Hardcore Adventures
done with
Weak Mediocrity
Hardcore Adventures
done with
Weak Mediocrity
My favorite bikepacking area is the Sheldon NWR. I have done three trips out there. This route is about 120 miles with 10,000 feet of climbing. The terrain is very challenging, and offers a lot of rolling resistance in many places.
There is no shortage of water when I did this route in May of 2024. You will see that Gooch Spring is barely active at the beginning of this ride. When I completed the loop, it had stopped flowing. However, most of the water sources should be plenty active for a spring / early summer trip. You never have to carry more than a couple of liters (YMMV).
This trip was terrific; I did not run into another person, and I saw pronghorns, deer, and endless varieties of birds.
Please note that I would only recommend this route to experienced bikepackers who are comfortable being very isolated. I recommend carrying a satellite messenger as there is no cell service out there.
I roll a Tumbleweed Prospector with a Rohloff Speedhub and mechanical BB7 brakes. It is a bike built for remote terrain. I also do a complete inspection of the bike, tighten all bolts, lube all lube-able things, and generally believe in prevention rather than rely on repair. That being said, I do bring two damn tubes (Argh! just ballast!), tire sewing kit, extra sealant, plugs, patches, etc. Do not go on a trip like this without being prepared. I generally end up plugging a tire and adding sealant on about one trip per year. So, far I have never had to boot my tire and run tubes.
I run 27.5"xi45mm rims. I like this because it allows me to run "plus" or a "fat" tire. I have been running a 4" wide tire, which get compressed to a width of 3.6 inches with the i45 rim. It rolls pretty fast when running 15-PSI, and is terrain forgiving when running low pressures like 3 to 8 PSI.
The Patterson trip I approached from Belfort, basically clockwise from Walker. The steepness going up to Belfort and then Mt. Patterson was nothing compared to the abysmally epic, nasty, bushwhacking a few miles into the route.
The success I had on this trip, actually started a week earlier from a failure. When, on my first attempt, I started my ascent toward Belmont, it was so steep, and the "road" so loose with gravel, I had no traction with my Keen sandals; that, combined with the weight of the bike / supply /gear, I made slow one-step forward / two steps back kind of progress.
So, I re-tried the trip a week later, this time with success. The key was I wore my trail running shoes with excellent traction, and I stuffed everything into my large dry bag. When it came time to climb the steep grade, I slung the dry bag over my shoulder. You can see that in the video at the 1:12 and 1:23 marks.
I still learn from each of my bikepacking experiences. That particularly experience will definitely influence my future failed attempt this year on the Caldera 500. I'll be doing that in a very ultralight setup - I may forgo hot meals / coffee.