Tour Divide 2018 Race Discussion Thread

[dream4est]

I was in the azt750 earlier this season. Struggling to finish the 300 I was passed like i was going backwards by a female rider who was also in the 750. In the Gila canyons she had two male riders with her as her "pacers". neither was in the race one had been and had quit. it was a blatant rules violation she went by faster than the previous years 300 winner Pete Basinger had passed me in same spot when i was in 300 ITT mode starting 18 hrs early in 2017. She literally had race winner speed at the back of the pack. I straight called all three of them out in the Gila canyons. They shut up real quick. ScottM should have dqed her ass all day. he didnt and almost acted like my whisteblowing is the problem not the cheating. I believe that is the real issue here not the cheating but the inability of race directors to police it.

So here is what I propose. Next time i call someone out, it will include the knuckle sandwich at the end I always refrain from adding in. No one ever gets dqed since like 2010, so maybe we should start kicking ass out there on the drafters, beggars, route cutters, etc.

Just a thought. If you are out there and a cheater puts u down it hurts your feelings. maybe its time for some western justice out there.

Edit- i am friends with toby gadd. He was right imo about the rules issues we both saw cheating firsthand in the ctr.
No one wanted to listen i have tried to keep up that attitude but its like beating a dead horse.
It doesn't really make one not be a part of this like toby choose, but i can see why he would choose to walk away.
Integrity matters at the end of the day.

[Bob]

Actually there is a punishment for route deviation- you must have missed it in the Book of Gadd: "If ye deviate from thy route, the ear of thy favorite dog shall be split asunder, thy bottom shall chafe and burn, and all elements of weather shall visit upon thee."

As mild a punishment as that? 

[TugMariner]

I'm not a mountain-biking guy (I'm a roadie) , and I would never do the TD or tour the GDMBR.  Not enough air-conditioning and cable TV on-route ;-)  I do follow this race every year however because its the total essence of ADVENTURE and is worth following.  (I have most editions of the Cordillera, and the movie - of course).  In my view, as soon as soon as you exit the parking lot behind the Banff Springs Hotel and enter the Spray River Trail, you have entered the unknown.  Who knows what experiences you will encounter enroute to Antelope Wells - if you even make it that far?  And THAT right there is just it - adventure, the unknown, and putting yourself to the test - its a powerful mix.

Just finishing this beast is an accomplishment.  If people want to race the route - that's awesome, but the experience itself of taking on the route is more than sufficient.  I'm guessing that the people lining up at the GD who do not intend to actually race it are there for the whole vibe in the day(s) leading up to the GD and the GD itself.  They want to to push themselves but know they will never turn in a competitive time.  So like the mass road event - Prudential Ride London perhaps these adventurers could start in a separate wave from the actual racers.  Say, perhaps, 1 hour later than the 0800 competitive GD?  They could have white dots on Trackleaders and would not be subject to the official TD rules other than they must follow the exact same course as the racers.  If they LOI or otherwise present themselves as non racers their times cannot be compared or otherwise classed with the racer's times since they did not follow the same rules.  

Just my own view.  Now its back to my vanilla latte while I watch some blue dots sweat in the Great Basin.

[Angler]

Just heard from locals that the forest service has decided today was the day to start putting in 4 culverts over a mile of road along the Monture / Cottonwood roads, around 6 miles before you get into Ovando.  Apparently it is a big massive tear up the road job.  Riders last night said they saw the equipment and today without warning to the locals the work as started.  Not sure about get arounds, or anything, and not sure who to contact but it would be nice if the riders were fore-warned!  Will keep you posted when fresh riders appear for their take on it.

[schillingsworth]

Looks to be a bit of a crosswind in the Basin right now.

Windy.com

[cobbnat]

I think almost everyone who lines up for the GD really intends to do their best, and knows that the comraderie and the competition of a group race format will help them. Some of them haven't done their homework/training and they quickly learn that they aren't prepared. Others have every intention of going fast (just look at the number of people who predict 21 day times!) but are foiled by freezing rain and mud, mechanicals, knees. I don't think you can determine who will do well and who will scratch beforehand, except for a few proven racers. And I have to say, among the "serious" racers, how many of them have a bit of an injury or sore knee, realize they can't win it all, and just quit? Not judging any individual decisions, but I have more respect for the guy for whom 30 days is a stretch goal, who gets hypothermic and bails off the course for a day to recover, but then gets back on the horse and finishes the beast off. Tour Divide is more of a pilgrimage than a race, except for maybe the top 15 racers. So many people have learned so much about themselves because of this amazing format that pushes each one to their limit, even if they are off the back. I say keep it like it is, change the dot color if they deviate but let them finish with honor and respect. For the top 15 or so, bragging rights are involved, so enforce the rules rigorously, keeping in mind that it really is mostly an honor system. Let's not go the route of striped shirt referees riding motorcycles along the course. Keep it wild, pure and personal.  (OK, off the soapbox now... :-}

[Yann___k]

NOBO and SOBO have met - at about 09:00 PM MTD 06/15/18, few miles north of Wamsutter.

[SlowDave]

In a normal year, it could take another day even two. The forecast 1" to 3/4" as a 1st rain for months may well get sucked unground leaving only dampness in 1/2 hour. 
 Your conditions may vary  ; -)   This Buds 4 U 

Thanks. It rained all last night and I have been out hiking here in Pie Town during  lull. The roads are drying out nicely except where there has been a lot of vehicle traffic. More rain is expected this afternoon and early evening. I will hang at the Toaster House until the morning and then continue on.

[geekonabike]

A lot worse place to wait out a rain than Pie Town & the Toaster House.

[woody]

Looks like Larry Shaw will be finishing up his Nobo in a few hours. Hope someone is waiting with a beer.
Congratulations!

[Angler]

Has a NOBO ever won the TDR?

[ATD]

Greg Gleason is riding full suspension.  Seems to be one of the very few, if only, riding FS.  I'd be interested to hear observations of TD and GDMBR veterans or fellow armchair observers about this choice.  How unusual is this?  So far, seems like a great call for him.

[THE LONG RANGER]

Back in the day, the math was worked out to perhaps prove FS would be more efficient in terms of power, but there's a weight penalty of the suspension system itself.

I think there's some VERY compelling suspension tech. out there now that can be tuned well for the terrain of the TD, but there's no way around it: it adds complexity and things breaking on the TD isn't a happy time for the rider.

[tanadog]

Looks like Gareth might have have an issue and is walking?? His uphill speeds are <2mph. And Greg Gleason seems to have taken an extended rest. Brush Mtn IG feed has a wee video of him returning to the lodge....

[SlowDave]

A north bound rider came to the Toaster House early this morning after an all nighter in the mud. He had it rough with mud clogging up his recumbent trike. I saw his tracks all day along with hand fills of mud from him clearing the bike of mud. Sometimes every 100 yards. For me the roads were perfect and I had no issues refilling water along the way. Currently I am 15 miles south of Old Horse Spring. Lots of baby pronghorn out here, they are great entertainment.

[Southwest Trailhead Hand/Hachita Bike Ranch]

Cheers~!

[Angler]

Introducing Grace Ragland, 57 of Alabama; a petit lil thang with a slight southern accent who is doing the entire, no deviation TDR despite having MS and being sick for two days at the onslaught of the race. While here she shared what is now my favorite story of the race.

Being at the end of the line, she finds herself riding by herself a majority of the time. She'll stop for the night and for breakfast, wrapping up any extra bacon slices and putting them in her back pocket for snacking; then riding along until the next break possibility. The other day she went longer than she had planned, over 100 miles to reach Holland Lake, just as dusk was falling.

While approaching the single track into the area with mosquitos swarming her she became actually a bit frightened in the darkening light, with her only thought being of bears. But then she remembered talking to Scott Thigpen prior to the race, who said you don't have to worry about the bears, unless you are wrapped in bacon. It was a this point she remembered the bacon in her pocket.

Utterly terrified she stopped the bike, whipped out the bacon, threw it away as far as she could and quickly continued to the lodge. Unfortunately there happened to be a private party and the gentleman manager was not overly forthcoming for lodging and food so she camped out, hungry, probably thinking of the bacon she had to discard.

In the end she made to Ovando today in time for lunch.

And everybody has a story.

[TugMariner]

It looks like the Sheilas are going to do Fleecer Ridge, in the dark, in the rain.  Courageous!

[salsola]

Northbound ITTer Andrew Kulmatiski has put down some serious mileage in his first day of racing.  Looks like he left Antelope Wells at 4 am and is currently somewhere near Black Canyon in the Gila having ridden the CDT alternate (first NOBO to do so?).    Nice work Andrew!

[cobbnat]

Northbound ITTer Andrew Kulmatiski has put down some serious mileage in his first day of racing.  Looks like he left Antelope Wells at 4 am and is currently somewhere near Black Canyon in the Gila having ridden the CDT alternate (first NOBO to do so?).    Nice work Andrew!

Larry Shaw, NoBo ITT who just finished in Banff, did both the CDT alternate and the Jemez/Polvadera Mesa (Cuba to Abiquiu), which Andrew probably won't be able to do because of forest closure.