A large geographical area, referred to as America, separates Canada and Mexico.  If you had tocross it, traveling across the Great Plains through the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansasfollowed by Oklahoma before finally arriving at the Mexican border in Texas would be the easiest way.  The way dozens of people do it every June,however, is much more difficult.  They traverse the heart of the Rockies,going from Banff National Park, deep in Canada, in the province of Alberta,through Alberta and British Colombia in Canada, through the rugged states ofMontana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, traveling a total of 2700miles.   About one hundred people do it per year.  The TourDivide, as it is know as, follows the Continental Divide as closely as it can,staying on dirt roads and two-track trails.  The Continental Divide is thewatershed that separates water that ends in the Pacific Ocean and the AtlanticOcean/Gulf of Mexico.  Two Boise riders attempted, and completed the TourDivide.  Norb DeKerchove completed the Tour Divide in 2011 and TysonFahrenbruck 2012, this past summer.

            DeKerchove said he did the TourDivide because “The challenge aspect was attractive to me”.  A multiplefinisher of Ironman Triathlons, DeKerchove said that he first heard about theTour Divide by watching the movie Ride the Divide, which gives theviewer a look into what the ride is all about.  Click here to watch trailer for Ridethe Divide.

            While fairly unknown, Ridethe Divide did get a few reviews, including by Cycle and Style,Adventure Cycling Association, and Cycling News, just to name afew.  At the Vail Film Festival, it won the Best AdventureFilm. Outside magazine wrote, “The world’s toughest bike raceis not in France”, alluding to the elusive Tour de France.  Outside hasa point.  All Tour de France teams have a car that follows behindthem, changing flat tiers, uncomfortable shoes, as well as giving the ridersfood and water, so it isn’t a solo expedition.  Riders are on a teamand ride together in a peloton, or a large group so they go fasterand shield the main rider from the wind and other hazards.  Also,Tour de France riders never ride above 150 miles per day, and they get restdays. They also are on paved roads, which make for easier biking than onthe trails and dirt roads that the Tour Divide travels on.  The TourDivide riders don’t get rest days, and they are on their bike for 2-4 times aslong per day.  Most Tour Divide riders are riding for 10-16 hours aday, while Tour de France riders don’t ever do more than six.

            Fahrenbruck saw Ride theDivide also, which is how he first heard about the TourDivide.  Then, in June of 2011, he read an article in the IdahoStatesman about DeKerchove trying to complete the Tour Divide.  Hethough “Norb was a ‘Crazy man’ for trying to complete such an insanejourney”.  By the end of that summer, after DeKerchove successfullycompleted the Tour Divide, Fahrenbruck wanted to do it.

            For training, DeKerchove completedtwo Ironman Triathlons (2.4 mi. swim, 112 mi. bike, 26.2 mi. run) in the monthsprior to the Tour Divide.  He also rode a lot in difficult weatherconditions, and did a few rides that lasted 2-3 days, doing over 100 miles perday.  Fahrenbruck would ride to and from work every day, and then beganto do longer rides on the weekends.  A month before the race, he dida few multiday rides, similar to DeKerchove.  Both Boise riderspacked extra things that they would need for the trip, such as extra spokes,chains, and inner tubes.  DeKerchove had a tent that weighed aboutone pound.  Fahrenbruck took a bevy sack, a small, exposed,waterproof shelter to sleep in at night.  He said “Next time I wouldtake a tent, because I found the bevy sack to be small, uncomfortable, and tooexposed.”  DeKerchove got about five hours of sleep per night, andFahrenbruck said he got closer to seven.  DeKerchove averaged 111miles per day throughout the Tour Divide, while Fahrenbruck averaged 88 milesper day.

            For meals, they would eat at asrestaurants along the route, sometimes bringing an extra entree on the trailfor later.  Chips, milkshakes, and Hostess pies were DeKerchove’sfavorite items to stumble upon in a supermarket.  Fahrenbruck had astreak where he found a Subway for five straight days.  They wouldeat bars, and other snacks out on the trail.  Neither cooked at allout on the trail.

            DeKerchove enjoyed the people he metalong the way, as well as the few times he continued to ride into the night.  Fahrenbruckenjoyed the people out on the route, both riders and other people heencountered as well the finish in Antelope Wells, New Mexico, right on theMexican border.  Both said that the hardest part was missing theirfamily out on the trail.  In the future. DeKerchove wants to do theColorado Trail bike race, 500 miles across Colorado on single-track trails fromDenver to Durango.  Fahrenbruck is planning on doing the Tour Divideagain this summer.  DeKerchove may do it again, but probably not thissummer with Fahrenbruck.  Boise has lots of bicyclists, so I guess itis appropriate that two people from Boise are crazy enough to do the toughestbike race in America.