Bikepacking: The Road Less Traveled
As the ole saying goes,’ nobody said it would be easy, but they promised it would be worth it’ well, that basically sums up bikepacking. Bikepacking offers a unique way to get out and explore the backcountry or take the road less traveled to get to a particular destination that might be unreachable by car.
What it’s all about
If ‘bikepacking’ is a new term for you, let’s start with a crash course. In a nutshell, bikepacking is carrying and packing all the bare necessities on a bike for an overnight trip somewhere. There are many different genres of bikepacking--mountain biking, road biking, or touring. For some, the overnight stay could be at a campground, remote spot in the wilderness, a cabin, or simply a friend's house on the other side of town. Frame bags have been specifically crafted to outfit your bike so you can load it up with your gear in the most efficient way possible.
The beauty of bikepacking is found in the journey it takes to get to your destination; you can take all day to get there if you choose. However, be careful not to get caught in the ‘we got all day’ mentality by stopping so many times to take pictures that you end up having to hike a bike up the mountain in the dark… learned that the hard way. Routes vary from rider to rider and the mileage for a bikepacking trip can be anywhere from 10 to 200+ miles. I once met a dude who bikepacked from Alaska to the tip of Florida; perhaps he would’ve been more qualified to write this blog post.
Bikepacking trips can range from a single night to a multi-night trip. A good bit of planning is required since you obviously wouldn't want to wind up at camp with no water or extra snacks like I have in the past, yea not a good time. There is plenty of uncertainty that can arise on a bikepacking trip, mechanicals, getting lost, lack of cell service, no food/water resources, injuries, and unforeseen changes in terrain. All that being said, it’s best to phone a friend or do a deep dive on Google before pedaling out for the first time.
Although it’s fun to say bikepacking is not for the faint of heart, you certainly don’t have to be a Lachlan Morton or much less a super-skilled rider to make it happen. You’ll learn so much about yourself when you’re pedaling along just questioning what you’re going to eat for dinner, if you should change careers or if you’re the person you’ve always wanted to be. As you disconnect from the hustle and bustle of life you’ll start to dig up deep therapeutic conversations with your riding partner. Basically, bikepacking is the new and improved cheaper alternative to going to therapy. Not to mention it will really put your relationship to the test especially when you’ve been riding for hours to get to the campground only to find out there are no more available spots and you’re nearly out of food.
How to make it happen
If the internet is good for one thing, it’s learning the ‘how to's’ of a new hobby. Explore these great resources for bikepacking tips: REI How to Get Started Bikepacking or https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/
Please learn from my mistakes. FOOD. FOOD. FOOD. Pack what you think is too much food then pack some more. This has happened to me not once, but twice. The first time luckily the overpriced gummy bear and oatmeal care package saved the day in the remote cabin. Another time, we were 30 miles from our car walking towards the campground market in high hopes of finding fuel only to discover they were closed for the season. When you find yourself having to reroute the trip the next day to include a stop for tuna packets from the lodge gift shop— you’ll realize the importance of packing enough snacks. Also, it’s worth mentioning that while investing in ultralight gear is nice, it's certainly not necessary BUT, don't skimp on the necessities. After thinking I would be invincible for a single night trip in the mountains with only a hammock quickly turned into shivering until the sun came up. I learned that bringing a hammock to sleep in is a ‘nice to have’ while bringing a warm sleeping bag is a necessity.
Most importantly get out there and see for yourself how great bikepacking is :)
