VTXL Southbound July 2026

482km 5 nights/6 days with 9,327m total ascent. First multi-night trip for me.

VTXL is non-stop Vermont. Tunnels of gravel unroll themselves underneath lush, green, jungle-like tree canopies. Yes, there were covered bridges, creamies and general stores. We rode about 80km a day and stayed in campgrounds chatting with locals and vacationers alike. Being outside for 6 straight days was a delight I didn't expect and the rhythm of the bikepacking day was a welcome break from my normal life. While cranking out slow miles, time seemed to shift and disappear. Hours seemed like minutes. But then time slowed too: camping at Grout Pond watching the sun set when a Great Blue Heron flew over the lake. Stars populating the sky while we watched. Overall, we got lucky with weather and had no mechanicals.🔥

I rode a Surly Troll with 36×52 gearing and had an Old Man Mountain Impala rack with their Ponderosa panniers up front and a Revelate Terrapin seat in back.