Tour Divide 2013

[Mauro_N]

Hey guys, I took a GoPro 2, a still camera and an Iphone with me on my 2012 race. I have to say, the photos I look at and send out all 95% Iphone....I have a few hours of footage from the GoPro and have yet to look at it (six months later). I have made a few prints off of the still camera files, but that's it.
This year, yes - I'll be back....my plan is 2 GoPros, and maybe three (helmet, front of bike and back of bike)....overkill?? maybe....but I'm not going to be on the podium, so race and have fun is my philosophy.
I will use the Iphone for all the daily updates and social media obligations, then one I cross into Mexico and get back to the studio, take the three camera footage and craft something pretty cool. I have already been building my shot lists and having already finished the race, have a general idea of what i will see and what i want to capture on film.
So, yes, the GoPro is a great little camera, perfect in size and weight for what we are doing.....
See ya all in Banff in June!

steven
www.stevenmartine.com

That's some production you will have going on there! Did you have trouble keeping the Gopro charged?

I've narrowed my choice down to either a Garmin Dakota 20 or one of the eTrex series - both have the advantage of running on AA batteries which are available pretty much anywhere, although I'd be running mine off Lithiums and carrying a couple of sets of spares with me. I'll also be using a homebrewed navigation app on my Android phone (which also works with my GPS tracker)

Currently leaning towards the eTrex as they're relatively simple to use, which is a definite plus when your brain and your body are totally cooked

I have just gotten the Etrex 20, I haven't used it yet but in setup its very simple and its light 148g with batteries.

[RideLikeAlf]

Re GPS choice - I took an eTrex 20 this year and it worked out pretty well - batteries would last around 2 to 3 days per set. I loaded free Topo maps (from gpsfiledepot) for each state onto a memory card and just switched maps when I came to the state boundaries. I also loaded Scott's 10000 point TD route file including the 2012 route changes and it worked superbly.

One gotcha that caught me out at the end of a very long day was the colour schemes. I had my eTrex set to use the same scheme for day and night, and the pink route didn't show up very well over an orange road. Having emerged from the forest late at night with just a gentle roll down the hill into Cuba, I ended up going 7 miles in completely the wrong direction before I realised I was following just an orange line and not a pink one. I could've cried when I realised!  Apart from that, I don't think you can go wrong with an eTrex.

One last thing - make sure you tie the unit to your handlebars using some nylon string (or stronger) - there's a small metal loop on the battery cover. I had to grease (with lip balm) the rails of the mount to enable me to get the unit out easily for battery changes - mainly due to gradually weakening fingers as a result of hand nerve damage. Although the unit was always well clicked in after such changes, it still flew out of the mounting at least 5 or 6 times during the race - without the tether I'm pretty sure I would have lost it.

   

[ETURK]

Since this is my first tour divide, 2013, I would like to know which GPS track I should be using? There seems to be several out their. Also, is the "official route" and any changes that may come, I presume that will be posted here (just like the CTR)? Thanks all.

[RideLikeAlf]

Well, using this year as an example, the exceptions to the ACA Route maps (GoldDust Trail plus CDT section) were posted on this forum in the months leading up to the start, and a new 10000 point GPS route file (plus 2 x 5000 points files as well I recall), including the two new sections was posted on the TopoFusion web site ( http://www.topofusion.com/divide/gps.php ) about a month or so before the start.

I don't know if any new "feature" sections are planned for inclusion next year - I guess you just need to watch this space.

[Mario]

I'm in for TD2013, starting AW on 14th, riding northbound.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

To help the discussion I've done a posting to my blog on my navigation tools for the 2013 TDR, including using apps on an Android phone.

http://triduffer.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/navigating-for-the-tour-divide-race/

[dwengs]

Hey everyone, just wondering if a start list has been created and how to access it to put my name on it.  I am in at this point!

[kcampagna]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnV6xT65HkPRdFRTWGUyNTRnWGNrNkZsbVVPNTViNkE#gid=0

[kcampagna]

To help the discussion I've done a posting to my blog on my navigation tools for the 2013 TDR, including using apps on an Android phone.

http://triduffer.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/navigating-for-the-tour-divide-race/

good info.  thanks! 

[Snowbd2u]

So that hub powers your smart phone well? Was trying to figure out options for that.... Thought about solar charger.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

So that hub powers your smart phone well? Was trying to figure out options for that.... Thought about solar charger.

Yes. In 2012 Elena and Marco had this brilliant setup which I've copied. The Schmidt SON hub puts out 6 v. I've a Supernova 3 headlight and tail light which is powered by the hub. I've connected it to 'The Plug' which replaces your stem cap. This has a standard USB female socket. So I run a standard USB cable from the plug to the Garmin or the cell phone and it recharges as you ride. Or not if you don't need it.  Of course I have a 4 x 1.5 v battery backup as well just in case things go wrong.

I'm still testing it but I can see why Marco advised that this was a great way to go. It totally removes from you any concerns about power for the cost of some additional resistance in the front wheel. I've run the smartphone for 4 h with music playing, the screen on, and Oruxmaps displaying my position and recording the GPS track and still had the battery at 100%.

You can buy the SON hub and other bits from Peter White cycles in the USA (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt.asp). I got the Supernova light from Ebay (the guy was a TDR Blue Spot junkie and is planning on riding in 2014). I had Tristan Thomas from www.wheelworks.co.nz do the wheel build for me with a Stan's Arch EX 29'er. It is a sweet and very strong wheel.

Ollie Whalley told me recently went this route and had a wheel built using an SP hub. SP have a great video showing how much better they are than SON's because their hub has the ability to completely disengage the dynamo magnets. However, I read somewhere that the SP's have an aluminium axle which isn't as strong as the SON. I figured that if Marco and Elena's SON hubs both survived the race, I'd pay the extra $$$ and go for reliability.

[dwengs]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnV6xT65HkPRdFRTWGUyNTRnWGNrNkZsbVVPNTViNkE#gid=0

Thank you for the spreadsheet!  :~)

[sthig]

sealskinz are on the way to my house - interested in giving these guys a shot!

[Endurance Junkie]

sealskinz are on the way to my house - interested in giving these guys a shot!

used them last year they did a great job holding water once wet!
Go with wool....

[LenzMan]

Charging my electronics was never a big issue, I had a small super battery that kept my phone and lights charged for about 5 days, and about every five days I stayed in a motel, and brought all the electronics up to full charge. The GoPro, two lights, recharge the super battery and charge the phone, all plugged in every overnighter under a roof......
I also brought three GoPro batteries, very light...kept me going for the duration.

[LenzMan]

Where do I email my LOI??? the tourdivide.org site hasnt been updated in a couple years... any help??

[Christopher R. Bennett]

Hi All,

Used the Christmas break to update my gear list for the TDR 2013. If interested it is at:

http://triduffer.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/2013-tour-divide-preliminary-gear-list/

And yes, I'm an anally retentive engineer into the detail 

[sthig]

man, thanks for this!

I've eyeballed the thudbuster as I have a degenerated disc in my lower part of my spine (it's been there for 25 years, so at this phase of my life, I just deal with it).  Do you like it? Is it helpful? How is attaching your bike bag to it?

[sthig]

also, the Ergon GC3 Cork Grips - why not the gs2?  just curious.  I've been eyeballing these.

[mtbcast]

Ardie Olson said he took along one of those cheap gel seat covers. He said just being able to put it on now and then to change things up was nice. It's a bit of weight but might be worth having or picking up at a bike shop and riding for a bit.