Tour Divide 2017 - race discussion thread

[ScottM]

The move by many to FB really grinds my gears too.

Maybe a slight makeover in usability to bring it into the Twenty Teens? (Full disclosure- I am a techno numpty so it might be just me that struggles to post stuff)

I know Matthew is not fond of the new facebook 'forums' and I find it annoying that there are two of them that provide nearly the exact same content.  But it's also somewhat inevitable.  FB is taking up so much of people's attention bandwidth, groups like these aren't going to go away.  I discovered only midway through AZTR this year that there were two groups on FB about the race and I wasn't a member of either!

Photos and links could be easier here, for sure.  Unfortunately forum software development seems to be dying out, as well, as other forums are getting killed by FB (and other stuff) too.

Just added colors to the 'Mega' tracker, thanks for the nudge here on the thread.

KGRides gets congrats for being the first finisher of the year (Nobo).  He had some weather and snow to contend with, for sure.

Impressive to see BS climbing back up after the Lauf fork setback.

[mtbcast]

#TourDivide17 Peter Kraft called in from Macks Inn!

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

[Angler]

I know Matthew is not fond of the new facebook 'forums' and I find it annoying that there are two of them that provide nearly the exact same content.

Amen.  I  posted on one, was asked to do another and since I hate to disappoint and I know these folks I post here first then the FB x 2.  I can't continue it next year.  To time exhausting.  So next year something is going to change.  But this site is my priority since ya'ahl got me started in this.  :-)

[OldeBlindDog]

From racer Eddie O'Dea:

"This is what I woke up to this morning. It was like riding in a western movie today."

[Briansong]

Wow what an absolutely awesome picture!! Thanks for posting that.

Brian Lucido's speed through the basin is impressive as compared to the chase group. He's built his lead continually. Must have a big engine.

[M Harris]

I don't say much on this sight but this is where I keep up on what is happening on the Divide. I made it to Wise River in 2015, Knee blew up and had to call it quits but will attempt again in 2019 (My 10 wedding anniversary is next year happy wife happy life as they say) don’t have Facebook or any of the others this sight is where I will continue to get all my info. Just my little chip in on the discussion
Keep up the good work!!!!!.

[kiwidave]

I know Matthew is not fond of the new facebook 'forums' and I find it annoying that there are two of them that provide nearly the exact same content.  But it's also somewhat inevitable.  FB is taking up so much of people's attention bandwidth, groups like these aren't going to go away.  I discovered only midway through AZTR this year that there were two groups on FB about the race and I wasn't a member of either!

Photos and links could be easier here, for sure.  Unfortunately forum software development seems to be dying out, as well, as other forums are getting killed by FB (and other stuff) too.

Hi - as Admin of the first FB group referred to above just a little history. The first Group was set up after I contacted Matt and asked if I could use his TD FB page for getting people to get in touch with each other pre and post race. I was riding in '16 and we're all called Kevin out there, so I thought it would be a great way to keep in touch. He said very nicely no. So I set up a 2016 FB group in Jan '16 and it grew in size quite quickly and morphed somewhat from posting pics & blogs to more general stuff. I thought it was good when we had 20 members. It's now got over 3k members, which is low compared to the 10k on TD FB page and Ride the Divide.

Post ride I renamed the page a General page and presumed it would carry on. One of the members (Bonnie) of this group then set up a '17 page and added many of the members from the first group and thus 2 similar pages were born. There's now a '18 page with 100+ members.

Bonnie and I looked at merging the 2 larger FB groups in May/June but it is tricky as all the current posts die of one group and just the members move across - i.e. the content itself does not merge. She's out there riding now so it is something we'll discuss more perhaps when she is finishes (Go Bonnie!). I think that both groups follow the ethos of Bikepacking / ultra-racing and have developed without any "control" other than to keep them focussed on the subject. (Yeah, some commercial, inappropriate or political posts are deleted).

Matt has made his reservations (and reasons) clear and has given some guidance and the suggested changes have been made: new group title, edits to some posts, deleting some posts. (i.e. we haven't intentionally renamed the groups to sound similar, it was a result of this). Both Bonnie and I are doing our utmost to respect the wishes of Matt.

I personally think that the depth of knowledge on the FB Group is amazing and it is a great resource. It has a search function that works well and linking all replies under posts is pretty helpful and it runs across all years. I also like this forum and have read all prior years (preparation and race discussion) posts and agree with the comments above that it is great that the chronological order is kept on the forum.

[SlowDave]

[Pick your obscenity] FB.  FB is evil.  Cyclists should support the sites that make these things happen, not FB.

[tanadog]

Back to the racing eh? looks like tail winds thru the Basin. I think Steve H will catch Rob soon, nice comeback after 24hrs out with rear mech issues in Elkford on Day 1. Go Steveo!

[megand]

A bit of a flashback here, but if anyone is interested in a photo gallery from the first couple of days of racing, I've got some photos up here: https://evilmoose.smugmug.com/Bikes/Tour-Divide-2017  - some photos from the start, and then I got photos of about 100 of the field as they rolled along Spray Lakes, a couple of hours into the race. Then there's just a few from Fernie/Galton Pass (plus there's a few of my kid and hanging out with friends - I'd have been more committed to photographing all the racers if I wasn't busy trying to keep him entertained too!)

[cobbnat]

The two New Mexico forest fires of interest to TD17 are named Bonita and Corral:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5235/
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5210/

[Angler]

Ovando Montana Jun 17 2017:

Only two riders today; one that spent the night and left after breakfast and one that rode in , ate, and rode on out.

First Oliver Gimbel, 46 of Germany.  Not really racing.  Enjoying the scenery that Alberta and Montana has to offer.  As he only has 20 days to be in the US, and after 8 days only making it 550 miles, he is resigned to the fact that he is more tourist.  But he is loving the Big Open Skies, the people, the mountains, everything; along with the ability to sleep in nice rooms.  He is making notes of where to visit upon his return.

For his Fan Club, here is Craig Copelin, 47 of New Mexico, making his way home after starting off the race with nothing but bike issues.  He still envisions catching up with the "peloton".  I worried about the fires in his home state.  And is just having the time of a life time.  He left after making my "4 footed girlfriend" Maggie the Mutt extremely happy by playing frisbee.


There is a lot of hope by many of the back riders that with the 15 mile longer detour this year they will extend the number of days riding before your blue dot turns white and you are officially out of the race and officially a tourist.

And that is it today.  Nobody remotely close to coming in today.
Carry on!

[mtbcast]

#TourDivide17 Eddie O’Dea called in earlier from Island Park, Tony Buchman called in from Basin, Eddie O’Dea called in again later from Squirrel Creek Ranch, and Randy Neill called in from Helena!

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

[mtbcast]

#TourDivide17 Bonnie Gagnon-Larvick called in from Helena!

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

[BobM]

Is it just my imagination or did Joe Polk have more of a Southern accent 7 or 8 years ago?  I swear he sounds different.  Joe, could this be true?

[mtbcast]

Is it just my imagination or did Joe Polk have more of a Southern accent 7 or 8 years ago?  I swear he sounds different.  Joe, could this be true?

It's all this urban sprawl coming my way!

[OldeBlindDog]

A bit of a flashback here, but if anyone is interested in a photo gallery from the first couple of days of racing, I've got some photos up here: https://evilmoose.smugmug.com/Bikes/Tour-Divide-2017  - some photos from the start, and then I got photos of about 100 of the field as they rolled along Spray Lakes, a couple of hours into the race. Then there's just a few from Fernie/Galton Pass (plus there's a few of my kid and hanging out with friends - I'd have been more committed to photographing all the racers if I wasn't busy trying to keep him entertained too!) 

  Thanks for posting up your photo!  Good stuff!

[mtbcast]

#TourDivide17 Overnight: Peter Kraft called in from Colter Bay and Rick Ashton called in from Butte!

Peter's call broke up a lot but I salvaged what I could.

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

[Briansong]

Interesting, I was looking at the Mega-Tracker. It looks as though there will be racers from the front of the TD and American Trail race converging on the common route "about" the same time. That would be quite a conversation on the trail.

[Tman]

I am new posting here but have been riding for 35 years and lurking here for 3 or 4? I know some folks do not like FB but it is quick and essential in this day and age. It would be nice to have a singular pager over there. Most folks have FB on their phones and these types of forums not not real mobile friendly, Thanks for the info from everyone!