Tour Divide 2014

[johnnystorm]

Uh oh. Has Andy taken a wrong turn?

Screenshot_2014-06-16-07-20-50.jpg (46.96 KiB) Viewed 5462 times

[drain]

Was just wondering exactly the same and thought I'd check on here! Hope not. Maybe slight detour for a mechanical or something? Can't see a settlement along there. Seems to be 3 of them in that group.

[mountainbaker]

No wrong turn, they are in Polebridge, I guess for the night.

[johnnystorm]

Phew!

[jameso]

That's a beautiful section Andy's just ridden. Glacier National Park on the left after the stunning Whitefish Divide climb/descent. I hope the weather's been kinder after day 1's harsh introduction.

If he's carried on for a base for the night, good move, it's a flat easy road there and won't take long to get back onto the climb up to Red Meadow lake. Will be a fair bit of snow higher up that climb I guess, there was snow there last year and this year looks to have more generally. (edit to add, I stopped to bivi in the snow on the top, not such a good move! It kept the stop short.. chilly. And I did get to ride a lot of the snow before dawn when it was hard and 80% rideable. Mountaineer tips.)

Jefe's back where he's expected to be, looks like a predictable 1-2 there with Alex? Walter Brumniach (2013 vet, DNF tho) is in 4th, going really well this year. Into his 50s (just!), experience over youth : )

[drain]

Yes, that's a beautiful part of the world. Stayed at the Flathead Lake Biological Research station in the early 90s and took the chance to go and wander round Glacier National Park. Really hope to go back there in 2016 if I get to do the TD.

[Zippy]

Just over 48hours in and Andy is at 246miles which is pretty good going. That's faster than his target pace I believe. Add into that the snow and he's making really good progress.

Mmm, that looks good, looks like he's getting the rest in too, so he should make it to the end with no problems (based on armchair trackleaders analysis )

[jameso]

Forecast for SW Montana is pretty awful for the next couple of days .. unusually high rainfall and snow on high ground : (

[mountainbaker]

Yeah, I saw a photo of Lorenzo (in 3rd), all waterproofed up. Looks pretty wet out there.

[Chicken Legs]

Managing to get some good miles in despite the weather, Whitefish Pass and Richmond had over three miles of hike a bike due to snow, avalanche debris and fallen trees.
The rain today was biblical on the way to Holland Lake today,seven hours of proper Welsh rain and you all know what that's like.
Quite a few cases of hypothermia, I hope everyone is OK.
The race is fantastic and brutal and I am chuffed to be here giving it my best

[johnnystorm]

Good to hear you're going for it!

[jameso]

Keep going Andy! Looks like a year that will go down as "legendary" with that weather, huge respect for sticking it out!
It WILL get warmer and drier : )

[Bearbonesnorm]

Did you hear that ... he said CHUFFED

[jameso]

Yup ..

[mountainbaker]

Top work Andy!

[Dave Barter]

Well done Andy, keep firing away. I enjoyed talking to you about this at WRT and it's great to see you in action

[mountainbaker]

Just saw on InspiredToRide's instagram that it's snowing heavily in the Tetons. Divide guys have this to look forward to

[drain]

Looks like Alex Harris has scratched - that's really tough

[Ian]

The rain today was biblical on the way to Holland Lake today,seven hours of proper Welsh rain and you all know what that's like.

Good job you got some Welsh rain practice in back in March

Keep it up fella

Looks like Alex Harris has scratched - that's really tough

Is that the same Alex Harris who is behind The Munga?

[jameso]

Same Alex, yes. Out a day or so after a crash on Richmond peak.

[jameso]

Pics of Andy at Ovando now up from Angler on the BP.net site. Looking wet!

There's also a pic on Alex Harris's twitter feed of his swollen ankles, he rode from Richmond Peak towards the start of the Fleecer Mountain climb with both ankles injured, seems to have tweaked them in the snow up there.

[Blackhound]

Just seen a pic on bp of Rod Gemmill aged 64 from Caterham at Ovando as well. Doing good, weather does sound awful this year.

[jameso]

Weather looking better last day or so, pictures of riders arriving in Ovando in t-shirts at last. A pic of a rider on Richmond peak does show how bad it got though. Last year there was just old crusty snow over the top mile or so, this year fresh snow was falling most of the way.

[FLV]

I think Andy is still beating his target pace, which is good.

He's going really well!

[royAB]

Thanks for the 'I was there' updates James - it's a great help visualising just what it's like where the blue dots are...