Tour Divide 2013

Blown chances, Beaver-Head. I’m surprised this gets past my internet filters…….
C

His idea of easing off and mine might not be the same. He’s doing 12Mph at 2am in the morning. I am sitting down to coffee and toast at home. I don’t feel like I have eased off!

C

A real pity if they get re-routed. Mike is absolutely killing it!! – so far ahead of JP’s schedule.

With no detours, would he have been under 13 days?

C

Mike won the ‘puffer which is ‘merely’ a 24 hour endurance race. A friend, Alex Slaven, has won the same event a couple of times. I’ve seen Alex two days after the ride still looking totally wrecked. Mike has to be superhuman to put so many big days back to back. RESPECT!

Strange ting is, he seems so………normal.

Mike got kicked off the road in Croatia on the RTW by th police due to the wind threatening to blow him off the cliff edge but still cracked on, then mastered sleep riding on the nullabor, you think a road closure will put him off!

The man has beer and Yorkshire tea on his mind, not much going to slow him down now!

Also, did you hear he is riding to the airport after, Austin I think but may be mistaken. Anyhow, not just a quick ride to the shops!

Looks like he is taking the diversion because of forest road closures. 🙁

“And no sneaking through either, the forestry called the place I had lunch at, they were obviously following.”

He’s tweeted that he’s having an ice cream and a think.

Must be very frustrating for the bloke.

I’d imagine not just frustrating but quite heartbreaking. There’s not much I’ve read about Mike that makes me think he’s just doing this for the experience; it seems like being the drive to be the guy who did it best is very much part of his psyche.

Jump the barrier, the ultimate ‘cheeky-trail’

C

James O is really close to 3rd…

Jump the barrier, the ultimate ‘cheeky-trail’
Haha…do it Mike !

There’s not much I’ve read about Mike that makes me think he’s just doing this for the experience; it seems like being the drive to be the guy who did it best is very much part of his psyche.

There’s a positive spin – he can start thinking about next year and use the current ride as a course preview – i.e. doing a race pre-lap. That way come 2014 he’ll know the best racing line around all the corners 😯

There’s a positive spin – he can start thinking about next year and use the current ride as a course preview – i.e. doing a race pre-lap.

Except he did his course preview ride in 2011 ready for 2013 🙁

Am I right that he has about 300 miles to go, it’s 11:30am over there, it’s very hot and if he blasted it non stop through the night could do <13 days?

C

I live in Albuquerque and it’s going to reach 100 degrees F by mid afternoon and where he now is, turning south towards Crownpoint, it’s likely to be even hotter as it’s an open, essentially treeless span (except a bit around Grants) all the way south until he crosses the highway 60 west of Datil. Doesn’t seem like it’s going to be too windy today, so that should help as there isn’t anything to stop the wind across that entire stretch.

Looks like Mike Hall has already covered about half the distance between Crownpoint and Gallup, New Mexico. Considering the heat, he is really cranking it up—it is a section of really long, gradual up-hills and down-hills, in the 6500-7500 ft elevation.

Correction to earlier post. I said halfway to Gallup, when I meant Grants. Looks like he has stopped at Grants for the time being. He must be whipped in the heat and the way he was hammering it.

don’t want this ort of thing to happen http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/turias-nearfatal-decision-to-run-in-kimberley-race-20120430-1xutu.html

Have all the pie you need Mike.
http://halfpastdone.com/2013/06/26/tour-divide-day-13-holding-out-for-pie/

These guys are another type of human, esp MH!

What’s happened to Jesse Carlsson?

JamesO in 2nd/3rd…

Jesse Carlsson is “off route” due to the diversion. He’ll re-appear in 2nd place when he reaches Cuba.

Having had a long rest waiting to enter Pietown, what’s the chances Mike Hall will do the rest in a oner and get back to a 200 mile/day average?

We presume it’s because Jesse is doing the detour due to forest closure, etc, & therefore he’s off the route. The computer can’t account for that, so he’s not ranked until he re-joins the route. I expect the same will happen with James, Alex & Liam. We’re making the most of it while it shows James 2nd! But he & Alex are working their way up to the highest point at the mo….over 11000ft! Keep going guys – you’re doing so incredibly well, & I’m a proud mum!

Can someone give me a quick rundown on what’s happened with the re-route?
Did Mike wait until it was open again?

Or is it that he’s already the other side of it?

He had to re-route. The section from Abiquiu to Cuba is closed.

Ta – I went for a bivi so missed this.
Although – my meagre (and knackering) 20km to and 20km from the bivi put all this in perspective. Just can’t really comprehend it.

Dangerous heatwave expected for south west US this weekend, with temperatures reaching up to 53.9C

http://blogs.channel4.com/liam-dutton-on-weather/dangerous-heatwave-expected-south-west/4008

that’s quite warm…

Yeah, going to be another hot one today here in New Mexico. Albuquerque forecast looking at 103F and it’s likely to be even a little hotter as they head S/SW. As they continue, I hope they can avoid the massive smoke from the Silver fire. If the wind holds to the typical direction from the SW they should pass to the W and SW of worst of it.

Looks like Mike had a good break in Pie Town – hope he got to eat some good pies!
Is he going to have to make another detour to skip out the fires in the Gila?

I was looking at maps today and it looks like the official trail might run just to the west of the Silver fire, but hard to tell exactly. If it does run to the west, with generally prevailing SW winds, he might be OK and not have to detour. Not sure, though, how much of the area they might have closed off.

What’s happening??? Likin this thread… Neeeearly there……

100 miles to go?

Mike’s back on the official route after having to detour, can almost taste the border!

The flag was a nice touch

http://halfpastdone.com/2013/06/28/692/

Just 70 miles of tumbleweed and dust storms between me and Antelope Wells now. Boy it’s windy here too. Of course it’s not a tail wind.

Love that Pivot bike. Go Mike!

I don’t see much water on him…?

Awesome stuff.

This has been my tour of the Great Divide.

Very good beer 😉

Think of all the national praise folks who win an olympic or similar event get. Wouldn’t it be nice if a small portion of that praise could be given to someone who has smashed a major (albeit niche) event. MH deserves some recognition beyond avid blue dot junkies.