2016 Tour Divide Preparation

[JohnP]

Are there any other fathletes riding this year? This year Im currently 6'2" 400+ but who knows what Ill be by race day. I rode in 2014 but got completely numb feet and had to pull out due to all the cold and rain/snow and the wrong size shoes. I even had a run in with two bears. I know no one pays much notice to semi non-competetors but I would like to acknowledge and encourage a class and connection between the big men and women out there willing to punish their bodies and minds. I'd also like to compare notes, and see what the Grande riders do differently than the average sizers ;-) I would like to try to cook and eat more pasta along the ride. Im using a bivy, a rigid all steal fargo 3, a dyno hub, and GPS. I will also try to sleep out the entire route and avoid hotels, not for the advantage/disadvantage but for the personal challenge. I am an eagle scout and have "camped" all over the world so hotels, IMO, can take a lot of the fun/challenge out of the experience. I want to be clear though, I am not touring the route, I intend to keep up a race pace and mindset for my physique. Any and all suggestions, opinions, criticisms, and prayers are welcome. 

230lb couch potato here Glad to see someone else letting it all hang out there!

Started my blog to chronicle my journey from overweight armchair athlete to Tour Divide athlete in 6 months:
http://mytourdivide.blogspot.ca/2015/11/why-do-tour-divide.html

[Briansong]

Me and my Son have added our details to the Google Doc.

Leaving around the beginning of August NoBo. Would have liked to make the GD, but it clashes with his school term.

This is our bike (pictured just after we'd completed a 24hr race)

Awesome! I am planning a SB ITT second Friday August. Perhaps cross paths out there. Good luck, nice looking rig.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

Hi All,

For those planning on riding in 2016 ...

Volume 7 of the Cordillera is now available for purchase from lulu.com: http://tinyurl.com/cordillera-7. This year we have some 368 pages of stories on the 2015 race, as well as the ever popular 'Gear Survey'.  There is also a new annex thanks to Wayne Wegner with the most comprehensive list of videos on the Tour Divide you could ever hope for!

As always, the funds from the book sales go to the college education fund of Linnaea Blumenthal.

Thanks to the riders who submitted their stories, Sam Newbury for the amazing cover photo, Scott Thigpen for his cover design efforts, and my proof readers David Morrison, David Phillips and Megan Dunn.

There will eventually be a Kindle version ... but please buy the hard copy as it raises almost twice the funds over the Kindle version for Linnaea.

Regards,

Chris

[Snowbd2u]

Back to the tarp vs bivy debate, my 2 cents..... Tarp. I used it for 2014, obviously a wet year. Brought a collapsible pole (never used it), but always found something to tie up too. It's super easy to set up. Had a unique way of using my bike as tie off points so I kept myself and gear dry while only bringing 4 stakes and cord. Also allowed for my wet gear to somewhat dry out overnight. Used a SOL escape bivy as a splash guard for my bag and slept great. But everyone has different preferences. You can sit here and read every post on this site until you are blue in the face, but until you get out and try different approaches you won't know what works for you. .... And a side note. Once you figure that out, and it's a month or two out. STOP reading this forum! You will question your setup and what to bring. By that point you should know what's best for you.

[kiwidave]

Spot advice: I'm going to buy a Spot I think as I train alone, mostly on a road bike, and Czech drivers are not cyclist aware at all. The question is whether to get a Spot Gen3 or a Spot trace. I don't need the "SOS" functions as I'll use a PLB (Ocean Signal PLB1) on the TD and in Czech we've 95%+ mobile coverage. However, the Gen 3 seems to have attachment points for zip ties or a lanyard, whereas the Trace seems just a hard case.

Any feedback of pros and cons from your experience would be useful.

[SlowRide]

Spot advice: I'm going to buy a Spot I think as I train alone, mostly on a road bike, and Czech drivers are not cyclist aware at all. The question is whether to get a Spot Gen3 or a Spot trace. I don't need the "SOS" functions as I'll use a PLB (Ocean Signal PLB1) on the TD and in Czech we've 95%+ mobile coverage. However, the Gen 3 seems to have attachment points for zip ties or a lanyard, whereas the Trace seems just a hard case.

Any feedback of pros and cons from your experience would be useful.

  If I understand correctly you're planning on carrying two devices on TD(SPOT and PLB1)? If that is the case my thought is that you should just get the Gen3 and ditch the PLB1. Why carry two devices with separate functions instead of one that covers both? Seems like it would just make for more batteries, more chance of losing one of the devices, more to keep track of when you're out of your head.
  I carry the SPOT Gen3 in a Revelate Designs mesh Spocket which works out great and keeps the SPOT on top of my Revelate Viscacha seat bag so it's always got a view of the sky and is away from my eTrex20 on the handlebars. It's made it through TDR, AZTR750 and CTR without a problem. I've seen some riders tie their spots in to the Spocket attachment rings on the Viscacha without using the bag as well but I like the security of knowing my SPOT is in a secured bag and can't eject itself easily. If you end up deciding on the SPOT Trace and there are no lanyard loops to tie it down the Spocket or something like it could be a good option as well. I've seen plenty of clever and secure ways to carry the SPOT, I'm sure some others will chime in with other ideas as well. Good luck out there and have fun!

A thought on weight:
SPOT Gen3 - 114g and includes both SOS and tracking function
SPOT Trace - 87.9g and includes only tracking function
Ocean Signal PLB1 - 116g and includes only SOS function

PLB1 + Trace = 205g
PLB1+Gen3 = 230g
SPOT Gen3 = 114g  <----clear winner for dual functionality.

[fotooutdoors]

The thing is, a plb is pretty bullet-proof in getting a signal out. A spot, not so much. If I thought I needed the abilities of a SOS signal, I would not rely on a spot. My (untested but well-researched) $0.02

Typed on my phone. Pardon the autocorrect.

[SlowRide]

The thing is, a plb is pretty bullet-proof in getting a signal out. A spot, not so much. If I thought I needed the abilities of a SOS signal, I would not rely on a spot. My (untested but well-researched) $0.02

Typed on my phone. Pardon the autocorrect.

Every SPOT SOS I've heard of on TD has been received and S&R or other agency deployed. There were at least 2 SPOT SOS's fired off the year I did TD(2014) which was the worst weather year TD has ever seen(the nasty storm in the first 6 days should have made it about as hard as it could be to get a signal out of the Canadian backcountry, but it got out). One was fired off just short of Galton Pass in the Canadian Flathead, which is about as remote as TD ever gets, the other was used in the Gila. That's real world usage on the playing field at hand. On the PLB1 site it specifies that "The accuracy of this fix is approximately a 5 nautical mile radius, but is typically much better." that's not very close in an atypical situation. But thinking of the situations you'll face during TD I'd say I have no doubts either would work just fine for TD.

[kato]

Spot advice: I'm going to buy a Spot I think as I train alone, mostly on a road bike, and Czech drivers are not cyclist aware at all. The question is whether to get a Spot Gen3 or a Spot trace. I don't need the "SOS" functions as I'll use a PLB (Ocean Signal PLB1) on the TD and in Czech we've 95%+ mobile coverage. However, the Gen 3 seems to have attachment points for zip ties or a lanyard, whereas the Trace seems just a hard case.

Any feedback of pros and cons from your experience would be useful.

Yeah, the Spot 3 is a bit easier to lash to various places.  The Trace really needs to be put inside of something.  On the TD there are usually plenty of pockets and such to shove the little device into.  However, if you plan on using the device in other pursuits away from the Divide the Gen 3 is MUCH easier to strap onto a backpack, kayak, climbing harness, etc.  This year I rode the whole route with my Spot on the shoulder strap of my backpack.
Also, I believe that you need a small screwdriver to change the batteries in the Trace.  The Gen 3 has little wing nut type screws so you can do it by hand.

[BobM]

Yeah, the Spot 3 is a bit easier to lash to various places.  The Trace really needs to be put inside of something.  On the TD there are usually plenty of pockets and such to shove the little device into.  However, if you plan on using the device in other pursuits away from the Divide the Gen 3 is MUCH easier to strap onto a backpack, kayak, climbing harness, etc.  This year I rode the whole route with my Spot on the shoulder strap of my backpack.
Also, I believe that you need a small screwdriver to change the batteries in the Trace.  The Gen 3 has little wing nut type screws so you can do it by hand.

Don't know about the capabilities of the Gen3 or Trace, but I had my Gen1 Spot in the top electronics pocket of my day pack and it worked like a charm.

[kiwidave]

If I thought I needed the abilities of a SOS signal, I would not rely on a spot.

Fotooutdoors hits the nail on the head. Slowride has a good point that it is doubling up a functionality, but a PLB is a vastly different beast than a SPOT. Power is 5 watts, Spot is (I think) 0.5 watts. PLB is sending at 406.04 Mhz and also a homing beacon (similar purpose as an avalanche transceiver - allows fine search with DF equipment) at 121.5 MHz . I don't need to deal with batteries as it has a 7 year life and it will be zipped in my jersey pocket the whole race. (Torm merino - thanks for the tip from Seb.) It uses the Cospas Sarsat search and rescue system and goes direct to the Mission Control Centres who then direct the SAR.

However, please note that I'm carrying bear spray to the end and hanging my food, so I am quite risk adverse and will be carrying some extra weight as a consequence. It is also part of the deal I have with my partner as it makes her much more comfortable.

Josh - thanks for the comments - I'd like to use it also splitboarding / x-country / road bike, so Gen3 seems to make sense. I've not seen them other than images so it is hard to see if there is not some discreet attachment point with the Trace which is not in the pictures. If anyone has some hot tips on how to attach a Trace, please shout out.

This is a good summary of pros & cons of SPOT's and PLB's for anyone interested: http://www.rockymountainrescue.org/about_PLBs.php

[Christopher R. Bennett]

However, please note that I'm carrying bear spray to the end ...

If anyone is not considering carrying bear spray have a read of the afterword in this year's Cordillera where we have the story of Dallis Waters being charged by a young grizzly bear and macing the bear.  I kept mine to New Mexico to help handle the dogs. Wished I had it during the Transcontinental this year to get the dogs in Turkey!

[bpeschka]

Every SPOT SOS I've heard of on TD has been received and S&R or other agency deployed. <snip>

fwiw: I also used the SPOT SOS function during the 2014 TD, while in the Great Basin of WY.  Good accuracy and prompt response by Sheriff's Deputy.  When you watch the SPOT tracker plots or on Trackleader, the accuracy looks pretty good when plotted against a map and your known positions.

I used the Gen1 or 2? in 2013 and 2014, then the Gen3 in 2015.  The tie down points make it really easy to find a spot on your body to attach.

[sheilar]

SPOT 
Used rental in 2011, Owned SPOT II and Gen3 - Used in 3 Texas Water Safaris and 2 Missouri River 340s with no problems.

Note - After my boyfriend paddled the Amazon and had several fail, I now do not assume complete waterproofness.  I keep mine in a plastic bag in the rear mesh pouch of the seat bag.  Also keeps it from getting mud clogged. 
sr

[kiwidave]

Re: Ailuropoda's question on the Training thread on shoes.

I'm a rookie and I am planning racing with Shimano Goretex MT71's which are comfortable for hiking, are laced and oversized so a. my feet have room to swell b. I figure I'll hike a lot and don't want Achilles problems c. I can fit two pairs of socks inside them. They'll be hot in NM, but there is always a trade-off and I'd rather be warm in the north. They are also a bit heavier than other popular options, like the Specialized Rime.

[Slowdog]

Giro Terradurro, are great so far in training, hiked in the snow yesterday seem decent.

[phil_rad]

A question to the non-North Americans; What do you people do for cell service coverage while in North America? I have a aging iPhone 5 and I would like to be able to make calls while out on the divide route. With my current plan I'd be paying big bucks on roaming charges, is there a way to buy a prepaid card?

Thanks
Phil

[Mauro_N]

Hi Phil in 2013 I was able to buy prepaid international card from gas stations and small stores. I think it I purchased the first one in Montana.

Mauro

[Mountainrigger]

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.

[Mountainrigger]

You can always find somewhere to tie-off a tarp...TDR 2014