Trans North Georgia MTB Race

[Marshal]

I'm guessing Namrita, his wife, has met him and he's refueling and/or catching a nap in the back of his truck.  If you read through the rules, Dalton is one of the official aid locations for those racers choosing to use support.We might indeed! Go everyone!

Hem, thanks but I have read the rules and DID NOT make any comment about them –please please lets not take this thread there while the race is ongoing

But I was commenting on the tightening race.  And along those lines, Matt and Brad are still closing; now it’s a 3 mile gap.  This ‘assumes’ Edie is actually where his last Spot uplink is showing.

[mtbcast]

I thought the bushwacking hike-a-bike climb up over Flat Top Mt had been replaced with dirt roads.  A quick check of the route shows that it doesn't go up and over Flat Top, but maybe the replacement is just as bad or worse...

You are correct. Flat Top Mtn was taken out.

Hem, thanks but I have read the rules and DID NOT make any comment about them –please please lets not take this thread there while the race is ongoing

No worries. I can attest that Nam is here at Mulberry Gap sleeping and didn't go to Dalton.

[mtbcast]

TNGA10 Episode Day 2 is up!

[Marshal]

Midnight—TNGA-- Crunch Time or Rest Time??

75 miles to go for the top 3 blue dots

Matt and Brad are now also in the Dalton Shopping Center area with Eddie.  Hotels, Food etc etc.  But it’s about midnight local time.

Matt’s Spot is really close to a local Waffle House (24 hr fast food type breakfast cuisine for those who have never experienced this particular delicacy) per satellite view.  Perfect TDR type nutrition for those in the know about ‘got ta have it’ multi-day food!

So is Matt re-fueling and gunning for an all-nighter, get a lead and hold on-- or eating and sleeping??  

Did Eddie set his alarm for 5, 6 or 7 hrs ??—his Spot’s been still for 5 hrs now—bet he is going to be fresh & fast but will it be enough

And what about Brad—eat and ride or eat & sleep??

Ha--who said it’s not a race



EDIT--12:28 local Matt and Brad are still moving--eat-and ride!!

Edit--looks like Matt and Brad stopped about 2.7 miles, next to some raidio towers--start of ST??  So who will get the early start??

[SandSurfer]

Early am and it looks like the top three all napped in Dalton and rode off at the crack of dawn, probably a wise choice as the Snake Creek Gap section in the dark after one short night of sleep (or perhaps none during the dark in Eddie's case) would be a truly epic effort.  What Eddie did riding through that first night is awesome.  He rode over Stanley Gap, a nasty singletrack climb and screaming descent, in the wee hours of the morning after riding for roughly 18 hours.  He then kept going, riding from the valley all the way up into the Cohutta's (which is easily 2-3000 feet of some really steep climbing) and to Jack's River before resting for any extended period.  Brad and Matt's experience have caught them up to him and it could be an exciting finish at the Alabama border.

Having riden 2/3 of this route and taking 3 days to do it, the fact that 8 folks are or will be further along than we made in the same time frame is truly impressive.  The fact that 3 guys will finish it in the same time period that it took us to ride 2/3 of the route is mind blowing.  I thought it would take 60ish hours for the fastest guys to finish and it looks like that isn't going to be far off, but I knew that was going to be an amazing effort.  The three who are likely to do it deserve mad props for sure.

[dgaddis1]

Anyone know if Eddie O. is moving?  His SPOT hasn't updated in a while.

If he is, looks like him, Matt Lee, and Brad Kee are all VERY close.  Should be an exciting finish!

[mtbcast]

Karlos Bernart called in from Shallowford! And Charlie Rome (out) pedaled his way via roads all the way to Ellijay! Get the calls here. Matthew Lee and Brad Kee managed to slip by Eddio O overnight! It's a horse race, Folks!

[mtbcast]

Matt Fusco and Russ Marshall came in late last night. I managed to get up and get a few words with them before they headed out!

[mtbcast]

Anyone know if Eddie O. is moving?  His SPOT hasn't updated in a while.

If he is, looks like him, Matt Lee, and Brad Kee are all VERY close.  Should be an exciting finish!

He's moving. It looks like he may have closed the gap with them to about 10min. He's very familiar with this section of trail so yeah, should be exciting!

[Emily]

Hem, thanks but I have read the rules and DID NOT make any comment about them –please please lets not take this thread there while the race is ongoing

...what the?? just pointing out that Dalton is an aid location, which I thought you might not know.  I do not see how that could possibly be construed as an attack on you, or on Eddie and Nam, who are good friends of mine.

[shey]

Hello everyone,

Shey Lindner here, out at Moccasin Creek State park (mile 65) on Saturday.   Enjoyed the ride and company.  Wrong turn at the first 5 or 6 mile mark, backtracked and did not loose much time.  Rode with Brad K for a very short time then with John H, Trey W and Rob before the decent into Dillard.  Met Russ just after 441 and he said Matt and Eddie must have taken a wrong turn on the hike section and we were in the lead.  Hit Moccasin Creek State Park at 2:46pm, saw Matt L about 5 min later but he did not stop.  Eddie stopped a few minutes behind Matt to fill up on water, he looked very good and was positive.  

I knew what to expect going into the adventure, its a monster.  Good luck to everyone still on the course, enjoy.  

Shey

[caseygreene]

It looks like the 3 leaders are still all together or very close to each other. What a race!
The photo equipment might want to be ready for the sprint.

[mark donaghy]

Mark Donaghy here! Out after a very exhausting day. Bottom line, not enough legs, training, experience for this event. Got terribly lost and wasted many hours through what appears to be a simple hike-a-bike section thru Ramey Field early on Sect 1. For the life of me, after the purple marked tree I found, I couldn't make the trail connect to FS150. After second guessing myself several times, and walking for an hour down the wrong trail, Bartram, and walking back, I took out my trusty analog compass and went for it. Got caught in field of mud with thickets to my ears tearing skin off me like being whipped with barbed wire. It was soo dense, I had to carry my bike with 40 lb packs over my head for a long time hoping that I didn't step on a copperhead/mocassin. Ran out of water. Yikes! I thought my arms would fall off and I'd pass out when I finally reached the road and went to a gas station. With blood caked on me from stem to sterm, the attendent asked if I needed a doctor, I said Yes!, a pyschiatrist. What was I thinking--this was NOT fun anymore. How did everyone else make it through that! Probably from running out of H20 and too afraid to drink the creek water, I had persistent nause that carried through the night into the next morning. They say to wait until the am to pull the plug and indeed that's what I did. Also it went down to the 40s at night--the weather channel said nothing about that temp. I was ill prepared for sleeping so I shivered all night. Wow, that was day #1.  My hats off to all those who do these events and have the knowledge and experience. I envy you. I learned alot and have been humbled by the beautiful and awesome Georgia mountains. Now I can relax and watch the spots. Thanks to Mulberry Gap Inn for all there support and good luck to all the other racers. I'm back to road bike 6 Gaps at the end of the month. At least, I know I won't be carrying my bike over my head.

[jeffkerkove]

Go Eddie O! Go! 

[mtbcast]

Rob Roberts came in and took a nap. Then got some rolfing from Amy. He’s headed back out to Pinhoti 3 now.

Look like Eddie is likely at the border by now. Waiting for official word.

Edit: Spot shows Eddie at the line at 2:07:57 unofficial.

[Marshal]

Congrats Eddie!!

Way to finish strong! Enjoyed your MTBcast comments and following your Spot at all hours of the night.

[mtbcast]

I neglected to get Rob Roberts early morning call posted. Here it is!

[mtbcast]

Karlos Bernart called in from Watson Gap. He’s hoping to get to Mulberry Gap tonight!

[Marshal]

Looks like Matt and Brad are done.  Way to go guys!!
And looks like there are 4 more on the last 75 mile stretch.

[mtbcast]

Eddie-O and Matthew Lee are back at Mulberry Gap. No summary tonight. Celebration ensued! We'll do one tomorrow!