Mountain bike-packing really isn't all that crazy

By Stephen Hlawaty
Outdoors Columnist

With labored breaths, my brother-in-law, Jeff, and I were making our best efforts mountain biking up a steep singletrack in Steamboat Springs over the Fourth of July weekend when he said, "Who would have ever thought that bikes would one day serve as a means of transportation and recreation through this kind of mountainous terrain?"

"Crazy Californians," I said with a smirk, alluding to the original mountain bikers who first raced down Mount Tamalpias in Marin County on their rickety old Schwinn Excelsiors.

While Jeff remained uninspired by this bit of recreational history, I continued to educate him on the fact that mountain biking has taken to all types of terrain, in all kinds of weather, through every season, and on every continent. Mountain bikes have aided adventurers across the Australian Outback, through the ice fields of Antarctica, and down the icy rock slopes of Mount Everest. So I didn't think he'd respond to my mountain bike-packing trip along Deadman Road with the words that adventurers have always heard, "You're crazy."

I may have been crazier still had Jeff known that I already accomplished this country's mother of all bike-packing trips, the San Juan Hut System's seven-day, 200-plus-mile mountain bike tour from Telluride, Colo., to Moab, Utah.

It seems fitting that anyone who loves mountain biking as much as I do would want to extend his or her ride by any means necessary. For me, mountain bike-packing along Deadman Road was simply a natural extension of my love of the ride. Coupled with one of my other loved outdoor pursuits--backpacking --I was in for a great time. But such times are best shared with others, and so, I enlisted the company of my wife, Amanda, and a few friends.

From our home in Livermore, we descended to the Poudre Canyon via the Boy Scout Camp Road. Once intersecting with state Highway 14, we road west and connected with the Laramie River Road, where we camped for the first night. Riding through part of the upper Laramie River basin our second day, we then intersected with Deadman Road and camped near the North Fork of the Poudre River. From here, we reconnected with Red Feather Lakes Road, whose pavement was a welcome relief to all the bums involved.

In the end, my friends and I managed to bike over 70 miles in three days. Realize, though, that a mountain bike-packing adventure such as this requires more than a decision not to turn around at the end of a day's ride. It requires a good deal more planning and preparation than your standard day trip. But the rewards of reaching your secluded campsite at the end of a day's hard ride are worth the effort.

Packing for the trip

While my friends and I opted to carry backpacks on our backs for our ride, better choices may have been to tow a B.O.B. (short for Beast of Burden) Yak (named after the Nepalese pack animal) trailer or carry a good set of panniers. The benefits of both these load-bearing designs are that they distribute your load evenly and securely across your bike, not your back.

The B.O.B. Yak is a single-wheel trailer system that provides riders with an adaptable hitch that mounts to the back of one's bike and a lightweight frame that secures all of your gear in a waterproof bag. Panniers (saddle bags) attach to the hubs of your tires and can carry all of your essentials: lightweight tent, sleeping pad and bag, first aid kit, layering system of clothes, bug repellent, rain gear, food, backpacker's stove and bicycle repair kit.

Aside from this basic equipment list, your individual lists may vary depending upon the length and difficulty of your intended route, time of year and area climate. An important note to consider: should there be water available along your route, you might want to bring a water filter, so you can fill your water bottles and hydration packs along the way. This allows you to bring only the minimum amount of water necessary for your intended route, which also cuts down on weight. Another important consideration is the extra weight and baggage you'll be carrying as you ride over potentially difficult and strenuous terrain.

Otherwise, mountain bike-packing is a great way to combine two great outdoor pursuits. For more information on mountain bike-packing and the San Juan Hut System's seven-day tour, please consult my book "Mountain Biking Hut to Hut: Telluride to Moab." You'll be glad you did.