From recollection the Gold Dust trail was easy to find, I could be wrong but think there was a sign of some sort. Knowing it was just after the summit meant I was looking out for it.

I found the reservation easy enough to ride through with no issues from the locals but the amount of rubbish by the roadside was noticeable after the rest of the route.

I got told in Del Norte of a fire reroute from a local as I had no idea. Things have moved on since '11 but I would have blundered straight on with no knowledge of how to get round. We did not supply cell phone number to Ml and I had no access to the Internet.

Brian is about to pass Beaverhead Work camp, into the up/down/up/down of the southern Gila. There's some fires raging very close to the route near the Black Canyon switchbacks, hope it stays open!

Beaverhead Coke machine was working last year. They were very, very excited to tell us this when we rolled in :)

GregMay wrote:Beaverhead Coke machine was working last year. They were very, very excited to tell us this when we rolled in :)

Damn! It was broken when I was there, but the firefighters had just finished their dinner, and there were about 8 TD racers there hoovering up noodles and iced T!

A short video of the new Koko section that avoids Elkford:

Koko Claims New Route by G. Carter, on Flickr

Took Glen 3.5 hours to get to the top.

I drank 3 cans. You're welcome. They were cold too.

Blackhound wrote: Took Glen 3.5 hours to get to the top.

I don't think he needs those aerobars.

Currently wearing my disapproving face.

WTAF?

New route looks ace though. Day one, lots of energy, good times.

Looks like Brian Lucido will finish later today, 14 days and ~20hrs? Under 15 anyway - fantastic ride. Score 1 for the 'old guys' : )

Ace ride by Brian.

JP should finish today baring the spread of any of those lingering fires. Similar distance out as I was on my last day. I suspect he will be faster as I stopped for food for an hour in Silver City and again for 30mins in Separ - with coffee and ice cream.

Some photos floating of the route running directly beside the fire suppression area in the Gila. Fire to the left of them, firefighters to the right, trail in the middle. Can't be nice riding conditions, but there is some rain coming, so they may get put out - then have to deal with peanut butter mud that the Gila is known for.

Kinda mud that not even a car can get you through.

I think this year's standout ride is that of Ben Steurbaut: breaks his forks, gets them replaced; breaks his frame, gets that fixed. Still finished in under 17 days

whitestone wrote:I think this year's standout ride is that of Ben Steurbaut: breaks his forks, gets them replaced; breaks his frame, gets that fixed. Still finished in under 17 days

Agree, very much taking the self supported, do it yourself ethos these races should be full of.

GregMay wrote:

whitestone wrote:I think this year's standout ride is that of Ben Steurbaut: breaks his forks, gets them replaced; breaks his frame, gets that fixed. Still finished in under 17 days

Agree, very much taking the self supported, do it yourself ethos these races should be full of.

Absolutely +1, amazing finish from Ben.

Steve Halligan has had a good strong ride after what I'm presuming was an early mishap at end of Day1 where he stopped for nearly 24hrs

Presume it was a mechanical - Anyone know what ?

mountainbaker wrote:

GregMay wrote:

whitestone wrote:I think this year's standout ride is that of Ben Steurbaut: breaks his forks, gets them replaced; breaks his frame, gets that fixed. Still finished in under 17 days

Agree, very much taking the self supported, do it yourself ethos these races should be full of.

Absolutely +1, amazing finish from Ben.

/adds lauff forks and cube frames to the same list that sp hubs are on.

johnnystorm wrote:/adds lauff forks and cube frames to the same list that sp hubs are on.

Don't forget Industry 9 hubs.

*deletes glib comment about Lauf forks*

*smug face*

I see Rickie's dot has changed colour.

Indeed.

To quote Matt, it takes a village.

NewRetroTom wrote:I see Rickie's dot has changed colour.

I just saw this too - track leaders shows 'Alternated from Race Route',
Apart from the Como mishap, where she went back and corrected - I couldn't see anywhere else off route

It's going to result in a slightly weird result where (if things stay as they are) Marketa Peggy Marvanova will be the women's winner, crossing the finish line a couple of days behind Rickie. Not very satisfactory for anyone involved.

Looks like she went back up the mountain very fast.



If that's the case, then Marketa deserves to win.

Very fast.

Thought the Como thing also counted as outside assistance with Nav' so maybe related to that or in combination

Whatever, she's ridden all the way across the States. Pretty vaguely exciting thing to have achieved anyway