Bikepacking 101
What is bikepacking?
Simply put, bikepacking is the combination of bike touring and camping. Generally, bikepacking consists of taking a long bike journey,
ranging from a couple of days to several weeks or months, and camping along the way. You pack all of the gear needed for the trip on your bike, hence
the "packing" in the name.
Who should you go with?
You can enjoy the adventure of a nice bikepacking trip alone or with friends. Having done both many times, I think each option has it's own pros and cons. Bikepacking alone allows you plenty of flexibility to move at your own pace, as well as to make all decisions on the route and where to camp each night. I also enjoyed the solo trips because it gave me plenty of time to think and to clear my head. However, one major advantage to a group trip is that it can be extremely fun if you are bikepacking with a good group of friends. While you might have to arrange your trip a bit differently, group bikepacking trips nearly guarantee memories that will last a lifetime.
Where should you go?
While you don't need necessarily need to plan your entire trip down to the mile, it's important to have a rough idea of the route that you plan to take. Google Maps is a great resource for planning your trip, especially when using their cyclist option. I recommend starting your bikepacking journey with a short overnighter. This ensures you aren't too far away from home in case things don't go as planned, while also allowing you to test out your equipment and make sure you have everything you need. As you get more comfortable with bikepacking, you can start to extend your journeys to 2 nights, 3 nights, or longer.