Philip “Raider” Pauley Bikes The 2,700 Mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route
The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is a 3,000 mile mostly off road bike route that goes from Jasper, Canada to the Mexican border at Antelope Wells, New Mexico. It goes through Alberta and British Columbia Canada, and then the states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Earlier in the summer of 2025, Triple Crowner Philip “Raider” Pauley completed the GDMBR. Raider is known among hikers as having one of the biggest hearts on the trail. He is admired not only for his endurance and determination but also for consistently going above and beyond to support those he meets.
If a hiker is struggling to find a hotel room, Raider will call his wife, Ronda, to help locate and book the nearest place to stay. When someone is running low on food or needs first aid supplies, he’s often the first to offer help—sometimes before the hiker even finishes explaining their situation. If he spots someone trying to get back to the trail, he’ll invite them to share his scheduled shuttle. And when Finn “Colors” Bastian passed away on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019, Raider was there to provide support for Larissa “Dirty Ziplock” Stawicki and took zeros (days off trail) to help facilitate the international logistics of her and Finn returning home.
Raider’s actions on and off trail exemplify the deep compassion, inner strength, and sense of community that define him as both an adventurer and a reliable hiking partner that even strangers can turn to in need.
You can follow Raider’s adventures on his blog at www.raidersjourney.blog that he started writing in 2017 on his first attempt of the Pacific Crest Trail. He is also referenced in the book, Dirty Colors by Larissa “Dirty Ziplock” Stawicki. It’s a powerful publication of Larissa and Finn’s trail journal and an incredible read.
Photo: Raider’s latest blog post was his Elk Hunt in Idaho
What is your hiking experience?
“Since retiring in 2013, I've become a very advide hiker. I have hiked the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental DivideTrail, Colorado Trail, Scotland National Trail, a portion of the Hexatrek Trail in France, and numerous section hikes around the United States, and other Countries. In all, I've hiked well over ten thousand miles.”
Photo: Raider on the CDT eating a “trail snow cone”, made with snow on the ground and Mio electrolyte mix
What is your cycling experience?
“Like most, I started cycling as a child, but I didn't get serious about it until I joined the Marine Corps. Throughout my career, I primarily rode as just a part of my overall fitness routine. I participated in some century rides, and a hand full of races. After I retired, I started to get more serious in consistency of rides, and sanctioned events.”
Photo: Raider’s race jersey
How did you get into long-distance hiking?
“I got into long distance hiking while I was stationed in Maine. One of our training compounds was close to the Appalachian Trail (AT), and on my days off I would run or hike on the AT. On one of those extended weekend hikes, I met an older gentlemen sitting on top of Saddleback Mountain eating blueberries. He was almost six months into his thru-hike and was hiking as a way to transition into retirement. The idea of using a long-distance hike to break away from the only life I had known since the age of seventeen sounded perfect. So, when I finally retired, that's exactly what I did. Ten days from the date I retired, I was in Georgia heading northbound to Katahdin.”
Photo: Raider navigating Mahoosuc Notch on the AT
How did you get into long-distance cycling?
“Long-distance cycling happened very much like the way I discovered long-distance hiking. When I hiked the Continental Divide Trail in 2022. I was taking my last zero day in Helena Montana, at the Motel 8, when I came down for breakfast and saw a fully loaded bicycle sitting near the door. A few seconds later a guy in riding gear showed up and I asked him what he was doing. He told me that he was riding the GDMBR. Of course I asked him a slue of questions and by the time our conversation was over, I knew at some point I'd be doing that ride.”
What gear did you use on the GDMBR?
“The bike I used was a Giant Hard Tail Mountain Bike. More specifically an Advanced XTC 29'r. I primarily used Revelant Design gear. My Paniers, handlebar bag, tube bag, and feed bags were Revelant Design. The only exception was my frame bag, which was made by Sulsa and was the only piece of gear that failed. The frame mount I used to hold my Paniers was made by Old Man Mountain and worked extremely well.”
What is most notable about traveling by bike versus hiking?
“There are a few notable differences in biking long-distance versus hiking. First, all the weight you'd be carrying on your back is on the bike. But that doesn't mean you don't have to be conscious about how much you load. The heavier the bike, the harder the climbs are. Secondly, when biking you can cover a lot more miles, which means you can carry less food and water, because town stops are much more frequent. Thirdly, the muscles you use and the parts of your body that go through periods of soreness, are certainly different. And finally the degree of risk are different. Fast, steep, rough descents can be risky. The periods that you're on paved roads are without question sketchy, and keeping your bike and gear safe takes a bit more consideration.”
What was your best experience or day on trail?
“My best experience on trail would be the day I finished my first thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail. That entire hike was dedicated to the Marines and Sailors I had lost during my combat tours, and every single day, good or bad, I told myself I was living the life they would never get to. So, when I got to the top of Mount Katahdin it was a rather emotional moment.”
Photo: Raider completing his Appalachian Trail thru hike on Mount Katahdin
What was your worst experience or day on trail?
“My worst day on Trail was in 2019 when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. We had only been in Washington two days and one of the hikers I was hiking with was struck by a falling tree. Finn (trail name: Colors), and his life partner Larissa (trail name: Dirty Z) had stopped to take a break at a small bridge just north of Trout Lake. I was a few miles behind because I had hitched into Trout Lake to pick up a resupply package. By the time I got to Colors and Dirty Z, Colors was in critical condition. Unfortunately by the time Search and Rescue was able to get to us, Colors succumbed to his injuries. In 2022, Dirty Z returned to finish their hike, hiking southbound from the Canadian border back to Trout Lake, and I was fortunate to be there with her when she returned to the bridge.”
Photo: Raider and Dirty Z (2022)
Photo: Colors in Washington on the PCT (2019)
Is there any gear or personal item that’s most important to you?
“I carry a Marine Corps Challenge coin from my last unit, to always remind me of the Marines and Sailors I lost, and to remind me of what and who I represent every time I do hard endeavors. I carry it on every hike, biking event, marathon, etc…”
Any advice for future GDMBR cyclists?
“The best advice I could give for future GDMBR riders, is to slow down and enjoy the ride. If you're interested in seeing how fast you can ride and looking for something more competitive, then I would suggest the Tour Divide race. It's 2,700 miles long and essentially is the same route with a few exceptions, like starting in Banff Canada. If and when I do this ride again, I'll spend more time experiencing the small towns, remote mountain lakes to swim and relax, and take more detours to off route national and state landmarks and parks.”
Photo: Raider enjoying the Darby Montana rodeo with Govey, Dread Pirate, Karaoke, E.T., Creature, Jinx, Icarus, Pitch, Gump, Flo, Old Bag, Wild Turkey, and Short Stix
Any shout outs?
“Shout out to my amazing wife Rhonda!! With all the adventures I've undertaken, which includes a lot more than the ones mentioned in the article, she has provided an unwavering amount of inspiration and support. Moreover, she becomes the support person for any hiker or biker I meet that needs help. She has purchased and mailed shoes for other hikers, reserved motel rooms (even for the hikers that run Legacy Backpacking!), done resupply packages, etc.. She knows that I need these continued high level challenges to stay the person I've been since she met me, as a young Marine.”
Photo: Raider along the GDMBR
Photo: GDMBR