GDMBR - Ride With Reinhart

A fair number of the folks who ask about my ride of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route ("GDMBR") are considering their own. To start their preparation, I point to the maps and book by the Adventure Cycling Association, the creators of the route, and then to readily accessible journals and articles available on-line, including my 50+ blog posts. GDMBR Page. Also, a growing number of cyclists now document their experience by video.

In my relentless research before riding the GDMBR, I watched just about every YouTube video I could find. I even watched the 2010 movie "Ride The Divide" showcasing the Tour Divide, which is an informally organized "race" that piggybacks along most of ACA's GDMBR route. Some videos were professionally staged, edited, and produced, some were little more than a collection of phone videos, and many fell somewhere in between. I enjoyed them all and learned much.

Now three years removed from that ride preparation, I still enjoy watching new GDMBR videos as they come out. Not surprisingly, I learn something every time. Plus it's just fun to experience it anew, this time through the heart of a kindred spirit.

Of all the videos I've watched, a recent series stands out as the one to watch to prepare for a ride of the GDMBR. Ride With Reinhart - YouTube Channel. 

Reinhart toured the route over 53 days and posted a 10-20 minute long video for each day. So, the episode for any given day is not a long watch, but the series does take some time to work through. I watched 2-3 episodes at a sitting, occasionally going back for another look.

I found Reinhart to be engaging, informative, and entertaining. A guy I'd probably like to ride with. He includes a short summary of the previous day's ride, a description of the campsite or accommodations, and a look ahead. As one would expect, Reinhart carefully attends to weather, water, food, and shelter, but does not let logistics dominate. Each day, he includes significant video footage of the roads, scenery, and encounters with others, with at-the-time commentary. 

Each video looks like it presents an honest, unvarnished glimpse of that particular day on the route. Strung together, the series paints a comprehensive picture of the overall experience.

For someone preparing to ride the GDMBR, or for someone who wants to dive deeply into the day-to-day experience of riding the GDMBR, I recommend the Ride With Reinhart video series. I know that I'll watch it again. 

Ride With Reinhart - 2023 GDMBR Wrap Up