Felix Wong

Felix Wong Leaving Pinedale WY

Racer update about:
Hi this is Felix Wong calling in at 11:30 on Wednesday, June 25th from Pinedale, WY. Yesterday, I went up Union Pass and I thought I climbed it pretty well but afterwards I was just utterly exhausted. Probably the most tired I've been during the entire race. I did press on until 11pm. Camped at a campsite in Bridger National Forest. Had a good nights sleep. Woke up late today. Started at 8:25a.m. Feeling good and moving pretty well but because of my late start I'm gonna have to get going. I'll talk to you later. Bye. (recorder time: 2008-06-25 12:36:52 EST)

Felix Wong Fights Mud along the way to Brooks Lake

Racer update about:
Hi this is Felix Wong calling in at 1pm on Tuesday, June 24th. I just got over the Togwotee Pass in WY this morning. The Pass itself wasn't too bad but however the section beyond it by Brooks Lake was absolutely horrendous. Lots of snow. Even worse that the snow was mud. There is so much mud that collected on my bike that both of my wheels seized. I had to spend a lot of time trying to clean up my bike. Just trying to get rid of enough mud so the wheels would start turning. I used a stick, my fingers. I tried dragging my bike through snow even, even when there were dirt areas adjacent to the snow. Just to try to get enough mud off my bike so that the wheels would turn. I also tried to picking up my bike and carrying it however will all of the mud on the bike the bike weighed about 50-60 pounds so that wasn't very practical. It took me about 2 hours 30 or 2 hours 45 minutes just go 4.5 miles down to the Lake. After that I still had more bike clean up to do just so the bike was rideable. I also had a front break problem which I had to fix which was quite difficult when there is mud all over the place. I think the bike is rideable again. It had a lot of chain suck, I tried to remedied that. Up to now, I've done 20 miles today. I think I'll be lucky to get 70 miles today. Difficult day. Hope it gets easier. Bye. (recorder time: 2008-06-24 14:01:06 EST.)

Felix Wong's Flat Tire Saga Continues

Racer update about:
Hi this is Felix Wong calling at 11:15 Monday from Togwotee Mountain Lodge NW of Jackson. I just wanted to give an update on my flat tire saga. I found the root cause of all of my flat tires. It was rim tape not applied properly. Some spoke holes were exposed causing all of my flats. So now I consider it quite fortunate that I got a flat tire right in front of this lodge where I could stay for the night and diagnose this problem.. I also patched up all of my spare tubes. So now I have 3 good spare tubes instead of just one. Hopefully I won’t be getting so many flat tires now. Talk to you later. Bye. (recorder time: 2008-06-24 00:19:23 EST.)

Another Flat for Felix Wong ~ Luckily in front of a Lodge for the night

Racer update about:
Hi this Felix Wong call at 9PM. I am just at the Junction of 287 and the gravel road that goes to 287. I’ve gone 92 miles today. I was really climbing well since the last time I called which was at Flagg Ranch. Just feeling super strong and then I got to this intersection to make a phone call to a friend came back and guess what my rear tire is flat again. So I only have one spare tube. Hopefully that’s good. The good thing is that where this happened is right next to the lodge. I’m staying in the lodge even though the rooms are $141.00. But I’m only doing this race in once in my life. So I’m here. I’m going to try to repair all of my tubes. Then hopefully make it to Pinedale for a day and half or so and pick up more tubes there. That’s my situation. I’m kind of bummed. I was actually planning on going on to Brooks Lake. But I guess 92 miles on a difficult day starting late with flat tires is not to shabby. I guess I’m not too disappointed. Talk to you later. Bye. (recorder time: 2008-06-23 22:06:15 EST.)

Felix Wong Fights the Mosquitoes and Flats through the Snow

Racer update about:
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.)

Felix Wong's 6 Mile Scenic Side Trip

Racer update about:
HI this is Felix Wong. I'm calling at 10:50 on Sunday, June 22nd. I'm actually at the Ashton-Flagg Ranch. I think that is the name. Just west of the WY border. I rode about 118 miles today. Great day. Amazing scenery, amazing weather. The only thing that dampened the day was at the end I got lost. I made a turn I shouldn’t have and I added on about 6 miles. The sad thing was I also added on my most difficult climb of the day which was completely unnecessary. I ultimately got back on the course. Got to this ranch. Got a room at around 9:45 and took a shower. It has been nice. Everything is going well. My legs feel really good. I took it easy today. I understand that the Tetons are going to be a lot more difficult, so I should be ready for them. Hopefully. I'll talk to you later. Bye. (recorder time: 2008-06-22 23:53:34 EST.)

Felix Wong Thanks Everyone for their Messages

Racer update about:

Hi this is Felix Wong calling again. I'm still in Big Springs, ID. I just wanted to thank every one for leaving messages on the blog or text messaging me. A friend of mine has been reading them to me. I really appreciate the support. I just wanted to thank you all. Hope you are having weekend and a good time following this race which has been very exciting for me. I hope for you too. You guys take care.

(recorder time: 2008-06-22 16:03:56 EST.)

Felix Wong Having a Great Day

Racer update about:

HI this is Felix Wong calling on Sunday, June 22nd 2:38pm. I'm just west of Big Springs, ID. I finally made it out of MT. It has been a gorgeous day. Great Weather unlike yesterday. Yesterday was very hot with armies of blood sucking mosquitoes swarming on me anytime I would stop. But today has been absolutely gorgeous. This part of ID is really beautiful. This has probably been the most enjoyable day of the Tour so far. I've been taking it easy all day just because I've put in a pretty hard effort the last 4 days. It has been nice not having any major climbs today. A couple of coincidences I would like to mention, yesterday at Lima right after I called in a woman got out of her van and ask me if I was Felix then she handed me a phone. I thought that was pretty funny. It turned out that it was Mike Dion's mother who had a friend by complete coincidence who was driving from Salt Lake City to Montana (they were moving) and by complete coincidences was passing through Lima and she found me in the parking lot and apparently knew I was Felix. Then, today when I crossed into ID I saw a guy named Rich. He was wearing a Fat Tire Jersey. Fat Tire is made in my home town Fort Collins, CO. So I really enjoyed seeing that and we talked. I met his brother-in-law, Todd and Todd's lovely daughter, Chelsea. We talked for a bit. It has just been an all round pleasant day and I hope it continues that way. I’ll call in later. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.

(recorder time: 2008-06-22 15:41:56 EST. )

Felix Wong Tells us how to Bear Proof your Campsite

Racer update about:

HI this is Felix Wong calling at 7:05 on Saturday, June 2lst from Lima, MT. I've had a good couple of days riding. Yesterday, despite starting about 8:15 I managed to cover about 110 miles riding until about 11 pm. The only spot that seemed to be really slowing me down was this absurdly steep downhill which I had to be weaving while walking my bike down. Otherwise, I felt like I was flying pretty much for the rest of it. I've been really feeling strong. This morning, well today, I cranked out about 108 miles and its still pretty early so I'm probably going to carry on. Read more »

Felix Wong meets a Race Fan in Butte

Racer update about:

Hi this is Felix Wong calling on Friday at 1 o'clock. I'm still Butte. I'm on my way out but I wanted to tell you about the most amazing thing. I stopped by The Outdoorsman. Its a bicycle shop. A gentlemen when he found me said you must be Mr. Wong. I couldn't believe that he knew who I was. He has been following the race on line. Levi Leipheimer's (couldn't make out name) older brother Rob. So if there is anyone behind me, I believe only Steve is behind me know. Defintely stop by there. I stopped by there to get some tubes. I'm on my way. I'll talk to you later. Bye.

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