Planning my first bikepacking trip

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

I, Leah Peterson, have refused to camp my entire life. A lover of safety, cleanliness, hot showers and fresh coffee, I never saw the allure. Why should I pitch a tent and sleep in the ditch if I could sleep in a hotel bed? 

Several of my bike world friends told me I was missing out. But I wasn’t missing out, because I was content in my hotels and unaware of the joys and sorrows of bike camping. 

But, we have this son. This child is not a child, he stands at 6’2” tall and is heading into his sophomore year of college. He has his head in his books with no time for anything else, but oh, he has the wanderlust. I read that 90% of the time you’ll ever spend with your kid is spent by age 18. That was a year ago…I have less than 10% of my allotted time left with one of the most beloved, treasured people in my world. I could sob just typing it. 

E discovered the term “bikepacking” at the Philly Bike Expo. And when he heard it he said, “Wait, say that again…” His eyes lit up and he was determined to try. Julian (from this list) sent him some bikepacking essentials he had, and that was the catalyst for getting E to hit the trails. I immediately decided that since it involved my son and biking, two of my great loves, I was going. All my friends said, Leah, you don’t camp. Leah, you’ve lost your mind.

I know, I said.

Then I went to the internet and to Pam Murray and I started to plan. And you guys, every brain cell in my head was being used and I decided I must be stupid because I could not figure out how to make the logistics all work. Choose a route. How do you get to the start? How do you get back again? How to use Amtrak? Why does their train station and schedule NEVER WORK for my purposes?! What do you mean there is no camping along most of the Hudson Valley Trail? Too much mileage between these two towns, not enough between those. I have scrapped 2 entire routes we planned because we just couldn’t get the logistics to work. I do not think it is supposed to be this hard, so I must be doing it wrong. (I’m going for a ride with The Lone Wolf tomorrow who will surely scoff and confirm that I am doing it wrong. But also, maybe he will give me some pointers.)

Finally, we settled on a route that takes us along Lake Erie. With Chat GPT’s help, I have a decent plan and two campsites picked out so far. One is first come, first serve, so say a prayer for us. Say 2 prayers, because my husband is going to get roped into dropping us off and picking us up at the start and finish, and he has no idea. 

He also has no idea that I just spent $$$ on a tent, footprint, sleeping pad and sleeping quilt (ha! Have you ever heard of such a thing? What happened to sleeping bags?!). Like, really a lot. Big money. I got sucked down the gear rabbit hole and suddenly nothing but these ultralightweight things will do. It is shameful. I confessed to E who sent me this text: 

MOM SPENDING 700 ON A TENT IS NOT RIGHT THAT DOESNT MEAN YOU LOVE ME TENTS DONT COST THAT MUCH YOU DONT NEED IT TO BE COMFORTABLE😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭

So, that is what is happening over here. Be gentle in your rebukes. I am stressed out about this whole experiment on several levels! 

But this kid. What would I not do for him? I thought I’d draw the line at sleeping in ditches, but no, not even that is off-limits. I’ll do anything, it seems, to stay involved and relevant. Luckily, my second son is quite comfortable in hotels, and will not make me work this hard to be in his orbit.

Leah

[Old And In The Weeds]

Please permit me to offer an unsolicited route suggestion: Aside from the logistics of getting there and back, the C&O/GAP trail is the perfect entry-level bikepacking route with a plethora of free-camping options and Amtrak potential! https://bikecando.com/

Nick

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[Eric Daume]

Maybe try a local S24O as a shakedown ride to try everything out before going on a bigger trip. I know in my locale, I’ve found a quiet spot or two where I can not quite legally camp, but no one has complained yet. 

Eric

Plain City OH

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[Curtis McKenzie]

You are wonderful and doing everything right.  The only way is the way.  Trust yourself and enjoy the precious time with your son.

Curtis

"Who backpacks with his doughter"

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[Ryan]

What @Eric says about a shakedown is smart advice....so you know how to set up tent, use your stove, etc.

Lots of people with lots of experience on this list with good advice

I discovered camping and touring in the mid-80s when I was in my mid-30s and I belonged to a cycling club who taught me a lot...but still made some rookie mistakes (almost buying a Eureka! tent vestibule instead of 2-man tent I eventually bought after looking at a helpful chart at the no mas local United Army and Navy Surplus...LOL)

But 2 things:

Don't ignore weather warnings and think you can tough out riding through them. If you have to pause and knock on someone's door, I bet dollars to donuts they'll be happy to let you wait out a storm. People ARE good that way.

We're having a severe wildfire season already here; you've mentioned experiencing the effects. So be super smart and careful with fires (if they are allowed) and make sure they're OUT!!.

I don't love campind at 72....but I'm glad I did it in my 30s...there is something wonderfully liberating about just worrying about the days route and activities (this was before ubiquitous technology :)

Have fun! 

[Richard Rose]

Hi Leah. I second several thoughts already posted. A huge YES to the GAP/C&O for a first multi night trip. It is simply fantastic & you can very easily mix in some B&B time to break up the camping if you wish. An even bigger YES! to the suggestion of at least one Sub24. The Ann Arbor folks do them almost every month spring through fall. Lots of first timers come on these as well as seasoned veterans who are happy to help. I have many more thoughts and happy to help - you know where to find me.:)

P.S. there is a Sub 24 coming up soon in A2. June 21 I think.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 10, 2025, at 4:32 PM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

I, Leah Peterson, have refused to camp my entire life. A lover of safety, cleanliness, hot showers and fresh coffee, I never saw the allure. Why should I pitch a tent and sleep in the ditch if I could sleep in a hotel bed? 

[Leah Peterson]

Thanks for all the tips, you guys! And thank you for reassuring me, Curtis. ❤️ 

Ironically, the GAP was my first route. I scrapped it because I couldn’t get E interested in it. He said it was too historical for him, sigh. Then we scrapped Buffalo, NY to NYC - which would have been REALLY cool because the greenway spits you right onto my sister’s doorstep in lower Manhattan. But that route had almost no camping, so he rejected that one, too. He proposed the new DelMarVa route in Adventure Cycling but there is no safe/good way to get the bikes over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. (“Hitchhike!” said Pam.) We finally both chose the Erie coast independently. I’ve had to do all the planning because he can’t look away from his books and projects at ALL. 

We won’t be lighting any fires. I did put my foot down about food. I said I am not hauling food and cooking equipment. We will have all we can do learning to ride together on unknown roads, fully loaded over who knows what kind of terrain in cities we’ve never seen. And then we have to pitch tents. We will stay places that have food in a town nearby. And really, I think this will always be my rule. So don’t invite me to your bikepacking events deep in the woods. Not unless we’re eating in town before we head to camp and also we must arise and point the bikes straight to coffee in the morning. Also, we find campgrounds with hot showers and restrooms.

Those are the rules. I don’t make….well, yes I do. And I never break the rules.

Leah

On Jun 10, 2025, at 7:08 PM, Richard Rose <rmro...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Leah. I second several thoughts already posted. A huge YES to the GAP/C&O for a first multi night trip. It is simply fantastic & you can very easily mix in some B&B time to break up the camping if you wish. An even bigger YES! to the suggestion of at least one Sub24. The Ann Arbor folks do them almost every month spring through fall. Lots of first timers come on these as well as seasoned veterans who are happy to help. I have many more thoughts and happy to help - you know where to find me.:)

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[Jay]

Sounds like an adventure in the making!  I can't wait to read more about this.

My daughter is almost 19, no interest in bikes and bikepacking is completely unknown to her.  Whatever your experience is, it's sure to be chalk-full of memories.  Enjoy!

P.S. interested to hear about 'gear' at some point too

[Leah Peterson]



Jay, there is yet time! She will have no money for awhile, I bet, and bikes and outdoors are attainable even for poor students. You might get your chance for a father-daughter bike adventure. Especially if she has a bike for college (if she’s in college). That’s how my son got hooked. He rides that Clem everywhere and doesn’t have a car. He has a real affection for that bike now and wants to use it to full capability. 

Gear. 

I took Pam’s recommendation on the sreeping quilt. This is a Minnesota company (hooray!) and they are very well-loved online. I think this was a good call, or it will be, when I try it.

One needs a sleeping pad and again, I did as Pam said:

And then, the tent. This, I departed from her recommendation. Her tent is a tarp tent and is a bit lighter than mine, but this Big Agnes tent was all over online and got excellent reviews. I had no business buying such a nice tent but I have often found that “buy once cry once” is the way. If I never do another camping trip then this was a waste of money and a dumb purchase, but if I use it even a few times, it is cheaper than hotel costs. And, I do have a second son, and if he ever wants to camp, he can use this.

I also bought a bunch of straps because …it seemed like a good thing to do. Have you heard of the Infinity Tool? I decided we were getting them. I got plain black for E but got the wild, colorful tie dye for me. More is more! Pulse some Voile straps.

On Jun 10, 2025, at 10:04 PM, Jay <jason....@gmail.com> wrote:

Sounds like an adventure in the making!  I can't wait to read more about this.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ddba1b16-c32e-4e6c-96d6-0e2785aaefc4n%40googlegroups.com.

[Ryan]

Leah...couldn't agree more about buying and crying once :) Those straps are the business...fun and smart!

one more little piece of advice (good you're not hauling food)...but when someone told me this many years ago I didn't believe it, but other sources confirmed it...especially if bears are about...

Don't keep any edibles like snacks, energy bars, etc. in your tent....this even means things like toothpaste; smell will draw other creatures (besides bears). You can google (or others on list can suggest) how to keep non-perishable foods secure and away from animals.

I think you guys will have a wonderful time and I look forward to reading about your adventures in your inimitable style :)

[River Bailey]

Hey Leah,

My wife and I did the GAP/C&O a few years ago. We carried food and camped along the way. A couple nights we hit up and Airbnb to break things up and have a nice shower. I was on my Appaloosa fully loaded. Happy to share more if you're interested. Just holler! 

River

[Craig Montgomery]

Hey Leah, you'll do great. Prepare for enlightened euphoria (which usually coincides with a little exhaustion). Here's a little article that might help you understand what is going to happen to you. Physically, mentally, spiritually (from a physiological perspective).

Enjoy and we expect a ride report.

Craig in Tucson

Who at 72 still does solo rides into the backcountry

[Leah Peterson]

RYAN. I would have never known and never believed. I rode with The Lone Wolf today, an avid bike camper with 50 years’ experience) and he said that is TRUE. He said raccoons will rip right though your tent to get anything, anything resembling food. He said don’t even keep my toothpaste in my tent!!! 

On Jun 11, 2025, at 7:25 AM, Ryan <ryte...@mts.net> wrote:



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[Leah Peterson]

River, I have got to do that trail. I will try to convince E next year to do it. He said it was “too historical” but had I known how much camping there was, I’d have lured him in.

Craig - I’m ready for the changes! Sounds dreamy and I can totally see how this would deeply affect a person. 

On Jun 11, 2025, at 12:16 PM, River Bailey <riverb...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey Leah,

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[J]

TLDR 

A GAP/C&O Riv group meetup and tour could be fun.

I'd hate to see someone be put off camping by bike or any other means for fear of critters eating their food'n stuff. Unless you are in bear country and need to hang it in a tree or cook/eat 100 yards away from camp, I wouldn't sweat it and haven't in a lot of years of tent and cowboy camping. Sure anything is possible, but unlikely.

I feel it's worth throwing my experience in here and say in 25 years of adult camping by car, foot or bike, only a hand full of times have I *not kept my food and perishables in the tent with me for the very reason of racoons and other critters. I once made the mistake of leaving food in my bike bags on the bike and in the morning a hole had been chewed into the bag and breakfast oats were missing. I want my stuff with me so I can defend it by smell or by might. Critters aren't likely coming into your tent with you in there and when bikepacking it's not typical to leave your tent unguarded long enough for a critter to feel safe enough to burgle you, unless you are at a paid campsite with other regular car/RV campers and the critter (I'm looking at you raccoon) is used to getting food this way. The times camped in bear country I've hung my food in a tree as one should. 

*Just a raccoon story no one asked for

Twice, both times in the bay area California we were bullied by a gaze of raccoons. First time was at the end of our 5 month cross country "California or bust" relocation road trip. We rolled into our coastal camp site after dark towing a trailer with all our earthly possessions, 2 17ft kayaks, and 2 bicycles. After an hour or so of trying to fall asleep in the car we heard chatter and a commotion outside. Shining the flashlight back at the trailer we caught the thieves red handed having stuck their little arms through the trailer sides and pulled out the dog food bag we'd store in there. I ran them off and just a few minutes later they were back undeterred  and determined to score again even after removing the remaining dog food. Eventually we had to abandon the site after a few hours of their shenanigans and in the morning had a good laugh at the little muddy hand prints allover the kayaks. 

Second time we were at our storage place in Martinez at dusk, to load up our kayaks for a trip in the morning and a nursery of 6 or 7 shifty looking young racoons came to watch and heckle us attempt to fetch the 17ft kayaks in the unlit, tight space while they climbed around on them. The glowing orbs of their eyes eventually caused us to retreat until morning. 

None of these Raccoons should be considered wild. Both had learned that humans meant food. The first gang was car camper acclimated and the second gang had been basically raised by the guy who was storing our trailer and boats we later found out. 

J in WV

[Brian Turner]

The concern of having critters big and small get into your food is simple to avoid. Like others have mentioned, definitely don't keep food in your tent if you're in bear country, and never keep food stored in your bike bags overnight or you could wake up to holes chewed through your nice bikepacking bags! Here's how I handle it:

Firstly, I use these odor-proof OpSak bags made by LokSak. Basically, they're heavy duty zip-loc bags that come in various sizes. I store anything that resembles food or would give off a smell, like toothpaste, deodorant, etc. Store all this stuff inside the bags, inside your bikepacking bags. Secondly, overnight I will take all these odor-proof bags and place them in a small, waterproof stuff-sack (like these made by Sea to Summit). That all gets strung up high enough on a tree branch with a decent length of paracord and a heavy carabiner, far enough away from the campsite - usually 50-100 yds away. The carabiner serves double-duty as a weight to get the cord lofted up and over a high tree branch, and you can clip the bag onto it.

Brian

Lexington KY

[Minh]

Bikepacking is fun, my #1 advice is to go out for an overnite, at some point the gear, the packing can cause paralysis, so you really need to do it to really understand it!

and for gear, there is a ton of gear out there that is good enough and not that expensive, great way to start or reach out to local community to borrow/gift equipment, I just gave away an old tent myself.   Only after a few trips would I start thinking about upgrading to more specific gear.

[John Rinker]

Leah,

You've received some very worthy advice so far, and I would certainly second Minh's comment. The only thing I can add is this: As someone who tries to sleep under the stars at least 30 nights a year, I find that the first night of sleeping in my bag on a pad is an adjustment. It's usually a series of 30-minute naps throughout the night. Maybe it's because I want to peek at the sky now and then. But, the second night on, I usually sleep very well. So, go for more than one night!

Oh, and don't forget a good pillow.

Enjoy, John

[Bill Lindsay]

"my #1 advice is to go out for an overnite"

Agree with this, plus even a #0 advice: go for a non-overnight picnic.  Do the 'coffee outside' thing.  Two hour ride, unpack your coffee kit.  Enjoy a cup and a snack.  Pack up again, and two hour ride back home.  It's a similar intro to the rhythm of things.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

On Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 8:04:58 AM UTC-7 Minh wrote:

[Eric Daume]

Ooh, a pillow is good advice. I tried the stuff sack full of clothes, then an inflatable pillow, and finally found contentment with a Nemo Fillo pillow. It's not the lightest, smallest, or cheapest (combination air and foam), but it's the best I've used so far.

Eric

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[Matt C.]

Leah,

May I make the seemingly the lamest recommendation? Hear me out. Years ago (in the early 2000's) I got into cycling as a hipster on a fixed gear. I had done quite a bit of backpacking and then stumbled upon the concept of bicycle touring. I was amazed that the two could be combined and that I hadn't thought of it already<---maybe similar to your son. Around that time I found a web page about bicycle touring by a man named Ken Kifer. His thoughts on touring were inspirational. He has since passed but his articles can be found here: 

https://phred.org/~alex/kenkifer/www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/index.htm

He recommended that most tours should start and end from your home. Sounds sorta lame, but I have done this many times and am always amazed at what can be seen and experienced by just riding away from my house to a destination. I feel like I always find something new as well. So it might be logistically easier to just point to something a few days of riding away from your home and just go. Sometimes this is difficult if you are averse to stealth camping....in that case planning designated campgrounds might be in your best interest. I have toured with my wife on a few instances and on others with a few of my children. With them I always try to have something arranged for camping. But by myself or with 1-3 friends, stealth camping can be really fun. It really helps to tie places together. 

As someone who has always had wanderlust, I think there is way more adventure right out your door than you ever expect. Just going out and finding it takes a bit of perspective shift. 

Also +1 to doing an overnighter. I recommend writing down everything you bring. Then when you get home, write down everything you don't use with possibly a rational on whether it should be used next time (weather differences or tools in case of a mechanical, etc.). 

One last thing, expect that something will not go as planned. Plan all your gear. Plan your tools. Plan all your food. Plan your route. Something outside the plan will probably happen and it will be frustrating and also be the thing you reflect on the most and laugh at about the trip. Bicycle touring is often type 2 fun. 

Hope some of this helps and lowers the stress levels. 

Matt Cook

Spanish Fort, AL

[Leah Peterson]

So much good advice in this thread and I am taking nearly all of it. I’d be more wordy but I’m on tour and pecking away on an iPhone. This is a hotel tour, not camping, so don’t get too excited. 

I’ll be back Saturday evening, if you don’t hear from me. 

But you know I can’t stay away, so…

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 12, 2025, at 8:40 PM, Matt C. <sircapt...@gmail.com> wrote:

Leah,

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[velomann]

The first one is the scariest - so much second guessing. Once under your belt, it gets easier. Each trip is a learning opportunity.

I heartily endorse the quilt. I've modified my sleep system many times over a lifetime of backpacking, mountaineering, and bike touring/bikepacking. I now use a Thermarest NeoAir mattress and a Thermarest vesper down quilt. With this added modification: I always carry a silk sleeping bag liner. Super light and compact. But I don't sleep inside the liner. Instead, I slide my mattress inside the liner. It serves the dual purpose of helping to protect the mattress, and allowing me to sleep on top of a silk sheet with a comfy down quilt over me. I sleep far better than I ever did inside a sleeping tube.

Mike M

[Craig Montgomery]

Here you go Leah. You might as well learn from the best. Disregard the food and kitchen stuff and you have a basic idea of what you need. The one thing Ian doesn't talk about, and unless I've missed it, we haven't either, are the most basic of tools you should have with you. Anyway, this is a fun video and a blast from the past. Essentially though, nothing has changed much except materials. 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Ian+Hibell+on+Blue+Peter+1975

Craig in Tucson

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[Craig Montgomery]

I haven't thought about Ken Kifer for years. Loved his site. Common sense (for the most part), informative, and fun to read. Wonder what happened to him? 

Craig in Tucson

[Matthew Cook]

Unfortunately, from what I've gathered, Ken was struck and killed by a drunk driver while riding near his home sometime in 2003. There is a Wikipedia page stating this. 

To whoever is hosting his site and keeping it going, it is much appreciated as the articles provided me so much learning when I was new to cycling and more specifically touring.  

M. Cook

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[Leah Peterson]

This is all good. I’ll plan some practice runs before we leave. I even have the perfect destination with the perfect mileage. I told my kid and those of you who have been 19 year old men can guess what came out of his mouth.

“We don’t need to prepare! The adventure is just going and DOING it, Mom.” 

No. No, no, no. The adventure is when you know the things you have and planned for will WORK so you don’t ruin your trip worrying and/or working out kinks.

Here are two more questions:

1. How do you avoid ticks? I live in fear of Lyme.

2. What tools do you bring? I have tubeless and have a Dynaplug for that…

L

On Jun 13, 2025, at 11:12 AM, Matthew Cook <sircapt...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Brian Turner]

Leah, here’s my recommendation for nasty bugs like ticks and mosquitoes (coming from a Kentuckian who also spends about 1/4 of each year in Florida): I 100% recommend the products by a company called Sawyer. They make all natural deet-free repellents that actually WORK, and work very well. I used their permethrin spray on my shoes and clothing to prevent ticks when I’m camping or biking in the woods. They also make a really nice picaridin lotion (also available as a spray) that I use on my skin for mosquitoes and ticks. The lotion feels good and doesn’t give you that nasty sticky feeling that a lot of deet products do.

Brian
Lexington KY

[Eric Daume]

One rule my kids and I have for camping is, "you always forget something." This gets us in the proper mindset :)

Eric

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[Jay]

Ticks - when walking around camp in the morning, when the grass is wet: closed-toe shoes, pants tucked into your socks.  Otherwise, unless you're riding through brush, I don't think you have to worry.  You can always check each others legs and stuff if you go through a dodgy area, or can't avoid it in camp.  Bring a tick remover so you know if you see one, you can get rid of it easily.  I spray something I get here in Canada (Ben's?) around my lower legs when hiking, but I'm wearing long socks, pants (not tucked in), and sticking to trails.  But I hear you, it's something to be aware of, though don't let it distract you too much from a great time with your kiddo!

[Josiah Anderson]

Regarding ticks, what I have always done and recommended (as a backpacking instructor) is simply to do thorough checks at each mealtime and before bed. Ticks generally crawl around on you for several hours before bedding in, and so if you're checking every few hours, you will almost always catch them in time. The only time I have ever had a tick embed was while working in the garden; that was not a time I was thinking about checking. This is all in the west, though; I have no idea if ticks are the same out in your area.

For tools, I would recommend bringing at least one spare tube each (even though you're running tubeless), a patch kit, a pump of course, and a set of Allen wrenches (4,5,6 and maybe 8mm). That will be enough to fix most of the common and easy-to-fix problems. Beyond that, only bring what you're comfortable using - for example, I only started packing a FiberFix spoke after I got decently good at truing and building wheels. A chain breaker and spare master link are common things to bring, but (knock on wood) I've never broken a chain on a multi-day tour, and those things will do you more good if on the side of the road isn't your first time using them.

Also, one more tool-adjacent suggestion: I missed whether you said how long your tour will be, but on trips of more than a few days, I really like to bring a small bottle of chain lube. It's not the most essential thing, but to me it feels very refreshing to quiet down a crunchy chain while on a tour. One genius solution I've seen for this was putting some chain lube in a reused dropper bottle of the type that comes with covid tests. 

As Eric said, forgetting something is a normal part of camping, so don't worry too much. I hope you enjoy the trip!

Josiah

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[John Robert Williams]

Good morning Leah,

We have a saying in our home, borrowed from G. K. Chesterton:

“An adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered”

However 

Prepare

Prepare

Prepare

What’s the Scouting Motto?

Be Prepared!

Happy trails!

John Robert Williams

(Blantyre, Malawi)

When not in 

Traverse City, MI, US&A

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CADqZWjPEpziPw4v_EU2SuJmBwPZ4EXJzt4D%2Bf-OsBUYHUK6NMg%40mail.gmail.com.

[DTL]

John it's kind of comforting to know the first night ever gets easier to sleep, as someone who only does over nighters, and assumed i just needed more practice!

[ascpgh]

I have 650B x 42 Babyshoe Pass tires set up as tubeless on my traveling bike and because of the potential for losing a bead's seal with the rim on a tire punctured enough to need a plug I carry exam gloves, a few sheets of paper toweling and an inner tube to meet that possibility. The tubeless format has been better than I imagined when seeking improvement over my previous 700 x 32 inner tube set up. I've had to add air on a trip but neither sealant nor put an inner tube in when a bead seal came loose (gloves and paper towels for cleaning out the sealant in prep for a tube). You'll also have to remove the valve stem held to the rim with the threaded ring so you can put the inner tube's through the hole.

For ticks I've used this recommendation with success from our longstanding vet who lives in the woods and fields north of here:

Safe for dogs, not sticky or deeply chemical smelling to upset your experience. A little less convenient than a concentrated container of DEET.

A tick tool in case of an attached critter is a good thing to have:

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Leah Peterson]

I’ve read and will reread all of these again before our trip. It’s been so good to have these pointers and recs before we just set off. Some of you told me to do a practice run (which I’m excited to do, by the way) and do you know what E said? “Mom, we don’t need to do that. You don’t need to plan everything out. That’s not an adventure.” 

I do not understand this point of view. I would like to be SAFE and PREPARED and I don’t think that takes away from adventure. Again, this is a 19 year old male. We are not the same.

My tent arrived today and I can’t believe how compact it is. I almost do not dare open it. I suspect it will be like folding a map. You know you’ll never get it the way it was again. But I will open it soon, promise. The sleeping quilt order got royally messed up by Enlightened Equipment and won’t arrive until next Monday. So, I can’t load up my bike and see how it all fits yet.

We’ve talked mosquitos and food storage and now I need to move back to gear again.

1. What do you wear for rain gear? Pam wears a rain skirt and water proof socks. Her skirt is out of stock. I remember The Lone Wolf saying something about a rain cape. So I know these are two options. What is everyone using for rain? Do we even need rain gear?

2. Are you bringing a chair? Pam has, of all things, an actual tiny chair she sits in and I had never thought of this. 

3. Do you run a front rack? It seems most people don’t. I waver between the red bike which has 700c wheels and one Nitto Big Rear rack with Backabikes OR my purple bike with 650b wheels and Nitto Big Back Rack and Nitto Basket Rack + basket up front. Not sure if I’ll be on a train, but that might factor in and affect a bike with a wide front rack like that…

Fun facts! You can get merino wool underwear, bras and bike shorts and they are awesome. I think most men here knew about merino underwear but bras and bike shorts were new discoveries for me and I think they will be great on a bike tour. Talking underthings on public forums…not a thing I thought I’d do.

Ok! That’s what I got for now.

Thanks again!

On Jun 16, 2025, at 8:30 AM, ascpgh <asc...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have 650B x 42 Babyshoe Pass tires set up as tubeless on my traveling bike and because of the potential for losing a bead's seal with the rim on a tire punctured enough to need a plug I carry exam gloves, a few sheets of paper toweling and an inner tube to meet that possibility. The tubeless format has been better than I imagined when seeking improvement over my previous 700 x 32 inner tube set up. I've had to add air on a trip but neither sealant nor put an inner tube in when a bead seal came loose (gloves and paper towels for cleaning out the sealant in prep for a tube). You'll also have to remove the valve stem held to the rim with the threaded ring so you can put the inner tube's through the hole.

For ticks I've used this recommendation with success from our longstanding vet who lives in the woods and fields north of here:

<BB27A788-6D5A-4908-AA34-3BDAA4EF7E5A_1_105_c.jpeg>

Safe for dogs, not sticky or deeply chemical smelling to upset your experience. A little less convenient than a concentrated container of DEET.

A tick tool in case of an attached critter is a good thing to have:

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/9d26e1a7-f7b5-447a-8b07-37adad0a3e85n%40googlegroups.com.

<B8FCDD02-AEB6-44E4-964D-8C1AD9DD795B_1_102_o.jpeg>

<BB27A788-6D5A-4908-AA34-3BDAA4EF7E5A_1_105_c.jpeg>

[Ryan]

Hi Leah

A chair like this might work...https://www.rei.com/product/199538/crazy-creek-hex-20-original-chair 

I was going to direct you to my go-to  Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC)...but tariffs :(

Yes, you will need rain gear....in my touring experience, I do not think I took one trip where it didn't rain. I think I just used a rainshell. Yes, sometimes I got wet and one time(on a  windy , cold (5 C Canada Day) quite miserable but some kind soul in Roland Manitoba let us stay in the curling rink instead of the sodden campground in the ball field we paid for... bless his heart.  The next day we decided to cut a day off our itinerary and rode 60+ miles home to Winnipeg in intermittent rain that got heavy as we hit the city in rush hour(not fun);  Leaving civilization, not entering it, IMO.

You could set up your phone to video you unboxing and unfolding that tent :) which is very nice, by the way. Make sure it's well aired and dried out before you pack it up for your next trip...I know this is common sense but I'm mentioning it anyway. I used to hang mine up on the clotheslines set up in the laundry room of the apartment I lived in.

All this aside, I think you will have a great trip and whatever challenges you run into make it real. Wouldn't it be boring if everything went without a hitch ? :)

I can't wait to hear how you and your son fared.

Ryan in Winnipeg

[Leah Peterson]

Here is the crumbiest video I’ve ever made but this reel is my gear check, for those who wanted to know what I ended up with. Tomorrow’s the trip! We don’t start riding until Monday but will be dropped off in Cleveland tomorrow. I’m sure I have forgotten 15 things but who can carry anymore stuff than this?!?

On Jun 19, 2025, at 7:45 AM, Ryan <ryte...@mts.net> wrote:

Hi Leah

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ebb9c5ac-944d-40b5-942d-2cabf0bf8866n%40googlegroups.com.

[Jay]

I hope you and your son have a wonderful time!  I can't wait to read your ride report :-)

Enjoy the falls!  I'm on the other side, the better side ;-) at least the view is better, right?

[Leah Peterson]

Jay, I brought my passport so I can get on over to your side!!! I had no idea there was so much to do at Niagara. We are STOKED!

On Jul 5, 2025, at 6:21 PM, Jay <jason....@gmail.com> wrote:

I hope you and your son have a wonderful time!  I can't wait to read your ride report :-)

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/3efe8c40-b303-4105-a06a-f13aa90d7abcn%40googlegroups.com.

[Leah Peterson]

My son finally got his gear mounted at 10:30 pm. 🙄 Here it is, atop his 59 Clem.  We unloaded it, then put the Rivs on the Telluride’s rack and went in…where I saw he’d left his packing cube with all his clothing. 🙄🙄

A still pic:

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 5, 2025, at 11:02 PM, Leah Peterson <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Jay]

The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is pretty touristy.  And busy.  If you've never been though, it's something to experience.  Also touristy, but with good views, is Skylon tower.  I've been to the Falls like 20 times and had never went there.  Last time my wife, daughter and I had dinner there (have to reserve in advance).  It's a 360 rotating restaurant and gives great views of the falls and surrounding area.  Pricey but food was okay.  If you want to relax on a beach, try Crystal Beach.  If you all had bikes, could ride along the parkway bike path to Niagara on the Lake.  Let me know if you have any questions!  Enjoy :-)

[Leah Peterson]

Hi Friends,

We did it. My son and I rode 260 miles through Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York State, and finally, into Canada. Three states, two countries, four days, 60ish+ miles per day. I agreed to half camping, half hotel. We had to have campgrounds with showers, I said. Honestly, there is no way I could have gone to bed without a shower after those rides. It was humid and hot and we perspired from the moment we set out until we parked our bikes. 

We started from a hotel in Cleveland. I cannot say we are fans of that city; there was poor cycling infrastructure - read: NO infrastructure - and we had a hard time getting out of there. I’d had no time to get acquainted with my Garmin, and we made a few mistakes before we got rolling.

Our route took us primarily along the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. I just assumed there would be a bike lane/trail/path. It was not named the Great Lakes Seaway HIGHWAY, after all. I was sorely disappointed. It was 55 mph, 2 lane traffic with a shoulder that we kept to, and mostly rode single file. It did not feel safe to go 2 abreast. The noise, the constant vigilance and lack of peace made me pretty edgy for most of those miles. Worst of all, it cheated us out of a lot of talking time, which I was dying to have, since this kid has been so busy since he went to college. The next trip I plan will be primarily on BIKEWAYS. I am not afraid of road riding; I am irritated by it. A friend said to me, “Don’t ride on US highways where they don’t love you, Leah.” How right she is. 

The Garmin was indispensable. I have little sense of direction (I blame left-handedness) and absolutely depended on GPS. The Garmin held its charge for all those long days in the saddle - a phone would have failed me. I did bring a power bank, which was good, because I charged my devices in my tent at night.

Our first night was in Geneva State Park, in Ohio. We pitched our tents in the rain. We had practiced prior, so we were quick like jackrabbits and got our tents erected before getting too wet. The raccoons came out and had fights with each other and terrified me in the night. The state campground felt sad, but it had shower houses and this was what I really wanted. We did not dare leave our gear because we’d been warned by the host that a known thief would be checking in that afternoon and he would steal anything and everything. That meant we took all our stuff to dinner and to the beach that day. We explored Geneva On The Lake and hung out in downtown before heading to camp for the night.

A note here to say that I read all the time about people being too afraid to let their bike out of sight. Scared to ride it anywhere in case something might happen to it. But E and I took our bikes everywhere and no one even looked at them. We didn’t even always lock them because it wasn’t always possible. Our first night in Cleveland we had to leave the bikes in the lobby while our room was being readied, and we just pushed tables around them, trusting the doorman to keep a watchful eye. At dinner somewhere in NY state we just left them parked in front of a restaurant, completely unlocked and out of sight to us. The host told us he’d fight tooth and nail if anyone even looked at our bikes. But he left his station frequently to seat customers. It was fine. We parked the bikes in downtown Buffalo, asked to be seated where we could see them, because though they were locked, all our gear was on the bikes. We watched from the window and no one showed one speck of interest. I say this in case you need a little nudge of encouragement to stop garage queening your Rivendell and let it roam the world with you.

Our second night of camping was in Erie, PA at Sara’s Campground. FIVE STARS. They put the bike campers on the actual sandy beach of Lake Erie. We sat in our tents and watched the sunset, and then slept with the waves lapping the shore all night long. The Great Lakes are really inland seas, huge like oceans, but unsalted and shark-free. They are warm and inviting and wonderful. I cannot overstate how wonderful it was to awaken to those waves and that lake breeze. We took that morning to explore Presque Isle State Park, adding another 20 miles to our day. I think we rode 75 miles, in all.

From Erie we rode to Dunkirk, NY. There was NOTHING between Erie and Dunkirk. We ran out of water 10 miles before we arrived, which scared me as we were pouring sweat and it was upwards of 90 degrees. I said to E, “Do you think it’s odd that we are 5 miles from Dunkirk and there have been no road signs for it?” Scary. Just as we arrived, so did a massive downpour. We were soaked all the way through. We took hot showers and put on fresh clothes  and went to dinner at a lakeside restaurant.

We left Dunkirk behind and pointed our Rivs towards Buffalo. It was there that we rode a small section of the Empire State Trail. It was indescribable how good it felt to be off the roads and on the safety of that trail. We ate in the city and then headed for the Canadian border. 

We were greeted with a majestic scene as we approached Rainbow Bridge. You’ll see what we saw in the Instagram link I have below. We just followed the signs for bikes and walked them right to the Canadian authorities, who asked just a few questions and then waved us through. The Canadians were kind and patient with us on their roadways. We did not have to ride long before we were treated to the nicest cycleway we’d had all trip. It ran concurrent with the river, so we admired lovely homes on the riverfront as we pedaled to Fallsview, Ontario. 

Niagara Falls is amazing. You have to see it; no flowery words will describe the falls for you. 

I loved my gear. I know I overspent for things I might never use again, but I’m glad I did. I got great stuff, and it made the trip so wonderful, and I plan to bike camp again. It was light and did not make my bike feel unwieldy or heavy. I want to do the GAP and the Empire State Trail, and maybe even in autumn so I can try my new sleeping quilt. I have learned so much and it makes me want to do even more. I intend to get really good at this Garmin and route planning. I just need a partner to do these things with now that my kid is going back to his own life. I have great riding chemistry with my women’s bike group, but I need to replicate this in my new bike touring life.

Ok, I apologize for so many words, but what could I leave out? Below are the 3 videos I made and posted to my IG, if you want a visual recap of our journey.

Thanks for all your help to get me started. I really used it and it made my trip a success. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

L

On Jul 6, 2025, at 11:33 AM, Jay <jason....@gmail.com> wrote:

The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is pretty touristy.  And busy.  If you've never been though, it's something to experience.  Also touristy, but with good views, is Skylon tower.  I've been to the Falls like 20 times and had never went there.  Last time my wife, daughter and I had dinner there (have to reserve in advance).  It's a 360 rotating restaurant and gives great views of the falls and surrounding area.  Pricey but food was okay.  If you want to relax on a beach, try Crystal Beach.  If you all had bikes, could ride along the parkway bike path to Niagara on the Lake.  Let me know if you have any questions!  Enjoy :-)

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/897b8768-1bd9-418c-ac79-eeb8928b48f7n%40googlegroups.com.

[Jay]

Sounds great Leah.  I mean, you survived, you bonded with your son, you rode, you camped, you toured Niagara Falls Canada -- glad it all worked out!

[Takashi]

I enjoyed your write-up and videos very much.

Glad to know that you had precious time with your son. I'm pretty sure that memory of this trip will affect his life in a good way for long time.

Thank you for sharing!

And, yes you SHOULD do it again, because there are so many members here waiting for your ride report!

Takashi

2025年7月13日日曜日 6:11:19 UTC+9 Jay:

[Lucia Matioli]

What a wonderful write up and inspiring trip-keep going, as I too look forward to reading about your next adventure. 

Best,

Lucia

Oakland, CA

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--

Lucia Matioli

Sr Creative Consultant

goodthinkingco.com

linkedin.com/in/luciamatioli/

              

   

[Ryan]

Good on ya, Leah and terrific write-up as usual. Yes...riding on a busy highway is a serious drag...it's way less stressful if you can find secondary routes which we usually tried to do when I toured with my local club. I'm so glad you had that alone time with your son as well...you and he will have those memories for a long time

[Morgan Fox]

Leah, you’re inspiring me to finally commit and plan an overnighter. As a Clevelander I can confirm, our bike infrastructure in and around downtown is pretty much non-existent, especially by modern standards. It may improve in the next 5 years… we’ll see about that. Fortunately there’s a bounty of good riding if you avoid downtown. There’s an old satire tourism video from the 90s that proclaims “Cleveland, at least we’re not Detroit!” but I think it ought to be reversed now. 

[Morgan Fox]

Oops, not the 90s but rather 2009…

[ascpgh]

Thanks for another great story in your write up and pictures Leah. 

I look forward to your ride and impressions on the GAP and C&O. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Dan]

Thank you for the post-trip writeup Leah.

I've done a couple of overnighters but always stayed in a room. Never camped.

Your words have given me inspiration to try.

Hope you keep on to many more!

[Leah Peterson]

Hi Dan,

I will be so eager to hear if you do try camping. Everyone who knows me knows I have long said, “Leah Peterson does not camp.”

But it is oddly fulfilling to carry a tent and set it up and then take refuge in it for the night. 

It will be an expensive experiment if you do it my way, however. I bought really good gear. Know thyself! I love good gear and being prepared. If I was going to give it a fair shot, I’d have to be set up for success. And I was. It was a light, quality tent that was easy to use and transport and that made all the difference. If I was wrestling with a heavy, leaky, non-freestanding tent in the downpour I might have felt differently. Flip side is that if you really do despise camping, you’ve spent hundreds of dollars on something you will never use again…

On Jul 20, 2025, at 2:38 AM, Dan <gril...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thank you for the post-trip writeup Leah.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/bfaaa35d-7067-42f8-8138-63c85dd4a829n%40googlegroups.com.

[Ryan]

although if Dan doesn't like camping , he should be able to sell the tent and recover some of his costs...:)

[Lucia Matioli]

Hey Leah,

Do you have a list of the gear you brought with you? Not sure if I might have missed it in case you did compile a list. 

I’m going to be planning an overnight within the next month and looking for any pointers. 

I’ll be playing with making my own meals at camp. 

:)

Thanks!

Lucia 

Lucia Matioli

Sr Creative Consultant

goodthinkingco.com

linkedin.com/in/luciamatioli/

              

   

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[Leah Peterson]

Oh Lucia, I’d love to talk gear. It was painful to buy all these things, but they were all highly recommended and served me so well.

Sleeping Quilt: (disclaimer, did not use as weather was HOT,  but our Pam Murray swears by it and online reviews are stellar. A Minnesota company!) 

Sleeping pad:

Silk sleeping bag liner:

Browint Silk Sleeping Bag Liner,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TT8V49M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Ultralight bikepacking tent:

Garmin Edge 1050:

Those were the expensive things. I also got little things to make the trip good like:

Modl Infinity Tool:

Linen towel - you can find on Amazon or Etsy. They are very packable and quick-dry.

Power bank - (I had one on hand) bring in case you need to charge any device

Keen sandals - you can ride in them and then take them to the shower house and wear them in there, too. The only shoe I brought.

I did not bring cooking things or food to prepare. I ate in the towns we traveled through and honestly have no desire to ever carry food. See how your bike packs with all your gear and then see what food/utinsels you have room for. I think I would have needed bigger panniers. Or a front rack.

Does this help?

Leah 

On Jul 20, 2025, at 9:17 AM, Lucia Matioli <lucia....@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CAGU8rRUwppNni-r7_DB%3DyuPW1nXuvpJNKpWmdGHRpGQYvDU4cg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Lucia Matioli]

This helps a lot! Thank you!

What size panniers do you have?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7C69785D-6106-409F-AC38-E04B16D9CF06%40gmail.com.

[Leah Peterson]

The Rivendell Backabike bags. I wish they were a tad bigger.

On Jul 20, 2025, at 7:33 PM, Lucia Matioli <lucia....@gmail.com> wrote:



This helps a lot! Thank you!

What size panniers do you have?

Lucia

Lucia Matioli

Sr Creative Consultant

goodthinkingco.com

linkedin.com/in/luciamatioli/

              

   

On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 4:16 PM Leah Peterson <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

Oh Lucia, I’d love to talk gear. It was painful to buy all these things, but they were all highly recommended and served me so well.

Sleeping Quilt: (disclaimer, did not use as weather was HOT,  but our Pam Murray swears by it and online reviews are stellar. A Minnesota company!) 

Sleeping pad:

Silk sleeping bag liner:

Browint Silk Sleeping Bag Liner,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TT8V49M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Ultralight bikepacking tent:

Garmin Edge 1050:

Those were the expensive things. I also got little things to make the trip good like:

Modl Infinity Tool:

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CAGU8rRU0kb-FRubZDXxSK%3DZMSubfg9dMGt21%3DdxeRCLOqCrprg%40mail.gmail.com.