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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
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    Queen Creek, AZ
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    77

    RR: Tour Divide '19

    Almost a month ago now I embarked on my biggest ride challenge to date: The Tour Divide. A self-supported bikepacking race down the spine of North America from Banff, AB to the border crossing at Antelope Wells, NM, some 2,745 miles away and roughly 200k of elevation gain. I ended up riding for 20 days putting in just over 1800 miles when I had to call it off in Salida, CO due to an infection above my right knee. Not sure if it was a spider bite or simply an infected hair follicle, but I could no longer pedal. Heck, I could barely walk at that point. Anyway, I've begun putting together daily recaps on my blog. I'll post them here as they are published. Here are the first two installments:

    Divide Prelude

    Tour Divide '19: Day 1 - Canmore to Round Prairie

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    Binary Bicycles Havok Ti 29er

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    Blackshale Creek suspension bridge on the High Rockies Trail.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Midgaard
    Posts
    2,885
    Fkna. Nice work dude.


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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    1,684
    I followed your ride (and others), nice work!

    Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    home
    Posts
    1,691
    Yes, very nice work indeed!! I want to do it next year, might have to pick your brain a bit.


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    Perfer et obdura, hic dolor olim utior tibi. -Ovid

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Walpole NH
    Posts
    10,828
    More please! I want in also, how much money did you spend on food daily? And lodging? Do you sleep in a tent every night?
    crab in my shoe mouth

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
    Posts
    77
    Fire away with any questions, I'll do my best to answer.

    As for cost, the only thing I totaled up so far was what I spent from the time I began pedaling in Canmore until my wife picked me up in Salida. That was around $1900, but I figure at least $500 of that was in Salida alone as I spent 3 nights in a hotel trying to recover + meals, etc. Before that I only paid for 3 nights lodging: Montana High Country Lodge (bed, shower, 3 full meals, sandwiches to go, laundry all for $120), Brush Mountain Lodge (2+ full meals, sandwiches to go, laundry, shower,& split a cabin 3 ways, room was $30 + donation, I gave an even $100) and a regular hotel room in Silverthorne around $115. Either camped out or landed free space to sleep: Llama Ranch south of Lincoln was fantastic, slept in the foyer of the Post Office in Wise River, $5 landed you some padded bench space in the Community Center in Basin, MT. Otherwise, it was either pitch the tent or cowboy camp it. Pretty sure I kept my food bill in check, maybe $60-ish per day?? Spent $30-$40 each time I entered a gas station or convenience store. I had plenty of sit down meals and all were very reasonably priced for what you got.

    If you haven't seen this, check out the annual Rigs of the Tour Divide. Mine is on there, down near the bottom either one after or before Josh Kato's.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Banff
    Posts
    22,210
    nice work. I live in banff, work as an independent bike mechanic, and saw a LOT of rigs


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
    Posts
    77

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Walpole NH
    Posts
    10,828
    Incredible! The picture of the badgers giving chase, cracked me up.
    crab in my shoe mouth

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
    Posts
    77

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    home
    Posts
    1,691
    Getti g the first-hand,personalized account is way better than watching dots on trackleaders.

    And yeah, the badgers shot is classic. Thanks for posting!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Perfer et obdura, hic dolor olim utior tibi. -Ovid

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
    Posts
    77
    Day 4: Grave Creek CG to Ferndale

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    Red Meadow Lake

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    900
    Im really enjoying these posts. Keep the good stuff coming.


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  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
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    77
    Day 5: Ferndale to Seeley Lake

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    Holland Lake

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
    Posts
    77
    Day 6: Seeley Lake to Llama Farm

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    Backside of Stemple Pass

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Walpole NH
    Posts
    10,828
    Best thread going. Thanks for sharing
    crab in my shoe mouth

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Walpole NH
    Posts
    10,828
    Were you using baggie shorts the whole ride? That might be what caused the saddle sore?
    crab in my shoe mouth

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
    Posts
    77
    Quote Originally Posted by buttahflake View Post
    Were you using baggie shorts the whole ride? That might be what caused the saddle sore?
    I was riding in wool boxers with Zoic Ether shorts on top, pad removed. That's what I trained in and everything seemed fine. It's just one of those things where it's difficult to simulate 20 consecutive days of almost 100 miles. I think what really got me was the type of riding it was. I don't own a road bike. The trails here in AZ are typically rugged, so there's never really a ton of seated riding, it's always a mix of seated, standing, pushing. As much seated riding as I did during training, I probably needed more!!

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
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    home
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    Quote Originally Posted by buttahflake View Post
    Best thread going. Thanks for sharing
    Agree whole-heartedly. Using this as a base for planning my TD attempt!!


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    Perfer et obdura, hic dolor olim utior tibi. -Ovid

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Walpole NH
    Posts
    10,828
    Quote Originally Posted by schillingsworth View Post
    I was riding in wool boxers with Zoic Ether shorts on top, pad removed. That's what I trained in and everything seemed fine. It's just one of those things where it's difficult to simulate 20 consecutive days of almost 100 miles. I think what really got me was the type of riding it was. I don't own a road bike. The trails here in AZ are typically rugged, so there's never really a ton of seated riding, it's always a mix of seated, standing, pushing. As much seated riding as I did during training, I probably needed more!!
    Oh man, that’s savage. Can’t even imagine riding like that without a quality set of padded bib shorts.
    Ouch
    crab in my shoe mouth

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    BZN
    Posts
    1,379
    I agree with buttah, this thread is great.

    Just reading about saddle sores makes me feel real pain, though.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Missoula
    Posts
    2,104
    Great posts. It's crossed my mind to go out to ovando or something and hang out for a day or two giving out snacks. Also encourages me to finally get around to trying the bikepacking thing even if it's just an overnight.

    A thing I've found that helps with sores is to cut out a little moleskin circle and put it on it. Keeps the chamois/shorts from rubbing it more.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
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    77
    Day 7 recap:

    Llama farm to Basin

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    Silver Saddle bar in Basin, MT.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Walpole NH
    Posts
    10,828
    More please, my favorite thread. I need my daily fix.
    crab in my shoe mouth

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Queen Creek, AZ
    Posts
    77
    Quote Originally Posted by buttahflake View Post
    More please, my favorite thread. I need my daily fix.
    Thanks man!! Glad you're enjoying the posts. I'm trying to get them published sooner rather than later, but my two job shuffle is bogging me down!! I guess the good news is there are still 14 more to come!!

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