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EDIT: might be misremembering who it was nevermind
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Jul 9, 2021 04:48
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mCpwnage posted:I mean, most people aren't camping in grizzly country most of the time, but yeah that seems like a reasonable thing to do if you are. My favorite backpack got ruined by squirrels looking for a ziplock bag of trail mix in the five minutes it took for me to set up my hammock during a recent bikepacking trip. I’ve always been conscious of food storage, but even more so now.
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Jul 9, 2021 05:46
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SimonSays posted:
A lot of Tour Divide riders end up pushing themselves way beyond what they're prepared for and make really bad decisions. It's a dangerous route because of bears and (even more so) people, but the common thread in a lot of these incidents is poor decision making and fatigue contributes heavily to that.
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Jul 9, 2021 06:56
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SimonSays posted:A black bear will happily rip into your tent if you've got food in there, and nobody wants to get woken up with one a foot away from you, tearing into your bags. Oh yeah, agreed. My point was more that current bear ranges are diminished and often not overlapping with a lot of the places that people are cycling in (though a lot are, also!). For example, this map from the hilariously named bear.org, seems to show that the areas with most of the continental US population are not bear range. I believe this is also the case for most of Europe, save the forested regions of Sweden/Finland, bits of the Balkans, and a few other spots here and there (none of which are major population centers). In any case, if you are in bear country you should follow bear safety. The people from the story above were obviously in grizzly range and were obviously not following proper grizzly safety.
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Jul 9, 2021 07:17
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That 1995 map is pretty outdated and a lot of those empty zones on the east coast are now black bear populated. Seen it with my own eyes in 3 states (FL, SC, and TN) and the black bear population data confirms their territory and population growing in all three. They've made a pretty big comeback in a lot of places. We had a huge one in our neighborhood last month actually, and I'm 5 miles from Disney World in Central FL. Seen quite a few biking around here too. Not as scary as grizzlies but still deserving of respect and smarts, especially with food. Bottom Liner fucked around with this message at 07:27 on Jul 9, 2021 |
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Jul 9, 2021 07:25
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I'm in Eastern Canada and there have always been bears near where people camp. In the suburbs too, but they tend to just knock over your garbage cans. Park rangers will come around and let people know to lock their car doors, because bears have no problem understanding the handle and getting into your picnic.
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Jul 9, 2021 14:41
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Bottom Liner posted:. Seen quite a few biking around here too. Honestly good for them moving up from tricycles finally
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Jul 9, 2021 15:32
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Bottom Liner posted:A lot of Tour Divide riders end up pushing themselves way beyond what they're prepared for and make really bad decisions. It's a dangerous route because of bears and (even more so) people, but the common thread in a lot of these incidents is poor decision making and fatigue contributes heavily to that. Is it because there's relatively few stopping points, so you have to make up a lot of miles on the road each day?
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Jul 9, 2021 15:59
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I think more because it’s a race and you have superhuman insane people riding for 24hr+ hours at a time and you’re trying to compete.
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Jul 9, 2021 16:01
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Literally Lewis Hamilton posted:I think more because it’s a race and you have superhuman insane people riding for 24hr+ hours at a time and you’re trying to compete. Maybe I should read the article more, but I didn't assume the 65yo was in the race.
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Jul 9, 2021 16:15
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I know a bear canister would be a pain to fit on a bikepacking rig, but they're required for a lot of CA state parks when backpacking and I'd think twice before relying on hanging food in grizzly country. I don't see people packing canisters on the Tour Divide pack lists though. That 1995 map for black bears is dangerous IMO, they're all over the south east US where there's forested areas. Bring a rope and hang your food up if you're in the (non-grizzly) woods. Non-bear content: I did a bike thing https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28897425 The Wilson's Creek and Pisgah Forest areas are fantastic, just endless gravel climbs and descents. Attakulla/Mt. Mitchell was cloudy but beautiful riding down the 30 mile descent into Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway.       
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Jul 9, 2021 16:29
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kimbo305 posted:Is it because there's relatively few stopping points, so you have to make up a lot of miles on the road each day? Yeah, if you want to be near civilization there are a lot of long days between supply stops, especially for touring riders that aren't racing. The irony being of course that this happened at a designated camp ground because the bear had learned that's where the food is. a loathsome bird posted:I know a bear canister would be a pain to fit on a bikepacking rig, but they're required for a lot of CA state parks when backpacking and I'd think twice before relying on hanging food in grizzly country. I don't see people packing canisters on the Tour Divide pack lists though. Yeah it's a weird situation because bikepacking generally carries a lot less food at a time than backpackers, so most bear cans I've seen would be a huge weight and space penalty that wouldn't get used much volume wise. There's probably a market for a large peanut butter jar sized bear can for overnighters, bikepackers, etc. If there are any small ones in the 1-2L range let me know.
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Jul 9, 2021 16:57
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Bottom Liner posted:There's probably a market for a large peanut butter jar sized bear can for overnighters, bikepackers, etc. If there are any small ones in the 1-2L range let me know.
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Jul 9, 2021 17:23
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Bottom Liner posted:Yeah, if you want to be near civilization there are a lot of long days between supply stops, especially for touring riders that aren't racing. The irony being of course that this happened at a designated camp ground because the bear had learned that's where the food is. At that point you just use an ursack I think.
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Jul 9, 2021 18:21
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kimbo305 posted:Maybe I should read the article more, but I didn't assume the 65yo was in the race. She wasn’t, she was doing the tour divide route not race from what I can tell. I’m not sure any of the racers are left on the course at this point and if they are they are significantly further south than Montana. But I think the point still stands that people don’t know what they are in for on that route. It’s very rugged and the elevation it asks of you is pretty wild. People who have done a tour or two seem to gravitate towards it when its much more tough to survive than something like the transamerica
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Jul 9, 2021 18:21
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Did some light bikepacking this week, heading from Bergen, Norway inland with the fjords towards the mountain plateau Hardangervidden.  Did some stealthcamping between two cabins on the seashore, it was a perfect spot to hunker down with a stream nearby and great swimming the ocean to clean up before the night.     Rode on a gravel bike with 45mm knobbly tires, not ideal since this was mostly tarmac, but couldnt be bothered to change since i just got these tires on with a tubeless setup.
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Aug 7, 2021 14:52
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Not especially high quality footage, but this guy bikepacks with his dog Mira up and down North America. It's good for some chill vicarious sightseeing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTv8AjSFzL4
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Aug 9, 2021 18:58
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https://bikepacking.com/bikes/andrea-jake-surly-disc-trucker/ Interesting content for: - logistics of touring in the midst of Covid - evolving your bike from on road to bikepacking - committing to majorly paring down your loadout That last point is always gonna be extremely variable. But debating the camping chair sounds about right -- it's very nice to have when wild camping or in any other scenario where you don't have something to sit on. I'm probably a more patient squatter than most people, but it would be hard to give up. I think the optimization I'm proudest of was going from a normal can opener to a P-51 military one:  I've done a tour with 2 jerseys, and I think it'd be hard for me to do just 1, but certainly not impossible, and easier if I could fit in more rest days. For my first tour, I had a bivy and an enclosed fly (like a triangular prism) that was extremely unbreathable and got me hyperventilating with how suffocating it felt. I think I could try a bivy again, with just a tarp/fly in a lean-to setup over the bivy.
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Aug 22, 2021 05:29
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I carried a camping chair for the first while until I did a reassessment and got rid of it. Think that might have been Tampa - Charleston. Got rid of it as found I rarely used it. I almost never had a problem with sitting directly on the ground and generally actually prefer it. Only downside is if there are lots of fire ants or the like trying to eat you.
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Aug 22, 2021 09:06
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I got a tarp i use as a tent groundsheet which doubles up as something to sit on. Came in handy when fixing my mates tyres when both punctured at the same time.
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Aug 22, 2021 10:41
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A rolled up sleeping pad standing on its end works as a basic stool if you're not too tall.
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Aug 22, 2021 10:46
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Coxswain Balls posted:A rolled up sleeping pad standing on its end works as a basic stool if you're not too tall. That's a big and substantial pad!?! https://smile.amazon.com/REDCAMP-Fo...964&sr=8-5&th=1 A foam cell sit pad is just about the best 2 oz you can add to your kit and they're dirt cheap too. A ton of uses, padding in your pack against your back, sitting/knee rest when cooking, wind shield for your stove, extra warmth under your core, etc.
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Aug 22, 2021 10:55
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I don't find it to be so. I've got a 3/4 size inflatable pad, it folds in half lengthwise and rolls up when not in use. A small bit of that egg carton foam mat seems like it'd be pretty handy though, especially if the weight is negligible. What's another 2oz when my standard loadout is fifty pounds.
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Aug 22, 2021 11:10
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This might be a better question for the MTB thread but anyone running fork bottle cages know how to stop the bottles from popping out whenever you get to mildly technical terrain? I've just used a strap to hold them in before but then you gotta undo the strap to get the bottle out and i wanna be able to drink while riding! I find water bladders to much of a pain in the butt to refill when they live in frame bags. i considered mounting luggage on the forks too and drinks inside the frame but frame bags are just king for ease of use and storage. e: after i typed this i did just remember reading something about someone using a cockpit bag as a drinks holder so maybe i could put a small bottle in there for drinking on the move and just use the forks as water storage.
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Aug 22, 2021 14:09
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with ti or alum cages I just bend them in so they have a much tighter grip on the bottles.
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Aug 22, 2021 20:54
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Can also apply some kind of grip to where your bottles touch the cage. Wrap Gorilla tape or something a bit more grippy and it'll still come out when you want but should add a bit of friction.
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Aug 22, 2021 21:55
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Any shoe recs for folks that bikepack on flats? I generally have to hike a bike in gnarly trail, punchy elevation stuff with a lot of big rocks or trees so grip off bike is as important as on bike. I used to have some perfect Saucony trail shoes but they're dead after 4 years of bikepacking events and sadly no longer made. Tried a newer model from them and they're great off bike but not as good on the flats.
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Aug 22, 2021 22:47
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Five Ten Trailcross?
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Aug 23, 2021 02:14
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bikepacking.com recently reviewed a few flat pedal shoes: https://bikepacking.com/gear/best-flat-pedal-mountain-bike-shoes-2021/ (you can also just search for "shoes" and find a bunch more reviews)
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Aug 23, 2021 10:08
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I probably should have specified I'm looking for not-bike specific shoes because all of them are so substantially padded or thick soled that they take days to dry out once soaked and I tend to do a lot of water crossings on my routes.
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Aug 23, 2021 10:20
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I really enjoy Brooks Cascadias for hiking and backpacking. I've owned the various revisions over the past 7 or 8 years. They work fine when riding around on flat pedals.
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Aug 23, 2021 10:31
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Bottom Liner posted:I probably should have specified I'm looking for not-bike specific shoes because all of them are so substantially padded or thick soled that they take days to dry out once soaked and I tend to do a lot of water crossings on my routes. Five ten trailcross LT is actually good though! it's made of very light/thin materials which don't get soaked and has drainage holes.
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Aug 23, 2021 10:39
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I have a pair of Columbia shoes with the outdry construction that I've been happy with. Wore them during my first hunt when there was snow on the ground and my feet were surprisingly warm and dry. Light and breathable too so they were my everyday-wear shoes and they worked fine in the pedals. I think these are them, or at least they look the same. https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5054-279/Terrebonne-Outdry-Extreme-Light-Trail-Shoes
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Aug 23, 2021 10:57
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CTODEBpsUSb/?utm_medium=copy_link
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Aug 31, 2021 06:19
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I'm 14 days into a bike trip. How do you guys stop from looking like crap? I've got sunburnt, my lips are kinda gross even though I've been slapping on lip balm and I'm getting spotty even though I've been washing when I can. Also got some sort of spot/friction sore on my inner thigh, bunch of swollen bug bites and my legs and knees are shredded from undergrowth/falling off/pedal strikes. Im having a good time though! E: pics  Corrieyairack pass. Some guy called general Wade built a military road up there to suppress the Scots.  The Glens are cool as hell to bike down  Wild camping overlooking a loch. Was fine when setting up as a wind was keeping the midges away but the wind died at night and there was thousands of them swarming up my tent flysheet. hemale in pain fucked around with this message at 17:47 on Sep 19, 2021 |
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Sep 19, 2021 17:26
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I pretty much accept that I am going to look like poo poo until I can check into a hotel and get washed up. For helping with feeling gross: I don't like the feeling of several days of accumulated sunscreen so I tend to rely on clothing to protect most of my body. I still use sunscreen on my neck, ears, and nose, but generally wear a light weight long sleeved shirt and pants with a lot of stretch. I like straight leg prana pants on the bike. They look okay for walking around off bike too. I don't have a recommendation for your lips. I don't think mine get a ton of sun when I ride. As for your sore. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't get infected. Maybe wrap of stretchy gauze around your leg to keep it from getting rubbed more. Disclaimer: there are countless right ways to tour and what works for me might not be what works for you. I hope you can continue enjoying the trip.
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Sep 19, 2021 17:58
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Looking like an insane person after a week is actually an upside to camping, whether on foot or bike. For real though, I've done some long backpacking trips and the keys for me are sun protection, bug protection, and washing when possible. Long pants, shirt sleeves, and a big hat combined with sunblock and bug spray help a lot with sun and bugs. Spending some time in the evenings caring for bites or hot-spots before they become a problem goes a long way. It's not always possible to clean your entire body but you can usually figure out a way to get the face, pits, and bits, even if that's carrying wipes in and out. Looks like a cool trip! Going to add that if it's continuously windy a buff or something you can pull over your face is amazing colonel tom fucked around with this message at 18:17 on Sep 19, 2021 |
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Sep 19, 2021 18:13
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Sun coverage is the only solution once you’re already burnt/chapped. Wear a buff over your mouth/ears. Cover your arms and neck, etc. For your thighs, aquaphor or Bag Balm are great to fight off chafing or sensitive hot spots. Looks like a great trip though!
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Sep 19, 2021 18:19
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wet wipes + a little soap and water on the sensitive bits before going to bed always helped me prevent sores from developing. halfway through my first trans-continental trip i swapped out my stock saddle for a brooks cambium c17 and never looked back. my rear end has been happy for years now lips are a crapshoot, but i usually fare the best when i'm diligent about re-applying lip balm every hour or so. keep it in an easily accessible spot so you don't have an excuse to skip you're gonna look like crap no matter what so just embrace it. learn to love your filth
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Sep 19, 2021 18:24
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Well im probably not using lip balm enough then! I'll try to wash a little more when wild camping as Im usually pretty lazy if I don't have access to showers. I got a hostel for the night and had all my clothes washed so I'm feeling a ton cleaner and less gross this morning.
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Sep 20, 2021 07:26
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