The Rocky Mountain Continental Divide Ride (2)

Our ride plan was centered around using GPS tracks obtained from V Strom riders who had previously rode the Continental Divide. The trail would vary between groomed to washboard gravel roads, dirt, huge rocks and treacherous sand. I would consider it nearly impossible for the average rider to follow the trail without the assistance of a good GPS device.

The bikes parked at breakfast cafe (Silver City, NM) before the first day on the Divide Trail.

The first break on the Divide trail. - Jim Ervin , Mike Alewine and Mike Blevins

Mike Alewine

The Santa Fe National Forest

Beautiful Mountain Scenery

Mike Blevins (me) on the Continental Divide Trail.

Joe Freeland

Climbing the many steep rocky grades

This picture doesn't do it justice. The trail is extremely steep with plenty of serious rough boulders and deep sand.

I hope you like lots of deep sand, big boulders and steep grades!

A high plateau near Black Mountain, NM

Joe Freeland after his fall. Left side bike scrape and a seriously bruised left foot and ankle. Joe had one of the worst bruises I've ever seen. Fortunately his ankle recovered well and the injury did not hinder his ride.

Dick Jacobs, repacking his bike after one of several hard falls.

In places the trail was nothing short of treacherous. All of the bikes were dropped at one time or another. Most more than once.

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. ~Sir Winston Churchhill~


Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all. ~Hellen Keller~