Great American Wheel Route Bikepacking

[PedalUma]

See here to find out about the Great American Wheel Route. I am tracking three riders. Especially one bikepacking off-road who is 72.

Great American Wheel Route

The Great American Wheel Route (GAWR) is an expansive 3,700-mile mixed-terrain bicycle route traversing the United States...

bikepacking.com

 

[PedalUma]

See here to find out about the Great American Wheel Route. I am tracking three riders. Especially one bikepacking off-road who is 72.

Great American Wheel Route

The Great American Wheel Route (GAWR) is an expansive 3,700-mile mixed-terrain bicycle route traversing the United States...

bikepacking.com

Her name is Patrice McDonald and she is now climbing the Rockies with all her offroad camping gear. You can track the rider's progress here.

Great American Wheel Adventure 2026 live tracker by trackleaders.com

Live tracking event map for Great American Wheel Adventure 2026 - A 3600 mile self-supported adventure across the country. Includes leaderboard coverage, race flow, replay and links to individual track history pages

trackleaders.com

 

[RunForTheHills]

 

[PedalUma]

@RunForTheHills,
She is listening to some of this stuff as she takes the Rockies.

 

[Chargeride]

Johnny Cash version for me.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Johnny Cash version for me.

They're both good, but Hank Snow does it faster.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Johnny Cash version for me.

This is the guy that wrote the song (Australian).

 

[PedalUma]

See here for an update today with photos. file:///C:/Users/no/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/N3F1NJPO/email%20(002).mht

 

[Biplaneguy]

My son in law that ride a few years ago. He's done a number of long distance rides, here in the US as well as the UK and NZ. He tows a trailer with his supplies and camping gear.

 

[PedalUma]

 

[PedalUma]

She is now camping here in S.D. That must have been a big tree!

 

[Darth_Vado]

abducted by aliens?

 

[PedalUma]

Now she is here. Likely on another big climb. She has done almost 36,000 feet in elevation gains.

Patrice_McDonald - Great American Wheel Adventure 2026 individual history by trackleaders.com

Full history tracking archive for Patrice_McDonald, in the Great American Wheel Adventure 2026. Includes statistics, speed plots and other analysis.

trackleaders.com

 

[Extreme1]

I’m following her. Damn what a dream come true for her.

 

[pem]

I’m following her. Damn what a dream come true for her.

Grateful for all the follows. Somehow it gives me added fuel. -pem

 

[PedalUma]

Grateful for all the follows. Somehow it gives me added fuel. -pem

She is currently going 26.9 mph!

Patrice_McDonald - Great American Wheel Adventure 2026 individual history by trackleaders.com

Full history tracking archive for Patrice_McDonald, in the Great American Wheel Adventure 2026. Includes statistics, speed plots and other analysis.

trackleaders.com

 

[PedalUma]

She spent last night in a resort town with hot spring pools, and rivers. It looks like she is hanging out there for the day and I do not blame her. It sounds nice for a week. They also have the largest repository of mammoth bones and plenty of Native American cultural history.

 

[pem]

Next time I need a PI who knows something about bikes, I’m hiring you. Exactly right, Moccasin Springs in Hot Springs SD. Best recovery strategy - 3 days, cause after 1, 2 didn’t seem like enough. BTW your coaching resolved the rear wobble (bike, not mine). I never would have thought to check the front axel. It was scary loose.

 

[PedalUma]

Next time I need a PI who knows something about bikes, I’m hiring you. Exactly right, Moccasin Springs in Hot Springs SD. Best recovery strategy - 3 days, cause after 1, 2 didn’t seem like enough. BTW your coaching resolved the rear wobble (bike, not mine). I never would have thought to check the front axel. It was scary loose.

For the benefit of the others, @pem's bike was wobbling at the back of the bike. She could feel the sway through the saddle. After about three hours of self-doubt and contemplation, I asked her to check the front through axle. Counter intuitively, that will make the rear wobble (not hers but the bike's). She also rides the bike while loaded. And that is not a moral defect. I want photos. That warm mineral water sounds so nice.