I'm signed up for the South Lakes 100 next weekend. First attempt at tying loads of tat to my bike and sleeping in a ditch.
So what top tips/must haves etc can you offer?
I did a trial pack last night. I've got a framebag which just about takes my usual rucksack tools/spares/pump/tubes etc tat, plus I'll probably get wash(!) kit and lights in there.
Tail pack with sleeping bag and bivvy bag
Bonk bag that will take a bit of food. I need to run it at the seat post end as I have no stem to speak of, or spare stack height to use to stabilise it.
Then everything else - clothing, sleeping mat, 1st aid kit, the rest of my food and water are going to have to go in a rucksack. I'd kinda hoped to just have water on my back, but that's never gonna work. That said, it's the lakes and we're never that far from civilisation so I can probably get away with not much liquid. Similar with food, although I'm never entirely sure what there is in Coniston and beyond. Not taking any cooking kit. I'll survive on maltloaf for breakfast and caffeine can wait until I find a café.
Nav is slightly concerning me. I've never used a GPS offroad before and can barely tolerate following the thing (Garmin 810) on road. I'm also not convinced I'll get more than about 12 hrs out of the battery (have got a power pack to charge it from). I do have a nice custom laminated Aqua3 1:25k map, but the route is a bit fiddly and I don't want to be stopping every other minute to check it. Chunks of the route are familiar, but there's a good few bits that either aren't or are subtly different to where I've been before.
Hoping to break the back (60+, hopefully 70 miles) on the Saturday. What's going to be the best solution for a midge free camping spot? I'm guessing out in the open and away from water, although in woodland will be better if the weather is manky.
Cheers!
BL
It's too late now but I would have suggested doing a couple of shorter overnight trips to get your gear sorted, find out what works etc. It's inevitable that you'll take too much the first time out and also that you (probably) won't have invested in all the lightest fanciest gear yet so a bit of extraneous weight is a given.
If you want one tip.... tape up your frame etc wherever there's a strap. A bit of grit and a long trip and you can ruin a frame easily.
Thanks - yup, will be taping the hell out of my frame.
"kit" is pretty minimal - I'm just taking bivvy bag sleeping bag & mat. The sleeping bag is larger than it could be, but the mat is pretty small (Alpkit cloudbase)
Clothing is always the issue for me. I suffer from Pie Deficiency Syndrome - a terrible ailment - a side effect of which is feeling the cold pretty badly if I get wet. Can generally survive if I can keep moving, but the idea of having to camp when wet and trying to get warm fills me with dread. So I'll probably end up carting too much to wear around for nice weather and no where near enough for if it gets grim!
Jon luckily you will have the Wilsons Arms deli to suppress you PDS the sausage rolls and pies are amazing!
Weather looking changeable but around 14 degrees perfect biking temps all the trails are riding really well
Would recommend getting Walna Scar out of the way on the first day with numerous spots before or after Trover
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/802/41594231602_bcca0ffc1a_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/802/41594231602_bcca0ffc1a_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/26nxiWb ]31124711_10156452905956474_2040482547934167040_n[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
Is that the place in Torver? Excellent! What are you lot having? 🙂
Aye, was aiming for somewhere Parkamoor-ish for beddy-byes, although making it over to Satterthwaite, so I can wake up with a Breasty Haw has a certain appeal!
There is always the risk that the Wilson's Arms will run out of pies if you are too slow. I mean, there are only enough for five or six people there. And while the XC whippets probably won't bother, you need to be towards the front or you may have to resort to quiche (shudders). 🙂
As Colin says, the first time out (and the next fifty) you'll get it wrong and take too much/the wrong gear. Your two enemies are weight and bulk, the cheap "lightweight camping kit" tends to be both but if you are just dipping your toes in the water then it's sort of inevitable that you'll end up with some or all of your kit from that category. It's unfortunate that to get the "light and compact" kit you end up spending a disproportionate amount of cash. The best place to start is by rationalisation but it takes a bit of trust that you don't need X or Y, it's just needs a different mindset. There's no one "right" solution, just something that works for you in a particular situation.
A couple of examples from your original post: wash kit? Unless you have a particular medical condition that requires you to wash then a couple of day's dirt isn't going to do you any harm. Total weight: zero. This last weekend we were in Mid-Wales for two and a half days of riding (the Bearbones WRT) and didn't bother washing at all - I couldn't smell anything 🙂 I take one of those toothbrushes and small tubes of toothpaste that get handed out on long haul flights, call it 20g.
First Aid Kit: Are you a trained paramedic? If not then think about just what you can deal with. IME anything much beyond cuts and grazes if you can walk then walk to nearest road/house and work out things from there, if you can't then you are best calling 999 and asking for MRT. My FAK is a ziplok bag with a couple of antiseptic wipes, blister pads, a few plasters and some safety pins (broken collar bone is one of the few major things that can be dealt with on the trail and just needs a spare T-shirt for the bandage). Total weight: 10g
Like you I don't do well when wet. Part of my bivy system (and it's best to think of it as a system) is a dry thermal layer and a small micro-fibre towel. Get to bivy spot: put up tarp; get under; strip off (not nice if it's midgey!); dry myself; put on thermal layer; now sort out sleeping mat and bag.
We take lots of stuff in the car then decide what to actually take almost on the morning when we set off as you've a much better idea of what the weather's going to do than several days in advance. This weekend I had roughly 17 litres of storage space on the bike and no rucksack, that included taking two nights' and mornings' food and cooking kit.
The tarns up on Claife Heights are a popular bivy spot.
Depending on the weather, I personally wouldn't feel comfortable with just a bivvy bag, especially if its wet. I take a tarp with me, just for the added shelter and extra room. Unless there are bus shelters on the route?
I've also fallen into the trap before about not being far from civilisation and thinking I'd get water, then its a 27 degree day and I'm doing nothing other than dragging myself uphill. You quickly run out of water. If you can somehow add extra water bottles to your frame (forks) then I'd be doing that. On one ride last year I had to take a 10 mile detour to restock up on water, this was after about 80 miles of a 120 mile ride and was soul destroying (I'd also been getting water as I was going, but still ran out)
Bikepacking can be awesome fun. I did a few individual "epic" rides, but I'm now no longer worrying about 100+mile multi day rides, I much prefer a max of 6 or 7 hours in the saddle, but enjoying the experience rather than suffering.
I always take a pillow with me, weighs next to nothing but is so much more comfortable than shoving clothing into a bag.
This is a few years old now, but still worth a read....
http://bikepacker.com/review-garmin-etrex-30/
http://bikeundbier.com/2016/11/garmin-etrex-gps-for-bikepacking/
Re: taking water. Have a look at a filter such as the Sawyer mini or the MSR Trailshot. The latter is 160g but means you can refill just about anywhere.
In adition to filter.
Those fokd away bottles. Fill them up towards the endif the day from tap or filter. Then you don't the dreaded next day water anxiety as you drank it all the night before.
Hi Jon,
should see you there at the weekend, I rode the Coniston section at the weekend as its a while since I had been over that area.
Bike wise do you have a bar gag at all? A Dry bag and a harness would get your bulky sleeping bag out of your back pack and on the bars and save a lot of bulk.
Im a softie and take a one man tent, I don't like midgies they love me tho.
Always carry some dry liner shorts and some wet wipes and a cloth for a clean up at the end of the first day to save dirty legs in a nice clean sleeping bag.
After Torver there didn't seem to be many places to fill bottles, it was hot and I was above farm land so filled from a stream. Not everyone would.
Navigation wise, the Garmin makes a big difference to av speed. Getting the map out lot is time consuming.
Iv had grief with my Garmin a few times, battery life is about half what it was when new.
The file type dictates if you get turn by turn navigation and off course warnings, both are very useful.
Check the garmin will run happily while connected to a battery mine can be troublesome.
I don't bother with any cooking kit / stove, but a hip flask is nice to relax with after a long day, just don't forget to fill it before you leave as I did last year!
Worth knowing that postie R knows every back lane and goat track in the area so done expect to follow the obvious path! The RIght turn off the Walna scar descent surprised me at the weekend, but opened onto some lovely singletrack.
Have fun NCB
For water... Might be helpful... Theres an app on Android (not sure about apple) called Refill. Its a map of various water refill points. Can be pubs. Shops. Public fountains etc.
Cheers all. I'll try and reply properly to some of it later.
How serious do I need to be with the frame protection for a one off trip? Will a couple of layers of PVC tape suffice? Don't really want to have to helitape all the contact points (haven't got time!), but it's a newish frame, so I'd rather it didn't get too trashed. Bags are all Alpkit.
Jon
Consider putting your tools etc back into your rucksack, and then putting your bladder in the bottom of the frame bag, the weight is much better down there, and you can still bring the hose up and out of one of the zips. Obviously don't put anything sharp with the bladder, bulk it out with inner tube and food.
Be organised, I managed to get all my sleeping stuff and tarp in the seatpack, tarp last incase its raining. Bar bag, my warm dry clothes go in first, battery pack/headtorch etc middle, and wet weather gear/towel goes in last so I can get to it easily.
Also, if the bladder leaks, its unlikely to soak anything that is critical to staying warm (unlike if its in your bag with a coat and beanie)
I’m hoping to do the 50 in a oner with a mate are entries still open? Or do we just turn up and pop cash in a bucket? We are local..
Where do you lot pack your Jim jams?
🙂
Where do you lot pack your Jim jams?
I'm with Marilyn Monroe on this one though I skip the Chanel No 5 🙂
As Whitestone says don't bother with the wash kit ,I too didn't bother on the WRT and the only time I got a whiff of myself was on the train on the way home and that can be helpful as no one wants to stand near you ,my first aid kit was a small bottle of spray on plaster and some steri strips , sleeping kit was a set of HH lifers bivy bag sleeping bag and mat ,took 1 l of water and kept a empty naglene on the frame to fill up via a katadyn filter ( more bulk than a trail shot but it's what I have and I like the triple filter system ,I think all in all my bike weighed in at 53lbs which was middle of the pack there were a couple of things I could have left behind but was happy enough with that , if your tubeless don't forget to put some extra pressures in to account for the extra weight on the front and rear ,I'll be there late Friday night ,just doing the fifty as my young fella is coming up with me
Weather is looking good near on perfect conditions 14 degrees on average 🙂
Those looking at doing the 50 bear in mind I chose the route for a first timer bike packing so expect some very mellow riding in the last 20.
The track off Walna is a beauty hope people don't ride down the BW to the right of the stream at the bridge as its a bog fest!
Ref Water filters i really like my MSR trailshot very handy and useable
Rich
Mellow riding will be good for the last 20 mate the young fella may not be upto many climbs after the first day and that should be all what's left ifI can bribe him with cake all the way round to get the first 30 done
We'll be heading over on Friday night for a beer or two so see you there Rich. Is it pre-entry only to Lee Craigie's talk or can you buy tickets on the night?
@JonEdwards - If you want to see what/how I've packed, look for a bald semi-grey bearded bloke on a flame orange Salsa Spearfish, I'll probably have a BearBones top on. I'm using the JennRide as a final shakedown for the HT550 in a couple of weeks' time but my "race" setup isn't too different from my "touring" one. Just be aware that my setup is right for me and not necessarily for anyone else but you can always take ideas from it and other peoples' and apply them to your own.
No donation needed for the Adventure film night on Friday if you have a #jennride ticket just asking for a donation from those not riding. First come first served on seats but will be plenty of standing room don't forget the pizza van!
Rich
Heres my gear layout from last year pretty much same this year
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Great to meet Rich & Whitestone.
Well I survived in decent order, not without the odd trauma, but none insurmountable.
Lessons learnt.
My paranoia about electronics is entirely justified - my Garmin crashed after 65 miles. Map to the ready!
Alpkit tail packs don't like being ridden like they were stolen (shop staff were great though)
Take less food and water. I could have got away with half the water and topped up in Grasmere and Coniston. I barely touched my own food until I hit my bivi spot, so I could just have bought stuff in Coniston.
A bivi bag on its own ain't enough. Needs a tarp to go with it. It wasn't a great nights sleep and I was decidedly damp round the edges. Still warm enough though..
Take spare socks!
I'll admit I'm yet to be convinced by the whole concept. Whilst I was surprised by how little the packs affected flat and DH handling, it definitely upset the balance of the bike a bit for the technical climbs. Manageable when fresh, less so when tired. Going as far, faster, then waving a credit card at a B&B seems like a far more sensible idea! That said - sensible is boring and it was lovely riding alongside Windermere reet early this morning.
I’ll admit I’m yet to be convinced by the whole concept. Whilst I was surprised by how little the packs affected flat and DH handling, it definitely upset the balance of the bike a bit for the technical climbs. Manageable when fresh, less so when tired. Going as far, faster, then waving a credit card at a B&B seems like a far more sensible idea! That said – sensible is boring and it was lovely riding alongside Windermere reet early this morning.
I guess some of us just enjoy being outdoors regardless. Waking up to a nice, star-filled sky will always beat a room in a B&B.
Oh I know where you're coming from with that, but I think it slightly comes down to why you ride. Is the bike a means to end of having great outdoor adventures, or is it as much about the act and enjoyment of riding the bike itself in great locations. Most of my riding is about the latter, and the bike has still given me many amazing experiences without carting a load of strapped on tat along with me.
I'm far from writing off the idea of bikepacking - don't worry - but neither have I fallen head over heels in love with it at first try.
Both for me, but then I was into backpacking before I ever had a bike, camping when I had a motorbike etc. Doing so on a bicycle just gets me to other places that neither of those enable.
This year's 100 mile route was a tough one compared to previous editions. I spent most of today nursing my bottom bracket back to Staveley
Like @scotroutes biking is another way of getting into the outdoors (previously I was a climber and fell runner). My rides range from a mid-week pootle of maybe 3km either way because it's going to be a lovely starry night to multi-day ITTs Both are equally valid.
Your comment about handling is a fair one: it takes a bit of time to figure out what's best for your bike and riding but also you get used to the bike handling differently. I'll pack different bikes differently as well.
Loved it, in training for the 24-12 so went round the 50 with a mate. Turned out we were second back after about 10hrs.
Awesome route, great event. Just the right sort of lowkey.
Much respect to Rich for organising.
