Lets start at the beginning.....Nov. 2011
Beat up an battered from the year that was, I knew I needed something big. I started planning my trip to Nepal to hike the top of the world. I needed to get out of here and reset somehow and find a different form of reality for a while. It was at a lunch with my great friend Scott Jones that he told me of this little mountain bike race from Banff to Mexico. So incredibly stupid I am, I saw this as a completely possible and necessary adventure. Put the hiking on hold! This was to be the life changer I was searching for. The only possible problem I could forsee was the small fact that the last time I rode a bike of any kind was when I was 15 (22 years ago) and I crashed badly, breaking my collarbone, scarring up my left side and suffering a concussion. I remember passing out several times walking for help. Sorry, no.... I did rent a bike for an hour on my honeymoon in Banff for and hour in 1998 as well. Naive. Yes very. The good news is that at the time I wasn't aware of being naive, which is the only good thing about being naive. But sometimes this "being naive" is the only thing that makes things possible. For had I known what I was doing I may not have tried. What I did know was that I could suffer. I read some blogger say that in order to complete this you need to be a "student of pain and suffering". I figured I had this criteria down pat.
In order to accomplish this I would need a few things.
#1: The Bike
I though this would be the easy part.
sp: "what type of riding will you be doing"
me:" oh you know trails,hills, 100 miles a day..."
Guess that's not normal.....judging from his look.
I beleive that part of not looking like a fool was keeping your mouth shut as to not prove it to others. So not knowing anything about bikes I knew enough not to share my decision to race the divide with the salesperson. I am sure that anyone reading this who has ever worked in a bike shop has had an idiot like me walk in. I had no idea on budget, features, suspension or tire size. No idea what helmet, if I really needed those dreaded spandex, clipless what??
Bought my $ 500 Divinci 26er, a bunch of useless accesories and the journey began.
#2: Support
I have a super incredible family! My wife Sharon and 3 kids, Chloe, Ethan and Maya. Telling my wife I wanted to attempt a self-supported mountain bike race through the Rocky Mountains from Banff to Mexico in 6 months from now and I just bought a bike, went as you would expect it would. And when I picked her up from the floor she said that I was crazy but she thought I would kill it! (or myself) She did ask about my life insurance policy. She's awesome. I had to start making my goal public, telling anyone that would listen. Yes I was mocked, by friends, family, bike shop owners and perfect strangers. This was the fuel I needed. Now that it was out there I couldn't back down from showing up in Banff and pedalling out on the Great Divide. One store owner didn't laugh. Jason from Hammer City Cycle. Awesome guy, who not only knew about the race but is aspiring to ride it himself in 2014.
#3: Training
Gathered up a few friends and began. It was a 40k loop for my first day out on the bike. Thought I was going to die by the end. Last week of November and the weather was great! I can do this! The weather was incredible all winter. I hired a coach, bought a better bike and rode, rode, rode. The pressure of life doesn't stop when you are working on a goal this big. It gets worse. Day by day
doubt works its way in, its easy to take a day off. Pressure builds, training suffers when reality starts to fight for a position in my life. I need this! So i fight back. Many, many hours reasearching equipment, route maps, blogs, youtube videos. Learning how to set up camp, pack light, how to eat, how to deal with wildlife, rain, lonliness and fatigue. David Jack (coach) had me out 5-6 times a week. Workouts were based on heart rate. Had to fit in several different types of workouts in including yoga and core exercises. Bought my Redline D660 29er once I realized what I was getting into at the end of January. (all gear excpet for the raptor tires shown in picture) Much better ride. Gear is bought, bike was ready and I finally bought my plane ticket and booked my room at the Y. The ticket was the final step in the commitment process. Felt good to know I was on my way.
I made it to the Y! Man was I nervous. My lack of experience was not something I was comfortable discussing so I sort of tried to stay out of the way. It was awesome to see all the bikes set up in the common room, racers showing off their months of preparation. I was a little more like the girl in the itsy-bitsy yellow polka dot bikini, choosing to keep my ride in my room. Already I was feeling out of place yet extremely giddy. I met up with Chris Bennett in the evening for dinner at a great little Greek place downtown. It helped to meet someone and hear their story. Chris actually went to school in Hamilton where I was from, so it was a cool connection. At dinner, Chris described what it takes within a person to ride this thing, and knowing that there were others like me gave me a huge burst of confidence. 
