Nick Legan
Great Divide
Such sweet sorrow
I’ve been described as a “wooly hardman” by various people thanks to my affinities for long cycling events and wool garments. That moniker makes even more sense now thanks to the beard I grew during my time on the Great Divide route. And yet, on June 24th, when faced with the dirt climb up Union Pass in Wyoming, a challenge I would normally relish, I found myself instead climbing into the back of a pickup truck and heading for a hotel off course. I was quitting the Tour Divide.
My knees began troubling me disturbingly early in the event. After lots of 100 plus mile days on a loaded bike in training I was a bit mystified. Though I managed to get them working pain free for several days, after a big breakfast in Flagg Ranch, Wyoming on day ten, the pain returned. This time it was much worse than before. I found myself pushing my bike up gentle inclines, with a tailwind. Not good.
I stopped early and got a room on Day Ten. I spent the evening icing, stretching and massaging. I also ate loads and got a big sleep. Unfortunately it didn’t help. The next day, in a last ditch effort, I pushed over the paved climb to the top of Togwotee Pass to see if my knees had come around. Unfortunately they had not. More walking ensued.
While I initially viewed leaving the race as a defeat, I’ve come to think of it a bit differently. Perhaps those 10 days, and the suffering, the education and new perspective they gave me were just the steps I needed to take to finish the route the next time. It wasn’t easy to come to this thought. I’m not accustomed to quitting. I really like to finish what I start, but the Great Divide route is a challenge unlike anything I had ever attempted before. Its enormity is still a bit hard to wrap my brain around.
As I sit here typing these words, I’m happy to have tried and failed. I have no regrets, only wishes for the future. Returning to the route will happen, whether it’s with racing in mind or not remains to be seen.
- IMAGES OF THE ROAD -
- Great Divide Milestones -
Nick Legan
Gear List
- My Ride -
- MY BLACKBURN GEAR -
- MY BIKE SPECS -
- • FRAME-Salsa El Mariachi Ti (w/ an extra bottle mount under down tube)
- • HEADSET-Cane Creek 110
- • PEDALS-Shimano XT XC SPDs
- • BRAKES-Shimano XTR Trail brakes
- • SEATPOST-Moots titanium, zero setback
- • HANDLEBAR-Salsa titanium, PRO Missile clip-ons, PRO ergo grips, Cane Creek Ergo bar-ends
- • FRAME SIZE-Large
- • CRANK-Shimano XTR Trail triple, 175mm, 42, 32, 24
- • CASSETTE-Shimano XT 11-34
- • WHEELS-29er, XTR hubs, Enve AM carbon rims
- • SADDLE-PRO Turnix
- • BAGS-Revelate Designs frame bag, Lemming seat pack, Sweet Roll handlebar bag w/ pocket, Gas Tank and Jerry Can
- • FORK-Whisky No. 7 carbon fork with Calfee Designs bottle cage bosses
- • BOTTOM BRACKET-Shimano XTR
- • SHIFTERS-Shimano Saint (rear) and XTR (front)
- • TIRES-Continental Race King Protection 29x2.2”
- • STEM-PRO XCR 11cm
- PERSONAL ITEMS -
- • PASSPORT
- • WATERPROOF MATCHES AND TINDER
- • SALT TABS
- • TOOTHPASTE/TOOTHBRUSH
- • WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS
- • WHISTLE (FOR BEARS)
- • SUPERGLUE (SINGLE-USE)
- • EYE DROPS
- • JOSHUA TREE CYCLING SALVE
- • BEAR BELL (MOUNTED TO HANDLEBAR)
- • SUNSCREEN
- • BABY WIPES
- • VITAMINS
- •
- TECHNOLOGY -
- • Headlight
- • Spot 2 Tracker
- • iPhone
- • Helmet light
- • Blackburn Mars 4.0 rear light
- • Blackburn Atom 3.0 SL Cycle Computer
- • Sony TX20 digital camera
- • Garmin eTrex 30
- • Ipod shuffle
- • Timex Ironman watch (alarm)
- CAMPING GEAR -
- • Mont Bell UL Spiral Hugger Down #3 sleeping bag
- • Black Diamond Twilight Bivvy
- • Thermarest Neo Air Xlite pad (full-length)
- • Mountain Laurel Designs Monk Cuben Fiber tarp and carbon pole
- CLOTHING -
- • Cycling shoes
- • Ibex wool short sleeve jersey
- • Descent knee warmers
- • SwiftWick Compression Socks
- • Rapha wool sleeveless base layer
- • Castelli lightweight jacket
- • Defeet wool long finger gloves
- • Buff
- • Oakley Radar sunglasses
- • Ibex wool long sleeve jersey
- • Gore Socks
- • Sleep shorts
- • Patagonia Ultralight Down jacket
- • Assos lightweight vest
- • Giro fingerless gloves
- • Ibex wool beanie
- • Rapha Classic bib shorts
- • Descente arm warmers
- • Pearl Izumi toe booties
- • IO BIO merino long sleeve base layer
- • Patagonia Rain Jacket
- • Bell Volt Helmet (World Bicycle Relief custom colors)
- • Mountain Laurel Design rain mitts
- • Mosquito head net
Nick Legan
- FROM: Boulder, CO
- DOB: 1979-05-31
- Single, but taken
- OCCUPATION: Public Relations/ freelance writer
- What was the genesis moment or inspiration for your upcoming adventure? Have you traveled by bike in the past? I grew up racing bicycles and after growing weary of criteriums, intervals, heart rate and power output numbers, I started looking for new cycling adventures. The Dirty Kanza 200 opened my eyes to my own ability to ride distances farther than I had previously attempted. With encouragement from friends at Salsa, QBP, and my wonderfully supportive girlfriend, I decided to take on the Great Divide Route. Now I’ll see how much further I can take my cycling.
- What is your goal for the route? What do you hope to get out of this journey? It’s easy to reply with a number. My goal is to finish in 20 days. But more important to me is how I spend those days. I’d like to find moments for introspection, reflection, projection and hopefully find moments to just be.
MY MUST HAVES
-
Warm Gloves
DeFeet Woolie gloves
-
DOWN JACKET
Patagonia Ultralight down jacket with hood
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Warm Gloves
DeFeet Woolie gloves
-
SPOT TRACKER
Spot tracker (great insurance policy)