Bikes and equipment

Bikes

Paul built both bikes, which I think are kind of the same. He has been in the process of trying out and change parts since he started building them, and if I know him well the process will never end :) However, so far we have:

Training for the Great Divide

We don't know yet to which extent the Great Divide will test our limits, but we know it's going to be challenging, both mentally and physically.

As for the mental training, we think we are very lucky to have been training in Scotland, nothing can be worst than Scottish weather right? ...or maybe not mmmhhh...

As for the fitness, we are both reasonably fit and tough. We cycle regularly to work and around town , and we cycled one of the usual+100k routes once a month over the last year, and the below trips in the last month.

The planned schedule

While Paul is in charge of the bikes, I'm on planning duties. The main resources for planning have been:

• Cycling the Great Divide - 2nd Edition, by Michael McCoy
• Adventure Cycle maps
• Advevnture Cyling webpage
  http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/great-divide-mountain-bike-route/
  
• Inspiring and useful blogs including
  

Time is ripe


I have been longing for a long haul cycling trip for years, and it never worked out. Spring would colour the Burgh and bring some hope, but it was always a false start. Autumn would follow soon and I never managed to join the migratory birds in their fly to warm places. It was just not time. To be fair up to 3 years ago I couldn't even conceive the existence of such adventures, and then I started to hear the endeavours of some crazy nomads, and there was an instant inner call, something that I had to do, to write down in the "done" list.