“The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is Adventure Cycling’s premier off-pavement cycling route, crisscrossing the Continental Divide in southern Canada and the U.S. This route is defined by the word “remote”. Its remoteness equates with spectacular terrain and scenery. The entire route is basically dirt road and mountain-pass riding every day. In total, it has over 200,000 feet of elevation gain. Nearly 2,100 miles of the route is composed of County, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Canadian provincial unpaved roads.”, according to the Adventure Cycling Association.
Totals: This route took us 12 days, 21 hours, 39 minutes, and 29 seconds of cycling time to cover 4540 km (2820 miles), including 52253 m (171442 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 15 km/h (9 mph), reaching a maximum speed of 71 km/h (43 mph) on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. During cycling, there was a minimum temperature of 1 °C (34 °F) on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, and a maximum temperature of 58 °C (136 °F) on Tuesday, August 23, 2022.
Today we rode from Hachita, New Mexico, US to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, US. Sunny weather with no clouds. Road conditions include a paved road only. Highlights of the day include reaching the endpoint of the route.
Riding statistics: on Monday, September 12, 2022, day 43 on the route, it took 04:59h (03:45h moving time), between 7:27 and 12:26, to cover 73 km (45 miles), including 158 m (518 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 19.0 km/h (11.8 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 30 km/h (18.6 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 28 °C (82 °F) with a minimum of 21 °C (70 °F) and a maximum of 37 °C (99 °F).
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Where am I (on the GDMBR)?
Do you want to know where I am? So do my family and friends. Riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is a multi-week adventure, often without any connectivity for days. I bought myself a SPOT tracker for its SOS capabilities. However, it also provides tracker options. The tracker option of my SPOT device is configured to send my location every 10 minutes (when moving). My progress is plotted in a blue line, and a marker shows my last known location. The grey line is a projected route that I downloaded from the Internet during my preparations. So it might not exactly reflect the route I will be riding.
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Day 42: Snakes and other creepy animals
Today we rode from Silver City, New Mexico, US to Hachita, New Mexico, US. Sunny weather with little clouds (some cloud coverage in the morning). Road conditions included paved road, gravel roads, and dirt roads. Highlights of the day include the dirt road with snakes, and the scenery change to desert.
Riding statistics: on Sunday, September 11, 2022, day 42 on the route, it took 11:32h (07:57h moving time), between 7:44 and 7:16, to cover 127 km (78 miles), including 705 m (2313 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 16.0 km/h (9.9 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 45 km/h (28.0 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 28 °C (82 °F) with a minimum of 18 °C (64 °F) and a maximum of 38 °C (100 °F).
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Day 41: Cycling in the dark
Today we rode from Beaverhead Work Center, New Mexico, US to Silver City, New Mexico, US. Sunny weather with some clouds. Road conditions included New Mexico gravel roads and paved roads. Highlights of the day include our evening ride into Silver City.
Riding statistics: on Saturday, September 10, 2022, day 41 on the route, it took 11:26h (08:00h moving time), between 7:26 and 6:53, to cover 135 km (84 miles), including 2352 m (7717 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 13.0 km/h (8.1 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 48 km/h (29.8 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 25 °C (77 °F) with a minimum of 7 °C (45 °F) and a maximum of 39 °C (102 °F).
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Day 40: These roads were killing us
Today we rode from Valle Tios Vinces Campground, New Mexico, US to Beaverhead Work Center (firebrigade center), New Mexico, US. Same weather as yesterday, often sun, but not too hot. Road conditions included mainly New Mexico off road such as gravel, loose sand, rocks, and washboarded road. Highlights of the day include seeing the forces of nature at the Bursum road.
Riding statistics: on Friday, September 9, 2022, day 40 on the route, it took 11:26h (08:00h moving time), between 7:26 and 6:53, to cover 111 km (69 miles), including 649 m (2129 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 14.0 km/h (8.7 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 36 km/h (22.4 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 27 °C (81 °F) with a minimum of 9 °C (48 °F) and a maximum of 38 °C (100 °F).
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Day 39: The best Pie ever, not?
Today we rode from Joe Skeen Campground (25km after Sargents), New Mexico, US to Valle Tios Vinces Campground (45km after Pie Town), New Mexico, US. Not as sunny weather as other days, there was some overcast (which was appreciated) and a few raindrops during our second part. Road conditions included paved roads, and for the large part New Mexico gravel roads. Highlights of the day include being back in (smaller) mountains and forests.
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Day 38: Yes, forests again …
Today we rode from Chaco Trading Post (GDMBR Chaco Alternate), New Mexico, US to Joe Skeen Campground (25km after Sargents), New Mexico, US. Sunny weather all day. Road conditions included paved roads only. Highlights of the day include making mileage, visiting Grants, and our evening campground.
Riding statistics: on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, day 38 on the route, it took 11:26h (08:00h moving time), between 7:26 and 6:53, to cover 148 km (92 miles), including 950 m (3117 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 19.0 km/h (11.8 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 51 km/h (31.7 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 30 °C (86 °F) with a minimum of 13 °C (55 °F) and a maximum of 40 °C (104 °F).
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Day 37: The last day in the forest?!?
Today we rode from dispersed campground 22km before Cuba, New Mexico, US to Chaco Trading Post (GDMBR Chaco Alternate), New Mexico, US. Sunny weather with little clouds. Road conditions were perfect, only paved roads. Highlights of the day include the scenery change from the last forests and mountains to more desert and ‘flatter’.
Riding statistics: on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, day 37 on the route, it took 12:32h (09:59h moving time), between 7:22 and 7:56, to cover 103 km (63 miles), including 654 m (2146 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 20.0 km/h (12.4 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 55 km/h (34.2 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 31 °C (88 °F) with a minimum of 11 °C (52 °F) and a maximum of 47 °C (117 °F).
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Day 36: Running out of daylight
Today we rode from Abiquiu, New Mexico, US to dispersed campground 22km before Cuba, New Mexico, US. Sunny weather with little clouds, thunderstorms building up in the afternoon (no rain for us). Road conditions mostly very difficult. Highlights of the day include riding a 20km climb on the most difficult road so far, pitching tent in forest before Cuba (probably last forest of the route).
Riding statistics: on Monday, September 5, 2022, day 36 on the route, it took 12:32h (09:59h moving time), between 7:22 and 7:56, to cover 102 km (63 miles), including 2225 m (7300 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 10.0 km/h (6.2 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 34 km/h (21.1 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 28 °C (82 °F) with a minimum of 11 °C (52 °F) and a maximum of 41 °C (106 °F).
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Day 34: New Mexican roads …
Today we rode from Informal Campground, New Mexico, US to Abiquiu, New Mexico, US. Sunny weather all day. Road conditions included paved roads, gravel roads (good and bad). Highlights of the day include the changing scenery, our stop for the night (Retreat at the River).
Riding statistics: on Sunday, September 4, 2022, day 35 on the route, it took 09:29h (07:36h moving time), between 8:21 and 5:51, to cover 108 km (66 miles), including 1228 m (4029 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 15.0 km/h (9.3 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 45 km/h (28.0 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 27 °C (81 °F) with a minimum of 5 °C (41 °F) and a maximum of 43 °C (109 °F).
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