Tour Divide 2009

[Mathewsen]

A couple nice articles:
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/jun/28/joel_reichenberger_keeping_his_word/
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/jun/28/steamboat_mountain_biker_competes_tour_divide/

Yes, Joel's a fan of the event.
TD.org is compiling a master list of `09 press here: http://tourdivide.org/dividenews/td09_press_coverage

[crazylarrybanff]

I got the chance to meet most (40 of 43 in all) of the enduring humans who entered this personally challenging adventure race. ONE Of its kind in North America; and in the World!  (I'm still researching that one...but is a pretty safe bet its the longest one!!)

 What a treat that was !!!

 Cadet from the Ellsworth Team was there as was reigning champion and record setter Mathew Lee.

 Although I didn't get many pictures I am hoping that along their adventurous route of 4,500 Km long they took many pictures for me to look druel at and enjoy.
 
I hope that they all go to www.crazylarry.info to find out my contact information so that I'm able to send out some questions to learn all that I can from their wisdom about this truly challenging race of self sufficiency. I can hardly wait to see both pictures and hear the many stories that I don't want to go unnoticed.

 Please if you'd like to hear the many stories of their adventures email me at the above website with contact info in it on right side.
 
 I hope that next year I can put up more balloons then there were this year (350 or so) and make it more a more spectacular send off along with some announcing.

 It'd be GREAT to hear feedback from ALL 2009 Tour Divide Racers who many catch this posting!

Sincerely
Crazy Larry
Banff, Alberta

[AmyL]

I know ACA maintains the addendum to the maps, giving corrections to the route and service list.  But they don't make qualitative assessments of things.
Is anybody maintaining a list of comments and notes?  Recommendations for restaurants (or those to avoid), motels, campsites, bike shops, etc? 
I made a list of notes I took when Jim and I toured the GDMBR in 2007.  http://gdradvice.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
I think it would be useful to have a similar list that everybody can contribute to, organized by map# and mile marker.  That way we can recognize the service providers who have been welcoming of cyclists, and encourage other cyclists to make use of those service providers. 
If a list like that exists, I'll add our notes to it.  If it doesn't exist, I'd be willing to start a new blog dedicated to that purpose.
Amy

[Pivvay]

I don't think there is a list that I've seen? I'd be happy to comment on a list based on my experiences.

[Mathewsen]

I know ACA maintains the addendum to the maps, giving corrections to the route and service list.  But they don't make qualitative assessments of things.
Is anybody maintaining a list of comments and notes?  Recommendations for restaurants (or those to avoid), motels, campsites, bike shops, etc?  
I made a list of notes I took when Jim and I toured the GDMBR in 2007.  http://gdradvice.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
I think it would be useful to have a similar list that everybody can contribute to, organized by map# and mile marker.  That way we can recognize the service providers who have been welcoming of cyclists, and encourage other cyclists to make use of those service providers.  
If a list like that exists, I'll add our notes to it.  If it doesn't exist, I'd be willing to start a new blog dedicated to that purpose.
Amy

Amy, this is a good idea and something TD has considered investing time on as a way to respond to critics who assert divide racing is "too dangerous" (yes, there are some). At the same time, there are those who assert we've dumbed down Divide racing as well, so we just decided to leave it up to individuals. Personally, the route is big enough to be worthy of a guidebook along these lines. One that details every brew pub, eateries, tangent singletrack loops, hostels, etc. The hard part: keeping it updated. Conditions along the Divide are pretty fluid. Not to volunteer him for more work, but I would vote for Scott to set up a form on the GDMBR page for entries like you're describing. Frankly, I'm surprised ACA doesn't have a venue for such. Their forum: http://www.adventurecycling.org/forums/index.php is occasionally useful for such detail. Also, don't forget the GDMBR yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GreatDivideRide/summary

[AmyL]

To be most useful, I think it needs to be maintained in map-mileage order.  It's so much easier to use than gleaning dozens or hundreds of blogs and forums for comments.

Wouldn't be hard for me to create a blog, with one entry per side of a map.  I can populate it with the notes we took.  Then, ask people to comment on the blog with their additions.  I'll add their comments (with a year-stamp and user), in the proper order, to the blog content.  If Scott is interested in doing this instead, I wouldn't complain, but he's got plenty on his plate already.  Or, I could start collecting comments in a blog that Scott could use later (if ever) to populate something.

One of my goals is to make sure that the great people who live and work along the route get recognized and that we encourage others to give their business to the service providers who have been friendly toward cyclists.  If there's interest, I'll start something in late August.

[richNYC]

According to the Tour Divide leaderboard, Deanna made it to Antelope Wells!!! This is just amazing: FIRST EVER FIXIE FINISH!!! Unbelievable. Congratulations, Deanna!!!

[Pivvay]

Way to go Deanna! Awesome job as first fixie finisher ever

[AmyL]

The weather station at Hachita Valley reported 106 degrees when Deanna was riding her last few miles into Antelope Wells.  OUCH!  What a way to finish an awe-inspiring journey. 

[krefs]

Deanna's accomplishment is HUGE!  I can't even fathom being able to do what she just did.  And 106 degrees would probably have killed me.

[edemtbs]

According to the Tour Divide leaderboard, Deanna made it to Antelope Wells!!! This is just amazing: FIRST EVER FIXIE FINISH!!! Unbelievable. Congratulations, Deanna!!!

Totally amazing!!

Congratulations to Deanna.

Ed

[Mathewsen]

Totally amazing!!
Congratulations to Deanna.
Ed

This is probably as good a post as any to quote (and concur with) when pointing out we had to relegate 4 riders from TD this year for rules violations. Unfortunately Deanna's amazing fixie ride is one that gets an asterisk. It doesn't diminish what she accomplished if you consider it was an innocent error but divide racing (and all self-support racing) must rule on violations with an iron fist if we are to preserve the ethos. This comment: http://tourdivide.org/blog2009/2009_provisional_general_classification#comment-2230 on the TD provisional results post explains a bit. Relegating riders after they exert 3 weeks of grand tour wattage is no fun but we can all learn from it, especially with the dangerous Colorado Trail Race right around the corner: No matter how much you're slumming out there, you've got to keep your wits about you. In many cases your life depends on it. If you are riding in the company of others, don't expect them to know the way. Reading [your maps] is fundamental. Personal responsibility is fundamental.

[Pivvay]

True true Matt. And we must remember people like John and Jay&T-race made big off route errors this year and in the past and backtracked to the route and found the correct path again without skipping any part of the trail. I bet they sure wished there was an easier way!

Use a GPS if you are worried about navigation but above all, remember that it is your job to stay on the route as Matt said above no matter what your GPS or riding partner says.

[Jilleo]

Man, this new development is a bummer. It doesn't diminish Deanna's ride, but it does put a damper on her record, which she obviously deserves and would probably hold for a fair while. (Really, how many people have that perfect combination of toughness, tenacity and crazy to complete this thing on a fixed gear?)

Was Deanna's off-route deviation the same error Brad made? Also, what kind of support did Jamie Thompson have? Because Tour Divide is an organized event, I don't think it would be over the line to clarify exactly why certain racers have been relegated. If this were the Tour de France (which I know it's not), race organizers would issue press releases to specify exactly why riders were disqualified. Maybe a statement could be posted on the blog. Clarifying the decision in a public manner may save you the scores of angry e-mails that are sure to come when fans find out Deanna has been essentially DQ'd.

[rocky rode]

Jason and Rohan, who are doing an ITT, stayed with us Friday night.  Both really great guys, both have had bike issues and are on a different frame (Jason) or a whole new bike (Rohan).  They are enjoying their ride.

I too, am really bummed about the DQ's.  I also feel bad for Matthew right now but I have to admire his sticking to it. 

When I heard Jamey's call in from Abiquiu that his aunt (?) brought him a new saddle I cringed!  He should have read the rules better, I assume this was the reason for DQ?

I feel worst for Deanna.  What an amazing accomplishment, regardless!

Gary   

[Slowerthensnot]

This is probably as good a post as any to quote (and concur with) when pointing out we had to relegate 4 riders from TD this year for rules violations. Unfortunately Deanna's amazing fixie ride is one that gets an asterisk. It doesn't diminish what she accomplished if you consider it was an innocent error but divide racing (and all self-support racing) must rule on violations with an iron fist if we are to preserve the ethos. This comment: http://tourdivide.org/blog2009/2009_provisional_general_classification#comment-2230 on the TD provisional results post explains a bit. Relegating riders after they exert 3 weeks of grand tour wattage is no fun but we can all learn from it, especially with the dangerous Colorado Trail Race right around the corner: No matter how much you're slumming out there, you've got to keep your wits about you. In many cases your life depends on it. If you are riding in the company of others, don't expect them to know the way. Reading [your maps] is fundamental. Personal responsibility is fundamental.

Big bummer ML! but am glad your sticking to the rules..  I get very bothered at times with our culture of dumbing it down and making it *fair*......  thanks for the rule clarifications...  Esp with co trail race around the conner and such...

Had a group ride end very badly this spring and i'm not interested in having to deal with something like that on route if I can help it.

Thanks again ML,Kevin, and Joe for all your hard work this year!

[Mathewsen]

Big bummer ML! but am glad your sticking to the rules..  I get very bothered at times with our culture of dumbing it down and making it *fair*......  thanks for the rule clarifications...  Esp with co trail race around the corner and such...

A neutral point to made here on the juggernaut otherwise known as, "dumbing-down", is it is largely a product of the world we live in and part n' parcel of progress. The GDMBR and other, once unknown routes are being "dumbed down" by development, by bloggers, by the abundance of info now available about every bit of route minutia, every secret water source, every camp spot, etc. For better or worse these elements alter the difficulty factor. GPS nav. and SPOT tracking are having an impact as well.

The only effective ways to maintain difficulty standards are a) simulate the old days somehow, b) make the courses harder by degrees as we go on (CTR `09, full GDMBR), and c) try to isolate out -or at least minimize- certain currently acceptable ergogenic aids (like serendipitous support). I don't propose to have all the answers but the simple, morally unambiguous solution is b, make the courses harder as races on them mature.

TD will do it's best to achieve a, b and probably c in helping preserve -or approximate- original Divide racing difficulty, but it will never again be the same as it was when John solo'd it 10 years ago, or even when Mike C. bravely challenged his mark 5 years later. We *can* wax nostalgic, though. Anyone want to found the Great Divide Hysterical Society? Maybe it can bring back wool and wooden wheels.

[Jilleo]

Thanks, Matt. Clarifying serendipitous support is important, and I think a referrence you made to "look but do not touch" is the key. Maybe the rule should be racers can't accept free food/water/shelter/bike parts from others, period. Planned or not. In my opinion, this will certainly detract a little from the experience (a little trail magic goes a long way on a lonely night.) But it will help clarify what for me was a vague moral dilemma that I swung both ways on (because it was legal, but didn't necessarily seem ethical) ... this random rancher in a truck is offering me water; should I take it? The easiest answer is no.

Anyhow, thanks for everything you did to organize this event. You and all the volunteers did an amazing job. Good luck with the Hysterical Society. I'm a progressive myself and think changes in technology/information are wonderful things. But this world, for the most part, is still run by retro-grouches. :-) (The Divide on wooden wheels. I'm thinking that's the next big thing.) Thanks again!

[protoceratops]

...the Divide on woolen wheels.  Good at any temperature.
Even if wet.  But can be a bit smelly then. 

[Pivvay]

Negating trail magic sure would be a bummer. Personally I'd never take anything from anyone I'd ever met before just so it can't be perceived as preplanned support but I do see the problems of the spot stalkers offering racers food/water/support. Hopefully getting the word out to those to follow the race to "look but not touch" is enough and that true random trail magic still has it's place.