Long-distance bike expeditions are most often pursued by higher-income, educated men from urban areas.  So when a small team from Central Wyoming College set out to ride a section of the Continental Divide Trail from Montana to Wyoming in 2021, it did not fit the mold.  The student riders i ncluded four women and one man. Together, they had very little cycling experience, let alone on multiday expeditions. Three were Native American women who grew up on the Wind River Reservation, one a Belize native and military veteran and another was a grandmother who hadn’t graduated from high school. Student riders on a CWC bike expedition, from left, Aidan Hereford, Jada Antelope, Tara Jorgeson, Tammy Green and Alex Minge. (Kyle Nicholoff/Gravel Grit) But they set out together to ride roughly 1,000 miles. They slogged through mud and endured hail, experienced grizzly bear encounters, pushed up huge inclines and flew down the descents. And during the weeks spent pedaling, eating and camping together, the lines between them dissolved. It was unreal, rider Tammy Green said, to get thrown together and connect in such strong ways. “We’ve all fallen in love as a family,” Green said.  The story of their disparate backgrounds and shared adventure is the center of the PBS documentary “Gravel Grit — Bridging the Great Divide.” The film premieres Tuesday at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, followed by a panel with several of the riders. CWC professor Jacki Klancher led the expedition, which was supported by guides, drivers, cooks and even a dog.  A group of students and guides rode along the Continental Divide for more than three months. Their adventure is the subject of the documentary “Gravel Grit — Bridging the Great Divide.” (Kyle Nicholoff/Gravel Grit) Along with being an outdoor adventure, the riders incorporated a science element to the trip by carrying air-quality sensors to gather data. They endured plenty of mental and physical challenges, but the film goes beyond just the riding to examine the personal stories behind the cyclists. They include stories of overcoming health challenges, rethinking circumstances and experiencing loss.  “It turned out that it was much, much more than just a bike adventure for these students,” film director Kyle Nicholoff said.  The screening takes place Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Robert A. Peck Arts Center Theatre at CWC. It’s free, and participants will have a chance to win a mountain bike. The post Gravel, grit and grinding it out on the Continental Divide appeared first on WyoFile . ...read more read less