Cambridge Couple ride the Great Divide

Together, they can get through anything.

This is surely true for one Cambridge couple, who enjoy exploring the world, on bikes.

Last summer, Jeff Evans and Leigh Hobson decided to tackle the Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail that begins in Jasper and runs 5,000 kms down the spine of the Rockies, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.

“We first took a three-day train ride to Jasper. Then once we got our feet planted, we started off on the bikes, from Jasper down to Mexico,” Evans said.

“We left in July 2021 and came back in April 2022. It was an incredible experience.”

Some people cycle the Great Divide as a ride, and others do it as a race.

“Many people passed us. Some were on a time restriction. What we realized is that some people were riding it, to accomplish it. And we were not those people. We were riding it to be there. So, we weren’t in a rush to get it done,” Evans said.

“We wanted to experience every moment.”

The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is an off-pavement cycling route, crisscrossing the Continental Divide in southern Canada and the U.S.

Its remoteness offers spectacular terrain and scenery. The entire route is basically dirt-road and mountain-pass riding.

“The scenery was spectacular for sure. And the variety in terms of topography from desert to the Canadian Rockies, it's mind blowing," Evans said.

“And then riding through the States, into Montana, everything just opens up. Then into Wyoming and Utah, that’s another world. It was incredible to get to the border of Mexico. Neither of us had been there, so it was completely new.”

Cycling a trail such as the Great Divide puts one’s mental and physical abilities to the test, and offers a unique cultural experience, something that the couple says is far easier to experience on a bike, rather than inside a car.

“When you are on your bike, you are in your environment. You are very much aware of the sights, the sounds, and the smells around you. And you are immersed in the culture,” Evans said.

“In a car, it’s like looking at a movie. It’s contained. You are going fast, so you only get snippets of it.  When you are on a bike, people see you way differently than in a car.”

On all of their travels, the couple says the biggest impression left on them is that of the people they travelled with or met along the way.

“People tend to stop and make sure you are okay,” Hobson said.

“When we got to Mexico, the people were genuine and sincerely helpful. They are so warm and welcoming.”

Since Evans enjoys writing and Hobson does photography, the couple documented their travels along the way.   

“We have printed photos from all of our trips. I write and take videos, and Leigh takes photos that are just outstanding,” Evans said.

“We started taking videos, calling them,’ Friendly Encounters’ because we were meeting all of the amazing people, sometimes fleeting meetings along the route. You hear their amazing story, and then they are gone. So, we started recording them.”

But embarking on such a trek, does not come without its challenges.

“You have to be open minded, and open to circumstances. We had a plan and a route, but we knew that was just a general agenda,” Evans said.

“That’s the thing about a trip that long, things are going to happen. A lot of good things happen, but some bad things happen too. You have to be able to roll with it.”

Evans says it’s important to pack as light as you can, but there are some things you just have to bring.

“This was an off road trip from dessert to mountains. So, we had to make sure we had three days worth of food, so it was a little more challenging to plan because it is off road,” Evans said.

“You have to be able to fix your bike, so make sure you bring the equipment or tools needed. Everyone’s list might be different. But you must to be able to change a tire if you need to.”

Life can become basic on a bike.

“It really just keeps you in the moment thinking about where we are sleeping tonight, what we are eating. You don’t really think far ahead. It’s day to day,” Hobson said.  

Conquering the Great Divide was not the first cycling adventure for the couple. In 2014, they took a year off for an around the world trip on bikes.

“That was our first big trip. We started in Western Europe, Iceland, England, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France. And we did southeast Asia, a tour around the Gulf, from Vietnam to Singapore, and New Zealand,” Evans said.

“I had a bit of a mishap in New Zealand. I broke my arm. I had a little pity party for myself for about a day, but Leigh said we are going to carry on and rent a van. So, we did. She picked me up and kept us going.”

Leigh is a teacher at Galt Collegiate Institute. Jeff is a talented chef, technician, and avid bike rider.

The couple found a love for cycling on very different routes.

“I always had a bicycle, as a kid I grew up on a farm, on a rural route, so having a bicycle was the ultimate freedom. Once I had a bicycle, I was able to explore and go on an adventure. And that’s how I grew up in North Bay,” Evans said.

“It’s always been a part of my life. It gave me a sense of freedom and excitement. It still does. And I hang on to that.”

As for Hobson, her father was a racer.

“I had been doing some running races and then I heard about a road race which was a cycling race. I had cycled before, so I thought I would give it a try, Hodson said.

“I learned a lot, and really quick, about how different cycling is from running races. So, I decided to join a cycling club.”

Hobson started racing in 1995, and went to the Olympics in 2008, competing in the 120 km women’s race in Beijing.  

“When I met Leigh, she had had already placed fifth in the national championships in Hamilton. And then she went on to the Olympics. She inspired me to be a better cyclist,” Evans said.

“Sometimes we ride together and sometimes we ride alone. Going for a bike ride, it gives us that head space, that time to reflect and centre ourselves. It’s become our lifestyle, and neither of us wants to let that go.”

In 2013, Hobson was involved in a serious accident.  

“I had a bad concussion after being hit by a dog at a training camp in South Carolina. That was probably one of my worst crashes,” she said.

After months of intense physiotherapy, she eventually returned to teaching and went on to enjoy cycling again.

Today, Evans rides his bike to work and Hobson cycles for fun. Plans are in the works for future bike adventures.

“We work together and pick each other up when we need to,” Evans said.

“Life becomes really simple on a bike. So, we just enjoy each moment together. It’s great to do this on your own and appreciate the sense of accomplishment, but to do it with a partner, it really does magnify it.”