In 2015, I decided to take a 6 month sabbatical from my full time job and try a contract job in Montana. Almost 10 years later, I still have not returned to that job. From thru-hiking across New Zealand, spending 10 months living and working in Antarctica, and multiple bike packing trips across the United States - I have spent many nights in the back country - un-showered and unshaven. I’m lucky to have learned a lot along the way and am excited to share that all with you.
I see this channel as a resource for everyone from the beginner cyclist to the experienced thru hiker. I love to talk about all the thrifty dirtbag tips/trick, I’ve picked up through my adventures. I hope you will follow along as I share things the items have helped improve my experience. From swaps I’ve made lighten my backpack, food that helps keep me fuller, longer, and trails that I enjoy. I am happiest when I am taking someone out on a new adventure!
Really enjoyed following along your trip with this video series! Getting tooled up to try some bike adventures myself. Your vids are instructive and inspiring toward that end.
Tablets don't remove contaminants like mercury and lead, which can be naturally occurring, or pesticides and industrial chemicals. I carry a filter with both mechanical and carbon filter media and tablets. This means I'm protected from nearly everything. If I had to choose one or the other though, I would go the same route as you. A virus with diarrhea could leave you stranded on the trail to die in a mater of days whereas most other contaminants will take years to decades to have an effect, if they have any at all.
Flint and steel is a great backup to your backup and larping, not modern survival or worth taking in a backpacking setting. A Big lighter and a ferro rod is more practical. Getting a fire started with even a road flare can be challenging when it's raining (something everyone should have at least one of in their pack).
Bought all of these and they are all so cool and will be so useful! I can’t wait to try them out. I subscribed to this channel. Keep up the awesome work!
Good stuff. I would combine your breakfast ingredients into one ziplock bag (or individual bags for each morning), swap the bulky cracker box and CousCous box for ziplocks, downsize the toilet roll (you dont need all that for 3 days) and the toothpaste tube and swap out the full length toothbrush for a travel one.
I was stranded in aussie bushland and had to drink water from a 4wd tyre track. it was muddy and had an oil slick on top. It was 38 degrees and i was desperate.
hiya, In retrospect, would you have kept tube tyres then went tubeless when you got to New Mexico?I used to bike around Mt Diablo with tube tyres and i'd get about 8 goatheads a day! It got to the stage where I could fix a punctures in a matter of seconds!
@@MoveWithMurph Hiya, Thanks for the reply. Using the same tyres on the entire trip would mean less risk as you'll not be changing them over. I plan to go north to south next year..Who knows, I might do some comedy shows along the way! Ta, Chris
@@chrislynottcomedy that would be cool, you could definitely do some open mics in steamboat. Look up the steamboat comedy podcast, they are friends of mine. Also if you’re going north you certainly need tubeless but you could switch back at steamboat if you wanted to.
@@MoveWithMurph Hiya, I've contacted them..Maybe I can do a show..I've done shows in Nova Scotia, and London, even in Buenos Aires in Spanish so i know how to tone down my accent when required :)
Great tips. Good point about the hitch hiking. Surprised about the cost of camping in the north island. Wow, but I have mostly hiked in the South Island.
Loved the video, thanks for sharing. When you were getting the bike ready for downhill you took the saddle bag off and had a back pack on. I was just wondering if the saddle bag converts into a back pack and if so what brand is it? Cheers Trudy
I just had a small frameless hiking bag with me that I tossed the stuff sack and harness in while I had the seat post down. If you find a saddle bag like that please let me know.
Thank you very much for your epic videos! Your thoughts are valuable for me and others, I think, nothing over the top being said! Next year I’ll start the GDMBR at the age of 66. I have a lot of experience in cycling long distances (recumbent) but now for the first time bikepacking on a upright bicycle. (Sonder broken road ti) thank you again! BTW; I’ll use tubeless tires 😅😅
LOL, she's a good girl. I have done that in the past as well, I like to press my luck, but also every one of those tools besides the needle and thread I have used. so I keep them around.
Yep, 3/3 broken spokes on my bike have been on the side you can't get to because of the cassette. The Unior tool works great but try it out at home first because it's a weird little thing.
Nitril gloves, wet wipes, old toothbrush for cleaning out mud, blue loctite, make sure your multi-tool has a large enough hex key for pedals, spare cleat if running clipless, paracord, ski strap, caribiner, mini Bic lighter... all small and light...
Nice. Thanks for sharing. I bought my bike new over 30 years ago and the main reason I have not replaced it is easy of maintenance. It's mechanisms are simple and I have striped everyone of them down and repaired them at some stage so I'm very comfortable take it on long trips. One tool I carry that is not on your list - a small plumber's pipe wrench. This can be used in place of a pliers and an adjustable spanner. If you search a professional tool shop, not a DIY place, you should find a good quality one under 50g.
I have an old Trek 520 I like to tour on. Very reliable bike, cheap and easy to fix as well. I can confidently say your the first person to ever suggest a pipe wrench! Make a lot of sense though if you're riding an older bike. The threaded headsets take a large wrench, and ever some of the older bottom brackets. With my current ride there's nothing not even the pedals that use anything but an allen wrench. I will say, as an ex plumber, be careful using a pipe wrench on certain bolts. they create a lot of pressure and can deform them. Happy Trails!
Pump in the video I have had for over 15 years and I honestly hate it. It’s not broken so I keep using it. But as soon as it breaks it’s getting replaced with the pump linked in the bio. I was riding with someone that had the Lezyne pump and I really liked it, so much I never even used my own.
Fantastic video; very informative. Have yet to start bikepacking but hope to in not too distant future. Loved your Tour Divide videos; hope you'll have new rides/videos soon.
Thanks so much for the Super! You're the first person ever to give me one. It means a lot. I am also excited to hear you're getting value from my videos, that's why I put all this work in honestly is to help people out. Stay tuned, I just got off the Oregon Timber Trail!
