TD`13 Race Discussion

[mathieu]

A question for those in the know....

Mike and now Craig have clocked 1600 miles to the 'Golden Spoke' [personally I think 'spike' is a better choice of word] I didn't take particular note of Cjell's milage at that point but working back from where he is having a snooze he would have been on about 1535 miles at that point which = 3135 total miles. That's a good bit more than the alleged 2745 miles on the TD website [and Wiki ... and we know that's the truth!]

As I have said before, there is an error in the statistics chart of the northbound riders. The Route mile in the chart is the distance as if they had started from Banff. The true Route mile for them is (2745 - 'Route mile'). Because this erroneous Route mile  is used in the computation,  the Route average speed and the Route distance per day are also wrong for northbounders.

This error is obvious if you compare CM's stats (Route mile = 1557; RAS = 8.2 mph ; RDPD = 107 mi) and other northbounder Bruce Giroux (Route mile = 2178 ; RAS = 12.6 mph ; RDPD = 302 mi)!

[Canbaroo]

Thanks mate, I must have missed this before.

So the keen boys are away for today, led out like clockwork by the Swisso's

Saemi B 3.46am and Reto K 4.03

These two have moved quietly through the field over the past few days and looking to get into the top ten in the next 24hrs

Alex H 3.52
Craig S 4.30
Jess C 4.37
Mike H 5.08

[suezim]

Big day yesterday from SS'er Scott McConnell road till 3:00 AM with about 180 miles yesterday! I am enjoying this Scott Arron battle as mush as Craig and Mike!!

if you compare cjell$ to to Scott and Aaron, all SS riders,  I think c$ is leading by a good margin.  We will see who hits the half way point first.

[ComoDepot]

Joshua Weinfeld just left heading north.

I do have a sponsor to provide a beer for the racers.

[mathieu]

Just as last year, the Live Tracker suffers from poor SPOT and/or battery performance. Roughly one-third of the top-10 riders had long drop-out periods. Rather than reassuring, I guess this device adds to the worries at the home front. If my life would depend on it, I would look for a more reliable beacon!

[ComoDepot]

SPOT issues seems to be battery related, they do not use rechargables and people do turn them off to save juice and forget to turn them on again or notice the batteries are dying.

[ComoDepot]

Joshua, breakfast consumed, ready and raring.

[AZtrailertrash]

Mike Hall is putting the hammer down. Alex Harris continues to impress.

[Cosmo K]

The difference between Hall and Stappler appears to be time management.  They are riding at the same pace but Hall takes a little less time at stops and sleeps a little less than Stappler...which has led to a little over 4 hours more ride time...which at their pace is about 50 miles.  Assuming no mechanicals, he who sleeps less will lead longest.

[mtbcast]

Jesse Carlsson called in from Rawlins overnight. Mike Hall called in from Steamboat Springs. He’s looking for Spot batteries and finding rocks in his pack! Fred Arden called in from the Montana High Country Lodge. Rick Ashton called in from Butte. Corey Sheidt called in to say he’s OUT with achilles issues.
http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td13/

[bjamin]

The difference between Hall and Stappler appears to be time management.  They are riding at the same pace but Hall takes a little less time at stops and sleeps a little less than Stappler...which has led to a little over 4 hours more ride time...which at their pace is about 50 miles.  Assuming no mechanicals, he who sleeps less will lead longest.

The rider who manages their rest or sleep will be better served not necessarily sleeping the least. It's a tough call in the heat of the battle though.

[PerryD]

It has been pouring rain in Helena this morning. Very overcast, 47 degrees. Cold and very wet day here for any south bound riders still out there.

[Angler]

Ovando Montana Update #1 for June 22:  [sorry for not posting yesterday, had to go to MisZooLa]:  With appreciation to Peggy Fly of the Blackfoot Inn we have photos for yesterdays cyclists:  Jonathan O'Brian - WA made it to Ovando, got refueled and has found his stride again [he's already in Helena today]; Jay Combs and Jay Kleberg who are not in the race but doing the track and have the interesting side note that they started in NM with Billy Rice and met up with him again outside of Ovando on Billy's return south trip, so had to give them photo time.

[Angler]

Ovando Update for June 21 #2:  Billy Rice came through AGAIN on his southward portion and his smile assures us he is going to  complete the YoYo! Ovando's rooting for ya!

[Angler]

June 22nd Update from Ovando, MT:  Eric Armentrout - TX got in around 2030 hrs last night and is still here as of 1025 hrs; refueling at the Café and checking the Tracker at the Angler.  We're rooting for him too.

[Angler]

It has been pouring rain in Helena this morning. Very overcast, 47 degrees. Cold and very wet day here for any south bound riders still out there.

Message passed on to at least one.  thank you!

[mtbcast]

Arran Pearson called in from Flag Ranch. And Karlos Bernart, the Naked Indian, called in from Butte again. He had to return to get his brakes worked on.
http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td13/

[mikepro]

Some reshuffling of the top 10: Markley A and Leo P with a LONG rest, by TD standards, of ~14 hours last night, and Forest B with big move up and might catch Liam C in a day or two if he can keep it up.  Presumably Brian P is keeping pace with Forest.  Looking at the flow chart, it's impressive how steady and consistent Jesse C in 3rd has been over 8 days - truly amazing metronomic flow chart.

[Mathewsen]

Just as last year, the Live Tracker suffers from poor SPOT and/or battery performance. Roughly one-third of the top-10 riders had long drop-out periods. Rather than reassuring, I guess this device adds to the worries at the home front. If my life would depend on it, I would look for a more reliable beacon!

While I can appreciate your desire for excellent data--it's what Trackleaders' 'good journalism' is predicated on--I have to say, 'come on', in the case of sleep-deprived, self-supported ultra racing. Expectations are merely frustrations in which a sense of ownership complicates things. We have to keep our social media expectations low in this community, and realize we as fans of the events, or family of the riders, don't own any of this. If your life depended on it, as surely is not the case for TD racers because they are seasoned woodsmen depending on no one else but themselves, then you'd carry back up batteries and have them changed timely.

[fromBrushMtn]

hey fellow dot-junkies....
i have posted some pictures from the last 24 hrs on the lodge facebook page...

facebook.com/brushmountainlodge

more soon, it appears...
happy spot stalking, everyone...