Three Cook County women bike 2,739 miles from Canada to Mexico on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

Kalli Hawkins | September 11, 2024

After 66 days of pedaling over mountain passes, battling the heat and mechanical problems, three Cook County women completed an incredible mountain biking adventure across the western United States.

On June 26, Sally Summer, Lee Bergstrom, and Deb Bennett strapped their gear to their Salsa Cutthroat mountain bikes and set off from Banff, Alberta, Canada, to tackle the 2,700-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR).

The GDMBR was identified and mapped by the Adventure Cycling Association in 1997. The off-pavement route, consisting of single-track trails and dirt and gravel roads, stretches 2,700 miles through remote mountain wilderness, mountain passes, and desert terrain.

For two months, the trio, who are all in their 60s, traversed the rugged terrain of the Continental Divide and the western U.S before finishing an unsupported 2739.1-mile adventure on Aug. 30 at the U.S./Mexico border in Antelope Wells, New Mexico.

The 3 women at the Mexico border

“It was such a great experience, and every day was different from the day before,” Bennett told WTIP.

The inspiration to embark on the cross-country mountain bike trip began less than a year ago and originates from Bennett’s and Bergstrom’s husbands, who, in years past, have completed the GDMBR. Bergstrom said she had planned to bike the route with Summer and asked Bennett to join the trip this past winter. Bennett happily agreed.

“We weren’t riding for ourselves, so if something came up, we were there to help each other, and we all stayed healthy,” said Bennett. “Nobody got sick, and we’re still friends.”

While the trek proved to be challenging at times, Summer said, “I wouldn’t change a thing.” She added, “This is the best team.”

Bergstrom said the women completed 2739.1 miles, climbed 171,000 feet in elevation, and descended nearly 150,000 feet throughout the 66-day adventure. The women took four “zero days”, where they took time to rest and not ride.

WTIP sat down with Sally Summer, Lee Bergstrom, and Deb Bennett to learn about their mountain biking trip along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. The women discuss their gear, day-to-day routine, challenges, and overall experience. The audio from the interview is below.