TD'11 Race Discussion

[Westy]

Man his pictures are great, always having a blast!  He has a ton on his blog, hard to not have fun with a smile that big on your face all the time.

Agree with your whole comment esp the first chunk above.

I also think your last question is actually quite interesting and while everyone has their idea of what is "proper" I could see a number of ways to "improve" the product.  While I enjoyed the race between KR and JB, could you imagine a race between duos allowed to draft (and push?) each other with lighter setups?  KR/ML vs JB/AH? Geared vs SS, coed vs MM or FF, or... The iterations are endless and would be a blast to see and perhaps more (or less) fun to race given the team aspect taking away some of the mental anguish.  Perhaps not as part of the TD to maintain the original intentions, but the same event started a few weeks earlier or later would be easy enough to compare to the traditional TD.  In my eyes the TD could go a very many different ways - no grand departs, stay with the roots and try to keep it small, go the way of the standard 100+ milers with all of the myriad classifications, etc.  Not sure what I'd want to see and what would be best for the route and racers as I've not raced or toured it, but it's fun to think about.

When it gets too popular what's next?  Include Canada, Mexico, all of South America?

I think a duo category would be great.  Riders would benefit from mutual support, especially the mental side.  However team dynamics can get ugly after many long tiring days and the chances of mechanical and physical failures double.

[soride]

A few more pics from Membres local Pete Crum of MM, John, LA, DT + 1 more that came through Sapillo Campground today  north of Silver City, and Kurt & Jefe from earlier in the week.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/soride/sets/72157626963747165/ 
Thanks Pete, go riders and go Dylan!

[AZtrailertrash]

Voss looks to  be  30 minutes out from Antelope Wells.

[Climb On]

 

Stephen Huddle and Cricket Butler at the 150 mile mark in 15 hours.  They stopped for about 1.5 hours in Elkford.  Wonder if they'll take a break in Sparwood or push on to Corbin tonight?

I'm guessing that they're stopped for the night. Awesome start!

[AZtrailertrash]

Dejay Birtch looks to have about 3 hours left in his ride.  About 1:30 AM or a bit sooner?

Edit: Wow is DJ making really good time, perhaps he makes it around 1AM?   Less than 50 minutes and it's over!

[Pelican Peloton]

Justin has not been slowing down in Colorado. He is going over mountains much faster than the 3 riders in front of him. He will probably lose the Lantern Rouge today to James Hodges and the next day I expect him to pass Nicholas Kennedy. Joel Martinez is riding well enough to hold off Justin down to New Mexico. In NM Justin will probably ride through the fires and let Joel escape.

[AZtrailertrash]

Justin has not been slowing down in Colorado. He is going over mountains much faster than the 3 riders in front of him. He will probably lose the Lantern Rouge today to James Hodges and the next day I expect him to pass Nicholas Kennedy. Joel Martinez is riding well enough to hold off Justin down to New Mexico. In NM Justin will probably ride through the fires and let Joel escape.

We got a Golden Spike in the Tour Divide, how come we just don't have a Caboose instead of a Lantern Rouge, which sounds so Tour de France? Heck, the Wild West was tamed by the railroads and the trains that ran on them. Is it worth even keeping the train theme at all?

[Pelican Peloton]

Yep, we're expecting a show down at high noon endin' up with James takin' the caboose out of town.

And up in the engine, Dejay pulled in to Antelope Wells station at about 2am! Ben and Justin Voss are in the coal car not far behind about to finish.   Toooot Toooot!

[suzyc]

THANX TO SORIDE FOR POSTING THE PHOTOS OF THE RIDERS NORTH OF SILVER CITY. THE + 1 WAS LG MY SON, HIS BLUE DOT STOPPED WORKING 2 DAYS AGO & I WAS A TAD ANXIOUS. BUT SEEING YOUR PHOTOS PUT MY MIND AT EASE

[multisportscott]

Welcome to the forum Suzyc!
I'm Scott a friend of Lance's here in the shakey city, Christchurch. I have been keeping in touch with L throughout the race.
He's done so so well.
Am heading into the hills tomorrow so miss "seeing" his finish. I can't wait to hear all about it!
Cheers, Scott
Go Lance go

[6thElement]

Lance was riding super strong early in the race when I was with him for a couple of days. I love seeing the riders I was with coming in to the finish

Don't think I have any photos of him in action though, sorry.

[Pelican Peloton]

Got my Cordillera in the mail yesterday. As if the blue dots weren't distracting enough.

Does your local library have this book? If not buy an extra one and donate it. 

[Groundshine]

Cricket Butler and Stephen Huddle are heading into the Flathead!

[JeffOYB]

I haven't followed the TD so close this year but it's neat how even a light contact still produces amazing news and ideas...

One notion:

*It seems SAD that racers or spectators should ever have a Vague Fear of interaction as regards Rules and Relegation.

If I was driving along out there and came up on racers I'd probably slow down and roll down a window and wave and my passenger may well say Hi and such and on our side I don't think we'd be having any fears. It would be so lame if the racer instead of just saying Hi (or racing along with game-face, which is cool, too) would feel any kind of uncertainty about rules.

Whenever there's a rule concern it would be great if it could be really clear and obvious. Like the racer could yell, "Hi! But ya gotta stay 10 feet away. Race rule!" instead of worrying and wondering.

But then again I'm not on the trail and I don't know what things are getting like Out There. ...Fans are fans.

--JP

[AZtrailertrash]

Yep, we're expecting a show down at high noon endin' up with James takin' the caboose out of town.

And up in the engine, Dejay pulled in to Antelope Wells station at about 2am! Ben and Justin Voss are in the coal car not far behind about to finish.   Toooot Toooot!
 

Justin was on his way outta Dodge around that time, heading North to Lordsburg, passed Dejay and Ben Oney going  on the southbound 1:40

[moosevt]

Cricket Butler and Stephen Huddle are heading into the Flathead!

Dave, Did you ride that section last year? I bet that is awesome space up there.

[gdillon]

Yesterday I was contacted by a fan of the Tour Divide Race who has offered up a Cordillera sales matching challenge to the entire Bikepacking community!

For every Cordillera Volume 2 sold from now until the day that Justin Simoni reaches Antelope Wells (or quits) the donor will make an equal donation to Linnaea Blumenthal's college fund. He's matching the full $15 purchase price for each book sold!

This is incredible! Now, thanks to this generous match over $21 from each and every Cordillera Volume 2 sold will go directly into Linnaea Blumenthal's college 529 savings plan.

There is no maximum donation. The donor is prepared to lay out some serious cash to help Linnaea but he's challenging all of us pull a little harder too. So please everyone, even if you have purchased a copy of the Cordillera please buy another copy or two. They make great gifts and have been getting terrific reviews so I know your friends and family will want their own copy.

If you don't know about the Cordillera Volume 2 check out this thread: http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,2096.0.html

Purchase your copy here: https://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-cordillera/15659154

Thanks everyone and please help spread the word via Facebook, blogs, club emails, etc. 

Go Kurt, JB, Caroline, Norb, JP, and everyone else. I'll not be getting any yard work done today.

Eric -editor

Just got my copies.  Justin Simoni is still going!

[Boney]

Justin's driver pulled over as they passed me on the highway and I spoke with him briefly; it was awesome to finally see him in person again after having something like two dozen waitresses and convenience store clerks tell me that he had stopped in before me.  He told me that there were a few folks waiting up for Dejay at Antelope Wells and that I might get some of their beer if I hurried. That pretty much kept me going all the way to the end, and I was rewarded with the best tasting lukewarm Tecate I've ever had. Thanks Dejay!

The past three weeks have been absolutely amazing and I can't express how lucky I feel to have been able to take part in the race. I'm looking forward to spending my recovery time watching the remaining blue dots make their way down (or up) the course.

Ben Oney

[sigma7]

I just assembled a gpx file of the route we followed from Hachita to Tucson.

Thank You, Amy!

[AZtrailertrash]

Justin's driver pulled over as they passed me on the highway and I spoke with him briefly; it was awesome to finally see him in person again after having something like two dozen waitresses and convenience store clerks tell me that he had stopped in before me.  He told me that there were a few folks waiting up for Dejay at Antelope Wells and that I might get some of their beer if I hurried. That pretty much kept me going all the way to the end, and I was rewarded with the best tasting lukewarm Tecate I've ever had. Thanks Dejay!

The past three weeks have been absolutely amazing and I can't express how lucky I feel to have been able to take part in the race. I'm looking forward to spending my recovery time watching the remaining blue dots make their way down (or up) the course.

Ben Oney

Feel free to call toll free so we can hear your take on the Tour Divide.  

 Toll Free Comment Line: 888-866-4491

Trust me when I tell you that I've been watching you, Voss and Birtch on my screen for 4 days straight, vying back and forth for the lead like yo yo's on a string since leaving Cuba. Good stuff!  Congrats on finishing! It didn't help with some of the routes Dejay opted to take the past 4 days! LOL the dudes, gone Rogue!

Watching your times between each gap, on Spot, was interesting... a few of them you slowed down your average speed, perhaps 2 or 3 times, the last time about 12 miles out near the alfalfa fields to the east a short ways.... I thought, "great, he's on a geared bike and having chain suck issues at the end of the race, hope he makes it in OK... who would stop at 2:30 AM on a deserted road.  But Voss's Spot doing 55 mph was still turned on and landed in Lordsburg!   now it all makes sense!