Tour Divide 2013

[Foster]

Yeah, I dread the headwind.  how about the climbs?  Do you think it was harder one way or another?

[Desert Pollo]

I thought the climbs worked out better going north.  Except for the crawl up to Fletcher Ridge (one tenth of a mile per hour) with my entourage of mosquitoes.

[pablito]

If the OP hasn't already pulled the trigger on a particular shelter, let me plug what's (for me) the holy grail setup: MLD Superlight bivy + 4x9' cuben Monk tarp. ~12 oz all in (w/ stakes and guys) for all-weather protection.

I wouldn't trade it for anything.

ETA: If shipping and duties to the UK are a concern you'd probably find success posting a "WTB in UK" post here for the same: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/display_forum.html?forum=19

What about skipping the tarp and just going with the MLD eVENT Bivy and using your rain jacket to cover the small bug net if it gets really soggy? Thoughts?

[BigPoppa]

What about skipping the tarp and just going with the MLD eVENT Bivy and using your rain jacket to cover the small bug net if it gets really soggy? Thoughts?

That can work in a pinch but the big problem is getting yourself dry enough and keeping your bag dry enough while getting in. It all seems fine and dandy while you're conspiring at home about the lightest set up but the bottom line is everything is going to get drenched if it's really raining..... Then you won't sleep well (if at all). And, good sleep is a big part of racing the divide well.

I raced with a super minimalist sleep set up: 1 pound 14.6 ounces for pad, bivy, sleeping bag, mini tarp, and waterproof stuff sack to hold it all. I could have cut 3 ounces off of that without the tarp but I KNOW that I would have hoteled it at least three times instead of continuing on into the evening rains.

For me, those extra 10 hours of riding that I did because I felt safe with a tarp were well worth the 3 oz weight penalty. 

[linshepard]

Anyone planning on starting south and going north?

Hi Mike, I'll be heading north from AW on June 14th!

[ron]

What about skipping the tarp and just going with the MLD eVENT Bivy and using your rain jacket to cover the small bug net if it gets really soggy? Thoughts?

I had the same thought (am new to bivys- I thru-hiked the AT with only a tarp), and when I put that MLD eVENT-only approach to Andrew Skurka for feedback last Spring he said "Definitely no WP/B -- that's a choice for mountain bikers who don't know how to use tarps and who don't want to sleep well if/when it rains at night. I would definitely go with tarp + water-resistant bivy."

[pablito]

I had the same thought (am new to bivys- I thru-hiked the AT with only a tarp), and when I put that MLD eVENT-only approach to Andrew Skurka for feedback last Spring he said "Definitely no WP/B -- that's a choice for mountain bikers who don't know how to use tarps and who don't want to sleep well if/when it rains at night. I would definitely go with tarp + water-resistant bivy."

That is sound advice and I will heed it. Plus it will cost less. Thanks for the help!

[mikejolly]

When are you planning on starting?  I don't finish class until June 2nd for geology field camp.  It goes for 3 weeks after we "graduate" on May 11th and I won't have hardly any time to train because I will be doing field work for those 3 weeks.  I plan to take my bike with me on the trips but probably wont get in much for training.  So because of that I don't know if I will be ready for the GD.  If I am not then I might as well start from the south close to home because I won't be starting with the group anyways.  I think that if I started sometime around June 21st that that would give me a little longer to train. 

There are certainly pros and cons to think about when considering when and what direction to go on the Tour Divide.  I really would like to start with everyone on the GD just because of the camaraderie and the fact that I wouldn't have to buy a plane ticket to get home from AW.  I would just get picked up. 

Hopefully I will be able to depart AW on June 14.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

I am trying to get to Banff with my bike ... I might fly to Calgary, but how about getting the bike on the aircraft?  For the VA. AML Oct 5 I just put it in the bed of the pick up and drove to Vir. Tech from IL.  Any suggestion or past experience.  For the 2013 TD.

Try Air Canada. They only charge $50 for a bicycle and fly to Calgary.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

Hey,

I posted this over in the "question and answer" section of the forum, but I figured I'd ask here as well. I've been looking at getting a new sleep system together before tackling the Tour Divide next June and I've narrowed my bivy selection down to a couple of options:

Nemo GoGo Elite (~600g)
MSR Alpine Bivy (450g)

After a few bad experiences with mosquitos hiking and biking in northern Norway, as well as the Rockies, I'm pretty set on a bivy having some kind of bug netting. Plus, it has to be waterproof as I'm not convinced by tarps — at the end of a long day on the bike I want a shelter I can roll into without too much messing around. I should add that I'm based in the UK, so any other suggestions would have to be available here. What I'd really like to know is whether you guys think that the weight penalty associated with the GoGo is worth the extra comfort / weather protection? Thanks in advance,

Ed

So let me get this straight. For the weight penalty of 150 ml of water (some 20% of a water bottle) you are looking at a tradeoff with comfort and weather protection? I guess that is the advantage of being a middle packer - we don't have such worries.

For what it's worth, I got caught on Brazos ridge in a hail/lightening storm and got hypothermic. I was very glad I had a light weight tent and sleeping bag. But I'm not trying to win, just finish!

[Christopher R. Bennett]

yikes - I'd not thought about shoes.  boy, for a no entry fee race, this is getting expensive! (ha)

I have a pair of Pear Izumi Road Fuel for all around town riding (I generally try to not use gas when I don't need to).  I'd only guess they would not work very well over 2700 miles

What I ride when I'm on singletrack are Shimano XC50n.  They make my feet hurt in the short - sheesh, I didn't even think about the long.

I'm assuming my Road Fuels would be Road Fails if I even considered that?

Just make sure that you have shoes that you can walk 5 - 10 miles in snow in. Like Eric I like the Specialized shoes. Goretex socks are also important!

[sthig]

interesting - well just when I thought all my shopping for stuff was over...ugh.

[pablito]

I had the same thought (am new to bivys- I thru-hiked the AT with only a tarp), and when I put that MLD eVENT-only approach to Andrew Skurka for feedback last Spring he said "Definitely no WP/B -- that's a choice for mountain bikers who don't know how to use tarps and who don't want to sleep well if/when it rains at night. I would definitely go with tarp + water-resistant bivy."

So that MLD Monk tarp looks great. But do you carry a pole? Or just look for something to tie that front up to?

[pablito]

Just make sure that you have shoes that you can walk 5 - 10 miles in snow in. Like Eric I like the Specialized shoes. Goretex socks are also important!

2nd that recommendation on Specialized shoes. Their body geometry fit system makes for a very comfortable shoe and the durability is awesome. Probably not wise to buy one with their Boa dial system closure. They can fail. The latest generation is better. But velcro rarely fails to tighten em down.

[mikepro]

..... Probably not wise to buy one with their Boa dial system closure. They can fail. The latest generation is better. ....

For what it's worth, I wore a Specialized BG shoe with "boa" system back in 2010 (mtb race shoe with super stiff bottoms).  No probs.  Wore them loose quite a bit.  Used neoprene booties, too, which I ended up using more for warmth than for dry.  Most discomfort with feet/shoes came in New Mexico, where my feet got almost unbearably HOT!  Rode without socks for quite a few days, too, which worked well for me.  In what I can refer to now as spasm of inspiration just before GD, I chose to take a mini-can of WD40 in my kit, which I used on my cleats, pedals, and the boa mechanism on my shoes.

However, they were newish back then, and I've since snapped a boa line, had the dial mechanism on one of them seize up, have had the cleats under the toe shear off, and they're coming apart at the seams.  I think overall they've held up well for having so many miles on them (+6,000).

[Christopher R. Bennett]

  Used neoprene booties, too, which I ended up using more for warmth than for dry. 

I planned for wet conditions this year so I wore (i) merino wool socks from Ground Effects in NZ; (ii) Goretex socks over the merino. Feet were warm and dry. Over the top the socks I ran my rain pants, and then put some light weight booties over those. Even going through some of the very large and deep puddles in the flathead I had completely dry feet.  Some tried plastic bags but after a few miles they were shredded.

The benefits of planning are important. In Seely Lake I met Wade who had bailed the race because he had developed trench foot. From Wikipedia: "Trench Foot is a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary, and cold conditions. It is one of many immersion foot syndromes. The use of the word trench in the name of this condition is a reference to trench warfare, mainly associated with World War I."

[sthig]

I have some hydroskin neoprene socks - today I tried some quilted booties, they were wonderfully warm

[stappy]

I was super happy with these.

http://www.rei.com/product/688268/rocky-gore-tex-oversocks-socks

Never properly tested them before but they were amazing. I wore summer weight wool socks for 99.9% of the ride, then in wet conditions I'd slip these on over top. Completely waterproof until you have water run in over the tops. I had pretty good luck in the flathead with my rain pants overlapping the gortex socks, which are fairly tall as well. The nice part is they breath quite well, I could leave them on comfortably until about 14 degrees C. Maybe my best piece of clothing. They are very thin, comfortable, no need to up size your shoes but they are only just stretchy enough to get on. You need to buy the exact size. Sizing seems to be quite precise, I wear size 9, that's what I bought, fit is just right with a pair of light socks underneath.

[ryansigsbey]

I was super happy with these.

http://www.rei.com/product/688268/rocky-gore-tex-oversocks-socks

Never properly tested them before but they were amazing. I wore summer weight wool socks for 99.9% of the ride, then in wet conditions I'd slip these on over top. Completely waterproof until you have water run in over the tops. I had pretty good luck in the flathead with my rain pants overlapping the gortex socks, which are fairly tall as well. The nice part is they breath quite well, I could leave them on comfortably until about 14 degrees C. Maybe my best piece of clothing. They are very thin, comfortable, no need to up size your shoes but they are only just stretchy enough to get on. You need to buy the exact size. Sizing seems to be quite precise, I wear size 9, that's what I bought, fit is just right with a pair of light socks underneath.

I've been looking at and hearing a lot about Goretex Socks.  Do they also add some warmth?  Or just rain protection?  Would you bring these instead of wind/water proof overbooties?  Thanks!

[Pa Lew]

I'm going to head Northbound on June 4th from AW.