Did you get out and bikepack lately? with weekly updates

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[Colorado Cool Breeze]

Breakfast from the Hammock...
3 or 4 times a week I pack up the bike with breakfast or lunch or both and hit my local trails leaving right from my house.
Here's a few pictures from one of last weeks trips.
I hope you find the picture enjoyable and they are still in the realm of bikepacking even if just for the day and on a bike path.

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[Colorado Cool Breeze]

I keep a bell on my bike too, sometimes I can't manage "On your left". I creep up on people, not on purpose, it just happens, my zone and they are an element of temporary concern while my path shall continue. Nice to see you 'access' more 'normal' stuff too. These are my 'training grounds' for the interim. Nice bike light, is it worth the money?

I love a bell and hate yelling out. I find the bell almost always gets me a thank you as I pass. On your left! never does.
The light on my handlebars has served me well it's 3 years old and going strong.
I still us a headlamp to suppliment this light. Multiple light sources seems to help with shadows.

Nice to see you 'access' more 'normal' stuff too.

Bike paths are normal stuff?
I was worried they would not qualify for a good bikepacking post. Have any picts of your training ground and bike?

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[Colorado Cool Breeze]

So, I read these posts, study this forum. I want to be safe, informed, educated. I prefer riding alone. Appreciate your posts CCB

Thanks for the picts they look great. Hot-lanta man that picture brings back memories.
I grew up in Huntsville Al and in my early 20's I would drive to Underground to party.
It was all head shops, rock and roll, an TM back then before they cleaned the place up.
I left Hville at 27 and moved to Denver CO.

I to enjoy riding/camping solo it's nice to set ones own pace.
I'm not much for offering advice since I don't have a clue about your trails, riding/camping
experience, there's just to many variables to this whole sport but I sure will post up pictures of what I'm doing
and if that helps you or other in your bikepacking that's great.

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[wahday]

Got out this past weekend to the Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway in western New Mexico. This is also along the Continental Divide Trail and where the Trail Divide folks come through. Didn't see anyone this weekend but saw one cyclist's tracks. This is some very remote territory (I saw not another soul in two long days of biking) so my guess is it was a Trail Divide rider.

Anyway, a few pics. My original plan had been to connect with the CDT and ride a 19 mile section through the volcanic cones. Easier said than done. The trail was distinct and traversable at first, but after about two hours, the trail disappeared and I was left going overland and following cairns (which were pretty immense and very well made). As the terrain turned from grasslands to fields of watermelon-sized volcanic boulders, I decided to return to the Byway to finish out the ride. This required some backtracking, but I still had a blast. Although flat, it was very windy the first day and covering 90 miles from 1:30pm Saturday to 3:00pm Sunday left me pretty pooped.

A few shots:


Sandstone bluffs along SR117 on my way to the Byway entrance






Continental Divide Trail




Sunset


Starting to lose the trail...


Even sketchier...


Coming out the other side

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[Colorado Cool Breeze]

Wow beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing your picts.
I really like the water bottle system on your Klein. Low and center very nice.
I also like the DIY seatbags very inventive.

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

OK here's a little dirt road riding/overnighter.
This dirt road follows the South Platte River near Deckers and Night Hawk, Co.
I wanted to see how the bike handled with the majority of my camping gear in a backpack with the high CG.
I camped about 1 mile in on the Colorado Trail Seg 2. This area is about 30 miles from my house.











One needs to look up every now and then...



This poor guy is having a bad day...







Up on the CT seg2 now...





My legs hurt, my tummy is full and it's been a great day.



Country TV from my hammock...



Coffee from the hammock... LIFE is GOOD



Back to the car.



EDIT: Forgot my findings on using a backpack to carry the majority of your gear.
The pack below is an Aarn Mountain Magic 55.
Total weight without water was 14#.  
It looks overstuffed because I don't use stuff sacks for my down sleeping quilts
so they tend to expand and fill any voids in the pack.
For water I used a 1.5 L bladder carried in the pack and a emply nalgene bottle.
Water was filter from the river when needed to cook dinner and breakfast.
Over all the pack felt very good riding on a dirt road. On some of the techy stuff
that I would usually climb I had to hike a bike do to feeling too top heavy.
Moving items to the bike frame and using a smaller pack, say 22L would be a better option for me.

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[stumpyfsr]

So, Colorado Cool Breeze, you've decided to try my error - load everything into backpack Totally agree with You, that backpack should be no larger then 30L. And the rest comes on the bike. Climbing is really difficult with load on the back.
But I'm glad to see You riding and enjoying those views. Indeed, LIFE IS GOOD! Oh, did I mention that your pictures are simply breathtaking?
Does anybody live in that "house"?

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

You live 30 miles from that, woo wee!!!

Yep you don't have to drive very far to be in post card territory.

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

So, Colorado Cool Breeze, you've decided to try my error - load everything into backpack Totally agree with You, that backpack should be no larger then 30L. And the rest comes on the bike. Climbing is really difficult with load on the back.
But I'm glad to see You riding and enjoying those views. Indeed, LIFE IS GOOD! Oh, did I mention that your pictures are simply breathtaking?
Does anybody live in that "house"?

Yes I had to try the all in the backpack thing just to find my limits.
I will probably try everything on the bike and nothing on my back just to see how that feels next.
I think this is something everyone should try since I don't believe anyone can tell you what you will like or prefer.
Everyone's different.

I will probably end up with all my down quilts and clothing in a smaller backpack and water, food, cook kit, etc on the bike.

I have lived in Colorado over 30 years and never saw anyone live in that house.
I believe the tree in the roof happened 10-15 years ago.

I'm glad you like the pictures and thank for posting to help keep the conversation going.

[stumpyfsr]

Actually, I believe that it's You the one who keep this conversation (and the whole forum) going. Ive been to this site for a while but havn't seen anybody as active as You. By posting an interesting stories from your trips through postcard country You motivate more people to go out and enjoy the ride.
Especially valuable information on winter setup and camping in general.
I'm personally believe that great pictures are made by man behind the camera but not the camera itself. Still I wander what equipment do you use to create those postcards?
As for myself, I'm usually carrying my Lumix TS-3 - way lighter then my Rebel XT and also waterproof.

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

Actually, I believe that it's You the one who keep this conversation (and the whole forum) going. Ive been to this site for a while but havn't seen anybody as active as You. By posting an interesting stories from your trips through postcard country You motivate more people to go out and enjoy the ride.
Especially valuable information on winter setup and camping in general.

Quite a few members have joined in this thread with awesome pictures of there bikepacking.
As I see it the desire to post up pictures and talk about bikepacking trips and gear is there.
It doesn't always have to be about that EPIC Journey or ultra race.
Weekend and close to home trips are just as interesting to me.

 You motivate more people to go out and enjoy the ride.

That is my goal and I hope it becomes contagious because I need a little motivation every now and then as well.

A few different sub-forums might help to encourage members to start a new discussion.
I have a post in the suggestion forum for a sub forum folder on light weight backpacking gear that can be used for bikepacking.

I'm personally believe that great pictures are made by man behind the camera but not the camera itself. Still I wander what equipment do you use to create those postcards?
I'm usually carrying my Lumix TS-3 - way lighter then my Rebel XT and also waterproof.

You are right but it doesn't hurt to have nice equipment and a little photoshop experience.

Photography esp. wildlife is one of my main hobbies. I hunt the animals of Colorado with my camera.
I needed a way to get to the animals in a more efficient way. Enter the mtn bike.
Then I found I needed a way to stay longer to get that perfect shot during the golden hours at dawn and dusk.
Enter bikepacking.

My everyday camera that travels with me on all bike adventures is a Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9V with 16x opt zoom.
All the pictures I have posted here have been with that camera.

My other camera is a Nikon D300 dslr.
Here's a few examples of what the Nikon can do....uh I mean I can do, haha

[stumpyfsr]

Awesome shots! I was lucky to get a picture of moose last year in Rocky Mountains NP. Also saw a black bear a few times but he ran away faster then I reached my camera

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

Awesome shots! I was lucky to get a picture of moose last year in Rocky Mountains NP. Also saw a black bear a few times but he ran away faster then I reached my camera

Thanks,
Moose are so cool. As I understand it. UT has been donating Moose to Colorado for a few years now.
It's so neat to see moose in Colorado again.

I am by no means a pro photographer but it is fun trying to be one.
A perfect day for me is to mtn bike into a remote area setup a basecamp and a camera blind then wait for that perfect shot.
At the end of the day retire to my camp for a great evening by the fire with a little star gazing just before bed.

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

Nothing very epic to report this weekend. Local bike path riding.



Getting my urban grove on.




The FS 29er really is a dream to ride on these bike paths.
Monday I'll be in Dotsero,CO to ride thru Glenwood Canyon just a 2 day 1 night trip.
There is suppose to be a herd of Big Horn sheep reported near the NoName Exit. The exit really is called No name.
Hope to have a TR up by Thursday.