TD'12 Race Discussion

[pedalingkiwi]

a wee comment to 'thatdudeonabike"  (reply631) - when I caught up with Ollie on the backside of the Wharfedale Track 2/3rds through his winning ride in the NZ / Kiwi Brevet (2010?) he was chipper as. Assuming there must have been some suffering I asked him "what have been the toughest moments?". He just looked at me and said "what's not to like - being on the bike all day is just fabulous". Here in NZ Ollie is famously bouncy & energetic, but his laid-back nature conceals a very steely competitor.

At this stage of TD'12 the lead contest is fascinating, but a lot can happen - bike, body & mind wise - in the terrain yet to pass. Go Ollie !!

[patrickTsai]

mark farnsworth - i have about 1/3 of a bottle of gatorade and i think i've got one hammer gel so i think i've got plenty of supplies.

priceless

[RossC]

mark farnsworth - i have about 1/3 of a bottle of gatorade and i think i've got one hammer gel so i think i've got plenty of supplies.

priceless

I'm in the FFC too: I'm still smiling at his sleeping bag reference "It was pretty light but I think that was because it was rotten".

Gold

[DenisVTT]

mark farnsworth - i have about 1/3 of a bottle of gatorade and i think i've got one hammer gel so i think i've got plenty of supplies.

So what's he gonna do with the leftover gel? I'll never understand why people insist on bringing too much food on rides! 

[kucebags]

Ummm, Just saying that Ezster is making a move!  Its 4am Mountain time and she is up and pedaling - woot woot.
Thinks she felt Jarral breathing down her neck....  

[Jeff Tomassetti]

Tour Divide Blues by the Grateful TD racers.


All the days combine, they melt into a dream,

A rubbing brake squeals in your ears.

In the end there's just pain cryin' up the night

Thru all the pedal turns and vanished trail,

Tour Divide Blues.

 

When all the chips are down, there's nothing left to see,

There's just more mud and crazy dreams.

In the end there's your heart cryin' like the wind.

Down every lonely trail that's ever been,

Tour Divide Blues.

 

I've slept under picnic tables and Montana  "Hilton" hotels, can't sleep for trying.

Clean off the dirty chain one more time,

Gonna make it shine, shine

 

It all rolls into one and nothing comes for free,

There's nothing you can hold, for very long.

And then you feel that pain come crying like the wind,

It seems like all this race is just a crazy dream.

Tour Divide Blues.

[ride MT]

a wee comment to 'thatdudeonabike"  (reply631) - when I caught up with Ollie on the backside of the Wharfedale Track 2/3rds through his winning ride in the NZ / Kiwi Brevet (2010?) he was chipper as. Assuming there must have been some suffering I asked him "what have been the toughest moments?". He just looked at me and said "what's not to like - being on the bike all day is just fabulous". Here in NZ Ollie is famously bouncy & energetic, but his laid-back nature conceals a very steely competitor.

I think this positive attitude seems to be a very big component of who can go really fast as well, after fitness and experience. After watching ML in the movie, it was clear that a high level of enjoyment was key to success.

[mtbcast]

does anyone know if Crazy Larry found his bike?

Yes he did. I got a message from him on Wednesday.

[mtbcast]

Calls last night: Fixie Dave Nice called in from Steamboat. Getting something to eat and recapping his ride from Kremling. Sara Caylor called in from Wise River. She’s feeling better though she shot herself with bearspray trying to stash it away in her pack! The Long Ranger called in from Wise River. He had to make up a wrong turn and battle some pinch flats.

[Pivvay]

Haha well the snow doesn't always melt but I've seen a LOT disappear in 2 weeks before. If you get a record snow year then there are just choices to make

[Climb On]

So...I'm somewhat confused as I try to compare Whalley and Money. Whalley seems to be farther along the Sobo route, yet Money's stats show him averaging 190+ days on the Nobo course. Whoever is in the lead, the men's record looks to be in jeopardy. This is my second year as a blue dot junkie and this year's race has been much more intriguing. I so hope that the racers get to complete the course without facing the numerous reroutes that led to last year's race not being added to the GC. We may get to see multiple records broken by more than one rider in each category. Lastly, Eszther Horanyi is gaining speed. She appears to be experiencing what I've heard several racers describe as getting TDR fit during the TDR. The women's record will likely be much closer to the men's when she finishes.   

[patrickTsai]

just want to remind everyone there are more farnsworth call ins at his blog http://febikes.com/blog/

mark farnsworth - lima is where i'm gonna get dinner, i hope they have lima beans

[patrickTsai]

I'm in the FFC too: I'm still smiling at his sleeping bag reference "It was pretty light but I think that was because it was rotten".

Gold

yeah buddy, we're growing. farnsworth has the best attitude of any rider you gotta love this guy.

[bikpdlr]

Southbounders will get an extra push tomorrow morning when 20+ mph winds start blowing from the west across the basin.

[DaveH]

Current status of the big Gila fire and associated area closure is somewhat promising.  The route does not currently pass through any officially closed areas, but it's within ~ 2 miles at one point.  To learn more about the fire http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2870

There is a map of the closure area available.  I added it to Topofusion as a user custom map and here's how the overlay looks (closure is brown/tan):



Keep yer fingers crossed that the eastern closure boundary stays put so the class of '12 get the opportunity to drive this thing home!

[adelorenzo]

The rider from Whitehorse, YT is Wade Larson. He seems to have scratched this morning just a little bit north of Seeley Lake

Thanks! Too bad he scratched.

[montanakb]

yeah buddy, we're growing. farnsworth has the best attitude of any rider you gotta love this guy.

I remember a handful of people in Helena who met the 2010 Lantern Rouge ... and thought he had an awesome attitude and shoulda had a fan club.

[Blackhound]

Regarding snow melt I met DenisVTT in the basin last year and later saw his blog of high snow on Indiana Pass, above his bike I recall - with a trail ploughed through.  When I got there all I saw was a few snow patches on the side of the road - basically clear.

I had a bad day (again) into Pinedale and stopped early and over a meal met 2 guys walking the CDT.  They told me to just supply for Atlantic City as the shop had loads of supplies.  In South Pass City I met NoBo Craig who told me the shop had just a few candy bars.  Turns out they had no idea so many riders were coming through and not stocked accordingly.  I them remembered it had taken the walkers about 10 days to get from Atlantic City.....

Craig was really friendly to MartinW & myself when we reached Calgary last year - riding to Canmore with us and providing update to the routes - so we are both rooting for him.

[RonDog]

Looks like the golden spike will indeed be north of Rawlins on one of the loneliest parts of the route. Guess we need to place or bets on the time now. I say 4:20pm.

[JF-mtnbiker]

Haha well the snow doesn't always melt but I've seen a LOT disappear in 2 weeks before. If you get a record snow year then there are just choices to make

Yep. The snow is going fast right now. And I have to agree with ya concerning southern New Mexico. I crumbled between between Grants and Mimbres. The Gila is not a place to be short on food and water.


Back to the race: The weather here on the Wyoming/Idaho border is about as good as it gets. The air is cool but the sun is feeling good as I drink some coffee on my front deck. ahh. Nice day to look at the Tetons and take a few minutes away from thinking about that raw sore on the crouch. I'm sure the Wind Rivers (equally impressive) are lookin nice for those headed into Pinedale.

Liking the way Ester and Tracy are stompin out the miles. Both have been solo for a while. Strong! The guys rolling into Pinedale will find a plate of food big enough to last all day (and good Chicken fried steak) if they pull into the Wrangler.