# Weekend bikepacking trip



## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

My brother and I set off on a weekend bikepacking trip starting from my front door down to Cedar Hill State Park, a distance of about 30 miles. I had hoped to use a home made trailer to haul some of our gear, but I didn't have a chance to test it out prior to the trip. About a mile from home it failed spectacularly and dumped our gear all over the road. My brother said no problem - we'll just use backpacks. That's fine, I thought, I'm up for a hiking trip. But I misunderstood - he meant we'll carry our backpacks on the bikes! Oh no, I thought... but there was no way we could give up and drive to the campsite!


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

*The ill-fated trailer*

This trailer didn't work. Find out why over here.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

*Alternative gear hauling. I don't recommend this either.*

Faced with a last minute decision, we loaded up our saddle bags and hiking back packs with our gear. Riding this way is miserable. The backpack hangs on your shoulders, the waist belt digs in to your guts, and if the straps are too tight it interferes with your helmet but if they're too loose it sways back and forth. No pics of the ride because I was too scared to ride one handed long enough to dig out the camera and get a shot. Just trust me that we looked retarded and you shouldn't try to do this.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

*Some how we made it*

We took a break about half-way to devour some tacos. We were in a part of town that's predominately hispanic (which means great Mexican food), and the lady behind the counter took our orders and then said something to the other customers in Spanish. All I caught was "_bicicletas_" before they had a good laugh, but we didn't care. We were having a great time despite the crushing weight of the backpacks and the 100*F heat.

The park rangers and other campers thought we were nuts as well. This is something people just don't see in Dallas (despite this park having some decent singletrack). "You rode how far? With all that gear? In this heat?" Damn right we did.

We had about a mile of washed out, rutted, unmaintained, overgrown, chigger infested singletrack to get to the camp site. The trail wasn't part of the usual bike trails, more of just a short path to the primitive sites (no water or electric hook up for the typical RV campers). I dumped at least once. I wasn't even ashamed - the weeds covering the deeply rutted trail would have been challenging under normal circumstances. With a pack, there was no way.

We made camp, then sweated out the afternoon under the shade of a tree, reading, napping, rehydrating as best we could and celebrating our success.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

*And we ate like kings*

As the sun went down and we finally felt like moving again, we turned a hungry eye toward our provisions. We pride ourselves on eating well in camp. As boyscouts, we'd honed our cooking skills over open fires and coals glowing atop dutch ovens. No fires this trip, but a camp stove turned out some perfectly seasoned diced potatoes, and a mouthwatering mix of cubed top sirloin, zucchini, and onions with a splash of shiraz and various seasonings. No pics as it was gone in a moment.

Breakfast the next morning was pan-toasted bagel sammiches piled on with eggs, cheese, and bacon all brought from home (frozen and packed in a softsided cooler before the trip). And more taters, of course. Absolutely worth the extra weight over one of those freeze dried camp meals.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

The trip home the next day was largely uneventful. We had the good sense to repack everything so that we could strap the backpacks to the top of the panniers instead of our backs. It was still a little awkward, but much better than the trip down (and pretty close to how I normally bike camp). 

Blistering heat, suffocating humidity, a few honks, a few waves (some from the same cars that were honking), a few consultations of the map on the side of the road, but we made it home to cold showers and air conditioned houses.

We've told the tale to other family members who backed out of the trip. They're jealous enough that I think they won't miss out on the next adventure.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

Man, I'm taking you guys along on my next camping trip. I'll carry the gear ... if you'll do the cooking!


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## matanza (Jun 9, 2004)

12345


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

where did you gus ride from?

any route suggestions?


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

holy carp


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

M.J. said:


> where did you gus ride from?
> 
> any route suggestions?


We started from just on the north side of 635 in the Addison/Farmers Branch area. We took Cromwell south for quite a way, then zig zagged a bit until we got to Shore Crest on the south side of Bachman lake, then caught Harry Hines to Regal Row which turns in to Irving Blvd then Shady Grove. Turn on to MacArthur, then on to Main, then on to Beltline for several miles to the entrance to the park.

Here's a link to a google map of the route since it won't let me embed it.

Over all it was pretty good. The last stretch on beltline was 50 or 60 mile an hour divided highway with a shoulder. Not really what we wanted to be on but there aren't any other options. On the way back we went around the east side of Mountain Creek Lake which got us off beltline a lot faster but then ran in to some one lane each direction construction on (I think) Merriffield. We also ended up on 180 for a couple miles not realizing that Jefferson ran parallel, but thankfully 180 had a decent shoulder. The other streets were all fine as they were mostly residential or light industrial areas on the weekend.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Where there's a will...there's a way.


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

thanks

FWIW - if you're interested I have a BOB that I'd happily loan out to you for any future bikepacking trips (not that I want to discourage your own welding and building activities...) - am near WRL 

also - and unrelated - have you ridden the Trinity River embankment?


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

You should spend a little time over here for some good ideas on using lighter/less gear. http://www.bikepacking.net/


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

YuriB said:


> You should spend a little time over here for some good ideas on using lighter/less gear. http://www.bikepacking.net/



Cool site. I'll definitely be spending some time there. I don't think we were over packed (well maybe too much food). It was more of an issue of getting everything on the bikes at the last minute. On the way back I think the only things in my back pack were my thermarest, sheet, and a few small camp items, which is about normal for what I have strapped on top of my panniers in previous trips. It just looks larger because the hiking backpack is so big.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

You've got more determination than I do. We did an overnighter this past weekend but not with that much stuff! Very cool on your part, if not a little crazy .


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## Rob2500 (Oct 4, 2009)

*Youre cool*

Youre not crazy your cool.While other people sit on their fat asses and are critical of everyone you guys are out there doing something good and healthy.A lesson or 2 learned like the trailer.Get a bob yak and it will encourage more fun adventures.I was amazed by how much i ate as well how much energy is used.


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## Cyclist69 (Apr 15, 2011)

That's awesome!!

I also have the same bike and color.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

Cyclist69 said:


> That's awesome!!
> 
> I also have the same bike and color.


That's my brother's bike. Mine is the beat to hell giant yukon. How do you like the Motobecane? My brother broke a spoke on that trip (having full camping gear weighing him down probably had something to do with it), but other than that it seems to be a good bike. Not top of the line, but good value.


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## Cyclist69 (Apr 15, 2011)

nonsleepingjon said:


> That's my brother's bike. Mine is the beat to hell giant yukon. How do you like the Motobecane? My brother broke a spoke on that trip (having full camping gear weighing him down probably had something to do with it), but other than that it seems to be a good bike. Not top of the line, but good value.


It's a good bike, and the wheelset isn't top of the line but, seems to be the standard for bikes in this price range. I don't anticipate having any problems. If i do, i was thinking about upgrading the wheelset anyway.


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## spartacus001 (Nov 28, 2009)

I love how you used the tree


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