Tour Divide 2013

[phil_rad]

I'm looking for a pre-paid SIM card for my iPhone for the states, anyone have any ideas where I can get one?

[Christopher R. Bennett]

All this discussion about JayP, drafting, cheating, rules, "the guy from New Zealand", etc. is making this thread sound like those at Slowtwitch.com. Trust me. We don't want to go there. Let's get back to focusing on the amazing beauty and simplicity of eat, sleep and ride (race!) the divide.

[mikepro]

I think this race is becoming the mtb equivalent of thru-hiking the appalachian trail. It's a challenge for everyone, but for most the challenge is doing it as fast as possible. Hell, I know a guy that toured the route on a Unicycle. I want to go fast. I think everyone else that lines up for the grand depart wants to go as fast as they can. Just because the race is becoming popular doesn't mean that these people are just there to tour.

Additionally, there's nothing more than pride at stake, what does it matter how fast your time is? It's a self fulfillment thing. I'm racing myself, first and foremost, there just happens to be other people around that I'd like to go faster than.

No, riding the Great Divide Mtn Bike Route is analogous to thru-hiking AT, PCT, CT, etc., etc..  Unicycles, recumbant, tandem, SS, FS, whatever the wheels.  The route is there.  Has been since the 90's.  Ride it.  Fast or slow.

But line up for the TDR means acknowledging that, in addition to riding route, a rider is committing to challenging for speed (and the additional personal challenges that come with it), and thereby making times matter.  There's the Route, and then there's the Race Event, and I just think that too many people are confusing the race event for "simply just" riding the route.  The race can be more popular than it is now, for all I care.  But, for me, there is a distinction between riding/touring and racing.

In my opinion, it matters to ME how fast my time is in a race, how it stacks up to that year's crop of racers, and how it stacks up to historical records (i.e. 'there are others I'd like to go faster than').  That's what makes it a race, to me.  If a rider enters a race at the BEGINNING with the mentality that times don't matter, then he/she is really not entering the race.  I totally get that in the END nothing matters (not even your pride, nor mine), but it's the intent, purpose, and commitment to race and compete, going IN to the race and during the race, that makes the race event matter.  That's the spirit.

[Veetack]

Well said. I think I may have chosen my words poorly, because I agree with you 100%.

[sthig]

Phil... Try cricket mobile?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[the tortoise]

Phil,

Here?? http://www.imore.com/best-iphone-5-payg-nano-sim-options-when-traveling-united-states

[BobM]

All this discussion about JayP, drafting, cheating, rules, "the guy from New Zealand", etc. is making this thread sound like those at Slowtwitch.com. Trust me. We don't want to go there. Let's get back to focusing on the amazing beauty and simplicity of eat, sleep and ride (race!) the divide.

That sounds like a great idea!  I belong to a Handmade site and every once in a while a forum thread is started there to the effect of "My handmade is more handmade than yours" and these never end well.  "My race is purer than your race" is a similar path that has no end.

[stappy]

Like Chris said, let's get back to what's really important, Tour Divide 2013! I'm stoked, especially for the rookies.

Talking about cool weather gear. How cold can you expect to get in Canada. I have seen many pictures/movies of some serious snow. But what will the temperatures be like? I can do cold but how cold are we talking? I am hoping to bring 1 long sleeve jersey and one windbreaker/rain coat (haven't figured out which one yet) and arm warmers. Plus knee warmers and tights for the bottom.

You need to be prepared to ride in temps just a few degrees above freezing for extended periods. Last year on days two and three the leaders had periods of cold rain from the Flathead all the way to Whitefish. It was comical. It would be raining at lower elevations but as we climbed, the rain would turn into snow falling, I hope that gives you an idea on temp. Before the race I was waffling on bringing some sort of rain pants or not. I took the inter-web advice of veterans like Kurt. I also think I read somewhere once Jay P saying when putting together his kit he starts with full rain gear. I took rain pants, jacket with a hood and gortex socks. I was glad to have everything I did. I was pretty much comfortable except for wet, cold hands. This year I'm adding waterproof shells for my hands. IMO, tights aren't great for this race. Gear should be more versatile. Carry rain pants or knickers instead, about the same weight. You'll be temp and precip covered.
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,3854.msg33033.html#msg33033
In the pic, I'm wearing every piece of clothing I have. I also had booties that I brought along in a last minute panic. I wore them for a couple days because I had them with me but they are the one thing I'm leaving behind this year.

my 2012 clothing

upper body:
short sleeve sugoi race jersey
defeet tank summer undershirt
icebreaker lightweight short sleeve merino tee
mec lightweight long sleeve merino tee
sugoi helium vest
marmot nano paclite jacket
dakine blockade gloves
pearl izumi fingerless summer gloves
louis garneau winter cap
summer skull cap
catlike whisper plus helmet
adidas evil eye half rim glasses with rx

lower body:
sugoi rs bibs
mavic knee warmers
lightweight merino race socks
rocky gortex socks
gore alp x paclite pants
shimano m 230 shoes
sugoi booties


 

[Veetack]

I can vouch for the goretex socks. Haven't ridden the tdr, but cold wet feet have pulled me off of y bike more than a lot of other factors.

[ron]

No, riding the Great Divide Mtn Bike Route is analogous to thru-hiking AT, PCT, CT, etc., etc..  Unicycles, recumbant, tandem, SS, FS, whatever the wheels.  The route is there.  Has been since the 90's.  Ride it.  Fast or slow.

But line up for the TDR means [...]

I think this distinction is spot-on: for the AT especially (possibly less so for your boy the PCT, Mike) any sort of perceived "speed" (in terms of actual daily progress or, God forbid, one's stated finish goal) is actively discouraged and subtly judged. No 'speed records' are officially recognized by the ATC, even. I dialed my thru down near the end to avoid a finish time with a 3-handle because I didn't feel like having to defend my pace to others in the community-- "I promise I smelled the roses! Was just solo, UL, and kinda quick..."

As for the TDR (re which I have exactly zero moral authority but will be lining up to race in June), it does seem like there needs to be a firebreak of sorts between the route as a race and those using the GD infrastructure and quasi support to "just finish." Neither cohort is better than the other, but diluting the former with the latter seems untenable over the long term given the event's growing popularity.

Maybe there's a "race" GD (based solely on intent, not necessarily one's resume) and a "personal challenge" GD-- both paradigms preserved, and both pursuits lauded (and tracked) equally.

[THE LONG RANGER]

http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=midatlantic&action=display&thread=6

http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=pacific&action=display&thread=29

If there's a track, there's a FKT. Striving for a  FKT is def. not an obligation for any track. But people do give it a go. "Official" times on these tracks are sort of weird idea.

[ron]

Definitely a cottage industry around FKTs (and props to those animals), just noting that the governing body of the ATC refuses to grant the premise of speed by recognizing such 'records.' (I also edited my post to add a little more TD-specific color from my outsider perspective, FWIW.)

[mtbcast]

Got the new stickers from Toby today! They'll fit nicely on the top-tube with the entire toll free number stack down the sticker.

[Adam Alphabet]

Great of you to post your pack list Craig, your kit definitely seemed one of the most paired down of the bunch in looking at pics from last years event. I remember seeing your kit at Scott's place in Banff the night before you set out in 2011. Super dialed.

I notice no dedicated insulative piece; synthetic vest, down hoody, etc... do you miss that at all? Were you just working your upper body layers between the wool shirts, defeet, jersey and shells depending on the temps/weather you were facing?

Were you cold on the ground with no insulation and no pad? or was it worth it for you to perhaps suffer a bit at night to pack less on the bike for the long hours?
Thanks! Hell of a ride last year.

[stappy]

Hey Adam, sure, I love to talk about myself.

My clothing was just right. The wool undershirts were my insulation layer. I have a ul down jacket but I decided not to bring it. My sleeping bag is plenty warm so it's not needed at night, it's not really breathable enough to ride in. I figured on riding, eating or sleeping so I left it behind and never missed it. I was warm enough the entire time as long as added layers before I got cold. I was also able to keep my cycling shorts, jersey and my base and insulation layers dry for the entire adventure. Water absorbing clothing was either worn in dry conditions, worn under gortex or stored inside the same ul dry bag that held my sleeping bag.

You're correct I didn't use a sleeping pad. From my 2011 ITT experience in August and September, I found I was comfortable just sleeping on the ground, even concrete. The night time lows in the fall were equivalent to spring so I figured I was good to go. I did fail to realize that the temperature of the ground is much cooler in the spring. Day time highs for northern Montana in late August 2011 were 80's even 90's. Last spring for the first two days maybe 40's - 50's. I spent night two, right at the critical edge of comfort, in my mummy bag and bivy, sleeping on top of every piece of clothing I had on the ice cold concrete floor of the Tuchuck campground outhouse. My thoughts were/ are, you carry your gear 16- 20 hours a day, you sleep 5 or 6, it's a balancing act but excluding your bike, you spend far more time carrying your stuff than using it and that should factor into your choices. I always feel I carry too much. This year I'm adding a 3 ounce close cell foam half length pad but I got a new custom cuben bivy that's 3.5 ounces lighter so...

[sthig]

stappy - I have some goretex quilted booty covers - but they won't fit over my x-alp pearl izumi shoes (not well, anyway).  was considering the whole hike-a-bike thing and the need for a softer sole. 

that wasn't the case for you? no alternate shoe?

[stappy]

Scott, to each their own. If you're asking my opinion, both booties and your x-alp pearl izumi shoes are not the best choices. Booties only help to a point, are crappy to hike in and will only survive so much of that stuff. Gortex socks for example are much more reliable, keep you drier, warmer. I had both, in the worst conditions, I don't think that the booties added much. For shoes, I used my favorite old pair of race shoes. They were three years old and knew they worked for me, riding all day or on hike-a-bikes. The shoes I used were one model down from the top, still carbon soul but slightly softer than the top shoe and a full tread. It's a peddling race more than anything, look at all of the top riders from any year, mtb racing shoes exclusively. Last year was pretty easy, I hiked the tops of Flathead pass, Galton pass, Red Meadow lake and Richmond peak. That was it, maybe 6-8 miles of hiking out of 2730. The hike-a-biking on the divide isn't technical, just be sure you can hike for at least two hours at a time in whatever shoes you choose.

[sthig]

hey man,

thank you for that.  I really, really appreciate your opinions and thoughts and will help me make some decisions.

[ron]

(...though Scott may have a little more HAB than average with his 60 gear-inch ss  )

[bikpdlr]

With the Gore waterproof socks, is it best to buy them a size bigger to accomodate a cycling sock underneath OR are the Gore socks to be worn by themselves?