A few changes from the previous post. I went with the White Bros. carbon rigid fork instead of the Shimano Pro since apparently Shimano was out of stock and I heard they weren't planning on making more. Great snow and mud clearance up front! I am very happy with the weight I dropped from the fork and wheels and hopefully the addition of the carbon bars and seat post from Easton with shave some weight and add a little comfort. I added some Ergon cork grips with bar ends so I should have some comfortable hand positions and I will be adding bar tape to my aerobars as well.
I have learnt so much. I am in a much different mindset than I was last year at this time. Last year I endlessly studied other riders gear lists, spent hours searching for the perfect gear choices. I wanted to have the right stuff. For my lack of knowledge I think I did alright. Again, in my ignorance and 6 months of cycling experience I didn't know what I didn't know, and that took me a long way. Or to Butte, you can decide if that's a long way.
I think this year though I began to understand that there is no perfect setup that suits every rider. Every kit is so very different. So many different components, clothing options, accessories,wheel types and so on. The goal is to get something that works for you. I am trying to cut my weight back this year, on my bike and my body. So far between the 2, I am down almost 5 pounds on each.
Each rider has a different threshold of their comfort, pain, and budget. In order to keep my kit small, I am going without many items from last year, and trying to stay to these principles:
Do I need it to survive?
I used to be a spelunker and when you are travelling underground and sometimes over night, I needed
3 of everything. 3 lights and 3 battery backups. If your first one runs out then you need to get back in case the other one breaks. I use that theory a lot when planning for this trip. I am going to be using the Blackburn Scorch on my helmet and bars and I carry a small mag light for setting up camp or for emergency. I had to use this to ride last year when I accidentally left my headlight on in my bag and it ran out of power when I needed it.
Water storage is huge so I am making room for extra emergency water storage. I will need different amounts on different sections
I take two cycle computers and a GPSas well as my spot tracker. To many this is over kill. I went without after busting two computers on the first two days. I do not want to be lost again. I am swapping out my Garmin 605 for the AA convenience of the Garmin etrek 30. That was a rough couple days last year.
Does it have more than one use?
Several item fit this category.
Bandanna. used for filtering water, carrying food, and a dust shield
Duct Tape. and zip ties. Plastic bags. Enough said.
My wool arm bands. Doubled as socks on a couple cold nights when I only had wet socks.
TT bars. Glove holder and sock dryer. also great for tying gear to. Also good for riding with
Can I live without it, or can I get it on route?
Clothing option needs to be really thought out since this can fill your gear quickly. This is where I try not to double up. I had one extra pair of riding shorts with me. base layer and dry set for sleeping. Rain gear, down jacket. Dry and warm. But you will be cold and wet.
Sunscreen, butt cream, and such I can get on route and don't need the size of what I took last year. First Aid Kit will be scaled down as well. Towns are usually a day away.
I am watching my bulk as well. Found a smaller warmer sleeping bag, and still considering a bivy though I have to sell my one man tent first. Adding a small wind vest and replacing my rain gear which was much too bulky last year.
The more space I save the more food and water I can add when I need it.
Tour Divide's Most Wanted! This animal was actually attacking racers as we passed last year.
Found this on YouTube today. This was the most agressive animal I encountered on the route climbing near Linclon MT. It kept attacking my ankles and actually took flight to attack me in the back of the head when I passed it. Funny that Jim found the same bird. I think Tyson ran into her ahead of me too, so I know now it wasn't just me. I may re consider not bringing a camping stove after watching this. That would have solved the problem. Watch out for this crazy thing in 2013! http://youtu.be/VMAWrMaCHUg?t=1s
Less than 4 months to go. Time is moving fast. Made a real change in my training this year. In 2012, I really had no base to work with and I felt I just needed time in the saddle. That I guess was true but I ignored the advice of my coach and took liberties with my workouts to suit what I thought I needed. 2012 was a mild winter so I trained exclusively outdoors just trying to figure out the basics of mountain biking while building my level of endurance from a base of zero.
Here what I've learned.
#1 - Listen to my coach.
First of all, using a coach was absolutely needed to go from a base of zero to being able to line up for TD2012.
I am making every effort to stick to the plan. Hours, heart rate, type of workouts ie: High intensity, High Endurance, Sprints
This is maximizing the returns for the number of hours I have to train as well and I can measure my progress.
The accountability is the best part of the coaching. I dread the Sunday evening when I haven't completed the week and I have to let my coach know. It is forcing me to get it done when I have to answer to someone other than myself.
#2 Train indoors.
This is working well. No equipment checks, no packing the bike for a long day out, no muddy laundry or bike to clean. I save a lot of time per workout and it actually makes workouts possible in a busy day of family life, work and kids activities.
The workouts aren't interrupted. No stop lights, no coasting, no angry drivers just steady heart rates and controlled output. The Tour Divide boredom is trained as well. Sitting indoors staring at the same wall really forces your mind to go to a different place.
I can also get work done on the bike, take phone calls and send emails without missing a beat.
My bike was in the shop waiting for parts and the weather has been terrible as well so this option has really been preferred. I know I will face weather challenges on the TD but my body needs to be ready.
That said, I am dying to get outside. Just got my bike back from Hammer City Cycle and will be working in more outdoor rides whenever possible!
#3 Eat Better
Simple enough right. This has been the hardest part. No crazy diet, just eat enough and at the right times and I try to eat fresh and not fast food or garbage. I've been taking vitamins, and immune building supplements to combat getting sick after periods of ramping up my training, which was common issue for me in the past. Seems to be working great. Healthy immune system is something I should have paid closer attention to in 2012. It also prevents gaps in my training when I stay healthy.
#4 Make Time
I have had to carve time to fit my training in without making my family or work life suffer. I am saving about 1 hour a day since I switched companies. My new office is right behind my house about 300 metres away. Walking to work has saved me about an hour a day and training indoors has saved me at least a half hour a workout. Add that up and I gain an extra 7-8 hours a week. I usually train between 11-3 on weekdays and then mornings on Saturdays. I work nights and weekends and whenever the need arises so I have the luxury of a flexible work day. Family first, so working out during the school day and during my wife's work hours is best time to train.
# 5 Don't Over Think It
You know, in the end it is amazing that this is even a reality for me. Gear choices, training, logistics and everything else that goes with this race is so different for every racer. I just need to figure out what works for me.
I need to remember to have fun out there. I found this on a blog I read today and I think it fits the TD
"Focus on the things you can control and do them well. For the rest, go with the flow."
Thanks to Nick Legan and the "mechanics manifesto" for that
Now that the 2012 race blog entries are finally complete, I can move on to the 2013. I learned a lot about the race and myself last year and have decided to make a few changes to my set-up. First the bike:
Having wheels built:
Stans Arc rims.
DT Swiss 240 hubs
Trying the WTB Nano's (going tubeless but using the regular tire, easier to get on)
Going with a Shimano Pro rigid carbon fork. Had my suspension locked out last year most of the time. When I had it on I was hitting my luggage in the front. I think the weight saving is worth it.
Getting a new frame bag from Scott at Porcelain Rocket with a 3L bladder on the top section.
Trying to eliminate taking a back pack
Avid BB7 mechanical brakes. switching from the hydraulics. Had problem after a crash last year. needed a bleed kit which I didn't bring and do not want to carry.
Other Gear Changes:
Z pack sleeping bag. Lightest warmest I can find with good reviews
Likely the Gore Phantom Rain jacket with removable sleeves
Garmin Etrek 30 - takes AA batteries. Best way to go. I got stuck waiting to charge things last year.
Shoes TDB
Rain pants debatable
Gore socks.
A string to tie my mittens together in my coat. Lost two pairs last year :)
Lets see if I can end my 2012 journey in one post. Need to start looking ahead to 2013.
Sputter, sputter, stop, repeat seemed to be the theme of my last few days on the divide and ultimately I decided I was heading for 32 days at this pace and I did not have that much time to spend out here with family and work obligations. Butte seemed to be the last town that was easy to get home from so in the end I decided to save my knowledge, time, budget, equipment and the sanity then bury my ego and pride to focus on a solid run in 2013, and bailed in Butte. I wasn't interested in "touring" and I wanted to finish in a competitive time. it really sincerely hurt, almost physically, to quit but I think it was the right call, even in hindsight. So here are the last few days...
Day 5
Pain, really bad. Made it up the hill to breakfast where I think I ate everything on the menu. Then across to the gas station where I found Adam and crew stocking up. It was nice to start out with someone. Again, knees were bad! a few miles in my "braving the pain" was wearing out and I fell back a little from the others. As I did I noticed Adam had dropped his map, and as he was within screaming distance I yelled ahead. When I handed him the map I told him that I found one of my booties on the road the night before. His friend then informed me that he had the other. He had picked them up in Elkford and then lost the one I found last night. Weird. Happy for the bootie reunion, we continued chatting and I mentioned my knee pain and told them I may have to quit. He noticed my seat height and recommended changing it. I was overjoyed to receive this bit of help and very embarrassed that my lack of experience was being exposed on something I felt every rider should know. I defaulted to the joyous emotion when I noticed instant relief as I started riding again. I lived to ride another day. Thanks for losing your map Adam!
After about 30 miles I hit Ferndale then headed of route toward Bigfork. The seat adjustment was helpful but I decided that I needed to let my knees recover a bit so I took a room at Timbres Motel. Hated taking a short day but I thought at that time that I could make up a day of riding given a little recovery. Did laundry, slept, iced the knees and found a brand new bike shop that had just opened the day before. Montana Adventure Sports. I really needed that shop too. I had been riding with out a computer and needed some brake adjustment. So happy to have found a computer. One less stress when I can actually use the map cues now. 2013, I am downloading the GPS track!
Day 6
Some nice pavement to start out with and then another climb. I walked a bit to help the legs that were feeling mildly improved. My mood was good until the rain started messing with me again. Rain, gear on, stop raining, gear off, leave gear on when not raining, sweat while climbing, take gear off, continue climbing, pouring rain, repeat. Like a wilderness water torture. It really started playing with my mind. The next several miles were very slow. With the rain comes mud and lots of it. Tight single track played with my nerves as I plugged through with bear spray in one hand screaming at the sky and trying to decide if it was better to be wet from rain or from sweat. Then it didn't matter. Everything was wet again and very muddy. I struggled down a long freshly graded (soft and muddy) road to a junction with a paved section of highway. The map said food and shelter 2 miles off route. All I could do was dream of getting warm and finding a place to stay out of the rain. Not to be. Motel was closed. Ate at the local steakhouse/bar in my muddy spandex while I debated my next move. Only option was to get the Holland Lake Lodge. I was so cold and wet and wanted to crash so badly that the extra miles were worth it. I was so glad I decided to push on! It was like the Shire. Peaceful, comfortable and lots of good food. Christian did my laundry, lent me a hose to wash the bike and made me breakfast and sandwiches to take with me. I will be back there for sure.
Day 7
Holland Lake seemed to temporarily heal me. I felt so much better. I took to long to get moving though. I guess I was too comfortable. Comfort is the enemy in this race I discovered. Climbed up Richmond Peak, one of my favourite sections, and found Bruce from Iowa pushing through. I was encouraging to see another rider as it made me feel I was still in a race and gave me an extra boost of urgency. I chatted with him for a bit and then continued on walking several hours as the snow covered trails traversed what seemed like a 45 degree slope. I lost the trail for a while and had to bushwhack with my bike to find the trail. It was the first time I really felt lost. Didn't enjoy that much, but the views were incredible! The decent was awesome, past the loggers and down to Ovando. I was feeling really strong actually. It was a little late to be pushing to the town of Lincoln, and I was completely out of food, so Ovando it was for the night. Great little town but no cell service or public phones, I really wanted to speak to my family. Off to sleep early so I could be up and out at 4 am.
Day 8
Sometimes, I am my own worst enemy. Got up at 4, packed up, reviewed my maps on the table and then went to pack the bike not realising that the door locks behind me. I was locked out, staring at my maps through the window. So much for the early start. B and B owner doesn't live on sight. Waited until about 530 until I went across the street to knock on doors to find the owner. Lucky it was the first house I tried. 545 back on the road.
Another short day. First pass was clear of snow. That was encouraging. Rather uneventful day except the knees were sore again. Stopped in Lincoln and looked ahead on the map.. I did not want to push to Helena that night and I did not want to camp in between on the pass so I decided to enjoy Lincoln for a few hours and hang out with several riders that were collecting there. I knew I was turning this into a tour and that was starting to eat at me a little. Lincoln was a town full of great people.
Day 9
Actually got off to a nice early start. Freezing cold but it felt good to be riding. It was my goal to catch Michael Mel and Tyson who rode through Lincoln as I waited there. I knew they would be camping and I maybe able to leave early enough to catch them if they got a late start. Chasing someone was very motivating for me. Flew down the paved highway into Helena, killed a Pizza Hut and kept on moving. Hoping to make Basin, to get back on my 100 mile plus a day goal. Made it to Park Lake campsite and had to make a choice, push in the the dark through Lava mountain or suck out again and camp here. I camped. Glad I did. I was offered a roast beef dinner from a family camping beside me! Huge score for a hungry racer. As it turns out Lava mountain was a beast. I never would have made it over at night. As well it turns out that Michael, Mel and Tyson pushed over a few hours before I did and got to Basin late only to discover that the restaurant was closed and no place to sleep.
Day 10 and 11 THE END (of the first chapter)
Woke up and got another early start. It was nice to feel I was getting into a rhythm. Pushed over the beast that is Lava mountain and its down to Basin. Restaurant was open. Another big breakfast and then off to Butte. Easy riding along an old railroad line and then the map shows several miles of FLAT PAVEMENT! What a treat. I was looking forward to that for a while. Pavement was great, Wind was not. I could barely stay on the bike. Extremely strong headwind. Cresting over on the interstate towards Butte I was literally blown into the ditch. The ride down on the interstate shoulder between the guardrail and the right lane was very scary with the high gusty winds. What was supposed to be a fun few miles was a huge challenge. I made it to Butte ready to get my new brake pads at the Outdoorsman and ride on. Turns out Outdoorsman is closed on Sundays. Note to future riders, get to Butte before Sunday. So I sat in a Quiznos across the street and called home. Told Sharon that I needed this bike shop, that I needed some company and I was sad it was Fathers Day and I missed my kids. I asked her to search the logs of a few past riders to see how much time I could make up on the last half of the route. I needed to prove that 28 days was still doable. It wasn't. Unless I turned into superman over night. I was at an emotional low. She found Michael, Mel, and Tyson and they were in Butte! I had caught them! That was a bit of a pick me up. I flew over to the hotel they were staying at and we arranged to have dinner. I knew that if I booked a room it could be the end of my race but I hoped that being with the other racers would pick me up. I had to wait for the bike shop anyways. Dinner was good. Sleep was good and as I prepared for the day, I knew. Michael Mel and Tyson walked passed me in the lobby expecting me to ride out with them but I needed to go to the Outdoorsman. And I knew. Rob at the shop was great trying to convince me to keep moving, but I knew. I was ready to stop. I really didn't want the clock to stop, but I wanted to finish and even if I stayed I would have had to leave at 28 days and that wouldn't have done it. Heartbreak. Unsure of my knees, my lack of time to finish, my decreasing budget, my limited knowledge of my bike, my failing spirit and the fact that I was in a town that was easy to get out of meant it was time to pack it in. I will be back to race again.
Friday, 21 December 2012
It's on! Today is the day for submissions of Letters of Intent for the 2013 Tour Divide. Here is my letter of intent submitted today!
Dear Tour Divide,
It has been a few months since we last spoke and we didn't leave on good terms. I admit it. You won. I was weak and you beat me. I don't want you to take this the wrong way so you need to know that this isn't an apology letter but a letter of pure vengence. Consider 2012 my "rope a dope". I am about to crush you. I layed on the ropes just long enough to learn your ways, measure the rythym of your breath, and figure out your soul crushing motives. I am coming back to step on your head and grind you to a bloody pulp. You will be sorry for how you treated me last year.
Well I realised that keeping up with this blog takes a little work. Good thing I kept a journal or no way I could have remembered much of this. The journal itself was a challenge, finding time and effort to write in it and trying to keep it dry enough in the non stop rain for the first few days....
Day 4
Good night sleep. Up around 5, packed up and headed across the street for a big breakfast. Started slow. Noticed this was the first day my knees were really tender. Started up a nice paved path on the climb up to Whitefish Divide. What a treat compared to the Canadian side. A little bit of me felt like this was cheating the path was so nice. Great start to the day. Pavement turned to gravel and up through some incredibly wild land. Several avalanches to climb over with some downed trees. I was moving quick and the descents let me pick up some good time time. THE SUN WAS OUT!!! I was in good spirits. Hammered through some flat sections flew by Mike from DC with a wave and enjoyed every bit of what must have been a 1-2% negative grade. (think I paid for the hard pushing later in the day) Passed a few tour fans snapping pictures then off to Red Meadow Pass. Made a right hand turn and the road straightened out up towards the pass. I noticed a couple dark figures in the path about 100 metres ahead. As I got closer I realised they were black bears. As I looked down to set my camera up and lifted my head they were gone. They wandered into the bush, but I wasn't sure where or which side of the path. With no other options I decided to proceed past where they entered the trees. Banging on my frame bag and shouting hoping they would take the hint and take off. I guess he was just as curious of me as I was of it. As I rode past the spot I though they were at I looked left and about 30 feet away was 2 big dark eyes staring at me. We exchanged a brief look and a quick understanding that we were all good and each of us continued on our way. Very cool! And for a city boy mildly terrifying as well.
Caught up with 2 great guys from Wisconsin and we pushed over a snowy Red Meadow pass together. Beautiful frozen lake at the top. This was the last happy thought I had that day. After the decent and heading into Whitefish I hit a series of rollers. They were paved and wound around a magnificent Muskoka like lake, but I couldn't ride them. So I walked and walked and walked. My motivation was low my spirits were crushed and I felt defeated. I had no idea how I was going to continue. The road flattened out and I decided to ride forward a far as I could. I stayed on route past Whitefish towards Columbia Falls another 10 Miles. Met up with a few guys who were heading out of Whitefish and were planning on crashing at the home of a guy who worked in the bike shop in Whitefish. I was not able to keep up with them so I continued to town alone. In a weird twist of fate, ahead in the road in the reflection of my headlight I saw black lump with reflective tape. It was one of my rain booties that I left at camp on the first night! Cool.
I stumbled into town looking for food and a place to sleep. The motel had a sign that said no vacancy but really meant "I'm sleeping don't bug me" since it appeared that half the rooms were empty. So across the street was an RV park. That office too was closed, being as it was almost midnight so as I considered my options I heard a voice from a dark window above "may I help you?" I couldn't see him and wasn't sure where the voice was coming from, and I wasn't entirely sure it wasn't the voice of God at this point. I answered "oh yes, really need a place to sleep". The manager came down and told be that he was up watching the security cameras and saw me. Weird hobby but I am glad he was.
He let me stay in his tool shed which had heat and a T.V. I grabbed a shower in the public washroom and he opened up his store so I could grab dinner, the standard junk food, and went to sleep. I felt like a king!
End Day 4 in Columbia Falls. 380 Plus miles complete!
A few changes from the previous post. I went with the White Bros. carbon rigid fork instead of the Shimano Pro since apparently Shimano was out of stock and I heard they weren't planning on making more. Great snow and mud clearance up front! I am very happy with the weight I dropped from the fork and wheels and hopefully the addition of the carbon bars and seat post from Easton with shave some weight and add a little comfort. I added some Ergon cork grips with bar ends so I should have some comfortable hand positions and I will be adding bar tape to my aerobars as well.
