Tour Divide 2017 - race discussion thread

[Angler]

Thanks Angler. Lee is one of the people I'm looking out for this year and she's doing a hell of a ride.

Awful luck for Eddie O'Dea! I hope he gets something worked out.

Eddie is going to be just fine.  Nice list of friends who will be backing him and we haven't given up on the possibility of someone finding it.  As for Lee, and Rickie, one of the many highlights today.  They are kicking ass on the trail and enjoying every second of it.

[Two Tired]

Thanks for the photos Angler.  Really enjoying seeing the racers and their bikes.

Wondering if anybody can tell us what kind of glasses that Greg Gleason (go Greg) is wearing.  That frameless, tinted setup looks good.  Thanks again!

[Russ Kipp]

It rained for 8 hours then turned to snow at the High Country Lodge which sits at 6500 foot elevation. Rugged conditions today for the Tour Divide riders when they come over Fleecer Mountain, the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway and on to the Bannack bench road. For sure we will be ready for the first TD riders to arrive at our lodge later today.

[flyboy]

It rained for 8 hours then turned to snow at the High Country Lodge which sits at 6500 foot elevation. Rugged conditions today for the Tour Divide riders when they come over Fleecer Mountain, the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway and on to the Bannack bench road. For sure we will be ready for the first TD riders to arrive at our lodge later today.

Yeow! How is Bannack rd going to be after all that rain Russ? Are the leaders about to hit flypaper?

[mtbcast]

#TourDivide17 Overnight: Eddie O'Dea called in from Ovando, Tyler Ubinger called in from Seely Lake, and Greg Goodman called in from Eureka!

http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td17/

[Russ Kipp]

Yeow! How is Bannack rd going to be after all that rain Russ? Are the leaders about to hit flypaper?

The weatherman is calling for more rain today.  Unfortunately my guess is the Bannack bench road and the Medicine Lodge road will be ugly!  It will take a day of sun and wind to dry it out.

[zenoiz]

Here's Brian's first hand account from his ride into Basin (copied from his Strava comment feed)...

"Holy crap what a killer of the day ! still had 30 miles planned to go but a torrential downpour started about two hours ago and because of this I was up over a pass and it was hailing snowing and lightning was happening every couple seconds so rapidly that you couldn't even tell how far away it was by counting the seconds between lightning bolts because one would go and then another one with flash and you can tell them apart. I used every ounce of strength that I still had remaining to try and stay warm by sprinting in to the lower land. I had hypothermia when I arrived in to basin it was so delighted to find this town actually had services. I walked into the bar and the guys were all laughing at me as I was shivering violently but they told me where to go so I could ask somebody about a room when I got to the place where they might have a room it turns out that yes they can rent me a room for $70 however I have to go back on my bike to this mobile home which you can see in the picture. It was a totally crazy day but kind of exciting to end early and maybe get a little extra rest unfortunately tomorrow looks like it's going to be worse in terms of rain and high passes. I have the heater on full blast in here and all the windows open because it smells like this all year might be creating monoxide poisoning. All the clothes are drying on top of the fence and I am now really happy to have all that extra food that I was lamenting caring over the pass (the extra weight)."

[OldeBlindDog]

Eddie is going to be just fine.  Nice list of friends who will be backing him and we haven't given up on the possibility of someone finding it.  As for Lee, and Rickie, one of the many highlights today.  They are kicking ass on the trail and enjoying every second of it.

   Report on Eddie:  First he was incredibly appreciative of the people in Ovando, especially you folks with Blackfoot Angler.  Amazing helpful people offering to help from there and all over the country.  But, Eddie was very concerned with not breaking race rules in accepting help from others.  He has sorted everything out with his bank and says he has solved his problems.  His money and credit cards were miraculously found, but he'd already cut his cards off.   Thanks everyone for your concern.  PS - I'm just one of his friends, not an official spokesman. 
 

[OldeBlindDog]

Update from Eddie O'Dea "In a dramatic change of events my cards are only 12 miles out, have been reactivated, I'm having another cup of coffee. This rookie move may only have cost me a good nights sleep bookended by loads of stress."

[mtbcast]

#TourDivide17 Marty Johnson called in from Whitefish!

http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td17/

[jjmundt]

Update from Eddie O'Dea "In a dramatic change of events my cards are only 12 miles out, have been reactivated, I'm having another cup of coffee. This rookie move may only have cost me a good nights sleep bookended by loads of stress."

Wow, that's a miracle!!  Thank the Lord for the honest people still around, and for all those that offered Eddie help.

[Angler]

To All that called to assist Eddie ODea with his financial crisis:  Good News.  His credit card and money stash was located and returned to him in Ovando.  He is back in it.  Crisis Averted.  those that responded:  You Rock!

[jjmundt]

By the way, JayP appears to be flying!!

[mtbcast]

To All that called to assist Eddie ODea with his financial crisis:  Good News.  His credit card and money stash was located and returned to him in Ovando.  He is back in it.  Crisis Averted.  those that responded:  You Rock!

Great!

[eec]

Fun reading, lots of pictures and THANKS NEIL!

http://bikepacker.com/2017-tour-divide-rigs/

wow. The TDR is one big advertisement for Salsa! Some great rigs this year.

[bikeny]

By the way, JayP appears to be flying!!

Yeah, he is moving. There was a video posted somewhere by him about his motivations and reasons for doing the Divide again instead of a long road ultra. I hope he is taking a bit of time to talk to everybody that he's passing. Seems like a great way for a fast rider to see and ride with more people vs. riding alone at the front of the race.

Great news about Eddie, do we know who found his stuff and returned it?

[Thumby]

Apparently conditions moving out of Seeley Lake are bad enough that several riders are turning around and headed back into town to wait out the storm.   (Tues 13, noonish)

[Angler]

June 12th ended in a miserable soaking mess and June 13th is a soggy beginning of the day.  They forecasted for about an inch of rain when the 24 hour storm was done and within 12 hours there was .86" of wet.  Can't remember the last time we had this consistent, hard rainfall.  Photos show the gleeful misery of those that stayed the night and those that arrived between midnight and 5 am.  Folks were sleeping on chairs and on the outside of the deck when the shelters were full.  At least it got them out of the actual pouring rain.  Ahhhhh June in Montana and it's cold miserable rain.  But isn't this what the TDR is all about?

[Angler]

One of the first out this morning at 8:30 in the rain was Ashley Benns of the UK.  This is his 3rd tour so it felt like old friends when ran into each other.  He is hoping to YoYo but the weather has him reconsidering that idea.  But uninspiring weather can do that to a person.  Told him I better see him again soon.  Didn't think it would be within 45 minutes.  LeighAnn at the Inn found a bag of his belongings, so since I knew where he was headed drove up the route and was able to return his stuff to him.  Ashley, still hoping to see you again this year on your return!!

While running after Ashley found Per Lofstrand, 50 of South Africa riding in.  Per is the hero of the day as he is the good samaritan that found Eddie Odea's cash wad up the route; and who happened to be riding with a friend of Eddie's, who had heard about the crisis, enableing Per to get Eddie back on the race.  Hopefully his wife was able to get on the webcam and see him waving as he left Ovando.

Two other that spent the night and were out after breakfast:  Alex Hawkins, 52 of NC and Andrew Carney, 33 of CO.

More to come.  Stand by please.

[Angler]

The other riders stranded in Ovando until the weather broke a bit are, in alphabetical order:

Steve Halligan, 41 from New Zealand via Ireland.
Mike Kaufman, 45, Helena Montana [GO MONTANA] who plans on pouring it on is his backyard, so to speak and move up in the rankings.
Peter Maindonald, 53 of New Zealand
Nathan Mawkes, 40 of New Zealand
Craig Fowler, 44 of CO
Alex Hawkins, 52 of NC
Kevin Campagna, 34, TX a returning rider who is spending another day in Ovando in a room at the end fighting of the first sign of edema in the foot.  Better to catch it now rather than have to scratch later.

RJ Byrd, 33 or CO, who called me around midnight, soaked and exhausted and miserable looking for a place to get shelter.  Found out trying to tell someone to look for a grey building in the grey haze of a downpour after riding in it for 5 hours was a mistake.  The rider in the hoosecow was kind enough to move his stuff out and give RJ some much needed space.

Miroslav Novak, 61 of Alabama.  Sorry sir but that is not a southern accent I'm hearing.  First picture is the misery of washing mud from your machine knowing you will be adding to it.  Second photo is a good one for his wife, so she thinks he is having a good time.  Which he says he is.  

Please stand by.  More to come.