Updates from the trail
Finish | Antelope Wells, New Mexico | Mile 2,670
12 days, 12 hours, 21 minutes.
12:12:21. 2,670 miles (4,296 KM) ridden. 192,000 Feet (58,521 meters) climbed. Two countries visited. Five states and one province crossed. Four storms weathered. Wild horses, wolves, elk, moose, deer, eagles, antelope, chinchillas and coyotes spotted. Unknown amounts of candy bars and gallons of milk consumed.
Lachlan unclipped from his pedals at the US border with Mexico in Antelope Wells at 9:24pm Mountain Time. 12 days 12 hours 21 minutes was his time. His time from Canada to Mexico along the Divide will be talked about for a long, long time. To own a record, though, was never the point.
Lachlan wanted to experience the big point-to-point in a mentally and physically sustainable way, at least for him. He pushed massive days in the saddle, but he also stopped to sleep and rest for 12 hours out of every 48. He was curious how fast he could go with such a plan. Now we know: Fast.
Thank you to those along the way who cheered and who helped Lachy out when he rolled through town. And thank you to those who donated to Adventure for All — we’re at $20,050 raised, and you can still contribute.
There’s more to come from this journey in the form of a full film with Thereabouts, so stay tuned. Thank you for following the dot. We hope Lachlan’s ride inspires you to explore the world on two wheels.
Now, time to get some rest.
Day 12 | Cuba, New Mexico > Gila National Forest, New Mexico | Mile 2460
Stick shift bike and a pie festival
Lachlan was rewarded for his early start with a majestic sunrise as he made his way through Dinétah (Navajo Nation Off-Reservation Trust Land). Sometimes waking up early has its perks.
Throughout his Tour Divide, he has been greeted by numerous dot watchers. They have cheered him on from the side of the streets and joined in for a few miles on the bike. But in New Mexico, he has been greeted by people that have brought him food along with their big smiles.
“Food is how we show love here in New Mexico,” said Vanessa, a dot watcher from Albuquerque who met Lachlan by the Pueblo of Acoma and brought with them green chili beef jerky.
Today, Lachlan upgraded to a three speed stick shift; he's been shifting via a spoke shoved into the derailleur. He has to stop to shift, but it’s better than paper-boying when the road goes up.
As the miles went by, Lachlan’s thoughts shifted to the 240 mile stretch of trail between Grants and Silver City where food and water would be hard to come by.
After filling up all of his bike bags with as many candy bars as possible and topping up on water, Lachy left Grants.
Like an oasis in the desert, Pie Town, New Mexico appeared like a mirage in the hot afternoon. The small town of 186 inhabitants happened to be buzzing on this afternoon as the annual Pie Festival was in town – a festival that attracts 5000 pie lovers to its streets.
As he rolled up the road on the course, a dot watcher waved him down and invited him into a house which was acting as a make shift camp ground. Since 1985, the house has served as an informal outposts for both thru-hikers and bike-packers that are traveling the Continental Divide – a place to sleep, stock up on water and meet other fellow travelers. The owner of the house greeted Lachy in the kitchen and served him a bowl of spaghetti. He was making dinner for his family who was visiting for the Pie Fest and for his ex-wife’s memorial that weekend.
The man talked about the history of the route, life in Pie Town and about why he loves having the travelers stay at his house.
“Every year a bunch of weird people who are racing the Divide ride by this house,” said the man to Lachlan. “Usually they don’t stop though.”
Lachlan thanked the man for his hospitality and rode off into the distance. He doesn’t know where he will stop tonight. All he knows is that he is getting closer to the border. 211 miles to go.
Day 11 | Platoro, Colorado > Cuba, New Mexico | Mile 2155
Burn your worries away
After setting off at 11:30pm last night, Lachlan enjoyed a quiet and peaceful morning on the trails. Armed with hand warmers that he bought at the camp store, Lachlan also got to enjoy a warmer morning as he crossed the border into New Mexico.
After making his way through Carson National Forest, Lachlan was greeted by a dairy truck driver who was making his rounds in Abiquiu, New Mexico and who also happened to be a cycling fan. As if it was a WorldTour feed zone, the driver held out a bottle of chocolate milk for Lachlan to grab as he rode by. But this isn't a WorldTour race and Lachlan stopped to enjoy it on the side of the highway after twelve hours of riding before noon.
There are so many things to worry about on a long ride like the Tour Divide – bears, fires, water, mechanicals... the list goes on. Most days Lachlan forces himself to not think about them in the interest of staying sane.
But today one of those worries became reality when Lachy’s derailleur stopped working half way up the 20 mile climb out of Abiquiu. For the rest of the day, the shifter would turn on and off randomly making the going hard, slow and frustrating.
“I kicked it as hard as I could and then it started working again,” Lachlan said after the final climb of the day. But five minutes later it was off again and Lachlan had to stop on the side of the road to try to force the derailleur into a rideable gear.
As he rolled down into Cuba, New Mexico, Lachlan rolled past the town church where a big crowd had started to gather. They were building a bonfire to celebrate the start of the Cuba Fiestas.
“Every year we build this fire so that our neighbors can come and put their worries in it and then burn them away,” said one of the local town folk.
It’s going to be a long day tomorrow regardless of whether Lachlan’s shifters work or not. Let’s hope he left his worries in the fire as well.
Day 10 | Sargents, Colorado > Platoro, Colorado | Mile 1941
Make a wish
“I slept with my head out of the bivy,” said Lachlan. “It‘s crazy how many shooting stars you see.”
After sleeping “in” his bivy last night, Lachlan set off for another morning of riding in the dark. It was cold on the first pass of the day for Lachlan. His water turned into slushy and his fingers froze to the point where he didn't regain feeling in them until later that evening. Fast forward a few hours, and Lachlan was riding under the beating sun with no shelter from its rays.
Today, he reached the highest point of the Tour Divide – Indiana Pass – which stands 11,910 feet (3,630 meters) above sea level. The wind at the top brought with it smoke from the nearby Pagosa Springs forest fires. Not knowing where the smoke came from, Lachy set off on the descent clearly a bit worried about the prospect of more road closures ahead of him.
After descending below the haze, he found a room in an Airstream at the Skyline Lodge in Platoro, Colorado, a seasonal town which mostly accommodates hunters, fishers and cyclists that are riding the Divide. He called in early the with the plan to set off again at 11:30 tonight. That should allow him to get some solid miles in before the sun comes up again and the day gets too hot.
Over the next couple of days, Lachlan will cross through some remote terrain in New Mexico where the options of resupplies and water are limited. The weather will be unforgiving and terrain challenging as he makes the final push to the border. It will take some careful planning to get it right.
We can only imagine that Lachlan is wishing for many things. Wishing for his saddle sores to be gone, for his trench foot to get better, for his own bed, for a warm meal with his family. He's got just about 700 miles to go on this adventure. Let's go Lachy!
Day 9 | Silverthorne, Colorado > Sargents, Colorado | Mile 1627
Back on familiar roads
While he didn’t grow up in Colorado, Lachlan knows the roads and trails of Colorado better than almost anyone. He has spent countless hours exploring every corner of the state both as a junior racing in the US and as a pro. Being back on familiar roads was comforting.
The first climb of the day went up Boreas Pass right outside of the ski town of Breckenridge. At the top, Lachlan was cheered on by a host of fans and friends including the host organizers of the Breck Epic which Lachlan won a few weeks back.
Lachlan woke up feeling yesterday's big effort. After a 7am departure – a late start by his standards – Lachlan gave his legs time to warm up and reacquaint themselves with riding. Luckily, he was joined by some dot watchers on the road which helped get his mind off of them. He also appreciated the company after a week of riding solo.
"You realize just how much has happened when you talk to others about your experience on the Divide," said Lachlan.
After downing a plate of fries and a large vanilla milkshake in Hartsel, Lachlan set back out. As he moved further south, the sun and the heat intensified. Lachlan lost his glasses in the Wyoming storm which meant today he had to resort to a t-shirt around his head for shade and shelter from the dust that was being kicked up by the headwind he had to ride into all day.
Tomorrow, Lachlan will ride to New Mexico, the final state in his Tour Divide. He is currently 15h up on the record. Game on.
Day 8 | Wamsutter, Wyoming > Silverthorne, Colorado | Mile 1627
Hey Colorado, it was not so long ago
3:40am departure. Lachlan could smell Colorado and fairer weather.
It’s hard to comprehend just how fast Lachlan is riding.
The conditions have been far from ideal. Yesterday, the wind was howling, and the rain constant. Lachlan took off his layers and stripped down to short sleeves. That’s how hard he was pushing. Aero bars on the climbs, tuck and dropper on the descents.
Lachlan is past half way and is about 15 hours up on the record.
“This is like a vacation compared to the last two days,” said Lachlan. “I’m just out for a leisurely ride!”
205 miles into the day with just over 50 to go, Lachlan was feeling himself. Singing on the climbs and pushing the pace out of the saddle, he was on a mission.
After a short pit stop to tune up his bike at Orange Peel Bicycle Service in downtown Steamboat, Colorado, Lachlan set off with his sights set on Silverthorne.
As he climbed up Corduroy Canyon overlooking the Colorado River, he was greeted by his mom and his two Italian greyhounds who made the drive up from Boulder. Batteries are charged up. Now he rides on into the night.
Day 7 | Pinedale, Wyoming > Wamsutter, Wyoming | Mile 1396
“How many Rapha jackets will it take to keep me warm?” Lachlan asked. “Trick question, there will never be enough.”
The cold was piercing as Lachlan neared Atlantic City, Wyoming. Cars that passed him asked him if he was ok as they didn’t think anyone would ride in these conditions. Lachlan waived them off but in his mind, he had doubts. “I should’ve just quit.”
He pulled off in a rest station to warm up and to think things over.
Other riders had warned him of the mud and the harsh terrain that lay ahead of him in the Great Divide Basin. If he pushed on, he could be treading through some of the thickest mud he has ever experienced but he could also keep growing his lead on the record. If he stopped, he would miss out on vital hours of riding in the daylight but it would also give time for the mud to dry out.
He pushed on. Lachlan rode straight through Atlantic City, and into the Basin.
As he rolled over the countless hills that mark the landscape, Lachlan kept pushing the pace, eager to get on and to get warm. But the rain that was supposed to have passed yet again started to come down and with that came the mud. Thick mud. Mud so thick, he had to stop every ten to fifteen seconds to scrape it off his entire bike.
As the miles kept ticking by, the sun slowly started to come out and the trails began to dry out. Today was the day he was looking forward to the most, but instead he spent the day wishing he was done. But for a moment there, when the sun poked through, even Lachlan was able to soak it all in.
Day 6 | Island Park, Idaho > Pinedale, Wyoming | Mile 1194
"Hell of a day for it!"
“Hell of a day for it!” exclaimed Lachlan as he rode through the wind and the rain this morning.
Lachlan’s plan had him riding to Lava Mountain Lodge today, around 153 miles, but after a bad burrito for dinner last night led to a rough morning and bad stomach, he wasn’t sure if he was going to start today at all. But, after a little extra sleep, he gave it a go. And it is a damn good thing he did.
As he rode into Wyoming, a heavy rain fell. He layered up and cracked on. His gear's been wet for a week anyway.
Up by Yellowstone, down across Grand Teton National Park, through peanut butter mud and then up to 9,700 feet, Lachlan powered on. He was pushing the pace, probably to keep himself warm but also because he had a new plan. He wanted to ride an extra 84 miles to Pinedale.
The push to Pinedale should’ve been fairly straight forward. But, on the final climb of the day, a storm rolled into the valley making the final climb long, hard and trecherous. Too cold to stop to layer up, Lachlan forged ahead and made his way down the long descent in near complete darkness.
Now out of the storm, Lachlan pushed the pedals hard, again to warm up but this time he could see the lights of Pinedale shimmering in the distance and that was motivation enough.
After a quick dinner run at the local gas station, Lachy cleaned his bike and then checked into his motel. Tomorrow Lachlan will even allow himself the luxury of sleeping in. He is planning to hit the roads around 6am.
If you didn’t know already, Lachlan is our superhero.
Day 5 | Wise River, Montana > Island Park, Idaho | Mile 956
Blowin’ In The Wind
Tumbleweeds were blowing across the street as Lachlan rolled into Lima, Montana. After being guided in the dark by the super moon yesterday night, Lachlan enjoyed a strong cross-tail wind that pushed him on as he crisscrossed across Montana’s endless prairie lands.
He’s benefited from a relative streak of good fortune so far and is currently 12 hours ahead of the fastest known time. Good fortune doesn’t always come your way at the Tour Divide, Lachlan is determined to not take it for granted.
The trail always has the last say.
Day 4 | Lincoln, Montana > Wise River, Montana | Mile 755
Chasing Bigfoot
Long before the Tour Divide route carved through Wise River, Montana, hunters and fishers would head there to escape the busy streets of Butte and the dust from the coal mines. That's also where someone caught sight of the mythical Bigfoot.
Today, at the Wise River Mercantile, you can buy food, beer, fly fishing flies, Bigfoot magnets and you can sign your name in the Tour Divide visitor book.
Yesterday, Lachlan set out through Bigfoot country and arrived in Wise River just after sunset. Stories of his arrival were already spreading in town.
“Did you see that guy that flew by here?” said the store attendant.
P.S. sorry for the delay on the update, the camera crew got stuck in the Bigfoot mountains.
Day 3 | Whitefish, Montana > Lincoln, Montana | Mile 564
Deal with that stomach, and a surprising discovery.
After a short night's sleep haunted by the thought of the “bear maze” that other bike packers warned him lay ahead, Lachlan set off from Whitefish in search of the sun and warmth.
After freezing for 18 hours straight, Lachlan was feeling battered and sore for the first time since leaving Banff. Still, Lachlan made quick work of the first two passes of the day and then rolled into Ovando, Montana to grab dinner number one.
Dinner consisted of a beer, a half gallon of milk, a pack of cookies and an entire jar of dill pickles.
“Deal with that, stomach,” Lachy exclaimed before setting off for Lincoln, Montana where he planned to stop to sleep tonight.
Lachlan rolled into Lincoln as the final rays of sunlight lit up the sky. He rolled straight to the closest gas station to get second dinner and then went out to look for a room to spend the night. After striking out at the only two motels in town, Lachlan had to resort to camping in a field behind the local dive bar. “Welcome cyclists” was painted on some ply wood at the entrance of the field as Lachlan rolled his bike to his camp spot.
“I recommend sleeping with your helmet on,” said Lachlan. “I found out it makes a great pillow on accident.”
It’s going to be a cold night here. Here’s to hoping our champ gets some solid sleep before he sets off at 3am tomorrow. At least he will be able to count on tonight’s super moon to help light up the way.
Day 2 | Fernie, British Columbia > Whitefish, Montana | Mile 363
Wolves, wild horses, and the coldest day ever.
Lachlan set from Fernie, British Columbia off at 2am under the cover of darkness and a blanket of rain – the first rain this area has seen in weeks. The rain ended up being a blessing in disguise as it made previously unridable terrain ridable.
The night riding was long and hard. The rain made the trail muddy and the cold set in over the first pass. Lachlan passed a pack of wolves, a herd of wild horses and a moose on his way out of Canada spurred by Tim Hortons instant coffee.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have kept drinking it if it weren’t 1am. That s––– was terrible,” - said Lachy.
Lachy rode for 18 hours straight. He crossed the border into the US, and kept pushing, stopping only for a quick bite to eat in Eureka.
The rain didn't let up for a second today. What started as a nice morning drizzle quickly turned into scattered rain showers as he climbed the two main passes of the day in Montana where it even threatened to snow.
“I have never been so cold for so long on a bike ever,” said Lachy once he made it to Whitefish, Montana. “But I feel amazing on the bike.”
After getting dinner at the local gas station, Lachy went back to the hotel and took a shower with his kit still on.
Tomorrow, the storm should pass and Lachy will be back on the road at 2am.
Day 1 | Mile 155 – Banff, Alberta > Fernie, British Columbia | Mile 155
So it begins.
Lachlan set off from Banff, Alberta at 9:03am MT on a cold but sunny morning in the Canadian Rockies. Ahead of him lay 2,100-miles of some of the most rugged and wild terrain on the North American continent. But Lachlan was looking forward to it.
"I'm excited. Really excited," said Lachlan. "It's obviously pretty daunting and I'm pretty nervous, but I think if you weren't it would be silly. Keen to get cracking on the road here."
His plan was to ride to Fernie, in British Columbia, about 155-miles into the course, and take his first rest stop there. After flying through the first half of the course, Lachlan was forced to go around several road closures due to forest fires in the area .
Lachlan rolled into Fernie around 7:30pm local time and plans to set off again at 2am for another big push. He will have to go around more forest fires tomorrow which will throw a wrench in his plans but he knows that this is life on the Tour Divide.