The crew at Rawhyde are once again in the middle of their increasingly popular 2,200 mile Continental Divide Ride. This is an organized mostly off-road ride that follows the Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. While many riders do this on their own, Rawhyde provides a service for riders who are either too busy to organize their own ride, or who prefer someone else to handle the myriad of details necessary for a week long off-road ride.
The team at Rawhyde includes 2-3 motorcycle-mounted guides, plus 2-3 support people in 4WD trucks. The ground crew takes care of hauling your tent, sleeping bag and clothes, plus provide a bivouac each night with food, a campfire, and refreshments such as Rawhyde Wine. “This year we will service 54 riders on three trips” explains Jim Hyde, founder of Rawhyde Adventures.

The ride parallels the Continental Divide through the Rocky Mountains, criss-crossing the actual divide dozens of times along the trip. “Our route is fluid” says Jim. “We learn about new trails each trip. This week I spoke with a forest service ranger and he told me about a new trail that offers a bit more challenge and takes a new, very scenic trip. We plan to try that route on our trip next week. That keeps things interesting.”

The views are spectacular, with snow in the high mountains of Colorado and the sawtooth range of the Grand Tetons. Each night riders camp and enjoy fine food from a Cordon-Blu chef. Bailout points are available along the route for riders who get tired or need bike repairs along the way. The support trucks can also haul a bike if a rider needs a break for a day.