Tour Divide Blog 2008

Mary Metcalf-Collier Hoping to Ride with Gleasner

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 6:32pm
Racer update about:

Hey it's Mary. I’m calling in from Abiquiu again with an addendum. This episode I’m going to call it “Waiting for Gleasner”. Man, I keep swearing he is going to catch me, I thought he passed me, don’t know where he was but I hear he is coming up to Abiquiu. So I’m going to actually call it an early day and hope to bust a move up to the Plateua early in the morning with Mr. Stephen Gleasner. Hopefully he comes in and sees my bike outside the hotel and we can hook up and ride up the Plateau. Try to bust a move really early since we are getting in early. So I’m going to leave my bike by the road and hopefully he sees it and I can have someone to rock out with. Jen who is doing the GDR is also here. So she is leaving at 3AM so I might consider that as well. I’m out from Abiquiu. Holy crap, I think Stephen might be pulling in. Good night.

(recorder time: 2008-07-07 18:54:05 EST)

Mary Metcalf-Collier Having Fun despite Difficult Trail Conditions

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 6:22pm
Racer update about:

Hi Yi Yi Yi, New Mexico is freakin awesome. I’m in Abiquiu. Its Monday, July 7th. Last couple of days have not been high mileage because they have been high fun factor. I guess I could have done without that hike a bike before Brazos Ridge. Things have been going really well. I feel really good. It has been some really difficult trail. Some really technical trail but I remembered why I am on a mountain bike. It has been really awesome. I also met some amazing people. Had breakfast at some lady’s house near Platoro. Had dinner with Villaros (sp) near Brazos Ridge. Because I was taking longer than I thought and I stopped to ask for water and they had me sit down for BBQ. I’m having some fun along the way but the trail is tough and I’m trying to cover some ground. I just loaded up on some carbs here in the café in Abiquiu. I’m going to head out to see if I can get some more miles under me tonight to make tomorrow a little more doable. So have a good night everyone. Adios.

(recorder time: 2008-07-07 18:50:19 EST)

Felix Wong searching for Pie in Pie Town

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 1:16pm
Racer update about:
Hi this if Felix Wong calling on Monday, July 7th from Pie Town, NM. Good News: Its only noon and I’ve already done 70 miles. Bad News: I’m kind of tired now. The roads here are a lot more rolling than I anticipated and the roads are also very wash-boarded with way too much sand or gravel in some sections. I hope they smoothen out because the roads are really bad. Anyhow, I’m in Pie town. I’m looking for some services. I found a restaurant. The PieO’Neer. Its only opened Friday, Saturday, Sunday so looks like I’m out of luck there. I hoping something else is opened. I’m going to look for that right now and then carry on. Pie Town is kind of a sad town. But at least, the ride over here had really awesome views of the mountains. Very stunning, very beautiful. I’m looking forward to see what comes next. Talk to you later. (recorder time: 2008-07-07 13:04:40 EST)

Alan Goldsmith needs a Ride

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 11:22am
Racer update about:
Hi this is Alan Goldsmith again. We are still at Antelope Wells. We are just loading up the sports mobile with all the bikes and stuff before we head back to Silver City. If anyone can give me a ride tomorrow from Silver City from Phoenix, I need to be there by 5PM. Can you contact me on Valerie’s cell phone. She is Leigthon’s girlfriend. She is giving us the ride back to Silver City. The # is 970 819 0873. Ok, that would be great. I still can’t believe I’ve done it. I feel so good. Bye.

Adrian Stingacui shares a few more thoughts

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 11:21am
Racer update about:
This is Adrian Stingacui again continuing the message. I just wanted to finish up and say it was really awesome. Thank you everyone out there who supported us in the race, who gave us food and water, who happened to cross paths with us, who inspired us to keep going. I really love this race and I hope it continues on for a very long time. Good luck to everyone who is still in the race. Peace. I’m out. God bless all life. (recorder time: 2008-07-07 10:59:29 EST)

Adrian Stingacui continues his Message

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 11:08am
Racer update about:

Hello this is Adrian Stingacui again calling back to continue the message. To Kevin Hall, pleasure meeting you and riding with you for a little bit. Sorry to hear that you dropped out of the race and good luck next year. To Reuben Kline, thanks for showing us what a powerful rider you are and good luck next year and all future races. It was a pleasure riding with you. To Matthew Lee, thanks for putting this race together. As well as to Kevin Montgomery, you guys are really awesome. Really giving of yourself and generous. Super. To Dave Nice, hope you’ve recovered from your cold, good luck next year, I am rooting for you all the way and I really hope that you get a fixed record. To Ardie Olson, thanks for making all those nice tracks in the dirt so I could follow along and Sherry Olson, thank you for transcribing the blog. To Leighton White, thanks for the many hours we rode together. To Felix Wong, who is probably right behind us somewhere, always watching my back for you, keep going man, you are almost there. To Karl Wilcox, pleasure riding with you, you will always be an inspiration, thanks for showing the world that you can have a total cholesterol under 100, you are an awesome vegan.

Final thoughts on the race. This has been a really awesome, awesome experience. I hope this continues for many, many years. The concept of self-supported racing with no entry fee and no award at the end is one that I really love. As far as self-supported racing though goes, as much as I love the idea and the concept of it there can be no such thing as a self-supported race. Out here we have had support from everyone we met, we have accepted food, water, sandwiches, everything you can imagine, it has all been graciously welcomed, as well as the power bar I found ….

(recorder time: 2008-07-07 10:57:41 EST)

Adrian Stingacui 4 Way Tie for 3rd Place with 3 other Amigos

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 10:58am
Racer update about:
Hello this is Adrian Stingacui calling in from Antelope Wells, NM at 9:50 AM on July 7th. Just got in here with Alan Goldsmith, Dominik Scherer, and Leighton White. We pulled in together, crossed the line at the same time at around 8:55 this morning which puts us in a tie for 3rd place, all four of us. Which was very nice. It has been a pleasure riding with those guys. It took me about a couple of weeks to catch back up with Alan, Dominik and Leighton. In Abiquiu, I caught up back to them in a hotel. Ever since then we have been riding and camping out together. It has been a wonderful grand tour. It has been a really incredible experience. Really awesome. Wanted to thank everyone for participating, for trying out, for lining up at the start and following their dreams. To all those who made it to the finish line already congratulations, to all those who are still in the race, good luck, to those who dropped out good luck next year and good luck healing. There are no losers in this race. There is no such thing. Only those who did not try can regret that they did not try. Those who lined up are all winners. All of us are. Remember we are the normal ones. To Andy Buchanan, thank you for the sound advice that you gave me early in the race. To Mary Collier, good luck at the 24 hour nationals. It was pleasure riding with you. To Mike Dion, hope you are feeling better, hope your knees are better. Sorry to hear that you dropped out of the race. It was also very nice riding with you. To Stephen Gleasner, I look forward to reading your book, good luck and stay in the race. To my fellow vegetarians in the race, Alan Goldsmith, Dominik Scherer it has been really nice riding with you, you guys are really strong riders.. (recorder time: 2008-07-07 10:53:28 EST)

Dominik Scherer Finished Monday, July 7th at 9 AM

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 10:41am
Racer update about:
Hello this is Dominik Scherer calling in from Antelope Wells Border Station. Its 7th of July, 9:41 AM. I recon the 4 of us, Alan, Adrian and Leighton. We crossed the border line at about 9 o’clock this morning. We are done. We are finished. It has been a long and tough ride, especially the last days. What brought me here, the thoughts of my close friends and family were always with me. I want to thank you so much for all you people being there. Believing in me. Thank you. I’d also like to thank Matthew Lee and all the people who helped organize sort of this thing, put it together and give us the chance to ride this route. I want to thank God for all the strength he gave me especially in the last few days to bring me here. Thank you very much. Thank’s a lot. This Dominik Sherer, last call in. Thanks. Good Bye. (recorder time: 2008-07-07 10:42:45 EST)

Alan Goldsmith Finishes at 9:00 AM, Monday, July 7th

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 10:36am
Racer update about:
Hi this is Alan Goldsmith. I am sitting in the Border Station at Antelope Wells. It is done. We rolled over the border about 9 o’clock this morning. Me, Dominik, Leighton and Adrian. We put in a big day yesterday and pushed through the desert late into the night. Slept in the yard of the old Catholic Church in Hathicta. Set out at first light this morning with a good tailwind. Arrived here about 9 o’clock. So that’s that. What do we do now? It has been an amazing experience. Anyone with a bike who likes the outdoors should do this trail. Maybe not the race, but they should do it. Its awesome. Don’t really know what to say. Thank you to everyone we met along the way. We’ve met some really good people. Its all be good experiences. Nothing bad. Totally, totally enjoyable. We are going to get a lift back to Silver City with Leighton’s girl friend. She is going to be arriving soon with a truck full of beer, and fruit and good things. If anyone is going from Silver City to Phoenix tomorrow, I could do with a ride. I’ve got to catch a plane at 8 o’clock in the evening. Maybe I’ll call back with an number once I’m in hotel. It’s been emotional. Bye. (recorder time: 2008-07-07 10:37:48 EST)

Felix Wong Has a 170 mile day

Submitted by sherry on July 7, 2008 - 7:55am
Racer update about:
Hi this Felix Wong calling at 10:40 from Grants, NM. Before I talk about today I wanted to add something to my last message that I forgot to mention. Another problem I have had mechanically. One of the eyelets holding my bike rack separated from the frame. There are two screws attaching the rear rack to the seat stay. One worked its way loose so I’m using a zip tie on one side. The rack was attached with one screw on the other side. Apparently all of the jarring from the really rough trail on the really long climb yesterday was too much stress for the one eyelets. Now the rear rack is attached to the seat stay with two zip ties and zero screws. Another interesting thing that happened yesterday when I was going up that really long climb was a guy a pickup truck stopped me and warned me about cougars that he claimed were mauling people in the day. That just motivated me to not stop and is why I did so well on the climb. Today was a big day for me. I managed to ride 170 miles today. I had a puncture on the rear tire. Other than that everything has been going well. Pavement really has helped me put on the miles today. I also saw Simon from the GDR again. I saw him maybe about 3-4 times today. I managed to just barely keep ahead of him for the 2nd day in the row. We’ll see how long I can keep that up. He is clearly a stronger rider than I am. It is great to see him out there and know that I’m not completely alone. Right now I am staying in a motel off Route 66. It is great. It was really cheep. Only $30. I’ve always wanted to ride on Route 66. Originally I was …. (recorder time: 2008-07-06 23:49:43 EST)
MTBcast SPOT