Back from the Divide
Got back on Friday, just before midnight. I rode from Banff in Canada to Salida in Colorado in 20 easy days, with some short days and one complete day off in Butte, too. My plans to wake up and start pedaling early flew out of the window right from the start;) Usually, I started some time between 7:00am and 9:00am local time. I based it on how hard and how much climbing I had ahead of me that day. The goal became to cycle close to or over 100 miles. Plus, time-wise I tried to spend about 8 to 10 hours in a saddle.
As 2 years ago, I again finished my Divide adventures in Colorado. This time it was unintended. I felt the three weeks spent mountain biking on the GDMTBR were about enough. Besides, Colorado is so hard to pass through too fast: good food and coffee, nice bike shops to hang around, plenty of fellow cyclists. Despite eating all the time, I returned home 10 pounds lighter, 167 lbs which is closer to my optimal weight.
Salsa Fargo performed perfectly. This bike was created to eat up miles on a route like this. First of all, in my mind 29″ wheeled mountain bike is the future of off-road touring. There is no way, I will go back to anything smaller. The rolling efficiency of two-niners allows for faster and more comfortable riding. I had no mishaps whatsoever!!! I only did one tune-up in the Outdoorsman bike shop in Butte. Just to clean up drive-train and re-adjust shifting for cable stretching. The combo of Salsa dropbars and Syntace aerobars was a winner, too. Not a slightest trace of pain in my wrists, unlike in 2007 with flat bars and Ergon grips. No flats either!!! I think my Slime tubes might have been an overkill though. WTB Nanoraptor tires had plenty of grip on this route. The only complaint: the rear tire was getting worn out a bit too fast, after almost 2,000 miles. Not sure if this is normal. Epic Designs bags carried all of my equipment and distributed it properly and held up fairly well in rain.
For now, I started uploading pictures to my Flickr photostream and you can also see my GPS logs over at Garmin Connect (if that doesn’t take you directly to my activities just search for the username: “richdrogpa”). At Garmin website, you can see my daily routes mapped out and HR, elevation and speed data plotted over time.
Nice ride. And you are right…sometimes the right thing to do is say ‘Wow, that was great…and I’ve had enough.’
Comment by Kid Riemer | August 14, 2009
Hi Rich,
Remember me and John-Pierre at Ladahk 2006?
I am returning to Nth india in 10 days for a long motorcycle tour with 5 others. Manali Leh Srinagar then back to Lahaul Spiti Kinnear for more of the same.
Nice to see you still LIVING STRONG. I will read your blog in detail after I get home.
I agree about 29er MTB. I now ride a Vassago Jabberwocky made in the USA.
Best wishes, Steve Cooper
Comment by Steve Cooper | August 23, 2009
Rich,
Great ride and great photos. When you get some time (I know what it is like coming back from 3 weeks on the trail) I’d like to talk with you about your ride and setup. Looks like you’ve had quite the experience as well.
Comment by Joseph Meiser | August 24, 2009
Steve,
Glad you are going back to Ladakh. Man, you are going to love it;) I’m a bit jealous… I’m assuming you are buying/renting Enfields and doing it the “Indian” style.
I am myself looking into getting a used Honda XR650L and hitting some dirt roads north of New York state. Maybe, in a few years time, I’ll embark on a trip to Tierra del Fuego. See South America, learn some Spanish and experience my own “Motorcycling Diaries” adventure… Good luck in India and if you’ll post pictures somewhere online, let me know. I’d love to see them;)
Comment by Rich | August 26, 2009
Joe,
Definitely. Replied to you through flickr.com;)
Comment by Rich | August 26, 2009
I’m still in Montana and have hit snow! Currently holed up in Lima. Looks like I might need to hit pavement for a while, and then scoop back onto the GDR later… Absolutely loving the riding though!
Comment by Cass | October 6, 2009