Great Divide // Departing August 2015

Bike // Niner S.I.R. 9

I can't remember if it was Sheldon Brown or Grant Petersen (of Rivendell Bicycle Works) who answered the question, "Which type of bicycle should I ride to go on a bike tour" with the dry response, "The one you've got."

I've embraced this ideology that adventure doesn't require the fanciest or newest gear on the market, so I feel a little silly showing the sexy beast that I'll be riding on the Divide. I am the lucky and very grateful recipient of a brand new Niner SIR 9 as part of my brand ambassadorship with Blackburn Design. I can't wait to tackle the Great Divide on this elegant ride:

Gear

As you can see in the picture above, look Ma, racks! All my gear will be stowed in Blackburn frame-mounted bags. I love the set-up, except for how perilously close the seatpost bag swings over my rear tire.

I am still tweaking my gear list since I'm not leaving until August. I will bring what I always bring: 2 pairs of cycling clothes, one pair of clothes I can wear into town that doesn't scream "I love spandex", and warm stuff. Then the essentials for sleeping and eating: tent, sleeping bag & pad, stove, fuel, pots, bowl and spoon. Then comes fun stuff: journal and pen, maybe a musical instrument (on my last tour I met a couple carrying a trailer with two guitars, they were a blast to camp with), solar panel, smartphone, camera tripod (to shoot some maddd cool clips), book

Here's a link to my gear spreadsheet: ch-ch-check it out

If you have any comments/suggestions/questions, I'd love to hear them!

Cross-Country // CA 6/4/14 - Maine 8/28/14

Bike // Lemond buenos aires

Despite the radial lacing of the spokes on the front wheel, I didn't manage to blow a single spoke on the entire +4,000 mi journey. I rode with just a rear rack for the first week or so, and then I added a front rack in Portland, OR. It was a good move- the bike handled much better, especially on climbs, once I distributed the weight.

I have Dura Ace front and rear derailleur, a triple crankset, Shimano 105 brakes, and Gatorskin tires.

I didn't start out with fresh gear, so it is not a surprise that my pedals needed replacing in Idaho, I got new Gatorskins in Iowa (I increased the tire width from 25 to 28mm, and would have gone fatter if I had clearance), and a new chain in New York. My bar tape was also pretty shredded by the time I finished in Maine.

Gear

Similar to what I pack for all my trips, so check out the spreadsheet linked in the Gear section for the Great Divide Ride. It seems that no matter how long the trip is, I pack two pairs of cycling clothing, warm layers, and my PR outfit aka civilian clothes.

Noteworthy comments about my gear:

-Front rack is a must. I added one after a week riding with only a rear rack

- I ditched my stove in Illinois. I got sick of carrying the stove and fuel, and I found that I was eating prepared food either at the homes of folks I met along the way or purchased from grocery stores/restaurants enough times a week to satisfy my desire for "real food". I didn't miss lugging around the stove. Note- I am not addicted to caffeine, so I don't need coffee to start my morning. Maybe you do, and maybe you would miss the stove more than I did.

- I really loved my panniers. They were purchased at REI a decade or so ago (they are house brand ie Novara), and they kept my gear completely dry through many storms. They are simple, waterproof, and stood up to my rough handling. I love them.

-I loved my Big Agnes tent. The Fly Creek rules, and stayed staked and kept me dry through all but one wild tornado storm in Iowa. However, my Big Ag sleeping pad crapped out on me pretty early on in the journey and after having BA send me a replacement pad which also leaked on me after a few nights of use I ended up buying a Thermarest foam pad which looks like an egg carton and is puncture proof.

-The only solar panel that I have come across in my travels that actually works is made by Goal Zero. I will be getting myself a pair of panels by them for the Great Divide