TOUR DIVIDE 2014

[tanman1337]

Officially throwing my hat in the ring this morning! I'm probably going to have to miss an incredible job opportunity, but how often are you able to get almost a month off and be in the shape to complete something as grand as this. Can't wait to meet you all! Looks like Arizona is going to be quite represented this year. Anyone from AZ want to get together to go over plans at all?

[tanman1337]

Oh yah, just figured I'd let you guys know. I just booked a room at the Y and I had no problem at all. Seems like they have plenty of room

[dp]

Officially throwing my hat in the ring this morning! I'm probably going to have to miss an incredible job opportunity, but how often are you able to get almost a month off and be in the shape to complete something as grand as this...

"This row across the Atlantic Ocean will create memories that you will take to your grave.  The dolphins, the sharks, the storms, the struggles - it's all priceless.  Your years of work will all blur into one another.  But this year won't.  Believe me, forty years down the road, you're not going to kick yourself for having rowed across an ocean."  - Julie Angus, author of Rowboat In A Hurricane

No regrets.

[mtbcast]

I'm going to try to be there at the start. I know I say that every year but I'm hoping planning early will get me there. That said, once that's in stone I may have room to schlep a Southerner up to the start as well.

I want to encourage everyone to plan to use the call-in number.  I know Facebook and other video venues make for great status posts as well but I hope you will do both if you plan to post on your own.

[BobM]

I'm going to try to be there at the start. I know I say that every year but I'm hoping planning early will get me there. That said, once that's in stone I may have room to schlep a Southerner up to the start as well.

I want to encourage everyone to plan to use the call-in number.  I know Facebook and other video venues make for great status posts as well but I hope you will do both if you plan to post on your own.

How are you going to process the calls from your bike, while riding 120 miles/day?

[mtbcast]

How are you going to process the calls from your bike, while riding 120 miles/day?

I'll be covering it, not riding.  "A man's got to know his limitations!" - Dirty Harry

[james-o]

I want to encourage everyone to plan to use the call-in number.  I know Facebook and other video venues make for great status posts as well but I hope you will do both if you plan to post on your own.

I really wanted to call-in and tried a few times last year, but found the number hard to reach from restaurants or gas station payphones. Was that tiredness and techno-deficiency on my part? MTBcast is great, it's one less excuse to have a smartphone with you on the Divide.
(and I still have the MTBcast sticker on my bike as a reminder of the ride)

[BobM]

I really wanted to call-in and tried a few times last year, but found the number hard to reach from restaurants or gas station payphones. Was that tiredness and techno-deficiency on my part?
(I still have the MTBcast sticker on my bike as a reminder of the ride)

With payphones you usually just dial 1-888-866-4491 without depositing any money.

[james-o]

Sure,but for some reason I didn't get through or it was 'number unobtainable' tones It may well have been my fault. Tried a phone in restaurant behind Outdoorsman bike shop in Butte and the payphone at little cabin shop on the road towards Jackson lake for example, no luck, or at least when I thought I got through from Butte no message showed up. Just wondered if it was something that others who've not been to the US before needed to be aware of, or if I've just failed to understand something about dial-codes.

[BobM]

Sure,but for some reason I didn't get through or it was 'number unobtainable' tones It may well have been my fault. Tried a phone in restaurant behind Outdoorsman bike shop in Butte and the payphone at little cabin shop on the road towards Jackson lake for example, no luck, or at least when I thought I got through from Butte no message showed up. Just wondered if it was something that others who've not been to the US before needed to be aware of, or if I've just failed to understand something about dial-codes.

Could easily be broken phones; they don't get much maintenance nowadays.  The only "trick" is to be sure to include the leading "1" in the number.

[mtbcast]

That is odd and not something I was aware of. Maybe we can get someone up that way to test.

[james-o]

Sorry Bob, the '1' must be the vital bit.. I just checked the sticker on my bike, it's says 888-866-4491 so that's what I would have dialled. No 1.

So for reference - non US riders, don't forget to dial the 1 first!

Edit to add, I may have written the 1 on the number I had written on my helmet as I'd noted the number before leaving the UK, but that got a bit worn and I went off the number on the bike anyway.

[mtbcast]

I'll try to remember to remind folks!

[jehsohn]

Payphones still exist?? I am trying to figure out how to deal with charging up my dumb phone out there. Are there enough payphones out there so I don't need to carry a cell phone? I don't want to go the route of having a dynohub and cords and cables everywhere but, I need to keep in touch with my family and I really want to leave messages on MTB Cast. After listening to everyone's call ins throughout the years. It is definitely a fun and awesome part of the Tour Divide that I want to participate in.

[mtbcast]

Is anyone planning to fat bike the TD this year?

[Briansong]

Officially throwing my hat in the ring this morning! I'm probably going to have to miss an incredible job opportunity, but how often are you able to get almost a month off and be in the shape to complete something as grand as this. Can't wait to meet you all! Looks like Arizona is going to be quite represented this year. Anyone from AZ want to get together to go over plans at all?

Hey there Tanman, Glad to see you're in!! Where in the world do you get any vertical in Yuma?

Come up to Phoenix, I've found some great day climbs, we can figure this thing out together!!

Steve

[tanman1337]

We really only have one semi decent climb coming into Yuma. I'm up there all the time and always look for new rides. Steve just send me a message with your info and I'll hit you up the next time I'm in town. -Tanner

[Snowbd2u]

As I sit here drinking my coffee I ponder the word training....... With our little cold snap over with and a window of semi nice weather in the forecast I have thought and thought what is everyone else doing! What are people's mile totals for the month and what else are they doing to get ready?! I personally am riding about 500-600 miles a month right now doing some running and a little weights. Just wondering if that's not enough. And all that is on a SS mostly gravel roads.

[tanman1337]

I think that is more than enough in my opinion, but what do I know. I think it is so much more important to be mentally ready as well as logistically. Being here in AZ where the weather is absolutely beautiful, I think we do have a perfect opportunity to train. On the flip side I'm actually more cautious about doing too much and getting injured from over training. Just my opinion tho

-Tanner

[caseygreene]

Some advise on buying maps and other routing stuff for the Tour Divide:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/blog/planning-for-a-2014-tour-divide-ride/