TD`13 Race Discussion

[MotherRadar]

Liam, Alex and James are all within 'striking distance' of each other so it should be a good race between them. We know James is travelling without electronics, camera etc, don't know about the other 2,  but has anyone/can anyone get some photos of these guys as they go through ? For 3 rookies they are really pushing hard to make a good go of it, but the 3 leaders are too far away unless there is a biological or mechanical disaster !

[BobM]

Technology - if your life depends on it, be extra careful!

Spot units - I have a gen1 Spot and it tracks just fine MOST times.

1) It sends a tracking signal once every 10 minutes.  If you are under heavy trees, a rock outcrop, or a huge thundercloud at that time, the satellite will not receive the signal and it will broadcast again in ten minutes.  Doesn't matter if you are in the open the other 9 minutes.

2) If it is mounted facing the sky you will get more signals through.  Mine was mounted in the top AV pocket of my daypack and performed great.  If the unit slips to the bottom of a pack or pivots downward on the bike, not so much.

3)  Gen1 devices need to be reset every 24 hours or less or they stop tracking - not sure about later models.

4)  Need to be turned on in order to track (DUH factor when tired).

5) low battery indicator may not be obvious to a rider.

[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.

And he is off!  After a delayed stay and a tapping up of an Achilles tendon, Eric Armentrout is off to Lincoln at 1200 hours sharp!!!!  Taking an easy day then hopes to really hoof it the following day when the weather dries out a bit.

[mathieu]

[quote .... If your life depended on it,.. then you'd carry back up batteries and have them changed timely.
[/quote]

I am not so sure that failure mostly boils down to battery life. It is a critical issue regarding what the device is supposed to do. It would be interesting to analyse the non-performers at the start, when all batteries were probably new, or BP's that worked haphazardly about half of the time. 

[BikeSwimmer]

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.

Given the flooding in the northern section of the route, will we be able to directly compare Cjell to Scott and Aaran? If Cjell has to navigate miles off-route, then I'm not sure. Guess we will wait and see......

[jay-me]

Given the flooding in the northern section of the route, will we be able to directly compare Cjell to Scott and Aaran? If Cjell has to navigate miles off-route, then I'm not sure. Guess we will wait and see......

Just to clarify, this was posted by me, BikeSwimmer's wife jay-me. Not BikeSwimmer. Didn't realize he was logged in.

[kucebags]

Just an FYI,
Those thinking about an ITT departure from Banff in the upcoming days you need to re-evaluate things.
Banff and the surrounding Bow Valley have experienced record flooding. There is no entrance from the east in any vehicle fashion(you cannot get to Canmore from Calgary) roads in are currently closed. There is limited travel via scheduled public bus between Banff and Canmore at the moment.

Also for the Tour Admin please advise on your plans on the Goat Creek Trail section. If NoBo's can even get through Kananaskis all 3 bridges on Goat Creek are washed out and will not be replaced for some time. This trail is CLOSED indefinitely with excessive damage to trail and surrounding infrastructure.

[Mathewsen]

This trail is CLOSED indefinitely with excessive damage to trail and surrounding infrastructure.

Thanks, Jason for all your service to Divide riders pre-event every year. For prospective riders who don't know, Jason runs the official TD bike shop (of choice) in Banff, called http://www.soulskiandbike.com/

Jason--do you have any info on the Rundle Dr bridge in Canmore heading up to Spray country, and what about the bike path between Canmore and Banff? Did the Cascade River bridge in Anthracite survive? This may have to be the finish route IF riders can make it up into K-country. If no Elk Pass, then there will be a 200-mile detour around on Crow's Nest pass and Hwy 40 from Sparwood.

[Blackhound]

kucebags - I am one of 4, along with Glen who posted earlier, setting out on 15th July.  If Goat Creek trail is closed and even Elkford / Flathead looking likely to be closed should we be seriously thinking of contingencies.  Bus from Calgary to Sparwood / Fernie and down alt route to border?  (We laos have YWCA booking we may have to cancel)

Looking at the pictures the tracks we want to use are not going to be top of any priority list.  Had planned to see how things panned out over next few weeks. TIA.

[Veetack]

Just took a look at the map, there are currently no active racers in either Canada or New Mexico. The middle states are becoming a traffic jam.

[suezim]

Brush mountain,  thanks for the pix of the golden spoke moment.  I am cjell's mom, so it was good to see him.

We are heading to Calgary on Thursday.  We hope to be at the finish line when he comes in.  We have reservations in Canmore so it will be interesting to see if we are able to get there.  Another couple is coming on sunday and staying with us in Canmore.  The best laid plans...................

[Crow_flies]

Liam, Alex and James are all within 'striking distance' of each other so it should be a good race between them. We know James is travelling without electronics, camera etc, don't know about the other 2,  but has anyone/can anyone get some photos of these guys as they go through ? For 3 rookies they are really pushing hard to make a good go of it, but the 3 leaders are too far away unless there is a biological or mechanical disaster !

Agreed - they have been chopping/changing over the last few days with James looking strongest. Forest looks to join them shortly - its still early though! As Mike has said in the past, experience makes a big difference on the TD.

[Angler]

Ovando Montana final update for June 22:  Larry Hipskind, ITT, saying at 74 he is the oldest rider on the course and his neighbor [and hopefully best friend by now] Charles Maclay who is not gps'd or on the list arrived at 1420 hours, are taking an easy day today.  They will be spending the night at the Blackfoot Inn, dinner at Trixi's, breakfast at the Stray Bullet then out for a long day tomorrow.  That looks about it for this day!

[Donald]

The pace being set at the head of this race is quite extraordinary. If Mike Hall has reasonable luck and can finish it could be in a time of Bob Beamon significance. We are looking at one of the world's greatest endurance athletes. We know this, but will the rest of the world? I doubt it. After his epic win last year, Ollie Whalley apparently got 10mins on New Zealand radio in a year when he had a claim to being the greatest Kiwi athlete. I don't know whether Hall will be delayed by the blandishments of the tourist belt he's now entering, but if he presses on and gets to Como before dark, I hope the Como Depot will salute his progress by running up the union flag!

[Family Guy]

what kind of delays do you mean in the tourist belt?

it is so good to get an idea of what the race is like from people on this forum as it feels like a very long way away from us in the uk and there seems to be so little other coverage of it (which i don't think is necessarily a bad thing..) it is otherwise difficult to imagine what racers are going through. d

thanks to all for the updates and commentary - much appreciated.

[ComoDepot]

Mike has the advantage of all those Mountains in Wales to practice!

Cymru am Byth!

[Donald]

The run between Silverthorne and Breckenridge through Frisco has a completely different character to anywhere else on the route. There is more prosperity here than anywhere else. The route follows a dedicated bike path full of leisure cyclists shuttling between the many luxurious refuelling opportunities available in these high end tourist towns. Como, on the "wrong" side of the mountain, is much more interesting. It's the town that time forgot but has much more character and the Como Depot is like nothing else.

[ScottM]

Mike Hall's split into Silverthorne puts him more than 24 hours ahead of record pace.  Wowzah.

Sure enough the JP flag is just about to Brush Mtn, ~24 hours behind.

Still lots of miles to cover, and a forest fire or three to negotiate, but boy is this fun to watch him destroy the route.

[ComoDepot]

Looks like Mike has just passed Lowes.

[mtbcast]

Craig Stappler called in from Steamboat Springs. He’s getting new tires and supplies. Matthew Liggett called in from the Montana High Country Lodge. Eric Foster called in from Squirrel Creek Lodge. He got charged by a bear near Mack’s Inn and took refuge in a bathroom! Forest Baker called in from Pinedale. He about got trampled by cows! Ed Fogerty called in from Helena to say he’s OUT! Markley Anderson called in from The Place Cafe. And Rich Otterstrom called in from Lima.
http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td13/