Hi this is Alan. It 4:30 on the 3rd of July. I'm Cuba. We came over from Abiquiu this morning. We left at 5 o'clock, the four of us. Me, Dominik, Adrian (who showed up at 11) and Leighton. It was a bit of surprised to see Adrian after all these days, weeks. He wanted to get into bed with me without a shower. He hadn't had a shower in two weeks, but I have standards so I made him shower. We came over the hill which was a very nice ride. We got breakfast and then moved to the smart end of town and had lunch. We sat out a monster storm which is now pasing through. I think we are going to try to get a way down to Grants now. I guess we won't be taking the off-road official route since its pretty wet around and dangerous out there. I guess Matt Lee is finished now and probably Ardie is not too far off. I'll get him next year though. Happy Fourth of July.
(recorder time: 2008-07-03 17:28:22 EST)
Hi this is Felix Wong calling at 12:58 from Platoro. I just wanted to thank everybody for their messages. I just listened to them. They are very helpful. About 20 minutes ago when I called in I was feeling very demoralized. Now I'm feeling inspired again. I'm going to press on. Listening to the messages really helped especially since it is still raining and there is thunder and lightening in the distance but I'm going to see what I can do today and I'm going to continue on. Talk to you later.
(recorder time: 2008-07-03 14:00:46 EST)
Hi this is Felix Wong calling at 12:39 on Thursday, July 3rd from Platoro, CO. I've had some great days in the race and I've had some bad days. You can definitely classify yesterday as one of the latter. First there was Indiana Pass. My legs weren't there. It was a very long climb, very steep, but worse once I got near the top of the climb a storm rolled on through. It was pouring with freezing rain. Within an hour even though I put on all my clothing, I became very hypothermic. My teeth were chattering. My hands were completely numb. I couldn't operate the shifters or brakes and it was still four hours to Platoro. By 6pm, I was doing so poorly, shivering so badly, that I decided that all I could do was pull over, set up my tent right away and crawl into my sleeping bag. So yesterday was a really short day and even though I went to bed early it was restless night for me. All of my clothing was wet. Because I have a down sleeping bag, I had to strip off all of my clothes, sleep in the sleeping bag naked and it was cold in the sleeping bag. the sleeping bag was slightly wet. Any time some of the freezing cold air would get into the sleeping bag, I would freeze. Consequently, I also had a late start this morning. I was just not willing to endure another cold morning in wet clothing. So I started late. I got to Platoro. It started raining about 20-30 minutes ago. Fortunately, its not raining hard now. I hope it passes through. I looks pretty gray up there. I'm pretty demoralized I have say but I’m almost to NM.. There is just one more week hopefully to go. I hear Matt Lee finished last night. Congratulations to him. I hope to be done within the week myself, but I realize that there is a lot that can happen in the 744 miles I have to go. I'll talk to you later. Take care.
(recorder time: 2008-07-03 13:43:46 EST)
Hello this is Stephen Gleasner. I'm in Frisco. Just south of Silverthorne. Spent the night in Silverthorne. It almost 9 o'clock. Having some breakfast then hit the road. Plan is to make Salida and do some drive train work and maybe some new tires. So that's the plan. Things are going pretty well. Had a high speed run into Silverthorne last night so I could make it to the Target before it closed. So I could get some cards for my camera. Just taking a lot of pictures and running out of space. Got that and a hotel and someting to eat. Feeling refreshed and ready to go. Done the road.
(recorder time: 2008-07-03 09:49:09 EST)
Update: Thursday 3rd of July @ 7am
Matthew Lee is the 2008 Tour Divide winner, but we are still waiting on his finishing time. The rest are moving well through wind, mud, lightning and hail with Mary Collier and Stephen Gleasner still to come over Indiana Pass, the last big climb in Colorado. Leighton White and Adrian Stingaciu have caught Domenik Scherer and Alan Goldsmith, but it is uncertain whether they are all riding together after Dominik split his rear rim. Dominik has had offers of help from Albuquerque and Tuscon, but he is raring to get it finished. Racers seem to get a lift riding into New Mexico, the final state, a quater left with no more major climbs. You can be sure that they are counting off the rest of the climbing feet to go, most only now realising that they may finish this thing after all.
by Alex Field
Hello, this is Dominik Scherer calling in, #13,, Its 4:45am on Thursday, 3rd of July. My rear wheel issues got solved yesterday evening. Bob Morgan from Albuquerque drove all the way out here to Abiquiu and brought me an almost brand new rear wheel. Had to no problem. Put it on. Ready to go again. That's what we are going to do now. Yesterday evening we had a little gathering here. Alan and me were sitting at dinner about 7 o'clock, Leighton White, pulled in. Then we went to bed around 10 o'clock, then Adrian came in. So it was the four of us all in one little room in Abiquiu Inn.
We all are just about to go now towards Cuba. All you guys out there be safe. Take care. Have a good time. Bye. Dominik
(recorder time: 2008-07-03 05:46:48 EST)
Hi this is Alan, Tour Divide Racer # 5. Its 20 after 9 on Wednesday evening, the 2nd of July. I’m in Abiquiu at the Abiquiu Inn. I’m with Dominik and Leighton. He caught us up. We sorta had a short day, a very short day, a 12 o’clock finish. I’ve had three meals. A lot of water and I’m ready to go. The strategy is to leave early, get over the last big hill, rest up in Cuba for a little bit then head out in the cool of the evening into the desert night. Today was easy about 58 miles to year. Yesterday was tough over Brazos Ridge, thunder and lightening. I actually got off my bike and lay on the ground at one point. Maybe I was overreacting but I thought I could feel the air tingling. Prior to that we met the Webe family who seemed to be really happy to meet us. They took our photo, gave us a few snacks. I think we made their week and they made my day. Its good to meet people who are interested. Last night we camped at the Hopewell Lake Campground. They were good to us. They gave us some coke when we got there. So its all good stuff.. I had dinner with John Nobile who is leading the Great Divide race. He is nearly on record breaking schedule but needs to really go for it now to match JP’s time. He is planning to get up at 2, I think. The film guy from Britain, Gerald, is here to. So it was a bit party tonight in the restaurant. All good. Anyway, talk to you from Cuba or Grants, somewhere down the road.
(recorder time: 2008-07-02 22:26:51 EST)
This is Ardie Olson calling in from a payphone in Pie Town, NM. It is July 2nd, Wednesday, 8:27 pm. Looks like everything is closed up around here, both restaurants, no pie tonight. They sure like to close up early around here. Guess I’ll eat what I got and try to stay at the Toaster House. I haven’t went by there yet. Hope I can get in. Other than that everything went pretty good today. Looks like I am going to have a long day tomorrow to try to make it to Silver City. We’ll see what happens from there. This is Ardie, Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-07-02 21:29:51 EST)
Hello this is Dominik Scherer again calling from Abiquiu, NM. I just found out that my rear wheel is decapitated. The rim is cracked pretty badly. I’m in dire need of a rear wheel. The problem is I tried to call all of the bike shops in the area. There was just one which number was OK. They didn’t have anything in Santa Fe. If anyone on the route, has something for me, feel free to reach me here in Abiquiu in the Abiquiu Inn, the 505-685-4378. Otherwise, I’m just trying to ride tomorrow morning over the hills. Just hope that the rim that holds up. Just hoping that the bike holds up because the body feels good and the mind is set for the Mexican Border. So let’s hope that the wheel holds up. I’m trying to be light on my rear wheel to not give it too much stress. Hope that God will help and the whole things going to hold up. That is the situation on my bike. I just wanted to let you people know. You guys out there be safe. Message back home:
(rest of message in german)
(recorder time: 2008-07-02 18:21:58 EST)
Hi this is Felix Wong, calling at 12:45 on Wednesday, July 2nd, from Del Norte, CO. Yesterday, I had a great day. My legs were feeling good. I rode about 113 miles. I even enjoyed going up Marshall Pass and Cochetopa Pass. Nice gradual climbs with great scenery. In the evening, I ended camping half-way up the Pass after Cochetopa Pass. Today hasn’t been going quite so well. My legs are quite tired. Especially after coming down into Del Norte. I was expecting it to be all downhill. In fact there are some pretty significant although short climbs. The road to Del Norte was not good at all. Way too much sand. Virtually unridable. I did not enjoy that at all. I’m glad to be into Del Norte because I was completely out of food and water. I was hungry and tired. I just restocked at a grocery store. Now I am looking forward to going up Indiana Pass. Actually, not looking forward to it. I’m actually quite apprehensive about it. Its 4000 feet of climbing and 25 miles long. But I guess I’ll see how it goes. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-07-02 13:47:59 EST)
