Tour Divide 2016 - race discussion thread

[sheilat]

Anyone else just see a bunch of dots turn white?

[michigankr]

Kato scratched?! Hope he's OK.

[flyboy]

Anyone else just see a bunch of dots turn white?

Yeah, I'd say Scott has some internet access and is doing some house keeping. He has changed them to touring status as they are well behind the 30 Day flag.

[Iowagriz]

Anyone else just see a bunch of dots turn white?

Once you are outside of a time frame for finishing, you become a "touring" white dot.  I think the number is over 30 days.

BTW - Tough luck for Sheli Thomas.  NOBO ITT - Side trip on 1st day; now it appears two side trips on day 2.  And it appears she was up all night working her way back to the track.  Hope she has the food needed to continue north.  She might need to back track to Silver City to regroup.

[Jamie @ Headset Press]

Kato scratched?! Hope he's OK.

I'm out of contention for the first rider to pie.  Since my encounter with a motorist who wanted to make a grave marker out of a cyclist on the Grave Creek Road after Eureka, MT I've been unable to properly race.  When the truck driver aimed at me I had no choice but to head off the road.  Anyone that has been on that road knows that the right side drops a long ways down into Grave Creek.  Basically, to keep myself and bike from ending up at the bottom of the canyon my legs/feet were twisted in the rocks on the hillside.  There is only so fast a guy can go while eating Alieve and Advil like M&M's (plus I don't professionally recommend it at all).
My left knee took the brunt of the twisting and while I could ocassinally go quickish things kept declining.  By the time I got just past Helena I couldnt go more than 10mph on the flats with a tailwind.
Lots of stuff can happen out there.  Dropping out because of a self-sustained injury like crashing in mud or pushing my body too hard would be painful but acceptable.  Ending my race, while feeling in the best physical condition of my life, because of an act of another person is unacceptable.  This was going to be the last of my racing.  I've never been all about records or first place.  It's always been the journey.
Now...

I'll be back

[michigankr]

Thanks! Missed that from earlier.

[Jamie @ Headset Press]

No worries

[flyboy]

BTW - Tough luck for Sheli Thomas.  NOBO ITT - Side trip on 1st day; now it appears two side trips on day 2.  And it appears she was up all night working her way back to the track.  Hope she has the food needed to continue north.  She might need to back track to Silver City to regroup.

Yeah, the CDT single track is really hard to see if you are coming from the south and don't have a gps. It looks like she is floundering around the trail head there. I wonder if she is going "old skool" with maps or is having gps troubles? Not nice. I hope she finds her way soon as the rest of the route is easy from there.

Also, looking at "Terry S", he has missed the CDT alternate near Union Pass and is sticking to the original GD route like he did on day one around Spray lake and Josephine Falls. Either he has an old .gpx or is being true to the original route ala The Long Ranger?

[Hurtin Albertan]

Hi! I'm a newbie here following my son on his first endurance ride! This forum is awesome to get a sense of what is happening and so wonderful to witness such a tight community. I am astounded at what I've tracked in these first days. Just getting THROUGH those first few days! wow! Anyway, I found a great photo of him from the first or second wet day, is it okay to share that photo elsewhere? User Hurtin Albertin shot it I think. Thanks!

Definitely okay to share the photos...that's why they are there. Glad to have captured one for you.  Which photo is it? I might have more as I took almost 400 shots that day.
Cheers!

[ABfolder]

Good to see ol' Mike McElveen (60+) doing so well. But he's been on the route before and definitely knows what GDMBR rain and mud looks like:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=12850 . His 2013 ride wrap-up with philosophical overview is here and worth a read for both racers and tourers: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=tS&page_id=347845&v=31 .

Go Mike, go!

[flyboy]

Good to see ol' Mike McElveen (60+) doing so well. But he's been on the route before and definitely knows what GDMBR rain and mud looks like:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=12850 . His 2013 ride wrap-up with philosophical overview is here and worth a read for both racers and tourers: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=tS&page_id=347845&v=31 .

Go Mike, go!

Hey ABfolder. I was watching Mike as we have been chatting via email for a while now and he was just ahead of the 20D flag out of Helena about 20 minutes ago but it looks like he has turned back and is now in Helena again? I hope he is ok.

[ABfolder]

Hey ABfolder. I was watching Mike as we have been chatting via email for a while now and he was just ahead of the 20D flag out of Helena about 20 minutes ago but it looks like he has turned back and is now in Helena again? I hope he is ok.

Yeah, I saw that 20D flag with him close this morning. I recently made my way through your excellent TD blog, Dave, and will be using some of your tips for an upcoming GDMBR tour. Racers are now approaching what I believe you deemed an "oasis" -- Red Rock RV Park, 5 mi west of Hwy 20 near Henry's Lake: http://www.redrockrvpark.com/ (Mike Hall has already zipped by it!). Look under the Reservations tab for their "Special Biker's Rate". The folks there obviously have a sense of cyclist humor as well: "Use of coin-operated Washer/Dryers (please, no waiting in the nude)." I didn't realize they were so keen on the TD/GDMBR: http://photos.rvinteractive.com/Public-Galleries/Sports/Bicycling . Blue dot watchers might look for photos popping up there as well.

[vistaed]

Just been looking and if I have this right, Mike Hall is about 1 hour up on his 2013 ride time at this point. Looks like he is sticking to a very similar schedule. If he wants to best his previous time I imagine he'll keep his current schedule and then stage an attack a bit later on in the ride. He's clearly racing himself.

[Russ Kipp]

The leaders are rolling into the Grasshopper valley.  We had sun, rain, snow and wind on Tuesday.  Some riders stayed the night at Montana High Country Lodge, some pressed on but all refueled with Karen's "Chicken Pot Pie".  

[mtbcast]

Thanks! Missed that from earlier.

He called in as well. Ya gotta catch the race calls on mtbcast.com!   

[Russ Kipp]

Continued from Montana High Country Lodge:

[Angler]

Sorry for the long delay in the final photos from yesterday Jun 14 but my computer and this site were battling for supremacy.  The site won and wouldn't allow me to post.

So here I present photos of:

Alex Frankle of  BC Canada

These two delightful guys who names I don't remember due to a huge brain fart and I apologize.  anyone?

Joseph Hoskins of VA and Jerad Harris of CO

Richard 'Ricky' Jara of NJ

and a view of the common area at the Ovando Inn; subtitled Bike On Inn!

Starting with today's less hectic pass soon.

Carry on.

[krefs]

There are so many impressive rides going on out there again this year! But it's always concerning to hear about all the reports of close encounters and collisions with cars, dogs, etc. coming in from the TD and TransAm. Be safe out there, everyone!

Russ and Angler, thanks for sharing all the photos again this year...it's much appreciated. Everyone looks so bundled up. Brr...

At the front of the race, Chris Plesko and Mike Hall continue to really ride impressively. Chris is riding at a pace probably 3 days ahead of his 2009 ride!

[MrsPivvay]

Thanks for the photos, Russ! Chris was VERY happy to have your lodge and food available.

[ABfolder]

There are so many impressive rides going on out there again this year! But it's always concerning to hear about all the reports of close encounters and collisions with cars, dogs, etc. coming in from the TD and TransAm. Be safe out there, everyone!

Can't say much about guarding yourself from redneck, anti-biker drivers -- like the nut who went after Josh -- but the dogs can be taken care of with a smaller canister of relevant spray: http://www.cabelas.ca/product/42208/sabre-dog-attack-deterrent. Available in both Canada and the U.S. usually over the counter. It saves you the trouble of wasting bear spray on a mutt and weighs about an ounce. I pack one in a mesh side pocket up front where I can get to it quickly -- and a magnum bear spray canister is not far away as well: http://www.mec.ca/product/5025-358/frontiersman-bear-spray-1-325g-canister/ . Why the larger magnum size? Because you might be facing more than a single griz: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/zookeeper-jack-hanna-pepper-spray-save-hikers-bear/story?id=11263009 + http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/top_stories/grizzly-bear-attacks-visitor-in-grand-teton/article_dec1a300-6fcd-5305-9df0-7f2780cb5106.html . If you carry no spray you endanger not only yourself but the resident bears and their offspring: http://ghostbearphotography.com/outrage-in-yellowstone/ .