Tour Divide
They call it, "The Grand tour of MTB." It is a trip on mountain bike form Banff, Ab CA down to Antelope Wells, NM USA. This one stage ride/race is self-supported racing traveling 2,745 mi or 4,418 km. Either way you look at it it's a long way.
Decidedly not for sprinters, this battle royale braves mountain passes and windswept valleys of the Continental Divide from hinterlands of the Canadian Rockies to badlands of the Mexican Plateau.
This is the worlds longest off-pavement cycling route. The route is highlighted by long dirt roads and jeep trails that wind their way through forgotten passes of the Continental Divide. It travels through Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the Unites States of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. By route's end a thru-rider will climb nearly 200,000 vertical feet. (Equivalent to summiting Mount Everest from sea-level 7 times)
Divide races must not only be conditioned to endure weeks of consecutive 16 + hour days in the saddle, they need to bring other skills to the trail. The route is unmarked and circuitous, requiring navigational acumen. It travels through remote back country owned by the Grizzly and Mount Lions. Intervals between services are frequently 100 + miles and demand calculated food/water resupply. Riders mus also find shelter each night whether be near by shelter or trail side tent.
Now that you have an idea of what the Tour Divide race is you know what is in store for Danny in the coming weeks. I will be posting regular updates via the blog, our Facebook page (Culvers Racing p/b Meyer Family Vision), and twitter (@culversracing). Please follow along in the next couple of weeks. Post encouraging words to Danny on our FB page as he will need everyone's love each and every day. You can also follow his progress via these sources:
www.tourdivide.com/leaderboard
www.bikepacking.net
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| Danny's rig . |
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| View from his starting point in Banff, AB |
Good luck Danny.
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