Bikepacking

random walk · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:45 pm

I saw posts in OldDogDan's injury thread that showed a few people are interested in bikepacking. That makes 4 of us :mrgreen:

Not wanting to derail that thread, I thought I'd start a separate one. Mods, if you think this should be moved, or a new sub-forum created, feel free.

I'm a long-time backpacker but zero-time bikepacker. I think this would be a cool alternative to hiking.

So if anyone wants to jump in, let's get some discussion going on gear, places to go and ride reports.

random walk · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:50 pm

Just to throw out a quick idea for a shakedown trip, I thought about riding up in the Cuyamaca/Laguna area this Spring/Summer. Drive up on a Friday, ride up East Mesa & camp at Granite Springs primitive area, take a "day hike" ride up to BLT and back on Saturday, and ride out that evening or Sunday morning. Could also stage cars and do a point-to-point trip.

It would be really cool if this could be planned around the annual DT camping trip up there (if that's where it happens) and join up with the bigger group during the weekend.

forgivenick · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 3:43 pm

Totally down for some bikepacking bro. It will be tough since my schedule tends to be a little crazy and I'm in tight with my family...I like to do stuff with them a lot and put off doing things with others to spend more time with them. Its a challenge to find a balance.

The shakedown idea sounds great. I also want to do a big loop incorporating Hodges and PQ canyon, hopefully being able to ride out of my door in Mira Mesa. Ramona's Pio Pico campground seems to be the only viable option around for legal camping though.

Not sure on what gear I would bring at this point (what to take and what to leave behind), but it would be cool to go minimalistic and see if it is sufficient for a good nights rest so I can ride hard the next day.

mtbchip · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:01 pm

I've thought of that too. But what would really be neat is to be able to bike a trail deep into the mtns where we can camp by a trout filled lake or stream. Gotta find some legal trails in the sierras to do that!

forgivenick · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:04 pm

mtbchip wrote:

I've thought of that too. But what would really be neat is to be able to bike a trail deep into the mtns where we can camp by a trout filled lake or stream. Gotta find some legal trails in the sierras to do that!

Now you're talking! I did lots of Sierra hikes in my teens. 50 milers with 7+ days of hiking on each trip. That would be awesome to find something similar that is bike friendly.

random walk · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:06 pm

Yeah Nick, I was expecting you to jump on this

Totally understand the time crunch & family commitment.

I've done a couple ~100 mile segment hikes of the PCT the past few years, so I appreciate minimalist, oh yes. The technology is so much better than just a few years ago, the lightweight sleeping gear is surprisingly comfortable. It doesn't have to be expensive, either. REI used gear sales, geartrade.com and DIY articles on the internet are your friends.

random walk · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:09 pm

mtbchip wrote:

I've thought of that too. But what would really be neat is to be able to bike a trail deep into the mtns where we can camp by a trout filled lake or stream. Gotta find some legal trails in the sierras to do that!

Oh you had to go there with the trout streams! In!!!

There's a Treader Report in here somewhere, that the rider did in the Eastern Sierras. Pretty high altitude as you'd expect. I recall there being some lakes on the trail. I'll have to dig around for it.

forgivenick · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:13 pm

random walk wrote:

Yeah Nick, I was expecting you to jump on this

Totally understand the time crunch & family commitment.

I've done a couple ~100 mile segment hikes of the PCT the past few years, so I appreciate minimalist, oh yes. The technology is so much better than just a few years ago, the lightweight sleeping gear is surprisingly comfortable. It doesn't have to be expensive, either. REI used gear sales, geartrade.com and DIY articles on the internet are your friends.

If we do something in late spring/early summer, a hammock or pad and a sheet for sleeping and some real basic food/cook stuff might be all I need!

Kimba · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:18 pm

I wonder what the riders on the 400 mile ride are packing?

craptasticyler · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:47 pm

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NN ... ct_title_3

That light enough for you

Was thinking at some point doing a modified julian death march / add in some lagunas maybe or even retrace the poway to ramona route some intrepid explorers on here came up with to connect over to cedar creek falls & death march loop with camping down in dessert around the bottom of orriflamme by the creek would be pretty cool. Ride up to julian pie in the AM for breakfast. Desert is the one place that you can pretty much camp any darn where you please.

Most awesome vacation I ever took was canoeing off into the heart of the Algonquin Park in canada. Saw more moose than people for a week straight.

OldDogDan · **Posted:** Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:02 am

Here's the go-to site for gear setups etc.
http://www.bikepacking.net/

I'm planning to adapt my backpacking stuff for the first try, and not invest in any of the bike-specific gear uintil I see if I'm really hooked. A local shake-down ride is a must, and I think the first real trip might best be modest in terms of altitude gain and technical terrain, but still somewhere remote and inspiring. I think it'll be harder than we might think...

random walk · **Posted:** Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:42 am

OldDogDan wrote:

Here's the go-to site for gear setups etc.
http://www.bikepacking.net/

I'm planning to adapt my backpacking stuff for the first try, and not invest in any of the bike-specific gear uintil I see if I'm really hooked. A local shake-down ride is a must, and I think the first real trip might best be modest in terms of altitude gain and technical terrain, but still somewhere remote and inspiring. I think it'll be harder than we might think...

+1 on all. The only things I don't have are a rack that attaches down at the stays and a frame bag.

forgivenick · **Posted:** Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:58 pm

Hey fellow bikepacking adventurers!

My coworker is getting a custom build around a Surly Ogre frame and has the itch to start planning routes for his bikepacking adventures. He will be joining this thread soon.

We both make maps at work and he used a KML I had of the Julian Death March route, plus some other roads, fireroads, etc to put together this nice looking map.

http://forgivenick.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/julian_alpine.pdf

I have posted up on my blog about bike packing planning to keep me motivated to actually get out and bikepack in the first quarter of 2012.

OldDogDan · **Posted:** Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:51 pm

Kimba wrote:

I wonder what the riders on the 400 mile ride are packing?

I'm tempted to answer "big balls", but the answer you have in mind is that many will have the typical setups you see on bikepacking.net. In fact, you can see the examples of their bikes there, like Brendan's. The Stagecoach 400 starts from his shop.
http://www.bikepacking.net/individual_setups/siren-brendans-singletrack-packing-list/

random walk · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 7:00 pm

Penny Ultralight Alcohol Stove

Bikepacking

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