Riding the GDMBR

 

Photo: Jim Ketcham-Colwill

A high-quality water filter is an absolute necessity for the Great Divide Mountain Bike route, because potable water is not always readily available along the trail.

In fact, over some parts of the trail, and particularly through the long sections of desert south of Pinedale WY, much of what little surface water my friend Jim and I saw while riding through this area earlier this summer was not only not potable, but polluted with cow manure as well.

So especially in the desert, top off your bottles whenever you can, and always carry enough water to get to the next reliable water source.

Speaking from recent experience, I recommend an early start on GDMBR rides, and particularly those through the Wyoming desert, both to avoid as much afternoon heat as possible and to increase your likelihood of getting to your destination before dark. In addition, I would recommend that you carry a powerful bike light.

Jim and I were benighted three times between Pinedale and Steamboat, mostly due to getting late starts for a variety of reasons, including having to wait for the Rawlins Post Office to open one morning to pick up an errant resupply package. The fact that many of the roads were more challenging than we anticipated also was a factor.

My dim little headlamp proved to be of little use for navigating these rough desert roads in the dark. The going was enough of a challenge in most places on the trail under a blazing desert sun.

I think most people who attempt to ride the GDMBR agree that less is more when it comes to how much gear to carry. I know I felt every extra ounce of unnecessary baggage over the 898.4 miles I ultimately rode between Butte MT and Steamboat in August.

I ditched more than five pounds of extra clothes and gear in Pinedale, and I am hoping to cut an additional 10 pounds from my rig before attempting another trail section next year.

Also important to consider is that between Pinedale and Steamboat, there really aren’t many formal campgrounds near the trail. That means you will need to figure out how to prepare your meals without a picnic table. In addition, you will need to become adept at digging your own cat holes and taking care of your personal business, often without much more than some scraggly sagebrush for cover.

A final word of advice: If you want to ride this trail, start training on hills pronto, and the steeper and longer and rougher those hills the better, because that’s what you are going to get on the GDMBR.

Photo: Jim Ketcham-Colwill