Getting the band back together!

For anyone who has followed the (mis)adventures of the Dinosaurs on Wheels, you know that the Dinosaurs on Wheels, or the Ryan brothers, bicycled across the US during the pandemic summer of 2020.  This trip started in Oregon at the Pacific ocean and ended in Virginia at the Atlantic.  

Since that time, we have done some other, shorter trips with different levels of success.  In '21 we traveled the Ohio to Erie trail across Ohio, and I did a trip from Richmond to Caswell Beach in North Carolina along the Outer Banks.  In the spring of '22 we set out to do the GAP, or Great Allegheny Pass, which along with the B&O canal, leads from Washington DC to Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, a broken bike prevented our finishing. 

Now in 2023, we are preparing to do another cross-country route.  This one, however, is almost 100% off-road, traveling from Canada to the Mexican border, along the continental divide.  As a matter of fact, the route is called the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, or GDMBR.  This is a 2,800 mile trip, 90% or so off-road, with about 200,000 feet of climbing.  It's described as the longest off-pavement route in the world.  For more information on the GDMBR, go to Adventure Cycling's site here  

Why this route?  Why now?

We have thought about doing the GDMBR for a couple of years.  Besides the Trans-America route, which we completed in 2020, this is likely the best known adventure in cycling.  Unfortunately health concerns have kept us away.  In 2021 Jerry couldn't go for his own health reasons, and in 2022 I couldn't go as I was helping my wife Patty with her health care issues.  For anyone who isn't aware, my wife Patty passed away just about 2 months ago in May.  She had suffered from breast cancer since 2016, but it had been in remission (mostly) until the fall of 2021. Since that time she suffered one setback after another, and entered hospice care in November of '22, eventually succumbing in May of this year.  

So why go now?  Well, in some ways it is the worst time to do this, and in some ways the best.  The worst in that right now is pretty chaotic in my life.  My recent tragedy has left a lot of my life without reason or purpose.  Taking care of her was the biggest part of my life since late in 2021. Now, with my children grown and living their own lives, no one (except Finnegan, my Golden Retriever) relies on me.  To put it mildly, it is a bit of a change in life.  Figuring this out isn't going to take a day or a week, it's going to be a long term project.  Perhaps a little time away is a good way to get my head straight(?)  

In many ways, though, this experience has taught me that life is, as we all know, very very short.  Reaching my 60's I begin to realize just how short a time I have to be able to do energetic adventures like long-distance cycling.  Even less time to do a huge enterprise like the GDMBR.  My riding partner and brother, Jerry, has had issues with A-fib, but is currently doing okay.  Who knows how long this situation is going to last?  With the past few years as a guide, I realize it is not worth waiting around to see.  Time to go.  Thank goodness for my wonderful work team, who have allowed a lot of my time away from work to, uh, work.  They have been fantastic in making sure Sentry continues to function and grow. For all of the time they allowed me to stay home, thank you; for this upcoming trip - sorry, and, thank you again.  Keep it rolling!

So, the plan now is to fly off to Calgary on the 1st of August, catch a bus to Banff National Park, and begin our journey south from there. 

I will continue to post messages here throughout the run-up and throughout the time on (actually off) the road.  Subscribe to the blog, or just check up as I post links on my Twitter and LinkedIn pages. 

Jamer and Finnegan, headed out on a recent trip

MUCH more to come...