Great Divide Mountain Bike Route Tour 2007

Main Site is Active!!!

2007-12-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

Greetings all, Happy Holidays!

The work in progress known as the main trip site http://boundaryzero.net is now up and running.

However, many elements are still in the draft phase (like the trip journals) and will be released as I complete them. I prioritized my efforts on what seemed to be the most popular content items on this site and am working from there. I still need to make everything easier on the eyes with photos, charts, etc. Still a lot more to come. Enjoy!

Boulder Divide Ride Presentations CHANGES!

2007-12-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Holidays all!

Reminder that my Divide Ride Presentations are coming up soon. I found out today that MONTBELL HAS RESCHEDULED FROM THU 06 DEC 07 TO TUE 08 JANUARY 2008! I apologize for the late notice, as I just found out about the reschedule today.

The REI presentation scheduled next Monday, 10 DEC 07 is still on as planned. I verified REI's A/V setup today and their community room is super nice!

REI, Boulder Colorado, Monday 10 DEC 07, 7-8 PM.
See event specific online calendar release here. REI recently remodeled this store to be the prototype for stores to come..it has a huge community room with an advanced AV presentation setup, see details here. The event director at this location and I have coordinated with some local non-profits in addition to Adventure Cycling (free membership drawing offered) to have literature on site as well. This will also be a overhead slideshow presentation with photos and some of my equipment and maps as props. I will pass out one sheet handouts with the overall route map (to help folks follow along with the presentation) and relevant website URLs.

MontBell, Boulder Colorado, Tuesday 08 JAN 07, 8-9 PM
See location website here. Non-Profit Adventure Cycling Association literature will be available in addition to a free membership drawing. This will be an overhead slideshow presentation with photos as well as some of my equipment and maps as props. This presentation will be ultralight gear focused. I will pass out one sheet handouts with the overall route map (to help folks follow along with the presentation) and relevant website URLs.

Both presentations are free and open to the public.

Please forward this and/or invite anyone who may be interested to the presentations!

No need to RSVP or anything.

Let me know if you have any questions! I hope everyone can make it.

Adventure Travel Article Published!

2007-11-05T12:20:00.000-07:00

Greetings All!
Progress continues on post Divide Ride projects. One of the projects was to have an article published by a recognized adventure travel magazine, online magazine, or website. Well, lo and behold, this has happened via BootsnAll Travel Network's AdventureLogue Travel Guide, see the main site here.

See the GDMBR specific article that I wrote here.

Good things are happening! More articles may be in the works.

Much thanks to Daved for taking a chance on my story!

I found the site by navigating through Tim Ferriss' excellent blog based on his book, The Four Hour Workweek (see description in right sidebar,) which served as a late coming but nonetheless significant inspiration for this trip.

Back in Boulder, Photo Galleries Up

2007-09-30T21:25:00.000-06:00

"We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with experience and character." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Home at last. Took me some time to get back, we ended up staying a few days extra in Silver City, NM to make sure fellow riders and friends Erik and Christine made it back from the border okay. They decided to make the one day push from Silver City to the border as well. Great job guys!

Much thanks to my parents, Loyall and Ginger, who took time out of their lives to patiently deal with my exploits near the border, helped out Erik and Christine, and helped me get home. Many more folks to thank as well, which I will be doing as I post photos.

I plan to edit and caption most of the photos over the next couple of days, post them as slide shows, and just initially just get them out there. Once I have it all complete....several weeks to maybe months from now, I will post the address for the main site (a functional, normal menued website) which will have the full on journal writeups with embedded photos. Layouts will be by ACA map section to help past, current, and future riders orient to the site.

Note NEW PHOTO GALLERIES menu on the left side bar beneath the "My GDMBR Statistics" menu. All sections are posted.

Day 61 US/Mexico Border-Antelope Wells, NM

2007-09-25T22:34:00.001-06:00

"What fun is it being cool if you can't wear a sombrero" ~ Calvin & Hobbes

Kind of difficult to wrap my mind around it, but I made it to the
border today. I decided to ride it out, over 11 hours, 125 miles.
Pulled out several hours before sunrise, the weather was good...not
too hot and no significant headwind. Didn't see any javalinas, but
almost ran over a skunk.

The folks passed me at the 15 mile out point and met me at the
border...thank you, thank you...

Three countries, two provinces, five states, 500 cattle guards, etc.
Etc. and 2842.32 miles later this section of the bigger journey ends.
What's next? Deal with that tomorrow.

So many folks to thank...to be done in another posting. I won't forget you.

Final mileage (according to my GPS): 2842.32.
Divide crossings: 30

Day 60 Silver City, NM

2007-09-24T12:24:00.001-06:00

"The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of
adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects
interesting things to happen to him. He goes "sight-seeing." ~ Daniel
J. Boorstin

128 miles to the border...it can be done in one day.
Quick recap of events since Grants. Erik, Christine and I pulled out
of Grants enroute to Pie Town several days ago. The section was very
beautiful, volcanic canyon country with cool rock formations, ancient
lava flows, and natural arches. Although it rained off and on all
day, travel was steady and cool.

Pie Town was excellent, a very welcoming and appreciative place for
divide riders. The pie, of course, was exceptional and in adequate
supply. Erik and Christine liked it so much they decided to stay on
another day to rest, while I elected to head out. I really enjoyed time shared with them and miss their energy. Hope to see them if they come in before I head back to Boulder.

I was rather surprised how rugged the southern NM divide mountains
were...kind of like a pinion/juniper/pine version of the TVD with
sections of alpine desert plains thrown in for fun between climbs.
It took a full three 65-70 mile days to get through it all. I met up
with a professor from El Paso who hooked me up with some bottled
water. Thanks for that! I was running very low. Lots of bugling
elk at night to complement the coyote sounds.

The last day into Silver City started with a series of significant climbs
through a stunning section of the Gila NF. It had rained that night
but the road wasn't too bad. I met up with a great group of Las
Cruces lawmen headed home from a hunting trip up in the Gila. Thanks
for the laughs, encouragement and Food, guys, you made my day! The
food they gave me turned into energy expended when the sky opened up
into a five hour long downpour. Soaked doesn't begin to describe the
state I was in. At least it wasn't real cold.

I finally made it into Silver City late in the evening after being harrassed by an aggressive group of three dogs through and about three miles
past Hanover. Somebody never heard of a leash. After the rollers into Silver City, I linked up with my folks and had a fat dinner. I cannot put into words how much I appreciate them coming down for the finale of all this. Thanks also to my sister for the card (cool), cookies, and other treats!

I bid for the border very soon. Until then...

Mileage to date: 2729.45

Day 55 Grants NM

2007-09-19T19:55:00.001-06:00

"Few can foresee whither their road will lead them, till they come to
its end." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

Howdy from Grants, NM! This is where the route intersects I-40.
Yesterday was my biggest day so far...a 104 mile cross desert ride.
Part of the ride passed through a Navajo Indian reservation. The
folks were very nice and interested in what I was doing. The day
ended by setting up camp behind a bar north of Milan.

Less than a week to the border!

Mileage to date: 2472.13

Day 54 Cuba, NM

2007-09-17T15:46:00.001-06:00

"Never tell a young person that anything cannot be done. God may have
been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible
to do that very thing." ~ G. M. Trevelyan

Hello from Cuba! No, not cigar smoking, old car driving, Miami Vice
dressing, Castro Cuba. This is an allright town, plenty of food
joints and a good laundrymat.

Ran into Eric and Christine from Oregon early in the climb out of
Abiquiu and we rode the two day Polividera Mesa section together...all
of us deciding to relax in Cuba for a day. Having a great time riding
and hanging out with these folks. We also met a couple of Divide
hikers from Florida and we are meeting them for dinner tonight.

The last section had a lot of climbing, but the route quality improved
as it went. Scrub desert turned to nice wooded mountains in plenty of
time. Its all been very scenic, but slow going. Weather has been
good, luckily the rain waited till today and should clear tomorrow.

Otherwise all is good to go, I packed in some spare driveline parts
and extra tubes from my bounce box and shipped it forward, hopefully
for the last time.

Mileage to date: 2353.49

Day 50 Abiquiu NM

2007-09-16T17:25:00.001-06:00

Greetings from "The Land of Enchantment." I finally made it to New
Mexico, where the trails are in roughly the same condition as when the
pioneers came through and the road shoulders are brightly and
generously decorated with broken glass. Anyway, the last state of
the journey.

The last four days or so have been among the most challenging
stretches so far. Lots of time hovering (up and down) between 10 and
11000 feet with almost no civilization to speak of...before noon today
it has been the slim jim zone for food since dinner in Platoro on
Tuesday.

All in all, weather has been good though, cold at night and seasonal
during the day, no overwhelming extremes. The contrast in the length
of daylight between here and Canada is significant...coupled with the
cold, it makes for much shorter riding days. High elevation riding
should come to an end within the next few days, after that I should
regain momentum if it stays mild and not too headwindy in the NM
desert.

Met some fellow riders today, nice folks from Oregon, Eric and
Christina. Had a wonderful dinner with them this evening.

All is good, some minor mechanical issues with the bike but I have no
choice but to live with them...not something I am equipped to fix.
Next bike shop isn't till Silver City.

Until next time...

Mileage to date: 2260.28

Day 46 Del Norte, CO

2007-09-10T17:43:00.001-06:00

"The willing, Destiny guides them; the unwilling, Destiny drags them." ~Seneca

Greetings all, taking a day off in Del Norte, staging for the big
climb up to Indiana Pass (11910 ft) tomorrow. A cold front rolled
through bringing rain and snow to the high elevations last night and
into today..probably tonight as well. Should be smoother sailing
tomorrow.

Anyway, trip from Salida was okay, negotiating the WSW, three over 10K
plus pass swing into this area. Weather cooperated and there were no
surprises other than some coyotes yelping away too close to me at
night. Please have some respect guys, I really need my sleep.

BTW, I ran into fellow GDMBR riders Artie and Sherry from Georgia
back in Salida...they left out a few hours ahead of me. Great folks,
they are motoring ahead at a very admirable pace. Also. thanks again
to Sandy for hooking me up in Salida as well. He brought my mail, and
of course, in it was a jury duty summons...yeah, Nice. I was luckily
able to get that deferred by phone today. It was also a treat to see
Gunner (the dog.) Most of my dog experience over the past month or so
has been of the 'chasing Chris down the road' variety.

Scenery through this area has been predictably phenomenal...the dawn
of the fall foliage change is readily apparent and will intensify as I
progress into the high elevations of northern New Mexico in the coming
week. Overnight temps are getting cold and frost is more likely than
not in areas over 9000 ft. The cold weather gear I have been lugging
over the last 2000 miles is getting some good use!

Otherwise, all is well...physically, mentally, electrically,
synergistically, and mechanically. I have completed several
audiobooks along the way, among the best: "Lone Survivor" by Navy
SEAL Marcus Luttrell (God bless our troops!) and "The Long Walk" by
Slavomir Rawicz. Both written by or about cats a lot tougher than I'll
ever be. Another really good read was "Rant" by my fav author Chuck
Palahnuik. I still have about six more books to go.

Thanks to all for the continued support and greetings to the class of
school children back in hometown Texas who have taken my trip on as a
Social Studies/Writing project. Until I found out about Melissa's
class, I wasn't sure if I had communicated my trip goals and intents
effectively...but I have been pleasantly surprised otherwise, again.

Due to isolated areas ahead, probably a long time before next post,
until then... "So it goes." (~Kurt Vonnegut, "Cat's Cradle")

Mileage to date: 2057.31

Day 42 Salida Colorado

2007-09-06T23:10:00.000-06:00

Colorado continues! I have been gradually making my way south since the last post...making brief cameos in Silverthorne and Breckenridge. Nice to travel through some familiar country. Breck was interesting, as I was just there in a different capacity two months ago.

Things have been going relatively well, got hammered by an extended thunder and lightning storm just south of Hartsel, Colorado yesterday evening and had to set up camp early. Rolled into Salida about mid-day today in a huge headwind and my bud Sandy came down from Boulder to have dinner with me. He even brought the dog, Gunner, which was Super Cool! Thanks to Sandy for all the support along the way.

Moving on tomorrow, the next section I actually toured last year...so I am familiar with the terrain. The fall change is starting and colors are coming alive! Will be in New Mexico by the beginning of next week. Some remote sections in NM...posts will be pretty thin and far betweeni

Mileage to date: 1904.81

Day 38 Kremmling, CO

2007-09-02T20:53:00.001-06:00

Day 38

There's a bit of magic in everything, and some loss to even things
out. ~Lou Reed, "Magic and Loss"

Hello all! Good to be back in Colorado and passing (at least
horizontally) the ultimate begin point of the trip. About 11AM today,
I actually passed the exact location I discovered the GDMBR two years
ago.

Travels since Rawlins have gone well. I passed back into Divide
country with actual trees about 20-30 miles south of Rawlins. I had
never seen the country between the WY/CO border and Steamboat Springs
before and it was well worth it...very stunning.

I came into Steamboat in a thunderstorm, but it at least cleared
before I made camp. I didn't loiter too much in Steamboat and pushed
out mid morning after a very nice family from Carbondale (near Aspen)
shared their breakfast with me. Thanks and best wishes to them! They
endured the singing campsite drunk all night just like I did.

The ride up Lynx Pass was interesting, through the Stagecoach
Reservoir area and up. Then the statistically impossible happened.
Five GDR riders, not knowing it would happen, all converged at the
same campsite within an hour or so of each other. Two were riders
from back east who had linked up and started riding together in MT,
and the other two were a couple from Georgia. All of us were
"thru-riders" who had started the trip a significantly different times
in Banff. For me, this was the first time I had encountered other
riders since Seeley Lake, MT and it was one of the highlights of the
trip thus far to swap stories and meet like minded folks. We all
resumed our own rides again this morning and may cross paths again
down the trail.

All is well, equipment is good and everything is on track. I'll be
glad when the holiday is over and the backcountry traffic mellows back
out.

Mileage to date: 1733.14

Day 33 Rawlins, WY

2007-08-28T16:19:00.001-06:00

Hello from southern Wyoming! The bizarre and challenging alpine desert
between Pinedale and Rawlins is now behind me. I rolled into town
mid afternoon yesterday, a little dehydrated and sunburned but
otherwise in good shape.

Having been in this in this area before, I knew what to
expect...relative to what you can see from a vehicle window at 75 mph.
Basically, in S Wyoming, the Divide is not a stereotypic, dramatic,
wooded mountainous area...it's a rolling, dry, desolate, scrub brushy
plain. One could cross the Continental Divide several times and not
even know it. The Divide actually splits in this area forming a non
draining feature (which works with very little rain and snowmelt)
known as The Great Divide Basin. The high range, wooded mountains of
the Divide pick back up near the CO/WY border. The Divide in S New
Mexico is deserty and dry like this as well.

Anyway, started a big day out of Pinedale with a lot of mileage and
some climbing. Almost got hit by a NOLS bus in the middle of a
drainage climb...but it wasn't her fault or mine. Ran into some more
NOLS folks late in the day near the Sweetwater River. The jefe of
the group wanted to confirm that my desert survival plans were solid
before moving on. It was hot and windy that day and the next, so his
concerns were valid...NOLS is a good outfit.

I took on the big open section the next day, starting the ride at 7AM
and finally bagging out, not even setting up camp, some time after
midnight. Some challenges occur when you can see the road you need to
ride extending as far as you can see in front of you, generally uphill
it always seemed.
The next morning I packed up and was moving by daybreak, although it
still took me 7-8 hours to finally get to Rawlins. The last 15-20
miles was on Highway 287...the same road I was tweaking out on back in
the Tetons area, this time with at least a decent shoulder. Although
it was pavement, there was significant climbing in addition to the
obligatory 500 mph Wyoming headwind; so I was on this stretch long
enough to see a well organized trio of highway patrols nab easily over twenty
motorists. What settles for entertainment in the desert...

Moving on to Colorado soon enough...but will likely spend very little
of some previously planned downtime in Steamboat IOT avoid the holiday
crowds. I'll blow through Summit County and hang out some further
south in mellow Salida...which is a really cool and no so touristy
town.

To answer a few recurring questions:
- I have lost weight...15-20 lbs. Some of which needed to go...the
rest is muscle mass lost by not lifting weights.
- Average around 55 miles a day...the most being 95 and the least 23.
I have had one flat in over 1500 miles...mostly due to tire
selection.
- Physical problems include some CTS type symptoms in both hands and
some intermittent knee pain..not enough to even need meds for.
- The food I crave the most...watermelon. Strange though, 10 yrs
ago in Ranger School it was Allsup's burritos.
- The weather has been better than I planned for.
- Equipment is holding up really well and logistics planning has
gone, well...as planned. Major unexpected shortage of Chamois Butt'r
though...I have to substitute.
- I think about a lot of things while riding during the day, can't
recall WHAT exactly.
- I miss my friends/family, the animals, healthy Boulder food, and
regular yoga sessions.
- Yes, it has been worth what I gave up to do this trip. I
understand the challenges upon return...they will be worth it as well.

Mileage to date: 1518.85 (yes, over halfway!)
Divide crossings: 14

Day 29 Pinedale, WY

2007-08-24T21:01:00.001-06:00

"Hit upon 'em Joe, raise the barn on yourself...Rain, Rain, Rains
gonna fall...right onto your head"
-Rusted Root, Rain

Howdy all, been awhile since the last post...but then again I am in
the least populated state per square mile in the US... Wyoming.
Regarding concerns about stretches between posting, I AM adhering to
the 3-4 day "safety" communication schedule I established and posted
in the "Route Communication" posting linked in the header and on the
sidebar links. I do appreciate the concern, but when I cannot post to
the blog, I do call one or more of the folks on the rotation, it's
worked well so far.

Anyway, to the fun stuff. I pulled out of Lima, MT and was grounded
about 15 miles out by an intense lightning and rain storm that went on
for about two hours. Since that area is an alpine desert, I dried
off on the move and rolled through some interesting open ranch
country. As the day was winding down..I was still a ways out from my
destination campsite. As luck (or fate, or karma...) would have it,
literally in the middle of the desolation, I ran into some folks in an
SUV who were waching wildlife in the Red Rocks Wildlife Preserve.
They offered me a sandwich, some fresh fruit and some wine. I passed
on the wine, but the rest of it hit the spot and saved me from having
to cook in the dark at the campsite. Much thanks to those folks...you
made my day!
The next morning, before I moved out to cross over Red Rocks Pass
and into Idaho, I met some wonderful "Leave No Trace" trailbuilding
volunteers from Cali who presented me with my official trip mascot, a
small, finger puppet owl. This guy now rides looking forward, bungeed
to my front food bag. Those who understand the metaphysical
significance of the owl...or who are just Mulder-types like me... can
appreciate the symbolism associated there.

Idaho, the 35 or so miles I rode at least, was very beautiful. I
rode an old railway bed (now a supersoft ATV haul ass washboard bed!)
that was slow-going high rolling resistance terrain but nonetheless
very beautiful. It had a spooky darkside-ish tunnel that I had to
really use the force to get through (about 80 ft of it anyway) in the
dark...mainly because I was just to lazy to pull out my headlamp
before going in.

The tunnel was not the last time I rode in the dark that day. I
overestimated my ability and the terrain, deciding to ride the
isolated "Reclamation Road" between Ashton, ID and Flagg Ranch, WY.
This road basically took me eastbound over the north side of the Teton
Range and into the zoo of Teton and Yellowstone NPs. Great
unobstructed views of the backside of the Tetons! Anyway, I rode the
last 10 or so miles into Flagg Ranch in the dark, in the rain, with
tunes crankin! Coming into Flagg Ranch in the made me think I was
coming up on a fireworks stand in Tennessee. Look, it's Las Vegas! I
got a campsite (with shower, which was nice) and rode into a scene
similar to the bar scene in Star Wars. Not much sleep that night
amidst the parties, campfires (somebody didn't get the "forest fires
everywhere!" word,) RV generator noise, and Harleys firing up at 5AM.
Take me back to sketchball, bear scare campsites, please!

The next morning I toured the 287 route between Yellowstone and Teton
Parks, which was beautiful but very dangerous riding a highway with no
shoulder crammed full of tourists in huge motorhomes moving as fast as
possible until someone spotted a deer or moose and then everyone
pulling over and taking pics. Never before on this trip had I been
more afraid for my life! I rode that section like it was the Tour De
France, as fast as possible, barely even stopping to eat.

The following day, I ended up back on 287 where road construction and
big gravel trucks were added to the pile of motorhomes and SUVs.
Finally got back on dirt and headed up Union Pass, where I proceeded
to get smacked by a huge thunder, lightning, hail, snow, and
rainstorm. I was hanging out, soaked, waiting under the deck of a
closed lodge for the rain to stop, when a guy pulled up and asked if I
wanted to stay in his vacant camper for the night. Jeff is a great
guy, a shower, dinner, and a warm dry camper was most excellent!
Thanks for the hospitality and excellent conversation, Jeff...you are
truly a wonderful person!

So, I rode the soggy 85 plus miles into Pinedale yesterday...one of
the longest days of the trip...both in miles and in mind. But,
Pinedale has been worth it...I really like this town, lots of
character...the first place on the route that I would consider maybe
relocating to in the future.

The big, open push across the plain is next and I hope to be in
Colorado by the end of the week.

Thanks for all the emails and support! I'm still going strong and all
equipment is servicable.

Mileage to date: 1286.81
Divide crossings: 11

Day 21 Lima, MT

2007-08-16T21:12:00.000-06:00

"Little by little...I can breathe again."
-Robert Plant

After continued super smoky air since Whitefish, I think I may actually be coming out of it...at least for now. The last few days have been pretty smoky, especially around Wise River, where there was actually quite a bit of solid debris in the air.

Otherwise, the last few days have gone well, monster day right out of Butte with a couple of big elevation climbs. Landed in a USFS campsite in the smoke filled Wise River Valley late in the evening and this wonderful family from Seattle immediately invited me over for dinner, which was excellent. Thanks guys for the food and conversation, you are awesome!

Pushed out into the cold (yes nights and mornings are getting cold...fall is coming!) the next morning hoping to hit a Hot Springs spot near Maverick Mountain Ski Resort. The Elkhorn Hot Springs were closed temporarily for maintenance, which was a bummer. Moved on to lunch at the Grasshopper Restaurant (named after the Grasshopper Glaciers, where they find grasshoppers imbedded in ancient ice glaciers)where I met up with, I estimate, four families of kids. Everywhere I go where there are actually people, it seems kids just swarm around me. The kids ask good questions and I have a good time explaining what I am doing to them. Kids have no boundaries and they are totally psyched to hear my story. Anyway, one of the parents was so happy that I entertained the kids for awhile, they bought my lunch! Thanks to whoever that was! And to the family with the National Guard father serving in Iraq, my best wishes and Godspeed!

After passing through the old ghost town of Bannack that afternoon, I rode out the long road to Grant, where I was taken in by Micheal and Barbara...who made me an excellent dinner and let me camp on thier lawn. That was the best surface I have camped on so far...nice soft grass. Moved out early this morning and rode the high sage desert to Lima...which seems to be a great small town.

Thanks all for the emails! Some referring sites are directing to the "About Me" page, which only shows a reference post...so I eliminated the data on that page and set it up to redirect. Please go directly to the main site to see the latests updates at boundaryzerochris.blogspot.com.

I will try to fix the HTML script errors when I have more time, you don't see those on Firefox.

I will try to get to as many emails as I can, but realize intent but limited resources. I have been literally overwhelmed by the positive energy surrounding this trip, both by the people I meet along the way and via the folks following my and supporting my journey. I had no idea it would happen this way! Thank You!

Mileage to date: 947.60

Day 17 Butte, MT

2007-08-12T16:34:00.000-06:00

"Traveling to the south will bring you unexpected happiness."
-fortune cookie fortune after Chinese buffet today in Butte...I am totally serious!

Coming down from Helena was interesting yesterday, two big elevation gain climbs and summitting some of the most technical terrain I have seen on the route thus far. Route over this singletrack/jeep/ATV trail was rocky like some of the terrain you find near the divide in Colorado. Way remote as well, as I didn't see or hear another person for about four hours. I succeeded in making it into Basin by the end of the day yesterday. A mountain biker I met just outside of Helena thought the full ride into Basin was ambitious to try, but nonetheless recommended "The Leaning Tower of Pizza" in Basin for dinner...which I tried and it was excellent.

While rolling into Basin, a man pulled over to talk to me as I was checking my map and trying to figure out where I was going to crash for the night. He offered to let me camp on his property and a chance encounter turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip thus far. Tom and Cathy of Basin are wonderful and generous folks who I spent the evening and part of this morning talking and exchanging ideas with. They are in the process of establishing what will be a successful bed and breakfast operation in the canyon just up the FS road to the north of Basin. I would have never figured out on my own that Basin has a "health mine" that folks come from some distance to visit and take in some unconventional healing. I didn't try it out, as I wanted to start heading south before it got hot and the wind kicked up. Regardless, I look forward to communicating with Tom and Cathy and will publish their bed and breakfast website address when I build the boundaryzero.com site after the big bike ride. Thanks Tom and Cathy for taking me in, you are awesome!

Trip from Basin into Butte was a challenge, as it was open and exposed country uphill almost the whole way with about a 40 mph headwind. I did get to see a firefighter sling load operation taking place just off the route. They were helocopter sling loading containers of drinking water to firefighters on the front fire lines in various fires to the north. An already high level of respect for firefighters was amplified when I saw how well (yes, I've been a part of a sling operation or two) they were handling that sling equipment. Uplifting to say the least.

I have been riding every day except for one over the last nine days, although not all of those days have been full on, bomber climb, 50-70 mile days. Some have been 25-35 mile partials, with nice partial recovery time. I will probably take tomorrow completely off to rest and deal with some life business. The series of climbs coming out of Butte look pretty challenging as well...so it makes sense to me to approach them as fresh as possible. All in all, feeling really good, bike is good, missing family/friends and the Astral Weeks experience...but nonetheless having a great time on the trip. So much has happened, it seems like I have been out here for several months as opposed to several weeks...but I am definetly ready for more!

I think my fortune cookie fortune is already right.

Sorry no pictures this stop, PC I am borrowing is so old it doesn't have a USB port!

Mileage to date: 748.50

Day 15 Helena MT

2007-08-10T17:05:00.001-06:00

Hello from Helena!
All is well and good, biggest city I have been in since Calgary. Actually saw a McDonalds and Starbucks for the first time in several weeks today and realized I didn't miss them at all.

Took off from Lincoln and had to take an alternate route over the first pass, Stemple Pass, because the road was closed. I took a pass to the east, which added about 15 miles to the route and ended my chances for making it into Helena in one day. Crested the second Divide Crossing of the day (my overall third with the one in Canada) and camped just on the west side of Priest Pass. That area looked and smelled like Dahlonega, which was fitting as I was having a Dahlonega type of day...flats, mechanicals and other issues all the while in a phenomenally beautiful area. Overall weather has been cooperative, with a little bit of rain yesterday afternoon and this morning, which is good for keeping the dust down. Dust with smoke tends to inhibit breathing somewhat.

Things are good, morale is high. I keep running into myself as I travel, or a least various selves over my lifetime. I ate at a steak joint in Condon that made me think I'd been beamed back to K-Bobs in Dalhart, with the chuckwagon salad bar and everything. Add to that the NG Humvee (that diesel smell!) travel, CH-47s flying about, small towns, bad diet, etc. etc.

Anyway, mileage to date: 672.06

Oh by the way, I have managed to borrow some computer time and was able to upload parts of the photos from the Canadian Section, I will add captions and the rest of the photos later. Enjoy:

Day 13 Lincoln, MT

2007-08-08T15:25:00.001-06:00

The Ring of Fire

Greetings all! Finally seem to be getting away from forest fire alley
for the time being. Left Bigfork several days ago seeing the smoke
get thicker as I went south.
Kudos to owner of Brookies Cookies in Bigfork for the great chai and
positive attitude!
Ride out of Bigfork was absolutely stunning.
Rolled into Holland Lake that evening to find out that passage into
Seeley Lake was blocked because the #1 growing fire in the nation was
burning southwest of town. Linked up with Bryan and Roland from
Washington and layed over a day in Holland Lake.
Thanks much to the USFS Site hosts, The McCleery's, for their
attention to our situation, wonderful hospitality, and dinner!
Bryan, Roland, and I headed out yesterday early and luckily chanced
our way through the National Guard cordon point and into Seeley Lake
for food resupply. I parted ways with them, as they took the road and
I took the trail. Judging by tracks, they got back on route in Ovando
and summited Huckleberry Pass ahead of me.
I arrived in Lincoln a few hours ago and plan to do a monster three
pass day bid into Helena tomorrow.
Otherwise all is good, I'm heathy, bike is making noise but nothing
other than pivot bearings, and the smoke isn't so bad here. Having
some electronics issues. Tried to charge my tunes player with the
solar panel on layover day and, as I had suspected, it was actually
TAKING power from it. Yes, my MP3 player was powering the sun! I
mailed that POS solar panel back home today, nothing like a pound plus
boat anchor to carry up another 175000 feet of climbing. Anyway, will
reply to more emails when I get to my PDA charger in Butte...which I
am going to start packing with me...but battery power is limited to
posting and jounalizing now.
Until next time!

Mileage to date: 582.39

Day 9 Bigfork, MT

2007-08-04T20:51:00.001-06:00

Short post here, just amazed that I am camping next to Flathead Lake
and picked up a wifi signal! All is well, mellow day riding today,
lots of smoke and ash in the air from local fires. Camped next to to
2 other southbound GDR riders from north of Seattle. Nice guys,
having a good time.
Hung out with locals Tom and Pat Arnone along the route at lunch
today...wonderful, generous and interesting folks. Thanks for the
garden carrots, you are awesome!

Mileage to date: 409.02

Day 8 Whitefish, MT

2007-08-03T23:37:00.001-06:00

Big Smokey Sky Country

Pulled out of Eureka Wed AM full of a fat ham and cheese omelete with
hash browns...mmmm. Mellow climb to the top of Whitefish Divide,
talked to some border patrol guys on the way up who were checking out
a washed out road. Descended down through the grizzly gauntlet. I
found out today that the Tuchuck area is where they send the 'problem'
bears from Glacier NP. Better too know that after, I guess. Anyway,
no problems other than a case of the Willies. I have taken to
chanting cadences I learned in a previous life to keep making noise
and letting the goblins know I'm around.

Camped that night next to the Flathead River across from Glacier NP.
Couldn't see much due to forest fire smoke all around. Red skies at
night though. (wha, ho. wa, ha, ho, ha, ho, ho.)
Climbed up to Red Meadow lakes the next morning and dropped into
Whitefish yesterday evening feeling like I had been riding for 7 days
straight. Oh yea, I had.
Took today off to fix some issues and refit with my mail drops. Mike
from Glacier Cyclery was awesome to help me fix that nagging rack
mount problem and a systemic issue with the front derailluer. Forest
fire smoke is super thick here, it looks like CO a few years back
after the Hayman fire. Anyway, revived my mp3 player, yea! I don't
think I've gone over five days without The Four Horsemen since like,
1997. Yeesh. That will not happen again.

Pulling out for the Swan Valley/Bigfork AO tomorrow.

Mileage to date: 361.7

Day 5 Eureka, Montana, USA

2007-07-31T19:42:00.001-06:00

"American greetings!"
-Maverick from Top Gun
Made the border today at around 12:45 and pushed into Eureka for a
refit before moving on to West of Whitefish Divide tomorrow.
Last couple days have been good, had beers last night at the Baynes
Lake, British ColOmbia RV park with a cool guy named Pierre.
All is well, I'm losing weight but feeling good...bike is good.
Canada was awesome, the people there were generous and not at all
standoffish. Great place!
Total miles to date: 264.66, some big days in there.
BTW, Joey... "I've always wanted to see Montana."- Sean Connery The
Hunt for Red October
Next contact 3-4 days out when I make Whitefish.

Day 4 Fernie, British Colombia

2007-07-30T12:15:00.000-06:00

Greetings all from Fernie! Anyone with a subscription to a Skiing magazine should know about Fernie. Anyway, just arrived in town around noon. Been an interesting last couple of days.

Started off three days ago riding from Canmore into Banff and from there to a campsite near the Lower Kananaskis Lakes. 75 miles the first day was not the plan but it became the plan when I realized how remote of country I was in. Bears, cougars, and all kinds of other wilderness terrorists running around out there. Ran into three folks touring the same route bound for Whitefish, I camped with them the first night and they left out earlier in the morning than I did. Great folks, Americans from Fernie/Bend Oregon...I think they are on the trail about 6-8 hours ahead of me.

Camped the second night after crossing over the first Divide Crossing at Elk Pass, which became real remote real fast, so I pushed it till just outside Elkford, British Colombia. I camped along the Elk River after yapping with some local fisherman that evening. Woke up to bear tracks in the dirt around my tent and more on the road up the way. Nice.

Got some good breakfast grub and talked to some bikers up from Sparwood about bears and the local scene in Elkford that morning. Ran into two road bikers heading up to the coal mine outside of Elkford and talked to them for awhile. They invited me to stay at their place in Fernie yesterday evening but I unfortunately didn't have the gas to push the headwind all the way into Fernie last night so I stayed in Sparwood. It was here I met the Worlds Largest Truck. Pictures to follow...I am having issues trying to get Picasa to upload from this borrowed computer.

Plan to push on from here to Elko tonight and the border tomorrow evening, stopping in Eureka, MT to prep for the first big Montana section.

All else is well, bike is good, I am healthy and happy. My MP3 player quit two days ago, so I guess I'll have to deal with my mind until I can try to revive it in Whitefish.

Thanks Meg, Ali, Tex, Jairo, and others for the encouranging emails. I will reply soon when I get to an evening stopping point. Happy Birthday (yesterday) to Dallas Dewayne.

Off for some grub.

Canmore, AB, Canada

2007-07-25T19:46:00.001-06:00

Greetings all, arrived by shuttle from Calgary Airport this afternoon.
No hassles in transport, the bike and gear made it okay. I need to
stop issuing myself a license to hunt paper tigers every time I decide
to step out of the mainstream.
Just took the bike out unloaded for a test spin and with some minor
tweaks it seems good to go.
The Canadian Rockies are very stunning and visually dramatic. Its
very green, lush and pleasant here. Was it worth it? Yep.
Been awhile since I've been in Canada, lots of "Royale with Cheese"
stuff going on around here.
Anyway, Canmore is nice and very beautiful, lots of folks looking
happy and heathy...walking and biking around everywhere. I found a
local bike shop just down the street and they seemed to have a good
handle on things.

Hsnging here till I can be sure the bike box ships okay, and then it's
southbound in the woodline.

Till next time.

Leavin On a Jet Plane! D-9 hrs

2007-07-24T23:14:00.000-06:00

"Nobody is ever met at the airport when beginning a new adventure. It’s just not done."

-Elizabeth Warnock Fernea. A View of the Nile

Boulder Colorado, late, the night before.

Finally time to go! I am as ready as I will ever be.

Bike will fly with me and is packed in a hard shell bike box that I borrowed from a very generous friend of the trail and fellow FROG named Mark C. He had an accident mountain biking in Moab earlier this year and is unable to bike or travel this season. Please send the positive energy his way as he recovers!

Thanks Mark! You will see your bike box return soon via FedEx, nice, empty and hopefully intact.

I'm the bike in the box! Some assembly required.

We will see it on the other side of the border!

One logistical lesson learned. Make sure if you have a big piece of luggage (see above) that the transportation from the airport (in this case the Banff Airporter, excellent customer service so far) can drop you off at a location at least near your hotel. Luckily, in this case, my place is only a mere 500 meters (metric, "when in Rome..") away from the designated shuttle drop, but I'm it sure would have been fun to have been that guy that was lugging his gear five kilometers down the Trans Canada Highway!

Might want to check out these details before hand when booking your hotel online...the mapping technology is out there and easy to access. In this case, I should have known better and just got lucky.

Anyway, thanks to all for the support and encouragement during the preparation for this. I will be posting as much as possible.

Next post will be in Canada! Woo Hoo!

Care Package Info

2007-07-24T22:51:00.000-06:00

I welcome care packages if anyone wants to send them!

My wish list:

Energy bars, Cliff Bars, PowerBars, or the like. I like the chocolate ones but they melt in hot weather...if I need chocolate there is plenty to be had in the little towns. The healthier stuff is the harder thing to find. Keeping going between meals is key.
Energy Gels, these are also hard to find but not impossible.
NUUN tablets. These can be ordered from Amazon.com or from specialty running or cycling shops. They are excellent rehydration tablets.
Prepackaged dehydrated fruit.
I will post more data as I travel, since I don't know the craving scheme yet.

Homemade stuff is great but it could sit in a post office for up to 10 days and might go stale. I'd rather eat the homemade stuff at your home when I am telling you about the trip!

The best way to ship to a USPS location seems to be the flat rate regardless of weight boxes. They cost $8.95 to ship and post offices seem to like them.

Unfortunately, if you want to send a care package it will need to be coordinated with me as I could easily blow by a post office if I don't know the package is there. Ideally, the care packages need to be concurrent with bounce box drop locations...which I won't know until I see what my short term plans are. Post offices will hold the General Delivery Mail for only a 10 to 15 and sometimes up to 30 days.

To send a package, please get the PO location and ZipCode from me and address it as follows:

USPS General Delivery
ATTN: My Name
City, State, Zip Code

I will take all the support I can get, but emails are enough!

On Route Logistics Info

2007-07-24T18:22:00.000-06:00

"Field experience is something you don't get until just after you need it."
-Murphy's Laws of Combat

While on the route, I planned in some limited resupply options. This will happen using post offices along the trail as resupply pickup points. I may reach bounce box resupply once a week or more (or less) depending on locations, time, and changes in riding pace. Initially, I set up four 'bounce boxes' using USPS Flat Rate ($8.95 per box regardless of weight Priority Mail) Boxes. See below:
The four boxes on top are the on route bounce boxes, the big Schwalbe box has dehydrated camping food (Mountain House, Backpackers Pantry, etc.) and a bag of clothes for my parents to bring down when they pick me up at the US-MEX border. My remote support crew (my sister and her family, thank you, thank you!) will send me the food as needed from Texas as I progress along the route.

The on route bounce boxes are set up by type:
-Initial dehydrated food resupply
-Bike parts and other specialty repair items/tools that would have to be shipped in otherwise.
-An extra tire and extra tubes
-Extra personal items, like a clean change of clothes (something to wear when I launder my other stuff) hygiene supplies, 110 chargers for electrics if I am hotelling it at the drop point, and some backup misc gear items.

The first drop has already been sent to Montana.

Pre Trip Bike Configuration

2007-07-21T17:37:00.000-06:00

After several trials and tests, I recently validated the final bike tour configuration. Changes based on the Breck ride validation include the downsizing of both the front and rear compression dry bags, downsizing of the cookware, new rear cassette, chain, rear derailleur, and f/r derailleur cables. The rear shock was rebuilt and tour-tweaked at PUSH, and tires were switched to the interesting looking/feeling/riding, reflector sidewalled and GDMBR recommended Schwalbe Marathon XRs.

As I leave in only a few short days, this is it. I hope two years of research and testing pays off downrange. It might be interesting to some to see how this setup evolves. See below for a captioned view of various items not 'organic' to the bike:

On Route Communication

2007-07-15T22:29:00.000-06:00

While on the route, I will be posting to this site as I find free Wi-Fi or an internet capable PC and checking email. I plan to GPS waypoint all free Wi-Fi hotspots that I find along the route for other GDMBR riders to reference in the future.
There could be 4-5 days or more between postings in remote areas but I will be calling in land line to either Sandy or my folks on a regular basis. Sandy may post some of my call in info on the site. When direct contact is not made, I will leave a voicemail with my current location, short term travel plans and an estimate of when I will call in or communicate next.
See the map data pages for more specific location info relative to posts.
Cell messages will be checked rarely as the majority of the route is very remote and does not have cell service.
Please communicate with me direct via email: boundaryzerochris@gmail.com

Enjoy the site and please feel free to email any questions or encouragement!

Site Purpose

2007-07-15T22:20:00.000-06:00

The boundaryzerochris blogsite purpose:

To share trip experiences with friends, family and interested acquaintances.
Promote a culture of self reliance, independence, and goodwill to others.
Provide a resource for like minded ultralighters and adventure travel enthusiasts.

Outside of encouraging and expressing support for our brave and selfless military personnel, who at this very moment are actively engaged in combat operations worldwide; this site will not cover much chatter about anything not trip related.

The postings will be relatively brief on the route. The post trip plan is to migrate the content of this site to the boundaryzero.com website (not yet developed) and publish a detailed online journal with photos and detailed route data. More to come as the trip develops.

GDMBR Electronic Devices

2007-07-07T23:28:00.000-06:00

“I must create a System, or be enslaved by another Man’s.”
-William Blake

GDMBR Electronic Gadgets

Power Supplies- All GDMBR gadgets are powered by AA batteries or the Brunton Solaris 6 solar panel. I went to considerable effort to standardize batteries to all AAs and added the solar panel to remote charge internal battery devices. The solar chargeable devices all have different power-in adapters, which has proved to be a challenge.

Music and Entertainment – Creative Zen 30 GB multimedia player. Somewhat heavy, but I have over 20 GB of music, comedy, and audio books uploaded to it. The Zen also has a nice radio function and is set up to charge with the solar panel. Testing has proved the Zen to run for about 2 riding days on a full charge.

Data Entry and Communication – HP IPAQ WiFi enabled PDA. Small, light, and chargeable via solar panel. Ports in SD memory cards for video, data, and photo management. All email, journal, data, and blog postings will be managed via this device and I will be plotting free wi-fi hotspot locations along the route for future riders. Charges with the solar panel.

Camera – Panasonic Lumix DMC- LS70 7.2 MP Digital. Runs on AA batteries and stores data via SD and SDHC memory cards.

Cell Phone – This real world torture device is coming along for emergencies and call-ins in the 10-15% of the route that will have cell coverage. Charges with the solar panel.

Data Storage – I have several 2GB SD memory cards and one 4GB SDHC card for interchangeable data storage and transfer. The GPS has a 2 GB micro-SD card with full SD adaptor for tracklog storage and transfer. I am also bringing along an SD card reader that can plug into a USB port, which treats the SD card as a flash memory drive in any PC. As the opportunity presents itself, I will be using this at library computers along the route to upload photos and other data items to the blog.

Navigation- Garmin 60CSx handheld GPS. It has a huge memory capacity relative to these type of devices and I have all the route area topos and the actual route (except for Canada) uploaded to it. I will use this to keep track of mileage and moving times per day as well. The GPS runs on 2 AA batteries. It is really more of a data collection device as I will primarily rely on the well designed Adventure Cycling GDMBR maps for navigation. My trust level of the GPS is limited based on army experience. I have my orienteering compass plus a compass on the bike handlebars as backups.

Pre GDMBR Tour and Training Ride Video

2007-07-07T20:12:00.000-06:00

This slideshow/video documents the tours and significant training rides in 2006 and 2007 leading up to the big trip.

Note that this has sound!

Big thanks to Sandy, Ralph from Carbondale, and Ron for their photo contributions!

The More You Sweat in Training...

2007-07-03T19:57:00.001-06:00

Posting remote from Breckenridge via wifi PDA. Took the CO trail from
Kenosha over Georgia Pass and down into Breck. Full tour setup on a
trail way more techie than the divide route.
Had some mechanicals due to design failure in rear OMM rack.
Casualties include:
rear derailluer
2 spokes
rear rim damage
bent skewer

Had to fish the rear d out of the spokes and convert the bike to a
single speed to ride it out.

Anyway, hanging in Breck for the 4th.

Adios.

PDA Posting

2007-07-01T22:19:00.001-06:00

This is the first posting using a wifi enabled PDA. This is how I
will be posting on the trip.

Main GDMBR Gear Package

2007-06-26T16:29:00.000-06:00

Gear

Sleeping Bag – MontBell DownHugger #3 long size (“some men are longer than others.”)

Sleeping Mat – MontBell UL 120 3/4

Tent – Black Diamond First Light

Footprint –2 black trash bags

Outer layer jacket – MontBell UL Thermawrap Action Jacket

Rain Jacket – Sierra Designs Isotope

Wind Jacket (no hood) – MontBell UL Wind

Wind/Rain Pants – Golite Reed

Jersey – IBEX Wool Ventoux Lightweight Sleeveless

Base T-shirt – Patagonia UL Base layer wool silver

Arm and Leg warmers – Ibex Wool/lycra blend

Socks – Smartwool, 3 pair various blends for various days

Bike Shoes – Pearl Izumi X-Alp Low

Helmet – Giro Durango

Lightweight Sandals – Tevas

Tights – combo of Peal Izumi Microsensor and some nice, smooth Nikes

Overshorts – Patagonia UL tans.

Gloves – Specialized fingerless, Performance 2^nd layer, Mountain Hardware UL shells outer.

Beanie – Outdoor Designs Power Beanie

Sleep shorts – old ratty pair of purple Umbros from high school

Stove – Mini Triangia Denatured Alcohol stove without the pots

Pots – 1 SnoPeak Titanium pot, 1 Ti cup, 1 Ti Spork

Fuel Cannister – MSR Small

Dry Bags – Sea to Summit Event Compressor Dry Bag Large rear, Medium front.

Pack – Salomon Raid Race large (they don’t make this one any more)

Hydration Bladder – Ultimate Direction 128 oz.

Headlamp – Black Diamond older Xenon

Bike Light – CatEye HL-EL530 front, small Cateye Magnet Blinker in the rear

Bike Tools and Repair Items

2007-06-26T16:27:00.001-06:00

Bike Tools and Repair items

I spread the tools out somewhat about the bike, most of the immediate repair items are stored in a tennis ball can mounted on the frame under the rear shock (tennis ball cans and bike water bottles have roughly the same diameter.) The 5.5 has very little clearance here and taking a water bottle in and out knocks the shock lockout lever over too much.

- Combined Ascent Mini-tool and ToPeak Alien. Went end to end on the bike and chucked any multi-tool parts not needed, just took apart the bare bones mini-tool and removed/added as necessary. Carry small combo pliers with flat and Phillips screwdriver handle tool…good chance you need the pliers and the screwdriver fittings to counter torque something else. Eliminated all unnecessary redundancy in tooling.

- Blackburn Mammoth hand pump

- Two Salsa LW tubes, tube patch kit and homemade tire boots.

- Extra PC99 chain section, three gold links, unattached chainbreaker from Topeak Alien.

- Extra cleat and cleat bolts. Various nuts and screws and a 10mm wrench for the OMM racks and Intense lag nuts.

- Presta to Schrader adaptor – nice for a service station compressor.

- Extra derailleur cable, extra set of (worn) brake pads.

- 50 ft of 550 cord for repairs and bear bag

- small roll of 100 mph tape (yes, OD green…hmm) and small roll of electrical tape, small vial of gorilla glue.

- 4 extra DT spokes stored in seat tube.

-Tire levers

- various length zip ties, two small and two medium rubber lined hose clamps in case of a broken frame or to lockout a blown shock.

The Bike's Direct Attachments

2007-06-26T16:24:00.000-06:00

Racks – Old Man Mountain Sherpa Front and Rear

Bike Attached Accessory Bags:

- Jandd Handlepac 2,

- Profile Design LG Stem Bag backwards on seat tube stay (no it doesn’t rub my legs)

Six Salsa Sidewrap bottle cages

- two front rack mount, two rear rack mount, two on the frame

The Bike without Attachments

2007-06-26T16:20:00.000-06:00

The Bike in Raw Form

Frame – 2006 Intense 5.5 EVP Infantry Blue

Cranks and Front Rings – Race Face Deus XC

Bottom Bracket – Race Face Deus X-Type

Rear Cassette – SRAM PG 99 11-32

Front Drl – XTR

Rear Drl – SRAM XO Med Cage

Shifters – SRAM XO Thumb Triggers

Chain – SRAM PC991 Cross-Step

Seat Tube and Stem – WTB XTC series

Saddle – Specialized Milano Gel

Head Set – Chris King

Handlebar – FSA

Grips – Ergon R1 Pros

Front Fork – Manitou Minute 3:00

Rear Shock – Fox Pro Pedal Float RL (PUSHED)

Wheelset – Mavic EX721 Black 36 spoke DT

Hubs – Hadley QR Front and Hadley SDH Rear 135

Brakes – Hayes HFX Mag Discs 8in front, 6in rear rotors

Tires – Schwalbe Marathon XR 26x2.25 "Tank Treads" with the obnoxious but very, very relevant reflective sidewall strips.

Trainup Chronology

2007-06-26T16:14:00.000-06:00

“Ready are you? What know you of ready?... A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh. A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.” -Yoda

Chronology

Late Summer 2005- My friend Allison and I were on an adventure racing training expedition south of Steamboat Springs, near the Colorado River. After arriving at camp for the evening, we noticed a group of four touring cyclists setting up shop in the campsite next to us. With a five gallon water bluey as barter, I went on over to see what they were up to. Turned out the group was riding from Canada to Mexico on what was known as the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which generally follows the spine of the Continental Divide from North to South. They had no vehicle and no external logistical support. Everything they needed, they carried, resupplying along the way as they passed through small mountain towns. I saw maps, gear, logistical challenges, elevation profiles and a daunting amount of distance. Thats all it took. I immediately began redesigning my life to prepare for the trip.

Summer 2006 – BoundaryZero teammate Sandy, a hammer from the Aspen area named Ralph and I toured the Colorado Trail from Waterton Canyon westbound for three days. We carried way too much stuff (a loaded BOB Sandy and I shared…Ralph ran his own BOB,) I snapped a rear d hanger the first day with no replacement, lightning storms, burn areas, etc etc. We made it past the Lost Creek Wilderness bike bypass with good weather and up to Kenosha Pass in an extended downpour. Learned quite a bit about touring with gear and had a great time. I believe Ralph is riding from Alaska to the tip of South America right now, its supposed to take him two years. Sandy is training for endurance mountain bike racing with his sights set on the Durango MTB 100. See photos in an upcoming slide video.

Fall 2006 – In early September, I decided to test run a few sections of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Initial plans were to ride the route Colorado top to bottom but it didn’t work out when I lost my transpo to Steamboat. I shifted gears and started from Salida with what I believed at the time was THE Divide gear package. Within 45 minutes of launch from Salida, I caught up to Ron Faul, who was riding the full route Banff to Mexico. Ron is a good guy and fun to ride with so I stuck with him till just outside of Chama, NM. I learned a ton of good beta from Ron, had a phenomenal time, gained some more long distance touring experience and decided the BOB trailer might not be necessary.

Spring 2007 – My goal was to have all the gear pieces in place by early April and bike configured by May of 07. Things have worked out well, I have all the pieces in place more or less. A few loose ends are still out there, but no show stoppers. Plane ticket is purchased, passport is ready, and a very nice Boulder local has let me borrow his hard shell bike case for the flight. See more as I post going forward, see training rides, and the bell will be tolling come the end of July.

GDMBR STATISTICS

2007-06-26T16:12:00.000-06:00

Total length- 2,711 miles
Elevation Gain- 200,000 ft
90% Off Pavement
Divide Crossings -29
High Elevation- 11,190 ft
Low Elevation- 2577 ft

Equivalent Distance Comparisons:

Denver to New York City - 1790 miles
Las Vegas to New York City - 2570 miles
Houston to Seattle - 2370 miles
Seattle to New York City - 2840 miles

About Me

2007-06-26T16:09:00.000-06:00

Please redirect to (click hyperlink):

The Main Blog Page!

Thanks!

Um, Rollins Pass Isn't Rideable Yet!

2007-06-18T20:12:00.000-06:00

Did the powderpuff cakewalk ride from Nederland to Yankee Doodle Lake via Eldora Ski Area and the Jenny Creek Trail (yes, uphill) lolipoping back on Rollins Pass Road today. Nothing like rock gardens, babyheads, snow runoff, and boulder gardens to make for a leisurely afternoon ride! There is still a ton of snow, mud, and runoff up high but everything is green and beautiful. The weather was warm and calm, I went sleeveless the whole time!

US Section Overview Map, Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

2007-06-18T07:51:00.001-06:00

Full US Section Map Overview

Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

- Port of Roosville, Montana (CAN - USA) to Antelope Wells. New Mexico (MEX - USA.)

-Also riding from Banff AB Canada to CAN - USA Border...no map detail for that section to post.

To see maps in greater detail, click on individual maps for a bigger pageview.

2nd Half Map Detail, Colorado and New Mexico Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

2007-06-18T07:32:00.000-06:00

Click on individual maps for a bigger page view.

Map Section 5 Colorado - Kremmling to Del Norte Colorado.

Map Section 6 Colorado, New Mexico - Del Norte, Colorado to Grants New Mexico.

Map Section 7 New Mexico - Grants, New Mexico to Silver City, New Mexico

Map Section 8 New Mexico, Mexico - Silver City New Mexico to the US - MEX Border at Antelope Wells, NM

US Section Overview, Details of MT, ID, WY, CO Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

2007-06-17T23:07:00.001-06:00

The US Section Overview. Canadian-US Border crossing is located at Port of Roosville, MT.

Note that Map Section numbers do not match ACA map sections.

Also note that you won't see any map detail of the Canadian Section, as my mapping software didn't include Canada...that map set would have cost around $190..uh..no. The Canadian Section starts in Banff, AB (west of Calgary) and heads down to Roosville, a little over 200 miles.

Section 1 Montana - Port of Rooseville, MT to Helena, MT.

Section 2 - Montana Idaho and Wyoming - Helena, Montana through Idaho to just west of Yellowstone National Park...near the northern Tetons.

Section 3 Wyoming - West of Yellowstone to North of Rawlins, Wyoming.

Section 4 Wyoming and Colorado - Rawlins, Wyoming to Kremmling, Colorado (south of Steamboat Springs.)

Caribou/505 Training Ride

2007-06-13T18:29:00.000-06:00

I finished the back bracket water bottle setup this morning and loaded the bike up with the full gear package. What you see on the bike is what I am touring the Divide with. The trail I picked to test it all is a loose, rocky, root strewn extended downhill, more technical then what I should see on the GDMBR.
Overall, the only issues include the cooking gear in the little bag up front rattling (something that can be solved with some cheap bubble wrap) and the tent pole bag not wanting to stay stationary. I have an idea of how to fix that as well. I switched from Marta SLs to Hayes Mags brakes a few months back and combined with larger rotors (more of a downhill vs previous UL cross-country setup,) it makes quite a bit of difference in the realm of brake control and modulation with weight.

The weather was wonderful and I was able to snap off some good shots but had to steal the batteries from the GPS when the camera batteries 'died.' The batteries in the camera showed a 75% charge in the GPS when I switched them out. Wierd.

Colorado Trail from Kenosha Pass Mountain Bike Ride

2007-06-10T18:34:00.000-06:00

Fellow Team BoundaryZero member Sandy and I went for a spin on the Colorado Trail northwest of Kenosha Pass today. The section we biked heads west over the Divide and drops down into Breckenridge. This isn't the first (or last) time we have been here. Last summer we completed a three day bike tour along this trail from Waterton Canyon near Denver to Kenosha Pass.

The weather was phenomenal, spring is full on with wildflowers everywhere. Everything is very lush and green. There was snow blocking the trail around treeline, so we headed back. Sometimes it takes until mid-July for snow to clear above 10-11k ft...which explains why I am waiting until later to launch.

This is also the test run for a Picasa slideshow. More to come with this interesting feature!

If you want to see the pics in a better resolution, click on the little Picasa Icon in the corner of the slideshow screen. Enjoy!

Sledgehammer! YouTube on site!

2007-06-09T22:37:00.000-06:00

BoundaryZeroChris is now YouTube and Google video capable! Ah, the fun I will have with this!

Couch test ride with partial gear package.

2007-06-06T22:33:00.000-06:00

I was able to get The Couch out for a decent ride with the partial gear package the other day. Major missing pieces are the small food bag that goes on the front OMM rack, the map case and the 4 pack rear water bottle setup.

Note the modification to the front rack with the water bottles...goal is to be able to carry 144 oz on the bike with the capacity for 128 oz in my pack. Yes, there is a 128 oz hydration bladder on the market...made by Ultimate Direction...it has nice no-slosh baffling.

The compression dry bag on the back OMM rack holds the sleeping bag, sleeping mat, tent, extra clothes and my sub-freezing jacket. The bag on the outside contains the tent poles.

The articulating gear bag on the back end is interesting, especially when it starts to 'interact' with me and the rest of the bike in full travel.