Trans Am Bike Race / TransAm / TABR

Looks like he missed the turn onto Mckenzie Pass. Wasted climb if he realises and chooses to go back.

Oh noooo. #lezyne

Lol Mckenzie Pass twice in a day, I'd be dead.

Seems that route was an approved alt in previous years. Wonder if he had an older gpx.

Looks like it wasn't even an alt, it was on the 2019 course.

Ah bugger, that would mean he'd have to go all the way back and restart from the point where he left the current route ...

Same thing happened when I rode it. There was an official detour for a flooded bridge or something in Kentucky the year before and if I'd used that year's file I wouldn't have followed the course and that's normally a DQ. Nathan is pretty chill though so it's likely any route that doesn't give you an advantage won't be penalised.

I saw lots of people fail to follow the route. Seems lots of them just use the Adventure Cycling route (which he himself mentions is 95% accurate) and not Nathan's one.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/25569923

That might be the route when they can't clear McKenzie of snow in time. One of the editions I rode they only cleared it the day or two days before race start so almost everyone would've had an alt route planned if McK didn't open in time.

Kraig and Evan resting at Baker City. Kraig said they struggled through a snow blizzard in day 1, Evan isn't carrying gear for those colder conditions so he had it worse. They rode together through it. Mateo update:

Mateo said he crashed yesterday and is super sore. He’s doing well and continuing on.

His progress is becoming more inconsistent than those around him, he breaks more often.

De'anna and Simone are still very closely matched.

@DotWatcher how comes your not covering this?

One of the years was very icy on McKenzie Pass so I could see that happening if you're pushing too hard or not concentrating.

those fancy aero bars are already proving useful.

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I legit googled those extension after seeing them. I have the older style TriRig bars and the pads are fucked and these things look like 'arm sofas' so I reckon would be pretty nice during my next 12hr TT. But I'm not sure I have the time to buy them and then set them up, test them, etc.

TriRig Scoops btw: https://www.tririg.com/store.php?c=scoops

Yeah they do look comfy.

a snow blizzard

Nuts. Glad they're OK.

I've just ordered £3 worth of foam. Seemed the more cost-effective option :)

Ah fair enough. What were your overall impressions of it? Distance to climbing ratio definitely appeals to me. Bit of an epic in terms of planning I guess.

does any one know if its been race'd SS or fixed?

Forgetting the distance it's easier than TCR. No languages or money issues, fairly easy to resupply and it's a fixed route so surprises are reduced since you get more info every time the race is run. Weather can be a factor - it's damn cold in the mountains at the start, can be hella windy in the middle and then steamy bastard heat towards the end.

I've still not done a clean run at it - both times I've fucked myself up with some stupid issues at the start - first year was the calf guards rubbing a tendon raw (like I did with armwarmers in RATN) and second year I'd somehow managed to setup my seat totally wrong height and fucked my knees to the point where I was looking at quit options.

People on the route and interested tended to be amazingly nice although there's always the odd loony. Roads are good quality but there's some dodgy driving and some big trucks you're sharing the road with sometimes.

Big, easy hills at the start and then it gets rolling in Missouri and harder climbs in Kentucky. Everyone underestimates the climbing at the end because the 3000m Hoosier offsets the gradient profile.

I'm not sure if it has been raced ss/fixed but it's almost certainly been toured SS/fixed.

fkndgs?

Yeah, Kentucky was almost as bad as Romania for dogs. I shot most of them on my way through the second year so it's a lot nicer now.

(not really, but a local did suggest it!)

That's interesting, thanks. Adding to the maybe list for sure.