Tour Divide 2013

[jryter]

Jarral,

Please let me know! I did the manuscript and sent it to Eric who finalized and published. I'll check my copies.

Actually one example is you Chris. The last paragraph of your story is, "I saw a shed on a neighbors property.........was able to fix my bike to tackle Richmond Peak."

And then that's it! I'll never know where you had to stop! Another example is Ryan Correy. Seems like just a 2-3 instances. I'll look when I have some more time or have my speed reader wife look again.

Jarral

[chainagent]

Hi guys!

I'm thinking about shipping some stuff from Germany to Rawlins. But I'd like getting sure how it works exactly. What I've figured out so far is that I've got to declare the parcel as "General Delivery". The address in my case would be:

Michael Gruenert
General Delivery
Rawlins WY, 82301-9999

The 4 digit zip-code extention indicates general delivery.

Is this correct? 

Unfortunately there a two post offices. One in town and the other at the airport. Hopefully the office in town is holding the parcel!

      Best regards

         Michael

[BobM]

Yep, according to the USPS website:

"26 General Delivery Addresses

261 Format

Use the words GENERAL DELIVERY, uppercase preferred, spelled out (no abbreviation), as the Delivery Address Line on the mailpiece. Each record will carry the –9999 add-on code."


It should be held at the main P.O.:

106 5TH ST
RAWLINS, WY 82301-9998

Mon-Fri   8:00am - 5:00pm
Sat   9:00am - 12:00pm
Sun   Closed

[BobM]

Update to my last post, also from the USPS website.  Make sure you write on the box approximately when you are going to pick it up, as the PO will hold it UP TO 30 days!:

General Delivery

Get your mail even if you’re on the road, new to town, or between permanent addresses. Mail addressed to you at General Delivery will be held at the area’s main Post Office™ for up to 30 days. All you have to do is pick it up.

General Delivery is a great choice if you don’t have a permanent address. People can send you mail by using the town name and ZIP Code™, like this...

JOHN DOE
GENERAL DELIVERY
ANYTOWN NY 12345-9999

In medium to large cities with multiple ZIP Codes, you’ll want to make sure senders use the ZIP Code for the area’s main Post Office. The ZIP+4® extension 9999 indicates general delivery.

[bikpdlr]

Update to my last post, also from the USPS website.  Make sure you write on the box approximately when you are going to pick it up, as the PO will hold it UP TO 30 days!:

General Delivery

Get your mail even if you’re on the road, new to town, or between permanent addresses. Mail addressed to you at General Delivery will be held at the area’s main Post Office™ for up to 30 days. All you have to do is pick it up.

General Delivery is a great choice if you don’t have a permanent address. People can send you mail by using the town name and ZIP Code™, like this...

JOHN DOE
GENERAL DELIVERY
ANYTOWN NY 12345-9999

In medium to large cities with multiple ZIP Codes, you’ll want to make sure senders use the ZIP Code for the area’s main Post Office. The ZIP+4® extension 9999 indicates general delivery.

What happens to the package after 30 days?  Do they return to sender?

[jryter]

Yep they go home.... I hit Rawlins on Sunday... So that is what happened. You can call the post office and have them send it sooner. I think you may be able to call and have them forward it to another post office. So if you miss send it down south. maybe.....

Jarral

[ETURK]

I know I asked this question before, just now getting around to loading up my Garmin GPS, but where is the definitive GPX track everyone is using? There seems to be a couple of options and wanted to know what is considered the most reliable? The one from ACA?   

[ETURK]

I know I asked this question before, just now getting around to loading up my Garmin GPS, but where is the definitive GPX track everyone is using? There seems to be a couple of options and wanted to know what is considered the most reliable? The one from ACA?   

   Looks like ScottM already said on a separate post that his is the "official" GPS track - I think I just answered my own question! http://www.topofusion.com/divide/gps.php

[bikpdlr]

I know I asked this question before, just now getting around to loading up my Garmin GPS, but where is the definitive GPX track everyone is using? There seems to be a couple of options and wanted to know what is considered the most reliable? The one from ACA?  

My understanding is that this (link below) is the "official" page for data.  However, there is no mention of "2013"... yet.  

Specifically, I'm using...  "TourDivide2012_v2.gpx - Tour Divide 2012 "official" [GPX format, 1.6MB]" at the moment.

Here's a link to the page... http://www.topofusion.com/divide/gps.php

[ron]

And what's the story on the alternate routes again? I know the Gold Dust Trail is mandatory now, but isn't there an optional reroute in NM somewhere (can't look for myself right now since the TD site is still down)?

Just curious what the pros and cons are of each stretch, who's taken which and why, etc.

[BobM]

And what's the story on the alternate routes again? I know the Gold Dust Trail is mandatory now, but isn't there an optional reroute in NM somewhere (can't look for myself right now since the TD site is still down)?

Just curious what the pros and cons are of each stretch, who's taken which and why, etc.

There are 2 optional and 1 mandatory alternates in NM.

[threepin]

Mental Miles,
with regard to snow pack normally you would see a decrease in snowpack from here on out in NW montana. However that is highly variable with temps. Unlike much of the nw and the rockies our wettest months are may and june with snow common at higher elevations. This year was odd with a large variation between low elevations having below normal snow fall and higher elevations seeing slightly below normal precip through the met winter which has now trended toward above normal. This winters snow's tended to be moister and warmer than average and given that most of the grave creek to whitefish section is popular snowmobile country i would expected a more compacted, slower to melt pack on the roads. If you look at historical data you will see that the upper snowtels (circa 6k feet) change little during a week in in mid june. However the 4500-6k pack normally is changing quickly (dependent on weather). It would not be unusual for you to face  50-100% more snow coverage (linear) by going 1 week earlier- the graph on the following snow pillow (only one in the region north of the border) will show how rapidly things change in june.
Long term forecasts do seem to indicate warmer and drier than normal

Enjoy

[ryansigsbey]

There are 2 optional and 1 mandatory alternates in NM.

I'm curious about this as well.  What were the two optional re-routes? I think I remember them being optional but frowned upon in the true spirit of the divide!

[BobM]

I'm curious about this as well.  What were the two optional re-routes? I think I remember them being optional but frowned upon in the true spirit of the divide!

Not frowned upon at all!  Most riders take them, including the elite folks.  One is Cuba to Grants and the other is the El Malpais alternate from Grants to the junction with the Pietown road.

[ryansigsbey]

Thanks BobM!  Good to know.  Right now all that pavement seems boring and horrible but I'm sure once I'm there, pavement will seem, oh so sweet!

[ron]

One more question: what's the email address for LOIs? (Again, site down..)

[ETURK]

One more question: what's the email address for LOIs? (Again, site down..)

  And to add to your question, will they be posted?

[fastmtnbiker33w]

Since MANY more people are monitoring this thread and may not even be looking at the main index, I'll cross post here.

Myself and a buddy here in El Paso are offering up our services for a shuttle from El Paso to Antelope Wells for you north bounders.  I can carry 4 people and bikes quite comfortably and he could do 3.  If we get more inquiries, we'll hit up our local shop to see if we can use their van.

I'll also offer up host housing with my one guest room and maybe my camper if it's not too hot.  I can do cots in the living room if there are more inquiries.  I won't speak directly for my buddy, but he's a TD fan and would probably offer up host housing as well.

I live less than a 15 min drive to the airport and would be happy to pick people up to save on the ridiculous taxi rates and possible death by riding your bike from our airport to an affordable hotel.

Depending on what time people would want to start, we could leave El Paso either on the afternoon of June 13 and camp at the border, or leave at the butt crack of dawn on the 14th to get everybody out there on time....6 am??  8 am???

Feel free email me at fastmtnbiker@hotmail.com or to call me at 915-471-9232.

Big Dave

[marco_n]

ciao!
a new question!

to go in Banff from Calgary airport I've found this option: http://www.banffairporter.com/
any other solution (cheapest is better!)
I'm in Calgary on june 9th (at 10.30pm) and I've one bed in a 8 bed room at the Banff Y lodge from this date...
thanx for suggestions!

[BobM]

ciao!
a new question!

to go in Banff from Calgary airport I've found this option: http://www.banffairporter.com/
any other solution (cheapest is better!)
I'm in Calgary on june 9th (at 10.30pm) and I've one bed in a 8 bed room at the Banff Y lodge from this date...
thanx for suggestions!

That shuttle is very good and it delivers you right to the door of the Y.