2010 Letters of Intent

With a simple flick of the wrist it’s TOSSED sailing; worn black felt, stained sweat band, brims front and back turned down to shed the rain; just an ole Stetson rain HAT, into the RING.

Cheers,
Woodland Park, CO

I'll be there for TD '10, it's just my kind of fun. With all my heart I'm looking forward to the liberty of a simple goal, chasing peace under a crisp dawn, developing a fine patina of scuz, and rediscovering the merits of the Little Debbie. When you're sorting out who's who in Banff, I'm the 6'-7" bearded guy on a really big Niner. Have a fun spring.

Dave Blumenthal
Montpelier, Vermont

I have some unfinished business with a bear - count me in - AGAIN!

Cricket Butler

Subject: "It's a friendly, no drop ride, right?"

OK. Maybe friendly and ride are right. Count me in. I, being not of sound mind (but sound body), can find no more compelling event likely to help me find that sound mind. I'm ready for my therapy and I'll see you on the start line in Banff.

OK, 3 tries on the CAPTCHA. Maybe I'm less qualified than I thought.

Please allow me to ride, to suffer, and to achieve ecstasy? Nothing in 2010 has so honest a reflection of the highs and lows life can have as the Great Divide. I can't wait!

I'm in.
Phillip Fogg
Age, 45
Gelnhausen, Germany

The hat goes in. Too long have I followed and dreamed of this race not to give it a run, so this June it's time. An adventure fueled by Pop Tarts & heat lamp burritos; can't wait.

Brett Foster
Kirkland, WA

I will join the group for the 2010 Tour Divide simply because "it is there", and I have not done it yet. After last summer's CTR I just had to find a longer ride, and besides I Love Bears and can't wait to meet some Canadian Osos. See you all in Banff. Beardog, Fort Collins, CO

Some part of me says that I should ride from Canada to Mexico. Between now and June, that will take on the force of will. And the will shall drive me along the big adventure. I can't wait!

Aidan Harding - England

I, Stephen Huddle, of sound mind, and liver hereby submit my letter of intent. Insert a bunch of witty stuff here.

'Twas a sultry summer day two years ago when a rickety green Trek, slumbering beneath a blanket of cobwebs, was wrestled up from its rotting grave, where it had lain forgotten amid rusty lawnmower blades and mildewed Igloos for years untold. This Trek’s master, a foolish dreamer whose belly betokened a great delight in the partakin’ of bacon, cursed as he hoisted his ancient steed from its tomb of rubbish and promptly bent its dirt caked derailleur.

“No worries, my emerald stallion,” assured the master gently, “I shall repair you, and you will once again know the light of day. For I have just heard tell of a wondrous race across the entirety of this glorious nation. A race where high adventure awaits only the bravest of souls, where grizzly bears leave warm, steamy tidings in your path, and where the immensity of a man’s suffering is overpowered only by the immensity of the beauty surrounding him. Once, long ago, we were weekend warriors, o’ faithful steed. Let us hereby resurrect one another, and together shall we carve our own legend into the history of our lives! Together, we shall RIDE! That is, until I can afford a better bike, at which point your cumbersome, shambling arse can find another pile of crap to re-die in.”

That abusive bike owner was me, and that summer day marked the beginning of my quest to unshackle myself from the chains of tedium and achieve the very pinnacle of human studliness: the completion of the Tour Divide!

I fully intend to set a new course record…for “Number of Expletives Hurled at a Steep Climb." For I hail from the lowlands of southeast Texas, where the word “elevation” means “When you get’un idea while ridin’un elevator.” I cannot say with certainty how I will fare on the formidable mountain passes of the Divide, but my heart is passionate, my will is strong, and my sacrifices have been great in pursuit of this lofty goal, and I will not welcome the Specter of Failure casually, lest it bedevil me unto the end of my days. For me, this is not one race among many…it is the ONLY race!

Gods of the Tour Divide, please accept my bid, and let me forge my own grand tale of adversity and triumph, to forever hold dear in my soul, and with which to fill up the ears of future grandchildren, whether they like it or not.

Oh, and to those do-littles who call me an idiot for attempting such "nonsense"...come a bit closer. I need to test my bear mace.

If at first you don't succeed, do it again...but better than the first time.  I'm in.

(Bleep), go ahead and put me down. Haha! However, I am not volunteering for any [Flathead reroute] scouting expeditions with Glenn Butler.

This summer I plan on becoming unemployed and catching up on all the mountain biking that I have been missing out on in recent years. I think 2745 miles should probably cover it, so I will be lining up under Mt Rundle on June 11th. It’s time to leave behind the mind (and soul) numbing boredom of the 9-5. See you in Banff.

 

Well, my intent is to finish and I think that may be a grand enough goal to start with. Gravel/dirt and rural paved roads are my favorite kind of riding, so I figure that's a plus for me. See you in Banff! I'll be the grey-haired, bearded guy on the 20 year old bike.

Bob
Calumet, MI

Well, I've built a couple frames that have done the TD, now it's my turn to race it! Count me in.

I'll be back.
This time June 21st for ITTD.
Single speed.

Thanks for your continued work.
Best,
Steve

Time to stop touring and start racing the Divide... See you in June;)

Yeah, I'm in. I wrote this back at the end of June and it still holds: http://bit.ly/8df1ND

See y'all in Banff,
Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

I Stanley Riffle do hereby give my letter of intention. I intend to train for a long, long, long ride. I intend to adjust my diet of snackcakes and soda, to less snackcakes and soda. I intend to test all my light weight gear before I leave. I intend to reach my inner child and remember how I love to see what's around the next corner and over that hill. I intend to tell my wife...soon.

I, Tom Santacroce, do hereby intend to partake in this absolute silliness on the eleventh day of June, 2010. I also intend to be cheery and positive from Banff to Antelope Wells, as our predicament could ALWAYS be worse, no matter how cold, hot, rainy, dry, dusty, muddy, steep, or seemingly-endlessly-flat the road may be in front of us.

Tom Santacroce, 20, Hailing from the same hometown as Veteran Steve McGuire.

This trip has been on my mind for one year now. It's time to do it! See you soon in Banff.

Nicolas Senie
France
teamoffroad.fr

I would like to race in June, take photos, tell the story, and share the highs and lows of this amazing adventure?

My name is Gili Torovezky, 42 years old from Springfield, NJ. I’m avid Mountain Biker and adventurer in my soul. So why do I want to participate in the great divide race? Well, I can find 1000 reasons why not, but there are at least equally reasons why I should do it: Passionate about mountain biking, passionate about the outdoors, passionate about pushing the envelope and aim high - nothing is impossible. My romance with biking and outdoors started back in Israel when I celebrated my Bar Mitzva with brand new road Fuji red bike my dad brought home from Japan. Shortly after I moved to New York in 1999, a friend introduced me to mtn biking and there when I got totally hooked. There is something special about mtn bike that is unparallel to any other sport: the fast moving pace, the adrenalin, the changing landscape, and mental and technical challenge that pushes you to excel every time. Ever since then I been racing in adventure racing (got first place in the co-ed group in 2007), XTerra triathlons, local X-Country races in NY area, I volunteer once a month to clean, build and improve trails in South Mountain reservation NJ to allow opening the park for MTN bikers. See South Mtn. Conservancy Group. Last but not least, on May 29th 2009 my dad passed away and I want ride for him.

In all, the great divide race is brings together all the things that I love to do: biking, navigation, the great outdoors and life time experience. I hope you will consider my enrollment positively and accept me to 2010 race.

Thank You,
Gili Torovezky

With this letter* I state my intent to be at the start in Banff on June 11 and some days later stand on the podium** in Antelope Wells, NM being congratulated by the TD podium girls***. It has been a long time goal for me to ride my bike across**** the USA. Although I have never touched a wheel to the backbone of North America, I have been training a bit here in Vermont and hope I can translate this to success in the West. I plan to finish strong and finish happy. I am looking forward to seeing some snow capped peaks, tumbleweeds, ghost towns, cacti, and sitting under the stars at night frying up Jackalopes in a large cast iron skillet. I have scoped out the competition and this year looks like the year of 100% success rate - so count me in! I look forward to racing with you all.*****

David Tremblay
Moretown, Vermont USA

* Actually it was with the purchase of the non-refundable plane ticket that I stated my intent.
**The podium for people named "David" and if necessary the sub category of those from VT.
*** Provided my daughters pick me up at the finish.
****The vertical north to south version will do.
***** Even if it is for the first 5-10 minutes of the race.

I need to suffer. I'm in!

---