By Mike Rosso
The world’s longest off-pavement cycling route is host to an annual race, the Tour Divide. It involves climbing 200,000 total vertical feet (or summiting Mount Everest from sea-level seven times). It begins in Banff, Alberta, Canada and ends in Antelope Wells, New Mexico – 2,745 miles later.
Last year, 143 riders began the race and 82 finished. Among those finishers was Kent Davidson of Salida. He took 24 days to complete the race, averaging 115 miles per day on grueling 12-hour days.
Kent, who moved to Colorado from Arkansas eight years ago, described the Tour Divide as “The most expensive free race you’ll ever do,” noting that racers don’t get even as much as a t-shirt for their Herculean efforts.
Kent first learned of the Tour after meeting some Divide racers during his pleasure and training rides on the nearby Route. After meeting the producers of a documentary film, “Ride the Divide,” who were in Salida, shooting portions of the film, he decided to attempt it.
A long-time endurance rider, Kent trained by climbing on dirt roads such as Ute Trail, north of Salida, and on Marshall Pass. Most of the Great Divide Route is on dirt roads, not trails. He has been racing mountain bikes since 1990 and participated in the Leadville 100 at least four times, as well as the notorious Salida Vapor Trail race, which he’s started three times and finished only once.
His scariest moment during the race was the discovery of a massive pile of Grizzly scat while pedaling through Canada. He also recalled feeling “particularly alone and vulnerable” one evening and decided to take shelter in a culvert during bad weather. Then, remembering the actual purpose of a culvert, quickly sought alternate shelter. Some friends joined in to keep him company during a section through South Park towards Hartzel, but at the finish of the demanding effort, there were no cheering crowds, no media or ribbons, only his wife Mary Ann, grateful to have her husband back in one piece.
