Hey its Mary Collier. I'm Rawlins, WY. Crazy day. Excellant Day. Today, Yesterday and the Day Before. Haven't really been in touch to much but covering some ground. I stayed in a Hostel right before Union Pass. They call it Aspen Meadows Bike Hostel or something like that. Super awesome time. Great day, that day I also remembered that I am racing so I'm trying to cover some ground and cruisin' along. Yesterday was also great. Anyhow, I'm in kinda in a hurry. Just loaded up on a bunch groceries herein in Rawlins. Stocked up my bike and get out of town. So tomorrow I will be able to make it Steamboat. Have it a good night.
(recorder time: 2008-06-28 20:42:52 EST)
Hi this is Felix Wong just calling with a continuation of my last message. I just wanted to thank everyone for the messages that they have been leaving on the website. I really appreciate all the support. And I wanted to give special hello to Kevin Hall and his family. A couple days ago the second half of the race started for me and I reflected on the first half, and the first few days of the first half and riding with you Kevin. Every time I go up one of these Passes I almost expect you to hop out of nowhere and pass me on the climb. Anyhow, be assured that you and your family have been in my thoughts. Thanks to your daughter leaving her message. I camped out in the Route National Forest last night and I did resort to the bear proof camping strategy. Luckily I was well hydrated for that and I wasn’t bothered by any animals. Hope you are doing well in Kentucky and you take care. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-28 16:44:53 EST)
Hi this is Felix Wong, calling at 3:38 on Saturday, June 28th from Steamboat Springs in CO. The last two days have been pretty good. My legs have not been there but at least I’ve been riding through some spectacular scenery. Both Southern WY and then into CO which I got into yesterday. It has been nice to be back in my home state. Yesterday, I started really late. I was out of Rawlins by about 9:15. And again, my legs haven’t been strong at all. But I pushed on until about midnight. Got in about 97-98 miles. So I’m pretty happy about that. At 9PM in the Route National Forest, I heard someone yell out “I’ve been waiting for you”. It turned out that it to be a woman named Kirsten at a lodge in the Route National Forest who had been following the race on-line, had met some of the other racers already. It was great to see here. I was able to get some water from her. I camped out in the forest. This morning I woke up late again. I got started about 8:25. The Pass up the Watershed Divide had snow and mud on there. Very slow going, but I would probably had to walk anyhow just because it was really steep and my legs had not been strong at all. The road to Steamboat was absolutely gorgeous. I just wish I was feeling stronger. I’m now at the Orange Peel bike shop. They have been doing a lot of work on my bike while I have been resting and I really appreciate everything they have been doing for me. They are replacing the brake pads, both of the tires, putting on new rid tape, trying to make the shifting as smooth as possible. I have been having shifting the rear. A lot of effort has been needed to shift that. My right thumb is getting very sore. So I hope to be out of Steamboat in the next half-hour, hour. Its going to be a short mileage day today. I’m pressing on.
(recorder time: 2008-06-28 16:42:31 EST)
Hello this connection doesn't sound very good from your end but I'm hoping its good from my end. This is Steve Gleasner. I'm at the Grub Steack about to cross into the waterless, treeless land of the Basin. Its lunch time on Saturday. All things going well. Feel rested. Off I go. Down the road.
(recordeder time: 2008-06-28 14:40:56 EST)
Hey there Tour Divide tifosi. Matthew Lee here in Platoro, CO, the last stop before NM. I'm sitting in the Sky Line Lodge resupplying before the long stretch to Abiquiu with no services. Looks like it is going to be a good day today. Its probably going to get hot, but that is to be expected. Finished a gorgeous stretch through Southern CO and the South San Juans. Definitely may favorite in CO. Sorry to see it go but better things to come. Hope everyone else is feeling good and riding strong. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-28 09:43:56 EST)
Update: Saturday 28th @ 8am
Matt Lee is now the lone leader after the withdrawl of Reuben Kline. Well done on 1662 miles Reuben. It is disapointing not to get to the finish after racing for twelve days, but reading the comments on his last post will show what his family and friends think of him. Matt Lee, as with the other racers that have come through The Basin, has slowed through tiredness, environment (and performing feats of Police Rescue) and is a day and a half off his record pace of 2007. Mary Collier has done well to stay in it, and is inline to finish around the 30 day mark, Stephen Gleasner is just behind but has slowed past his initial plan of a 30 day finish. Whilst Alan Goldsmith and Dominik Scherer can feed off each others strengths, Adrian Stingaciu benefits from riding alone and was lucky to achieve a 'moment of clarity' on the Divide.
By Alex Field
Hello this is Dominik Scherer. Calling in from Breckenridge, CO at 10:30 pm on Friday, 27th of June. I think you all heard already from Alan that our day was pretty hard. Not like bike wise but otherwise. I just wanted to wish all the persons who are injured. I wanted to wish them all the best. That they get back to full health pretty soon. I wanted to let my people at home know that I'm doing fine. While I'm a little tired today but I'm doing fine. You people at home take care of yourselves. Mikala when you starting your tour tomorrow take care of yourself and come back home safely and healthy. I love you. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-27 23:29:57 EST)
Hi this is Alan. I'm in a hotel in Breckenridge. We are good. Tomorrow, we are starting fresh. No more adventures hopefully. Just riding south. We are good and good night. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-06-27 21:21:24 EST)
Hi this is Adrian Stingaciu calling in from Steamboat Springs. Friday, June 27th 6:43pm. I just borrowing someone's cell phone to call in. The payphone in town was broke. I crossed over the CO border this morning around 9:30. I had a nice slog up the Pass over there. Still some snow up there. Whatever that -- Watershed Divide. Looks like I am going to miss my food drop tomorrow in Silverthorne. Still about another 140 miles from here. So I don't think I can make it by 1pm tomorrow. Looks like I'm going to live off some gas station food and restaurant food instead. Otherwise, doing good. I'm going to press on and not wait for food drop. Otherwise, I'd wait a day, day and half. Doing good. Good luck to everybody else. Cheers.
(recorder time: 2008-06-27 19:43:44 ES)
Hey this is Ardie Olson. I am in Poncho Springs, CO. I was in Salida at 3:15, but there was not phone right there available so I just came over to Poncho Springs. It is now 4:09 p.m. Friday, June 27th. Had a good ride today. Everything was going good. I'm at the Italian Restaurant right now. Got two big bowls of soup in front of me now and I'm waiting on my Chicken Parmesan to show up then I'm going to finish that up, get me a few supplies and try to finish off Marshall Pass today. If not, at least maybe camp up at the top. Everything is going good. I'm hanging in there. Hope everybody else is doing good also. Again, this is Ardie Olson.
(recorder time: 2008-06-27 17:11:20 EST)
