Two of my younger friends embarked on the arduous and adventurous journey to ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail in July; husband and wife, Jeff Evans, and Leigh Hobson, of Cambridge.
This is by no means the first time these two have taken off on a challenging trip.
Leigh is a teacher at GCI, she took a leave of absence in 2008 to enter the Summer Olympics at the age of 37. Jeff has many talents including chef, technician, and avid bike rider. They are a dynamic duo, passionate about cycling. They have both had cycling accidents, broken bones, scares and wonderful memorie. And their passion continues.
In 2013 Leigh, now a retired Olympic and world-class cyclist, was coaching Ontario’s provincial junior team in South Carolina.
As they sped down a hill, a dog bolted out and ran into Hobson’s bike, across her front wheel and she encountered the worst crash of her life.
Her helmet saved her. She was airlifted to hospital, suffering with a severe concussion and had to go on long term disability as she battled the symptoms.
After months of intense physiotherapy, she eventually returned to teaching at GCI, at first part time, yet she recovered both mentally and physically, and, with much courage, went on to enjoy cycling again.
Their Great Divide trip had been on the couple's bucket list and at the planning stage for several years. The route is an off-road trail that begins in Jasper and runs 5,000 kms, down the spine of the Rockies, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.
It is the longest off-road route in the world. The entire route is basically dirt road and mountain pass, requiring riders to traverse spectacular terrain and scenery, interspersed with occasional camp sites.
These sites vary enormously and offer a wide variety of conditions; some small and ill equipped, others with facilities and running water. A few are only for mountain cyclists while others are often populated with RVs and loud music, which, as Jeff says, keep the bears away but offer little sleep.
The trail itself varies between narrow, uphill, poorly-graded trails with some flatter, wider and better surfaced.
Much of the trail offers spectacular scenery, mountain ranges, waterfalls, rivers, and an excellent opportunity to view wildlife in its natural habitat, including bears, wild horses, prong horn antelope, eagles, and a many other species.
Leigh and Jeff are good photographers. Their blog is filled with magnificent photos. The route is rich in history, goes through ghost towns, wagon routes, several national parks, and some small enclaves of civilization in nearby towns. Temperatures range from hot during the day, to chilly at night and all their
equipment is carried with them on their bikes.
Armed with a tent, an InReach mini satellite, cameras, and phones, their blog makes fascinating reading as their adventure unfolds.
Jeff is an excellent writer, his dry sense of humour clearly apparent as he shares their highs and lows. Reading their blog makes for an exciting vicarious journey which I along with other followers am greatly enjoying.
There are many cyclists in Cambridge; Don Pavey who has led the Tour of the Grand for many years, and Dr. Louise Sims and Dr. Richard Russek, who a few years ago cycled for three months crossing India and nearby countries. Cambridge residents who have over the years cycled across Canada, often to raise funds for their causes, all had challenging trips which they shared online.
Jeff and Leigh's trip is so well documented it almost feels as though we are part of it with none of the sweat, tears, blown-out tires and total exhaustion they deal with. Jeff put a lot of thought into how he could bring us the blog and he and Leigh have so far overcome all the technical difficulties. A steep learning curve, I’m sure.
On route as they go south, they have crossed paths with other cyclists going north. They stop to exchange information about upcoming camp sites, what to avoid, what to look out for and have friendly encounters with like-minded cyclists.
Other days and nights they are alone for hours just absorbing the scenery. Their blog quotes one campground in Helena, Montana exclusively for Mountain Bikers.
MTB City camp exclusively for mountain bikers, where they found showers, flat camp sites, a fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, good coffee and most important a bicycle repair shop. The tread had worn off Leigh's bike, so a tire replacement was much needed. It was a place to stop and recover, all for $10 per person, and they left feeling well rested and replenished for the next day.
The next day began with a 550-metre climb uphill on a gravel washboard type surface. Jeff’s description was “all uphill, painful, frustration probably 100 per cent, thinking of calling an Uber!”
I have so much admiration for his couple and wish them well as their journey continues.
You do not have to be a cyclist to find their journey interesting if you wish to follow this Cambridge couple on their adventure you can log into their blog at bybicycle.ca.
