I have been procrastinating on this one for ages and the weeks have slipped by and now it is early August. I am currently out of work and this is a great opportunity to go and ride a route that has been on my mind for a good few years. Only trouble, is that I cannot muster up the courage to head out to the Rockies for a solo 6 week bike packing trip.

I appreciate that most people are busy working and cannot get time off, but I thought I would post on the off chance there is another crazy fool out there who fancies a challenge and can arrange something short notice.

There is an organised 7 week tour, but at $6900 for the whole trip it is a lot of money and I feel it is kind of cheating not carrying all of your gear.

It’s in my bucket list.

But even if you get no takers, go do it mate.
It looks incredible.

Go and do it on your own. Anyone who can do it at such short notice is likely to be someone who doesn’t plan well, jumps before looking and doesn’t consider the important things.

Not someone Id want to spend that long with.

You’ll be fine, Shirley there are towns you can stop in/shop/rest/chat/drink beer?

I did the Colorado trail solo when 23, you’ll be fine.

I did exactly this ten years ago, and as others have said, just get on with it. trip of a lifetime. If you have any questions fire over an email to me and I’ll help. just do it man!

Anyone who can do it at such short notice is likely to be someone who doesn’t plan well, jumps before looking and doesn’t consider the important things.

Sounds like the perfect travel/ride partner.

Go do it alone you crazy fool, i think it’d be easier than with a complete stranger. Besides, you are never alone….. there are always the bears!!!!

Hardest step is the first etc. Book your ticket. Once you are there you will have no option but to solve any problems.

DO you know anyone I could get to pretend to be me for the six weeks to do the work/family stuff? if so, I’M IN.

cynic-al – Member
I did the Colorado trail solo when 23, you’ll be fine.

I might want to chat to you about that, considering it next year.

Ok. Having a guilt trip now about bailing out on the family holiday at the end of the month. Only other option is to start the ride first week of September. Just worried that it is getting a little late in the season for snow?

Try on bikepacking.net as it’s got more of a US focus than here.

The hardest part is booking the flight. Once that’s out the way then you really have to focus on sorting the planning out.

Sounds like a great trip, it’s on my bucket list but I’m saving it for my 40th in a few years.

Try on bikepacking.net as it’s got more of a US focus than here.

The hardest part is booking the flight. Once that’s out the way then you really have to focus on sorting the planning out.

Sounds like a great trip, it’s on my bucket list but I’m saving it for my 40th in a few years.Have posted on bikepacking.net, but from the lack of comments I am thinking it is maybe getting rather late in the season.

Sept is probably the last opportunity to get going on the Divide, I’d go in Sept but no later and to be honest at the altitude you could come across snow anytime of year but probably wont in summer or sept. but don’t leave it later. the other advantage is if you go north to south then your heading to warmer climes as you go. I met a guided trip coming north when I was going south, they seemed a good crew. however theres a certain satisfaction in doing it solo and making your own way on the route. you can stop/start at leisure, its your choice. I’d say it took a good part of three weeks for me to chill and not just try and do the highest mileage every day. The joy of the ride isn’t to race it but to take time, meet people, stop in villages/towns and explore.

Sept is probably the last opportunity to get going on the Divide, I’d go in Sept but no later and to be honest at the altitude you could come across snow anytime of year but probably wont in summer or sept. but don’t leave it later. the other advantage is if you go north to south then your heading to warmer climes as you go. I met a guided trip coming north when I was going south, they seemed a good crew. however theres a certain satisfaction in doing it solo and making your own way on the route. you can stop/start at leisure, its your choice. I’d say it took a good part of three weeks for me to chill and not just try and do the highest mileage every day. The joy of the ride isn’t to race it but to take time, meet people, stop in villages/towns and explore.

Thanks for the vote of confidence on a Sept start. Interesting to know about how long it takes you to chill out and get into the vibe of cycle touring. Do you have any idea whether an early Sept North -> South ride will be really quiet or will there still be people in the campsites and riding the route?

it’ll be quiet whenever you go. its a massive route and you wont meet many other riders except by chance. Its true empty wilderness, go with the right gear. As for campsites I largely wild camped whenever my energy told me to or when a nice spot towards the end of the day was stumbled across. I quite often met other humans on the trail just because that section was say access to a ranch or hot spring, nice lake or blueberry picking. Then of course in the towns. My only heads up is to be careful about expecting a town to have very much in it. many are very small and not all have decent food shops just gas stations and places selling ready meals. It sounds rough but its all part of the trip and the views are stunning from day one. My one advice is to take your time and soak it up. No rush. Those that race it miss a lot of the point of it. IMHO.

Do you have any idea whether an early Sept North -> South ride will be really quiet or will there still be people in the campsites and riding the route?

I expect it’s pretty quiet all the time. Such a big area and not many people on the route generally.
Could be pretty cold at night that time of year, but very pretty in CO and NM. As AlMc mentions you can get snow anytime of year high up but you shouldn’t see first winter snow until Nov in Colorado and I seem to remember McCoy’s GDMTBR route book mentioning Sept as a great time to ride the route, could check that.

Those that race it miss a lot of the point of it. IMHO.

Or, they just go for a different experience ; ) But I’ll be back to tour it whern I retire 🙂

A couple of stories from my ride:

One night I pitched up near a nice river, I was still in Montana so early on. I set up camp and then a 4×4 drove in and 4 young bucks got out. They pulled tractor inner tubes out the rear of the vehicle and I went over to say hi. They explained they were going down river on the tubes and then would return to collect the car, they;d left another car down river. They then asked if I wanted to join them, loaned me a tube and away I went. It was just brilliant white water and quite scary but awesome fun. A few beers later over a campfire and they were off. I over slept next day.

Heading towards a town I’d over estimated the mileage and it was getting dark. I then found a pizza place in this tiny town. I thought I’d go in and ask the best place to camp, I walked into the place with dust and dirt all over me, I probably ponged a bit. The place was full of Amish people. Tumbleweed blew through as I stood there. Then they invited me to join them and I camped in one of their fields nearby.

There was a couple of other times I was cold and hungry and scared but mostly it was just great. The only other thing I’d say is most of it is doubletrack, not single track. Just saying.

I have read McCoy’s GDMBR book and was not sure whether he meant you needed to be finished by September. As to the plan. I was going to take his suggested mileage per day and just double it. That way I always end up staying at the place he suggests and not just winging it. I know winging it, is maybe the best option as you are then not tied to a schedule, but I am a wimp at wild camping at present just freaks me out a bit.

The book does the ride in 70 days and I am planning on 35 days with 5 days contingency. At 35 days you only have one day > 100 miles. I have spent time creating the elevation profile for each day just to be sure there is nothing too crazy. The most elevation is an 8500ft day, with most others being acceptable.

you’ll find your own rhythm once you get going. and remember you can ride as long as its light. I found my body clock reset itself to the daylight hours, so I was often up at 6am when the light was up and asleep when it was dark. I took a small radio and a book for evenings as when I was on my own it was company, the stunning scenes and silence and nature is great but to hear a radio show occasionally was nice. it was my luxury item. also make sure you have the physical maps and if I repeated I’d have a map case strapped to handlebars so I could save faff when I stopped at junctions looking for the right way. there wont be much network coverage and recharge points unless you use a dyno / usb hub.

I’m unemployed at the mo and have moneys so, if you’re a busty blonde count me in. 😆

(runs away from girlfriend)

you’ll find your own rhythm once you get going. and remember you can ride as long as its light. I found my body clock reset itself to the daylight hours, so I was often up at 6am when the light was up and asleep when it was dark. I took a small radio and a book for evenings as when I was on my own it was company, the stunning scenes and silence and nature is great but to hear a radio show occasionally was nice. it was my luxury item. also make sure you have the physical maps and if I repeated I’d have a map case strapped to handlebars so I could save faff when I stopped at junctions looking for the right way. there wont be much network coverage and recharge points unless you use a dyno / usb hub.

Thanks ti_pan_man. Great advice there. I never thought about the radio, but I can understand how it can help break that feeling of isolation. I assume you did the ride solo and did you wild camp along the way?

If you ever wrote up your trip I would love to read about it.

Likewise, would like to read about it.

A good write up of a tour along the GD here, one I’ve been back to a few times, nice pics and well written –

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=12850

The classifieds on crazyguyonabike get a lot of companions wanted posts. In fact if you can get organised for 15th August there’s a guy looking for someone. Start later and you’ll catch him anyway as he looks to be planning a slower pace than you.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/classifieds/?o=vU&classified_id=5015&v=7

Cheers jameso and irc. I’ll take a look at that web site you both mention.

Nah, never wrote a diary or anything, it was 12 or more years ago and the world was a little less digital than today. I wasn’t doing it to set records or have a badge to say I raced it. I did it cos I love biking, wanted an adventure and to explore. I was in the States for three months biking so hit most of the bike hot spots as well as the Divide. It was a good trip. I learned a lot about myself. Everybody should do something similar! 🙂

Agreed.. looking fwd to having the time to do something similar. You have to grab those chances when you can.

I’ve been wanting to have a crack at it before I’m 40, but between my own thoughts of the route and reading comments like ‘The only other thing I’d say is most of it is doubletrack, not single track. Just saying.’, makes me think it’s not for me. BUT, after reading a trip report like the one Jameso posted above that makes me want to do it!

I once went on a trip to Spain and found the terrain too boring (just that particular region). I ended up hiring a van and took off to a different area. It makes me wonder if I’d be better off trying something like the Colorado and/or Arizona trails, if going to the US?

Anyway, good luck OP if you’re going to do it.

its not a trail centre. its a long distance route based on tracks with access. there is single track but a lot of it is fire road. trust me, if you did that much climbing on single track it would be a walkers path. Just setting expectations. If you want single track awesomeness there’s better routes. Go base yourself in Moab for a week or Crested Butte/Gunnison/Fruita. you wont be disappointed.

Ok, not doing the whole route, but am flying out to Butte week Friday 🙂

What is not so great is that I sent my Gore bike wear (cost ~ £300) to Lancashire Sports Repairs to get reproofed as they wet out, only to just be called to tell me that the fabric is buggered and they cannot do anything with them!

Given I have only worn them a handful of times and they have been washed as per instructions I am really disappointed.

I have emailed Evans Cycles, but I doubt anything will get resolved before I go 🙁

great decision!

EDIT: rain jacket is needed but never get used, rain trousers IMO are a waste of space.

great decision!

Thanks! Can’t wait and am so looking forward to it. Cycling across the Great Divide Basin is what I am really looking forward too!

I’ll try and keep my http://onemanandhisbike.com blog updated.