Less than 2 weeks till the off.

Is anyone on here on the start list?

Yep, I’m giving it a go. I’m hoping to finish and ideally ahead of the broom, but will still be happy if I simply get to the end.

Nice one!
More dotwatching - you'll have to let us know your initials

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2024 8:22 pm More dotwatching - you'll have to let us know your initials

DF. I'll post a link to trackleaders once that's up.

Excellent, best of luck with it. We'll be watching

Good luck - hope the weather is kind

GoneCaving wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2024 8:01 pm Yep, I’m giving it a go. I’m hoping to finish and ideally ahead of the broom, but will still be happy if I simply get to the end.

The logistics of not finishing are often harder than finishing.....especially on the TD.
Good luck, it is an amazing race

Mart wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 1:29 pm Good luck - hope the weather is kind

Thanks, I have spent the last month watching reports of snow on the trails with a little anxiety!

slarge wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 2:08 pm The logistics of not finishing are often harder than finishing.....especially on the TD.
Good luck, it is an amazing race

Thanks. Yes, the hassle of figuring out the plan B is part of my strategy. Plan B: see plan A.

From what I can see you’ll be fine. Looks like it’s clearing and even if it doesn’t you’ll get some nice light relief pushing over it. Hope it goes well for you, the key to finishing it is realising that only death or a proper hardcore injury can physically stop you. The rest is down to your mind. I raced with a guy who ruined his freehub, walked for about a million miles to somehow scrounge one in the middle of nowhere then get back on it and finish in 20 days.

Ooh, best of luck! What a race.

Anybody doing it on a cheap beach cruiser?

https://velo.outsideonline.com/gravel/g ... m-walmart/

Alpinum wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 11:08 am Anybody doing it on a cheap beach cruiser?

That's genius, and you can imagine the bruised egos on some of the riders passed by those three. Goes to show, the "run what ya brung" works if you put a bit of thought and training into it!

You'll enjoy parts, you won't enjoy others. It's a special event. Enjoy it, I sure as hell did.

Best of luck with it, everyone worries about the snow but unless your first over the hill there will be a nice track for you to follow.

My advice is to think only about the day your on, too much foward planning was not good for my mind and as Dave said you will get there even if you have to drag you broken body there, I had a bad knee after 4 days but decided to ignore it and had no lasting damage.

It's less easy for us Brits to give up as its logistics nightmare and you will have to get to Phoenix anyway as that's where your return flight is booked from so you might as well ride there

Finally everyone else you see there are not fitter and better prepared that you that's just what everyone thinks, it's only riding a bike so go for it.

GoneCaving wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2024 8:01 pm Yep, I’m giving it a go. I’m hoping to finish and ideally ahead of the broom, but will still be happy if I simply get to the end.

Good luck DF! Wishing you all the best, and only enough of the 'worst' to make it all feel proper!

I saw just now that Brush Mountain Lodge is closed for the summer, that's a shame and worth planning around.

trob6 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 3:53 pm ...but unless your first over the hill ...

Not quite over the hill yet and unlikely to be anywhere close to the pointy end of the race, so the speedy ones can beat a nice track for me.

jameso wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 4:50 pm I saw just now that Brush Mountain Lodge is closed for the summer, that's a shame and worth planning around.

Hadn't seen that, thanks for bringing that to my attention. They've posted a nice update on FB, and will provide water if nothing else.

GoneCaving wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 10:09 am

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2024 8:22 pm More dotwatching - you'll have to let us know your initials

DF. I'll post a link to trackleaders once that's up.

Good luck!

Best of luck with the race. There are parts that will stick with me forever.
Don't forget to hang your food and brush your drivetrain daily! Hope you don't get too much mud.

Greetz

S : )

Alpinum wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 11:08 am Anybody doing it on a cheap beach cruiser?

https://velo.outsideonline.com/gravel/g ... m-walmart/

Love that, it's bl00dy brilliant

https://trackleaders.com/tourdivide24f.php?

Great to see Liam Glen's name up there.

Also the always smiling Alan Parkinson.

Jeez, Marshall Bird is going for another run.
How many has he done now?

I see our Duncan has made it to the start. Also noted Laurens Ten Dam lining up - target finish 13 days! No less than 3 Liams from here but I'm rooting for LG on a Ti Stooge, never mind ex pro roadies....
Quite a few folk from these septic isles so should be a good few weeks of dot watching.

Taylor wrote: ↑Sat Jun 08, 2024 1:16 pm Jeez, Marshall Bird is going for another run.
How many has he done now?

Wow... didn't Marshall celebrate his 60th in 2016? We met during the HT550;
I remember how we met en route and he kind of felt he must make room for me to pass (on a single track), but I stopped and said something like too good a spot to just ride on when I realised he had watery eyes. Turns out he was deeply touched by the beauty of the land and emotional for being able to do stuff like that. So we shared a quiet moment in awe of bonnie Scotland.

My name is Gian, I look up to Marshall Bird.

Looking forward to following the event again. Still dreaming of touring it one day, it still holds a lot of allure for me. I still enjoy seeing normal people like me doing a huge ride, and some of the characters of endurance racing like Alexandera Houchin. Most of the allure for me, is to see the incredible landscapes and riders vying with nature and its fickle forces.

When does it depart pls? Friday aft? (uk time)?