Introduction
I’ve been captivated by the Great Divide Mountain Biking Route since 2018, after I completed the TransAm, the cross-country gateway tour that changed my life for better or worse. I had originally planned to cycle the divide the summer of 2020 but was thwarted by COVID. My friends Andy, Asa, Jeff, and Chris have all cycled the divide, but none have gone the full distance. The Canadian border was closed during the pandemic. This will be my boldest and riskiest cycling adventure to date. The Great Divide is the world’s longest off-road cycling route, spanning over three thousand miles from the Mexican border post at Antelope Wells, NM to Jasper, AB running along the spine of the Rocky Mountains. I will be riding through five American states and two Canadian provinces. I will climb more than a combined 200,000 feet elevation, mostly on gravel and dirt. I purchased a new bike and equipment for this tour. My training consisted of rigorous January and April tours. My route direction was ins