Tour Divide 2015 - race discussion thread

[Iowagriz]

It's a little warm and windy down the road in Rawlins. Get your chapstick on!

WindWSW 23 mph gusts to 32 mph; so a quartering headwind?  That has to be tough at this point.

[Iowagriz]

Anyone know what happened to Jill Homer? Can't find her dot on TL. Hope she's okay.

Showing for me at mile 989; just east of Lima

[jryter]

Oh jeesh. Wamsutter is a bleak town.

[Angler]

The reason Ovando became cyclist friends is because of this woman who returns 3 years later on the Tour Divide 2015 ! Last time Tracy B. Burge did the race, 3 years ago she didn't do too well at the beginning. Sick. Swollen and frustrated. As she was approaching Ovando I got a phone call from someone saying that Tracy was last in the race, tired, sick, scared and could we help her out and maybe give her some encouragement.

So I went to the Sheppard's wagon and aired it out. At the time it was for tourist photos only. Got the Stray Bullet to make a Dinner sandwich. Got her a beer and some bottled water, dessert...... food basically and left her a note on an a-frame board saying something like "Tracy we heard about your dilemma and we're here to help. Sheppards wagon is all yours. Hope it helps. Ovando".

She arrived around 8 pm. A neighbor watched her read the sign, looked around, and burst into tears with gratitude. The neighbor came out and chatted with her. Tracy spent the night. And after breakfast came and thanked me for everything. Even sent an xmas card that year.
We never forgot the feeling of helping someone out in need. It felt good ya know? And if we could do this for one person on this race, imagine how many others would benefit for a little oasis in the middle of no where. So we checked with adventure cycling about what we could do, added a teepee, moved the old jail into an easy accessible area, but beds in them, led lanterns, clothes lines, mirrors, reading material and charge only $5/night. And the cyclists love it.

If it hadn't been for Tracy, I doubt we would have come so far along in being trail angels.

So there you have it. And happily I was able to thank her in person today. Along with her posse of Carolyn E. McClintock and Jessica Evans all of Ohio!  And then they bought shirts to match mine.  HA!

[MikeB]

Thanks Angler!
That story just choked me up...

And thanks also for the awesome pix!
 

[Krampus Snail]

Why are the 25 day flag and the 30 day flag only 25 miles apart?

[Johnny_mtb]

Why are the 25 day flag and the 30 day flag only 25 miles apart?

Because the flags are actually riders from previous years that finished in that time. They will vary but it gives an average "where one should be" to finish in that time.

[EndoAgain]

Phil_rad: Easiest way to find someone is to roll your curser over their name on the right. Their dot will start jumping up and down above the others so you can pick them out easier.

Using Trackleaders on the road: Sometimes the dots are stacked and it looks like people are riding together but with Spots transmitting at different times the riders may be a few miles a part. At other times the dots can look miles apart but the riders are actually together on the road. I did look at trackleaders last year usually in the morning and evening if I had access but it can be difficult to tell when coming into town if someone is actually there or if they recently left. Early morning in Cuba last year I saw a dot from a guy I had ridden with for several days. We would occasionally get separated for days at a time and this was one of those times. I saw his dot just making the turn out of town as I was finishing breakfast and I was keen to catch him. I jumped on my bike and chased and chased and chased. After 3 hours I figured something wasn't right because I couldn't even see him on the wide open roads. Stopped to check Trackleaders and he was way behind me :-( Turns out he was at a hotel parking lot at the turnoff getting ready to leave. He hadn't left town and I went right by him as he was yelling and waving at me. So using it on the race course was cool because I always felt I had company even if I was alone...but each dot only represents a moment in time. Most of the race we can only guess at what the person is doing until the next dot appears. Thats half the fun of watching this year.

[mikepro]

Why are the 25 day flag and the 30 day flag only 25 miles apart?

Because the flags are actually riders from previous years that finished in that time. They will vary but it gives an average "where one should be" to finish in that time.

And clicking on the 25-day flag while it's in Basin reveals that it has been stalled there for 19hrs+change (based on the 2012 rider actual data that it represents), so the 25-day flag will make a big jump sometime soon.

[mikepro]

"Tight at the front of the pink dot race, with Bethany D very consistent with her daily 4am/5am wake-up-and-ride approach, having caught Lael W today after Lael looks to have rested for 8+ hours last night.  Alice D on the single speed, as tough and solid as she is, will find some spinning out in the long flat-ish Big Sky country and Great Basin roads for the next several days.  Eleanor M and Jill H just another 2-4hrs back.  Yes, tight."   
i nabbed the quote above, because the women are indeed putting on quite a show out there!  also it should be noted that both Alice and Eleanor are rolling single, and leading that catagory too!!

Also, word on the street is that AliceD has been riding a broken saddle (busted rail of some sort) since Wise River.

[danwiz]

I cant even imagine what it takes to do this.  To do this fast- these guys are carrying next to nothing.  Unreal! 

[dwengs]

TD racer Doug Wenger (my husband) reports that Squirrel Creek Guest Lodge located in Idaho on route along Ashton Flagg Ranch Road is open late and WELCOMES Tour Dividers. 24 Hr notice not needed

[EndoAgain]

I cant even imagine what it takes to do this.  To do this fast- these guys are carrying next to nothing.  Unreal! 

"Guys" carrying nothing...what about Lael Wilcox! Her bike looks like the entire front packing system bounced off. Does she sleep! She's tough as nails. I would hate to think what would happen to a Grizzly if one ran into her.

Good call from Doug. Squirrel Creek Guest Lodge just after the Rail Trail is an oasis. The gentlemen running the place last year was a hoot. He lives on site and fixes meals any time...just say what you want and when you want it.

[Krampus Snail]

Looks like Lisa Downing and Rosemary Lee skipped Wyoming and Idaho. Who can blame them? If you end up having to go to touring mode, might as well go right to the good parts.

[mtbcast]

Episode June 19, 2015 – ‪#‎TransAmBikeRace‬ Day 14 and ‪#‎TourDivide‬ Day 8 True Ups!
As we true up your Trans Am Bike Race Day 14 and Tour Divide Day 8 calls we say bye to Jordan Schwartz and Brian McEntire on the Trans Am as race leader Jesse Carlsson waits out storms in Goreville. In the Tour Divide we see six racers on the Rawlins re-rout and Tony Buchman is having hip issues and is OUT!
http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/podcasts/

[phil_rad]

Phil_rad: Easiest way to find someone is to roll your curser over their name on the right. Their dot will start jumping up and down above the others so you can pick them out easier.

I don't know why I couldn't see it last night, too many wheat beers? ;-) Anyway got it! Thanks! :-)

I'm enjoying this years race, can't seem to get much done since it started. Amazing how fast the front people are; men and women.

[Angler]

Apologies for be delayed on posting photos but work got in the way.

Attached are photos from Trixi's last night, Jun 18th.

Tony Buchman(left) Greg Goodmen(right) Hal Russel, Lina  Billy Jim, Chris, David Wicks

[Angler]

More photos from my wonderful fellow Ovando residents [Cindy, owner of Trixi's, and Ken] who took names and photos during my absence yesterday!  

Here we have for your perusal:  
Eric Richardson of Tx
Caine Medina or OR

Collin Samaan, CA
Robert McDonald, MD

Tom Karren, OR
Lynne Slovovsky, CA

Scott McKinnen who came by to say good bye til next time as he is out of the race.  Scott and Kathryn so very sorry I missed you!

Andrew Tipene of NZ and
Tim King of OK

Thanks Folks!

[Angler]

more from Ovando on Thursday Jun 18.

[iainsm]

"Guys" carrying nothing...what about Lael Wilcox! Her bike looks like the entire front packing system bounced off. Does she sleep! She's tough as nails. I would hate to think what would happen to a Grizzly if one ran into her.

She might need more sleep. She just went 5 miles off course. ugh.