Scouting missions often include one or more of the following tasks: Some routes require more attention and input than others. This gem follows several regional trails, including the Galloping Goose Trail, Sooke Wilderness Trail, and The Great Trail. 25-year-old Leila Husain from Brevard, NC decided to tackle her first bikepacking trip this year during the incredibly challenging Trail version of the Rockstar Challenge, an annual self-supported event that runs from Harrisonburg to Roanoke, Virginia. And for those looking to have a red hot crack, you just might be able to knock it over in under 48 hours. The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. With the chance of fast descents, long flat fast sections of trails and roads, plus the always-dreaded climbs, the correct gearing is key to a successful bikepacking adventure. A massive thanks to Pepper for putting her faith in my route planning skills and blindly riding out into the wilderness on what is a very challenging part of Victoria for bikepacking. Along the way, she's also seeking to raise $5,000 for the Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and . After passing by Bamberton Provincial Park, a potential camping spot along the route, the Mill Bay Ferry provides safe crossing to Brentwood Bay. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. The only issue with that larger (and thus faster) wheel size is if you wish to fit fatter tyres for rougher trails. Lake Mountain . These days, dehydrated meals are pretty damn good and easy to pack in your bike bags. Mt Buller. The size of your handlebar bag will, to an extent, be governed by what type of handlebars you run; MTB bars allow the bag to be wider, gravel/road drop bars are narrower so you have less width to utilise. So youve sorted your bike its drivetrain, brakes and the wheel size. Generally well made surfaces, occasional steep/rough sections. It has the same frame as the other two models but gets the mountain bike Shimano DEORE 1X10 drivetrain, Shimano MT-200, and a 710mm Race Face Ride flat bar. The Camino de Santiago is a popular hiking trail but can also be ridden as a bikepacking route. GCOR is a 440 mile unsupported ride around the rugged and remote Olympic Mountains in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Just short enough to enjoy a few stops along the way. Here's why: Among the quiet tracks of the Dandenongs, I reflect on life, loss, and a world bumped off its axis. Traversing 426km and climbing an overall 6100m, there are quite a few uphill stretches. Lake Sirio on the Via Francigena, Piedmont, Italy, Photograph: Alamy. What:stunning temperate rainforest, good climbs, fun descents, beaches, waterfalls,food, wine, beer, cider, raspberries. For those who run a dropper seat-post, there are seat packs that compensate for the vertical movement of those as well. Ive been bikepacking and touring for over a decade. New book reveals a host of top Scottish routes A new book by bikepacking enthusiast Markus Stitz launches next month and features 20 great multi-day off-the-beaten-track cycling adventures across They are most suited to solo adventurers but there are additional accessories (larger pots, pans) for bigger groups if need be. We are depending on individuals from the bikepacking community within these corridors for help. The Cowichan Valley 8 is a 190km figure-eight bikepacking route that starts and ends at the parliament buildings in downtown Victoria, British Columbia. As such, our editorial team, route creators, and Route Stewards serve as mediators for route improvements and opportunities for connectivity, conservation, and community growth around these routes. Sometimes it's just as nice to jump on a train and roll down to the beach for a swim. Can be done on a standard gravel bike. Youll also find a few towns along the way offering up freshly brewed beer and hot chips to keep ya stoked! While riding, obey all public and private land use restrictions and rules, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and of course, follow the #leavenotrace guidelines. What: pretty rural areas, temperate rainforest, rail trail riding, quiet back roads, lakeside riding, eucalyptus woodland. The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. Shortly after navigating Victorias urban pathways, youre soon immersed in a scenic tour of whats known as the South Island, eventually skirting alongside the Cowichan River before the return journey back to Victoria. What:attractive pastoral areas, fresh produce, wineries, Yarra River, forested hills, Where:Melbourne, Yarra Valley, Yarra Ranges, Length:187km OR 134km (two route options). Be sure, however, to check the length of the tents poles and if they will fit inside one of your bike bags length-wise. July 2022: There are additional closures between Hope and Chilliwack Lake due to washouts. IMPORTANT: Please refer to the note at the end of the page about insurance, risks and backcountry communication. BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. Surface:well-made crushed gravel. After nine months of testing, we reveal if they stack up. Combining elements of trekking, camping and cycle touring, plus the spirit of Australias historical overlanders, bikepacking opens the world up to two-wheeled exploration. This route travels in both the Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwaka'wakw regions, passing through several First Nation communities along the way. What:cool temperate rainforest, tall mountain ash forest, rolling pastoral land, shady pine plantations, small towns, an award-winning brewery, interesting natural and human history, Where:Ruffy Highlands, Strathbogie Tablelands, EuroaCentral Victoria. Bike ride in Victoria, BC, British Columbia. Bikepacking the TNG is one of the best ways to explore the wilderness in the Southeast. By subscribing you become an AG Society member, helping us to raise funds for conservation and adventure projects. Widely regarded as one of the more rugged and challenging bikepacking routes in existence, the 550-mile Highland Trail carry riders over a wide variety of surfaces from smooth tarmac to rocky, boggy terrain where there's hardly a path to be found. Easily accessible from the big smoke, it's a ripper way to spend a long summer weekend! Gravel bikes have longer wheelbases for stability, far bigger tyre clearance and a more upright riding position with wider bars as comfort takes precedence over aerodynamics. So great to s, Monday night gravel .. Mt Pilot sunset. Prior to setting out check current local weather, conditions, and land/road closures. GCOR comes in three flavors: regular (436mi/41,000ft), lite (387mi/34,000ft), and hardcore (457mi/49,500ft) to deliver . Starting in the locality of Ruffy, it rolls its way through high pastoral country . The Cowichan Valley 8 is a 190km figure-eight bikepacking route that starts and ends at the parliament buildings in downtown Victoria, British Columbia. Some two-person hiking tents can be as light as 1kg. Plus, you reduce the chance of a puncture considerably with no tube in your tyre. Nothing beats getting out of your bike shoes after a day in the saddle. Prior to setting out check current local weather, conditions, and land/road closures. Some rough parts. In part one of our reportage from the 2023 event, Evan Christenson digs up a dozen interesting finds, including bikepacking bags from Osprey, Taco Pedals from Simworks, and much more. For anything from an overnighter to a two-week-long trip, hydraulic brakes would be our choice. The Otway Rip is a three-day gravel route designed to take in some of the best bits of beach and bush in South West Victoria. Bikepacking Routes, Gear, Inspiration - BIKEPACKING.com As such, our editorial team, route creators, and Route Stewards serve as mediators for route improvements and opportunities for connectivity, conservation, and community growth around these routes. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. Get the lowdown on the best touring bikes available in Australia in 2023. Its an epic ride with superb gravel roads, tough climbs, fast descents and incredible scenery. While riding, obey all public and private land use restrictions and rules, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and of course, follow the #leavenotrace guidelines. Were a fan of both brake types when applied to different scenarios. But getting out on your bike doesnt have to bankrupt you. You need to be logged in to use these features. 7 Incredible Bikepacking Trips in the US to Have on Your Radar Check out more of where Bens been riding on Instagram @bushdreamer. What: plenty of beautiful, tall mountain ash forest with many ferns. There's more than 132,000 km of dirt roads and tracks in Victoria. To help you out, Im going to briefly review six of the most common ones available on the Australian market. Its strongly recommended that you have your own personal accident and liability insurance whenever you hop on your bike. Recommended gravel/touring tyre 32mm or wider. Can be done on a road bike. In terms of bike choice, we designed this to be enjoyable on our personal gravel bikes (an alloy Giant TCX with 700x42mm tyres and a steel Curve Grovel with 6502.0 tyres), so most of the route is good quality gravel. Note: you can get insect-mesh inners for some tarp systems but then, you might as well have a tent Oh, and in storms, you will be hoping youve secured your tie-down points very, very well. To facilitate these efforts, we rely on our Bikepacking Collective and the greater bikepacking community to call attention to critical issues and opportunities that are discovered while riding these routes. We are looking for the best quality bikepacking routes to inspire and enable people to get out and explore the world in a sustainable way, on two wheels. While riding, obey all public and private land use restrictions and rules, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and of course, follow the #leavenotrace guidelines. The right equipment can make a world of difference when youre on the road. Published in Ride On magazine Autumn 2017. Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. Scotland has a vast network of so-called Great Trails, originally mapped as long-distance walking routes. Sarah Swallow's One-Hour-A-Day Challenge Starts Today Took this route an edited it to just include the Comox to Victoria route. Its never a race when bikepacking, but reliable brakes are still a must. They are equally at ease on sealed and unsealed surfaces. The riding after lunch follows more excellent gravel roads to the southern end of the King Valley, where you can stay overnight in either Whitfield or Cheshunt. Revelate, Porcelain Rocket and Aussie-based Bike Bag Dude are all highly regarded bike bag brands. The historic town of Beechworth is the perfect start/finish point for your High Country bikepacking or flashpacking adventure. The BC Trail is arguably the best way to explore and visit the many breathtaking regions of British Columbia. Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective. Long enough for a great day on the bike. Free-camping by Reedy Creek in Eldorado is magical, and once youve set up camp for the night youre not far from a slap-up dinner at Victorias smallest pub, The McEvoy Tavern. 1. For simplicity, some gravel bikes (and most of todays MTBs) will offer a 112 setup, where the front chain-ring is small (think a 34 down to 28-tooth ring), while the rear cassette features what is jokingly referred to as the dinner-plate (think 50T to 52T). Find the best Bikepacking trails in Victoria (Australia). Routes are mapped and chronicled by a core group of experienced route designers and a thriving group of contributors from around the world. A handlebar bag attaches (obviously!) A&M Cowichan Valley 8 Bikepacking Route - A bike ride in Victoria This ride takes you one some of Victoria's most scenic roads, including the Acheron Way and Mount Donna Buang Road. Although each route is different, these are the general roles that may be expected of Route Stewards: BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. Heres why. The opening part of the route is called the Heuvelrug Divide. Trangia is the most well-known brand of this type. The story of a ride over the Victorian high country on back roads and trails, following ACVs Dargo High Plains route. Some steep hills. Become a Bikepacking Collective member to help support this effort. As such, our editorial team, route creators, and Route Stewards serve as mediators for route improvements and opportunities for connectivity, conservation, and community growth around these routes. If the majority of your bikepacking is fire trails and singletrack, they offer a more comfortable and safer ride, due to their construction, than, say, a gravel bike. The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. This offers quick access to Lochside Regional Trail, a well-trafficked multi-use trail that eventually leads right back to the Galloping Goose Trail and downtown Victoria. Links and resources. Cateran Trail. The Bikepacking Collective Routes Fund is a member- and sponsor-funded initiative to develop high-quality, signature bikepacking routes. Youll receive route updates and information about our new route initiatives and opportunities as they arise. It will guide you through the heartland areas of the . Trying to squeeze, shove and cajole your gear into your bike bags is probably the most stressful part of what is a relaxing activity. In AD990 Archbishop Sigeric walked the 1,800km from Canterbury to . Surface:sealed & well-made gravel. You need to be logged in to use these features. Nearly all of todays MTBs and gravel bikes run through-axles, rather than the old quick-release systems, as this increases strength and stability of the wheel. Sea Otter is packed. Australian Geographic acknowledges the First Nations people of Australia as traditional custodians, and pay our respects to Elders past and present, and their stories and journeys that have lead us to where we are today. We now have over 130,000 km (82,000 miles) worth of routes in nearly 50 countries. This gem follows several regional trails, including the Galloping Goose Trail, Sooke Wilderness Trail, and The Great Trail. Camping spots abound, so you can ride till you drop, and if you're lucky, you'll see elk and moose, and maybe even the sockeye salmon that used to swarm to Redfish Lake. Difficulty Rating: The BC Trail was assigned a 5 out of 10 based on the distance covered and the surprisingly harsh terrain the trails follow. The trouble is, there's also a lot of paved roads so, at the very least, you'll have to cross a lot of paved roads even if you never ride down them. What: rail trail, rugged remote gravel roads, wilderness, breweries. Wed also consider it good practice to pack a spare inner tube in case the tyre plug does not work. Hydraulic disc brakes operate exactly the same as motor vehicle brakes: the brake fluid is pushed (via your brake lever) through the hose and the resultant pressure activates small pistons in the calliper, which then squeezes the brake pads against the rotor. You'll even go past Victoria's tallest tree, at around 90 metres high. One very long and satisfying descent. It features 25% more pages with extra stories, bonus art and maps, and much more Issue 09 takes readers on trips through timeone to the early days of bicyclesand offers several reminders to be grateful for supportive friends and family, and strangers we meet along the way For Issue 08, we invited several contributors to return and pick up where earlier trips and ideas left off and also feature a handful of first-timers whose perspectives weve long been eager to share Cowichan Valley Trail Closures: There have been reports that sections along the Cowichan Valley Trail are closed due to washouts caused by heavy rainfall. Hughes Creek Road. Gathering points of interest or resupply data; Checking trail closures or land-use issues; Identifying workarounds due to such closures or prosperity issues; Providing feedback on the quality or flow of a particular route or segment. After a short backtrack along the Cowichan Valley Trail, the route heads east along the Northern edge of Shawnigan Lake. A short bikepacking overnighter can be just as rewarding and restorative as a big trip. Gravel-type bike recommended. Riding around an entire mountain range: how cool is that! We have a number of large-scale projects in the works, in addition to modifications and action needed on existing routes, so be sure to get on the mailing list to stay up to date. There are more than 50 different First Nations on Vancouver Island, located in three distinct tribal regions: Coast Salish, Nuu chah nulth, and Kwakwaka'wakw. It covers a tad over 550km, gains over 8,000vm, and has been devised so that you can choose to end each day at one of the High Countrys independent craft breweries. Surface:gravel of varying quality, some rocky sections, some singletrack, some sealed road. So, this is where the fun starts! Next up is the gear, and selecting this correctly whether it is the right combo of bike bags and/or the camping kit youll go with is a key point to an enjoyable bikepacking experience. 4 days of relaxed bikepacking through central and northern Victoria Great pubs and extremely quiet roads Close proximity to Melbourne Accessible from suburban Melbourne Caravan parks or bush camps to stay at Beginning Our Bikepacking Adventure It's 6.10am on a chilly autumn morning in Melbourne. I chose this as our first bikepacking ride due to proximity to civilisation (we could actually stay in town both nights all of which are train accessible), there may be total fire ban days and love hot dinners so can buy food easily, you can get a train to and from melb there and my mate has ridden 2 of the legs before.