Transcontinental Race (London - Istanbul) - #TCRNo4

The Munoz Brothers have just over 50 miles to go. Could be done today.

Only 50km to go now. Should finish easily today.

Race between Min and the last pair is hotting up a little. The pair are making good progress from a more northerly angle but Min is riding well from a more westerly one. Much will depend on terrain and time off bike over the next two or three days.

no i haven't. but when i see the min's race i guess i should have written it. i am impressed to see her in the effort. When i see that today from my sofa i can understand why people were so interested by my own trip last year. i fed his paypal yesterday for the last days. i am wondering if she is helped by decathlon taiwan because she thanks them on her blog. lol. i believed to see flat pedal on the min's pics, and her shoes are special but it doesn't look like bike shoes. You guys from LFGSS you should create a special award "uber hero" as Clive call it. a special prize for the effort of the solo lanterne rouge.

i have just spoken with Min #92. it s raining currently in greece. intense rainfall. she is in hostel. tired and her mood is not good. but she says she is going to finish it. two day again according herself.

Strong

Thanks David. For some of us, the exploits of the likes of @hippy and @skinny are thrilling to follow but, like the heros of the Tour or Olympics, have little relevance to our actual lives. I cannot look at @skinny 's ride and think "I could do that ". I could, however, follow you or Min and wonder "Could I do that? How would I cope?" That is why you and Min are inspirational. It is also why you are Uber heros. O

Monrning update.

The Munoz Brothers completed the race yesterday leaving just three riders still out on the road.

The pair #228 of Mattia Biffi and Alberto Varni have just crossed the border into Greece from Macedonia. Alberto's tracker has been a little rogue over the past couple of days but now appears to be recharged and transmitting.

Min rested in Thessonloniki overnight.

She is some way ahead of the others, quite how far is hard to tell as they are coming at it from different angles. That said, the pair appear to riding for longer each day and covering more miles. It could be very close by the end.

This would be rather nice. Personally, I would like Min to have the undisputed accolade of lanterne rouge and to have someone to welcome her at the end.

They are now on Day 25. They have been on the road three times as long as the winner. The mental resolve required to get one's aching body up each morning, pull on tired and soiled kit, stuff feet into worn shoes and pull a helment, still damp with sweat from the previous day onto one's head and then feel one's joints and muscles rebel as the first few pedal strokes strain against an unwilling body. And then to ride on in the heat, looking for food and water, struggling to navigate, checking everything is properly charged, watching for traffic and dogs and finally looking for somewhere to sleep. The simple determination, despite all adversity, to finish the task. Wow. Just wow.

Free Route is saying that there is 30km in it. If there are two more days to ride (and it could be three) the pair could overtake Min very close to the end.

Last five days:

Day 20
Pair #228 139 km in 8.4 hours
Min 73 km in 3.8 hours

Day 21
Pair 122 km in 7.3 hours
Min 210 km in 10 hours

Day 22
Pair 115 km in 6.8 hours
Min 137 km in 10 hours

Day 23
Pair 205 km in 10.4 hours
Min 148 km in 8.8 hours

Day 24
Pair 262 km in 11.6 hours
Min 180 km in 10 hours

It is the last two days that may indicate that the pair are getting a shift on towards the end. If they maintain that pace, they will catch Min.

The simple determination, despite all adversity, to finish the task. Wow.

Well put, shot put.

@hippy I wanted to ask at the time... how did you plan the route to CP1? Was it just Google Maps auto-routing (which is what I suspected)?

Would have thought RWGPS auto routing. And a bit of fiddling, to include gravel tracks.

..and sand. Lots of sand.

The only shame is about the ashes. Lots of ashes. :(

The pair appear to be taking a less bumpy but possibly longer route. So far today they have ridden for 3.9 hours and covered 77 km. Min has ridden for 4.1 hours and covered 75km. Not much in it.

@marcom How lovely to see you.

I can't wait for this transcontinental thing to finish so that you may find some new interest.

No, RWGPS.
It was planned and I had some help when it came to suggestions for reducing climbing.
If I had more time/inclination I would've examined it more closely and removed some of the off-road mistakes. But I really dislike staring at maps and satellite images for hours on end so, fuck it, I'd rather just whinge about it on twitter :)

hehehe

This.

Because I'm an idiot. Because it wasn't hard enough.

Route 66 starts soon

What a dream... I would love to go east to west, with a motor, and finishing on a Californian beach.

Not forgetting a trip to see Mickey Mouse

How soon?

Like usual, as a soon as the vehicles are shaped it starts. Brum brum is the signal if you need it.

Can't remember who was asking but Mikko's started uploading his 2016 bike photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mkpaa/albums/72157671644429160