The Grand Tour of MTB
June 20, 2012 11:18 AM Subscribe
The 2012 Tour Divide kicked off on the 8th of June. This grand tour takes self-supported cyclists from Banff, AB CA to Antelope Wells, NM, USA along the North American Continental Divide. Riders must endure 4418 km (2745 miles) of dirt and gravel, with over 60,000 meters (200,000 ft) of climbing. If you want to win - plan on riding 16+ hours a day. Participants are now spread across the route, with the leader approaching the Colorado border.
A friend of mine raced this a few years ago, and has some amazing stories to tell about it.
Also, there is a documentary on Netflix watch it now called "Ride the Divide"
posted by monkeystronghold at 11:46 AM on June 20, 2012 [2 favorites]
Also, there is a documentary on Netflix watch it now called "Ride the Divide"
posted by monkeystronghold at 11:46 AM on June 20, 2012 [2 favorites]
Saw Ride the Divide recently. These people are crazy. Good documentary.
posted by bread-eater at 11:50 AM on June 20, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by bread-eater at 11:50 AM on June 20, 2012 [2 favorites]
Also, here's the 2011 Tour Divide call in log for Mefi's own alex_skazat.
I also saw Ride the Divide a few years ago and felt some familiar pangs in my heart from randonneuring. Those moments in the film when guys who are still physically capable of continuing but breakdown because of mental and social isolation? Yup. Been there. Looked at that demon. Shook its hand and tried to pull away.
posted by bl1nk at 12:47 PM on June 20, 2012
I also saw Ride the Divide a few years ago and felt some familiar pangs in my heart from randonneuring. Those moments in the film when guys who are still physically capable of continuing but breakdown because of mental and social isolation? Yup. Been there. Looked at that demon. Shook its hand and tried to pull away.
posted by bl1nk at 12:47 PM on June 20, 2012
A couple of years ago, Mr. Ant and I rode the Continental Divide on motorcycles. We carried extra water to give to the bicyclists we met. Some motorcycling friends encountered this couple, who rode the Continental Divide on unicycles. It's crazies, all the way down!
posted by workerant at 1:03 PM on June 20, 2012
posted by workerant at 1:03 PM on June 20, 2012
aganders3: “Participants are now spread across the route, with the leader approaching the Colorado border.”
I presume you meant "approaching the New Mexico border," right? If I'm not reading the map wrong, it looks like they've been in Colorado for some time now.
posted by koeselitz at 1:05 PM on June 20, 2012
I presume you meant "approaching the New Mexico border," right? If I'm not reading the map wrong, it looks like they've been in Colorado for some time now.
posted by koeselitz at 1:05 PM on June 20, 2012
I really like the guy trolling their map from Vancouver...
posted by Windopaene at 1:06 PM on June 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Windopaene at 1:06 PM on June 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
> koeselitz: I presume you meant "approaching the New Mexico border," right? If I'm not reading the map wrong, it looks like they've been in Colorado for some time now.
Yes, I realized my mistake just after hitting submit. Has anyone ever made their first post on the blue without a mistake in it?
posted by aganders3 at 1:30 PM on June 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yes, I realized my mistake just after hitting submit. Has anyone ever made their first post on the blue without a mistake in it?
posted by aganders3 at 1:30 PM on June 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
Warren Zevon's first post was about the hair of a pina colada-drinking lycanthrope he'd seen at Trader Vics. It was perfect.
posted by cortex at 1:34 PM on June 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by cortex at 1:34 PM on June 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
> bl1nk: Also, here's the 2011 Tour Divide call in log for Mefi's own alex_skazat.
Thanks bl1nk, that was a great listen/read. I am a hopeless romantic like him, I guess, and it started getting dusty in my cube with his "final thoughts".
posted by aganders3 at 1:36 PM on June 20, 2012
Thanks bl1nk, that was a great listen/read. I am a hopeless romantic like him, I guess, and it started getting dusty in my cube with his "final thoughts".
posted by aganders3 at 1:36 PM on June 20, 2012
I first met Matt in the context of Tuesday night Cruiser Rides in town. It wasn't until a few cruiser rides later that I found out he'd won this race. It's so weird and incongruous. This dude looks fit and all, but he's riding on a cruiser bike there in front of me with a backpack with an ipod and two bookshelf speakers blaring some Brazilian something. I still haven't watched Ride the Divide. In the queue it goes!
posted by tarheelcoxn at 1:58 PM on June 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by tarheelcoxn at 1:58 PM on June 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
The ideal effect of reading this is that I would go out and ride more
The real effect is that I am going to start obsessing over gear and end up buying a very expensive internally geared hub.
Because that is the only difference between my bike and that of one of the top 5 riders.
I have officially run out of excuses, I have to ride mire. Thanks for the inspiration.
posted by Ayn Rand and God at 3:29 PM on June 20, 2012
The real effect is that I am going to start obsessing over gear and end up buying a very expensive internally geared hub.
Because that is the only difference between my bike and that of one of the top 5 riders.
I have officially run out of excuses, I have to ride mire. Thanks for the inspiration.
posted by Ayn Rand and God at 3:29 PM on June 20, 2012
oh heck there's a book about a guy who did this race. Wish I could remember the title. It was great.
posted by GuyZero at 8:04 PM on June 20, 2012
posted by GuyZero at 8:04 PM on June 20, 2012
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posted by cortex at 11:22 AM on June 20, 2012