trans am race discussion

[JF-mtnbiker]

Jason said he has many Post Office pick up options for his mix and seems to have a good supply. It is a heavy load however. The benefit is he is not stopping to eat along the way. Mike needs stop for meals but Jason just needs some liquid to mix with and he is on his way.

[mbeardsl]

Don't necessarily need to stop to eat, just need to stop to buy food.  Or drive thru   Will be very cool to see how their strategies play out.  Liquid diet for 13+ days sounds awfully difficult to stomach, from a guy who generally only rides with liquid.

[Georg66]

Seems like Mike Hall will cross the Tour-Divide route soon, for the first time ..

[mtbcast]

Multiple calls:
TABR14: Billy Rice called in from New Meadows, ID! Bruce Wylie called in from Redmond where he’s nursing a sore knee! Nathan Jones called in from somewhere on the Snake River. The call breaks up a bit.

http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/tabr14/

[mbeardsl]

Looks like Mike is slowly gained a little on Jason throughout the day.  He must stop for sleep at some point (!?!), but probably has a ~4hr lead now.

Anyone know why there aren't any checkpoints a la the TDR tracker?  Would make it much easier to see splits...

[mtbcast]

#TABR14: Billy Rice called in from Grangeville!

http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/tabr14/

[mtbcast]

TABR14 – Day 4 and TD14 ITT True Up! Trans Am Bike Race Day 4! We true up the calls from the Trans Am and calls from Tour Divide ITT'ers!

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

[mbeardsl]

Wow, starting to spread out towards the front.  Still only a ~4 hour gaps, but increasing to ~6+ between Mike and Jason.

Also, Juliana is killing it!  Picked up a handful of spots in the last 24 hours.

[mtbcast]

TABR14 – Day 5 and TD14 ITT True Up!

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

[Semi Slick]

Wow, I hope Mike Hall slowed down for 2 minutes to watch the sunrise on the Tetons....

[mbeardsl]

Rules are rules, so I don't see how it ruins the credibility of the race, just the credibility of the racer.  It's up to the RD if it ruins the credibility of the race (see the difference?).  Same would go for anyone cutting corners on the Tour Divide (and I'm not saying anyone is cutting corners as I don't know what the alternates are).  I also find it odd you say someone is cutting corners after stating you don't know what the alternates are.  The racers can do whatever they want, but won't be recognized for completing the course if RD feels they cut corners.  I'll leave that to them and enjoy spectating as I don't have a dog in the fight.

The rider you show above is quite the accomplished racer so I can only assume she has done her homework or is "riding her own race" after crashing early on.

On a side note, good luck getting word to every racer to follow the established GPX route.  Who says they are all even using GPS devices?  Lots of ways to navigate these things.

[mbeardsl]

A cpl more things
- I've counted at least 10 riders that have taken alternates, legit or not. 
- It shouldn't matter if someone is out front or in last place if impropriety is afoot.
- Hard to say if a number of riders with goofy Spots have followed the route (knock yourself out on that one!).
- Spots aren't even required, you could have someone way out front hitching rides overnight blah blah blah.  I choose to think majority of racers are behaving honestly. 
- And of course perhaps the most line in the rules:  "Nothing to win or lose but honor"

[robinb]

The rules stated very clearly all alternates are in play.  If a racer has done their homework and bought the maps from ACA then they would know each alternate and decide which, if any, they may want to take.  The GPS track is the full route w/o the alternates. So if all you brought for navigation is your GPS, you may well be at a deficit.

For a first time race, I think the organizer has done a great job, and I hope we see more of TAMBR in the years to come.

[the tortoise]

Perhaps it is the racers themselves that should arbitrate who should and should not be DQed. You know the people out there that are doing all the suffering! This is not the golf channel where you call in someone for washing their balls wrong!

[THE LONG RANGER]

Roadies!

I kid, I kid.

Being such a young race, when I heard first of the "alt being used" I thought, "Well, bugs! Young race, they'll work it out"

The idea of "all routes on" I think is an interesting one, and quite forward thinking: think about all the times there's been a fire/snow/construction on the main route of the Tour Divide - maybe some of that would have gone away, if "all alts are on" was in effect? As it stands, they sort of are, for huge swaths of NM. Not many people do the "main" course, and no one calls foul.

I'm not sure if I agree with the idea that the racers should be pointing fingers at other racers - or even us!  I'm hoping they're busy with the one thing they're truly responsible for: themselves. As the RC said, he'll deal with it after the race, which I think is the best idea.

An, "oh oh! Off course!" post could lead to a racer seeing that post, and having them go back - that would certainly be outside support, yeh?

Hopefully, someone will slyly take a train, or have another rider take a leg on one of the more lonely parts of the race. Then we can have something really to yammer about

(I do also agree that the alt routes should be on Trackleaders - that would, hopefully lead to less confusion, rather than more ("which is the main route?", etc)

[Matt Schiff]

The rules are clear. Just cause the spectators are confused doesn't make a difference.

Research of what the route is should begin on the Adventure Cycling Association's web page.

http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/transamerica-trail/

Santiam Alt shown for example:

[bmike-vt]

What I think would be a good option to the 'all routes are on' idea the the long ranger suggests is a race with a mix of GPX tracks and waypoints or checkpoints. However you connect the waypoints and the tracks to get from start to finish - and in whichever direction you choose - east west north south - it's all good. With geofencing and a few strategically located 'must show face here' waypoints - it would make for an interesting event. Make the racers research and come up with route options.


Otherwise - 1 track, with reasonable exceptions for fires or floods. And maybe snow. But someone proved that the snow can be traveled with some creativity.

[THE LONG RANGER]

I think there's a few races like that - one across Europe to Turkey, and the Round the World race, where either checkpoints are used, or a specific mileage is needed. Even the original GDR used call-ins, in towns as checkpoints (if my history is correct) - that one's a little harder to do with the demise of the public phone.

[mbeardsl]

Yeah, transcontinental race follows that format.  Makes route choice a pretty big deal.  Ed Pickup had to fight off wild dogs in Bosnia (or somewhere ) when he did it a cpl yes ago, followed a road that became single track etc. Still finished 4th. At 22 y/o I think.

[Oldguywithnobike]

gimmearaise...........

Hate is a mighty powerful word there my man. Kudos to the young lady for getting it done her own way!