From GDR blog: Bike party on the GDR [Day 3]

It's been a big "bike party" on the Great Divide route so far today, with racers piling up in Seeley Lake, Ovando and Lincoln and pushing on toward Helena. John Nobile called in from Helena, at mile 365 [587 km] on the route, at 1 p.m. Sunday. He reported no snow on the route between Lincoln and Helena, a washed-out road toward Stemple Pass, and a wolf sighting.

David Blaine called from Lincoln [492 km] at 11:36 a.m., Rainier Lenninge called at about noon, and Simon Kennett called at 12:35 p.m. to report light overnight rain and a nice tailwind into town. Geoff Roes also called around noon Sunday, sounding a little wiped after attempting to camp outside Ovando with Simon, Fred Wilkinson and Carl Hutchings. "I have not been able to sleep," he said. Geoff said he's been sleeping about three hours a night even though he's been stopped for seven or eight, and the weather isn't helping. "We got a torrential downpour just as we were getting out of bed," he said. "I was trying to get my stuff together and my sleeping bag got soaked." Geoff said he would probably only push as far as Helena today because he's exhausted, "sleepy-wise," but still feeling strong physically.

Lincoln

Simon called at about 12.30, Miro and I were just having lunch. He was in Lincoln & had about 60 miles to go to Helena, where he was going to call it quits for the day - maybe splash out on a motel.

Yesterday morning (Saturday) saw about a dozen riders camped on a front lawn together, they all headed off to a cafe for breakfast. Simon had a salmon omlette- couldn't move for about 1/2 an hour afterwards.

It was a long hilly ride to Holland Lake, where he arrived 30 minutes before the cafe closed. got a packed lunch (he reckons he has about 1/2 the food carrying capacity of some of the others, that'll get better as he gets rid of some of the old (very old) shorts etc he is carrying).

Simon starting up Richmond Peak.

He hooked up with Carl Hutchings (a former Iditabike winner- very handy) going over Richmond Pass. It was a bit of a slog. Lots of fallen trees.

At the end of a 145 mile (233 km) day in Ovando dinner consisted of some gummy bears and an oatmeal cookie (not ideal recovery food!). Camped out on the grass in front of the museum, when at midnight the sprinklers went off! Eek.

So, sounds like he's having a pretty good day today.

Cheers, Sarah

Also: Listen to Simon's GDR call-in (597KB mp3)

Scorching Day 2

This from the GDR updates blog:

A quiet day for call-ins, but not for movement out on the Great Divide route. Around 3:30 p.m. Pete Basinger and the film crew found Geoff Roes, Rainer Lenninge and David Blaine on their way up Richmond Peak - the next big snowy barrier where Tour Divide racers reported deep snow, steep sideslopes and lots of deadfall. Just behind them came Simon Kennett, Carl Hutchings, Fred Wilkinson, Jenn Hopkins, Keith Flury and, just a little ways behind that group, Nathan Bay.

"They were all within three miles of each other, and none of them really knew it," Basinger said. "But the most exciting part of the day happened when we were coming into Lincoln about 11 p.m. We were expected to get some sleep and then wake up to film the racers when they came through in the morning, but then we bumped into John Nobile. He had some pretty good stories to tell."

Nobile, the first racer into Lincoln at 11 p.m. Saturday, definitely did have an interesting day. First he saw two small black bears, followed by a big black bear. Then he met a hunter with at least two dogs "with heads as high as my handlebars" that gave chase. "One chomped into my left thigh and one chomped into my right knee," he said. "Now I guess I have some puncture wounds I have to wash out."

"But he was so stoked about (the bites)," Basinger said after talking to Nobile in Lincoln. "He's talking about it like it's some huge adventure."

Richmond Peak is still a complete mess. Nobile said he was lost up there for about an hour, and Nathan Bay, who called in from Seeley Lake around midnight, said "it really was that bad." But Basinger said racers seemed to all make good time over the nasty pass, and were rolling into Seeley Lake close together after 9 p.m.

"Nobody seemed to have too many problems on the pass," Basinger said. "Mainly, the problem today was the heat. Everyone said something about that. I think it was in the upper 80s, at least 88."

4pm Saturday (Simon time) update

Here's some stuff I've collected from the Great Divide Race Updates blog:
Simon just before the start.

Simon got to Whitefish at 8:30pm Friday which puts him in 5th. Here's the progress board.

Here's what he said on his Friday 8:37pm Whitefish call in:

Listen to Simon (248KB mp3)

Gidday, it's Simon Kennett here. It's about 8:36 and I'm in Whitefish - which is niiice. Been a good day, not too much snow. Lot's of good people to ride with... so looking forward to tomorrow. See ya.

Whitefish!

Just had a call at 8.40, from Simon in Whitefish.
He sounded tired but happy.

Not too long after the start he was with a couple of other guys, after 12 miles, one other guy, then after 20 miles it was just him (don't get too excited he's not in the lead!). He was thinking it would be really cold going over the snowy passes, so wore two layers of wool- and is now a bit dehydrated. Had a 45 minute walk through the snow with David Blain (a single-speeder).

He thinks he came in to Whitefish in about 5th place (but who's counting).

Apparently it doesn't get dark till after 10 up there, so he is pressing on to a GDR-friendly front yard 10 miles out of Columbia Falls (I imagine a big pile of bikes and tired riders).

Simon said there are some very talented riders in the field- the guy who is in the lead rode to the start from Utah!

I think I'm going to have a cup of chamomile tea and a lie-down.

Cheers
Sarah

Start line

Click on the image for the full size version.

19 Great Divide Racers left the border at noon today under clear skies and warm temperatures [not sure why there's only 18 people in the photo].

That's Simon 4th from the right (facing away from the camera) shaking Cullen Barker's hand.

• Meet the racers part 1 (photos)


• Meet the racers part 2 (bios)

I just noticed in the start line photo that Simon has his orange sleeping/bivvy bag attached in-line with the airflow, whereas everyone else with gear on the front has them attached crossways to the wind - except for John Nobile, who has his windshield.

What time is it?

Here's the time in Helena, Montana.

Add six hours and subtract a day.

This message was posted just after 10am on Saturday NZ time so that's just after 4pm on Friday on the Great Divide.

Simon has to phone in when he gets to Whitefish, Montana - 101 miles (162 km) away.

Cheers, Paul