TD'11 Race Discussion

[suzyc]

Yes I agree with Dylans mum, great ride Guys. It has been exciting watching the finishers roll in. Lance was there abouts as well just a pity his monitor stopped working out of Grants. As his mum I thought I would just follow his progress but the website was fantastic with all the race statistics,discussions & call ins it wasn't long before I got hooked on the TD along with workmates, friends & extended family. I really enjoyed being able to learn about everyone that Lance rode with along the way & will know who he is talking about when we get to hear about his experiences first hand.
The Tour de France just won't be the same for me this year with all the team cars right there & ready to supply their riders with their every need. Our guys & girls did it all for themselves with singleminded determination & we all know what a huge undertaking that was, you are all legends.
keep pedalling

[BobM]

Stephen and Cricket are approaching the crest of Galton Pass, so I would guess it's Eureka for them tonight.  Great riding!

[bluedotgroupie]

YIPPEE - I received my copy of The Cordillera in the mail today!!!  I can't imagine there is anyone on this "board" who hasn't purchased a copy yet - but just in case, let me give you a couple of reasons why I think EVERYONE should jump on the Cordillera wagon (the second one is the most important – so if you don’t like reading my ramblings – skip to the link at the end)...

As I mentioned in a previous post (that was so long, many of you probably didn't bother to read) - I truly find the opportunity to "share" in the Tour Divide journey somewhat magical.  I am amazed and challenged beyond belief by the sacrifice of the riders and their families, yet I LOVE the fact both that these riders dare to take on such an insurmountable task and that there are people surrounding them that love and support them so much, they make their own sacrifices and encourage them to go out and conquer their dreams.  They say all you have to do on the Tour Divide is "ride, eat and sleep"(they left out "hike-a-bike") - yet I believe from following the race and some of the riders’ blogs - there are quite a few demons you have to conquer as well - not just physically, yet even moreso mentally.  If you have read some of Kurt and Jefe's posts or any of the riders blogs - you know this to be true.  Each rider's journey tell's it's own amazing story - The Cordillera is a gift of just some of those stories - I've only made it through the first "entry" and have experienced a whole spectrum of emotions.

Perhaps I will save the rest until this years TD is through - the friend I was initially following will finish in a couple of days (I think I would like him to finish before I read any more about wild dogs!!!) - yet I plan on hanging around until Justin hits AW - he is absolutely amazing - and I am already a little sad we may have heard the last of Dejay’s TD stand-up routines (hopefully he will provide us one last final report some time soon!!!).  Yet either way – I am excited to learn even more about this “adventure of a lifetime” from the eyes of other’s who have traveled this life-changing path – who knows, I might even become convinced to renew my biking skills???

Yet before I get WAY TOO LONG again – I want to share the real reason I bought this book.  When I first found out that I had a friend who was “taking on” the Tour Divide – I of course got google happy and started to learn all that I could. I came across this link before I knew much about the race at all – I didn’t know about the Cordillera or about Linnea’s college fund.  Yet when talk about the Cordillera and supporting Linnea came up in this discussion – this blog entry (which is heartbreaking, yet incredible all at the same time) – came back to me and I knew I wanted to do my little bit to help.

Many of you may have already come across this in the past – yet if not – I hope you will read it and then jump on board to support this incredible family…

http://type2fun.wordpress.com/

WOW!

[mtbcast]

Calls from last night: Stephen Huddle called in from Sparwood. Dave Goldberg called in from Silver City. Norb DeKerchove called in from near Grants. Justin Voss called in from his finish. And Jon Pettit called in from Abiquiu.
Today: Dylan Taylor called in from Silver City. Roland Sturm called in from Ovando. David Horton called in from near Grants. And Dave Goldberg called in from his finish.

You can get the audio here, via RSS,  or on iTunes!

Sorry these weren't done sooner but I had some outpatient surgery this morning and haven't been able to.

[mbast]

Hello all. I'm new to this forum (and to the TD), and I've been lurking about these few days watching the race. First off, a round of praise for everybody involved with Tour Divide, this is really spectacular stuff and it's certainly no mean feat organising it all. So thanks Matt, Joe, the blue dot guys (sorry, I don't know your names) and everybody else involved with this. Great job! Secondly, an enormous round of applause to the riders. I honestly don't know how they can do what they do. Watching the race unfold, besides being enormously entertaining, has taught me a thing or two on human endurance and it has provided me with a treasure trove of information on the Rockies as a whole. So much so that it has me itching to do the TD as well one day, except I'm not sure I can muster up the sheer guts you guys have.
And last but not least, I'd like to draw your attention to the race that seems to be on now between the two Nobos Craig Dolwin and my friend Denis Chazelle: Denis has whittled down Craig's lead to roundabout 50 miles and is going strong. This is as spectacular as it gets! Allez, Denis! 

[Mathewsen]

http://www.crestedbuttenews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3474&Itemid=44

Thanks for sharing the link Lisa. To remind all, there is a working list of TD`11 media here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0AkjYTTBAyG5KdGxhT0FNN0gwMVFDNVFRcTlYeXA5MFE&output=html
It has 'published' coverage as well as an index (sheet 2) of rider write-ups / pics.

...and for all those Tour de Hoteliers: http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=10778350986&browse=1&qwork=768132&qsort=&page=1
The Book of The Bivvy is a half-and-half mix of how to do it and why to do it (or how not to do it, and why not to do it). Accounts of expeditions, both nice and nasty, alternate with practical chapters about the technicalities of the breathable membrane, how little kit you really can get away with and the secrets of lightweight long distance. The book closes with a selection of bivvybag expeditions to initiate the unwary into the secrets. Ronald's informed, humorous, instructive, wry look at the world of the bivouac is certainly the first, and perhaps the last, word on this unexplored territory.

[Pelican Peloton]

Congrats to James Hodges.  He held his ground yesterday and put in 113 miles to Justin Simoni's 109 miles keeping himself out of the caboose and at the same time catching up with Nicholas Kennedy in Salida. Looks like we can enjoy excellent mini races between various riders all along the course for the next week or so.

[BobM]

Stephen and Cricket are approaching the crest of Galton Pass, so I would guess it's Eureka for them tonight.  Great riding!

Ha!  Eureka was just a little refreshment stop.

[Boney]

I need to mail some duckets to Kristen at the Brush Mountain Lodge and I lost the card that she gave me. I'm not sure if she posts on here or not, so is there anyone who can provide me with her address?

[AZtrailertrash]

Kurt may have won the race, but Dejay definitely won the fans with his regular phone calls in. Nothing connects like a voice and a picture of a face to the racer on the other end.  Dejay defines EPIC! He needs to consider losing his day job and doing comedy standup. Did anyone else have friends in Antelope Wells waiting with beer?     

[AZtrailertrash]

I need to mail some duckets to Kristen at the Brush Mountain Lodge and I lost the card that she gave me. I'm not sure if she posts on here or not, so is there anyone who can provide me with her address?

Try scrolling back a few pages and see if you can Private Message her? Or can you do a search on Google and then hit the "Contact" to send an email on most business webpages?

[Climb On]

As to the Ladies of the Tour, Caroline Soong should finish today as the first woman from this year's Grand Depart  , and Cricket has been cruising through the "snowy main GDMBR option."  I'll go ahead and predict a 20 day/record setting finish for Cricket. 
   

[Endurance Junkie]

Kurt may have won the race, but Dejay definitely won the fans with his regular phone calls in. Nothing connects like a voice and a picture of a face to the racer on the other end.  Dejay defines EPIC! He needs to consider losing his day job and doing comedy standup. Did anyone else have friends in Antelope Wells waiting with beer?     

Yep he needs his own talk show!
 Thanks Dejay you're call ins rocked!

[mtbcast]

...and for all those Tour de Hoteliers: http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=10778350986&browse=1&qwork=768132&qsort=&page=1
The Book of The Bivvy is a half-and-half mix of how to do it and why to do it (or how not to do it, and why not to do it)...

Hotellers vs. Non-Hotellers: Hmm...I wonder if that pic of you and Eddie O' would work as a contrast for that! (TransNGA Support / No Support)

A bit of an inside joke, Folks. Out of respect of Matthew I should really keep it that way. 

[AZtrailertrash]

Hotellers vs. Non-Hotellers: Hmm...I wonder if that pic of you and Eddie O' would work as a contrast for that! (TransNGA Support / No Support)

A bit of an inside joke, Folks. Out of respect of Matthew I should really keep it that way.  

$108.35 for the book? Who are the donations going to?

[fromBrushMtn]

I need to mail some duckets to Kristen at the Brush Mountain Lodge and I lost the card that she gave me. I'm not sure if she posts on here or not, so is there anyone who can provide me with her address?

(:
my mailing address:
Brush Mountain
p.o. box 52
slater, co 81653

thanks for remembering!  (and great ride by the way!!)
kirsten

[redtabby]

$108.35 for the book? Who are the donations going to?

I had a good laugh when I saw that too.  You can really see who's who in the various online marketplaces with a title like this that has been out of print for a couple of years.  Hint: it can be had for an order of magnitude less via http://www.abebooks.com.  

[mtbcast]

Caroline Soong called in from Silver City just after midnight.

You can get the audio here, via RSS,  or on iTunes!

[Marshal]

As to the Ladies of the Tour, Caroline Soong should finish today as the first woman from this year's Grand Depart  , and Cricket has been cruising through the "snowy main GDMBR option."  I'll go ahead and predict a 20 day/record setting finish for Cricket.  

20 days on the regular Divide Route?  That is a tall order under ideal conditions. But she pushed past Eureka on night 2 so that is an great start for a 20 day attempt.

But I wonder about remaining snow.  How much is left, how much is now sticky mud?

And what about heat and fires further south?

Anyway GO CB and SH

oh and "way to go" Caroline--I see your dot has just about hit that last 60 mile pave section!!!

[AZtrailertrash]

Caroline Soong called in from Silver City just after midnight.

You can get the audio here, via RSS,  or on iTunes!

Linkie no workie?