Update: Monday 30th @ 6am
Matt Lee still leads Ardie Olson into the final state, the weather and early trailblazing causing both to slow. Almost over the last major pass are four racers within reaching distance of each other- at the speed that Leighton White seems to possess at the moment, a call to someone in the know and a long night, could see him catch Dominik Scherer and Alan Goldsmith.
For some it has been hot, for some lightning and rain storms will have made its impact- turning Colorado in to a mudpool. The race allows the use of paved sections in New Mexico where large stretches of sticky mud quickly foul drivetrains and can break bikes as several riders have found.
By Alex Field
Hi this is Felix Wong calling on Sunday, June 29th at 6:54pm. I’m in Silverthorne, CO. Yesterday, I stopped in Steamboat at the Orange Peel bike shop. The guys, Zack and Esom (sp) did an awesome job repairing my bike. They put on new tires, new brake pads, new cables, and even cleaned the bike. The bike rides like new. It is amazing how much smoother it is riding. How much smoother it shifts. How much easier it is to push the shift levers. When I press the brake levers, the bike actually slows pretty well now. So that’s been a joy.. The bike even seems faster. Ever since Steamboat, I’ve been feeling pretty good. The days before that I wasn’t feeling so strong, but my legs are coming back. Yesterday, was a pretty short day for me especially since I got a little lost after Steamboat, that is kind of a long story. I only road 62 miles yesterday. I called it a day early. I woke up early today and started riding about 6AM and here I am in Silverthorne. I actually got here about 20 minutes ago. Encountered a local named Dave who rode with me for a little bit. Great guy. He met Leighton yesterday. We chatted for a little bit. Before that it seemed like most of the day, I was going up hill. It was good that my legs were feeling good. I also encountered John, the leader of the Great Divide race which started a week after the Tour Divide. He seemed to be doing well. He ran into me when I was about to ford a 2’ deep river. I was actually in the river testing the water and there he came up. It was good to see him. Otherwise, it has been a great day. Spectacular scenery. CO is an awesome state. I’m glad I live here. I’m looking forward to seeing more of it. I’m going to press on more tonight. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-29 19:58:54 EST)
Steve Gleasner in Rawlins. Its about 5 o’clock on Sunday. I was recommended a Thai restaurant when I was coming into town by some hikers who were heading out on the trail. So I had a whole thing in my head going on for the past 20 miles out there in 90 degree heat coming off the blacktop about Thai food and how that would be really fine. . Thai food is closed on Sunday and so is everything else I try to do. I finally got at Pita roll-up and that seemed to suffice, but it wasn’t Thai. Going to wait out the heat a little bit then get a couple more miles. Wait for it to cool off and camp down the road. Until next time, bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-29 17:54:54 EST)
Hey this is Ardie Olson. It is Sunday, June 29th 1:33p.m. I’m in Platoro, CO. Had a good ride this morning. Made it over Indiana Pass with no real problem, just a real good climb. Looks like now here in Platoro it is going to start raining and south of here it is going to start raining, its storming. So we’ll see what I’m in for. Hopefully it will clear up. I was hoping to make it into New Mexico tonight. But if its all stormy and the roads turn muddy it might hold me up. I’m not sure. But we’ll find out. Again, this is Ardie Olson. I hope everybody else is doing well.
(recorded time: 2008-06-29 14:35:25 EST)
Hey everybody Leighton White calling in from Salida, CO. Pretty good day yesterday. Got to Como and had to sit out a little rain storm there. Then put on my rain gear headed to Harstel and it just opened up. Thunder overhead. Fortunately the lighting stayed a little ways away. Looked like a drowned rat when I pulled into the Bar there in Harstel and the locals got a good laugh but I got some free food, some cake and couple pints of Budweiser and went out for a few miles after that when the rain stopped. In Salida, got a little more bike love. Although it appears that my fork is what it is until the end. Nobody has the parts I need to fix it. So I’ll just ride it to the end. Hope everybody is doing well and talk to you soon.
(recorded time: 2008-06-29 14:29:31 EST)
Hey TD Racer Matthew Lee here. 9:45, Sunday the 29th. I’m in El Rito. I knocked out the Brazos yesterday. But not without a lot of hiking. I got caught up in a storm. Seems to have been a pretty wide spread storm reached all the way down here it looks like. At least it is cool today for the time being. The trail is soft and but its not so hot. Trade-offs, I suppose. Anyway, I’m moving on to Cuba today and see how far I can get on the ByPass to Grants in the evening hours. Cheers, bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-29 08:28:59 EST)
Morning this is Alan. Its about 7:30 on Sunday. I'm in Salida with Dominik. Just had breakfast at the cafe next to Absolute Bikes. Bike shop not open for another hour and half so they are going to miss out on our custom not that we really need anything. Yesterday we got a bit of late start because Dominik had to visit the dentist for a bit of emergency work, I guess I shouldn't have hit him so hard. Anyway we came across via Hartsel. That is a funny sort of town. 30 miles either side of Hartsel, what is all that about? Washboard and headwinds, that was hell. First 20 miles of the day over Boreas and the last 20 miles of the day down from the hills for a 1000 meters into Salida were superb. Luckily it was cool and a bit of rain. Anyone who comes into Harstel in the heat, good luck. Anyway we are off over some more hills to Sargents now. The waitress is telling us that it is the world capital of UFO sightings. So if don’t make it, you know where we are. Talk to you later. Bye.
(recorder time; 2008-06-29 08:28:59 EST)
Hello, this is Dominik Scherer calling in. Its Sunday the 29th of June, 7:22 am. Yesterday evening we made it just right into Salida from Breckenridge. We had a late start from Breckenridge cause I had to see a dentist. Nothing serious I just wanted to be sure that my tooth wouldn't bother me on the trip. We started off at Breckenridge around 10 o'clock and yesterday evening around 9 o'clock. Today is going to be Marshall Pass first then stock up on supplies in Sargents. We'll see how far we get. Going to sleep out somewhere in the wild tomorrow. Camp out. So no call in from there. Tomorrow we hopefully reach some kind of town with a telephone. Just want to let my people that I'm still going pretty good. I'm feeling ok. See you then. Thank you. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-29 08:23:14 EST)
Hey this is Ardie Olson and it is Saturday, June 28 9:36pm. I am in Del Norte, CO. Had good day except for the last 20 miles I got a headwind coming on so it put me into Del Norte kinda late. I'm here, got something to eat, everything is good. Looks like I'll head out early in the morning and try to take on the big Indiana Pass and see how that goes. Hope everybody else is doing well. Again this is Ardie Olson
(recorder time: 2008-06-28 22:38:33 EST)
Hi this is Adrian Stingaciu. I'm calling in from Silverthorne, CO. Its 8:34pm on Saturday, June 28. I just got into town. It has been a fun ride today. I wanted to say thanks to the nice folks at the Williams Forks Reservoir campground. Stopped there for water, but unfortunately it seems like all of the developed campgrounds in CO don’t have water. The nice folks camping there fixed me up. I stopped for 2 litters of water and they have me 5 litters and a bunch of food. So I’m good to go. Also, thanks to the folks at campground near the CO River, same thing, I stopped for water and they had me over for lunch. Also thanks to Matthew Lee for leaving the two bagels with pb in Atlantic City. He must have known I was running low on food. Also to Matthew Lee, Bear from NC says hi. I ran into him a while back. Also the 3 guys from the lst day at the cabin says hi as well. Pretty tired today. See how much further I can go on, if not maybe I’ll stay in town here. Got to get more food in me. Gotta go.
(recorder time: 2008-06-28 21:36:03 EST)
