Final Thoughts on Dreux's Great Divide Adventure

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 slight wobble at high speeds. A front rack to handle equipment. I used 2.2" tire size where a 2.6" would softened the ride.

Navigation - the Garmin eTrex 20x and ACA paper maps worked nicely. While the Garmin is a bit old school it worked like a charm. Battery life was a about 2-3 days of power per set of batteries. I used rechargeable batteries and had 3 changes. 

Shoes - The Shimano shoes took a beating with no failure. They also dried quickly. They did start to get tighter toward the end of the adventure, no fault of the shoes. 

Backpack - I liked wearing a hydration pack for the quick go to items, wind jacket, water filter, phone charger etc. 

Cooking equipment - I used an alcohol stove which was good and bad. Easy access to fuel and compact. The down side was a longer cook time with cooler temps comparing to jet boils. Also, a larger pan for cooking multi food items would have been nice. 

The experience - Like my Transamerica trip, it was all about the scenery and the interaction with people. Riding the Continental Divide provided an incredible backdrop. The changes from the Canadian British Columbia province to New Mexico were dramatic. Bears to snakes.  As for the people I met on the adventure, it was such a rich experience. Both the new riders I met as well all the trail angels day in and day out, just amazing. Meeting the locals by bicycle also added a layer to the adventure.  

Timing of the trip - The Great Divide's weather is a real challenge. Leave too early and you are dealing with snow. Leave too late and the Monsoon season will provide you with lots of rain and mud. Doing the route in sections would give you the best options.

Would I do the adventure again - Yes, but I would do the route in sections. Denver, CO seems like a great  spot for completing the half and coming back for the next half optimizing the weather.

What's next .... TBD.