Tour Divide race report

[Damiano Machiavelli]

It is long. Pictures!

http://forums.competitor.com/topic/8482

 

[patrick767]

Great story! I enjoy reading the road journals of people taking on such seemingly crazy challenges, especially in such beautiful areas. Thanks for sharing it.

One thing maybe those of you familiar with such events might know: he mentions camping. How much gear is involved here? Are these riders kitted out with full backpacking gear even up to and including a tent?

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

One thing maybe those of you familiar with such events might know: he mentions camping. How much gear is involved here? Are these riders kitted out with full backpacking gear even up to and including a tent?

Backpacks seems to be used a lot. The fast men are going ultra light. I rememer pics of the two leaders a few years ago. All the gear for one of them was packed into a seat bag that was a little larger than a football and what looked to be a bedroll was strapped to his handle bars. Neither were using backpacks. From the looks of it, their gear probably weighed less than twenty pounds. It would be interesting to see a comprehensive gear list.

Tarp tents seem to be popular. I know some use bivy bags instead of tents. I recall in the past someone used one of those emergency bivy bags that are sold by Campmor. Those things weigh about nothing.

The thing that freaks me out is when I read things from competitors like, "I have the capacity to carry 320 ounces of water." Or there is a 200 mile stretch through the Great Divide Basin with no water.

 

[ksmith]

Great story! I enjoy reading the road journals of people taking on such seemingly crazy challenges, especially in such beautiful areas. Thanks for sharing it.

One thing maybe those of you familiar with such events might know: he mentions camping. How much gear is involved here? Are these riders kitted out with full backpacking gear even up to and including a tent?

Paul Howard has written a book about The Tour Divide called Eat, Sleep Ride.

I have the paperback, not a photo in it. There should be at least one, namely the bike he rode. Maybe a hard cover version has some. Apart from that not a bad read.

 

[Boeing]

It's a circus event and a salsa commercial now. bring in the clowns

what next? dude on a 29er unicycle completes?

and has anyone on a fargo actually finished the race errr ride?

 

[bellaschimek]

It was amazing go through the complete journey.

 

[Boeing]

Looks like its a race at the front. Ollie Whalley and Craig Stappler yo-yo minutes apart.