Storms are brewing ahead…, originally uploaded by Rich.
Just a random picture from a pile of many I’m going through right now in Photoshop Lightroom ready to be posted in the next few days… This one is not far away from Red Rock Lakes in Montana, near Idaho border. I had plenty of rain this year. This one caught me later, twice, with some decent sized hailstorm, too;) More updates with photos coming up…
Just to keep myself reminding of what will be an amazing documentary. Thanks to Mike Dion and Hunter Weeks. You guys rock for piecing this production together!!!
Teaser Matthew Lee from Ride The Divide on Vimeo.
More people finished in the last few days. Here is the current unofficial standing (days:hours:minutes):
I just checked the SPOT leaderboard and Jamie Thomson crossed the finish line a few hours ago, too. Despite the worst weather there has been lots of finishers this year, 15 so far (with 6 more possibles still out there biking). I guess it should not really surprise me given that there were 42 (!!!) starters. I wonder what 2010 will be like? 100 starters!!!
The still-out-there racers are the trio of Trevor Brown, Paul Howard and Per Nilsson Eklof riding together and are about to hit the Gila National Forest; the other three are cycling individually somewhere in upper New Mexico: Brad Mattingly, Deanna Adams and Michael Komp. The seventh rider, Bruce Giroux, is still pedaling in Colorado, albeit in a touring mode.
Deanna Adams is especially worth to watch as she will be the FIRST EVER fixie finisher and she deserve special respect. To ride this monster of a ride on a fixed gear bike is just unheard of!!! Unbelievable feat!!!
Finisher’s final words (all of those who left some):
MTBCast podcasts (by Joe Polk):
PS: This will be likely my last post about the Tour Divide 2009 race as I will be heading out on my own Tour Divide adventure ride in seven days. I will not be updating my blog during the ride but will definitely make a serious effort to post something when I get back. Until then. Tailwinds all the way;)
After returning Oval Concepts (A710) clip-on aero bars, I decided to try Syntace C3 clip-ons. And what a difference!!! Syntace is a well-known name in a triathlon community and the bars were designed with Ironman races in mind. So, they are still super comfortable after 5-6-7 hours in a saddle. The basic design difference is that they have a better upper body support. My weight rests directly on elbows. Most other bars, i.e. Oval Concepts, were designed to support forearms closer to wrists, which is perfectly fine for prologues and short time trial racing but useless for anything longer. Besides, most Tour divide racers use either Syntace C2 or C3.
So, my Salsa Fargo hood is getting more crowded: Cateye Enduro cyclo-computer (barely visible under the right armrest), Garmin Edge 305 GPS and a mount for Princeton EOS bike light (which I can also use on my helmet, better for off-road riding). One more thing missing: a sleeping bag stuffed in a waterproof Outdoor Research durable dry sack tied to my aerobars;)
As for my Tour Divide plans: I’m counting the days down: 12 TO GO!!! Equipment is 90% finalized; flight tickets, Calgary-to-Banff transfer and 1st night hostel (YWCA) are set. I will take a few more test rides and pack my bike next week.
In 2007, I easily averaged 80-90 miles of riding in a day. That was with a heavier equipment and not a very strict “waking-up” record;) My old Cannondale F400 and Salsa Fargo weigh about the same. But I will carry less stuff for sure this time. Moreover, my stuff will be distributed better (inside a frame bag vs. on a rear rack), I will have aerobars for more relaxing body position and Salsa is a 29″ bike with bigger wheels and just better fit overall. I will also “try” to get rolling by 6:00am every day. Plus, I used to hang in towns and cities too long which I can cut shorter now without stressing myself much…
Preparation-wise, in the last year I had more base miles under my belt (over 2,000) and was about 8 lbs lighter. This year is a bit different. I didn’t get as much opportunity to ride but I was still active. In the first few days, I will take it easier and let my joints and tendons get used to the daily stress of big mile riding. I’m planning to average between 100-120 miles per day (or about 10-12 hours in a saddle). The most important things is not to over-stress my body and cause early injuries, knees mostly. The rest will be fine. Anyways, this ride is much more about mental grittiness and positive mindset than anything else.
My goal is to finish in less than 34 days which is about twice the current route record. Also, my flight back to NYC is on August 21st;) I’m loosely shooting for doing it a bit faster: around 28-30 days. I will definitely know better after the first week, where my “fast-touring” legs will be. I still want to have fun doing it, take some decent pictures and videos and see the complete route. So, the crossing of the Marshall pass above Salida will be a ride into an unknown;) But my ultimate goal for 2009 is TO FINISH THE TOUR DIVIDE!!!
PS: And I certainly hope for better weather. This rain has to stop one day, for crying out loud!!!
More racers are crossing the line in Antelope Wells, NM. Currently, five of them are done (unofficial standings):
Congratulations!!! You guys are an inspiration. With weather still throwing fits of rage, the rest of the field seems to have slowed down a bit. The chase group of 8 riders has been split up. They are making their way through the Gila National Forest, the last big obstacle on the course before reaching Silver City and making the mad dash for the border.
Plus, there were more pullouts in the last few days. The longer this race goes, the harder it becomes to stay mentally focused and keep going… For the current race status, see the race report by Mary Metcalf. In the report, you’ll find out more about an accident Pete Basinger, one of the legends of the Great Divide racing, was involved in. Luckily, he is OK but had to give up on his stealth attempt to best Matthew Lee’s record. Based on his split times, he really was flying on the route. And don’t miss the Jon Billman’s interview with Matthew Lee, a really insightful read about what it takes to win the Tour Divide, mentally and physically.
Finisher’s call-ins:
More updates:
Matthew Lee hit the border in Antelope Wells, NM as the first finisher of the Tour Divide 2009 edition, some 2 hours ago, @ 9:45am MT. The time: 17 days 23 hours and 45 minutes!!! He rode straight through the night just get get this sucker over with. TRULY AMAZING!!!
Awesome ride in this year’s atrocious conditions. Matthew mentioned in his call-ins that out of the 18 days there were only 3 (!!!) that he didn’t get wet from rain, hail, sleet and snow. Add to that the longer and more arduous section in the Flathead valley of the Canadian Rockies and his new record gains more respect.
For more see Kevin Montgomery’s update @ Tour Divide 2009 Blog:
More TD stuff:
Welcome to my blog where I share outdoor adventures, travel experiences and random musings from home and faraway places alike... My current plans:
1. [Summer-Fall 2010] Vagabonding alongside the Silk Route: It’ll be me, my bike and wide-open spaces of Western China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan for 2-3 months...
2. [2011 or 2012] Motorbiking from Alaska to Patagonia: Just started thinking about it. Plan: Find a used thumper and hit back roads exploring this classic route all the way from the Deadhorse in Prudhoe Bay, U.S. to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Plus, practice and improve my Spanish, too...
