bitten again by the Divide bug, I'm a solid maybe for next year. Have to see if I can get the time off from work.

[dskunk]

Once bitten, always bit. I'm going back next year(2016). Picked up a new fork for my divide bike today. Lots of little changes for 2016. Who would have thought that such a thing as a bike race could consume so much time, energy, and cash.

[phil_rad]

Oh yeah Dave, you can say that again! I thought I was done with this thing, haha, no way! Although I don't need much gear, probably nothing, it still will cost a good chunk of cash.

[phil_rad]

Question to the Vets of 2015, there is a new section just past Elkford, BC. After the climb out of town you turn right on to a dirt road or is it single track? Whats this like? All rideable or is there HAB sections in there and is it longer or shorter than before? Also, does anyone have the cues for this?

Thanks!

Phil

[bpeschka]

Phil,

Try this link from last year.   https://goo.gl/L3O1Nn

You'll find a narrative as well as a google map.  This is more than enough info to get you through.

Basically, you head out of Elkford on 43 as if you're going on the original route.  After a few (uphill) miles, you turn right on Fording River Rd, also on the original route.  After a couple of miles, you start the alternate on what starts out as dirt road towards Josephine Falls.  Not real well marked, but the narrative is accurate.  It looks like it was/is used for some logging.   Follow this dirt road in, watch your odometer.  When you get to about the distance, per the narrative, you'll see a narrow single track trail take off to the right, initially pretty steeply up.  then it single tracks for a while.  (if you get all the way to the Josephine Falls lookout, you went too far). Whether it's rideable or not depends on the rider.  I stumbled along and did a little of both.  The single track only lasts a few miles.  Then you spit out onto another dirt road which heads south.  It improves as you go along.  A few more miles and you rejoin Fording River Rd.  

Once you see where things are, you can see the trail and follow along on Google Earth.  It's way easier than my description

Good Luck,

Question to the Vets of 2015, there is a new section just past Elkford, BC. After the climb out of town you turn right on to a dirt road or is it single track? Whats this like? All rideable or is there HAB sections in there and is it longer or shorter than before? Also, does anyone have the cues for this?

Thanks!

Phil

[bpeschka]

Question to the Vets of 2015, there is a new section just past Elkford, BC. After the climb out of town you turn right on to a dirt road or is it single track? Whats this like? All rideable or is there HAB sections in there and is it longer or shorter than before? Also, does anyone have the cues for this?

Thanks!

Phil

Here's an extract from an email sent out in Spring 2015 in advance of TD2015, regarding all known alternates.  Doesn't mean this info will be 100% accurate for 2016, but it's a start.

1) Kananaskis Lakes Trail Bypass, AB (required bidirectionally) https://goo.gl/nhhrMi
2) Josephine Falls Trail Bypass, BC (required bidirectionally) https://goo.gl/L3O1Nn
3) Fish Lake Mountain Bypass, WY (required bidirectionally) https://goo.gl/NQu0bz
4) Wamsutter Bypass, WY (required bidirectionally) https://goo.gl/o4XwUf
5) Gold Dust Trail Bypass, CO (required sobo ONLY) https://goo.gl/6SeyCR
6) Chaco Alternate, NM (optional) See ACA Map
7) El Malpais Alternate, NC (optional) See ACA Map
Sapillo Alternate, NM (required bidirectionally) See ACA Map

[phil_rad]

Hey Bill, Thanks a bunch! That will give me something pour over ;-)

[flyboy]

Question to the Vets of 2015, there is a new section just past Elkford, BC. After the climb out of town you turn right on to a dirt road or is it single track? Whats this like? All rideable or is there HAB sections in there and is it longer or shorter than before? Also, does anyone have the cues for this?

Thanks!


Phil

Phil, use a gps and just follow the line on it!
The trail climbs into a logged out forest and while a little used single track, it was mostly rideable for me on a woodchipper equipped bike, even though it was quite wet at the time.There were a few small hike a bike sections but that was mainly because I was saving my legs. It is rough as I saw one bottle and one can of bear spray lying on the trail.
Hope this helps.
Dave
P.S. If you aren't using a gps for nav you are going to be pretty seriously handicapped as a rookie imho.

[phil_rad]

Phil, use a gps and just follow the line on it!
The trail climbs into a logged out forest and while a little used single track, it was mostly rideable for me on a woodchipper equipped bike, even though it was quite wet at the time.There were a few small hike a bike sections but that was mainly because I was saving my legs. It is rough as I saw one bottle and one can of bear spray lying on the trail.
Hope this helps.
Dave
P.S. If you aren't using a gps for nav you are going to be pretty seriously handicapped as a rookie imho.

Dave, Cues are just a backup, gps is my main guide.
Thanks for the description of the trail.
Phil

[flyboy]

Dave, Cues are just a backup, gps is my main guide.
Thanks for the description of the trail.
Phil

Phil, yes my mistake. I see you didn't ask about that. I was sort of throwing it out there because there is someone every year who wants to race it with no gps. It would have taken me days longer this year if I was just using maps/cues.
Cheers
Dave

[phil_rad]

Dave, no worries buddy! :-) To be honest this will be my third attempt to finish! The first time I had no GPS, its actually not really a problem navigating with cues but I did make a couple of mistakes along the way. The second time I had a GPS, was easier for sure, no navigation blunders there, just mental problems ;-)

I'm trying to decide on wether or not to take a tent or a tarp. My tent is an ultra light six moons design lunar solo, tarp is a MLD monk tarp. Tent is easy and fast to set up, tarp on the other hand takes a little longer and is not as weather/bug proof as the tent. I'll have to use it some in months leading up to the race before I make my final design.

Phil

[NelsonC]

I would be very interested in hearing people's opinion on the tent vs tarp and/or bivy question. How bad do the bugs get?  Any feedback or links to older posts would be appreciated.

[dream4est]

Tent is a bad move for most racers. Why? Well for starters most folks who are thinking tent will be staying in hotels 75-85 % of the time. Faster and better recovery. The straight truth is that we think we are going to get ahead by staying out but unless you can truly pull full moves at night you will be caught by the hoteliers and end up totally demoralized. Then you join them and regret carrying the full on sleep kit and redundant clothing options.

Actually racing the TD and staying out on passes with the grizzlies is much harder in actuality than in off-season forum talk. Eventually you will end up having to sleep in scary spots until Wyoming.

[phil_rad]

So do you think just a bivy is all that one needs?

[flyboy]

I have to disagree with 4est.
I took a tent because if I was camping I wanted/needed to get a good nights sleep and didn't want to be kept awake being eaten by bugs. I didn't suffer the mozzies in Montana or Wyoming that many did but the sandflies(I think) south of Grants were viscious and I was so glad of having a bug proof spot to eat/plan/sleep that night. It just depends on how comfortable you are with being uncomfortable. I saw many a racer this year that pushed it too much, had a bad nights sleep and were zombies, crawling along, for the next day of so. Not getting quality rest, on top of 12-17 hours per day on the bike, really does your head in.
There isn't a "best" option. It merely comes down to what works best for you. Don't discount the mental comfort that a quality sleep setup will bring. Having a great setup will give you the confidence to ride past hotels and wild camp when needed. The towns along the route are not simply spaced a days ride apart.
As someone once said, this race is 90% mental. The other 10%....is mental. Whatever you can do to strengthen your mental resolve with good kit will help tip the odds of you finishing in your favour.

[mbeardsl]

Keep in mind the lowest legal Rohloff input ratio is good for the power of a pro-racer. So most people can safely go lower.

The hub is protected by replaceable shear pins so absolute worst case you aren't destroying your hub. I haven't run into anyone with a Rohloff who has actually sheared those pins.

+1

I'm 240 and run a Rohloff on my 36er at 32x16 on single track etc.  I'm in no way a pro but put out decent power (ftp=350) mainly because I'm big.  WAY outside warrantied range with that big of a wheel but gives me a decent range and no issues with too much torque shearing the pins.  For lighter folks I wouldn't be worried at all.

[dream4est]

So do you think just a bivy is all that one needs?

Yes. Like I said above most mid pack racers wont stay out much until Colorado anyway. Dave may have done it and I may have, but not many else did. And the hotel crew in the 20-25 day range was just as fast.

[gotchile]

I took a bivy this year, it worked ok.  I'd do a tent next time.  If it had been rainy it would,not have been fun in a bivy.  Heavy dew most mornings another reason. A bivy doesn't breath very well either.  Btw, the bug has bitten me again, I'll be 61 in February, you have to do these things while you can..

[phil_rad]

I agree with flyboy, at least for my needs. Light weight is great but if I can't get a good nights sleep then I'm headed for a mental meltdown. Unless you're really hardcore, which I think we all know that dream4est is. Triple Crown Finisher and all.....You are in a different league dude.