Tour Divide race discussion

[mtbcast]

TD14 Day 28 True Up! Mark Caminiti calls just before his finish, Eric Sime calls in from Er Rito, and a more folks finish under 28 days as we true up your calls!


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

[InYerBlood]

Tricia Toth needs to slow down. Not only because she's from my hometown, and I was hoping for a chance to bump into her while I'm up in the Brazos area for a NMES epic race, but also because the latest word is that recent rain has made the section of 87 to the climb up to Brazos Ridge so muddy that the locals are considering a course change, depending upon how much more rain comes tomorrow. Nobody needs that after 2000+ miles, but welcome to NM.

[Gimmearaise]

Can anyone help me figure this one out? Aaron Denberg was relegated according to Trackleaders. I Know he hitched back twice because of broken bike. Maybe I missed something, but does Trackleaders automatically relegate...turning the dot orange, or is it manual? http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide14i.php?name=Aaron_Denberg_ITT

Either way, huge congrats to Aaron. The CTR will complete his Triple Crown.

[megand]

Can anyone help me figure this one out? Aaron Denberg was relegated according to Trackleaders. I Know he hitched back twice because of broken bike. Maybe I missed something, but does Trackleaders automatically relegate...turning the dot orange, or is it manual? http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide14i.php?name=Aaron_Denberg_ITT

Did he miss a section of trail before Togwotee Mountain Lodge?

[PerryD]

I believe if you go back and review Aaron's posts he relegated himself for having his wife send him a wheel and then also taking an alternate route when others pushed through the mud.

[DaveH]

Trackleaders doesn't do any relegations. It can detect when a rider was off route but relegations are up to TD/Matthew.

[flyboy]

Here's the URL: https://www.facebook.com/jill.hueckman

From her blog http://allthingsepicwithjill.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/sitting-duck-in-fernie.html

[InYerBlood]

From her blog http://allthingsepicwithjill.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/sitting-duck-in-fernie.html

So, does this mean that, to some extent, her decision making is being necessarily influenced by the time constraints put on her by the Kanadian Border guards?

[THE LONG RANGER]

It's unclear from the blog post, which probably makes sense - a bet they're a little tired! I was hoping she could get back on board and on route.


In 2012, my own rear hub was biting the dust - it was a problem that started on day 0, and one I promptly ignored - thought the chain was slipping because the chain tensioner was problematic - one of those Surly gizmos that wasn't impressin'. Same wheel I had used in 2011 - don't think there was much service done to the wheel itself; kinda didn't have the money to service the wheel and I like to tempt faint ev'ry now and 'gain, anyways. Really started being a problem right after I go out of The Outdoorsman's door (of course!). Damn pawls on the racheting system weren't catching and I would have  a back wheel that didn't want to engage. Sometimes it did, like if I dunk'd the entire contraption in a creek to baptize it back out of my own original sins. And sometimes it didn't, but when it did, I just kept pedaling, for fear it would disengage once again, 'cause every time it did, it took longer than the last to re-engage. Tickin' time bomb. From Red Rock Pass, onto Flagg Ranch Road, all the way past the Yellowstone entrance, I kept pedaling my self-imposed fixed gear. Didn't sleep much more than a wink before keeping on - I knew I was gonna lose a good bunch of time real soon. Made a decision that This Thing Had to Be Figured Out and pointed her straight to Jackson, after not having too much luck hitchin' a ride. I wouldn't have picked myself up, either - what with how I looked, and smelled. It's a miracle that thing made it that far. Once I got to town, the good souls at Hoback Sports in Jackson helped me out as quick as they could, which took all day - first trying to fix the problem, then trying to replace the wheel, then pointing me to a used bike parts place, when none of their replacements worked. Picked up an ancient wheelset (a gosh darn braking surface on the rim!) for next to nuthin' - weighed a ton, but seemed like it would survive the next 3 states - if only I had noticed I left my credit card back in Montana. Woo boy, another mess to get out of. I pointed her back North, and pedaled the route of shame to where I turned off the route (the scenery was nice enough - Tetons and all!), falling asleep on the handlebars periodically. I needed to get back on route, then - then!  I could take a real good rest. Finally made it, and finally saddled up under 'n the bridge where I spent 2011 as well; listening to the cars 'n trucks above me all night, clanking as they do on the splits of the concrete. Next morning, stopped by the café you see, once you turn off the main road - just had a cup of coffee - funds were runnin' low already! But, I had made it back on route - that was really a close one. It took me all the way to Salida to catch back up with the groupetto that I had seen that morning, all the way back at Yellowstone. They were as surprised as me!

Thanks to Hoback for being so ever patient with a half-falling asleep man, and thank you for the local that gave me some words of encouragement - I was day dreaming of bus schedules back to Denver. Not another mechanical for the rest of the trip. Just a tire change in Salida - kept the original chain! Bless those PC-1's. I still use that back wheel I had gotten in Jackson everyday. Turns out that brake surface on the rim comes in handy on a bike with cantis!

The next time I went to Canada - just a few weeks after the race had finished, they took me into that little room they used for questioning and I had to explain myself out of a few run-ins of my own and the law - but that's an entirely different story, altogether...

[mtbcast]

TD14: Valerie Kato called in with her finish call! She’s glad to be finished but also a little sad.

http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td14/

[schillingsworth]

I know what Tony & Tanner are having for breakfast...PIE!!!

[InYerBlood]

If I could see results from prior years, I could relate this tale more accurately. But I'm sure someone can fill in the blanks. A couple of years ago (?), a NOBO arrived at the border, looking and smelling pretty much like the dirtbag you'd expect. And under cross-examination by the Kanadian Gestapo, was asked if he was concealing anything on his person, to which he replied, something to the effect, "Nothing except perhaps a pound of chamois butter up my butt." And they still let him through!

I was wondering what sort of sarcastic remark I might come up with if I'd been in Jill's situation on her first attempt to cross the border, and, "OK, fine! I'll go ride in the REAL France!", immediately came to mind.

(is this mike on?)

[THE LONG RANGER]

Sounds like Cjell Money, but read his entry - they didn't just let him through - he had to do a little song and dance as well.

https://cjellmoney.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/divide-riding-v-tour-divide/

[mathieu]

Ashley Benns is about to finish. He is labeled as a veteran, but I think this is his first TD race. In 2012 I toured a big part of the the Divide route with Ashley, from Wise River to AW. He is great company.

Ashley is a professional yacht captain for private yachts. This is a world of luxury and leisure, making it even more remarkable that he volunteered for the hardships of the TD race. As preparation for the TD he rode on his bike from Key West in Florida to Banff, mostly on the GD route. Must be like 2 months on the bike. Congratulations Ashley!

[tlane3of6]

My wife and Sheilar left Austin, TX a 6am to meet ST at the border.  Based on the tough going from Pie Town, they had plenty of time. 
They're carrying my Spot so I can track them speeding on IH10 at 80mph.  ST has picked up the pace as she can smell the border.  Its going to be close on who get there first. 
Tom

[Krampus Snail]

Go, Sheila T! And congratulations to the latest pink dot finishers, Valerie Kato and Cindy Dwyan!

[EndoAgain]

Congratulations Ashley, Valerie and Cindy. I met Val on one of the early days. She had a big back pack falling off to one side and was rocking out a hard pace talking all the while. We were trying to navigate the changes in the roads since the floods took out some of the roads. I was in oxygen debt struggling while she seemed to ignore the grade and pace with ease. Her husband was up ahead somewhere battling with the leaders. Not sure but I think he succumbed to richmond peak trying for hours to find the trail. I saw his tracks later in the snow. There was no way to find the trail without a GPS because it was buried at that point. Only met Ashley before the race started. As I recall he was on a Lynskey like me and we chatted a while. Hugely intimidated by his warm up ride.  Anyway, big props to both of them.For next years rookies, Silver City is a great place to get your bike boxed. Schedule a few days of R&R there as you will need to decompress. Gila Hike and Bike had several of us in there and they seemed to be able to fix up a bike in a box in an hour and were a great bunch of people. It was also a great place to hang out and meet up with other finishers. I managed to pick up Andy Lawrence at AW thanks to a friends loner car out of Silver City and later meet up with Pat Day in Tucson. Spent some time with Sarah Caylor too before dropping her off at Lordsburg. I would have felt like the adventure was not complete without getting a chance to say goodbye and have a few beers with my fellow finishers. For avid blue/pink dot followers consider spending some time in Silver City. Nice place to hang out. Tried to upload a photo from Gila Hike and Bike of myself (kent McDonald), Brian Bridau, Andy Lawrence, Kiwi Ken, Ken Waring and Paul Barsom. File too big :-( It was a nice reunion of sorts. Ok, now back to my dot watching...

[mtbcast]

TD14: Charlie Kharsa called in with his finish call having to SS it from Pie Town!

http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td14/

[dream4est]

I finished at 6:57 last night
In El Paso with Aaron d and Stefan m
Renting a car to Denver

It was a glorious finish, complete with freak rainstorm on me and Charlie with 20 miles to go
TD didnt want to let me Go without a fight!!

A career triple crown- 7th person to do it
2/3rd the way to the season triple crown
9th race finish all triple crown events - that makes me number 1 in that category passing Matt lees 8
9 in a row without failure
3 consecutive triple crown races finished (2013 Ctr)

I guess you could say I am having a good year
Sweet

[THE LONG RANGER]

Get after it, Mark!