Day 4:

• Most of today's riding would be downhill.
• The effects of last night's heavy rain was visible for about 4 miles, some new erosion, tree limbs down, and plenty of new leaves and needles were visible on the ground.
• We only rode on the forest road #239 for about 10 miles and then it became paved as State Hwy #547.
• About five miles from our destination we both began to become choked-up with emotion, we both realized that were finishing our 17 year, do a little bit every summer, ride on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
• In the town of Grants (formerly of Route 66 fame) we stopped at a Walmart (I cannot remember why) and on the parking lot we met a fellow traveler through-riding 'The Divide'. We gave him a general trail report, we told him that we just completed the complete USA portion of the 'The Divide', and he asked 'When did you start?'. Terry immediately said 'In 1999' and we all busted out laughing!

Day 4 - San Mateo Spring to Grants, New Mexico

Above Left: Morning comes to Cibola National Forest. We packed a wet tent. If we were continuing, we'd stop around noon in the best sunlight and let the tent dry while we snacked or ate lunch. However, today we will end our trip at Grants, NM (our final destination, today). We were only about 15 miles from Grants.

Above Right: The tent and camp gear was packed but not stowed on the bike. We had to wait for the Kitchen and Cook Gear.

Above Left: We were ready to go, we walked the bike to the main forest road.

Above Right: We reached the main forest road, NF-239, and we will be riding south.

Above: The Captain's View of the Cockpit (wet from last night's rain). We camped on the oppositee side of the road from that Camp/Tent Symbol that is dead center in the map. The map is produced by the Adventure Cycling Association (for about $40/each, each is 2 sided and there is a total of 6 maps for the American side of the GDMBR)

Above: These images show how we mark the map for navigation and planning and it demonstrates some of the available route navigation points that can be used for time, distance, and direction. Using time, distance, and direction is called DED Rekoning (for Deductive Reckoning, often called DEAD Rekoning because your life depends on your skill).

Above Left: Cruising in Cibola NF.

Above Right: An abused Road Sign showing the direction and distance to Grants (14 Miles).

Above Left: We came upon Paved Road, that put us at the 104.9 Mile Marker, and we changed to NM Hwy-547.

Above Right: NM Hwy-547 sign.

Above Left: Our first view of Grants.

Above Right: NM Hwy-547.

Above Left: Leaving Cibola National Forest.

Above Right: Entering the City of Grants, NM, elevation 6,470'.

Above Left: Our first signal light in Grants.

Above Right: I was dreaming about a Foot-Long BLT with Southwest Dressing and Terry was dreaming about a Chopped Chicken Salad - Our dreams came True (twice today)!

We Just Completed the
Great Divide Mountain
Bike Route!

Above: In the town of Grants (formerly of Route 66 fame), New Mexico, we stopped at a Walmart (I cannot remember why) and on the parking lot we met a fellow bike traveler who was Through-Riding 'The Divide'. We gave him a general trail report, we told him that we just completed the complete USA portion of the 'The Divide', and He asked 'When did you start'? Terry immediately replied 'In 1999' and we all busted out laughing!.

We started the GDMBR in July of 1999 and we finished the GDMBR in October of 2016 (the first summer after we both had been retired and we both had open time, together). The GDMBR had come into existence in 1997 but we knew nothing about it. We read about it while sitting in the Criterium Bike Shop (Colorado Springs) while waiting our turn for some unexpected service need. The original GDMBR only went from the USA-Canada border (Roosville) to the USA-Mexico border (Antelope Wells), a 2,500 mile trek and 90% of the route was off-road. Another 250 miles from Banff to Roosville was added later.

We have seen: 5 Grizzlies, 1 Black Bear (close, only 2 yards away), 2 Cougars, 2 Javelina, 3 Bald Eagles (close) many in the air, a few Ospreys, 2 Moose, 1 Badger, 2 encounters with Big Horn Sheep Herds, 4-5 Fox, 5-6 Coyotes (close), 1 Wolf (in Teton NP, bounding after a Rabbit in tall grass), 5 or 6 Elk Herds, 100s of Deer, 100s of Antelope, several Sandhill Cranes, many Prairie Chickens, plenty of Ptarmigan (who fake a wing injury to lure a predator away from the nest), Quail, Grouse, Pheasants, many gaggles of Turkey, dozens of Rabbits, all types and colors of ground animals (from Chipmunks to Groundhogs), 1 Ermine, countless Snakes (not a single Rattlesnake), friendly Dogs, and we have been chased by mean Dogs.

Our Biggest Pucker Moment was riding the single track on the side of Richmond Peak, Montana, where long before our arrival all but three feet of trail on a mountain-side had calved away in a 500 feet straight down collapse.

Our best Things Happened too Fast to Think moment was us slamming on the brakes to keep from running into a Bear. We missed colliding by 2 yards/meters and we scared the Fudge out of each other, the bear took-off running and we had an Adrenalin Rush.

Some Interesting Numbers

Days on the Trail: 96 (+ 1 Weather Hold Day + 1 Wait All Day for a Ride to Hitch-Hike Out Day + Loop Days)

We had to Hitch-Hike Off the Divide 4 Times: Twice we did not have enough food (trail condition/delay issues), once our bike frame broke, and once Dennis fell backwards while taking a picture and hit a metal fire ring across the back of his rib-cage.

Loop Ride Days: 8 (Additional Days Out and Back, All before we started to drop a 2nd Vehicle at the End-Point)

Flat Tires: 6 Bicycle, 4 Transport Vehicle, 1 Shuttle Vehicle

Bridge Out/Closed/Repair: 6, 4 with All Gear Removed (Panniers, Tent +, Removed and Carried Across a Stream, Separately)

River Crossing: 1 with All Gear Removed (Panniers, Tent +, Removed and Carried Across Separately)

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