Iohan Gueorguiev
Great Divide
South Pass City, WY - Brekenridge, CO 517 miles
The day started with a big breakfast at Atlantic City, they too were happy I've made it through last winter. Slow moving at first but the winds were blowing the right way and I rode half the day with another cyclist.Beside the road I spotted a horse wagon, then two dogs came running up to me, barking and wagging their tails. I thought I better check what’s up. Shepherd dogs, that's what was up. They took me for a sheep and brought me to the shepherd. The man was from Mexico, barely spoke any English and handed me a coke. Trail magic in the Great Divide Basin.
With a possible road closure out Rawlins, I took the Tour Divide route through the basin. Stunning ridge ride, racing antelopes, refreshing rain and amazing tailwinds. I cleared the entire basin in a day.
Riding into Colorado, I met up with a friend from last year. We rode down one of the bumpiest descends on the entire route. It was his first ride after the Colorado Trail Race and he sure convinced me to ride the CT.
Rode toward Ute Pass a day before the USA Pro race but one thing caught my eye: a detour to winter park. From there I can ride the CDT for few days before hopping on the Colorado Trail. It didn't work quite as well, I rode out of town at 5 and munched dinner at berthoud pass at 7. Rode up another road and set up not far from a mine. Fell asleep to the constant humming and raindrops on my tent.
Some city workers were scouting the top and planning to clear the snow in few days. They helped me lift the bike over the pack and probably thought I was crazy when I didn't go down the other side but began pushing my bike up the trail. Freezing cold wind and steep grades but the views were amazing and the rideable sections were like a dream.
Same issue as last day, I am in Georgetown at noon drinking coffee and thinking how far I can get. I start climbing again, this time I set up at 11 700ft. Rains and snows in the evening, I'll need a warmer sleeping bag if I am doing the Colorado trail.
Argentine pass was amazingly beautiful and just as rough and dangerous going down. A rocky singletrack scored the side of the mountain as far as the eye can see, one wrong move and I'll be taking the short-way down the valley. Pretty much all downhill until Frisco, where I'll leave the bike for a week or two and go on a road trip before continuing.
- IMAGES OF THE ROAD -
Iohan Gueorguiev
Gear List
- My Ride -
- My Blackburn Gear -
- BIKE SPECS -
- • FRAME-NINER SIR 9 CHROMO, 142MM X 12MM THRU AXLE
- • FORK-NINER SIR 9 RIGID, 853 (9MM QR) OR CARBON RDO (15MM AXLE)
- • FRONT WHEEL-SRAM ROAM 50 29
- • REAR WHEEL- SRAM ROAM 50 29
- • FRONT TIRE-WTB WOLVERINE 29
- • REAR TIRE- WTB WOLVERINE 29
- • INNER TUBES-WTB INNERTUBE PRESTA 29
- • SEALANT-WTB TCS SEALANT 500mL
- • CRANK SET-SRAM XX1 175MM
- • CHAINWHEELS-SRAM XX1 CNC-X-SYNC DRICT MOUNT, SEVERAL SIZES
- • BOTTOM BRACKET-SRAM GPX 73MM
- • CHAIN-SRAM PC-XX1
- • REAR DERAILLEUR -SRAM-XX1 X-HORIZON
- • REAR DER SHIFTER-SRAM XX1 TRIGGER SHIFTER
- • CASSETTE-SRAM XG-1199 10-42T
- • STEM-TRUVATIV STYLO T40 STEM SEVERAL SIZES
- • HANDLEBARS-TRUVATIV STYLO T40 RISER 700MM WIDE, 15MM RISE
- • TAPE / GRIPS- WTB TECH TRAIL CLAMP ON
- • SADDLE-WTB VOLT TEAM, 142MM WIDE
- • SEAT POST-TRUVATIV STYLO T40 SEATPOST 27.2MM DIA, 400MM LENGTH
- • FRONT BRAKE-SRAM GUIDE RSC POST MOUNT, 160MM ROTOR, >1,000MM HOSE
- • REAR BRAKE-SRAM GUIDE RSC POST MOUNT, 160MM ROTOR, >1,800MM HOSE
- • BRAKE LEVERS-SRAM GUIDE RSC
- • BRAKE HOUSING / CBL-SRAM
- •
Iohan Gueorguiev
- FROM: Ontario, Canada
- DOB: 1999-11-30
- OCCUPATION: Adventurer
- What was the genesis moment or inspiration for the upcoming adventure? After starting the GDMBR in mid-October and having to hop out in December at Colorado, I always wondered if I would ever get a second chance. Later I learned of the first bike ride of the Continental Divide Trail and also wondered, how cool that would be. During a rather cold January in Utah I heard about the Blackburn Ranger program, connected the bits and pieces and there was only one logical choice: apply to be on the team and bikepack the CDT.
- Have your traveled by bike in the past? In 2013 I crashed down a hill on my road bike which left me with a broken collar bone, two broken hands and a 3 month recovery period. To make it through I thought of biking from Vancouver to Ontario. So I did it, then Toronto to Halifax in winter. I was hooked, in 2014 I took time off school and set off to bike from the Arctic Ocean to British Columbia. And then, Alaska to Argentina. I've made it as far as Mexico and am looking forward to riding the CDT and continuing down south as part of the Blackburn team.
- What is your goal for the route? I have few ideas, most importantly: have fun, stop and smell the flowers (oh yeah - it won't be winter so there actually will be flowers), find out more about the CDT trail hiking community, do as much as CDT as possible, find time to ride the Colorado trail and spend some time in Moab, Utah. I'll also be filming on the way (nothing fancy) and continuing the "SEE THE WORLD" series on which follow my bike trip south. Video is such a great way to try and share the wild and unpredictable story of the open road!
- What do you hope to get out of this journey? One always has some expectations with trips like these but the moment you set a wheel on the dirt it all changes. I want to see how bikepacking compares to fully loaded touring and see if it's something I can adopt and continue doing for the rest of my around-the-world bike trip. Aside from that - create memories, make new friends and meet old ones, explore and get lost in the Rockies.
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What's in my bag?
Buff, Gopro, Alaska License plate,Turtle (which I had on my first bike trip, and ever since)
