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Riding the Boundary: South Fork Owyhee Wilderness

In our overpopulated world, there are few places where humans rarely venture.  For better or worse, our species has learned how to make a living in just about every environment on Earth and has left only a precious handful of habitats unmolested.  Even in the most remote corner of Idaho – a state with more protected Wilderness than any in the lower 48 – evidence of human history is everywhere.  However, just because humans have been everywhere on our planet doesn’t mean they’re still around.  Some environments are not welcoming to our fragile and demanding bodies.  Despite the challenges of survival in hostile and difficult conditions, wild and unpopulated places call out to us.  The allure of traveling where few people have ever gone – places where evidence of human activity is nearly invisible – is a powerful draw.  This allure makes Wilderness travel undeniably attractive to a certain breed of people who are capable of cutting the cord and tuning in to a more basic way of living.  Five such adventurous souls recently struck out into the vast Wilderness surrounding the South Fork of the Owyhee River for three days of pedal-powered reconnaissance.  This is the story of that journey.

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The Crew: (L to R) Bike Hermit, Ryan, Wendell, Sky, Bryan

The group convened at the BLM headquarters in Boise to finalize a route and load gear for the 3-hour drive to our drop-off point east of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, just north of the Nevada border.  After the long drive riding three-abreast in the pickup, we were happy to stretch our legs and breathe the sage-perfumed air while we unloaded bikes.

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We set off to the west just after 11am, pedaling through Horse Basin toward the Wilderness Boundary.  The miles passed with relative ease on the well packed two-track under sunny skies and with scarcely a hint of wind.  We ground our way up a gradual climb to the plateau and turned to the south in order to survey a longer section of wilderness boundary.

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This section of doubletrack was among the smoothest any of our group had ridden in the entire region and a slight tailwind began to push us northward.  The sea of sage was interrupted by two water tanks and windmills; aging remnants of ranch infrastructure.  Each one sat in a grassy circle cleared of sage and featured abandoned eagle nests tucked into the ladder handles of the water tank.  A draft of cool air blew up from the dry well near one of the tanks.  A rock dropped down the tube never found water.

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As we turned to the west along the boundary line, we came to a rock outcropping and saw the land fall away ahead of us.  From here, we descended into Wilderness along the Coyote Hole Cherrystem to the bank of the South Fork where we would make our first camp.  The road dropped gradually at first but became steeper as we neared the canyon rim.

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A badger scuttled off the road as we approached, making off into the underbrush.  With sheer rock walls on both sides, we followed the loose, rutted track down its final plunge to river level, finding the ruins of a stone house, livestock pen and even some rusting farming implements.

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The prospect of scratching a living out of the side of this remote stream seemed pretty daunting, but compared with the barren plains above this was a paradise of plenty.  Springs bubbled out of the rocks above, delivering sweet water to wet our whistles.

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A brief exploration also revealed a river teeming with fish, which turned out to be Northern Pikeminnows.  This provided an ideal opportunity to test the borrowed Tenkara outfit the Bike Hermit packed along.  Thanks for the loan, Don!  This was the first time fishing with Tenkara for me and the Bike Hermit, so look forward to more about that experience in a future post.

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We awoke to temperatures barely above freezing and crawled from the warmth of our shelters to make our breakfast and coffee.  I noticed the tracks of what appeared to be a mountain lion just on the edge of our camp, along a path we had trod the evening before to access the river.  Did we have a visitor in the night?  I can’t say for sure, but it certainly appeared that the big cat had stalked through the bush less than 15 yards from where we slept.

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It seemed nobody was in a big hurry to tackle the climb back out of the river canyon.   The first pitches were definitely unrideable on our loaded bikes and even the more forgiving sections tested our legs and determination.  However, the exertions allowed us to quickly shake off the morning’s chill and we found ourselves back on the high plateau.  We made good time northbound along the boundary line, headed for the river ford near the 45 Ranch.

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Once atop a small rise, we were greeted with a stunning panorama of the massive gash in the earth containing the South Fork.  It was clear that the descent to the 45 Ranch was going to be a wild ride, so we strapped our gear down tight and dropped in.  The well-traveled road was delightfully smooth in some spots and terrifyingly rough in others.  The switchbacking grade led us down to the homestead of the 45 Ranch, a privately-owned ranch in partnership with the BLM and the Nature Conservancy.  We passed by the ranch on the way to the boat launch where we would ford the South Fork.             p1190854

We paused at the river ford to partake of some victuals and prepare ourselves for the uneven footing and swift water.  Group members crossed the river using varying tactics.  Some – like Wendell – carried their bikes above the knee deep water…

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Some – like Sky – pushed their bike along the bottom.  I wonder who does her maintenance…

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After crossing the river, we left ranch property and returned to the Wilderness along the Little Owyhee Cherrystem.  We started out on a flat, rocky double-track between steep rock walls.  However, when traveling through the Canyonlands, what comes down must always go up.

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Our mild and scenic road soon turned steep and nasty.  This climb out of the river canyon would be the most trying of the trip.  The combination of intense midday sun, steep grades, deep ruts, off-camber tread, loose dirt and rolling rocks made this climb mentally and physically challenging.  The left-hand track was reasonably smooth and appeared rideable but the loose soil and steep camber caused wheels to slip into the rut at the slightest shift of weight.  Most of us were forced to push our bikes nearly all the way up from the valley floor.

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The climb ground upward and topped out just uphill from a wide-open barbed wire gate.  One downside to riding in the Canyonlands is that climbs are rarely rewarded with descents as they would be in the mountains.  Instead, we were taunted by steep rollers and an increasing headwind as we headed south, keeping the Wilderness boundary on our left.

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This section is among the least-visited in the entire Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness.  Our track showed little evidence of human travel within the past several months, if not longer.  Animal scat, burrows, anthills and sagebrush abounded.  Jackrabbits, coyotes and birds of prey appeared the be the only main road users.  We investigated the heads of the Walcot and South Fork Cherrystems, neither of which had seen traffic in quite some time.

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After 14 “desert miles” riding through the wide open ocean of dust and sage along the boundary line, we crossed through a gate.  Somewhere past the gate we crossed the unmarked state boundary and into Nevada.  South of the fence, evidence of heavy horse use was everywhere.  Hoofprint potholes and heaping piles of “road apples” littered the double track and made for rough going.  The stiff headwind made life even more difficult.  We were feeling the effects of the tough climbs and long miles as we sought shelter and water for our evening’s camp.  Shadows were already growing long in the road, obscuring rocks and holes in the right-hand track.  Evidence of the fragility of life in the desert was all around.

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After cresting a small rise, we sighted a group of the horses responsible for the hoofprints and manure piles.  They became aware of our presence and pricked their ears in our direction.  However, they weren’t about to let us get very close.

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They turned tail and headed east, raising a mighty cloud of dust as they went.

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We encountered another group as we picked up the Paiute Pipeline road.  They’re just visible on the horizon in the photo below.  Despite their skittishness, we were in their territory and this wouldn’t be the last we’d hear of the horses.   We pedaled on, feeling battered by the rough road, headwind and long miles.  We were quite ready to reach our riverside camp and put our bikes to bed.

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Yet again, we braved a steep, rocky and loose descent into the river plain.  From our high point on the plateau, we looked out across the valley to see the Pipeline road continue across the basin and climb straight up the opposite wall far in the distance.  Evidence of horse mortality presented an ominous sign as we focused on making camp and put the next morning’s challenges out of our minds.

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With a sigh of relief we reached the second river ford of our trip.  Again, group members took varying approaches.  Wendell opted to stay on the south bank and make his camp above river level.  The rest of the crew elected to make the river crossing now rather than brave the chilly water in the morning.  In our depleted and mentally deficient state, pitching our camp in the middle of the road didn’t sound like such a bad idea.  We prepared our respective meals and turned into our shelters under a clear, starry sky.  The crystalline starscape is one of the biggest rewards for traveling in this tough and forbidding landscape.  Situated in the middle of one of the largest unpopulated areas anywhere in the United States, light pollution is practically non-existent.  I lay in my bivy sack for quite some time, watching shooting stars and soaking in the view of the Milky Way as I dozed off.

On the morning of the third day, the discussion centered around the question, “did you hear those horses last night?!”  At least one of the bands had descended from the plain above to river level for their evening drink, coming nearly right through our camp.  The thunder of their hooves pounding down the rocky slope shook the ground and woke us from our slumber.  The horses retreated when Wendell poked his headlamp out of his tent but continued to snort and stomp along the canyon rim.  Despite our fascination with the equine residents, it was time for us to leave this place.  We were due at the rally point at 11am to meet Evan and head back to civilization.  That meant another grind up from river level, which started right off the bat.

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This short but brutally steep stretch of Pipeline Road was littered with loose, round rocks that rolled like billiard balls at the slightest touch.  Even on an unloaded fatbike, I’m not sure if it could be climbed.  We had a difficult enough time walking up the cruel grade but were pleased that it didn’t last long.  As we headed northeast toward Idaho, evidence of horses faded and the track grew smoother.  A few rollers in the basin even delivered enough of a speed boost to get us into our big chainrings, perhaps for the first time on this odyssey.

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The climb out of the basin loomed large in the distance and we prepared ourselves for the final grunt of the trip.  The grade grew steeper the farther up the pitch we climbed and we were all forced to push our bikes to the rim.  Wendell and I waited at the top, watching the rest of the group approach and eyeing the route we had taken yesterday and this morning across the wide-open bowl of grass.

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Now back in Idaho, we continued to follow the Pipeline Road until we came across a dilapidated ranch outpost, complete with a two-story cabin, outhouse, workshop and corrals.  Despite the run-down appearance, it was clear that the property still got some occasional use but was no longer suitable as living quarters.  The cabin’s frame and foundation were solid but the roof and windows were long gone and the interior had fallen into deep disrepair.  We struggled to imagine the difficulty of survival through the bitterly cold and windy winters out here on this exposed, isolated plain.

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Just as we completed our explorations of the cabin and prepared to continue toward our meetup point, we saw the government pickup rumbling down the road toward us.  Our Wilderness adventure was finished.  With mixed emotions, we loaded our bikes and piled back into the truck for the drive back to the modern world.

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Despite – or perhaps because of – the challenges and difficulty, trips to remote corners of our planet leave us with a better sense of our place in the world.  We are reminded of the fragility of life, especially our own.  We are forced to return to a more basic way of thinking that places priority on simple survival.  When we return to the relative luxury and security of our normal lives, we do well to retain the perspective gained from journeys such as this.  However, regular doses of wildness are essential to the maintenance of that perspective.  That’s why places like this deserve to be protected.  That’s also why we’ll keep going back.

 

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Bike Touring Equipment Hermit's Workshop Idaho Planning Resources

Packing for the Smoke ‘n’ Fire 400

Greetings!  I’m a new voice here so I’ll briefly introduce myself.  My name is Ryan King and I’ll be riding the inaugural Smoke ‘n’ Fire 400 bikepacking race with the support of the good folks at Bike Touring News.  I’ve done a small handful of rides like this, including the Oregon Outback in May of this year and a four-day trip on the Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route in July but this will be my first solo, race-type bikepacking trip.  I’ve always sought out new ways to push my limits as a rider and am excited (and a little nervous) about seeing what I’m capable of through this test.  As a first-time “racer” I’m no expert at any of this so I hope that I can offer some insight into my approach to this event and help others learn from my successes and mistakes while encouraging them to undertake similar challenges of their own.

Bicycle travel can be as simple or complex as you want to make it.  I think this is part of why I enjoy a bikepacking-style approach and make every effort to streamline and simplify my trip rather than finding ways to bring more and more gear.  This takes a good deal of planning and head-scratching sometimes but the joyful freedom of pedaling a bike packed with everything you need and nothing you don’t is well worth the extra work ahead of time.

So, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.  What do you bring on such a journey and how do you carry it?  Let’s start with the “how” and then get into the “what” after that.

 

Luggage

For me, the first decision isn’t so much what to pack as how to carry it.  The carrying capacity offered by traditional rack-and-pannier setups is appealing (and ideal for longer trips) but their bulk makes them impractical when one intends to travel light and fast over more rugged terrain.  The benefits of bikepacking-style luggage have been extolled elsewhere but the main advantages for my purposes are lighter overall weight, improved aerodynamics and more clearance on narrow trails or when pushing the bike.

My setup differs slightly from the “standard” bikepacking kit in a couple of ways.  First, I prefer not to carry a backpack or hydration pack so I use a half-frame bag that fits under the top tube with room for water bottles in their cages.  The frame bag does fit a 100 oz. hydration bladder to stretch my water-carrying ability when needed.  Also, my bike is built around drop bars and a medium-size front rack, so I use a rack mounted handlebar bag rather than a handlebar harness.  This allows me to carry odd shaped, non-compressible items and offers fairly easy access to all of the bag’s contents without having to unpack.  For routes consisting of roads and easy singletrack, I find this setup to be ideal.

Although it can create something of a packing nightmare when trying to find space for everything, I find it important to place constraints on the amount of gear I’m able to carry by not allowing myself a place to put it.  This forces a higher level of planning and prioritization that pays off if done right.  Of course, there are potentially serious consequences to leaving a key piece of gear at home but experience and research will be your guide when it comes to what really matters.  Overall, a lighter bike is more fun to ride, you’ll get up the climbs with greater ease, cover rough terrain more easily and be able to enjoy your time in the saddle much more.  If your trip involves more time spent in camp than on the bike, you’ll want to pack very differently.

Here’s my luggage for the Smoke ‘n’ Fire:

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Sleep Kit

This is one department where opinions are as varied as the riders espousing them.  Some will sleep very little or plan to use lodging along the route, carrying only the bare minimum for survival if forced to camp.  Others will carry a full-size tent, air mattress and perhaps even a camp chair.  Others prefer a hammock rather than sleeping on the ground.  In wet climates a synthetic-fill bag may outperform down which loses its loft when wet.  As outdoor gear gets lighter and more packable, there are lots of good options for bikepacking-friendly gear in this department if you have the coin to spend.  My low-budget approach forces some compromise and I carry more weight and bulk in sleep kit than I would prefer but I know I’ll stay dry and warm in anything but full-on winter conditions.

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  • Therma-Rest Prolite 3 Sleeping Pad, Small
  • Sierra Designs Zissou 23° Sleeping Bag, 700-fill “Dri-Down”
  • Black Diamond (Bibler) Bipod Bivy w/single pole and 4 stakes

 

Tools, Spares, First Aid 

One of the great joys of traveling by bike is its efficiency.  On a bicycle you have ability to cover an immense amount of distance each day, even over terrain that would stop a four-wheel-drive truck in its tracks.  However, one mechanical issue at the wrong time will turn your amazing machine into a glorified luggage cart.  If you don’t like the idea of pushing or dragging your bike for miles on end it is critical to carry the tools needed to fix common mechanicals and know how to use them.  Most modern bikes require only a handful of hex wrenches to perform the majority of adjustments or repairs you’d need to make on the road.  Don’t go off the deep end preparing for every potential catastrophe and weigh yourself down with several pounds of hardened steel that you’ll never use.  If you maintain and service your bike before your trip, you shouldn’t have to perform major repairs in the field.  There also comes a point where you have to place your trust in your equipment and hope for the best.  Your tool needs will vary depending on your bike and route but my tool roll holds pretty much the same kit I would take on a long day ride with the addition of a few “just in case” items.

My first-aid kit looks small by comparison but I tend to ride very carefully on trips like this and rarely suffer much more than the odd abrasion.  The Smoke ‘n’ Fire route is never too far from major roads or outposts of civilization, so I’ll rely on outside medical aid in case of anything more severe.

I plan to use my GPS unit and cue sheet for primary navigation but always like to have good old paper maps as a backup.  I don’t like to place too much trust in electronics.

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  • Idaho Hot Springs MTB Route Map (shows 90% of Smoke ‘n’ Fire route)
  • Relevant photocopied map pages from Benchmark’s Idaho Road and Recreation Atlas
  • Compass
  • Leatherman Wingman multi-plier
  • Bakoda Cable Lock (for a little peace of mind when making resupply stops)
  • First Aid Kit w/ alcohol swabs, misc. bandages, anti-chafe cream, moleskin patches, waterproof matches.
  • DIY Tool Roll with 6, 5, 4, 3, 2mm hex wrenches, vulcanizing patches and glue, 9 and 10-spd quick-links, tire lever, DIY multitool with chain tool, 8, 9, 10mm open wrenches and bottle opener, chain lube, duct tape, spare Crank Bros cleat, misc. spare hardware, spoke wrench, tube, rag.
  • DIY leather “Junk Straps”
  • Not Pictured: Topeak Road Master Blaster frame pump (on bike)

 

Electronics

The escape from our screen-filled, flickering electronic world of ones and zeros is an appealing feature of these kinds of rides.  They allow you an opportunity to get back to a more immediate, unplugged, unfiltered, simplified existence.  This is why I carry a minimum of electronic distractions.  I brought an iPod on the Oregon Outback thinking I might need the music for extra motivation but never used it.  I’m constantly shocked and amazed by the desire people have to carry all the mess and noise of the modern world with them into the backcountry.  However, I do appreciate GPS technology for simple route-following and ride tracking, love my digital camera and struggle to imagine a world before high-powered LED lighting.  The lynchpin of this setup is the dynamo hub on my bike which powers my main headlight and a USB charger that allows me to recharge most of my devices on the go.

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  • Cygolite Expilion 700 USB-rechargable headlamp w/helmet mount
  • Garmin Edge 500
  • Gomadic Charging Cable (specific to Edge 500, also charges the Cygolite)
  • SPOT Tracker
  • Cell Phone & Charging Cable
  • Digital Voice Recorder (easier than a paper journal for ride notes)
  • Spare Battery for Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2 (Camera not pictured. Guess why.)
  • On Bike, Not Pictured: Supernova E3 Pro Headlamp and Sinewave Cycles Reactor USB Charger, powered by Shimano DH-3N80 generator hub. Portland Design Works Radbot Taillight

 

Clothing

Similar to tools and spares, this is another department where it is easy to overpack in a vain attempt to be prepared for anything.  In my estimation, if there isn’t a time where I’m wearing nearly every article of clothing I packed, I brought too much.  I’ve fallen in love with wool shirts as opposed to the wicking synthetics typically used in technical clothing.  They seem to hold just enough sweat or water next to my skin to allow it to cool me off when hot and never feel chilly or clammy when cold.  For a trip like this where I don’t plan to spend much time in towns or in camp I don’t bring changes of clothes.  I’ll be stinking to high heaven after a few days but bringing extra clothes just for the luxury of feeling a little more “civilized” isn’t worth it to me.  However, with early morning temperatures expected to be below freezing in the high places I want to give myself the best chance of staying warm.

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  • Smith Pivlock v90 sunglasses, platinum lens
  • Wool cycling cap w/earflaps
  • Generic cotton cycling cap
  • Lazer Genesis helmet
  • Sierra Designs Gnar Lite down jacket
  • Pearl Izumi cut-off half-finger gloves
  • Seirus softshell long-finger gloves
  • Dickies cut-off shorts
  • Icebreaker wool long-sleeve
  • Icebreaker wool short-sleeve
  • Wool socks, thin
  • Wool socks, thick
  • Leg Warmers
  • Synthetic (quick drying) underwear for hot spring or river dips
  • Icebreaker wool underwear
  • Rapha bibshorts
  • Specialized Pro MTB shoes
  • Cheap flip-flops
  • Not Pictured: Giro Insulated Vest

 

Hygiene and Hydration

I tend to keep things pretty simple here as well, especially for short trips like this.  I find some kind of electrolyte supplement to be a big help for warding off cramps.  I also get tired of plain water and like having one bottle of water and one of some kind of drink mix on the bike at all times, mixing up the flavors for some variety.  It’s easy to get sick of a particular taste when you’re sucking it down hour after hour, day after day.

For a trip this short, I’ll make do with quick stream baths to get the worst of dust and dirt off but would never go without my toothbrush!  However, I will use alcohol wipes in my first-aid kit to keep my backside clean.  The last thing I want to deal with is an infected saddle sore.

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  • Sunscreen
  • Hardshell sunglass case for glasses and toiletries
  • Spare contact lenses
  • Lens Case
  • Contact Solution
  • Glasses
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Chamois cream
  • Skratch Labs drink mixes
  • Nuun electrolyte tablets
  • Hammer Fizz electrolyte tablets
  • Sawyer Squeeze water filter and bag
  • Water Bottles, two 22 oz., one 26 oz.

 

Cooking and Nutrition

This is one area that I tend to overprepare in.  In an ideal world, I would carry just enough food to get me to my next resupply location without going hungry.  In the real world, I’d always rather have a little extra.  I also never know what I might find at unfamiliar stores so I prefer to carry a larger supply of food that I know packs well and keeps my fire fueled rather than making do with whatever I can get my hands on.   Also, this prevents me from being at the mercy of small country markets that often have irregular and unpredictable business hours.  There is comfort in the knowledge that if shit hits the fan I won’t be going hungry.

For rides like the Smoke ‘n’ Fire, some light-and-fast purists will leave the cookset at home.  For me, the comforting, morale-boosting ritual of preparing and enjoying a warm meal or hot beverage is well worth the extra gear and preparation time.  I prefer to cook simple dehydrated meals where I can just boil a small pot of water and add food.  This allows me to carry my simple, compact and lightweight alcohol stove.  There are lots of dehydrated food options at grocery stores with well-stocked bulk departments in addition to the freeze-dried meals available at outdoor stores.  Typically, I’ll carry oatmeal with dried fruit, granola or trail mix for breakfast and some kind of soup or bean mix for dinner.  I’ll supplement these bases with whatever I pick up along the way.  Jerky, smoked fish, tuna packets, summer sausage and cheese are favorites for quick protein and require no additional cooking.  I’ll also try to pick up fresh fruit where possible and eat it immediately since it doesn’t pack well.  When time and funding allows, a break for a hot meal in town is always a morale booster and gives me a chance to take on extra calories that I don’t have to carry.

On the bike, I’ll eat just about anything.  I like prepackaged food bars for ease of carrying/consumption, calorie density and variety of flavors/nutrients.  ProBars are among my favorites and I rarely get tired of them.  I’m excited to try out Revelate’s handlebar-mounted feedbag on this trip as it will allow me to have a bag of trail mix or other snacks easily accessible for one-hand munching.  In the past, I’ve finished trips with huge quantities of trail mix left over because it is so difficult to eat while riding and I’m typically eating my breakfast or dinner if I’m in camp.

For many of us, a hot cup of coffee in the morning is not a luxury but a necessity.  However, coffee beans and the apparatus needed to prepare them can be difficult to justify carrying and create additional waste that must be dealt with in a responsible way.  Fortunately, Starbuck’s VIA or Mount Hagen instant coffee packets are a workable substitute.  I’d much rather drink VIA than actual Starbuck’s coffee; at least it isn’t burned yet.  I also enjoy a warm cup of caffeine-free tea in the evenings while taking in the stars.  Lemon ginger tea with a splash of whiskey is a pretty delightful nightcap!

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  • Enameled Cup
  • Pot Gripper
  • MSR 1-liter stainless steel pot w/lid
  • 1 cup Refried Bean mix
  • 3 cups Lentil Soup mix
  • 4 cups Oatmeal w/dried mixed fruit
  • 2 Thai Noodle Soup packets
  • Trail Mix
  • Sesame Cheddar Sticks and Wasabi Peas
  • Fig Bars
  • 12 assorted Energy Bars
  • Handkerchief
  • Bamboo Spoon
  • Pot Scraper
  • DIY Beer Can Alcohol Stove
  • DIY Bicycle Spoke Pot Stand
  • DIY Aluminum Foil Windscreen
  • Denatured Alcohol
  • Lighter
  • Starbuck’s VIA Instant Coffee
  • Assorted caffeine-free Tea Bags

I think that’s everything!  Did I forget anything?  Now for the task of packing it all into my bags and onto the bike!  Packing strategies also vary widely but that’s a topic for another post.  Until then, here’s a photo of the Rando-Gnar all packed up at the start of the Oregon Outback.

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In my next pre-ride post I’ll get into some of the planning, strategizing and goal-setting I like to do when assessing a route.  Follow the link to read on!

Thanks for reading; I look forward to your comments and feedback!

[Looking for more Smoke ‘n’ Fire content?  Check out Ryan’s post-ride recap here.]