Tour Divide Race Day 9 Update

Well, I had good intentions and had planned to do daily posts with Tour Divide updates, but the intensity of my work at the The Outdoorsman helping Rob and Jon service and make repairs on over 50 racer's bikes over four very long days left me with little energy to stay up late to write after the shop closed each day.

Suffice it to say, we all felt rode hard and put away wet after working hard to keep the racers in the game with clean drive trains, new chains, derailleurs, cables/housings, tires, tubs, Stans replacement, shifting/brake tuning, disc pads, and whatever else was needed. I'm proud of our team, and especially of shop owner, Rob Leipheimer, who goes above and beyond to make every Divide rider (racer or not) feel at home while they get the help they need. We work in total unison with one common overriding purpose: to make each racer's brief respite at the Outdoorsman enjoyable and supportive in mind, body, and spirit while at the same time ensuring that they leave on bikes that are in a safe operating condition to meet the demands of a very brutal environment that we call the Great Divide.

The stories contributed from each racer's perspective are as different as they can be. Every rider has their own unique spin on their race experiences, and we all relish the time they spent with us, albeit too short.

As the tempo of the race begins to slow for us, I'll have more time to post some of the interesting back stories on the racers and the Tour Divide from our perspective as observers on the sidelines.

For now, here are some select pictures I've taken during the past week as racers have come through Butte.