Tour Divide 2010

[Jeff Tomassetti]

I received a phone message late last night from John in Helena. He's actually having knee issues. Weather has been pretty good. He's a fair distance behind his planned schedule, I think a full day already, but I believe he did give himself a little wiggle room. It's tough when knees act up, though. I'm not even sure how he can recover from that. Last year, he never did. But ... he's still going. So hopefully optimism will remain. 

  I had a knee problem this summer on the divide on my stronger leg. I changed my pedal pattern to lead more with my weaker leg and it cleared up after four days.

[Marshal]

Go John!

Might not be at all applicable to John's knee issues but I had very very good luck using Kinesio Tape.  It did not eliminate/cure the knee pain I had but greatly minimised it. The tape, along with the blue pills, kept me going till the knees actually quit bothering me.

[BobM]

I'm guessing the blue pills you're referring to are a la The Matrix and not Viagra as I cannot see the advantage of Viagra whilst riding the bike.

Bob

[Marshal]

I'm guessing the blue pills you're referring to are a la The Matrix and not Viagra as I cannot see the advantage of Viagra whilst riding the bike.

Bob

Aleve (Naproxen)

[Fettis]

The other blue pills have been connected with cycling...
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/health-keeping-it-up-20345
They might even help us lowlanders at altitude (CTR??)

[Done]

If Viagra catches on as a cycling drug, even roadies will soon be wearing baggy pants...

[Slowerthensnot]

If Viagra catches on as a cycling drug, even roadies will soon be wearing baggy pants...

  LOL!

[Jeff Tomassetti]

John is in Lima tonight. He nailed it today. He is a very steady rider.

[robinb]

John is in Lima tonight. He nailed it today. He is a very steady rider.

Yes it looked like a solid day out for him.  From his tracker it looked like he stopped last night before wise river - somewhere coming off mt. fleecer?? - interesting as it was noted in previous posts he doesn't bivvy, just hotels it - is there some secret accom out there i don't know of?

[Marshal]

Ramblings thoughts:

John’s morning start and evening stop times indicate he is most likely getting lots of recovery time.  Assuming he can fight off his knee issues he will soon need to deliberately extend himself if he is to challenge for the record.  

He knows the route and hence knows the best sections to capture some additional miles.  

It looks like he got his room in Lima tonight pretty early.  And tomorrow, around 150 miles will get him to a room at Flagg.  Which would be very doable if his knees are holding.  But for the next 40 miles past Flagg, all the way to the base of the Togwotee, there are numerous room opportunities.

Since he is using this intriguing ‘room to room’ strategy, anyone want to guess where tomorrow’s room might be?

[Marshal]

Yes it looked like a solid day out for him.  From his tracker it looked like he stopped last night before wise river - somewhere coming off mt. fleecer?? - interesting as it was noted in previous posts he doesn't bivvy, just hotels it - is there some secret accom out there i don't know of?

Per his next Spot this morning, he stayed at Wise River.  He is just turning his Spot off a few miles before he stops for the night.  Did the same thing tonight before Lima

Edit: Yes there are limited rooms at Wise River--like http://goldwest.visitmt.com/listings/555.htm

[Jilleo]

John called me from Lima tonight. It was actually kind of funny timing because I was riding up a logging road toward a mountain called Point 6 at the time, and it was right at sunset, with beautiful red light cast across the mountain, and I immediately started raving about the setting, momentarily forgetting that he had been out there experiencing the same kind of thing.

Anyway, John's morale is pretty low right now. He's purposely taking short days to allow for knee recovery, but is still on the edge of pain management just the same. He knows he has to really ramp it up at this point to make the record, which is really his goal. I doubt he'll stick it out for a joy ride. I tried to encourage him to give it a few more days. I think his plan is to leave Lima early Wednesday morning, perhaps as early as 2 a.m., and ride to Island Park in Idaho. If things go well, he'll continue east, aiming for Togwotee or even Union Pass. But if you see his SPOT stop in Island Park, that's a bad sign. That pretty much means he's thrown in the towell, because John strategizes exit locations based on nearby airports, and Island Park is reasonably close to Idaho Falls.

Seems tomorrow is the crux day. Send out good vibes!

[Mathewsen]

John strategizes exit locations based on nearby airports, and Island Park is reasonably close to Idaho Falls.
Seems tomorrow is the crux day. Send out good vibes!

Sending good vibes...

Shoot...I have been very (perhaps overly) optimistic that a record-breaking ride by John can only be good for the TD storyline. Perhaps that's selfish and John's knee is what's most important. FWIW, Lima, where John stopped last night, is the easiest location to get to Idaho Falls. It's directly over Monida Pass on the 15. Yep, John's on bikecation and missing the fantastic Centennial Valley (one of the hydrological epicentrums of the CD) would be a bummer, but if he must bail, Lima is the simplest. Mike and Connie at Lima's Mountain View Motel will shuttle him straight to IF.

[Jeff Tomassetti]

John has left Lima and is close to the Dam. I would like to be in that valley today (if it is not too windy). Go John!!

[Jilleo]

Hmmm ... didn't leave early, but is still riding the route. That's a good sign. I agree the Centennial Valley is one of the more stunning stretches on the GDMBR.

Island Park is a similar distance to Idaho Falls as Lima, about 80 or 90 miles, and the ride along Highway 20 is much nicer than the shoulder of I-15. Ashton's even closer than that, about 50 miles, and after that, he'd have to make it at least as far as Jackson.

[Jeff Tomassetti]

John is moving well again today. He is approaching the RV park at Henry's Lake. There is a well-stocked little camp store there.......ice cream!

[Jilleo]

I was curious so I checked out my posts from last year. John's only about a day ahead of the pace we were keeping in 2009 — we spent Friday night in Lima and Saturday in Island Park. The original goal for Saturday was to make it to Ashton, but I got stuck in thunderstorms and mud (he sprinted ahead of the storm and came into Island Park three hours before me.) Right now, he's working toward the equivalent of Friday night, so if he stops in Island Park, he'll only be 24 hours ahead of my 2009 pace. I hope he doesn't stop riding, but it was revealing to me how far he has to go. I spent the 2009 Tour Divide consistently on a ~24-day pace.

[JayP]

damn it, if i were not so pinned this second i would go and encourage the heck out of him. i live an hour from island park. now tomorrow i am not so busy....hope he doesn't stop.

sure is a splitter day out there today to boot!

That pretty much means he's thrown in the towell, because John strategizes exit locations based on nearby airports, and Island Park is reasonably close to Idaho Falls.

we all have our own style, theories, and strategies when challenging something but to me a strategy for an exit seems as if you are prematurely setting yourself up for something that you will never know what the end result would be. sorry, i just don't understand that type of thinking....

[Jeff Tomassetti]

Jay P. it was a pleasure meeting you at the bike shop in Jackson. (my nephew and I)

[JML]

C'mon John. Let's rock those dry roads and trails! Rooting for you here in Steamboat!