Tour Divide Blog 2008

Hey there. This is Mike Dion. Its 20 after 6 on the 23rd. Made it into Flagg Ranch here just a little bit ago. I am finally going to get something to eat. Been..Yeah.. I wasn't quite aware that that was the snow everyone was talking about coming into Flagg Ranch. For some reason, I thought it was going to be after here. I wasn't expecting that big muddy, snowy trudge fest. I'm here. I'm going to crash here tonight at a tent spot at Flagg Ranch. Bye. (recorder time: 2008-06-23 19:19:05 EST.)

Hi this is Felix Wong. Calling at 2:24 on Monday, June 23rd. I had a hellish morning. Today, I woke up and I pumped up my tires. My rear one was really low on air. Makes me wonder how long I had been riding on a flat tire. So anyhow, I changed the tube in that and went about a mile and got another flat. I tried using one of my spare tubes and that one also had a flat. Long story, I now have one spare tube after having what I thought I had 4 good spare tubes but apparently one of them was faulty in that tube pack. Then on the way to Flagg Ranch, there's that long climb. The climb was actually wasn't too bad. At the top, there was a lot of snow, lot of mud, and thank goodness that most of that on the downhill portion. The worst part was mosquitoes. Anytime I would get off my bike and be trying to push it through the snow, they would converge on me. Even though I was wearing clothing from head to toe, I got bit a lot of times. They can bite right through my cycling jersey and my arm warmers _______ from using bug spray. The mosquitoes are just really vicious out there. I also had massive pieces of chain suck where my chain would not release from the chain ring. I ultimately fixed that by using a stick and some creek water to clean my chain ring and then re-lubing the chain. I still have some chain suck, which was not good because I would being walking and then trying to escape from the mosquitoes, I'd get on my bike and I'd be cranking away and then my chain would get stuck and then I would have to stop and the mosquitoes would get me. Anyhow I'm at Flagg Ranch and I got some ice cream and a coke and hopefully I'm good to go for another 40 miles or so. I'll call later, Bye. (recorder time: 2008-06-23 15:28:47 EST. ) (NOTE: This one was really, really hard to hear. Two of us worked on it at my office and just had to guess at some of it so don't be suprised if it is a little different when Joe posts it no mtbcast.)

Hey there Mike Dion. Its a little after 12 on Monday the 23rd. Got an early start. Got about 40 miles in and was hoping to find some food at this little ranch here, whatever its called. Its called Squirrel Creek Elk ranch. But there is nobody around. Its empty. Its deserted. (muffled sentence) There is a little spigot out back so I can get some water. I don’t' think there is any other food for another 40-50 miles. I didn't grab breakfast when I left this morning because I was going to eat here. I guess I’m not going to eat here. Anyways, that railroad, the 30 miles of railroad trail was kinda sandy and definitely suck your tires. I sure you heard from the other riders that tunnel was blocked where the roof collapsed. That was fun and interesting getting around that. Yes another bear encounter. My third bear sighting. About a mile past the tunnel cruising down the road. This one was off in the distance a ways probably about 100 yards. Little (well I don't know how little it was) Cinnamon colored Bear kinda cross the trail in front of me. I started hootin and hollerin again. Pretty steep bank on the left side, down to the river. So I gave it a few minutes and slowing kinda crept by. I didn't see it. I didn't see it down there. I'm done with bears. Three times, no more. So I'm going to get rolling again and hopefully get some food. Cool. (recorder time: 2008-06-23 13:13:09 EST.) Note - This is the tunnel Mike is talking about. Getting around this must have been tricky because it is on a cliffside.

Good morning from Lima, MT. Its Monday, June 23rd. This is Mary Collier. I had a great nights sleep last night here in a cabin. Saw Chris Plesko off. He is hitting the road today. I am headed back out on the trail. I got here last night and was a little bit worried about my legs. They were pretty swollen after riding 75 miles. I was wondering if I hit the road prematurely from Dillon to here. But this morning I'm feeling like knots (?) . I’m feeling like things are going well. Back on the upswing and I'm going to try to cover some miles today. Thank you for everyone for all of your support and pushing me through this and tons and tons of advice from everyone on how to get over my leg issue. I think we are on the upswing, we are on the recovery. Have a great day and you'll probably hear from me tonight. (recorder time: 2008-06-23 11:11:46 EST.)