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Author Topic: Doing the Great Divide on hard surface roads and Trails  (Read 6543 times)

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Offline dayjack119

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  • 2023 Jack's Solo Great Divide Ride- Jack Day
Doing the Great Divide on hard surface roads and Trails
« on: May 04, 2023, 01:39:39 pm »
At 79 I'm not too interested in really roughing it Bikepacking but by following parallel to the ACA Great Divide route on highways, I get to see a lot of the same stuff and experience more locals.  I'm planning on the solo 2023 ride from South to North, beginning in Albuquerque and ending in Whitefish, MT.  I am not starting at the border due to the mess down there.  I was informed by a sheriff that I will be carrying survival gear which is not lost on border jumping banditos.  At the other end, Whitefish is close enough to the Canadian border and also where I can catch the train headed West to Spokane.  Last year I pedaled parallel to the Pacific Crest Trail south to north but hikers and bikers alike were halted at the half way mark due to wild fires.  It was nasty with ash, and the campgrounds that were operating were full of firefighters.  Grocery stores and restaurants were all closing too so I turned away and headed home.  Therefore this year I am also going to attempt to complete what I didn't do last year.  Let's see how tired I am by then.  Time will tell.  So I'll be arriving in Albuquerque around May 17th for the Start, using Amtrak from Kansas City.
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Offline John Nettles

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Re: Doing the Great Divide on hard surface roads and Trails
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2023, 01:52:37 pm »
Hope you have a wonderful trip!  I too have thought of doing a paved Great Divide but have not gotten around to it.  Tailwinds, John
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Offline dayjack119

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  • 2023 Jack's Solo Great Divide Ride- Jack Day
Re: Doing the Great Divide on hard surface roads and Trails
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2023, 02:39:05 pm »
Thanks for the good wishes.
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Offline ray b

Re: Doing the Great Divide on hard surface roads and Trails
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2023, 09:55:07 pm »
Go get 'em. Thanks for setting the good example.

For those interested in the asphalt alternative, you might try to dig up a copy of Plaskett and Breuning's Great DivideRoad Bike Route (2019, Wild Parrott Books)
https://wildparrotbooks.com/products/great-divide-road-bike-route-mexico-to-canada
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“A good man always knows his limitations.”

Offline aggie

Re: Doing the Great Divide on hard surface roads and Trails
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2023, 02:33:19 pm »
FYI  Unable to find the book.  The web store isn't taking orders and I'm not able to find any store/website that has it.
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Offline kizarmynot

Re: Doing the Great Divide on hard surface roads and Trails
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2023, 06:54:50 am »
Enjoyed your FB posts. Looks like things are going well. Hope you post things that went well and other that didn't about your route once complete. Good luck the rest of the way.
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