Felix Wong in Silver City for the Night

Maybe the Tracking function works differently for the TD Leaderboard, but I had a time trying get my SPOT to work as advertised when I first activated it. Once it is turned on I hold the "OK" button until that green light goes off. That takes about 5 seconds and consistently activates the Tracking.

If I send out an OK or a HELP signal to my wife, then that shuts off the Tracking. The best way to get the Tracking going again is to shut the unit off and start all over. The 911 overrides all the other functions. I use the OK to show her where I am camping for the night. I use the HELP very sparingly and cautiously; like when I almost got blown off Brazos Ridge. Otherwise she is satisfied to know where I am when I am out in the boonies by myself. She has gotten much better at reading the Terrain map in conjunction with the spacing of the blue dots on my public SPOT share page. Of course she also has access to much more extensive information in my SPOT account.

The following comments are not directed specifically to Felix other than in regards to his "life and death" call-in remarks. However, we should all consider what it means to be "self-supporting."

Despite all the talk about "self-supporting" and the "strategy' of the race, the SPOT helps reduce the question marks and may actually save the GDR and TD. Right now the Forest Service turns a blind eye to the races through national forests along the GDMBR. However, if someone gets hurt or worse, the policy is already in place that any event that passes through any National Forest is suppose to have a permit for each national forest that it passes through. In fact, earlier this year I was asked by one Gila ranger whether I was racing. I invited him to come out of the ranger station and take a look at my load in order to answer his own question.

When I tour the GDMBR I am approaching self-supporting. As I disappear into the boonies for days at a time, I carry the tools and parts to fix or replace a lot of things on my bike. I can safely treat and drink water with dead animals floating around in it, tainted with cow urine, or coyote poop. I don't run out of food unless I plan to pick up some more within a day. It does not matter if it is hot or cold, rain or shine. I have the right gear and the appropriate clothing for the circumstances. My total load is around 50 - 60 pounds. That is approaching self-supporting

So, when all the chest-thumping and Tarzan calls are over, I hope no one screws up access to the GDMBR for the rest of us who just want to enjoy a good tour in some beautiful country. If we want to say that we are self-supporting, then we need to quit talking trash and load up like Mike Curiak in Alaska last winter. Otherwise save it for someone who doesn't know any better. Credit card racing is not "self-sufficent." Level the playing field for foreigners who don't have friends and family in North America to ship them what they need fast enough to continue the race when they have a major mechanical issue. Be honest. That rule is not "self-supporting" either?

Again, I am a bicycle camping tourer, not a credit card racer, but I sure hope some well-intended, but misguided racing rule does not end up hurting everyone. If something happens to someone out there, the Forest Service may not continue to turn a blind eye to the fact that an event is passing through their jurisdiction. The BLM and ranchers don't want people getting hurt or dying either. The TD and the GDR is not a 24 hour event with pit stops available. Cell phones and or something like the SPOT may eventually make the difference as to whether the TD and GDR are allowed to continue in their present forms.

So, back to you Felix. and the others from the TD still out on the course, please make good decisions; including putting good batteries in your SPOTs. Besides my own selfish reasons stated above, we care about you folks. Be safe, and have as much fun as you can stand. Ride On!