Tour Divide Blog 2008

Alan Goldsmith riding with his Biker Gang

Submitted by sherry on June 18, 2008 - 4:21pm
Racer update about:

Hi this is Alan Goldsmith. Its 4 o'clock on Wednesday. I'm Butte with Dominik. We were with Kevin but he has just shot off. So we've been together for the last couple of days, with Kevin, and I've been pretty much with Dominik since the start. We had a monster day yesterday to get to Helena. Cause we suspected the passes might have snow on.. We got up at 5AM at Seeley Lake. Had breakfast in Ovando. Over Huckleberry which had a 10 meter patch of snow but you could go around and then that was all the snow we saw all day. So we go over the 3 big passes, no problem, but it took a while. Read more »

Matthew Lee blew a Seal on his Shock but is back on Course

Submitted by sherry on June 18, 2008 - 4:13pm
Racer update about:

Hello this is Matthew Lee calling from Wise River, MT. It is 4 o'clock. I had to stay over in Butte last night because of a mechanical. I blew a seal on shock and had to wait for a part to come and as soon as the shop opened we got it going. Huge Thanks to Rob of The Outdoorsman for helping getting things going. So now I think I am maybe 6 hours behind the 2nd place rider and maybe twice as much behind Reuben so I got my work cut out for me. But should be an adventure. Anyway the weather is great. The bonus from all the snow in high country is the flowers are pretty amazing. Read more »

Felix Wong in Ovando after 2 Tough Days

Submitted by sherry on June 18, 2008 - 2:31pm
Racer update about:

Hi this is Felix Wong. I'm calling on Wednesday, June 18th at about 1:30. I'm finally in Ovando, MT. Monday and Tuesday were pretty tough for me. Monday I was starting to finally feel pretty fatigued. I think I wasn't intaking enough salt. But I solved that my consuming a can of chili beans and potato chips. Started to feel better....But Tuesday, MAN, first there were down trees everywhere. I had to dismount my bike about 100 times and at times even throw my bike over a tree, then scale the trees like it was a rock climbing wall or something. Then there was all of the snow on the Pass. Read more »

Dave Nice is Feeling Much Better Today

Submitted by sherry on June 18, 2008 - 2:19pm
Racer update about:

Hello everybody, Dave Nice, about 12:30 calling from the Echo Lake Cafe near Ferndale. Feeling quite a bit better today although still quite numb some chills and fever on the bike but feeling light years better than yesterday. Gonna see how far I can make it and just camp out and get semi-close to Richmond Peak and all that stuff. Get some trash bags and make some getto gaitors and huff it over the peak hopefully early in the morning. Hopefully Thursday. Hopefully its a little firmer Yep, Swan City I guess. See how many Great Divide racers catch me and all that good stuff. Read more »

Ardie Olson Eating his Way across Montana

Submitted by sherry on June 18, 2008 - 2:13pm
Racer update about:

Hey again this is Ardie Olson and I'm calling from the payphone in Wise River, MT. It 12:12 p.m. June 18th, Wednesday. The weather is nice and sunny, a little cool and windy, but other than that great day so far. I got out early and got me a great breakfast at Denny's and that did the trick and made it over the pass and down Fleecer with no problem. I'm going to get me some supplies here in Wise River, then be headin out for Polaris. Hope everybody is doing well. Goodbye.

(P.S. Did ya'll notice he is always talking about food in his call ins. That's my husband.)

Andy Buchanan Has to Pull Out - Possible Pneumonia

Submitted by sherry on June 18, 2008 - 2:08pm
Racer update about:

Hi this is Andy Buchanan. I'm sitting here in Big Fork. Sadly, I'm have to say I'm pulling out of the race. I think I have Pneumonia. So not to be continuing but that thanks everybody for all of their efforts. Sherry thanks a lot for transcribing, Joe, Dave, Matt, Kevin, everybody. I will listen to everybody's progress with interest.

_____ Read more »

Leaderboard is Back!

Submitted by sherry on June 18, 2008 - 10:43am

Thanks to the efforts of Joe Polk from MTBCast, the wonderful folks at SPOT and Kevin Montgomery (who during his race called in to help), the leaderboard is back up on this website. YEAH! I know you Blue Dot Junkies, like me, are relieved.

Its been quiet this morning with no call ins. We think a SPOT or two might not be tracking and we are working on that.

Stay tuned.

Sherry O.

Mike Dion's Wild Animal Adventures

Submitted by sherry on June 17, 2008 - 11:59pm
Racer update about:

Hello, good evening this Mike Dion. Its Tuesday, 6/11 11:43. I'm in Lincoln. Actually rolled in here about 10:15. Just found a pizza. I'm inhaling that. Interesting day not a ton of mileage but pretty darn epic. I'm sure you heard the snow up above Seeley Lake. I called earlier as I beginning that having no idea that it was going to be trudge fest that it actually ended up being so that was a pretty big chunk of this morning trying to get across that. Then I made it in Ovando and stopped at the Ovando store and loaded up on liquids and checked the map out. Read more »

Kevin Montgomery Cookin' Tonight

Submitted by sherry on June 17, 2008 - 10:07pm
Racer update about:

Hey this is Kevin Montgomery checking in from Banff(?) I got in town about 8:45 pm. Staying at a motel tonight that has a kitchenette so I'm luckily being able to refresh myself with some actual home cooked meals as opposed to restaurant which is kinda nice. Only covered 125 miles today which I know probably doesn't seem like much but we did do four pretty significant climbs including 3 divide crossings so that was pretty nice to get that out of the way. Went through 2 thunderstorms. Read more »

Adrian Stingaciu Sees a Yeti

Submitted by sherry on June 17, 2008 - 9:52pm
Racer update about:

Hi this Adrian Stingaciu a/k/a Super Slow Vegan. I'm in Lincoln, MT, Tuesday, June 17th 9:31pm. Just got into town. Road about half the day today with Mary and yesterday I rode about half the day with Mike Dion. Yesterday we ended up getting lost, me and Mike. I couldn't figure out where we were for a while until we backtracked about 4 miles. But it was a worthwhile detour since we got to see a newborn baby fawn and just before that we saw a momma bear with cub right next to the road. Today was a good day, but a couple of strong passes. Richmond Peak was full of snow. Read more »

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