Adventure Cycling Association

Rolling with the Flow in the D.C. Summer Heat with Camp MWABA

Qudsiya Naqui — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 16:06:02 +0000

Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes (MWABA) was thrilled to receive a grant from Adventure Cycling for our second annual tandem bike camping trip. This year, 25 campers braved the heat to camp with us on the Marsden Track on the C&O Canal Towpath. Of this year’s group, three people were first-time bike campers. Through a heat advisory, a detour, and many more adventures, we managed to roll with the flow and had a great time! Eight tandem pairs and our wonderful drivers met at the Bethesda Metro. Everyone was already sweaty but buzzing with excitement. This year, one of our campers, Qudsiya Naqui, served as our documentarian—she was at the ready with her phone to record our experiences for an audio story that will be featured on her podcast, Down to the Struts, in Fall 2024. Five pairs of tandem bikers who were interested in a longer ride took a 24-mile route through neighborhood streets to Rock Creek Park, and then along the Potomac River on the Capital Crescent and C&O Canal trails. Three tandem pairs did the same 14-mile route as last year down the Capital Crescent Trail, then out on the C&O Canal Towpath. Unlike last year, the towpath was almost completely dry with no puddles to splash through, but we still saw plenty of blue herons in the canal. When we arrived at the campsite, we unloaded our gear and set up our tents. We sat around a picnic table for a late lunch, talking about why we love biking and camping. Azka, one of the campers, summed it up: “Biking [is] like the actual definition of inclusion and accessibility, showing people that visually impaired and blind people can do anything if the environment and the bikes are adapted.” She also mentioned that she loves the birds chirping and the early mornings during a camping trip. Access was at the center of our trip this year—we made sure our tents were labeled in Braille so that everyone could easily find their own. Campers brought accessible chess and Braille playing cards to enjoy by the fire after dark. We also created a system of rope lines so everyone was able to feel their way to the bathroom at night. Around four in the afternoon, a group of us left for a four-mile hike up the trail and then onto the Gold Mine Trail. The trail leads to the ruins of a 19th century gold mine established during the Civil War. But the real gold is the trail itself: winding through Great Falls, Maryland, the tall trees offered ideal amounts of shade and we hiked to the sound of a babbling creek running alongside our path. The hikers returned to the campsite to find one of our drivers serenading everyone with guitar music, strumming Scottish and English tunes—plus a few American favorites like Brown-Eyed Girl—as dinner was set out. We had a marvelous burrito buffet, complete with salsa and fresh guacamole. Along with our original group, two tandem pairs, a solo cyclist, and a driver had left the Eastern Market Metro after work, biked through D.C. to the C&O Canal Towpath, and met the group at the campsite in time for dinner. Some campers enjoyed a swim in the Potomac River while the hikers were out. The water was calm and bathtub temperature, and the late evening summer sun sparkled on the surface. As the soaked swimmers dried off by the fire, we made s’mores, played board games, and told stories. One of the trip organizers shared her experiences as a puppy raiser for guide dogs, and we were joined on the trip by her newest recruit, Chloe, a sweet yellow Labrador puppy who enjoyed many snuggles. We woke to a beautiful morning and a yoga flow class led by Ariel, one of our intrepid gear drivers and fitness instructor extraordinaire. Nikos was on hand with fresh coffee, which we all enjoyed. Once we packed up camp, it was back on our bikes and off to Fletcher’s Cove, where we put in some rented kayaks and spent the afternoon floating on the Potomac River. Sharon, one of our planning committee members, arranged a wonderful picnic lunch of peanut butter sandwiches that we all enjoyed during breaks from boating. We rolled home on Saturday afternoon feeling accomplished, with lots of great memories, new connections, and stories to share. One of our tandem captains who had never bike camped before described our adventure as a “great entry point,” and said he was up for another trip. One of our stokers who had never bike camped before told us: “I never thought camping was an option for my visual diagnosis. As corny as this sounds, it expanded my view of what is possible for me.” Even in the heat, Camp MWABA managed to roll with the flow, and we had an amazing time!

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Trip Recap: Langford’s Third Annual Bike Overnight

Kari Kuwamura — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 18:11:59 +0000

This is the third Langford Elementary School bike camping trip supported by Adventure Cycling’s Bike Overnights program. You can read about the first one here and the second one here. This year, Langford Elementary School celebrated its third annual bike camping trip, supported by Adventure Cycling’s Bike Overnights program. Embracing the tradition, students and volunteers embarked on an adventure from Langford Elementary to McKinney Falls State Park on May 9-10, 2024, marking the final trip before the school closed for renovations. For over seven years, Langford Elementary and the Ghisallo Cycling Initiative have partnered to provide South Austin students with biking opportunities, fostering skills, exploration, and friendships. This time, ten enthusiastic students and three dedicated volunteers set out for an overnight trip.

A Hot and Challenging Journey

Gathering in a classroom after school, the group prepared their bikes, filled water bottles, and loaded gear, including tents and sleeping bags, into the support vehicle. The six-mile ride to McKinney Falls was filled with camaraderie and encouragement as students navigated neighborhood streets, bike lanes, and McKinney Falls Parkway. The trails were too overgrown this year, necessitating a road and bike lane route. Braving one of the hottest days of the year, with temperatures soaring over 90 degrees and limited shade, the kids persevered with the support vehicle providing much-needed water, air conditioning, and moral support. Arriving at McKinney Falls, the intense heat couldn’t dampen their spirits. The group set up camp with enthusiasm and cooperation. The students, many of whom were new to camping, eagerly pitched tents and helped unload the vehicles.

Fun Despite the Heat

The highlight of the trip was playing in the Upper Falls. Recent rainfall had made the creek’s flow even more robust, and the kids delighted in splashing and swimming in the refreshing water. As the day wound down, the group gathered for a delicious dinner. Grilled fajitas, followed by s’mores, made for a memorable meal under the drizzling sky.

Evening Activities and Bonding

After enjoying a dip in the falls, the group encountered thunderstorms, including a tornado that touched down about 15 miles south of the campsite. Despite being in the eye of the storm, the kids munched on cheese sticks until it was dry enough to cook dinner. Though Bike Story Night had to be canceled due to rain, the kids enjoyed a camp-cooled dinner, stories, and tent time with friends. Phone calls from concerned parents and the principal were met with assurances of safety as the group watched the storm pass over.

Wrapping Up

The following morning, the group packed up their tents, enjoyed breakfast tacos, and set out for the return ride to Langford Elementary before school started. The cooler morning weather and downhill ride was a joyful finish to their overnight adventure, with students greeting the wildflowers along the way. Back at school, Principal Castillo welcomed them with congratulatory words and celebrating their successful trip.

Gratitude

This adventure was made possible by the support and dedication of many individuals and organizations. Special thanks to parent volunteers and teachers Girmawi, Lily, Kari, and all the students for their participation and enthusiasm. Kari’s support with the SAG wagon was invaluable for water breaks along the way. We are also immensely grateful to Cabela’s for helping us purchase last-minute tents after discovering our usual tents were damaged. Lastly, a heartfelt thank you to Ghisallo, Langford Elementary, Adventure Cycling, and Texas State Parks for making this trip a reality. As Langford closes its doors for renovations, we look forward to continuing our programming at Palm Elementary, where students will be transferred during the school’s temporary closure.

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Redwood National Park: Local Adventures Can be Grand Adventures

Hollie Ernest — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 20:57:43 +0000

This is a ride report for the Short Route: Eureka, CA: Redwood Coast Loop while the author and her husband were developing the route. Sweat dripped down my nose and landed on my handlebars. Gnats whirred in my ears, determined to steal my sanity. By slapping them, I slapped my own face, and when I slapped my ear too hard my hand got tangled in my helmet strap. I cursed the added weight of the bottle of wine and steak in my pannier. Won’t steak be fun, I had thought. Won’t that be romantic. It was the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. I questioned why we weren’t swimming and grilling out on the long weekend, like normal people. Instead, I was huffing and puffing and checking the map every tenth of a mile to see if we were at the top of the long, steep gravel climb. We had left our house near the breezy Pacific Ocean in Arcata, California, and pedaled 35 miles over two watersheds, inland to the mountains and the heat. I used to think there was no point cycling roads I drove all the time. For years, I planned cycling trips in other states or countries and neglected the roads around me. Groups of us would mountain bike on our local forest trails, but local overnights seemed either too close or too much hassle. But my partner Tom and I had decided to change it up, mapping this loop and riding it over the long weekend. En route up this hill I had driven dozens of times, I saw clusters of trees I never noticed before, including a few particularly large Douglas firs and madrones. There were also scattered acres that had been harvested for timber, a large boulder shaped like a dog, and the beginning of royal purple larkspur flowers. “Was that there last time we were here?” I asked Tom as we pedaled past a small DIY shooting range just over the BLM boundary. He said that it was. Despite appreciating the novel observations, I was tired and kept asking myself, Where am I? Did we miss the turn? Missing the turn to Lacks Creek is impossible. We would never miss the turn. Tom had driven up to Lacks Creek close to a hundred times during the building of the trail system. We had actually met on that drive years before when I volunteered for a trail-building day. I should have known that his up-for-anything attitude and my motivation for adventurous weekends would lead to this masochistic Friday afternoon. I wiped my sweaty hands on my saturated shorts and kept pedaling. We finally reached the unmissable turn, pedaled another mile, and set up camp overlooking the fog covering the ocean to the west. Horse Mountain sat to the southeast of us, and rays of sunset danced around the clouds. The arduous climb became a distant memory and we felt somewhat smug about our weekend getaway out of the fog and into the warm spring air. Congratulating ourselves with steaks over the fire, we drank wine from the bottle and I went over all the flowers I had seen on the ride, including ones I hadn’t noticed on other trips by car. We were already excited for the next two days of pedaling. The next day we woke up foggy in our heads and legs, but after strong black coffee and tortillas filled with Nutella, we carefully descended corrugated gravel towards the Hoopa Valley to the east. We saw a bear, a fox, and osprey, marveling at the geology of the cliffs and bluffs along State Highway 96, as we cycled north along the Trinity River. The Trinity River merges with the Klamath River, known for its legendary salmon runs. We crossed the bridge at the confluence and refilled our snack supply at the newly renovated Weitchpec store. After crossing the bridge over the wide, murky water, we turned left on the 169, then crossed back over the Klamath and climbed up switchbacks on Bald Hills Road, cycling west. Over the next day and a half, we crossed the ancestral lands of Hupa and Yurok Tribes, up and over Bald Hills Road, and into Redwood National Park. Before crossing into the park, there is a very elaborate Yurok Veterans Cemetery, with somewhat overbuilt concrete buildings, ramps and railings. We paid our appropriate respects over the Memorial Day weekend. The smell of bigleaf maple blossoms sat heavily in the fog as bird calls echoed in the steeper parts of the valley. The pain from Friday had dissolved and we glided along, happy to be pedaling through the mist that covered the golden meadows and purple lupine lining the road. Two years before, I had worked a summer in the Bald Hills on a project to restore habitat for native grasses. Even though I had hiked for more than 100 hours over the oak woodlands and prairies, I hadn’t felt the rolling hills as intimately as that day. This time, on bikes, each meadow and each hill etched into my mind like a nail scratching into an aluminum tree tag, recorded for later. As the road leaves the ridge, potholed hairpin turns lead back to the coast and Highway 101. We descended quickly, seeing 1,00o-year-old redwood trees and outpacing the cars. From the intersection of Bald Hills and Highway 101, you can turn right to go north for more redwood glory via Newton B Drury Scenic Parkway, or turn south and ride through the town of Orick. There is a well-known burger and shake stand in Orick, and I felt like I had earned a meal there. We attacked the elk burgers, fries, and milkshakes like we hadn’t eaten in weeks. I wiped ketchup from my chin and stared at the redwood burls across the highway. Sitting on our stools next to the two-lane highway across the street from a run-down motel, we deemed this was the best Memorial Day weekend. We were on a local adventure, absorbing the hills we call home. The section along the 101 was the most familiar to me, since I drove it often for work. But again, I got to see what I had been missing. A short walk along the beach near Freshwater Lagoon left sand in our cycling shoes, and the waves were deafening, rising close to shore before crashing onto the hard-packed sand. Continuing south along the coast, we passed Big Lagoon and Stone Lagoon, pedaling slow enough to note the level of vegetation in their brackish waters. Otters poked their heads out and gulls crowded the shores. Cormorants glided low over the choppy water. The sky was overcast when we arrived home on Monday afternoon. Instead of punching the weekend to the last minute like usual, we had time to unpack, clean gear, and get ready for work the next day. Despite this moment of responsible behavior, we felt like we had gotten away with something. We’d had an epic weekend and felt like we’d gone far away and seen things no one else had. Since that memorable trip years ago, I’ve cycled various parts of this route on different rides. Each time, I feel a deeper sense of connection and familiarity with the place I call home. Instead of regarding these places as mundane or boring, I see them as more special. Each small hill, each large mountain, each watershed, or smooth-barked trees… are all special. This particular weekend reminded me that adventure is a mindset, and the ‘grand’ part of grand adventures is up to us.

Find the route here

Nuts and Bolts

This is a loop route with a start / finish in Eureka, California.
It is 185 miles with 16,167 feet of climbing and can be cycled in either direction.
There is not much resupply, so take most of what you’ll need and top up on snacks accordingly.
Depending on the time of year, you’ll want to be strategic about water. After a rainy winter, there will likely be more springs, but these dry up in the fall or during low-precipitation summers. There are several waterless sections as well.
You can shorten or lengthen this route according to your timeframe. There are several out-and-backs included in the route, in order to factor in spaced-out campgrounds. The road is mostly paved roads with a few short gravel sections.

Highlights

Ecosystem variety! You’ll see Humboldt Bay, inland conifer forests, steep river valleys, oak forests, and prairies before returning to the Pacific Coast.
Seeing several watersheds
Redwood trees
Mountain views
If you do this route in the summer you’ll have campgrounds with riverfront spots

While dominant winds on the coast are typically from the west and/or north, it’s worth checking the wind direction on an app like Windy before choosing which direction to ride. The route is designed to leave from Eureka, the population center for Humboldt County, but you could easily start from Arcata, McKinleyville, or another nearby community. Eureka and Arcata have plenty of shops and accomodations, but once you get pedaling, resupply is limited to convenience stores in Weitchpec and Orick. Campsites near the route are marked on the Ride with GPS route, and you can divide the days however you like. People who want to speed through it could do it in two or three days, while sightseers could turn it into a five-day tour. This route has a lot of climbing, as well as some short sections with high traffic, so it is not recommended for families or kids. This route takes place on the ancestral lands of the Hupa, Karuk, Yurok, and Wiyot peoples.

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A Little Loop in Michigan

Laura Killingbeck — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 19:49:43 +0000

One of my favorite ways to see a new place is to make my own bike loop. I love pedaling away from wherever I am and returning a few days later to the same spot. There’s a magic in leaving and returning at the speed of your own legs. This year I spent the winter caretaking a condo and dog in western Michigan, and after that I had a few days to explore. I decided to go on a little bike loop to see more of the backcountry and coastline.

Route Planning

To plan this trip, I just poked around the Adventure Cycling Association website and Bikepacking.com to see if there were any bike routes nearby. On the Adventure Cycling website I found the North Lakes cycling route, a paved U.S. bike route along the coast of Lake Michigan. The route had easy resupplies, great views of the lake, and plenty of camping options. And it passed directly through the town I was in! I found the North Country Traverse on Bikepacking.com. This is a 172-mile non-technical singletrack route starting at a trailhead about 50 miles away. The route also showed plenty of backcountry camping options, water, and easy resupplies. I compared the two routes and found they intersected at the northern terminus of the North Country Traverse at Traverse City, creating a near-perfect loop. I could ride out of town on the North Lakes cycling route, cut over to the North Country Traverse, take that to Traverse City, and then hop back onto the North Lakes route down the coast to where I’d started. So that’s what I did! The total length of this route was about 300 miles, and it took me about a week and a half. I also wrote about my first day on this trip in this story. Here are the details about this shorter route, and how to tackle it yourself.

Navigation

Before I left, I downloaded maps of the area to my phone and tablet through Google Maps and Gaia. Google Maps is a free source for offline road maps. Gaia is an excellent app that shows detailed hiking and biking routes, campsites, and landscapes. I also downloaded the North Country Traverse GPX files to my phone and tablet from Bikepacking.com. The Adventure Cycling Association’s North Lakes Route can be downloaded through the Adventure Cycling Association’s Navigator App or as GPX files. Since I was only doing a short section of this route, I didn’t need to download those maps for this trip. But if I were doing a longer section it would have been useful. The Navigator App makes it easy to follow any of the Adventure Cycling Association’s bike routes. Along my ride, I also picked up a paper map of cycling routes from the Michigan Department of Transportation. You can order or download that map from their website.

Landscape and Climate

I left in mid-April, which is technically spring, but in Michigan it still felt like winter! During the first few days of my trip, I experienced rain, sleet, snow, and a brief moment of surprise hail. Nighttime temperatures were in the 20s. A week and a half later when I finished my trip, flowers were blooming and temperatures were in the 60s. The entire loop was mostly flat with some short, rolling hills. There were no mountain passes or significant elevation changes. The North Country Traverse highlighted western Michigan’s secluded forests and dunes. The North Lakes Route reminded me of Adventure Cycling’s Pacific Coast Route, which I cycled last year. If you’re attracted to shoreline riding, the Michigan section of the North Lakes Route is a gem.

Camping and Resupply

I camped every night along the way. The North Country Traverse and my section of the North Lakes route both pass through National and State forest land with ample free dispersed camping. I supplemented my dispersed campsites with registered camping in Michigan’s extensive network of primitive campgrounds. As always, the Adventure Cycling Association and Bikepacking.com show campsites, lodging options, and grocery stores on their route maps. I always bring tons of food with me wherever I go. I prefer to eat as much as I want all the time without having to measure or ration anything. I also often dehydrate my own foods ahead of time and take them with me. This means I end up carrying a lot of extra weight in food, but I don’t really mind. On this trip I supplemented the food I brought from home with resupplies at country stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. There were plenty of options. I got most of my water in towns, but also occasionally filtered water from streams.

Bike and Gear

I don’t think you need the “perfect” gear to go on a bike trip. You just need the gear that will get you there and back, and keep you safe and happy along the way. My setup is always a mix of things I happen to have, items that survive the test of time, and whatever new gear I’m testing for gear companies. You can see my full gear list for this trip here.

Creating Your Own Bike Loop from a Larger Route

Since 1976, the Adventure Cycling Association has mapped over 50,000 miles of bike routes across the United States. These bike routes intertwine and overlap, forming hundreds of possible loops. You can also make your own loop by splicing routes together however you want. I’ve often planned my bike trips to start or end at my house or a friend’s house. That’s what I love so much about bike travel: you can start wherever you are, or aim for wherever you want to be. The adventure unfolds along the way. To make your own loop, just choose a place to start or end and then pull out some maps. The Adventure Cycling Association’s Interactive Route Map is a great place to look. How close are you to a bike route?

The North Lakes Route Nuts and Bolts

Overview: The North Lake Route connects 1,600 miles of pavement and bike paths between Minneapolis, Minnesota and Denver, Indiana. Distance: 1,600 miles (1,200 miles plus additional route alternates) Route Surface: Paved Terrain: Backroads, highways, and bike paths. Flat or rolling, with no major mountain passes. Best Season to ride: Spring, summer, and fall (Adventure Cycling recommends May through September). Bike: Any bike Find more information and download maps through the Adventure Cycling Association.

The North Country Traverse Nuts and Bolts

Overview: The North Country Traverse is a singletrack bike route through western Michigan. It follows a bike-friendly segment of the North Country Trail (NCT), a 4,800-mile footpath between North Dakota and Vermont. Distance: 173 miles Route Surface: 86% unpaved, 66% singletrack Terrain: Mostly non-technical with some roots, leaf litter, blow-downs, sand, mud, bridges, stairs, and other obstacles. Flat or rolling. The trail is well-marked with signs and blue blazes. Best Season to ride: Spring, summer, and fall. (Bikepacking.com recommends April through November, or whenever the trail is clear of snow.) Bike: This is a mountain bike route. Recommended tire size is two inches or wider. Find more information and GPX files at Bikepacking.com.

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Planning a Group Bike Tour

Kyle Casement — Thu, 23 May 2024 14:10:34 +0000

One of my favorite hobbies outside of bicycle touring is beach volleyball. I’m not very good, but I do enjoy the time at the beach and with old and new friends. Recently through an old friend, I found a group of other volleyball enthusiasts who took an interest in bicycle touring after hearing my stories and those of another in the group. The group started at about 15 people interested in participating but quickly whittled down to six or seven who were serious enough to commit. I’m always keen on sharing bicycle touring so was thrilled to have accidentally found a group of first timers. I quickly learned that bringing together such a large and disparate group was going to be more challenging than I had first thought. Everyone had questions. They ranged from asking what exactly a bicycle tour overnight meant, to what to pack, and how to prepare. Many people needed gear ranging from bicycles and panniers to various camping equipment, and I realized that I needed to develop a concrete plan that would require the least amount of effort and investment in gear possible while still keeping the trip interesting. Since everyone lived in San Diego County, I decided we should meet at the Old Town Trolley Station, which is central and easy to get to by all lines of the Trolley (San Diego’s light rail), many buses, and of course by bicycle. From there, it’s a flat 20 miles to the Tijuana River Valley Campground, right on the U.S.–Mexico border. This was the perfect distance for newer cyclists and left plenty of time for lunch along the way and together time at camp. Better yet, the Tijuana River Valley Campground has yurts that sleep up to 10 people and include bunk beds with sleeping pads. There is also potable water, showers, flush toilets, fire pits, and firewood for purchase. To me, it was the perfect intro to camping. To further simplify things, I put myself in charge of food and cooking. Nonetheless, there were still many questions from everyone about the above logistics, and everything else you could think of. I finally made a recommended packing list and shared it with the group, which seemed to help. I even shared the route and ensured everyone we would ride as a group so that no one would have to worry about getting lost or separated from the group. Eventually everyone was on the same page, and the trip went off without any major issues. We made it into the nearby city of Imperial Beach right at lunch time, ate at one of the best restaurants in town, and made it to the campsite a few hours before sunset, after exploring the rest of the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. We enjoyed dinner and a campfire until it was time for bed, and I think everyone slept soundly. The next morning, we took the scenic route back north along the Silver Strand, a coastal beach route that passes through Coronado, and we took the ferry across the bay and back into San Diego. I learned quite a bit about planning group tours with beginners on this trip. Next time, I will create a shared document with all pertinent information, including the route map. Then, a week or two ahead of departure, I’ll have a group meeting to discuss the specifics and answer any questions. I’ve also since learned about the Adventure Cycling Guide for Planning and Leading a Bike Overnight, which would have been a great resource. Finally, if it’s helpful for anyone else, I did put together the video below with additional tips and comments on how to successfully lead a group bike tour.

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Celebrating the Northern Tier on its 40th Anniversary

Maggie Slepian — Mon, 06 May 2024 17:18:57 +0000

In June of 1976, Adventure Cycling — then known as Bikecentennial — mapped and publicized their first route: the TransAmerica Trail. This cross-country route stretched over 4,000 miles from Astoria, Oregon to Yorktown, Virginia and became an instant classic. But even as the TransAmerica Trail was being finalized, another idea was taking shape: a second route that would also cross the U.S. coast to coast, but this one would stay up north. The idea was to hug the Canada / U.S. border, aiming to maximize the grandeur and rugged beauty of the northern part of the country.

This is the route that would become the Northern Tier, initially conceived in 1975 and officially mapped by Adventure Cycling cartographers in 1983 and 1984. The final version, completed in 1984, was a 4,296-mile adventure from Anacortes, Washington to Bar Harbor, Maine. To gain funding for the Northern Tier’s development, Adventure Cycling Founder Greg Siple and former Adventure Cycling Executive Director Gary MacFadden pulled out all the stops on their proposal. They displayed the system of routes combined with photographs of scenery along the way, sending professionally bound copies of the proposal to the Huffy Foundation, which had potential for grant funding. Eventually the deal was made, and the financial backing helped make the Northern Tier possible.

Pamphlet page displaying routes along the Northern Tier states.

The Northern Tier was created by combining a network of pre-existing routes linked together with new segments to reach coast to coast; a dramatic, challenging cross-country ride that begins and ends with serious climbing, leading cyclists through incredible scenery on a near-constant basis. Today, it remains a bucket-list route, taking cyclists from Washington State to the Northern Rockies, into the sweeping plains of the Dakotas and iconic mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont. Cyclists riding its entirety will pedal everything from Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park to Kancamagus Pass in New Hampshire, and climb nearly 175,000 total feet. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Northern Tier, and as summer approaches, the season for cycling this route will soon be upon us. “The Northern Tier is kind of a hidden gem,” says Jenn Hamelman, Adventure Cycling Association Routes Director. “The TransAmerica is the most popular, and people see the Southern Tier as more appealing because it’s shorter. But the Northern Tier is really something that gets overlooked.”

Dan Miller

Hamelman cycled over 2,100 miles across the northern U.S. in 2017, from Maine to Minnesota before she hopped off to avoid the threat of wildfires. She based her route on the Northern Tier, albeit with a few modifications to see friends and acquaintances. “The people across the route were amazing,” Hamelman says, recounting tales of trail angels, friendly locals, and hospitable town stops. That’s not to say her experience on the route was easy. “Both the eastern and western parts of the Northern Tier are very mountainous and hilly,” she recalls. “Crossing Vermont and New Hampshire is just one pass after another. It’s pretty intense… Kancamangus Pass was one of my hardest days of cycling ever.”

Chuck Haney

While Adventure Cycling doesn’t have exact records as to the number of cyclists on the Northern Tier route each year, Adventure Cycling guided tours have rave reviews, and self-supported cyclists have ethusiastically volunteered tales of their journeys. The reasons cyclists gave for choosing this route varied. Some were inspired by other cyclists, some sought the majestic scenery of the Northern U.S. and for several, it was their first extended bike tour. Several people also mentioned the desire to “circumnavigate” the U.S. on Adventure Cycling routes — top to bottom, east to west… on four sides. This epic goal includes cycling the West Coast on the Pacific Coast route, the East Coast on the Atlantic Coast, the northern states on the Northern Tier, and the southern part of the country on the Southern Tier. We reached out to several cyclists for their memories* of the Northern Tier. In their own words, here is the Northern Tier from two self-supported cyclists and one Adventure Cycling tour guide. Perhaps their stories might be the final push you need to add this route to your own list.

***

Deb Gardner

Year: 2018 Type: Self-supported Direction: West to East Duration: 64 days

Deb Gardner

My husband Tom and I completed the Northern Tier route in 2018. We thought of the route as an Oreo cookie — flat grasslands sandwiched between mountain ranges on either side. But beyond cookies, and notable landmarks like the Cascades, Glacier National Park, Logan Pass, visiting Canada (twice), eventually the Adirondacks, the Green Mountains, the Whites and Niagara Falls. The seed [for riding this route] was planted back in 2014 when we were on our way back to the Spokane airport after running a couple marathons in Idaho and Washington. While driving through the Cascade mountains on Highway 2 we passed a mother/daughter duo cycling West to East across the country on the Northern Tier. We stopped to chat with them and decided it would be this trip, this route, this direction, someday. Northern Tier, to us, appeared to be the “granddaddy” of all rides in the continental United States due to its length and the variety of topography. We rode West to East because we live in Indianapolis and we could get home more easily from Maine than Washington. After shipping our bikes to Bellingham, Washington, we started on June 1st and finished on August 7th in 64 days, taking only four rest days.

Deb Gardner

The highlight of the trip was seeing our country and meeting its people at an average speed of 10 miles an hour from a bicycle seat… slower than a car, but faster than walking. In our opinion, bike touring is the best way to experience our country if you’re able. The start and finish of any ride is always a highlight, however cycling Going-To-The-Sun Road and visiting the National Parks were right up there. Tom’s favorite state was bucolic Wisconsin whereas I was in my groove in upstate New York with its mountains, trees, and lakes. We both agreed that North Dakotans were the most friendly folks. For some, the toughest days will be climbing. For others it will be the gas station food. Still others will struggle with the inability to roll with the changes. For us, it is always cold weather. The beginning of the ride included some cold temps and rain which made for some challenging cycling. The Northern Tier route was our first and longest cross country ride. Since then, we have completed the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (border to border) in 2021 and Southern Tier in 2023, although we decided to turn right in St. Augustine and ride the Atlantic Coast Route south all the way to Key West.

Deb Gardner

Each ride was unique and offered something different. I think we learned the most on Northern Tier, and not as much about bike touring as we learned about ourselves. We learned to be resourceful in limiting what we took on the ride, we learned we could eat like teenagers for weeks at a time and we learned that yes, the mountains are spectacular, especially when going down them, the wildlife in its natural habitat, magical, and the flowers and trees interesting enough to keep our bike pedals turning, but it’s the people we met along the journey that made the trip unforgettable. On the Great Divide we learned compromise. When Canada closed its borders to travelers during COVID, we settled for a border-to-border southbound ride. We learned our bodies would do what our minds commanded, even though the route’s terrain was more than us Hoosier flatlanders were accustomed. Most of all we learned we could get way outside of our comfort zone so long as we took it one day at a time.

Deb Gardner

After having two cross-country tours under our belt, we thought Southern Tier would be a slam dunk and especially so after the Great Divide. Wrong! Southern Tier taught us humility and choosing the right season to ride is paramount. However, consistent in all three tours we lived more simply, presumed the best in people and learned not to sweat the small stuff. Further, we used Adventure Cycling’s indispensable paper and digital maps. On all three tours our post dinner nightly “route rap” was something we looked forward to each night as we looked at mileage, services, elevation and field notes for the next day and then checked the weather forecast for wind and temps. If only the weather forecasts were as reliable as ACA maps. The Northern Tier was our introduction to long distance bike touring… and we are only just beginning.

***

Monte Marti

Year: 2023 Type: Adventure Cycling Guide Direction: East to West Duration: 90 days

Monte Marti

What can I even say about the Northern Tier?? It is constant, epic cycling. Once we took off from Bar Harbor, we saw incredible places like Niagara Falls, then rode into the Rockies and the Cascades… one epic thing after another. All 90 days were just chock full of things that people would love to check off their list. The most challenging part was the distance and days — you’re a long time away from your family and friends, and 90 days is a long time on a bicycle. On top of that, you have the physical challenges. The Northern Tier involves climbing up and over White Mountains in the East and the Rockies and Cascades in the West. Plus, you’re right in the middle of summer, and in a typical summer on the Northern Tier you’re going to face a variety of things from rain to heat to winds.

Monte Marti

The Northern Tier can feel more challenging than other epic Adventure Cycling routes. Unlike other trails that ease you into the climbs, you’re into it immediately, and it’s helpful to be in good shape no matter which direction you start from. Our tour went from Maine to Washington, but a lot of people we met doing it on their own went from West to East because they feel like those are the prevailing winds. We didn’t get stuck with many winds however, and it didn’t seem like they were consistently in one direction or another. I love other epic routes like the Southern Tier and Atlantic Coast for their own reasons. But what I experienced on the Northern Tier is that from start to finish, you’re constantly running into epic things along the route… every single day.

Monte Marti

Each one of these rides is unique. You just need to peel back the onion as to what makes it unique. The scenery, the people you meet along the way, the places you see, the weather. Each of those things makes up an epic trip like the Northern Tier, and each day of a ride like that. It’s something to love and enjoy… that’s the beauty. With the Northern Tier and bike travel in general, every day can be a beautiful adventure. That’s how I encourage people to get past the thought of: Oh shoot, I have another 50 days. Just look at the beauty of each day. It’s going to be challenging. You may have headwinds. You may have 100-degree temperatures. You may have 5,000 feet of elevation gain. It’s a challenge. It’s going to be difficult. But think about it. Once you get it done, you’ve done it and you’ve accomplished it and you get to celebrate at the end of the day. Then you get to go do something different tomorrow.

Monte Marti

As a leader, you have to coach and help and guide people through the challenges of 90 days on the Northern Tier. You have your group and your gear and your bikes and all of the things that come along with that. But if you break it down day by day, it becomes a beautiful thing.

***

Dan Miller

Year: 2021 Type: Self-supported Direction: West to East Duration: 67 days

Dan Miller

I rode the Northern Tier in 2021, after I retired at 63. I started in Anacortes, Washington on August 1 and finished in Bar Harbor, Maine on October 6, two months and one week. I did the ride by myself except for my brother joining me for a week in Wisconsin. I decided on the Northern Tier because I couldn’t start till August 1 — I had a daughter getting married the last weekend of July. I did some research on scenery and weather and the Northern Tier won. I also read and followed the blog of a couple (Tom and Deb Gardner) that had ridden the Northern Tier several years earlier. For highlights, it’s hard to beat the majesty of the Rockies on Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park. The vastness of the Northern Plains is hard to fathom and awe inspiring coming from suburbia. And riding in New England along streams and rivers in the mountains as the fall colors started to pop was amazing.

Dan Miller

The hardest part of the whole trip was the daily issue of logistics. How far am I going today where am I sleeping and where am I eating. Small town restaurants are not always open seven days a week especially along the Northern Tier after Labor Day. The hardest day was my shortest day at 40 miles, cycling into a steady 30 mile-per-hour headwind with strong gusts, occasional heavy rain, and some road construction.

Dan Miller

My “short” speech to people who asked was that everyone who can should do it! It is a big beautiful country full of wonderful people with great stories to share. Turning off the news for two months and getting away from all the gloom and doom and fear is rejuvenating in and of itself, but adding in all the wonderful people, scenery, and daily exercise is life affirming. *Interviews have been lightly edited for length and clarity Feature image: Chuck Haney

The post Celebrating the Northern Tier on its 40th Anniversary appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

My Year of Bikepacking: The Bucket List

Taneika Duhaney — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 20:00:46 +0000

This year, I got to check bikepacking off my bucket list. I didn’t just check it off my list; I immersed myself in all things bike travel—from the ocean to the mountain—though not in one ride. My rides started as day trips, progressed to bike overnights, and concluded with a three-day bikepacking 80-mile ride. Bikepacking trips served as an escape from the mundane slog of suburbia. These mini getaways, though carefully curated in some instances, were precisely what I needed,tthough I did not always know it at the time.

With an abundance of caution and an endless supply of doubt, I dipped my toe in the bikepacking waters in a nearby park. I purposely stayed close to home in hopes that if anything went wrong, I could navigate home quickly and without much trepidation of a failed venture. As my confidence grew, so did my desire to venture away from home—even in inclement weather. On one ride, I planned to camp along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Unfortunately, wetter-than-expected weather caused me to revise my plans. A 25-mile ride turned into a 55-mile one-way weekend trip. With pannier, handlebar, and top tube bags, I felt prepared for whatever Mother Nature threw my way. She did not disappoint. When I reached Harpers Ferry, every inch of me, my bike, and my bags were covered in trail mud. Thankfully, I made a last-minute shift and opted for a hotel over a hostel. Though it was a biking trip, I took the opportunity to try something new–hiking. Walking from the hotel to the trail primed my legs for the unexpected elevation that lay ahead. As I crested the trail, I followed other hikers to an overlook of the town. Standing on a nearby boulder overlooking the town, I took in the beauty of the Potomac River, rail lines, and pristine foliage. Unclipping from the norm never felt so good. With a new perspective, I jumped at the opportunity when a few friends invited me to beach camp at Assateague Island. This would not be a traditional bike camping trip; however, I packed my bike and everything I needed to venture out. My girlfriends and I camped on the beach, played in the salt water, and caught up on each other’s lives. The following day, as I loaded my steed, a group of wild ponies trotted past me without regard. As I rode along the Seagull Century route towards Bethany Beach, I had an epiphany: my riding perspective had shifted from solely for speed and distance to a need for experience and adventure. Several days at the beach fine-tuned my culinary camping skills. I felt ready for the 80-mile, 8,000-foot park-to-park adventure. As my friend and I pushed off on a warm Friday evening, doubt percolated in my mind. This was unchartered territory, not just the distance or the climb but the place and the people. As we rolled into the first campsite, I laid down my baggage, including my doubt. Yes, this was a big ride, but I reminded myself that I’d done bigger rides, albeit without four days worth of supplies. Each night, we made our own dinner, pitched our sleep system, and drifted off before most of the other campers. The next morning, we made camping coffee and oatmeal and rolled out before many of our neighbors were awake. As I rode towards my car on the final morning, tears rolled down my face. I didn’t just cross bikepacking off my list; I wrote it into my life.

The post My Year of Bikepacking: The Bucket List appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

How You Ride the Great American Rail-Trail

Maggie Slepian — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:04:16 +0000

Picture this: You hop on your bike in Washington, D.C. and start pedaling on a series of bike paths and peaceful sections of rail-trails. You angle northwest through Pennsylvania and cross Ohio, continuing across the Midwest into Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho until you reach Washington and cycle all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This journey across the U.S. is separated from traffic, utilizing a series of interconnected multi-use trails and allowing you to safely explore the vistas, small towns, and rich history across the country. Sound nice? That’s the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s (RTC) vision for the Great American Rail-Trail, a massive undertaking more than 50% complete with over 2,050 completed miles already on the ground. New trail segments are added to the route each year, and RTC is working with hundreds of partners across the country to accelerate trail development.

The Great American Rail-Trail is an Iconic Route in the Making

Credit: Rails to Trails Conservancy**

RTC began tracking rail-trail development in the late 1980s. Over time, a non-motorized route across America began to present itself. RTC waited until a pathway through the West was possible and the cross-country route was more than 50% completed before committing to leading its development. After conducting hundreds of meetings to gather input from trail partners, and local and state agencies, RTC announced the project to the public in May 2019. As it stands, the route traverses 12 states and Washington, D.C., with more than 100 miles of trail in current active development. RTC works with hundreds of trail organizations and partners on local and state levels to help map this route, hitting major cities like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Columbus, Ohio, Seattle, Washington, and Missoula, Montana. Notable trail segments include the Great Allegheny Passage, Great Miami River Trail in Ohio, and the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail in the state of Washington. Since the trail segments aren’t fully linked, people embarking on this journey currently map their own connections between completed trail portions using a series of roadways. No matter what section or state you decide to ride, riding between historic towns and major cities on peaceful rail-trails is the adventure of a lifetime. More than 50 million people live within 50 miles of one of these proposed segments, so the opportunity for increased recreation on accessible, non-motorized paths is a benefit for everyone. Each year has seen major strides in visibility, progress, and cyclists’ time spent on the route. Since the project was announced in 2019, more than $117.5 million in public and private resources have been invested in projects along the Great American Rail-Trail.

Adventure Cycling Partners Up to Create a Detour Route through the Mountain West

Western end of the detour route at the Route of the Olympian. Credit: Rails to Trails Conservancy.

In many parts of the country, people have several options for connecting existing sections, including traveling through towns with services and linking together road segments. Some regions need more connections than others. The Mountain West — particularly between the western end of the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail in Chadron, Nebraska and the eastern end of the Route of the Olympian in St. Regis, Montana — provides a unique challenge. This 960-mile section of the route has the fewest existing trail miles, and services can be spread far apart. To help amend this, RTC came to Adventure Cycling to map a detour route. Since the Great American Rail-Trail is based on the idea that cyclists will be on separated paths away from vehicle traffic, it appeals to a certain audience of cyclists. As some of those cyclists are less comfortable on busier roadways, the detour route creates a temporary solution for those ready to ride it right now. Adventure Cycling’s experience lies largely in building safe and accessible routes on existing roadways, and their cartographers tapped a few different resources to create the detour route. These included existing Adventure Cycling routes, regional and social network knowledge, and intel from state and local organizations and cycling groups. “RTC wants to create the safest, most comfortable riding experience for folks. Out here in the West, we have a much looser and more gap-filled set of paths to work from,” says Jenn Hamelman, Director of Routes for Adventure Cycling Association.

Credit: Rails to Trails Conservancy

“RTC’s expertise is in rail-trails and separated paths, and our expertise is in trying to find the best solutions via roads,” says Hamelman, “This detour route travels through key communities that will be on the finalized segment, which will give them a preview of what it’s like to have bicycle travelers come through.” This is the first time Adventure Cycling has collaborated with RTC on any sort of route development, but the Great American Rail-Trail does overlap with several Adventure Cycling routes, including the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in Butte, Montana, multiple sections of the Lewis & Clark Trail through Montana, and Parks, Peaks, and Prairies through Basin, Wyoming. Adventure Cycling mapped the route and provided all points of interest, including service information and towns. RTC continues to work with its partners across the country to fill these gaps to ensure that anyone can take a trip on the Great American Rail-Trail through the Mountain West, whether for an afternoon or for an epic-weeks long adventure. Explore the 960-mile detour route and the entire Great American Rail-Trail here.

How Should You Choose What Section to Ride?

Credit: Rails to Trails Conservancy

There are plenty of sections to choose from on the Great American Rail-Trail, and the one you pick depends on your starting location, how much time you have to ride, and the amenities you’ll want along the way. Since the route largely follows old railroad lines, it means that many sections offer a new town every 5-20 miles, providing ample opportunities for supplies and amenities. The states do vary in completion, so keep that in mind when picking your section. The 207 miles of Washington D.C. and Maryland are complete, and nearly all of Pennsylvania is mapped, including the iconic 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage. The 468 miles through Iowa are more than halfway complete, with 255 trail miles and 212 gap miles, and the new detour routes a more comfortable ride in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. You can find the breakdown of each state here, along with more information about trails and plans for development. “The Great American Rail-Trail offers something for everyone,” says Kevin Belle, Project Manager for Rails to Trails Conservancy. “This includes well-traveled, paved trails in an urban core to remote, unpaved trails that provide some one-on-one time with nature.” The longest continuous completed section of the Great American Rail-Trail travels between Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania along the C&O Canal National Historical Park and the Great Allegheny Passage, providing more than 330 miles of connected trail. Belle also recommends that users looking for a more rugged experience should try the trails in the western half of the route, like the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail in Nebraska. Remember that the terrain changes between the states, and not just with the percentage of route completed. As you move from the mid-Atlantic to the midwest, consider weather changes, and as you progress into Montana and Idaho, the climbing will increase and the elevation ramps up.

What Type of Bike is Best for the Great American Rail-Trail?

Credit: Rails to Trails Conservancy

Like we often say about starting out bicycle travel, the best bike is the one you already own. But if you’re interested in getting more into extended bike tours, we recommend going to a bike fitter and making sure you’re on a bike that suits both your body and your riding style. People ride all sorts of configurations on the Great American Rail-Trail, including lightweight carbon gravel bikes all the way to heavier-duty hardtail mountain bikes. Since there is little technical riding on this route, you won’t need anything super aggressive, and we suggest considering comfort over suspension. Think about whether you prefer a flat-bar bike or drop-bars, and whether it’s easier for you to ride flats or clipless. Whichever style suits your pre-existing touring preferences will be the best option. “Railroads can only travel at a low elevation grade, which makes their old corridors ideal for the trail needs of a wide variety of people,” says Belle. “Most of the existing trails along the Great American are paved or use a crushed stone surface, which most bikes can handle.” Belle did say that there are some segments that are a little more rugged in which a cyclist might benefit from a touring bike or mountain-bike hybrid, so do your research before picking a section and make sure your bike can handle it.

How Should You Prepare to Ride the Great American Rail-Trail?

Credit: Rails to Trails Conservancy

Consider your trip on the Great American Rail-Trail like any other bike travel journey with access to towns and resources. You’ll have to plan your trip itinerary, get your bike and gear ready, and start training. Once you’ve decided on a section of route and taken your timeline into consideration (how many miles per day you anticipate riding), we always suggest you start physically preparing. Adventure Cycling contributor Mac McCoy has a great overview of four training stages here, emphasizing the importance of not just training large muscle groups, but getting your seat ready for long days in the saddle and making sure your bike is set up for your proportions. This means everything from your seat height to the distance between the seat and handlebars, and ensuring everything is working properly. It doesn’t hurt to bring the bike in for a full tune, or do your own multipoint inspection at home. We recommend starting training at least 12 weeks before your planned departure date — whether you’re riding indoors or outdoors — and cycling at least three days per week. Aim for time spent in the saddle as opposed to distance, and work up to two hours or more for your longer rides, keeping in mind you’ll be taking plenty of breaks on the Great American Rail-Trail for sightseeing, snacks, and unplanned days off in particularly cool cities. One of the great things about almost any section of the Great American Rail-Trail is that you’re never far from resources, and while much of the scenery feels peaceful and far from civilization, these pathways and trail segments are popular thru-ways between towns and along rivers. You don’t have the remoteness of other routes to consider when worrying about mechanicals, gear issues, or resupply issues. While there are more resources than other cross-country routes, we still recommend knowing the region and familiarizing with the resources and highlights of your section. Knowing your own to resources, bike shops, and cell service can provide peace of mind.

***

**Editor’s note: The images in this article show different segments of the Great American Rail-Trail, but they do not depict the detour route through the Mountain West unless noted.

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Road Test: Tumbleweed Stargazer

Ally Mabry — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 21:41:47 +0000

Immediately after unboxing and building up the Tumbleweed Stargazer, I took it out for a neighborhood shakedown to make sure everything was tight and straight. I had first-date jitters and … I crashed. It didn’t even make sense: I was going ever so slightly uphill very slowly on pavement. No, there were no stars out to divert my attention. It was 5:00 pm in the middle of summer in Montana, when the sun doesn’t set until five hours later. But if there had been stars to gaze at … well, I would have loved to make that corny joke. My distraction, unfortunately, can’t be blamed on an errant driver or a gaggle of baby ducks crossing the road — my eyes were too busy looking all around me, everywhere but straight ahead, trying to take in the views. In time, I found that pretty much sums up the ethos of the Stargazer. Not the being-dangerously-distracted-from-the-road part, but rather the soaking-in-your-surroundings part. In my extended time with the bike, I kept noting how the geometry is so upright that it almost feels like running instead of pedaling. The Stargazer essentially feels like a snug, overstuffed armchair that you can sink into to watch the world unfold ahead. Fun fact: during a long stint of bikepacking in 2017 during which I had no permanent address, a close friend christened me with the trail name Tumbleweed. It’s only natural that I’ve been crushing hard on Tumbleweed as a brand for those six years since the release of their flagship bike, the Prospector, Tumbleweed’s all-rounder expedition bike for world travels — built to last a lifetime. I hung out with Daniel Molloy, founder of Tumbleweed, when he visited Missoula in 2018 to screen his film El Silencio: Cycling the Peruvian Andes at our local community cinema. Even though the Prospector was a distant dream and financially out of reach for me at the time, Daniel was warm and approachable, certainly an accessible frontman for the coolest new brand in the bikepacking scene. Daniel, a longtime bicycle mechanic with an impressive touring résumé, founded Boise, Idaho–based Tumbleweed Bicycle Co. in 2014. Frustrated with the bicycle market’s propensity to compromise function in the never-ending pursuit of following industry trends or add to the bottom line, Tumbleweed became the antidote for those seeking bombproof touring mountain bikes that compromise nothing. I remember being really impressed in 2018 when Daniel told me that he didn’t design his frames to be suspension-corrected, which meant nothing was sacrificed by riding a rigid fork. That was something I’d never even considered a possibility at the time. Since around 2017, Tumbleweed riders have piloted their Prospectors to rugged, remote parts of the world in harsh conditions with confidence. Daniel designs his bikes to be field serviceable with oversized steel tubing, threaded bottom brackets, internal dynamo wire routing, and mechanical disc brakes. In 2022, the Stargazer hit the market, which is billed as the companion bike to the Prospector, enabling riders to fill their whole quiver with two perfect adventure bikes instead of seven (guilty). Between these two, they do it all. The Stargazer shares a lot of the same tubing and mountain bike geometry as the Prospector, but it’s optimized for dropbars and an overall lighter-weight bicycle. A blend of dropbar and mountain bike feel makes for a super comfortable riding position, like a gravel bike but with all the tire clearance and gear range of a mountain bike. Paired with Tumbleweed’s new Big Dipper drop handlebar, whew — it’s a thing of beauty. The Stargazer shares a lot of the same tubing and mountain bike geometry as the Prospector, but it’s optimized for dropbars and an overall lighter-weight bicycle. A blend of dropbar and mountain bike feel makes for a super comfortable riding position, like a gravel bike but with all the tire clearance and gear range of a mountain bike. Paired with Tumbleweed’s new Big Dipper drop handlebar, whew — it’s a thing of beauty. In true Molloy fashion, he couldn’t find the perfect match for the Stargazer on the market to complete his vision, so he set out to make one. Developed specifically for the Stargazer, the Big Dipper boasts width options of 510mm, 540mm, and a colossal 570mm (if you’re wild). Remember earlier how I said this bike felt like an armchair? The Big Dipper can mostly be held responsible for that. With minimal reach (50mm) and flare (20°), these bars are solidly on the comfort end of the comfort-to-aero spectrum, which is why I converted to a wide-bar lover while traipsing through the North Cascades. So far, my wide-bar love is reserved for the Big Dipper alone. In addition to a handlebar that sings, the Stargazer I tested was adorned with 29 x 2.35in. Maxxis Ikon tires that ate up bumps on lightly chunky descents. I never felt sketched out or lacking in confidence speeding down unfamiliar roads. It’s obvious this bike was meant to be versatile and fancy with DT Swiss 350 hubs, a 32T RaceFace chainring, and a 10–52T SRAM GX Eagle cassette. The Boost hub spacing, thru-axles, dropper post, and 1x drivetrain are welcome specs borrowed from mountain bike standards. Speaking of dropper posts, I’ve been running the PNW Rainier dropper that comes spec’d with the Stargazer on my personal adventure gravel rig for a few years, and I think it’s a great choice for this bike. The Stargazer comes built with SRAM Rival road shifters modified with a Ratio Technology 1×12 Wide Upgrade Kit to shift the GX Eagle derailer — even more special, the left lever that would be used to shift between front chainrings has been modified to actuate the dropper, which is brilliant. I had to get used to how seamless that was, but once I did, I appreciated it far more than the typical thumb-actuated dropper lever that tends to be a bit awkward on dropbars. I’d be negligent if I didn’t shine a light on the biggest opportunity for this bike to polarize: the price. At just shy of four grand, the Stargazer isn’t a viable impulse purchase for most, and there are plenty of other comparable bikes out there for a fraction of the cost. So what makes those dollars add up? For one, Tumbleweed’s bikes are made in limited runs, so they don’t realize the benefits of making thousands and thousands at once like the big brands. Each size of each frame is made with slightly different sized triple- and quadruple-butted tubing with internal gussets, which adds a lot of complication to production but also adds strength to the frame. The Ratio Technology kit adds time to the build because each bike has a modified drivetrain, and Tumbleweed hand-builds the wheels in-house. The only components that appear to be cost-saving measures are the Aeffect crank and Tektro brake calipers, which are still great choices. (Tumbleweed also offers a Shimano GRX build with a dropper post and hydraulic disc brakes for $4,225.) This bike — this brand — is special. I value the time any individual takes to solve problems in the bicycle industry with grace and wit. It’s no small task to design a bicycle to match a dream, down to the small details of millimeters and degrees. Every decision of the Stargazer feels not just intentional but well-researched; there’s a reason this bike came five years after its predecessor. Endeavors like Tumbleweed Bicycle Co. take time, heart, and dedication to the product. There’s no detail that I don’t like about the company, from the ethos to the names of the products to the clever design. The Stargazer loves to be ridden on dirt roads and swoopy singletrack sporting a couple bikepacking bags. On both climbs and descents it feels supple, stable, and, above all, comfortable. Fully loaded, it feels relatively the same. I’d even venture to say it would be comfortable as a long-haul touring bike for routes that bounce between pavement and dirt roads. You’ve got plenty of ways to attach racks and bags that add up to an impressive carry capacity: a huge inner triangle for a framebag, upper and lower rack mounts, fender mounts, triple mounts on each side of the fork, and three sets of triple mounts on the frame, including one set on the underside of the downtube (my personal favorite). Plus, the massively wide bars would accommodate an extra-large handlebar bag. If you want to dress the bike up in slick tires, it plays nicely as a commuter, too. Even though it’s designed with durability and resiliency at the forefront of priorities, the Stargazer never comes off as being overkill for a shorter adventure. A lot of folks I met through Cascade Bicycle Club that weekend remarked that I had brought the absolute perfect bike for the adventure at hand, which I didn’t need to carry a ton of gear for. In addition to my three-day Winthrop adventure, I rode the Stargazer around Missoula’s old logging roads plenty. The group ride reviews are in: “The prettiest gray bike I’ve ever seen!” said someone (I don’t disagree). “Looks big, feels small!” puzzled a very tall person after dismounting. “Those bars are massive, they’re crazy!” It’s true, they are massive! I also chose this bike for a fully loaded, two-day, rugged-as-all-heck weekend loop with a couple of Adventure Cycling colleagues, David Barth and Daniel Mrgan. During one final chunky descent down Brewster Creek Road, we went from 7,200 to 3,800 feet in about nine miles. My tires were about as low pressure as they could have possibly been (a risk I’m probably too comfortable taking) and the bike was easy to maneuver down the complicated terrain. It felt appropriate that one day I set off for an afternoon ride and budgeted only an hour and a half — I ended up returning home three hours later. Maybe if I’d been riding the two-pound-lighter titanium version ($2,850 for a frameset), I would have made it home earlier, but deep down I know I would have spent the extra time getting distracted by a gorgeous vista or a unique ponderosa pine tree. The Stargazer inspires wonder and curiosity, and you’d be hard pressed to find a bike more likely to make you late for dinner.

Tumbleweed Stargazer

Best uses: Trails, singletrack, and gravel roads, loaded or unloaded Price: $3,875 (complete), $1,350 (frame) Weight: 28.3 lbs. (without pedals) Available sizes: Small, Medium, Extra Medium, Large, Extra Large Size tested: Medium Contact: tumbleweed.cc

Components

Frame: Heat-treated, size-specific chromoly tubing, oversized triple- and quad-butted front triangle with integrated gussets Fork: Unicrown chromoly steel with rack/fender/bottle cage mounts aplenty, internal dynamo wire routing Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle 12spd Brifters: SRAM Rival 22 Cassette: SRAM GX Eagle 12spd, 10–52T Brakes: Tektro MD-c550 Handlebar: Tumbleweed Big Dipper, 510mm Bar tape: Camp and Go Slow Rattler, extra long Seatpost: PNW Rainier, 27.2mm diameter, 125mm travel Hubs: DT Swiss 350, thru-axles, 110 x 15mm front, 148 x 12mm rear Tires: Maxxis Ikon EXO 3C TR, 29 x 2.35in.

Notable Geometry

Head tube angle: 69° Reach: 372mm Stack: 597mm Seat tube length: 430mm BB drop: 63.5mm Head tube length: 140mm Standover: 784mm

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Cycling the World: A New Film About a Big Journey

Laura Killingbeck — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:00:18 +0000

Watch Cycling the World on Vimeo on demand with 20% off using code “AdventureCyclingAssociation” at checkout until May 15. When McKenzie Barney was 29, she flew to Ho Chi Mihn, bought a bike, and pedaled across Vietnam. Afterwards, she rode across Europe and then headed to Africa. By the time she crossed the length of Africa from Cairo to Cape Town, she realized she could keep pedaling around the whole world. She also realized she had a story to tell. Over the course of three years, Barney cycled 29,000 kilometers across 28 countries and five continents. She mostly rode solo, filming her adventures with an iPhone and a Sony RX100 point-and-shoot camera. Later, she turned this footage into a 32-minute film telling the story of her journey and what it meant to her. You can watch that film, Cycling the World, on Vimeo.

Photo: McKenzie Barney

I watched Cycling the World a few times, and each time I got something new from it. It’s pretty rare for a person to bike alone around the world — more so if that person is female, and even more so if they’re an experienced, independent filmmaker. Cycling the World is the story of a unique journey from the perspective of an expert storyteller.

McKenzie Barney, Filmmaker and Adventurer

Before riding around the world, Barney studied film production at the University of Florida. Throughout her twenties, she wrote and produced nationally syndicated television shows, filmed outdoor adventure campaigns, and worked with brands and advertising agencies. Eventually she co-founded a production company and filmed a documentary about thru-hiking 1,800 miles across New Zealand. This led to more commercial, broadcast, and digital film projects for clients like National Geographic.

Photo: McKenzie Barney

As Barney filmed more outdoor adventure content, her interest in long-distance, human-powered journeys began to grow. She solo hiked for a month in Patagonia, and then completed the Pacific Crest Trail with her partner Jim. She grew accustomed to long days of physical exertion and lots of nights camping out in the wild. By the time she flew to Vietnam and bought a bicycle, she was already captivated by an active life in the outdoors.

Cycling the World Film

Cycling the World starts with Barney’s interior motivations: to see the world and value time over material possessions. The film splices in some of Barney’s backstory as a hiker, and then segues into her round-the-world cycling journey.

Photo: McKenzie Barney

Much of the footage begins in Africa, where Barney first decided to chronicle her journey. We see what it’s like to ride across the wind-swept Sahara, through tiny towns and wildlife preserves, and set up camp outdoors along the way. Later we also see footage from the infamous Nullabar plain in Australia, long sections from South America, and the beautiful Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia where Barney ended her trip. Barney captures special moments with people, animals, and new climates. We can see the dust on her clothes and the smile on her face the whole way through. Not everything goes perfectly, and that’s part of the adventure. But by the end of the film, it’s clear why she made the choices she made. Barney also addresses lots of questions people might want to know about this kind of journey: the highs and lows, how she solved problems, how she funded the trip, and her reflections on what it meant to see the world as a solo female traveler.

In Barney’s own words:

“Far away from noise, distraction, and rush, far away from the epidemic of busy, there exists ultimate peace and safety in nature. And I believe that it’s out here in the wild, where we’re all born from — with the wind as our soundtrack, and the trees as our walls, and the sun as our clock — this is where safety and security lie. Where we’re not bound to concrete walls, living in a box, driving in a box, watching a box. When we break those self-created confines, we come back to nature where we’ve always belonged. This is where I feel most safe as a woman alone.”

Photo: McKenzie Barney

Cycling the World is a chronicle of one woman’s extraordinary, life-affirming journey. It’s also a beautiful reminder that we all belong to nature. And it’s the kind of film that might just launch you into your own journey, wherever you wish to go.

McKenzie Barney: Behind the Lens

LK: Who do you hope your film will inspire? MB: My biggest hope with this film is that it lights a fire in souls that may have buried their dream in a drawer labeled ‘someday’ and moves them into action. More specifically, I hope this film inspires young women. My rather unconventional narrative approach to this film reads like a poem, an ode to a young self, to remember that courage is built like a callus, and to always believe in my path no matter how uncommon. On my bike journey I would come across women often, and I would try to amplify this poem of self-sufficiency and capability that women have, even when we travel or do things alone.

Photo: McKenzie Barney

LK: Who inspires you? MB: If it weren’t for the women explorers before me, I would have never taken this journey. My heroes are women who push boundaries in far corners of our atlas, and bravely share their stories to tell about it. Those like Robyn Davidson, who walked across the Aussie outback with her camels; Liz Clark who solo sails the seas; the great Lael Wilcox with the new ground she continually breaks as a female ultra endurance cyclist; and Jenny Graham who holds the world record for fastest woman to cycle the world. Of course most of all, my mom and dad are my biggest heroes for teaching me to have big dreams and believe in myself enough to pursue them. Anyone who dares to think differently and live a conscious, well-examined life even if it’s far outside of the norm — most notably of which my partner in life James — is my hero. Continuing the ripple effect of exploration in both the inner and outer landscape is what drove this project. I talk about this in my Bonus Footage video extensively.

Photo: McKenzie Barney

LK: Tell us about your film tour. Where did you go, and what was it like? MB: After deciding to produce an entirely self-made documentary — from filming to writing and even the editing/post production — it felt natural to continue the theme. So I pursued bicycle shops, outdoor brands, and universities that aligned with my message in Cycling The World. Surprisingly, everyone responded enthusiastically, wanting to host my Film Tour around the US. The following were my stops on tour: Cycleast in Austin, Texas; Keystone Bicycle Co in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; University of Florida; ZenCog Bicycle Co in Jacksonville, Florida; Treehouse Cyclery in Denver, Colorado; Storm Peak Brewing along with Big Agnes in Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Patagonia store in Palo Alto, California. I was fortunate enough to have many of my favorite cycling/outdoor brands partner with me in the tour including: Patagonia, Kona, Rapha, Swift Industries, Big Agnes, Tailfin, Ombraz, Oveja Negra, Bedrock Sandals, Revelate Designs, Chamois Butt’r, Bikes or Death and SRAM. The tour was a dream. I screened the film, did a Q&A session, and had many top-tier giveaways. Eternally humbled by the turnouts, many times exceeding over 100 people. The highlight of my Cycling The World USA Film Tour was interacting with local communities across the United States.

Photo: McKenzie Barney

LK: What are you up to these days? Any trips on the horizon? MB: Next up, I’ll be touring my film in New Zealand along with my partner James’ book The Road South that tells the story of our cycling adventure down the length of the African continent. We’ll be touring the South Island of New Zealand in May along with our tour partner Kona. LK: What’s the best way for people to follow your journeys? MB: The best way for people to follow along is on my Instagram: @mckenziebarney. Otherwise my website has all of my global expeditions, films, writing, and speeches. But most of all, I hope everyone watches the film and reaches out to let me know what they think or what it inspired them to seek.

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