Author Topic: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.  (Read 6019 times)

Bill

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Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« on: October 04, 2015, 01:56:52 am »
Sorry no pics. Camera got wet.
Rode the first 1000 miles of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Canmore Alberta to Big Springs, Idaho in September.Had all kinds of weather, from stiff headwinds to dead calm, searing days and frosty nights, heavy rain and even snow.
Saw no bears, many deer, elk, pronghorn antelope and gazillions of cattle.
Got stuck in mud so bad you couldnt push your bike, nearly died of hypothermia in the rain and snow on Cabin Pass/Wigwam creek, took a nasty fall on thick gravel descending Huckleberry Pass (gravel still embedded in my helmet),and my tent blew down on the last night at Upper Red Rocks Lake. So much for ultra light gear.

Had to push a few times, the worst was 5+ km on lava creek trail between Helena and Basin Montana. The notorious Fleecer ridge was easy by comparison.

Some of my gear got shaken to bits, but the bike did great, no problems with the Rohloff. 2.1 inch Kenda small block tires were good, but I wonder if a bigger tire would be better. The wash board and rough gravel made me wish for some kind of suspension,
maybe a thudbuster seat post?

Camping gets harder as you go south, more fences and less water, more cattle. People were friendly and helpful and its not really as remote as portrayed. Hunters and ranchers were every where.

Next year maybe the rest of it, but its going to take more than a month.


 

jags

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Re: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2015, 11:39:27 am »
Bill it that the longest off road tour in the world  think i seen a few films on it Utube.
man sounds like some adventure pity your camera ain't working .
look after yourself and enjoy whatever comes your way.

anto.

Bill

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Re: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2016, 11:02:54 pm »
Okay part II just completed, Big springs Idaho to Hartsel Colorado.
We had a big detour around the Tetons due to a fire related road closure, but much better weather than last year. We exited at Hartsel for logistical reasons which leaves us about a month to do next year. If only we were younger and faster.

Pictures here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/billsawyers/albums/72157674433644545/with/29324343443/
 

in4

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Re: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2016, 08:55:28 am »
Fabulous stuff, thanks for posting. If photos like these do not send you out on your bike I do not know what will. Post porridge map search imminent!

StillOld

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Re: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2016, 03:47:33 pm »
Great photos.....do a write up as well?

John Saxby

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Re: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2016, 05:39:39 pm »
Great photos, Bill - a demanding and rewarding adventure, for sure. And good luck on completing the route next year.

Camped in Kananaskis Country in late June, I met a couple of riders who had come S from Banff on the Spray Lakes trail within the Divide Route. I also ran into some of the same problems of water supply as you did, a little further south in Glacier Ntl Park and further west as I headed to the Pacific Coast via Montana, Idaho, and Cascadia.  (I've organized my photos from that trip, and will post those & a story shortly.)

On the matter of demanding and rewarding adventures:  On the ferry on Kootenay Lake near Nelson, BC, I met two German guys who were halfway through their 1500 km hike from Banff to Vancouver, via the Trans-Canada Trail. Their hike was from early June to early September. They had 20-kg packs on their backs, and neither was a big man, but they were both very cheerful, and hugely complimentary about the people they'd met, the landscapes, the campsites, and the food. They said my 2300-km bike ride was special. I agreed, but I said that I admired them for doing the longer and more strenuous trek. They were in their mid-70s -- wow!

Bill

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Re: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2016, 09:12:18 pm »
Great photos.....do a write up as well?

No write up. Its a flickr album so if you click on the pictures you can see the description and leave comments if you wish.
 

jags

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Re: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2016, 08:17:46 pm »
Okay part II just completed, Big springs Idaho to Hartsel Colorado.
We had a big detour around the Tetons due to a fire related road closure, but much better weather than last year. We exited at Hartsel for logistical reasons which leaves us about a month to do next year. If only we were younger and faster.

Pictures here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/billsawyers/albums/72157674433644545/with/29324343443/

fantastic photos.

Bill

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Re: Raven Nomad on the Great Divide.
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2018, 05:31:07 am »
Finally posted photos from the last segment, Hartsel Colorado to the border station at Antelope Wells, New Mexico.
No major problems, except for getting stuck in the mud after a thunderstorm. I wish I would have taken some pictures of what my bike looked like, but I was too busy cursing.

Adventure Cycling have now added another 700 km to the route, starting it in Jasper Alberta and going along the foothills on the east side of the Rockies, then connecting to Banff. Its nowhere near the divide, but now we will have to do that ,in order to brag about having completed the route.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4gErRaxQutbvVLYs8