tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44481971120167446042024-03-05T14:35:53.628-06:00Zen BikingCycling and the good it does for me.Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-21634153125674890022016-05-20T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-23T08:12:40.325-05:002015 Tour Divide - Reflections and ThanksI've had a number of people ask me if I would go back and race The Tour Divide again. After taking time to reflect on the training as well as the event, I would have to say that 2015 will likely be the only time that I race the route. As I was speeding south to Antelope Wells, I was often disappointed that I didn't have the time to enjoy the route and surrounding area more. South of Polaris, MT, Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-84871975697670464682016-05-19T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-19T08:00:09.823-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 24 to the endI woke up at sunrise on Sunday morning. I was glad to see that it hadn't rained any more, and the sun was out. I felt cautiously optimistic after taking stock of the road conditions. I really wanted to make Silver City, but it would be a big push. A quick clean and lube of the chain and I was off. The first thing I noted was no fresh tire tracks, which meant Jean-Michel was likely still in Pie Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-36570433155658773132016-05-18T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-18T08:00:00.297-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 21 - 23Not wanting to cause any issues, we set our alarms early and were on the road before 6 AM. The famed dogs of Vallecitos were still asleep at this time, and it wasn't until we were out of town that I remembered that it was the one spot on the route where the dogs concerned me. The climb leaving Vallecitos was a reasonable grade and scenic. When we arrived in El Rito, but the restaurant wasn't openSteve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-71877516611795589572016-05-17T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-17T08:00:21.072-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 18 - 20I woke up the next morning, packed my gear, and hit the diner across the street for breakfast - a large omelette, coffee, and two bowls of fruit. I took two grilled cheese sandwiches to go. I met Jean-Michel at the convenience store next door and soon we were headed down the trail. The first seven miles of our day was road and bike trail into Poncha Springs. I noted that we should have ridden Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-87478744569099678782016-05-16T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-16T12:10:42.001-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 15 - 17
I woke up the on the morning of Day 15 and dove into a leftover pizza while I checked on the status of my replacement hub. Bad news. It was delayed by bad weather in the midwest. I got a text from Mark and Dan about this time, so I joined them for second breakfast at Creekside Cafe. After checking the UPS site a second time, I needed to figure out a plan B, so I was at the shop when it opened Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-4639649723236209572016-05-13T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-13T08:00:05.812-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 12 - 14I rolled out of bed the next morning knowing that I would be ending my day near or in the Great Basin. I stuffed the previous night's extra burger and fries into my mouth, loaded up and headed out into the vast unknown of central Wyoming. After a quick stop for a cold drink in Boulder, I found myself riding with Rob Milburn from Minnesota. Rob and rode together for a few miles but Rob's back was Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-38553403626021782442016-05-12T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-12T18:20:57.792-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 9 - 11After the ups and downs of the previous day, leaving Montana and riding into Idaho wasn't too bad. The cruise through the valley at the foot of the Centennial Mountains meant lots of big open skies, long stretches of road, and many old cabins to keep my mind distracted. I made a brief stop at the top of Red Rock Pass to take my first photo with a sign marking the Continental Divide. Soon after, ISteve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-49609009324353988292016-05-11T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-12T18:20:48.558-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 6 - 8Day six was going to be long and hard, so we woke up early and got on the road. Dan, Mark, and I settled into our individual paces and we would not really see each other again until Helena. Our day started with the climb up South Fork road towards our first CD crossing of the day. This first climb was long, but extremely scenic. The turn off of Stemple Pass Road towards Poorman creek was 40 yardsSteve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-78000899071450381012016-05-10T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-12T18:20:40.387-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 3 - 5
A long day two meant that day three started early and felt rough. After loading up at the downtown convenience store, I took off on my own with Columbia Falls as my main target for the day. I had ridden the Eureka to Ovando section of the route the previous summer with my friends Tom and Joe, so I had no issues striking out on my own while others slept in. I rode alone for most of the day other Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-42052854261571561082016-05-09T08:00:00.000-05:002016-05-25T23:31:34.078-05:002015 Tour Divide - Days 1 & 2"I intend to race honorably, adhering to the rules set forth at http://tourdivide.org/the_rules, and I will self-relegate if I choose to not follow them. I believe that the quality of the TDR and its future lies in the competitor's adherence to the rules that are in effect at the time of the event. I am looking forward to the race, the route, the competitors, and the experiences and stories it Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-76049245277825584112015-07-25T23:12:00.001-05:002016-05-09T19:29:28.770-05:00Photos!!!I had some time to go through and post some photos from my Tour Divide experience this year. Enjoy!!Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-26918838716478222182015-07-23T19:09:00.000-05:002015-07-23T20:40:04.865-05:00Tour Divide Cost Summary
I don't normally post about financial things, but I have had a number of people who were curious about the costs I incurred during this year's Tour Divide Race, so I'm going to post this quick summary.
Days in hotels - 15
Days camping - 9
Food - $1300
Lodging - $1018
Bike Parts / Repairs - $565
Travel to Banff - $362
Misc Expenses - $140
Medical - $85
Shipping - $60
Total costs - $3532
Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-33814531097617355372015-07-10T21:13:00.002-05:002015-07-12T20:48:07.795-05:00Success
24 days, 17 hours, 2 minutes
More to come...
Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-38584111749985519542015-05-31T21:55:00.000-05:002015-06-02T09:12:37.445-05:00Tour Divide Race InfoTour Divide Race Info (for those interested)
I fly from Des Moines to Calgary on June 8th, arrive in Banff on June 9th, and the race starts at 8 AM CDT on June 12th.
Follow the race progress at - Trackleaders.com
You will be able to click on any racer's name to follow them, or leave comments on their individual Facebook thread. My track will update every 10 minutes or so. Blue dots for Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-25989062787895982542015-05-30T12:55:00.001-05:002015-05-30T12:55:26.433-05:00Some adjustments...Weird weather patterns the past couple of weeks have seen Colorado and New Mexico receive nearly record amounts of rainfall for the month of May. For Colorado, that means 8" and for New Mexico, 4"+. That has meant quite a bit of snow at elevation and mud where the snow has left off. I've been watching Billy Rice's progress and videors from his NoBo ITT, which he aborted due to snow in southern Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-91448207848883602232015-05-13T06:00:00.000-05:002015-05-14T19:07:13.007-05:00Nutrition and HydrationThe TD route is all over the place when it comes to food and water resources. The northern part of the route has a many mountain streams and lakes to refill from water, and the stretches in between potential food resupply points aren't too large. The southern part of the route becomes a lot more arid and the towns along the way are more spread out, as well as smaller. It's important to know whereSteve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-27342286901181966822015-05-07T22:28:00.005-05:002015-05-11T19:52:53.406-05:00Tour Divide Preview - Bike and rider repairThe saying goes "You pack for your fears". This is is never more true than when trying to pack spare parts and tools for the Tour Divide. Your sources for bike parts and repair may range from a hardware store that carries the basics, to a full blown bike shop with top level mechanics, to something in between. Access to healthcare is sporadic. There are large stretches where you'll be on your own Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-29047256974403093192015-05-04T22:48:00.000-05:002015-05-05T14:12:25.358-05:00Tour Divide Gear Preview - ElectronicsDiscussing electronics use during the Tour Divide can border on a religious argument. Early riders and many modern purists keep their electronics use to an absolute minimum - A Spot tracker to verify their route and a phone for use just in case of emergency. Others take a number of devices - Spot tracker, GPS, camera, iPod to name a few. No matter how many devices a rider takes, keeping them Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-69798137899745039102015-05-01T06:00:00.000-05:002015-05-02T06:35:07.975-05:00Tour Divide Gear Preview - Sleep SystemMy sleep system consists of four items, all of which are stored in a 13L Outdoor Research compression drybag on my handlebars.
Miles Gear Pico Bivy
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 25F down quilt
Thermarest NeoAir X-Lite air mattress (women's)
Klymit Pillow X
I chose the Miles Gear Bivy as a starting point in my bivy testing and never really moved on to anything else. I knew that I mightSteve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-5400955795586147682015-04-29T06:00:00.000-05:002015-05-01T08:21:24.482-05:00Tour Divide Gear Preview - ClothingThis is the second in my series of gear posts for my 2015 Tour Divide attempt. Today, the exciting world of clothing.
Everyday riding gear
Pearl Izumi P.R.O. bib shorts
Pearl Izumi Elite climbers jersey
Twin Six 3/4 shorts
Wool socks (mid calf)
Pearl Izumi X-Project 2.0 shoes
45N merino t-shirt
Wahoo fitness HR strap
Oakley Radar EV Path sunglasses w prescription lenses
RoadID (wrist mount)
Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-58876322062719192062015-04-27T20:00:00.000-05:002015-05-01T08:25:38.373-05:00Quick training update and Tour Divide Gear Preview - Bike and BagsThings have been less than active here lately. Apologies, there's plenty to write about but not a lot of time to write about it. Getting prepared for the 2015 Tour Divide is taking up most of my time outside of work, which has left me a bit of time for my family and even less time to write. Honestly, reading about the prep would bore most people. Figure 18 - 25 hours on the bike per week, with Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-39930047368184195232014-11-30T22:07:00.000-06:002014-11-30T22:07:06.775-06:00GDMBR Trip - Day 2 and 3Still fighting the mosquitos, we ate breakfast, packed up and left. Tom was running a little slow, but somehow managed to sneak off ahead of Joe and I while we were taking some photos and waiting for him. It turns out that Tom thought we had left him, and since we were only about 100 yards from the start of the descent, he was irritated about us bombing ahead of him. After a bit, he realized thatSteve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-17618771320940824072014-11-30T21:14:00.000-06:002014-11-30T21:14:47.945-06:00GDMBR Trip - Travel and Day 1For a number of years, my friend Tom has been trying to get a group of people to come back to his native Montana with him for a week of riding. There had been a number of attempts to put a group together, but they never worked out for various reasons. When the discussion came around in winter of 2013, I decided that committing to the trip was a good thing to do. A few days of riding on the GDMBR Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-48775453423460496032014-11-30T00:08:00.002-06:002014-11-30T00:08:56.607-06:00TIMPSince it's announcement, I had been trying to work out when to try my TIMP attempt. With an August deadline, and a trip to Montana planned for the end of July, the end of June seemed to give me enough time to prepare and wait out some of the rain and flooding that had been affecting northwest IA. With my friends Scott and Andy having completed the trip in the middle of June, things looked set. I Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4448197112016744604.post-54895310827874146582014-11-27T17:25:00.001-06:002014-11-27T17:25:59.662-06:00Long weekend w friendsTwo short weeks after the Alexander, I met up with my partners in crime, Taylor, Kyle and Rick for what has become an annual ride for Kyle - The Great Memorial Gravel Ride to Cedar Rapids. Since this ended in familiar territory and I had to be in Waterloo that weekend for a family event, a plan was hatched - Ride to CR on Friday with "The Group" and then ride the Cedar Valley Nature Trail end to Steve Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04000254083516026697noreply@blogger.com0