Tag: a view from two wheels

Day 1 Banff, Canada to Mt Engadine Lodge

August 26th, 2014

We arrived in Banff early Tuesday afternoon, after a 1.5 hour drive from Calgary. We began to assemble our bikes and grab our last minute supplies. But as we have begun to find out, everything on the divide takes much longer than expected. We were not ready to leave until half past seven, so we decided to find the local campground and hit the hay and take off early morning.

The next morning we packed our bikes, grabbed a few more forgotten items, and set off. We meandered through town and down the Spray River. Surrounded by mountains, the river a deep glacial blue, we were both awestruck. Soon a light rain began to fall and the terrain got exceedingly challenging. The gravel path became strewn with huge rocks, a bridge was under construction and we had to ford a freezing river. As we continued, we saw a ray of sun, and before we knew it we were greeted by an amazing rainbow. We were still very far behind schedule and with no campground nearby, we luckily found a lodge that had a yurt to stay dry in for the night.
The Great Divide

July 21st, 2014

We are setting off on an adventure of epic proportions. 2,800 miles. 90% unpaved. 200,000 feet of elevation gain, 2 provinces, 5 states. Banff, Canada to Antelope Wells, NM. It’s called the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.

Our vision and ultimate goal is the creation of a high quality photobook that documents our story as we meet the challenges this trip presents. According to adventurecycling.org, the GDMBR is rich in history. We will encounter ghost towns, deserted mines, and wagon routes. The route will also take us within the proximity of several national parks such as Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton. Our objective is to document this route in two parts. First, we will photograph the impact that development has on nature. The scars of mining, deforestation, abandoned buildings, as well as what nature has done to reclaim that which was once its own.

The second part focuses on our personal struggle as we ride the difficult 2,800 miles. The route is remote, long, and arduous and this is what will challenge us the most. It will be us against the elements, Man vs. Nature. Our personal triumphs and struggles, combined with spectacular photography of our surroundings, will be documented and crafted into a beautiful photo essay that gives an insight into this remote and rugged trail.