AntonioGG Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 I had some kids do that to me in my neighborhood. They stopped and taunted me after I almost ate it on my road bike. I dared them to come back. The adrenaline was rushing. I'm glad they didn't come back. Idiots. I don't know the details but I figured that's what happened with Tommy K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 (edited) Was reading about the current overall leader, Chris Seistrup, who is just about to finish up the ride in the next day or so. Being from Prescott, AZ he has a home court advantage in the desert and should have little problem sewing this up. It was a surprise to find, oxymoronically, that this Mountain Biker is a hemophiliac. Which means that he probably doesn't embrace my motto, "If you're not bleeding, you're not having fun" quite the same way most MTB riders may relate. Needless to say, mountain biking alone is a brave undertaking for this guy, much more so is riding the Divide event, and to be about to win it is simply amazing. Kudos! Edited June 29, 2019 by Ridenfool 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntonioGG Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 I was looking at the 2nd group now between Abiquiu and Cuba, and thought I noticed a caldera. Sure enough! http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/volcanoes/valles-caldera-jemez-volcanic-field I want to go ride that area of the country. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, AntonioGG said: I was looking at the 2nd group now between Abiquiu and Cuba, and thought I noticed a caldera. Sure enough! http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/volcanoes/valles-caldera-jemez-volcanic-field I want to go ride that area of the country. Valles Caldera is amazing and high elevation. The opening scenes of the TV series Longmire were filmed here. When we were there (4 years ago?) it was managed under Department of Agriculture. The trails we wanted to ride had been closed due to damage from a recent rain storm; the folks at the ranger station had a big van w/ bike rack they used to drive people here and there inside the preserve. They dropped us off on a dirt road and aimed us in the right direction for a nice ride. We turned around when the dirt road turned into a bulldozed track with razor sharp obsidian everywhere. I was really concerned that we might slice a tire open. The ranger folk said they'd find us on our way back and give us a ride back to the ranger station, which they did. It's now managed as a national preserve under the National Park Service. When we were there, only anglers with a reservation to fish in a specific area were allowed to drive private vehicles into the preserve and I suspect not much has changed. Worth a visit and bring your bikes. Also, Jemez Hot Springs are on the way. Edited June 29, 2019 by June Bug 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 8 hours ago, Ridenfool said: Since it's you: have little problem sowing this up. sewing - he's not fucking a pig here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 34 minutes ago, TAF said: sewing - he's not fucking a pig here. Clearly, you know more about this than I do. 😱 I stand corrected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 (edited) Alexandera is at the checkpoint in Abiquiu (Georgia O'Keeffe, RIP) and should pass by the north side of Valles Caldera today or tonight. The next checkpoint (Cuba, NM, 77.7 miles away on US Hwy 550) is the home of El Bruno's Restaurante y Cantina. The green chile burrito at El Bruno's would probably stop all forward progress, so guessing she won't stop for dinner. Edited July 2, 2019 by June Bug 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 (edited) 5:21 pm: I know, I know, creepy and stalker-ish, but Ryan Simon is at the Shell gas station in Cuba, NM, which is in front of a large McDonald's. Will he get a Big Mac or roll on with a gas station burrito under his belt? Tonight they'll be a long slog across the Navajo Reservation. Next checkpoint is Pie Town, almost 200 miles away, but he'll go through Grants, NM on I-40 about half way to Pie Town. Getting down into much lower elevation ~ 6,000 ft. The overall leader, Chris Seistrup, will finish this evening in a few hours. Edited June 29, 2019 by June Bug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 Also looks like Alexandra closed a few miles on Ryan. I think he'll eat the Big Mac and then put an Alsups' Burrito in his belt before leaving town. Or, maybe a couple of corn dogs and a handful of mustard packs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 (edited) Pics of Alexandera and her racing set up here: Chumba Cycles: Alexandera's DKXL, TDR, CT Singlespeed Stella Titanium 29er Note the small brown tarp under her sleeping bag. That's her shelter. Edited June 30, 2019 by June Bug 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Chris just finished - wonder if he's getting picked up, or if he has to slog it back to the bus stop in Silver City. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 (edited) Tour Divide Sunday a.m. stalking report: Ryan is now just behind the Phillips 66 gas station in Grants and he may have briefly stopped in at the WalMart Super Center just prior. Alexandera is stopped and getting some nap time in the absolute barking center of nowhere on the Navajo Reservation; elevation there is close to 7,000'. Quite a slog to Grants. Although there is no dramatic mountain topography, this is not flat country -- there could be a lot of cumulative elevation gain as you roll along. Also, hadn't even considered wind as a factor until just now. High of 84 today in Grants, with afternoon thunderstorms and a west/southwest wind up to 10 mph by tonight, when it's out of the north (good). The roads look like pavement or maintained gravel. Nate Ginzton has also finished. TAF, I can't imagine having to turn around and ride back to Silver City! I'm guessing that Antelope Wells is not an amenity-rich locale. 7:00 am Mountain Standard Time update: Our girl is up and on the move at 8.6 mph. Edited June 30, 2019 by June Bug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 There's absolutely nothing in Antelope Wells - not even a water spigot, I don't think. I recall from a some posts I read a few TDs back, that if you can't get met at the border, there used to be a guy from Silver City who you could pay to come pick you up, otherwise you had to ride back to somewhere like Lordsburg. Not a whole lot of fun, after all that riding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 4 minutes ago, TAF said: There's absolutely nothing in Antelope Wells - not even a water spigot, I don't think. I recall from a some posts I read a few TDs back, that if you can't get met at the border, there used to be a guy from Silver City who you could pay to come pick you up, otherwise you had to ride back to somewhere like Lordsburg. Not a whole lot of fun, after all that riding! Any chance there is a rider, from say Newfoundland or Texas A&M, who left their car at the start in Canada, and who turns around at Antelope Wells and rides back to get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 The only Yo-Yo'er I know of is Billy Rice - perhaps there have been others? It's the sort of thing you hear those PCT and AT thru-hikers doing, but I guess those guys have no job to go back to or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 Alexandera is about 240 miles ahead of the next woman rider, Zoe Chauderlot. Four riders have finished, and Tony Lesueur finished just now. The next rider is still over 90 miles away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 On 6/30/2019 at 10:15 AM, TAF said: The only Yo-Yo'er I know of is Billy Rice - perhaps there have been others? It's the sort of thing you hear those PCT and AT thru-hikers doing, but I guess those guys have no job to go back to or something. I looked him up and he is an Aggie. That explains it I suppose. What an amazing rider/ride. As well as being his own lab rat for his studies at TAMU. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted July 1, 2019 Author Share Posted July 1, 2019 Wow, Ryan Simon is single speeding along and is only 25 miles north of Silver City! Alexandera is about 120 miles north of Silver City, still consistently moving along at (typically) 8 mph, knocking out 140 to 150 miles a day and sleeping 4 hours/night. She's been truly solo for a lot of this race; no riders are anywhere close in either direction. However, Evan Deutsch is now about 4 miles back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share Posted July 2, 2019 Ryan Simon will finish today -- he has only about 50 miles to go. Alexandera is moving right along after a five-hour nap and will be in Silver City this evening. It looks like she stops about 1 or 2 am, sleeps for four to five hours, and then is right back at it -- consistently cranking out about 140 to 150 miles/day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Handle Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 On 6/29/2019 at 12:01 PM, June Bug said: Alexandera is at the checkpoint in Abiquiu (Georgia O'Keeffe, RIP) and should pass by the north side of Valles Caldera today or tonight. The next checkpoint (Cuba, NM, 77.7 miles away on US Hwy 555) is the home of El Bruno's Restaurante y Cantina. The green chile burrito at El Bruno's would probably stop all forward progress, so guessing she won't stop for dinner. googles Cuba, NM... I heart green chile burritos like no one's business... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share Posted July 2, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, Anita Handle said: googles Cuba, NM... I heart green chile burritos like no one's business... I typo'd in my original post. Cuba is on Hwy 550 (not Hwy 555) between Bernalillo and Farmington. It's a bit of a super highway these days and goes right by the turn off to the White Ridge Bike Trails. We've used Hwy 550 three or so times to drive back and forth to SW Colorado; smooth sailing on a 4-lane highway with minimal traffic. Edited July 2, 2019 by June Bug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Handle Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 38 minutes ago, June Bug said: I typo'd in my original post. Cuba is on Hwy 550 (not Hwy 555) between Bernalillo and Farmington. It's a bit of a super highway these days and goes right by the turn off to the White Ridge Bike Trails. We've used Hwy 550 three or so times to drive back and forth to SW Colorado; smooth sailing on a 4-lane highway with minimal traffic. yeah, I looked it up and realized that I'd been to that area. I've ridden White Ridge/White Mesa. Beautiful trail! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 (edited) Alexandera is 110.4 miles to Antelope Wells! She should be done tomorrow. Wonder if she'll pedal straight through to the end! Hope someone is there to meet her -- like the Chumba folks. ETA: Will try not to think about Alexandera riding on the access road for I-10 at 9 at night right now. The route uses I-10 to jog a bit back to the east before turning south to Antelope Wells. The closest person to Alexandera must have gotten hung up in Silver City and Alexandera now has a 36 mile lead. If things stay as they are, tomorrow she will be the next finisher behind Ryan Simon, first female finisher, 2nd overall single-speed finisher. As noted above, it will be interesting in the morning to see if she stops tonight or just powers through to the end. Also, really like the timing of this. The person I'm following on the Tour Divide will be all wrapped up and then, Viola!, the T de F gets underway on Saturday. To whet y'all's appetite, there will be 30 categorized climbs with five mountain finishes, but only 54 km of time trialing. Froomie and Geraint Thomas are out with injuries; anything could happen. It will be interesting to see if Bob Roll (Bobke) has a larger role in commentating. Paul Sherwen, Phil Liggett's partner in commenting on road racing for 35 years, passed away of a heart attack at age 62 last December. Edited July 3, 2019 by June Bug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 8 hours ago, June Bug said: It will be interesting to see if Bob Roll (Bobke) has a larger role in commentating. Paul Sherwen, Phil Liggett's partner in commenting on road racing for 35 years, passed away of a heart attack at age 62 last December. The feed I get (NBC Gold) is the two Aussie fellers - they're not terribly interesting, and I usually tune them out. Here's a fascinating read on the technology and logistics behind TdF broadcasting: https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/from-the-mag/inside-nbcs-tour-de-france-television-broadcast_495538 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 (edited) Hey, she's done! 1st Women 2nd Singlespeed 16th Overall Edited July 3, 2019 by Ridenfool 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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