Jon & Carla's Great Divide Mountain Bike Adventure
2006
(or, Two Tails on the Trail)

In 1998, we rode across the United States from Oregon to Virgina with our children, Jodie, age 15 and Todd, age 12.  Read about our trip using the links below.  Now  the kids have grown up and left home, so we we are taking the dogs.  This time it's a mountain bike trip through the Rocky Mountains, roughly following the continental divide, called the Great Divide route, mapped by Adventure Cycling.  We are driving  from our home in Gaylord, MI on July 29th for our starting point in Rooseville, MT, on the Canadian border.  From there we will travel roughly  2470 miles to our destination of Antelope Wells, NM, on the Mexican border.  The route will be about  85% dirt and gravel roads, 10% pavement and 5% singletrack trails.  We will carry all of our gear for camping in two "BOB" trailers, plus panniers.  We hope to average about 40 miles a day and have three months to complete the trip.   Lander and Afton, our English Cockers will run about 20 miles per day and ride in the trailers the rest of the time.  We will experience wilderness, scenery and wildlife.  There will be many hard times, but many exhilerating moments as well.  Why do we do this?  Because God has given us a wonderful country and this is the best way to be thankful for it.   

We will be posting blogs as often as we can get on the internet at a library.  Check in frequently to see how we are doing.  Feel free to post a comment as well.  We'd love to share our trip with you.

Jon and Carla Elenz,
Lander and Afton (aka, Two Tails)                      
 

PHOTOS  We will be posting photos periodically from the road.  Check back often.  Be sure to scroll to the bottom for the latest ones.

FAQ Everything you've always wanted
to know about bike touring.



ARTICLES ABOUT US
Summit Daily News article



Photos of Wyoming

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This entry was posted on 9/6/2006 2:08 PM and is filed under uncategorized.

We've added a few new photos.  Check them out.

 
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Comments

    • 9/6/2006 2:13 PM Mary Jane wrote:
      I am online right now and your pictures just came through so I don't know if you are still on. MJ
      Reply to this
    • 9/6/2006 4:17 PM Gladys & Keith wrote:
      You have hit a milestone with 1,000 miles. Enough people finding out about you two and your dogs doing this trip - and there might be a movie about it. You sure are experiencing all kinds of scenery. Am amazed at the number of miles you do in one day at times. We are fine. Trying to get a date set for Bible Study this month at Dave and Brittany's. Our Cathy is doing just great. She loved your gift. I expect that in the next 2-4 weeks we will be getting that phone call saying she is in hospital.

      We are planning on going downstate next weekend for a few days and Tracie's 42nd birthday. Gene celebrates #40 and we got him 20 sheets of drywall for the basement.

      Pig roast on Saturday at Trinity so hope that is a success.

      We'll continue praying for your safe trip. Love Gladys and Keith
      Reply to this
    • 9/6/2006 8:47 PM marge wrote:
      I loved your pictures! Especially the ones with your dogs. It must be an awesome trip.
      Reply to this
    • 9/10/2006 3:02 AM Jan Shafer wrote:
      Hi U 2! Great pics...like I always tell friends that are traveling, "You can't get pics like that from a freeway...get off the slabs and get into God's country!" You 2 sure are doing it! What CD you'll have when you are finished! Well, on Friday you'll be half way through your alotted time frame for pushin pedals. Gosh, it doesn't seem like it's been that long ago that we left you in Montana. Sure loved the pic of the 2 tails crossing the cattle guard..Afton looks like she was running from the devil just to get over it, and Lander looks like he was being the cautious one! Now that they're experiencing this trip, how are they gonna live back home in a little bitty yard?? You know, they'll never be the same! They're gonna expect running like that every day...are you ready for that?!
      And, after all this, how are U 2 gonna be able to sleep in a bed or eat real food?? I think Glen's was 'sposed to have a big sale on peanut butter Carla, do you want me to pick you up a jar? (ha-ha)
      I think fall has arrived..the leaves are turning & beginning to fall a great deal, and they're already giving frost warnings. The days are still great but we certainly need rain badly. I think Gaylord got some the other day, but we watched it pass right over us; thunder, lightning, wind and all!
      We are really starting to push to get all our things ready for our winter retreat..can't wait.
      Well, you 2 keep on doing what you're doing so well...B-Happy, B-Healthy & mostly B-Safe. and God's speed! Hugs to the little tails!
      Jan
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