Still feeling the high of my first solo and first ever (!!) bikepacking trip this past weekend, and wanted to share my experience in case anyone else wants to try but is nervous to start! I’ve been bopping around town on bikes for like 6 years but didn’t know anything about bikepacking or touring until recently. I got this old Specialized Crossroads fixed up a year ago and started thinking I’d like to try an overnight trip, but didn’t know where to start, and don’t own any camping stuff.
I spent so much time planning routes on Ride with GPS and looking at gear I thought I needed. In the end, none of my plans came together. I didn’t buy anything but some padded shorts and a single voile strap, I borrowed a tent and sleeping bag from friends and figured out the route as I went. My boyfriend had to work at last minute and I was nervous about going alone, but I’m so glad I went through with it. I had so much fun and felt so accomplished!! I know it’s not much compared to the trips some people take, but if you told me when I first got a bike and was unsure about going 9 miles roundtrip that I would be biking 85 miles, exploring unpaved trails on my own, I wouldn’t have believed it.
In sum, biking rocks, if you’ve been wanting to try an overnighter but you’re nervous to start, just start! (But maybe share your location with a friend and plan for them to pick you up in an emergency)
by bl00d0range46
1 Comment
Love it- good for you! My first trips were overnights to get to good fishing spots on closed forest service roads, was a casual cyclist at best (was looking to cover more ground than I could backpacking). Then did the GAP/C&O from Pittsburgh to DC, planning future multi day trips now.