TD'12 Race Discussion

[elveepee]

I am a lifelong resident of SW New Mexico. Luck, or the Gods, or pure Chance, plays a disproportionate part in the TD, and the final results are often skewed because of this. Those riders that hit the ferocious headwinds in Wyoming will attest to their effects. Here in New Mexico, if you hit the Gila country just wrong, rain and storms will play havoc with your progress. Then, if you weren't blessed to hit New Mexico before the heat and winds here, you were penalized disproportionately again by the weather. The temps after leaving Silver City have been from 106 to 108, however the moon has been bright enough to ride at night the last few nights. A black bear was hit and killed by a truck on the Interstate at Separ last week. Can you believe that? You never know what it will be your lot to encounter. That is part of what makes the TD such a great challenge and accomplishment. So what do you do? Go SB or go NB. Push through the night or resupply and get some rest. The early finishers rolled the dice, they had the physical ability to hit things right, and their equipment held up.

My congratulations to all of the participants. I hauled some to Antelope Wells and have given rides to some finishers. You are all WINNERS.   

[mtbcast]

Dan Haskin called in from Salida! He’s getting a break and had some repairs done.

[mbeardsl]

I didn't but I can see this being an issue in the beginning, I suppose. It is what it is, though. This race is growing in popularity and that's a genie that can't be put back in the bottle. It's a TT so you can ride it anytime. But I don't know how you could really limit the GC. You could say only 50 ppl can do the GC but that invokes controversy as well and how you would stop someone other than threatening to relegate them? With several folks having completed a NoBo option maybe we'll see the field split more. Maybe we could think about 2 GC's, one later Spring and one late Summer? Everyone has opinions and options but ultimately you have to decide what's the best overall. The large field doesn't bother me so much but I can see it being controversial as more riders ride together and such. The race will inevitably evolve, though.

My .02:

My understanding about limiting the field is due to permits through some of the parks maxing out at 100 people.

If ever get to do this thing I'd go NoBo and it seems the racers are showing its a pretty equal route either way.  Winds blow in both directions as we saw early in WY and then later in WY etc.  I'd forsee larger NoBo groups in the future.

Even if all 100 people came through the first few towns at once and stopped at the same locales, you'd be hard pressed to run most places out of supplies.  Think of how many "regulars" they see each day and add a buffer that they use to stock for "just in case" instances.  Now that's not to say you'll like what's left on the shelves but there's bound to be something.  Remember there's always liquid calories too. (Beer has food value as someone said back a handful of pages).  Lodging is a whole different issue as that is certainly a finite resource that can quickly become depleted.

[febikes]

Even if all 100 people came through the first few towns at once and stopped at the same locales, you'd be hard pressed to run most places out of supplies.  

Some of the towns are very small (i.e. Atlantic City was population 57).

Really I think the divide would be fine even if 1,000 people or more started on the same day.

Picture 1k people leaving on the same day....

Sure it sounds like a lot but after the first few hours the packs would thin out.  After the first couple of days it would be very manageable and really no one is going to starve to death.  Even very fit people can go two or three days with no food so provided people are able to find water it's not really that big of a deal.  Frankly people would just realize this and carry more food and/or dig into fat reserves when planning goes bad.

Divide riders general expect to camp some of the time so lodging is not really an issue.

I don't see a problem with lots of people on the course at the same time provided riders respect nature and pick up after themselves.  Frankly having more riders on the course is safer because really the risks on the divide are dehydration, injury, and mechanical breakdown.  More riders means that if you were to fall into a ditch and break your leg or have some other mishap someone will be likely to lend a helping hand and/or provide spiritual help when things go bad.

More people also means more respect from others and with enough "critical mass" I don't really think anyone would try to stop the event plus the towns would love the increase in business.

The thing is that the shear scale of the divide is very likely to prevent too many people from starting.  The challenge of the divide ensures that far less people will finish.

[mbeardsl]

Good points Mark.

The biggest risk in previous discussions about "too many" people (and I'd assume part of the "hush" this year) is that eventually you reach a point where there are enough new people that aren't as educated as the current TD population seems to be in respecting land owners/vendors/the law/etc which has the potential to grow and foster conflict instead of respect which is what you see happening from time to time with actual Critical Mass gatherings (and yes, there are certainly two sides to that story - I tend to fall on the less is more side).

New racers should educate themselves well on the important topics prior to beginning.  BUT, it takes very few people to ruin something for everyone, even the ITT'ers (I'm imagining trashed hotel rooms in small towns which makes it difficult to find one in the future among a thousand other examples).  Doubt it would happen with even moderately large groups, but I'm sure there's a practical limit.

[elitheknife]

I think the store that is the most-affected is the Boulton store in Kananaskis.  This is a small store and is only about 60 miles from Banff, thus will experience ALL of the Grand Depart within hours of one another. 

I remember hearing, that in 2010 the young girl who was working the till that day was VERY overwhelmed and not pleased with the attitude of some racers, because of the long amount of time they had to wait.  As I recall, she was the only one working that day, and they have since made efforts to prepare for the Tour Divide more thoroughly.

Scott

[DenisVTT]

If permits near Banff due to large numbers of racers is the issue, then encouraging or requiring NoBo riding would likely solve that issue.

Riding NoBo also has several definite advantages over SoBo. The main and significant disadvantage however is the high mountains early, and adjusting to altitude riding (8000 ft + as of the second day) for those of us who don't live in the mountains.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

From my perspective the number of riders didn't cause any problems - even at the Kananaskis store 60 miles from Banff.

I was in the 'mid-pack' at 105 miles a day (about 40-45th) and there was no issue with stores being emptied by earlier riders. The only place that I noticed it was in Atlantic City, but that was OK as I had them make me some sandwiches.

In fact, the number of riders helped. I got to Pinedale at 23:15 and the petrol station was closed. When they saw me roll up they opened the door and asked if I was in the race, and then let me come in and resupply. They said that all the other riders had been so hungry when they arrived they knew I'd need calories. The 24 h laundromat across the road was a nice warm place to consume them as well.

So even with the increased popularity, I don't see a problem. And I'm sure many of these towns appreciate the business.

[candrus]

Hot dang, Dave is already in Sparwood!  And it isn't raining or cold.  He could be finishing by tomorrow night. 
Dave, watch out for the cougar 6 miles from the finish -- she scared the crap out of me.

[mtbcast]

More calls today: Fixie Dave Nice called in from Sparwood. He had some questions to answer at the border but made it across. He had some rain and hail but managed. He hopes to finish tomorrow! And Brett Stepanik called in with his finish. He sends thanks around! He thinks he just might do it again someday!

REALLY stoked to see Dave finish!

[fahrenbd]

I am a lifelong resident of SW New Mexico. Luck, or the Gods, or pure Chance, plays a disproportionate part in the TD, and the final results are often skewed because of this. Those riders that hit the ferocious headwinds in Wyoming will attest to their effects. Here in New Mexico, if you hit the Gila country just wrong, rain and storms will play havoc with your progress. Then, if you weren't blessed to hit New Mexico before the heat and winds here, you were penalized disproportionately again by the weather. The temps after leaving Silver City have been from 106 to 108, however the moon has been bright enough to ride at night the last few nights. A black bear was hit and killed by a truck on the Interstate at Separ last week. Can you believe that? You never know what it will be your lot to encounter. That is part of what makes the TD such a great challenge and accomplishment. So what do you do? Go SB or go NB. Push through the night or resupply and get some rest. The early finishers rolled the dice, they had the physical ability to hit things right, and their equipment held up.

My congratulations to all of the participants. I hauled some to Antelope Wells and have given rides to some finishers. You are all WINNERS.   

Tyson texted from Cuba, he "got caught in a serious mountain storm and am wet to the bone".  He plans to spend the night in Cuba.  There are others there so they will all be wet.  He was in a rain and hail storm the other day.  Hope the rain goes toward the fires!!

Diana

[AmyL]

Anybody know what's up with BG?  He slowed to a walking pace for the last hour or so into El Rito on Tuesday night.  Then just a couple dots today.  Looks like he might have a mechanical problem?  If he's stuck in Abiquiu with a mechanical problem he might be glad he missed the storm up on Polvodera Mesa today. (Thanks Diana for relaying the message from Tyson).
[edited AmyL July5: yep, he spent yesterday in Abiquiu.  Looks like he resolved the problem and got a cracking early start this morning.]

[sdrffpp]

Unfortunate? Maybe he wanted to do the whole route with no alternatives. It's slower and harder but certainly more beautiful and remote. He's seeing country that none of the other racers will.

Oh, I couldn't agree more if he intended that choice - but if he simply didn't know better and would have made a different choice, unfortunate.

[rhino-x]

forsee larger NoBo groups in the future.

Alternate the start point. Even years Banff, Odd years New Mexico.

[spcabin75]

Marco & Elena have touched the border!  Congratulations on a great race and a very long last day!!

[AmyL]

This evening, July 5, is the cutoff to finish with a 100 mpd average, and there has been a flurry of activity in the past 36 hours.  I don't know if any of the riders have the 100 mpd target in mind, but a lot of people are pulling it off and there's plenty of drama unfolding down in southern New Mexico  

BillyR passed ScottA on Monday July 2 at 10pm, while Scott was camped at the Upper Black Canyon USFS Camp, and Billy kept going all the way to the border, finishing in the wee hours of the morning on July 4.  106.38 mpd average.
Scott managed to finish just ahead of "the pack", and reached Antelope Wells at 1:40-something in the afternoon to finish with 104.62 mpd average.  The over-50's riders rule  

Then the pack of five reached the border just an hour later at 2:38pm (104.21 mpd).  BrettS, ChrisZ, JoshS, and AlG's SPOT-dots had been rolling south together for most of the route, and apparently Jon Cox caught up to them somewhere south of Platoro (where Jon's SPOT stopped working).  At Platoro Jon was almost a day behind the pack, so congrats to Jon for firing the after-burners.

The Elena/Marco duo camped with GregL at the Beaverhead on July 3rd.  The Italians never stopped riding after they left the Beaverhead on the morning of the 4th, reaching the Separ store at midnight, and the border at about 6:40am on July 5 (101.86 mpd).  

GregL reached the Separ store a few hours after the duo, at about 3:30am, and appears to have stopped for some rest just past the store.  He'll have ~60 miles to go on the 5th and should easily reach the border for his 100 mpd badge of honor.

A little further back, JamesH and SaraD reached the north end of the CDT single track at 8pm on the 4th of July.  They were still there at 9:30pm and it looked like they were going to wait until daylight hours to ride the CDT section.  James did spend the night there, but Sara departed at 10pm and reached Silver City this morning at 7am.

Sara has 120 miles to go.  If she reaches the border by ~7:00 pm she'll break the 100 mpd barrier.  It will require a big sleepless push, but it's in range of possibility.  Weather forecast says:
Partly cloudy with thunderstorms and rain showers in the morning, then mostly cloudy with thunderstorms and rain showers. High of 86F. Winds from the NW at 5 to 15 mph.   Chance of rain 70%.  If she can pull it off, she'll probably be the last person in this year's race to get the 100 mpd badge of honor.

Sometime after Sara finishes, JamesH will become the first 2012 rider in the over-60 contingent to reach the border, beating his stating target of 29 days, and impressing the crap out of me.

RichW is just 30 miles behind JamesH, and he's also in range of finishing after one big long push to the border.

And, of course, July 5 is a HUGE day for ITT Fixie DaveN, who will reach Banff after many years of amazing effort.
  

[Joraff]

Billy Rice just got a shout out on his finish by a KBTX reporter on a local radio station this morning! Congrats Billy!

Also had a news story on their website, though it hasn't been updated for his finish: http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/College_Station_Man_Begins_Bicycle_Race_Down_The_Continental_Divide_158222245.html

Kinda cool that a big affiliate station would even mention an event like this!

[mtbcast]

Josh Smith called in from home with his finish call!

[chriskmurray]

From my perspective the number of riders didn't cause any problems - even at the Kananaskis store 60 miles from Banff.

I was in the 'mid-pack' at 105 miles a day (about 40-45th) and there was no issue with stores being emptied by earlier riders. The only place that I noticed it was in Atlantic City, but that was OK as I had them make me some sandwiches.

In fact, the number of riders helped. I got to Pinedale at 23:15 and the petrol station was closed. When they saw me roll up they opened the door and asked if I was in the race, and then let me come in and resupply. They said that all the other riders had been so hungry when they arrived they knew I'd need calories. The 24 h laundromat across the road was a nice warm place to consume them as well.

So even with the increased popularity, I don't see a problem. And I'm sure many of these towns appreciate the business.

Good to hear first hand it was not really a problem, I did not think it was but had been a little curious.

Very excited to see Dave so close to finishing, it has been a long time coming.

[Ryan Correy]

Hey everyone! Ryan Correy here. I just finished putting together a Q & A on my Tour Divide 2012 experience. If you are interested, sign up for my group email on my website at www.ryansdream.com. Will send it out tomorrow AM. Thanks for following along! It's nice to be on this side of the fence now