...and then it ended

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Well as quickly as my 2013 Tour Divide journey began, it ended. Man, this was certainly no the outcome I was hoping for. But before I get into the details of how it ended I will go back a bit to the beginning days of the race, because it was certainly an adventure. 

 8am on Friday 14th June we set off from the Banff Springs Hotel car park. The hours leading up to the start seemed to drag endlessly, as riders milled around town trying to grab as much McDonalds and Tim Hortons breakfasts as they could before the grand depart. 
Riders gather for 2013 Tour Divide pic


 We all gathered at the trailhead for any last minute photo's with the usual pre-race banter from nervous riders. To be honest with you I was very nervous, not because I was new to race starts but more because of the unknown over the next 4,400kms. And just like that we were off...
The Grand Depart 2013
The riding over the next 240kms to Sparwood was some of the most beautiful and challenging riding I had ever done. There were a number of short sharp and very steep ascents and equally quick downhills. I kept reminding myself that there was still a lot of riding required in the next 20-odd days so I needed to preserve myself and not kill myself on my fully loaded bike! The weather always threatened and as the thunder rolled around the mountains I thought we were going to get soaked - but we managed to just have constant drizzle the entire way. Overall I was feeling strong on the bike, but was seriously unhappy about the weight of my bike and was already planning what I could dump at the first chance. 

 More to follow...


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About Post Author

Passionate mountain-biker with a full time job, attempting to ride the Tour Divide in 2015. Hoping to share my story here in hopes that it will educate and inspire those attempting to ride the Tour Divide.

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TOUR DIVIDE

TOUR DIVIDE
The Tour Divide is an annual mountain biking race traversing the length of the Rocky Mountains, from Canada to the Mexican border. Following the 2,745-mile (4,418 km) Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, it is an extreme test of endurance, self-reliance and mental toughness. The race format is strictly self-supported, and it is not a stage race - the clock runs continuously from the start until riders cross the finish line.

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