Plan Archives - Adventure Cycling Association

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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The Gear You Need to Get Started Bike Touring

Kyle Casement — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 22:49:09 +0000

My first exposure to bike touring was Alastair Humphreys’ book, Moods of Future Joy. In it, he chronicles the first part of his four-year tour around the world, which was a tour from his childhood home in England all the way to Cape Town, South Africa. I was so impressed with his journey that I bought his book for anyone I thought would read it and started dreaming of my own around-the-world adventures. The only problem was that I had never really been camping or ridden my bike more than a handful of miles at a time.

I was swept away by the romanticism of leaving on a bicycle from home and traveling to far away places, but couldn’t fathom how anyone could travel for thousands of miles carrying only what they needed on their bicycle. Eventually I realized that not every trip has to be epic, and even a short weekend trip can be a much welcomed adventure from day-to-day life. Not to mention, every time I go on one, I am more inspired to set out on my own trip around the world. Over the years and after many bicycle-centric vacations and trips, I have also finally come to realize that planning a bike tour doesn’t haven’t to be complicated, and even if you’re starting where I did, you’re probably a lot closer than you think to your first trip. Watch this video to see what I mean.

There are a few categories of gear you need and things to consider, but they are all interrelated in how they might impact your trip. I think about it like the following graphic:

Kyle on Wheels

Bicycle (and Helmet!)

The bottom line is that any bicycle can work for a bike tour, although not all bike tours can work with any bicycle. For example, I wouldn’t recommend trying the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route with a road bike, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone already has, or is planning to do so. That said, a couple of my favorite examples of people making a bike tour work with seemingly incorrect equipment are Ryan van Duzer’s trip across America on a three-speed bike and Ed Pratt’s journey around the world on a fixed-drive unicycle, both of which are well-documented on YouTube. I don’t know either of them personally, but I can only imagine that in some ways, they planned their routes around the limitations of their bicycles, and the same can apply to you when planning. If you don’t already have a bicycle or are looking to buy a new one, there are countless resources and reviews on the internet, but if you’re on a budget or are unsure about if you want to make bike touring one of your main hobbies, I would prioritize any bicycle in good working order with at least 10 gears, eyelets for a rear rack, and rim or disc brakes. After a few tours, you’ll start to get a better sense of what is important to you and how much you are willing to spend, and you’ll feel a lot more confident in your first big bike purchase.

Shelter

Where we choose to sleep on a bike tour has one of the biggest impacts on the gear we carry. If you’re new to camping, perhaps plan a trip where you stay with family, friends, or at a hostel, hotel or vacation rental. One of my favorite weekend bike tours was to my grandpa’s house in Los Angeles, about 100 miles from where I live. All I carried was a backpack with a water bladder and a few essentials, but the trip was infinitely more fun than the drive would have been, and it even gave us something to talk about when I arrived. If you start with a tour like mine, you won’t have to worry about which combination of tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag will save you from having a miserable and cold night, and you won’t have to worry about a lot of other camping related decisions either. From there, you can work your way up to camping remotely perhaps by starting out car camping or even spending the night in a tent in your backyard.

Food

Kyle on Wheels

I have a friend that started running marathons just so he could eat whatever he wanted. I always thought it was funny until I went on a longer bike tour and realized that afterwards, I simply could not consume enough calories. Unfortunately, some of those eating habits seem to have stayed with me even when I’m not riding my bike everyday, but I think for bike touring there is a little more to it. There is, of course, the literal connection between needing calories to fuel your muscles, but there is also a mental component. On a recent bike tour, I underestimated the effort required to climb back over the mountains that separated my home from the desert where I had camped. On the way up, I found myself becoming super negative and even thinking about hitchhiking over the mountain out of laziness. When I finally made it to a small mountain town and ate lunch, I was a new person and all the joy came back to the trip. I’ve also found that being too hungry on a bike tour can impair decision making, not to mention if you have any underlying health issues that may amplify the impact of low blood sugar.

Water

Running water is probably the luxury I most take for granted in modern life, and I never seem to realize it until I miscalculate what I need on a bike tour and am panicked at the thought of one of my bottles leaking. I’ve had a couple of close calls and because of those will always err on the side of carrying too much water, despite the extra weight. Take this one seriously, because dehydration in severe cases can lead to organ failure and even death. And if you run out of water far from sources or people, it can be a challenging situation to remedy. Most sources recommend drinking one liter (about 32 ounces) for every 1-2 hours of physical activity in moderate climates. Drink more at elevation, in hot weather, or at high exertion levels. This is simple in populated areas or anywhere else with easy access to potable water because you can just fill up your bottles when necessary. But if you’re touring in an arid climate, this can mean carrying enough water for extended periods of time.

Miscellaneous

Kyle on Wheels

There are plenty of other things to carry and many of them are the same as what we’d pack on any trip — clothes, toiletries, headache and stomach medicine, books, a journal, etc. There are also some bicycle-related things that apply to any longer ride. I don’t leave home without a multi-tool with a chain breaker, a spare inner tube and patch kit, and a pump. Flat tires, chain issues, loose bolts, and misaligned brakes are probably among the most common mechanical failures that can leave you stranded, but they are relatively easy to learn to fix roadside with only a couple of basic tools.

Baggage

Once you’ve figured out all of the things you need and want on your bike tour, you have to figure out how to carry everything. The easiest way is in a backpack, and it is also likely one of the least expensive ways to get started. However, if you’ve ever been backpacking or hiking with a backpack, you know that it can get uncomfortable, especially if you’re carrying a lot of gear, water, and food. I generally find it more comfortable to move everything off my back and onto the bike, if possible. When you’re ready to make that investment, a rear rack and waterproof panniers will likely cover most of your baggage needs. After that, there are many options of bags and attachment methods and points to consider that can all be fun to research.

Route Plan

Kyle on Wheels

Planning an overnight bike tour to visit family in a neighboring city is much different than a multi-day trip through rural stretches of the Sonoran Desert. Not only will there be impacts on all the other planning categories, but there will also be considerations about which roads or paths to take as well as your ability to call someone you know for help. I have planned many trips using one of the big mapping applications on my cell phone. The bicycle option has generally worked for me, but it does often seem to think that I want to ride on very busy roads that lack good bicycle infrastructure. Alternatively, there are many routes online that have been thoroughly scouted by other bike tourers. Some of my favorites include Adventure Cycling’s epic routes across the country, which I have found to be incredibly well thought out, researched, and kept up-to-date. If you’re in the US, it is likely that one of those routes passes near your home, and you could plan a trip along a one or two day segment of the route. Adventure Cycling also has a growing list of Short Routes designed specifically for weekend trips.

Putting it all Together

I hope that after reading this, you are inspired to plan your first bike tour around the gear you have access to and your comfort level. The most important thing is to get started with a tour you know you can do and gradually plan more complex or self-supported tours from there. After a few trips, I bet you’ll be feeling more comfortable with pedaling from home to the edges of the earth and around the world.

Basic Bike Malfunctions

The post The Gear You Need to Get Started Bike Touring appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Adventure Cycling With A Twig Stove

Laura Killingbeck — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 23:32:30 +0000

People have been cooking on fire for hundreds of thousands of years. About a third of the world’s population still cooks on fire. Wood is humanity’s OG cooking fuel.

When I was eighteen I hitchhiked across Mexico, which is where I first saw people cooking on fire as a daily practice. People in small towns often had brick or earthen stoves where they’d toast hand-pressed tortillas or boil big pots of beans. The smoke added a special flavor. These fires were always tended by women whose skills were truly remarkable. On my first long bike trips, I never bothered to carry a camp stove. I either ate cold food or cooked on campfires. This worked great, and I learned to appreciate hot food as an occasional luxury. I still associate campfires with food, warmth, and luxurious comfort.

The author cooking over her twig stove

Laura Killingbeck

In my thirties, however, I became addicted to coffee, and this changed everything! For the first time in my life I needed hot water! I tried a full range of backcountry stoves and coffee makers, including tiny filters, instant coffee, and a Jetboil press. It all worked fine, but I hated lugging around the extra weight of a stove and fuel. I didn’t mind carrying paperback books, puppets, and rocks I found along the way, but for some reason I hated packing propane. It was a dilemma. Finally in 2021 I found my perfect solution: a twig stove and thermos! I’ve now used this special combo to cook food and make coffee for over 5,000 miles of cycling adventures and 1,100 miles of backpacking.

Twig Stoves

Laura Killingbeck

Twig stoves are tiny cooking stoves that use natural materials (twigs, pine cones, wood shavings, bark, palm fronds) as a fuel source. They come in many shapes and styles. Some fold up after use, others retain a rigid form. Most are made of steel or titanium. Some twig stoves have a fan to increase airflow; the Biolite Campstove 2 comes with a charging station. There are a lot of options to choose from!

Solo Stove Lite

My twig stove is a Solo Stove Lite. I chose this stove because it’s economical, relatively small, and has double walls which protect the ground from being scorched when you use it. This stove has been my sole source of cooking for over a year of cumulative use in swamps, forests, deserts, and mountains across three countries. The Solo Stove Lite weighs nine ounces and is made from stainless steel. It has a small pot holder that nests inside during transport. Though the design looks simple, the technology behind this stove is fascinating. Once you light the fire, air enters the stove through holes at the bottom, rises into the double walls, and gets pulled out through top vents. This creates a super-efficient secondary combustion called gasification, which leaves the fire nearly smoke-free. It’s much easier and faster to cook on a wood-gasifier stove than on a regular campfire.

Lighting a Twig Stove

Laura Killingbeck

There are a few different ways to light a twig stove. The Solo Stove company recommends building a twig bundle and lighting it from the top. Personally, I prefer kindling a tiny flame in the bottom of the stove and adding twigs as it grows. I’m a fan of doing whatever works best for you. Most people need to practice lighting their twig stove a few times before they feel really comfortable with it. It’s a skill that you hone over time. One of the biggest advantages of using a twig stove is: the twigs! You can find them just about anywhere. In wet weather I gather dry twigs from the base of trees, underneath overhanging rocks, or anywhere that’s protected from the rain. It takes longer to light and maintain a twig stove in wet weather, but it can be done. Some of my favorite twig stove experiences have been in the rain. A warm fire and hot tea on a wet day always feels like magic.

Thermos Coffee

I usually only light my stove once a day, in the evening. First I boil water for thermos coffee, then I cook dinner. To make the coffee, I just add coffee grounds to my thermos and pour boiling water overtop. Then I stick the thermos in my sleeping bag. When I wake up in the morning, I pull out the thermos and pour hot brewed coffee into the thermos lid, which doubles as a tiny mug. My Montbell Alpine thermos has a threaded stopper which naturally filters the coffee grounds as I pour the coffee. It’s a real treat to drink hot coffee each morning without even getting out of my sleeping bag!

Backcountry Cooking

The author cooking in the backcountry

Laura Killingbeck

For dinner I often cook regular backcountry foods like instant rice or pasta. I also use my stove to boil eggs, simmer beans, roast sausages, and toast marshmallows. I have fond memories of a day I spent on the Florida trail slow-cooking a venison stew. When I’m done cooking, I leave the stove outside to cool overnight and pack it up in the morning. Twig stoves create soot, so you need to store the stove and your cooking pot in reusable bags. I’ve never bothered to wash the outside of my cooking pot. Instead, I just let the soot build up until it’s thick enough to chip off. But mostly I just don’t care. I think the gnarly, soot-covered surface gives my cooking pot extra character!

Frontcountry Use

When I’m at home, my Solo Stove Lite is my best party trick. I bring it everywhere! I’ve hosted twig stove tea parties, s’mores gatherings, and late-night hot chocolate dates. It adds a flair of ambiance anywhere you go–even your own backyard.

Fire Safety

Laura Killingbeck

Twig stoves are not allowed in all backcountry areas. Check your local regulations before you go. On my recent cycling trip across the US, I sometimes passed through areas where I couldn’t use my Solo Stove. During those times I ate cold food and cold-soaked my coffee grounds. (This is the same method as thermos coffee, but with cold water.) If I’m in a campsite with a fire circle, I light the stove inside the circle. I’ve also used my stove on picnic tables, on top of grills, in city parks, on peoples’ lawns, or balanced between rocks on riverbanks. I never leave the stove unattended. When I’m cooking, the fire has my full attention.

A Unique Relationship

The author making use of a grill… for a platform

Laura Killingbeck

It takes time and attention to gather twigs, light a fire, and kindle flames. Your enjoyment of a twig stove will largely depend on how much you enjoy the time you spend making and tending the fire. I especially appreciate my stove in cold weather when it doubles as a tiny bonfire. I love sitting next to the stove and warming my hands over the flames. For me, adventure cycling is all about spending time in nature. I see this time as an investment in my relationship with nature. I get to form a deeper, richer connection with the whole wild world.

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Is Swimming Good Cross-Training for Cycling?

Hollie Ernest — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 17:48:17 +0000

“My shoulders are going to give out,” I thought as I wrestled my loaded bike over tan, fist-sized rocks up another steep slope. I reminded myself to engage my core and took deep breaths, resting my head on my handlebars. I was hiking my bike around Lago Desierto, north of El Chalten in Argentina, with two German cyclists I had befriended a few days before. We could have waited 36 hours at the north side of the lake for the ferry to arrive, but patience has never been a virtue I possessed in large quantities. Apparently my new friends were similar.

It took us ten hours over a day and a half to cover 12 kilometers (seven miles). There were 45-degree slopes with loose rocks and large roots, occasionally requiring us to remove our panniers, hike the bike up the hill, then return for the bags. It was hard as hell, and an adventure I will never forget. But we had a near-constant view of the sapphire lake to our right, and the mountain and glaciers above. It was definitely worth it. Somewhere in this nonsense, I realized that my background in swimming played a huge role in my ability to keep up, albeit with a lot of help from my friends. Without upper body strength from swimming, I probably wouldn’t have attempted this feat.

Hollie Ernest

In the past, I treated my body like I treat computers. I just wanted it to work, and I didn’t care about the inner workings. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned more about the human body—mostly out of necessity for physical therapy and injury rehab and prevention. In an effort to dive deeper into this idea, I decided to interview an expert to discuss the overlap and benefits of swimming and cycling. I talked with* Laura McNulty, a personal trainer and accomplished athlete who holds several records across different disciplines, including cycling, running, swimming, and horseback riding. She has overcome many obstacles, including injury, disease and overuse. Laura has been professionally training clients in Northern California for 18 years, and is constantly deepening her extensive knowledge of the human body. Laura’s training methods focus on functional fitness and training the mind along with the body. We finally managed to talk over a tenuous connection while I was in Queenstown, South Africa and she was in Arcata, California.

***

The author rides through Portugal on a previous cycling tour

Hollie Ernest

*Responses have been lightly edited for clarity Hollie: How did your interest in anatomy and kinesiology begin? Did you study formally or are you mostly self taught? Laura: I started out as a runner, and getting to know how the body worked helped me run faster. I love the functional aspect of how integrated the body is, like the hip affects the heel, and so on. I studied Biology and Anatomy in college, and afterward took a course on Personal Training. I shy away from the term “personal trainer” to describe myself. I try to stay clear of fad workout programs. While they can benefit some people, they can break others. I say I “professionally train” people, and I work with a variety of clients, from young athletes to people 80 years old, all with a wide range of goals. After college, I dove in deep, doing my own research and teaching myself. There are so many studies being done all the time! I will never be finished learning about the mechanisms and interconnectedness of the human body. I am just as fascinated now, at 55 years old, as I was at 20 years old. Hollie: I know you as more of a cyclist, but you started as runner, then took up cycling, and then swimming? Laura: Cycling was a natural progression.As most of us know, running can be hard on the body, especially joints. Tendons and ligaments get strong and tight from repeated ground reaction force (i.e. pounding the ground with our feet), but you have to be more flexible in those areas to be a good cyclist and swimmer. Running definitely helped me be a strong cyclist. Hollie: Let’s talk about muscle groups. I know that swimming uses more upper body muscles than cycling does, but both are whole body workouts. Is swimming a good way to cross training for cyclists?

The author on a previous cycling tour

Hollie Ernest

Laura: Both disciplines move in the sagittal plane (forward and backward), instead of side to side (with maybe the exception of the breast stroke kick). They also overlap in some of the muscle groups they use, like glutes, quads, and triceps. Both cycling and front crawl can be quad-dominant, while backstroke utilizes more of the hamstring. Swimming is a great way to develop your upper body muscles, while cycling focuses more on the legs.The real benefit comes from the integrated movement you learn from swimming—moving your whole body efficiently, and integrating the top half and bottom half. If you can move your body fluidly in the pool, integrating across your midline from your pointed toes to your outstretched arms and twisted torso, you can move more efficiently and intuitively on the bike. Another huge benefit to swimming is the cardiovascular benefits, which directly translate to the bike and most other sports. And, if you need a mental break from cycling, swimming is such a beautiful thing. Laura: The mental break that you get from swimming can be meditative in a way that cycling rarely is, since we always have to think about road or trail conditions. But in a pool, or even in open water, all you have to think about is your form and breathing, and moving your body as one cohesive, efficient unit. Swimming is like moving yoga, stretching and reaching and pulling, motions you don’t normally do on the bike. Hollie: Do swimming and cycling balance each other out well? Or do you think there are better cross-training methods for cyclists? Laura: If you don’t need a mental break from the bike, and cycling is your main focus or you want to compete in a race, the best way to complement cycling is to do a 30-40 minute weight workout three times a week. Incorporate what you’re missing into your workouts. Put a band around the knees, squat and step side-to-side to engage the gluteus medium. Get some lateral movement in! Kettlebell workouts also help strengthen the back and other stabilizer muscles. Lifting weights is a great way to keep bones strong while keeping the rest of you — especially your mind — in top form.

***

Next time you have the chance to get in the water, go for it! make a splash. Let yourself float and move your arms around, let your mind wander. Whether you’re excited about your next bike tour, or feeling overwhelmed with life, swimming can be both invigorating and calming. The other day, the sun came out while I was in the water and I could see my shadow on the bottom of the pool.I felt like a kid again. I felt connected to my surroundings and in touch with the twisting, reaching, and stretching of my body. This aspect of weightlessness helps me slow down and meditate on the moment. And strangely enough, I feel the same way when I am slowly going uphill on my loaded bike, surrounded by mountains, completely absorbed in the slow-moving present moment. By doing both, there is more balance to my movements, and both my mind and body feel stronger.

How Exercise Keeps You Healthy

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Book Review: The Bikepacker’s Guide

Laura Killingbeck — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 21:29:45 +0000

The Bikepacker’s Guide, originally published in 2015, was the first guide of its kind. It was co-authored for Salsa Cycles by bikepackers Kait Boyle and Kurt Refsnider. Two years later, Kait and Kurt created Bikepacking Roots, a non-profit which “supports and advances bikepacking, the growth of a diverse bikepacking community, and access to and the conservation of the landscapes and public lands through which we ride.”

The second edition of The Bikepacker’s Guide was published in 2023, and is available in print or digital. This edition expands on the original, and its proceeds support the mission of Bikepacking Roots.

What’s in The Bikepacker’s Guide?

2023 updated version of The Bikepacker’s Guide

Laura Killingbeck

The Bikepacker’s Guide is an 87-page, grassroots guide explaining what bikepacking is and how to do it. It includes sections on route planning, gear, food and water, packing, and navigating, as well as sections on camping skills, field reports, and useful checklists. The guide also includes beautiful photography and short essays that give you a feel for what bikepacking looks like in a range of environments. It includes all the information you would need to plan a bikepacking trip from scratch. The primary author, Kait Boyle, is backcountry mountain biker, adventure educator, and record-holding endurance athlete. Kurt Refsnider, who co-authored the first version of the guide, is also a bikepacker, educator, endurance athlete, and coach. The narrative of the book reflects both authors’ extensive experience in the field both recreationally and professionally. Other contributing authors include Annijke Wade, Jim Blount, Brooke Goudy, Crystal Kovaks, and Patrick Farnsworth — each of whom offers additional experience and perspective. The language of the book is clear and easy to follow. It combines direct, authoritative statements with open-ended questions that the reader can think through on their own. This style allows the reader to take in objective information, while also practicing the subjective problem solving inherent to any independent adventure. One of the highlights of this book are the useful gear lists and charts. I particularly appreciated the “bike style” chart, which allows the reader to match the bike they have with a route that’s right for their bike. Bikepacking does involve a certain amount of gear, and this guide makes it easy for people to assess the gear they have and how to apply it to their next adventure.

Who is the Bikepacker’s Guide For?

Laura Killingbeck

This guide is for everyone. Someone who’s never been bikepacking could pick it up and use it to plan their first trip. Folks who already have some bikepacking experience could also learn a lot. I’ve been bikepacking, touring, and backpacking for 20 years, and there were tons of things that I learned from this guide. My own gear setup and philosophy don’t exactly mirror the authors’, but there was plenty of overlap as well as new ideas to think through.

How I Read the Bikepacker’s Guide

I received print and digital copies of The Bikepacker’s Guide and read them while I was bikepacking the Adventure Cycling Association’s Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. The digital guide came as a PDF (it’s also available as EPUB), and I stored it on my phone and e-reader. This meant it was “virtually weightless” and easy to access. I also appreciated the paper copy because I’m old school and I liked flipping through it in real life! The paper copy is five inches by 8.5 inches, and fit inside my pannier pocket. One advantage of the print version is its beautiful color photography. If I’d been traveling with a coffee table, I’d have stored it on top.

My Hot Take on the Bikepacker’s Guide

Laura Killingbeck

Different people define bikepacking in different ways. The Bikepacker’s Guide defines bikepacking as “riding your bike, generally off-road, for more than one day.” It also assures riders that “any bike can go bikepacking” and “the best bikepacking bike is the one you have.” How refreshing! I loved this perspective because it creates space for many types of riders and riding styles. There are lots of ways to go bikepacking, and I appreciated that this guide encourages the full spectrum. The authors are world-class athletes who know what they’re doing and have the “trail cred” to prove it. But I still got the sense that they simply love being on their bikes in nature, and want to share that love with more people. The Bikepacker’s Guide is a great entrance point for people who are planning their first adventure; it’s also a wonderful standby for folks who want to glean new perspectives, pro tips, ideas, and insights from a reliable source.

Looking for a Bikepacking Route?

The author with her copy of The Bikepacker’s Guide

Laura Killingbeck

The Adventure Cycling Association and Bikepacking Roots are both non-profit advocacy groups that promote bicycle travel and route development. In 1998, the Adventure Cycling Association pioneered the development of long-distance bikepacking routes with the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. In recent years, Bikepacking Roots has also developed a number of long and short bikepacking routes, including the Western Wildlands Route, which runs parallel to the Great Divide. In 2022, the Adventure Cycling Association and Bikepacking Roots collaborated to create the Intermountain Connectors, a network of seven dirt routes that connect the Adventure Cycling Association’s Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and Bikepacking Roots’ Western Wildlands Route. The Intermountain Connectors make it easy for riders to access each route from major cities like Tucson, Denver, or Salt Lake City. The Intermountain Connectors also enable riders to come up with creative loops that combine parts of several routes into a full-circle expedition. If you’re planning a bikepacking trip, get yourself a copy of The Bikepacker’s Guide, and plan your next adventure on one of these great routes!

Bikepacking Route Resources

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Pocket Guide to Photography

Ally Mabry — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 20:45:46 +0000

Light

Our best advice is to use natural light to your advantage: shoot early around sunrise and shoot late around sunset. Full noon sun might feel great on your cheeks, but it creates harsh overhead shadows that make getting nice shots tricky, especially when faces are involved. Clouds diffuse sunlight and cast softer shadows, which can make for objectively nicer photos. Of course, you won’t always have control over when the shots you want to capture occur.

Ally Mabry

Golden hour refers to the first and last hours of sun. At golden hour, the sun shines through a thicker layer of atmosphere, which diffuses the light and scatters blue and violet wavelengths, creating a warmer golden hue. More importantly, the direction of the light source (a.k.a. the sun) is very low during golden hour. It’s easy to make things look great in photos during these times because they actually look great in person. Blue hour, also called twilight, refers to the hour before sunrise and after sunset. During blue hour, the light’s blue wavelengths dominate, and the light is indirect. Blue hour can make for some nice shots, but the quantity of light will be low, so you’ll need to adjust ISO, shutter speed, and aperture to compensate. Use the chart on the back page as a reference.

Exposure

Exposure is the amount of light that reaches your camera’s sensor, creating visual data over a period of time. That period is most often a fraction of a second determined by shutter speed. Aperture determines how much light is let in during that time. Most digital cameras feature a live histogram view that can be helpful in determining exposure. A histogram is a graph that displays the tonal values of an image: blacks, shadows, midtones, highlights, and whites.

Image detail from blown-out highlights (too far right) and clipped shadows (too far left) is often unrecoverable, even when shooting RAW, so it’s best to avoid this if possible. When faced with an over- or underexposed image, try adjusting your camera’s exposure compensation settings (usually a dial ranging from -3 to +3) to pull the histogram to the center. When in doubt, most cameras have an automatic bracketing function that will take three or more photos at different exposures and allows you to choose the one that works best for the scene you’re shooting.

Shutter Speed

Shutter speed matters most when shooting handheld in low light, when capturing moving subjects, or when the camera is moving (as in, while you’re riding a bike!).

To freeze fast-moving subjects, use a shutter speed of at least 1/500th of a second (often represented by 500 on a manual dial). To add the feeling of movement to an image, try setting a slower shutter speed (less than 1/30th of a second), and pan the camera to follow the subject as you release the shutter. This keeps the subject in focus while adding motion blur to the background. “B” on your dial stands for “bulb” and will keep the shutter open (long exposure) as long as the shutter release button is held down. To maintain pin-sharp clarity in handheld photos in low light, keep your shutter speed above 1 over the focal length of the lens you’re using (e.g., 1/50 with a 50mm lens). This is a good place to start, but acceptable minimum shutter speed can vary considerably based on whether your camera or lens has built-in image stabilization, and how many cups of coffee you’ve had that day. Experiment and find what works best for you!

Lenses

In short, lens focal length determines how much of a scene is captured by the camera lens. Wide-angle lenses (shorter focal lengths) capture more of a scene and telephoto lenses (longer focal lengths) see distant objects up close. Prime lenses are fixed, without zoom — zoom lenses allow you to use a range of focal lengths. Prime lenses typically offer better image quality, are usually smaller and lighter than zooms, and are often cheaper. The biggest selling point for prime lenses is that they are typically faster than zooms, meaning they have a wider maximum aperture that allows for better low-light performance and more pleasing subject/background separation (a.k.a. bokeh). The downside to shooting with primes is that they’re less versatile than zooms because you’re stuck with one focal length and are reliant on “zooming with your feet.” Here’s how we think about it: <24mm: big, epic landscapes and astrophotography 24–28mm: all-purpose wide angle that allows you to capture more of a scene 35–50mm: general, documentary style (most representative of what the human eye sees) 70mm–85mm: portraits or cropping in on details in a landscape >85mm: wildlife, sports, and other far-off objects

Composition

The most ubiquitous photographic guideline is the Rule of Thirds: divide your image into thirds both horizontally and vertically and align your subject (or the subject’s face if human) in one of the four intersections to balance the elements in the frame and manage negative space. Align the horizon to one of the horizontal lines. Most digital cameras have the option to overlay this grid in the viewfinder. This is a great guideline, but don’t feel confined by it.

Ally Mabry

Aperture refers to the opening of a lens’s diaphragm through which light passes and is rated in f-stops. See the back page for a visual aid. The aperture affects depth of field, or the zone of sharpness in front of/behind the point of focus.

Ally Mabry

Balancing foreground, middleground, and background is important. If you’re shooting with shallow depth of field while focused on the middleground, things in the foreground and background will be a bit soft and out of focus, while your subject will shine in the middleground. This can add depth to your photos that enhances the overall composition. Additionally, use of leading and diagonal lines (painted lines on a road, or edges of the landscape, for example) will draw the viewer’s attention toward the focal point of your composition.

Storytelling

Your adventure is so much more than the pretty landscape you travel through. There are thousands of the exact same photo of the road leading to the Grand Tetons or a loaded bike leaning against a state sign — how will you make yours unique?

Ally Mabry

Think about your photos as a series telling a story: variety is everything. Take photos of the “downtime moments” of camping/hotel rooms/rest stops. Give viewers a sense of scale by including yourself or your riding partners in a wide landscape shot, especially if big vistas are involved. Conversely, try moving your camera really close to things to get some interesting detail shots. A big part of visual storytelling is implication and creativity. If you take photos of your bike leaning against something inanimate, try a shallow depth of field to create visual interest — experiment shooting between or right behind stalks of wild grass or flowers to increase that depth. You don’t necessarily need to show the whole bicycle to communicate that a bicycle is present. Instead, you could imply its presence by taking the shot through the frame with a shallow depth of field, literally framing your photo with the bike frame. Play around and maybe even get a little weird with it!

File Format

A RAW file is the equivalent of a film negative (literally raw — it’s not an acronym.) A JPEG file is like having a print. In your camera settings under Image Quality, you can choose RAW or JPEG. Under the JPEG setting, your camera optimizes images visually, meaning it automatically adjusts contrast, exposure, and vibrancy. JPEGs are smaller than RAW files because they’re compressed, and superfluous information is erased. Shooting in JPEG mode is the most straightforward and can produce great results without the need to do much editing in post production. RAW photos are exactly what the camera sees, completely uncompressed — unedited, these photos appear muddy, so time spent editing in post-production is required. RAW file sizes are large because they contain the maximum amount of information possible. If you’re an experienced photo editor and have lots of storage space on your hard drive/memory cards, it’s ideal to shoot RAW. Over- and underexposed images are easier to fix, and you can make the image look just how you want. Hold onto your RAW files to come back to if you ever need to tweak edits but export them as high-resolution JPEGs when you submit your final edits to publications.

Resources

Bicycle Touring Photography: A Quick Guide to Taking Better Photos by Paul Jeurrison From Selfie to Self Portrait edited by Alex Strickland (Adventure Cyclist, May 2017) How to Photograph Your Tour edited by Aaron Teasdale Bonus “Pro” Tips: Start collecting silica packets. When you head into the backcountry, throw them into your camera bag. The silica gel will absorb any accidental moisture that interacts with your camera. Consider buying a few inexpensive UV filters to protect your lenses from dirt, dust, and scratches. It’s much less of a headache to replace a UV filter than it is a $500 lens. Turn any bag into a dedicated photo bag with a camera insert. Camera inserts are available in a wide range of sizes, so it’s useful to know the dimensions of the bag you’re adapting before buying one. For cycling, light is right and small is … also good. Generally, full-frame cameras and lenses are bigger and heavier than their smaller-sensor counterparts. Modern APS-C and Micro Four Thirds cameras offer a good balance between image quality and portability, and work great for most people. If image quality is of utmost importance, consider a full-frame mirrorless camera paired with a smaller prime lens and leave the pro zoom lens at home. Print out the guide below, fold it up using our instructions, and carry it with you on your next adventure!

The post Pocket Guide to Photography appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

How’d Ya Get That Shot?

Ally Mabry — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 20:45:32 +0000

The pages of our magazine are stuffed to the gills with stellar examples of photography shot from a multitude of trusty touring saddles. We at Adventure Cyclist cheer aloud every time an author submits an incredible gallery to accompany their written story. The right photos bring a story to life beyond the words.

Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text — an MIT study found that the human brain only needs 13 milliseconds to identify an image. Literally: the blink of an eye. Because of this, photography is an important tool in print media storytelling. We aim to inspire our readers to dream of the vast expanse of Iceland with Greg Maino and to sit atop Ana Zamorano’s bicycle in Kyrgyzstan. These photographers do their job so well, they make us consider spending our next vacation days whisked off to a foreign land smelling new air and taking in new sights. While smartphone cameras do the trick for Instagram, they don’t always cut it for print, which is obviously where we’re invested. Perhaps manufacturers aren’t too far away from smartphone cameras that will deliver the quality print demands, but we can always tell if a photo was taken with a smartphone. That’s not to say that the photos aren’t worth taking if you only have a smartphone, though — of course they are. But if you’re interested in gaining a bit of confidence carrying your prized DSLR into the backcountry to get the really good shots, we’re here to help. Over the past year, Dan Stone and Ally Mabry tested over 30 pieces of camera-specific bikepacking bags, straps, and gizmos to find the crème de la crème — so you don’t have to.

Our Testers

Dan’s first camera was a Kodak 110 point-and-shoot camera that he received as a Christmas gift sometime in the mid-1990s (thanks, Aunt Julie!). He spent countless hours in his high school’s darkroom developing and printing black-and-white photos of abandoned Iowa farms and local punk and hardcore bands. He reluctantly traded film for digital over 10 years ago and has since come to embrace the medium for the creative control it offers. After completing a section of the Great Divide and local bikepacking routes in Idaho and Montana without a camera, Dan swore off smartphone photos for good and started experimenting with the best ways to carry a camera while cycling. It has paid dividends, and his photos have been awarded 10s of likes on social media. Dan currently shoots with a Fujifilm X-T3 and spends too much time pondering lens focal lengths. Ally has been photographing her travels for the past decade, after first spending many nights leaning over chemical tubs in a haunted darkroom at the University of Alabama. Hailing from a family of artists in the Deep South, visual storytelling was baked into her metaphorical cake at birth. Ally’s first foray into bikepacking photography involved shooting 35mm film with a Minolta XG-1 on her first tour up the Oregon Outback in 2015, and soon after brought seven rolls of film down 1,400 miles of the Baja Divide. While she doesn’t consider herself to hold a candle to professionals (or to mega enthusiast Dan Stone), Ally has painstakingly sifted through and selected photos for the past 56 issues of Adventure Cyclist and has learned loads about photography vicariously. A year ago, she finally went digital with a Fujifilm X-T3 mirrorless camera because it is the perfect camera for bikepacking (in her completely unbiased opinion). Ally prefers dirt touring to road touring and, while by no means a gear snob, is heavily invested in protecting her new camera while she jostles it through the woods.

Straps

Dan Stone

Straps are important. Which strap you choose is largely dependent on how you plan to use it — are you in the camp of keeping your camera on your handlebars and need a simple quick-draw method? A minimalist, lightweight shoulder or wrist strap might be the way to go. Are you planning to wear your camera on your back as you descend bumpy singletrack? A shoulder strap with a cross-body stabilizer is key. Your preferred method of photography will determine which type of strap you choose.

Outer Shell Rope Strap, $39 (Dan’s pick) I’m a camera strap simpleton — if it takes more than .5 seconds to figure out how to use a strap, then it’s not for me. My brain is too busy obsessing over trivial details to be bothered with how to connect the whosit to the whatsit on some fancy newfangled strap. The Outer Shell Rope Strap gets the job done without overthinking it. I primarily ride with my camera in a handlebar bag or hip pack, so I appreciate the light weight and packability of this strap. For short periods of riding with a camera on my back, the Rope Strap’s one-handed length adjustment makes it easy to cinch up on the fly and keeps the camera from shifting around too much. I go back and forth between using a shoulder strap or a wrist strap, so I find quick-release connectors to be essential. While I tend to prefer the additional security of the Peak Design Anchor Links, the OP//TECH QD connectors pair well with this strap and have proven more than adequate in keeping my camera attached to my body. This strap’s diminutive size and 2.5-pound weight limit of the OP//TECH connectors means this strap pairs best with lighter, compact camera setups.

Outer Shell Camera Strap, $58 (Ally’s pick) Unlike Dan Stone, I prefer to wear my camera most of the time I’m riding — in hot summer temps, it’s less preferable because the camera resting on my lower back prevents my sweat from evaporating and can fog up the viewfinder, but I find that the fewer the steps to get the camera to my eye, the more photos I will take. Because of my preferred camera carry solution, there are a few non-negotiable features a strap needs: comfortable padding/reinforcement where the strap sits on my shoulder, a simple profile with nothing that will dig into my back or neck, and a third attachment point in a cross-body stabilizer strap. The über-classy Outer Shell Camera Strap meets all these requirements and, of the 12 straps we tested, has won First Place Camera Strap in my book. The built-in cross-body stabilizer strap attaches to the strap mid-chest with a magnetic buckle that’s easy to unhook with one hand and attaches by screwing into the tripod mount. It keeps my camera from swinging forward and crashing into my top tube when I inevitably cycle downhill or go over large bumps. It’s adjustable from 26 to 42 inches via four different cinch points, and the cross-body stabilizer can be relocated along a daisy chain on the main strap. With all the adjustment points, I’m surprised at how sleek the system still feels. If you already have a strap that you love but want to add a cross-body stabilizer strap to it, check out the Stabilizer Strap by PS Bagworks.

Ally Mabry

BLACKRAPID RS-4 Classic Retro Camera Strap, $82 By far the most heavy-duty strap we tested, the BLACKRAPID RS-4 Classic Retro Camera Strap has a lot of interesting bells and whistles that make it quite different from the other straps on our chopping block. The strap itself consists of one-inch nylon webbing with two adjustment points: a quick-release leash (called the Front Rapid Adjuster) on the front, and a more standard adjustable cinch buckle on the back (also quite easy to adjust on the fly) — and that’s about where the commonly found features of a camera strap stop. The RS-4 is technically more of a sling than a strap, as the three-inch shoulder pad stays in place no matter where you adjust the camera to sit. The pad is constructed of nylon honeycomb, foam, and mesh and has one small zipper pouch and one small pocket for extra memory cards, batteries, or other small gizmos. BLACKRAPID’s signature spring-loaded cam locks act as adjustable bumpers on either side of the camera attachment point — so you can effectively keep it from swinging the entire length of the strap when you’re not shooting. This is a really cool feature in theory, but I never quite got comfortable adjusting them quickly while riding. Maybe you’ll have better luck. The camera attaches to a small locking carabiner with additional security provided by the BLACKRAPID LockStar, a plastic guard that snaps onto the carabiner once it’s locked. All in all, the features of this sling really impress me, but this wouldn’t be my first choice for an on-bike camera carry system unless I was only riding on pavement or planning to dismount my bicycle before taking a photo. I see it more as a strap to use when you’re shooting an event — having your camera ready at any moment when you’re walking around. I still think it’s worth mentioning in this guide, though, as it’s especially interesting for people who prefer to use straps that lack a third attachment point.

Ally Mabry

PS Bagworks Rope Wrist Strap, $16.50–$26.50 Simplicity is key with the Rope Wrist Strap by PS Bagworks. Made from half-inch flat braided polypropylene rope, this is the stiffest wrist strap we tested. Stiffness can be an asset if you plan to keep your camera in a front bag on your bike and need to be able to wield it quickly — the Rope Wrist Strap holds its shape, making it really easy to slip on and off your wrist with minimal hassle. The basic strap comes equipped with a five-eighths-inch stainless steel split ring, which is compatible with virtually any camera. Optional attachment upgrades include OP//TECH mini quick-release buckles for $2 extra, or Peak Design Anchor Links for $10. Straps come in small, medium, and large, and nine different colors.

PS Bagworks Universal Camera Stabilizer, $35–$40 I absolutely love that PS Bagworks makes this product. For a lot of photographers who wear their camera while riding, a stabilizer strap is a make-or-break feature — in my case, I need one. Having the ability to add a stabilizer strap to virtually any camera strap in the world (maybe you already have one and don’t want to invest in a new setup yet, maybe you just really love the simple strap you already have) opens photographers up to so many mix-and-match combinations. The Universal Camera Stabilizer attaches to your strap of choice with Velcro that folds over on itself to keep the stabilizer in place. The baseline model has another Velcro attachment for the bottom anchor kit: a spring-loaded carabiner that attaches to a metal anchor that screws into your tripod mount. For $5 extra, you can upgrade the Velcro anchor attachment for a permanently sewn-in Peak Design Anchor. Like other stabilizer straps on the market, there’s a FidLock magnetic buckle that is super easy to operate with one hand while riding. The whole strap is adjustable up to 18 inches. Though I prefer a softer webbing, the flexibility and adaptability the Universal Camera Stabilizer offers puts it at the top of my list.

PS Bagworks Rider Strap, $55–$79 Designed with cycling in mind, the Rider Strap from PS Bagworks is made with one-inch, military-grade 17337 webbing, includes a removable stabilizer strap, upgradable attachment points, and can be adjusted to be between 36 and 48 inches in length. The stabilizer strap has a magnetic quick-release buckle and attaches to the camera with a mini carabiner that could easily be swapped out for any of the other quick attachment systems we’ve mentioned — it attaches to the main camera strap with a plastic adjuster buckle that has slits on both sides that allow removal from the strap. The option to convert this three-point attachment strap to a standard camera strap with two attachment points means this strap is one of the most versatile that we tested (PS Bagworks is good at versatile!). While I think this offers advantages over other straps in the way of adjustability, I found the doubled webbing to be too much strap around my chest. The webbing was a bit stiff and slightly abrasive, which wasn’t super comfortable when I wore a sleeveless shirt with this strap. Still, the construction of the Rider Strap is sturdy and is surely attractive to folks who like their gear to work in more than one mode.

Cedaero Light Meter Strap, $25 Made to be compatible with Cedaero’s Viewfinder Pack (more on that later), the Light Meter Strap is a slick option for a minimal shoulder strap. You choose between 1000D Cordura nylon or 15oz waxed canvas (my preference — it’s lovely) for the main body of the strap, which is lined with a soft 200D nylon. The rest of the strap is made with standard three-quarter-inch webbing and is adjustable from 32 to 51.5 inches via two cinch buckles. Though it comes with somewhat large, unwieldy plastic hooks to attach to the bag or your camera, it’s very easy to swap the hooks out for something else (like anchor links or other quick-attachment points). One-hundred percent made in the U.S., this strap is available in a lovely array of 15 colors of 1000D Cordura nylon and six colors of waxed canvas for $5 extra.

Outer Shell Wrist Strap, $25 Essentially a miniature version of Outer Shell’s Rope Strap, the Wrist Strap is made with a soft, hollow rope that lies flat, helping it stay put on your wrist. The strap self-tightens with the weight of the camera, so if you were to accidentally drop the camera while shooting, it wouldn’t fall off your wrist. It comes equipped with quick-connect attachment points made by OP//TECH, which are optimal for cameras under 2.5 pounds. For heavier cameras, or for those who prefer Peak Design Anchor links, the end of the strap isn’t sewn to itself, making it super simple to swap attachment points. Handmade in California, this simple strap packs a lot of functionality into a minimal package.

Ally Mabry

Road Runner Camera Strap, $35 As far as simple shoulder straps go, this one gets pretty high marks. The climbing-specific webbing is super soft — probably the softest webbing of 90 percent of the straps we tested (the Outer Shell Rope Strap comes close). It’s got an adjustable strap with a really generous, obvious loop that’s easy to find with one hand for quick tightening while riding. The strap attaches to your camera with webbing that doubles back through heavy-duty YKK plastic buckles. Although there isn’t a great way to attach quick connectors like Peak Design Anchor Links or OP//TECH mini quick release, it is quite simple to remove the strap from a camera and reattach it. Like the Jammer Bag and the Point ’N’ Shooter, the Road Runner Camera Strap is made by hand in the U.S. and comes in a variety of colors.

Dan Stone

Peak Design Slide Lite, $60 The Slide Lite from Peak Design is a sleek, stylish strap that pairs well with small and large camera systems alike. The Slide Lite comes with Peak Design’s Anchor Links, which are arguably the most secure strap-to-camera connector in the biz. I love that the connectors are sewn in so that there’s no chance of them slipping off the end of the strap, and the option for using the strap as a sling with the included tripod plate adapter is a nice touch too. The seatbelt-style nylon webbing is supple and comfortable for long periods of use but doesn’t pack down as well as some of the other straps we tested. At five feet, eight inches tall, I found the strap a touch long, but not excessively so.

Ally Mabry

Peak Design Leash, $45 The ultralight cousin of the Slide Light, Peak Design’s Leash utilizes slim aluminum/Hypalon sliders for one-finger adjustments. “Everything you need and nothing that you don’t” is Peak Design’s motto for this minimalist strap that can be quickly adjusted between 33 and 57 inches. The webbing is the same for the Leash as it is for the Slide Lite — supple and reminiscent of a seatbelt, so very comfortable and not abrasive when it rests on bare skin. Peak Design Anchor Links are included, making the Leash a very affordable two-point attachment shoulder strap.

Bags

Where you store your camera while you ride is purely personal preference, and there are generally three schools of thought: carry on your body, carry in a bag on your body, and carry in a bag on your bike. What terrain you travel most often will help direct which school of thought you’re in too. If you prefer to wear a backpack because it’s what you’re used to, any backpack that you’re comfortable riding with will work to hold a camera (just make sure it’s protected in there — see “Gizmos”).

Ally Mabry

Cedaero Viewfinder Pack, $125 The Viewfinder Pack, appropriately named for camera carrying, is a sweet little sturdy camera case built to live on your handlebars or slung around your shoulder by attaching Cedaero’s Light Meter Strap to the D-rings on either side. The bag comes equipped with a removable and repositionable padded divider that Velcros onto the front and back of the bag’s interior — it’s super handy when separating your camera and your gizmos and for snugging up your valuables in this relatively rigid bag. There’s also a thin zip pocket on the front that works well for SD cards, a couple rolls of film, our Pocket Guide to Photography, or a Clif bar. The flip top has a rather narrow lip that hugs the sides of the bag when closed, but I wouldn’t trust it to keep out a heavy downpour or dust on a really windy day in the desert. The lid fastens with a quick-release buckle which is easy enough to open with one hand while riding. Closing the buckle with one hand while riding is possible when going uphill (read: slow) on pavement, but it does take concentration. The whole bag attaches to your handlebars with two Velcro straps and is stabilized by a third Velcro strap around your stem or headtube. Though the reinforced Velcro straps are sturdy, they’re kind of short (so that when they’re folded down in over-the-shoulder camera bag mode, they line up flush with the bottom of the bag). After a low-speed crash, one of the straps attached to my handlebars came undone under the impact. While I love the look of this bag on and off the bike, I found that it was easy to jostle the heck out of my camera when I ventured off-road if I didn’t wedge it into the bag well enough with the padded divider. A good solution is to add some extra padding to fill the space between the lid and the camera, like a Domke wrap. This is a rather typical side effect of a more rigid handlebar bag when carrying a camera. If you’re sticking to pavement, this would be a lovely way to carry your camera and accessories. Every piece of the Viewfinder Pack is made in the U.S. Choose between light weight 1000D Cordura in 17 colors or upgrade to robust waxed canvas (shown here) with seven color options for $10 extra.

Dan Stone

Road Runner Jammer Handlebar Bag, $170 Handmade with love in Los Angeles, the Jammer is a rando-inspired rolltop bag with an 11-liter max capacity — that’s enough space to fit your camera, an extra lens or two, a few gizmos, and a long-sleeve layer for when golden hour turns to blue hour. The two cinch straps on either side help tighten things down to a svelte six (-ish) liters for when your cargo is minimal. Though I only tested it as a handlebar bag, it’s designed to also be mounted as a rear bag for when you’re sticking to pavement. It can also be mounted to a front or rear rack. Rolltops are great for water-resistant security and relatively quick access. Aside from the two expanding front pockets, there isn’t much to organization in this bag: it’s essentially a small, cavernous pouch. Don’t be the fool who puts their DSLR in the Jammer with a Leatherman and also a Gu packet — that’s just asking for it. We did find that with the provided straps, this bag shifts from right to left a lot along handlebars when navigating tough terrain. For that reason, we recommend using a rubber ski strap or similar strap that is guaranteed to stay put.

Dan Stone

Swift Industries Catalyst Pack, $160 The Catalyst is a mid-sized pack from Swift Industries that, like the Road Runner Jammer, can be mounted on a handlebar or saddle; I tested it as a handlebar bag and found it to be a very capable photo gear hauler. At 7.5 liters, the Catalyst fit my padded camera insert perfectly, and allowed me to bring an extra lens or two for photo-centric bike missions. The lid of the bag fastens via two adjustable buckles, and the interior features a drawstring closure and compression strap that are useful for cinching down bigger loads. A small zippered pocket on the top of the bag can be used to store keys, cash, and other miscellanea. I underbiked some bumpy singletrack with the Catalyst fully loaded, and it was surprisingly well behaved, thanks in large part to the Voile Nano Strap connectors and a removable plastic liner that helps to stabilize loads. The Catalyst is made from recycled 400D ECOPAK, which makes it lightweight, durable, and environmentally friendly. Plus, the teal version looks pretty sharp.

Ally Mabry

Rockgeist Nigel handlebar bag, $120 (Dan’s pick) This handlebar bag checks all the boxes for me. It’s lightweight, minimalist, waterproof, and made in the U.S. and Canada. The rolltop design and single elastic closure is brilliantly simple and allows for quick, one-handed access to camera equipment while riding. A foam bed liner helps protect photo equipment, and additional protection can be added via a small camera insert, a camera wrap, or a puffy jacket. I’m convinced that Voile Nano Straps are the pinnacle of bag-to-bar attachment systems and am psyched that Rockgeist went this route with the Nigel. At 4.25 liters, this is on the smaller end of the handlebar bag spectrum, but I find it works well for carrying a small mirrorless camera, a few snacks, and a lightweight windbreaker — all without limiting hand placement on the bar tops. Those looking for more space would be well served by something like the 6.5-liter Swift Industries Catalyst, which also earned high praises in our tests.

Dan Stone

Route Werks Handlebar Bag, $189 (Ally’s pick) Even though I’m “not a gear snob,” I’d like to steer you to consider investing in this kind of pricey, heavily engineered, insanely sturdy — like, bomb proof — handlebar system, with the caveat that it’s not a great solution for giant camera bodies paired with giant lenses (or suspension forks, as it’s designed for rigid). I don’t know the people at Route Werks, but I’d reckon they’re a bunch of Swiss engineers based on how precise, modular, and fancy the Handlebar Bag is. The bag itself attaches to the Bike Mount with a sturdy (adjustable) on/off clamp lever. Most notably, the lid of the bag is plastic, which I didn’t expect to love as much as I do. This bag made me realize how much internal agonizing I do when it?s time to undo the rolltop or the many buckles of a handlebar bag to get my camera out (except for the Rockgeist Nigel bag, which I adore.) With this bag, you simply push a small latch that pops the lid free from the body. The lid hinges on the far side of the bag, which means it opens toward you, allowing quick access to your camera. The Handlebar Bag has small interior and exterior pockets that fit keys, smartphone, and a multitool. I’d recommend a Domke Wrap on top to make sure your camera is nice and snug in the compartment because once it is, there’s no chance it will jostle in this bag. Because it?s modular, you’ll need to do a little homework before ordering. To make the bag one with your handlebars, Route Werks includes a proprietary Bike Mount (if your bars are 31.8mm, carry on. If they’re 26.0mm or 25.4mm, add the Bike Mount Adapters, which are sold separately.) To mount a cycling computer or your phone to the lid of the bag, add the BarFly Tech Adapter or Quad Lock (respectively). Add the Handlebar Stub to attach a front light or a bell to the side of the bag so your light beam is unobstructed and to save handlebar real estate for your hands.

Ally Mabry

Oveja Negra Royale hip pack, $110 (Dan’s pick) For lighter and smaller loads, I’ve come to really value the ease of access that hip packs offer over backpacks. To take a photo while riding with a backpack, I need to stop, take off the pack, rummage around through a black hole of candy wrappers and other nonsense while trying not to knock my bike over, pull out the camera, and take the shot. With a hip pack, I can easily access my camera without taking the pack off, so I take more photos and spend less time fiddling with gear. The Oveja Negra Royale’s simple rolltop design and four-plus liters of capacity make it my preferred option for hauling camera gear. The Royale accommodates my cheapo Amazon camera insert, a Fujifilm mirrorless camera and lens, and an additional small prime lens. The adjustable rolltop closure allows the pack to expand or compress as needed, and the side compression straps make a world of difference in stabilizing loads by pulling them close to your body. A single zippered internal pocket works well for stashing SD cards, lens wipes, and other accessories. The only feature I feel is missing is a key clip. The Royale’s hip wings aren’t as padded as some of the other hip packs we tested, but I found the pack to be plenty comfortable on long rides as long as I didn’t overload it.

Dan Stone

Camelbak Podium Flow 4 Hydration Belt, $60 (Ally’s Pick) When I bring my Fuji X-T3 into the backcountry, I don’t bother with multiple lenses: my 27mm prime lens is perfect for the job. Not only does it take less fiddling to get a shot while I’m riding because there’s no zoom, it also makes for a much smaller camera profile since the lens is so thin. When I’m bikepacking, simplicity enables me to take more photos on the fly. I’ve found that when I’m not carrying it around my shoulder, I like having it lovingly tucked into one of the pockets of my Podium Flow 4 hydration belt — it fits perfectly, along with a shoulder and cross-body stabilizer strap. Having two zip compartments means that my camera can live in one and everything else can live in the other, which keeps things like gel packets, snack crumbs, and abrasive whatnots from interfering with the camera. A nice bonus is the water bottle holster that separates the zip compartments (and it comes with a 21oz water bottle!) Fully stuffed with four liters of gear, this small hip pack feels secure and stable with weight and bulk evenly distributed around my lower back. There are also plenty of smaller zip and elastic compartments to help with organizing. I don’t recommend this hip pack if you have larger lens or camera body, but if you’re carrying a minimalist setup, this hip pack is for you.

Dan Stone

Patagonia Dirt Roamer Bike Waist Pack 3L, $69 If you’re in the market for a sturdy hip pack that can carry all of the things with the ability to compartmentalize, check out the Dirt Roamer Bike Waist Pack by Patagonia. With three liters of capacity distributed between three zip compartments on top of two water bottle holsters, you can carry everything you need for a day ride around your waist. I love the ability to compartmentalize (see above review); to make that work in a hip pack with this design, the waist strap needs to be supportive and comfortable. Patagonia did a great job with this one — though when packed fully, the big compartment can feel heavy on your lower back, the waist strap keeps things feeling snug in one place without too much sagging. It’s also rather breathable, which is nice on hot days, and the adjustment buckles hold well in bumpy conditions.

Dan Stone

Road Runner Large Point ’N’ Shooter Stem Bag, $80 The Point ’N’ Shooter Bag is Road Runner’s XL version of the classic stem/feed/snack bag that’s designed to fit digital point-and-shoot or compact 35mm film cameras. Due to the cylindrical nature of this bag, camera compatibility is limited to those of the stubby lens variety. I tested this bag with a relatively svelte Fujifilm X-T3 and 35mm f2 lens, and I found it to be too small (RIP rubber eyepiece), but I could see it working well with something like a Fujifilm X100V, Ricoh GR, or a small mirrorless camera with a pancake lens. The Point ’N’ Shooter’s single drawstring closure maximizes accessibility, and the water-resistant lid helps protect your camera from the elements. One downside to stem bags is their propensity to get in the way when riding out of the saddle, and I found that the voluminous Point ’N’ Shooter was especially susceptible to knee strikes when pedaling standing up.

Gizmos

Dan Stone

Technically, all you need to be able to take good photos on a bike adventure is a camera and a way to keep the camera safe. We’ve got a few tricks and gizmos up our sleeves to make things even a bit easier and take your photos to the next level. For example, any bag can be a camera bag with a padded insert. There are hundreds out there from which to choose.

Sensor Cleaning Kit, ~$30 Mirrorless digital camera sensors attract dust like cyclists to a box of free donuts. A sensor cleaning kit is invaluable for safely removing stubborn debris and smudges from your camera’s delicate sensor. Available in sensor-specific sizes.

LensCoat LensPouch, $18–$40 Keep lenses protected and accessible with these handy neoprene pouches. A sewn-in loop and plastic clip makes them easy to strap to the outside of a pack so you aren’t always digging through your gear when you need to switch lenses.

Peak Design Anchor Links, $25 Of all the different types of ways to attach a camera body to a camera strap, Peak Design Anchor Links are by far my favorite. They’re simple, sturdy, and reliable — if you regularly swap straps out, like from a shoulder strap to a wrist strap, for example, having Anchor Links on every strap eliminates the headache of unthreading and relooping each time. A lot of our favorite straps have the option of upgrading to Anchor Links. The system is simple: the Anchor is the little circle button attached to a loop — tie a cow hitch loop (Google it) on each of your camera’s strap attachment points. Once your Anchors are in place, you might never have to remove them again! The Anchor housing attaches to the ends of your camera straps and the Anchors pop in easily and pop out with a little front-to-back squeeze. Each Anchor Link is rated to hold 200 pounds, which might be overkill for a 1.5-pound camera, but at least you know you never have to worry about them failing!

Pedco Ultrapod, $30 At only 4.3oz, the Pedco Ultrapod allows you to get those long-exposure and self-portrait shots without the bulk and weight of a full-size tripod. The mini ball head is surprisingly sturdy, and the included Velcro strap makes it easy to attach the tripod to a tree branch, fence post, etc.

Giottos Rocket Air Blaster, $17 It’s a dusty, dirty world out there. Quickly blast away grit and grime from lenses and sensors with the Giottos Rocket Air Blaster. I always pack the small version when I’m out shooting and have a larger version at home for dealing with extra dusty situations.

Domke Wraps, $22–$30 These padded nylon wraps are a no-fuss way to protect cameras, lenses and other delicate items without adding a lot of bulk to your bag or pack. Available in a range of sizes to fit most lens/camera setups.

Dan Stone

LowePro GearUp Wrap, $28 This is a great little organizer for extra batteries, SD cards, lens wipes, and other small photo accessories. The elastic hook closure makes it quick to get in and out of, and I find it’s the right size for carrying all the odds and ends I need for a photo outing.

Dan Stone

Koolertron Shockproof camera bag insert, $20 Camera inserts can turn any bag into a dedicated photo bag. Inserts are available in a wide range of sizes, so it’s useful to know the dimensions of the bag you’re adapting before buying one. Inserts are available from established photography brands such as Shimoda and Peak Design; I happen to use a cheap “Koolertron” insert from Amazon that works well for my purposes.

The post How’d Ya Get That Shot? appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Gravel Bike Geometry

Hollie Ernest — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 21:38:45 +0000

When people ask me about cycling gear, I generally say that if I’m not thinking about it (brake levers, sleeping pad, etc.), then it’s working perfectly. I used to ride a stiff aluminum cyclocross bike for everything: short bikepacking trips, cyclocross races, road rides, and randonneuring rides (extra-long unsupported road rides that guarantee a sore bum). This bike’s gearing and cantilever brakes – the weakest of brake systems – were definitely not meant for steep hills, and the tire clearance maxed out at just 32mm. But none of this stopped me from taking it out for 2o or 120 miles. I didn’t have room in my garage or my bank account for another bike, so I chose not to think about the options in the marketplace.

As the years passed, I started to feel the differences between my old aluminum road/everything bike and my mountain bike, with its stability and strong brakes. When my trusty aluminum was about 10 years old and had seen thousands of miles, I rode it down a notoriously steep descent near my house in foggy mist. The brakes took ages to slow me down, using every ounce of my grip strength. Every tiny bump was jarring. My neck ached at the end of the ride – and it started to swivel towards gravel bikes. Even though I was still skeptical of the difference between gravel bikes and what I already had, I arrived home that day and asked my husband what he thought about selling my old faithful and getting something that could better handle the mix of terrain near our house. Luckily he’s also a cyclist, so before I knew it he was scrolling the web with me, and we quickly found a barely-used, affordable (but still not cheap) carbon gravel bike online. After my first long ride on my new steed, I was fully convinced. My body didn’t ache. I was left wanting more miles and found myself already formulating bikepacking plans. I’m not here to tell anyone they need a certain type of bike to have fun – far from it. I certainly had a blast before I changed up my stable. Decent tire clearance and a bike that fits are all you need to comfortably explore unpaved terrain. But if you’ve been cycling for a while and are curious about what is out there, I encourage you to see for yourself. First, let’s ask: what is it that makes a gravel bike different? In the past, when people referred to the geometry of a bicycle, I just nodded and agreed, knowing that it referred to the angles between the frame tubes. But a larger definition of bike geometry not only includes the angles of the frame, but also design elements that distinguish one type of bike from another, optimizing it for certain terrain and riding styles. These differences may seem small, but the more you ride, the more you notice them. I wish someone had explained some of these to me before I rode so many tense miles on my old bike. So here are some of the specifics of gravel steeds, in full bike geek detail.

Chainstays

Chainstays can only get so short while maintaining operational tire clearance. So once a bike manufacturer or builder decides what the maximum tire size should be, they then build the chainstays long enough. Shorter stays generally mean snappier handling; longer stays increase stability. For touring bikes, where stability at speed is preferred, long chainstays (430 mm or longer) contribute to a longer overall wheelbase, making the bike more stable. Gravel bike chainstays tend to range from 420 to 435 mm. But long chainstays are not the only way to increase stability.

Wheelbase

The distance between the tires’ point of contact with the ground. The longer the wheelbase, the more stable a bike handles at speed. The wheelbase on gravel bikes is usually longer than road bikes but shorter than mountain bikes. This middle ground gives gravel bikes a combination of stability on rougher roads and at least some agility for the occasional tight turn. A short wheelbase bike won’t track as well on loose surfaces as a longer wheelbase bike. This is why full suspension mountain bikes have gotten progressively longer over the years. You don’t really need to study wheelbase on geometry charts, but this can still go into your base of knowledge (no pun intended).

Head Tube Angle

This refers to the angle of the head tube when compared to a horizontal axis. In basic terms, the slacker the head tube angle, the more stable the ride, especially at speed on loose surfaces. A head tube angle of 69 degrees is considered very slack, while one of 74 degrees, like those found on road bikes, would be considered steep. Gravel bike head angles are usually 70-72 degrees.

Head Tube Length

Generally speaking, the longer the head tube, the more upright the riding position. Road bikes have the shortest head tubes, facilitating an aerodynamic position at road speeds. A gravel bike head tube might be an inch or two longer, resulting in a more upright position that is more comfortable and helps with control on loose terrain.

Bottom Bracket Height

This affects center of gravity. The lower it is, the more stable the bike will feel, which is generally what we want on gravel roads, loaded touring, or both. A low center of gravity helps us get our weight back when descending on rougher terrain, but it also means the pedals have less clearance for pedaling through rocky terrain. Most of the time, we aren’t pedaling through technical or off-camber terrain, so this is not a major concern with gravel bikes. A bottom bracket height of 260-280mm, including the volume of your tires, will put you where you want to be. For contrast, traditional cyclocross bikes, designed to bunny hop barriers and pedal through hairpin turns, have high bottom brackets (280-310 mm).

Top Tube and Stem Length

The length of the top tube should coincide with your correct bike size and is one the more important considerations when choosing a bike. Once you have the right bike size, you can easily exchange the stem to dial your position even more, depending on if more of your height is in your torso or your legs. The proper top tube/stem length will prevent you from stretching out too much, so you can keep your elbows bent and shoulders relaxed. Your arms (and legs) are like shock absorbers, and you’ll feel much more in control if they are bent and ready to absorb whatever comes your way, rather than stretched out and rigid.

Tire Clearance

Gravel bikes come with ample tire clearance for 40mm or larger tires. I love wide tires so much that I get a warm, fuzzy feeling when I look at mine! The rougher a route is, the wider the recommended tire is, within the limits of the frame design. With wide tires, there is more surface area and volume to absorb the bumps of the road. You could also consider using smaller 650b wheels to get even more tire volume if you want it.

Components

Lower gearing, meaning easy gears for going up steep hills with weight
Wider or flared drop bars, for increased stability
Disc brakes apply braking force to a rotor mounted near the middle of the wheel instead of directly on the rim, and are increasingly common on gravel bikes. I personally love this trend. Rim brakes, which are another name for cantilever brakes, are certainly capable of stopping you, but disc brakes come with some huge advantages, including:
- Far more braking power.
- Disc brakes perform far better in wet terrain. (Rim brakes must first displace water from the rim before biting on the surface, hence my many harrowing descents on my old bike.)
- The power delivered by disc brakes is more consistent and predictable.
- Since disc brakes are not in direct contact with the wheel, they work fine even if the wheel is slightly out of true and won’t wear down the surface of the rim.
- Disc brakes also allow for better tire clearance (Yay! Wide tires!).
Despite these benefits, some cyclists still prefer traditional cantilever brakes because of the disadvantages of disc brakes:
- They typically weigh more, cost more, and take more effort to adjust.
- Maintenance depends on whether you have hydraulic or mechanical disc brakes.
- Hydraulic disc brakes shouldn’t need much daily maintenance because they are sealed, but when something does go wrong, it’s not an easy field fix. If there is an air bubble trapped in the line, hydraulic disc brakes won’t work properly and must be flushed out, or “bled,” which isn’t as simple as adjusting a caliper on mechanical disc brakes or rim brakes.

Frame Material

Today, gravel bikes are built out of carbon, aluminum, steel, and titanium, so you have choices! To read more about the differences between materials, check out this Adventure Cycling blog post. The good news is that gravel bikes of all materials are reinforced to be stronger in certain places and are often designed with loaded touring in mind. Some even have strategically squared tubes to accommodate serious bikepacking gear.

Bikepacking Considerations

More and more gravel bikes are coming with mounts for front or rear racks or cages and with weight-bearing in mind. But if the one you are eyeing doesn’t, don’t worry! There are bag and rack manufacturers out there making gear for bikes with no mounting points, and there are also plenty of DIY mounting techniques. A good overview of bikepacking bags is here and a list of gear manufacturers can be found on here. After thousands of miles on my carbon gravel bike, I can confidently say it has been a fabulous bike for a variety of situations – dirt, pavement, gravel, loaded and unloaded. It performed on the most extreme terrain I dared to take it, including rugged singletrack and a month-long bikepacking trip through Spain and France. But though I love my carbon gravel whip, I’m still a believer in “ride what you have.” Don’t turn down an adventure because you don’t have the “right bike.” Does it have two wheels and no serious mechanical issues? Great, go for it. Remember, people were riding penny farthings around the world before any of us were born. But now, hopefully, you know more about what’s out there and can make an informed decision to upgrade in the future. If you’ve read this far, you’ve already got the most important ingredient for any bike trip: a sense of curiosity and adventure.

The Basics of Gravel Riding

The post Gravel Bike Geometry appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Epic Planning

Hollie Ernest — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:31:00 +0000

My boss’s thick white mustache twitched nervously under fluorescent lights in the tiny office. Outside, the stars still shone bright in a navy blue sky of frozen predawn. I told him I was quitting after two years with the company, to bicycle around the world. His eyes widened. He was known for being very dedicated, and worked for the same timber company for 40 years. Sweat emanated from my armpits on that frigid December day, and I was sure he would call me crazy and yell at me to get out of his office. Instead, he shocked me by saying, “Wow, that sounds wonderful. You know, you should do this now, while you’re young, don’t wait to retire like me. Send us a postcard.”

Everyone is capable of going on an epic adventure. I am neither brave nor strong, yet here I am, having traveled through 15 countries and many regions in the U.S. on various trips. I am just a normal person. I still get scared sleeping in my tent alone, and have embarrassingly little upper body strength. You do not need anything special to embark on an epic adventure, just the desire and drive to do so.

People often tell me that they want to do a big bike tour, but they do not have enough time. Or enough money. Or they have children. Or their significant other/spouse does not ride bikes. Or they can’t leave their jobs. Or they’re too old. But! There is always a way. People bike tour with kids, or follow animal migrations, travel on a shoestring, or take envelope-pushing weekend trips in order to meet other obligations.

Tom Phillips crests the Portachuelo de Llanganuco pass in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru.

Hollie Ernest

I am about to re-embark on a Round-The-World bicycle tour that I began in 2019. After 14 months on the road, a pandemic-induced disruption has kept me and so many others at home since March 2020. ("COVID Cutoff: An Unexpected Hiatus." Adventure Cyclist Magazine, June 2020). It is finally time to start again. I’ll be gone for another two to three years. Despite being a planner, there have been many sleepless nights, the hamsters of my mind running on wheels of endless to-do lists. There are important things that I’ve somehow forgotten to do (get new tires), and things that are completely arbitrary (repainting the bathroom). But just like everything else in life, we can prioritize and break it all down into manageable chunks. I remind myself of this with deep breaths at all hours of the day and night. But how did I get to this enviable spot, in the final stages of planning and departing to travel for so long? More importantly, how can YOU find a way to plan your own epic bicycle adventure?

Time

Time is the base of our planning pyramid, because it defines where we go and how we go. It is also a precious commodity we can never get back, and it is slipping through our hands every day. First, figure out when you can take time off work, and how much time. Don’t pick a place and then say, “I can never bike tour in Canada because I only have time off in the winter. Poor me!” Use your time off to guide the rest of your decisions. Look at your chunk of time – hopefully months – and guard it. Write it in your calendar. Talk to your boss about it.

Conversely, decide if you want to take a pause in your career. This worked out well for me, and sometimes this is easier to do in the beginning of your career than later. People also switch companies all the time, so if you think of it as a pause between jobs, it is much less daunting. Many companies will see your diverse travel experiences as a plus, and you can resume your career when you return. If you are older, maybe an early retirement is in the cards. Ask yourself, “Do I want to adventure or not?” Take the necessary steps in life to make it happen.

If you have children, how long can you be apart from them? Or can you take them with you? How long will your significant other let you leave and still welcome you back? The more time you have the better, since we are indeed talking big adventures here!

All smiles at the base of Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador, on the Trans Ecuador Mountain Bike Route (TEMBR).

Hollie Ernest

Once you know how much time you have and what part of the year it falls in, then look at the seasons. Is it summer or winter in the northern hemisphere? Unless you’re a masochist, time off in winter might rule out much of the U.S. But years ago, a friend and I worked in bike shops and couldn’t take time off until October, so we rode the Southern Tier Bicycle Route and had a ball. It snowed on us in Arizona, and it was beautiful. Bike touring in the southern states of the U.S., Central America, Baja, and Mexico are also options for the winter. If you’re up for off-road cycling, bikepacking.com contains a plethora of resources for routes all over the globe. Go BIG! It’s never the perfect time, so just go. If you have ample funds for a plane ticket, think about the Southern Hemisphere. You can also sign up for a newsletters that notifies you of cheap flights (Pomelo, Scott’s).

It is surprising how quickly you can narrow your scope when you simply ask, “When can I be gone for the most amount of time?” then, “Where can I go?”, and finally asking “where do I want to go?” Think about your other parameters thirdly. Do you want desolate dirt roads? Museums? Good food? Good art? Jungles or deserts?

If you don’t have unlimited time, decide if you want to cover a lot of ground quickly, weaving in some type 2 fun, or if you want to relax and pedal leisurely. That will help you narrow down the route and location. What can you do in 2-3 weeks?

Circumnavigate a peninsula in Costa Rica? Bike as fast as possible along the Northern Tier and take a bus home? Choose a reasonable amount of miles to cover, and have a bailout plan (bus, train, hitch hike) in case you can’t make it due to some unforeseeable delay (rainstorm, illness, one million flat tires).

Money

For many of us, our budget will act like a seesaw with our time. If money is your limiting factor, figure out how many weeks or months or years you can stretch your funds. This will depend on where you are going, and what level of discomfort you are willing to endure. I prefer to sleep outside and eat beans and rice (or whatever the cheapest thing to eat is where I am), in order to be gone as long as possible. But if you want to sleep in hotels every night, your money will not stretch as far. Money can inform your destination choice; some places are cheaper (Colombia, Guatemala) than others (Switzerland, Norway).

Finalizing details.

Hollie Ernest

If you have indeed quit your job and have somewhat unlimited time, you are really able to fling yourself out there. Congratulations. Plane tickets will obviously cut into your budget, but this new locale may have noodles for $1, so things might balance out. A lot of solid adventures can be had with less than what we spend on housing each month, or every couple of months – around $1500 can get you rather far. There are certainly people out there who are better qualified to advise you on how to strategically save money, and probably have spreadsheets to make things more complicated than they need to be. But my advice is: pare down, and don’t buy things. Every time I decide to not buy something I want (a concert ticket, a fancy coffee, a cool dress), I consciously think about how long that money will last me on a trip, especially in another country with a favorable exchange rate. Do I want the dress or do I want the adventure? I want the adventure. And if you’ve read this far, you do too.

Loved Ones

If your limiting factor is other people (kids and partners)

Kids

If you’re going solo, talk with whoever is taking care of your kids while you’re gone, and come to an agreement on the number of days you’ll be gone. While cycling in Patagonia, I met a French woman who sent videos or skyped with her 8-yr-old daughter every day. She said they were quite close and her daughter loved following the adventure. You don’t have to be unavailable just because you’re not physically there. A touring musician I met said she could only be gone for two weeks, or else she missed the smell of her two-year-old, and felt she missed too much of his growth. There is an old adage that says, “Kids don’t listen to what you say, but they watch everything you do.” I believe that by going on big adventures, we are empowering our kids to do the same.

I have been overwhelmingly impressed by stories of folks taking their kids on trips. By showing their kids a different way of life, they are opening them up to so much. The group might pedal 20 miles a day then play frisbee for the afternoon. They modify miles and itineraries to fit the kids’ needs, while maintaining the status of Epic Adventure for everyone. Some tote toddlers in trailers on Rails-to-Trails routes, while others take kids on tandems. There are plenty of resources to help plan a trip involving kiddos: from Adventure Cyclist, from Outside Magazine, and from REI. There are also many blogs about traveling with kids.

On the windy Tres Volcanoes route in the Ecuador highlands. I made friends with Matt ad Madeline.

Hollie Ernest

Spouses/Significant Others

This seems to mostly fall into three categories, and Alastair Humphreys’ book, Grand Adventures, helped me dissect these situations before my own departure(s). Hats off to Humphreys, who has given many of us, including myself, the extra push to chase our dreams, especially the big ones.

Situation 1: They can and want to go with you.

Hooray! Make sure they know what to expect, so there’s no tears in the rain.

Plan accordingly, and discuss time, money, and acceptable levels of comfort/discomfort to make sure you’re on the same page. The longer the trip, the more important planning together is.
Travel can be stressful on relationships, so make sure your communication is good and both of you are equally contributing to the trip, so one does not feel like they are dragging the other along, or vice versa. Be flexible and open to compromise. Discuss what might go wrong, and how you will deal with it.
A little alone time can help maintain the relationship (and sanity for my fellow introverts). Bring all the patience you can muster, because you will get annoyed with each other at some point, and that is okay. You might want to do different things when you reach a town, and that could be a good time to give each other space.

Situation 2: They can’t go with you, but are supportive.

Also hooray, with the most honeymoon-like, cuddly reunion. This was the case with me and my husband. I left before our first wedding anniversary, and he was my number one cheerleader. In fact, he still is!

Plan how you will communicate while you’re gone, and talk about what fears or worries they might have. Try your best to alleviate these concerns.
Test out your chosen method of communication (SPOT device, Whatsapp, etc.).
Give your family your tentative itinerary, and show them the other people who are doing this ‘crazy’ thing. When I left for my round-the-world trip, I set up an Instagram account for my mom and inundated her and my sister with posts and accounts of other women traveling solo. It worked! They no longer think I am completely nuts.

Situation 3: They don’t want to go, and they don’t want you to go.

Ask why they don’t want you to go, and see if you can compromise on these aspects. Is it the time, the money, the chores or childcare they will be left to tackle solo? Are you going with an attractive travel companion? Do they think it is too dangerous? Is it too dangerous? See if you can talk it out and alleviate their concerns. Can you hire help for children or housework? Can you get a friend or relative to help? Maybe your partner is saying now is not the time to go, especially if you have small children. Keep planning though, because “not now,” is not the same as “not ever.” I planned for seven years for my long tour, mainly because I needed to finish a masters degree then save up money, which took a long time. Hold fast to the dream!

If your partner is worried about the danger, remind them that most of the time, people perceive unknown situations to be much more dangerous than they actually are. Gather evidence and make your case for your location. (If you can’t, that might be a sign you should choose a different place.) When I cycled through Mexico and Central America, I checked in as often as possible with my husband, and stayed in more hotels instead of camping. It wasn’t always what I wanted to do, but it put him at ease, and that was important to me. Sometimes our lives are not only our own, and we need to consider our parents, partners, friends, and kids. These considerations might alter our adventures, but it doesn’t have to end them.

Lists and Plans

Checklist

Hollie Ernest

Make a massive to-do list on a poster board or butcher paper. Share this with a friend who might have helpful suggestions. Then make a smaller one with the things that actually, really do have to get done before you leave. Prioritize the shorter list. Accept that you will not get everything on the list done, but prioritize what’s necessary. Some important things are type 2 fun (not fun to do, but once on the road, you’ll be glad you did them).

Make all bills/house payments/kids allowances automatic. Streamline your finances so that you can meet your obligations without futzing around with online banking while you’re gone. Have one account responsible for bills, etc. and leave that card at home if you can. This way, if a card gets stolen or hacked while you’re traveling, you’ll have less to reset. Divide your traveling spending money into a few accounts, and set up some automatic transfers. This might sound like a headache now, but it’s much less work than dealing with a replacement card somewhere remote where you don’t speak the language. Use one main card while you’re gone, and hide 1-2 others in hidden pannier pockets.

Get your gear list together. This can be very fun! If you need to buy gear, look at eBay and Craigslist often, because new things pop up every day. I have found a good amount of quality, barely-used things through these sites. This relates to the money part – be thrifty. Don’t postpone your trip because you spent too much on gear. It’s better to go with what you already have than not go at all.

Nuts and Bolts

Calculate mileage, days needed, and rest days. Try not to be overly ambitious, and remember to enjoy yourself. If you can, don’t worry about your return trip. Just go. If you really must be back by a certain date, have a back up plan in case things go awry, and discuss this backup plan with loved ones.

Get a book or several from the library or bookstore, and read about the places you’ll be going. Learn about the culture and the food. Don’t just read the news, because that really should be titled, “bad stuff that happened today.” Instead, talk to people who have been there before, especially on bikes. Look at other people’s routes and do the same route, or alter it and make your own. Study maps, because it is quite fun. Ask questions, and reach out to friends of friends who might live there.

Finally, Pack your bags, and go now. Go far. Do not wait for something to happen to you, or for the ‘right time’ to magically appear. Let 2023 be the year you grab life by the horns and hop on. Then come back and tell us all about it.

This Winter, Plan Your Dream Bike Trip

The post Epic Planning appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

This Winter, Plan Your Dream Bike Trip

Laura Killingbeck — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Every time the Adventure Cycling catalog arrives at my house, I sit down, flip it open to the centerfold, and stare. It’s a map of the United States, laced with bold, brightly colored lines. These lines are bike routes. I trace them with my fingers, imagining the feel of the wind in Nevada, the glint of waves off the coast of Oregon. Maybe in Maine, I could meet a moose! And in Louisiana, a crayfish lording over its mudball castle! By the time I close the catalog, my whole body is kind of jittery. I bounce through the rest of my day, imagining the possibilities. I could bike anywhere!

Spark Your Imagination

Over the last fifteen years I’ve been lucky to go on lots of long bike trips, and each one has started in the same place: my imagination. Imagination is a vast realm of spark and sparkle. If you can see yourself pedaling away, cackling into the wind, then you’re one step closer to actually doing it.

Look at a map, read some stories from Adventure Cycling’s blog, check out some pictures, and imagine yourself pedaling. What will it feel like to ride over a mist-shrouded mountain? Or roll through the sunshine on a cheerful urban bike path? Are you eating cookies? Or picking blueberries off a roadside bush? Once the wheels of your imagination are spinning, you’re already getting somewhere.

Choose Something Exciting

After you’ve spent a while playing with the reality of infinite possibility, it’s time to point yourself in a clear direction. Which specific bike trip fills you with genuine excitement? A weekend trip around town with your best friend? An epic ride across the entire United States? A family adventure on a rail trail?

Everyone’s idea of “an exciting trip” is a little different. My own measure of an exciting trip is to answer the question, “If I fail at this, will I still be happy that I tried?” If the answer is yes, it’s probably worth pursuing. If not, I need to choose something else.

A great adventure is one that aligns with the core of what’s important to you as a person. It touches on something special, vibrant, and alive inside you that longs to be fulfilled. That’s why it feels exciting when you choose to do it! And even if things don’t go exactly as planned (spoiler alert: they rarely do) it will still be a great adventure, because it’s the path you chose from your heart.

There are always going to be some bumps in your ride.

Laura Killingbeck

Find Out What’s Stopping You

Well, there’s always something to stop you! Maybe there are several things, or a whole pile. Whatever they are, write them down. Maybe you want to pedal across Montana but you’re afraid bears will steal your snacks. Maybe you want to bike across town but prefer to go with a friend and you don’t have one yet. Maybe you don’t have time off from work right now. Maybe you don’t have a bike. It’s okay! Just add it to the list!

Once you have a list, you can relax because you’ve already achieved something great: you’ve identified exactly what’s stopping you from doing the thing you want to do. Now the ball is in your court.

Title your list “Problems to Solve!!!” And then take a look at each item. For each thing on your list, write down five solutions. If you don’t have any solutions, write down five next steps to find a solution. If you can’t think of any next steps, poke around the Adventure Cycling website. Chances are, there’s a blog on there to help you out. If there isn’t, please add your “problem to solve” in a comment below, and I’ll see if I can help you out.

Plan the Big Things

Okay, you’ve played with possibilities, pointed yourself in a direction, and identified and removed some barriers. Now you can start to really plan!

I am generally terrible at planning and tend to wait until the last minute to do it, which is why many of my trips are very awkward. You can avoid this awkwardness by reading and following The Adventure Cycling Guide to Planning Your Bicycle Adventure which is a very useful and thorough guide to all the big and little things you need to plan. Seriously: all you need is this guide.

I recommend making sure all the biggest parts of your plan make sense before you worry about the little things. The big parts are things like getting a bike that works for your route, identifying your timeframe, and creating a budget. These are the things that need to get sorted out or the trip just won’t happen. The little things—like deciding what shirt to pack or knowing what you will eat on day five—can wait until the big stuff is done.

Plan the Little Things

Once the big pieces of your adventure puzzle are in place, you can think about the wiggly little details. The Adventure Cycling Guide to Planning Your Bicycle Adventure includes resources, lists, and links which will help you get into the nitty gritty of everything you need for your trip.

For whatever reason, little things tend to be very overwhelming for me. It’s just that sometimes there’s a lot of them! When I feel overwhelmed by all the little things that I don’t know how to do, I stop, take a big breath, and start singing my favorite song, which is just the words “DON’T PANIC, I DON’T NEED TO PANIC…”, over and over again in an angelic soprano. I’m not kidding. Everyone who knows me, knows this song, and in the days leading up to a big trip I sometimes catch my friends humming the tune. It makes me happy to know they are not panicking.

It’s normal to get a little anxious when you’re setting out on something you’ve never done before. I’ve spent roughly a quarter of my adult life on wayward trips to far flung places, living in my tent, figuring it out as I go. And I STILL have to sing the “Don’t Panic” song every time I pack. I’ve come to terms with it. I hope you will too.

Biking up that hill with no problems.

Laura Killingbeck

And Then You Just Go!

I don’t know what this is like for other people, but I know what it’s like for me: as soon as I get on my bike and start pedaling, everything feels right and makes perfect sense. I pedal and breathe. I feel healthy. I feel free. And I thank my former self and all the people who endured and supported me, for all the strange steps and wild ideas that it took to get me out here, doing what I love.

Your Dream Bike Trip

Winter is the perfect time to sit back with a cup of tea and plan the bike trip of your dreams. And who knows? Once you plan it, you might really go. And if you aren’t feeling up to planning and organizing your own tour, that’s ok! Adventure Cycling offers many guided tours, including some educational tours meant to give you the knowledge and confidence to travel by bike.

Epic Planning

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