Dreux's Great Divide Adventure I had to go back and re-read my definition of adventure. Adventure, def.- stepping out of your comfort zone and opening yourself up to the experiences and beauty that life gives you. Well this adventure will be more of a leap than a step. Comparing this adventure to my TransAmerica ride, It seems worlds apart, even though the route intersects several times. http://dreuxsadventure.blogspot.com/2015/05/planning-is-over.html So what is the great divide mountain bike route, here's a good link for a description - http://www.bikepacking.com/routes/great-divide-mountain-bike-route-gdmbr/# I'm thinking in terms of attempting the GD rather than finishing the GD ..... Failure “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” Michael Jordan. Here's a link to my TransAm blog - http://dreuxsadventure.blogspot.com/2015/04/creating-blog-for-big-adventure.html...
What worked and what didn't? I often said while riding the Great Divide, "you should begin your adventure with the equipment you have." If you wait until you have just the perfect equipment, you may never start your adventure. Money will buy lighter and more compact equipment but with that comes a more fragile equipment. Taking too much stuff. This is a common mistake you hear all the time. It's said you pack your fears. I was guilty of this as well. I could have reduced weight by at least 20 %. Clothing - For the most part, the clothing was dialed in. I would have left the rain booties home and switched for water proof socks. A hooded rain jacket would have been ideal rather than a helmet cover. Bicycle - I enjoyed riding the drop bar steel bike. The brakes and shifters were a joy. More tire clearance would have been nice in the mud and a granny gear for those early big climbs. Ideally, better balance of the packs would have eliminated a sli...
One last big climb out of Flathead Forest to enter United States. You are always bear aware but today I saw a cougar on the top of a pass. He gave me a quick look and headed the other direction and into the forest. Also several grouse sightings. Finally some dry weather. Eureka, MT has a community camping ground with a shower and grassy space to camp. Stocked up with supplies for several days and stopped into the Front Porch for a cheeseburger topped with huckleberry ice cream, odd but really good. Meeting up with lots of long distance hikers doing the Northwest Pacific Trail. Plan is to reach Polebridge tomorrow. Sadly Andrew and Diana will continue on the Great Divide Route and I plan on visiting Glacier National Park, Riding to the Sun Road. Hoping we meet up down the road.
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