Tour Divide 2013

[royAB]

Wondering if Mike Hall's 'breathing difficulties' might be from pine pollen? (Gather from other forums following there's a lot of it there right now and getting asthma from it myself know what a b****r it can be)

[Blackhound]

Looking at jameso's SPOT he is running just behind JayP's record pace. Sub 16 days?

Where CS is it is a long downhill followed by flat tarmac to Lima and then generally pretty quick even over Red Rock pass into Wyoming. Then it is flat for something like 50 miles once down the descent. Could be some big mileages today assuming it remains dry. (This is the potential claggy section either side of Lima).

The climb Mike is doing to get to the pass is fairly mellow - unless it is wet then it is a proper slog.

[paul78]

jameso still killing it !!

Did I read somewhere that there was a section before Lima that JayP's SPOT was dodgy so at moment they are guestimating his virtual progress till Lima ??

[Blackhound]

Paul - yes, I read something about a dodgy SPoT by Scott Morris(?), think JP lost it for a spell.

So if James does it in 16 days and his flight is based on 25 days what is he going to do with himself? I could direct him towards the local hookers in Silver City I suppose

[Chew]

These guys dont mess about. 5:30 and they are already on the road

The gap between Craig and Mike seems to have stabalised at 40 miles and 4-6 (Jameso's group) is covered by only 10 miles

[Zippy]

Jameso's group looks tight, that will be interesting as the race progress'.

I notice having to second guess positions at times due to occasional SPOT lag or otherwise - or I could assume one is asleep :?:

[Mart]

Sensible to use his steel Jones to gain extra room in frame bag but imagine he is just too precious over his ti to use it

I was wondering if James was hedging his bets and going with Steel in case something went wrong and he had to get it repaired.
Didn't Aiden crack his Ti frame and have to make a bigger detour to fix it
A steel frame would give more repair options

[paul78]

was wondering if James was hedging his bets and going with Steel in case something went wrong and he had to get it repaired.
Didn't Aiden crack his Ti frame and have to make a bigger detour to fix it
A steel frame would give more repair options

I don't know that TD route seems to be littered with some of the best ti builders in the business :)

Yeah Aiden cracked his frame conveniently close to Kent Eriksen's workshop !!

[Chew]

Mikes made an early start and is closing in on Craig. Only 15 miles in it now.

Interesting to see what happens today as if they race or just hold station. Too early at this point to think about making a break

Dont know if James has an issue. He's been in Lima a long time and dropped back quite a bit

[Chew]

SPOT glitch for James. Hes still in the 4-6th group.

Mikes down to 8 miles. First one to Pinedale?

[BRP]

Mike is on a mission today...Looks like he's in 1st! :D

[royAB]

Looks that way. CS's spot has gone offline too.... tho it may be my phone.

(Confirmed Blue Dot Adict)

[Chew]

Craig looks like hes stopped in Pindale and Mikes pushing on.

I wonder what he said when he passed him.......

[BRP]

"Do you come here often?" :D

[Zippy]

Craig looks like hes stopped in Pindale and Mikes pushing on.

I wonder what he said when he passed him.......

I missed this - I was riding my bike home on the way from work.

6 days in and the gap at the front is tiny

[Chew]

SPOT glitch.

Craig and Mike are riding together to Boulder. Makes sense to ride together across the great basin together.

JamesO back up to 4th with a 10 mile gap behind him

[Blackhound]

Reading the bikepacking thread it suggested Craig stopped at a brew pub in Pinedale. It is indeed a fine place and I hope to see it again real soon;-) Certainly looking close between Mike & Craig and jameso is doing us all proud.

[Zippy]

So, looking at the tracker this morning, it shows Mike out infront of Craig. However it is 4.5 hours delay since Craig's Spot updated, and Mike's is up to date. So has Craig stopped for a rest and Mike carrying on? Or are they riding together?

There's still a helluva a way to go

[Chew]

Mikes pulling away from Craig now.

SoBo or NoBo, whos going to get to Brush Mountian Lodge first?

JamesO stil holding onto 4th by a 10 mile gap

[gairym]

This is brilliant!

I don't follow the spot malarkey (too slow) but just read this thread for updates.

Keep 'em coming'.

[Blackhound]

SoBo would be my guess to be first to Brush Mountain. That is where the Golden Spoke was the other year. Mike and Craig are going loads faster than Kurt & Jefe and Cjelllost time with his frame and I think was slower than Paul Attalla anyway.

Anyway, I am not always right and I could be wrong again.

Wondering if NoBo's will get through due to floods and awful photo's from Calgary. Feel for the locals ahving to deal with this:

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06/20 ... n-alberta/

[Zippy]

SoBo would be my guess to be first to Brush Mountain. That is where the Golden Spoke was the other year. Mike and Craig are going loads faster than Kurt & Jefe and Cjelllost time with his frame and I think was slower than Paul Attalla anyway.

Anyway, I am not always right and I could be wrong again.

Wondering if NoBo's will get through due to floods and awful photo's from Calgary. Feel for the locals ahving to deal with this:

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06/20 ... n-alberta/

Those are some scenes of rather large scale flooding :(

In other divide news, sounds like Mike is having some trouble with his Spot

in Steamboat as of around 10:25. Replaced SPOT batteries but doesn't appear to be working

His other tweets really do sound like they're really racing at the front, which really is something :twisted:

[Mart]

Found this commentary - Leader Update

Tour Divide day eight — Golden Spoke

The northbound and southbound Tour Divide race came together on Friday afternoon when southbound leader Mike Hall and northbound leader Cjell Money met at the iconic respite of the Brush Mountain Lodge. The meeting is known to fans as the “Golden Spoke,” and this year it was symbolically driven into the route at the same spot as the 2011 race — when the southbound route was shorter due to snow detours.

Thursday had been a big night of racing as Hall continued pedaling across the Great Divide Basin while Craig Stappler slept, putting as many as eighty miles on nearest chaser by morning.

“Figured I may as well get the basin done and roll into Rawlins for brekko,” Hall posted on Twitter. Still had two full water bottles when I got there.”

It appeared Stappler was falling off the back, but then Hall finally stopped for a longer rest at Brush Mountain Lodge, where he ate, showered, laundered some clothing, caught up with lodge owner and Tour Divide fan Kirsten Hendrickson, learned that Cjell Money was nearing the lodge, and decided to stick around for a photo op. Hall reportedly left the lodge around 6 p.m. Friday, about three or four hours before Stappler arrived.

For the southbound riders, Brush Mountain Lodge is at mile 1,600 of the 2,745-mile route. Both Stappler and Hall reached this point in less than seven and a half days, still averaging well over 200 miles per day. In the time to Brush Mountain Lodge, Stappler’s tracker showed 5:11 of moving time and 2:03 of stopped time, for an average moving speed of 12.2 mph. Hall posted 5:03 of moving time and 2:04 of stopped time, for an average moving speed of 13 mph — so Hall is moving a bit faster, but stopping for more rest. Both techniques have put the two within shouting distance of each other at times.

Not to be discounted is third position rider Jesse Carlsson, who as of Friday night was in Rawlins, Wyoming, about 90 miles behind Stappler. The Australian has put in a persistant effort, staying ahead of record pace with little rest. His stop time was a mere 1:22, for a moving average of 11.2 mph. The fourth position rider, James Olsen, was nearly 200 miles behind him.

Fire danger continues to be a major concern as the leaders approach the southern portions of the Tour Divide. About 400 miles away in Del Norte, Colorado, the West Fork fire is raging in close proximity to the route. Crews were still fighting to protect the neighboring community of South Fork, which faces obliteration if the wildfire continues on its current path. Above is a graphic of the fire complex from the Denver Post, with the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route overlaid to show its proximity. STour Divide day eight — Golden Spoke

Smoke plume from the West Fork Complex fire as seen from downtown Del Norte, Colorado, posted by a Tour Divide fan on Friday afternoon.

The northbound and southbound Tour Divide race came together on Friday afternoon when southbound leader Mike Hall and northbound leader Cjell Money met at the iconic respite of the Brush Mountain Lodge. The meeting is known to fans as the “Golden Spoke,” and this year it was symbolically driven into the route at the same spot as the 2011 race — when the southbound route was shorter due to snow detours.

Thursday had been a big night of racing as Hall continued pedaling across the Great Divide Basin while Craig Stappler slept, putting as many as eighty miles on nearest chaser by morning.

“Figured I may as well get the basin done and roll into Rawlins for brekko,” Hall posted on Twitter. Still had two full water bottles when I got there.”

It appeared Stappler was falling off the back, but then Hall finally stopped for a longer rest at Brush Mountain Lodge, where he ate, showered, laundered some clothing, caught up with lodge owner and Tour Divide fan Kirsten Hendrickson, learned that Cjell Money was nearing the lodge, and decided to stick around for a photo op. Hall reportedly left the lodge around 6 p.m. Friday, about three or four hours before Stappler arrived.

For the southbound riders, Brush Mountain Lodge is at mile 1,600 of the 2,745-mile route. Both Stappler and Hall reached this point in less than seven and a half days, still averaging well over 200 miles per day. In the time to Brush Mountain Lodge, Stappler’s tracker showed 5:11 of moving time and 2:03 of stopped time, for an average moving speed of 12.2 mph. Hall posted 5:03 of moving time and 2:04 of stopped time, for an average moving speed of 13 mph — so Hall is moving a bit faster, but stopping for more rest. Both techniques have put the two within shouting distance of each other at times.

Not to be discounted is third position rider Jesse Carlsson, who as of Friday night was in Rawlins, Wyoming, about 90 miles behind Stappler. The Australian has put in a persistant effort, staying ahead of record pace with little rest. His stop time was a mere 1:22, for a moving average of 11.2 mph. The fourth position rider, James Olsen, was nearly 200 miles behind him.



Fire danger continues to be a major concern as the leaders approach the southern portions of the Tour Divide. About 400 miles away in Del Norte, Colorado, the West Fork fire is raging in close proximity to the route. Crews were still fighting to protect the neighboring community of South Fork, which faces obliteration if the wildfire continues on its current path. Above is a graphic of the fire complex from the Denver Post, with the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route overlaid to show its proximity. Some actively burning areas are fewer than ten miles from the route; smoke and newly sparked blazes could become a major hazard. How these and other fires will affect this year’s Tour Divide is unknown.

While rain is desperately needed in southern Colorado, the major storm in the north seems to be drying out, giving riders back in Montana some respite. However, much of the region surrounding the Flathead Valley of Canada experienced major storm damage, with bridges washing out, flooding, and landslides burying roads. The extent of damage on the northern section of the route is also unknown.

Cjell Money continued pedaling late into the evening and may reach Rawlins before morning. Mike Hall reached Steamboat Springs at 10:25 p.m. and reported that his SPOT tracker doesn’t seem to be working.

Track the Tour Divide at this link.ome actively burning areas are fewer than ten miles from the route; smoke and newly sparked blazes could become a major hazard. How these and other fires will affect this year’s Tour Divide is unknown.

While rain is desperately needed in southern Colorado, the major storm in the north seems to be drying out, giving riders back in Montana some respite. However, much of the region surrounding the Flathead Valley of Canada experienced major storm damage, with bridges washing out, flooding, and landslides burying roads. The extent of damage on the northern section of the route is also unknown.

Cjell Money continued pedaling late into the evening and may reach Rawlins before morning. Mike Hall reached Steamboat Springs at 10:25 p.m. and reported that his SPOT tracker doesn’t seem to be working.

[Chew]

Cjell and Mike keeping it real at Brush Mountain Lodge 8-)

[BRP]

I love the contrast between Cjell and Mike.
Cjell, the bike hobo on his homemade steel single speed 3" tyred monster bike, dressed like he's going to the beach for a BBQ with his mates, and Mike, on his full carbon XTR equipped race machine, decked out in full lycra and helmet.
Yet both kicking ass and going in opposite directions! :D