TD`13 Race Discussion

[Veetack]

HOLY CRAP CRAIG! NOOOOO!

[MotherRadar]

The observer effect is called Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle - but mainly for Quantum Physics .......
The challenge now is between James O, Alex H and Liam C. The 1,2,3 are so far away that there will be no catching up, but these 3 have a race between them and it will be sleeps and eats which decides the running order.
As 'Father Radar' it would be improper of me to name a favourite, but GO JAMES !!

[Boney]

 

[AZtrailertrash]

OK, have a few photo's to share with you.

First is of "I'm a freaking pedalling Machine" Mike Hall... shot on Warm Springs, after he blew by me by Henry's Lake, ID kind of early in the morning. Craig Stappler was 5-6 hours ahead of Mike at this point, according to Mike... and Mike wanted it down to 2 or 3 hours by days end.... Incredibly mentally tough, this young man.

I conversed with him briefly, driving while he pedaled, and Mike was in catch up mode at this point, mentioned the wind and allergies giving him breathing fits, that it was interfering a bit with his attack/catch up plan to grab the #1 spot from the leader.  He had it all figured out, he was going to do what it took to catch and pass the leader in WY... didn't matter if it was before or after Pinedale WY.  Strategy.  If Mike doesn't blow himself up or out, or suffer injuries, I think he'll have this done in 15 days, 16 tops.  I hear his bones are hollow, he stuffs food and calories in them at rest stops.

[ChrisE]

So sad to hear Craig's voice.  Hope he comes back soon.  He has ridden a speed to be proud of

C

[Canbaroo]

The observer effect is called Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle - but mainly for Quantum Physics ......

You could ask Dr Jesse Carlsson, Melbourne University Physics

He's written a couple of books ..... bit of light reading material while we wait for next years race to come around.

Improvement and Analytic Techniques in Hamiltonian Lattice Gauge Theory and

SU (N) Glueball Masses in 2+ 1 Dimensions

Throw in a couple of BMX world championships in his youth and you can see he's got quite an extraordinary young man!

[AZtrailertrash]

Hall's pic was around 11 AM  6/19...  My time was up at Valley View RV park near Island Park and weeks ago I'd scoured some areas to dry camp in the travel trailer, Grassy  Lake on Flagg Ranch Road was mentioned a few times, and to come in from the WY side, not the ID side, the road was waaaaaay rough on the ID side for a travel trailer. 10 spots available on the WY side. Seems that WY has shut those 10 camp sites down, someone with a front loader dumped 4 or 5 scoops of dirt at the entry of every one of them, and posted up a sign... so I kept on driving up to the crest on Flagg Ranch, when this guy came bombing down the trail.

I asked if I could take some pics, he was glad to oblige, so I zapped him with the Android of mine, then he asked me to take pics of him with his Apple Iphone.... weird, first time I've ever held or touched a Iphone from the Dark Side.

This is for you Alex Harris... we knew it was a gorgeous day to be out racing and riding, in God's Country... it was a foreshadow of what was to come for you later that evening, after tanking up at Flagg Ranch RV park. (tune to MTB cast for 6-20-13 to hear Alex call it in... yes, he knew it and noticed, he was without sleeping bag or bivy and had to find a place to lodge for the nite, and it was either  a long one or an all nighter for him, not sure if he stopped or kept on until Pinedale WY?

I never found a spot to camp on Flagg, and had the absolute worst time getting turned around in Teton National Forest to come back down that miserable 10 miles each way (for towing a 21ft travel trailer) of dirt and gravel road... the mosquito's were the absolute worst I'd ever experienced near Grassy Lake.

Alex is sponsored by Lynskey of TN, and he's now in 3rd place!

[AZtrailertrash]

And this is the treat that Alex was talking about in his Podcast... Grand Tetons at sunset on a summer's night. 

Mod's /Editors, my chromebook is quite limited on software to shrink or resize photo's, see fit to do as you please to get the width and file size of the pics down so as to not blow out the rest of this thread sideways.

[Blackhound]

Feeling sorry for Craig, not an easy decision.

James Olsen must be at Brush Mountain and now in 3rd place, a fabulous ride.  No phone and no camera I believe - how pure is that?

[AZtrailertrash]

I don't think different by any means means bad in this case. There's no question that the race has gained exponential popularity thanks to Mike Dion and Hunter Weeks, but I would contend that the business along the divide greatly appreciate it. The movie states that the TD is an 'underground' race. Eventually, it's bound to dig its way out. As long as we never see support vehicles following riders with extra bikes and gear and mechanics, I'm perfectly fine with acquiring needs and arranging resupply/meals/places to stay. As long as you're taking your own time to do so, IMHO it's still self support.

Much agree with your point of view on this.  Although I will never be a competitor in an event like this... I would absolutely love to tour some of the finer sections of the Continental Divide.  As an established member of the Old and Slow  Mountain Bikers Club, 40 or 50 miles a day with a stop and smell the flowers pace would be my idea of Nirvana, supported, of course. For me, it's not the race, it's the ride... and living vicariously through others adventures, how ever they see fit to do it, makes this event all the better.  I have friends that race, believe I started following this in 2009 or 2010, the year before someone who befriended me of FB raced it...Dejay Birtch.  It's great to have friends that ride bikes, some of 'em are speed merchants.  I think God must love the common Mountain Biker, he made so many of us to ride dirt trail, dirt roads, and single track. The special ones he made very, very fast.

[dadana]

I just drove the road from Del Norte to Platoro, down to Oso Lodge and then back up La Manga Pass. There a little smoke in Del Norte but otherwise clear. I did not see Bruce Giroux and it looks like he is stuck in the Cruces Basin. Any word on him? I did see some road bikers checking out the stash on top of the pass. I hope its still there when the race is over!

[Newfydog]

Much agree with your point of view on this.  Although I will never be a competitor in an event like this... I would absolutely love to tour some of the finer sections of the Continental Divide.  As an established member of the Old and Slow  Mountain Bikers Club, 40 or 50 miles a day with a stop and smell the flowers pace would be my idea of Nirvana, supported, of course.

I would encourage you to do so, trailerdude.  And any other the lurkers here.

My wife and I do a piece of it nearly every year.  If we go over 60 miles a day we dial it back so the distance is something under our age.  We carry our gear but stay every nice place we can find, and there are many of them.  It adds a lot to blue dot watching....."ah yes, he just did in five hours what took us two days, but remember that nice bison steak we had with a fine Cote de Rhone at the lodge.  Looks like he stopped there for some power bars."

I am amazed by everyone out there.  100 miles a day will put you in 78th place right now.  Having ridden it,  I know how tough that is.

[Angler]

Last of the SoBo's Update from Ovando MT at 1530 hrs:  Christian Schuler - Switzerland and Javier Serrano - TX along with their posse of independent riders of Duncan Niederlite - FL, Allison Seger - SD riding for a scholarship charity at rideallisonride.blogspot.com and Ted Lincoln - FL.  Christian wants TD to know that he dropped his SpoT before Seeley Lake, MT, went back to look for it without luck and has been telling NoBo's if they see it to turn it in.  So his spot will remain north of Seeley for the duration and he will be teaming with Javier for all to keep tabs on him.  He also wanted to give a HI to his charity organization wunderlampe.ch!  Photos attached:

[Looked up wunderlampe.ch and it is Wonderful Lamp, an organization that like our Make A Wish where children get to fulfill a dream.  Good luck with this!]

[dp]

Ugh, Craig, heartbreaking.  After last year, I was pulling for ya!  Glad you're OK.  Take care heading home to Calgary.

[Bounce]

I did see some road bikers checking out the stash on top of the pass. I hope its still there when the race is over!

Thanks for the heads up.  I haven't checked it because no SoBo-er has been by there yet and I seriously doubted that a NoBo-er would choose to ride down La Manga only to turn right around and climb it for time.  I am climbing La Manga tomorrow.  I'll check it.  Thanks again. Since this isn't a part of the TD, I was planning on starting a dedicated thread someplace else for those who are interested in what's going on with it.  Since they are cyclists, I'm figuring they didn't bother it.

[AZtrailertrash]

Looks like Alex Harris again took a detour and caught it a bit late..., no worries, he's in Colorado now...3 states down, 2 to go. Home stretch?

[JRA]

Thanks out to those of you who have taken the time to share photos in this thread.
It's really cool to see the riders using their various setups in an actual race. 

[mtbcast]

Brian Steele called in from The Montana High Country Lodge. The call breaks up some and cuts off but he said he has a fractured wrist but is continuing. Brian Jett called in from the Montana High Country Lodge. Chris Arndt called in from The Places. Eric Foster called in from the Togwatee Lodge. He’s stuck with a broken seat clamp. Forest Baker called in from Rawlins. Nick Legan called in from the Togwatee Lodge. And Tom Lane called in from Pinedale.
http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td13/

[redtabby]

All the best to Stappy at a difficult time.  He's established
himself as a top divide rider and it wouldn't come as a
great surprise to see him back out there again someday.
I hope we do!

[MTRoad]

Looks like the SS'ers did cross today I was out so did not see when Aron and CJ$ passed each other but it did happen today!

Sucks to hear Craigs voice tough decision - but you road well man!