Continental Divide Ride

The Great Divide Ride hardly rates in the spectrum of HUBB adventures but there may be some sadists out there who enjoy hearing about self-flagellation.

Working in Canada for a year, it seemed a shame not to do a big ride, after all this is a big country. In fact so big that it is difficult putting together a decent off-road route lacking local knowledge. I knew of the Great Divide Ride and the Trans-America Trail and so wanted to squeeze them together. So the plan became:-

• Great Divide Ride (GDR) from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.
• Backtrack up to Colorado and join the western section of the Trans-America Trail (TAT) out to the Pacific Coast
• Pick up the Washington Back-country Discovery Route (BDR) back to Canada and home

I had gee-ed up a mate from Nova Scotia to join me and it was all go.

Travelled through the worst snowstorm in years from Kelowna to Vancouver Island to pick up a KTM530EXCR. The quick trip there and back turned into a 4-day epic. It turned out to be worth it, the bike had a 23 litre Acerbis tank, oil cooler, hand guards, radiator guards, rear rack and a spare tyre. Only 5000km on the clock, nothing to do really...

There's always something! GPS mount, power outlets, double-take mirrors, new sprockets, fork skins, wheel bearings, alloy bash-plate. Luckily I had brought all my adventure riding gear with me from New Zealand in anticipation (Super-U gear bag, tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear, tools, the works).

As the days drew nearer, my mate bought his bike, a KLR650, got his gear together and prepared for his mammoth journey from Nova Scotia to Banff, ride and back. Conservatively 20,000km in 30 days. 

Days before his departure, a bombshell, he had been suffering health problems for some time and wouldn't be able to come! Could I find a partner at a week's notice, should I do it alone? With my mental and financial investment, pulling out was not an option so I will do it alone. I had ridden quite a bit of Russia alone after another mate was delayed, why not the States? Or am I so despicable as to make partners abandon me unmet?

I just hope the bears find me equally distasteful!