Tour Divide 2010

[Bounce]

This looks like it's turning into one hell of a race!

[JayP]

when the race becomes this tight at the front, mind games can easily be played with the Spot device...
looks as if Matt's been off for a while...

[krefs]

when the race becomes this tight at the front, mind games can easily be played with the Spot device...
looks as if Matt's been off for a while...

Nah, I'm sure he just ducked into the theater with his bike for tonight's Ride the Divide showing 

[Bounce]

Has Matt ever ridden this race and NOT won it?

[AmyL]

the upcoming storms will change the game for the riders.  I can just imagine the calls we'll hear after people have passed through the sticky mud on the way into Lima.
Mouse over the "Probability of Precipitation" column.  Yikes.  If anybody can get ahead of the storm and avoid the worst of the mud they'll gain a huge advantage.

http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/northrockiesWeek.php#tabs

Amy

[kucebags]

Anyone out there with an update on Heather.
She has been paused on the east side of Swan Lake for ages.

Kevin's pace is fading hope all is good.

Rooting for Mathew Arnold who's pace has increased. WOOT WOOT.

Hope all travel safe through the upcoming storms

[l-s-d]

http://www.actionandmotion.com/
"Christina is now seeking to become the fastest women ever to race south to north on a mountain bike.  The women’s record currently stands at twenty-three days, which Christina intends to beat by 3 days.  The Tour Divide is an unsupported event, riders must carry all their own equipment and bivouac under the elements, but Christina will race alongside her ex-triathlete filmmaker husband who will endeavour to record her record-breaking progress for posterity."

I might be a little slow on this but James Cracknell (ex-Olympic rower) and Ben Fogle (the only reality TV person to go on and have a TV career!) are going to ride the Tour Divide route later in the year and film it for a series (as they did with rowing the Atlantic and racing to the South Pole)

Full press release can be found here: http://www.benfogle.com/590

A couple of things stand out if they are to "set a new record" is that they are sending supplies ahead to pre-arranged pick-up points and having a film crew meet them along the way (moral support / encoragement - but avoidable if a good program is to be made) ?

While I really look forward to events like TD getting prime time Sunday evening viewing in the UK I am not sure how valid any "record" might be should they come in under 17days 21hrs and change.

It might be time for a TD version of the old Iditasport's "Laddie Shaw Award". Humility can only help you with this sort of undertaking.

[epf]

Why is Phil Fogg's tracker still in Canada when he has called in from Eureka and Whitefish?
epf

[ScottM]

Has Matt ever ridden this race and NOT won it?

Yes.    But I suppose it depends what you mean by 'this race.'  He won both Tour Divide's (08/09), but did not always win the Great Divide Race.

[ScottM]

Why is Phil Fogg's tracker still in Canada when he has called in from Eureka and Whitefish?
epf

Most likely he's just not turning the SPOT into tracking mode correctly.  Hopefully he will learn that he's not tracking and figure it out.  Sometimes people intentionally turn their trackers off, for various reasons.

[teamfaeth]

yea..any news on Heather Dawe?

[l-s-d]

Sadly, Chauncey might be done after tweaking his ankle on his walkabout. Vehicle speeds right down 93 from Eureka to Whitefish.

[DaveH]

when the race becomes this tight at the front, mind games can easily be played with the Spot device...
looks as if Matt's been off for a while...

I think he went somewhere in Helena he didn't care to put a dot on  Either that or his AAAs already burned out in his new SPOT2.

Seriously tho, you think those guys at the front have a clue what other folks are doing?  Riding with iPhone & accessing trackleader data on the fly?  Phoning home?

[Team_Offroad]

Yes.    But I suppose it depends what you mean by 'this race.'  He won both Tour Divide's (08/09), but did not always win the Great Divide Race.

Please could you explain the difference for us newbies? Thank you!

Also, is anyone else having problems with the "show all / hide all" functions of the leaderboard? I seem only to be able to see half the racers at any given time.

[montanakb]

Pix of Matthew Lee passing through the south edge of Helena, Montana, about 6:20 p.m. tonight.  "Ride the Divide" played here tonight.  A bunch of us got together for a BBQ before the movie, and then realized the timing was right to see him ride through just before we had to leave.

[DonnieK]

what's he carrying?  A walkie talkie?

[heathercycle]

Cool pictures, thanks for sharing.

So any news on Heather Dawe she really has been near swan lake for a long time, looks like she took a wrong turn.  Are there signs out there telling the riders where to go?

[DonnieK]

So I've got an update on Sue.  She is not doing so well.  Her ass is so sore she had to ride the last 30 miles into Whitefish standing up.  Her knees are swelled up and hurting bad as well - she thinks because she hasn't been able to sit properly on her bike for the past couple days.  She is super bummed about how the race is going.  She is going to hit a bike shop tomorrow in Whitefish to see about getting a new saddle (hers is only a month old w/o significant miles) and probably spend the day resting her knees and hoping for the best.  She is such a trooper and never complains, so she must be hurting pretty badly.   I feel so badly for her, but I'll keep hoping things turn around.  

Word is Jeff Kerby and another racer (I assume Brian Aillaud since he's showing on the map w/ Jeff) were dropping out in Eureka.   Sue said they ran into them in Eureka yesterday and said they were throwing in the towel.

[heathercycle]

So any news then on Heather Dawe?

[l-s-d]

Domencq and Temple are out too: http://www.actionandmotion.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=3&Itemid=4