Sampling the Great Divide

 Ever since I first heard about Adventure Cycling?s Great Divide Mountain Bike Route several years ago, I?ve been a fan and a follower of all things related to the epic, off-pavement cycling route. I?ve hunted down blog entries and journals from riders on sites such Crazy Guy on a Bike, followed the Tour Divide race, and have purchased several of the Adventure Cycling route maps in hopes of one day riding it myself. When the opportunity arose to staff on an Adventure Cycling guided tour on the Great Divide, I jumped on it immediately.

Cycle Divide Montana is a 7-day sampling of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route through western Montana, starting in the ski resort town of Whitefish and ending in Lincoln. It covers about 250 miles of the famed route, on lightly traveled Forest Service roads through lush forests, past alpine lakes, along rushing spring-fed creeks, and this part of the route also offers a few small sections of zippy, singletrack trail.

Approximately 45 Adventure Cycling members from all over the country took the tour and several seasoned Adventure Cycling tour leaders supported the group: marking the route each day, leading map meetings, setting up water stops along the route, and providing mechanic support and transport of everyone?s luggage.

The group assembled in Whitefish on the afternoon of day 1 for an introduction meeting followed by dinner and a social hour. Though we woke up to showers on day 2, the remainder of the week treated the group with sunny, dry weather and clear blue sky. The route took the group along the Swan River Valley, on a variety of dirt Forest Service roads and trails through towns such as Bigfork, Condon, Seeley Lake, and Lincoln. At night we camped in small towns along the route, a few of which had their population doubled while our group was there. Our well-deserved layover day in Seeley Lake provided a chance to hike to Morell Falls, soak in the sun at Seeley Lake, canoe the Clearwater River, and just relax in town.

The group had many riders who?d never done a dirt tour before and some who were new to mountain bikes altogether. Some riders encountered a few challenges but all were rewarded with spectacular views and scenery, camaraderie and opportunities for swimming holes at just about every turn. By the tour's end, many of the riders were talking about tackling another section of the route next summer.

It was a great opportunity to have a taste of the route alongside many like-minded cyclists and I recommend the ride for anyone looking for a fun and challenging, off-pavement bicycle adventure.

See photos from the trip on the Adventure Cycling Tours Flickr Pool.

- Paul Hansbarger

Photos by Paul Hansbarger.

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ON THE ROAD is written by the tours team -- Mo, Paul, Madeline, and Arlen -- tours specialists and intrepid bicyclists, covering all things related to Adventure Cycling's Tours Department. There is still space available on some of our fall 2012 Tours.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/07/sampling-great-divide.html

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