This past weekend Brandon, Paul and I went on an over night camping trip. The part that was a bit unusual was that we traveled exclusively by bicycle, carrying all our own gear.
Our plan was to go at a leisurely pace, take in some good scenery and have fun while camping out.
The ride along Green Valley Road into Flaming Geyser State Park is a nice rural road with a decent shoulder. Just east of the park the road starts to climb steeply all the way to highway 169. From there we headed north into Black Diamond and then east over the Green River Gorge.
I’d failed to make a reservation at Kanaskat Palmer State Park Campground, so we had to bush camp about 1 mile down a near by service road. Over all things went really well. Unfortunately that same day a kayaker went missing on the Green River. Aside from the obvious human tragedy, this resulted in rescue vehicles driving past our campsite throughout the day.
The ride home was considerably easier, with cooler temperatures and more descents than climbs. It seems like the secret to climbing 15% hills with 60lbs of camping gear on a 35lb bike was to just take it slow and steady. It was hot and I was tired when it was over, but my legs didn’t hurt. That got me thinking that I can ride a pretty long distance comfortably if I manage my pace and exertion level. Then again we were only pedaling for 3 hours each way.
The other thing that results from a trip like this is the inevitable upgrade wish list for bike parts. For my Kona Dew I’d like:
Offroad drop bars – either WTB dirt drop or On One Midges
Crankset – mine is heavy and the taper is worn on the left side making a loud creak each rotation
Saddle – some sort of touring seat. Not sure if I dig the Brooks or a fancy Selle Italia
