Snow Biking in South Carolina!

It isn't every day (or every decade) that you get to do a little riding in the snow here in South Carolina. Jenny did the math yesterday - we've recorded the same amount of accumulation in our lifetime in South Carolina as Washington DC did in the last few days of snowmageddon. Needless to say, when we get 8 inches of powder on the ground its a big deal... and a LOT OF FUN.







Foster & I had to go out and test out the conditions late Friday night of course. We only have a light cover in these photos but we ended up getting somewhere around 8 inches of snow.







Kate didn't get to go out and play in the snow Friday night. It was cold, a little windy and the snow was wet. Kate protested and ultimately compromised by playing with some inside snow.

We've always known that Foster wasn't much of a water dog but who knew he would be so into playing in the snow. He absolutely LOVES it. There's only one thing better than frisbee... SNOW FRISBEE!









You might not expect a girl raised in the south to be an expert on all things snow related... Jenny will surprise you, though. I asked her to give me some lessons on proper snow angel making.

Step 1. Find a nice patch of pristine snow.



Step 2. Pick the right spot. You know its a good one when it makes you smile.



Step 3. Lay back flat (not face down, please).



Step 4. Swish your arms and legs around.



Step 5. Appreciate the quality of your work.



My form isn't as good but its not bad for a rookie.





And riding... don't forget there was some quality fooling around to do. I'm only on 2.4"s but I still had a blast. As Kate would say, "GO GO GO!"

Trip Planning, Gear Lust & Bad Ideas

Wow! Its been a long time since my last post. I've been using the weather as an excuse to be lazy so far this off-season. In my defense, its been unseasonably cold and worse than that, WET. I feel guilty riding the local trails lately because its very muddy out there. In the meantime, what's an outdoor addict supposed to do? Answer: research, plan & lust over gear...

Here's where I've been spending my off-time lately:

Research & Planning:
Backpacking Light - BPL is a fantastic resource for gear, technique and gear swap. If you think a 3lb tent is pretty light you need this website.
Bikepacking.net - This is a great resource for getting your kit tuned to explore on your bike. I'm using it to plan my record breaking on the Tour Divide. ;)
Andrew Skurka - Somewhere between research/planning & passion. Andrew's adventures are exciting and creative. He does a fantastic job of posting journals to the web. If you're feeling lazy, watch one of Skurka's videos. You'll be ready to head out for that long hike this evening.
29 Inches - Guitar Ted's site is a great resource for the latest gear for 29ers. Big wheel bikes are becoming more mainstream every day but they're still not quite the norm. Websites like 29 Inches helps keep you up to date on the latest goodies.

Gear Lust:
Epic Designs - Eric's bags are on the top of my gear lust list. Sweet frame bags for your next epic bike adventure.
Mountain Laurel Designs - I currently use a MLD tarp / mesh tent combo and pack. Ron's gear isn't cheap and it doesn't come fast but its the best - hands down. I've reviewed some of Ron's gear in earlier posts.
Shawnee Trail Bikes - I ride RDs cranks on my singlespeed. He either re-purposes your XTR cranks or will sell you some from his stock. They're modified to serve as single speed cranks and his ceramic coating is BOMB PROOF. RD is also working with ISAR to offer sexy chain rings and cogs with the same bomber ceramic coating. I'm currently riding an ISAR chainring from RD and have a few cogs on the way. You can also catch him on Facebook here. I posted pics of RDs cranks on my bike in earlier posts. Sexy stuff!
Caldera Cones - Really simple and efficient alcohol stoves that integrate a wind screen and pot support in one UL package. You know how I feel about simple. I'm currently using the UL version that fits inside of my SnowPeak 700 pot.

Bad ideas:
The Clemson Freeride Club is hosting their 5th annual downhill race at the end of February. In my college days I entered the Clemson DH race here (different course) on a rigid geared 26" bike. I was even protested! I overheard that there's no way I got down the mountain that fast on a rigid bike. Sometimes stupid overcomes good. I'm seriously considering entering this year's race on my rigid singlespeed just to be a grouchy old goat. The odds are high that I'll do something that would be a lot of fun to watch (if you're not me). If you're in the area you should show up and support the Clemson club and root for me (to eat it). Even better maybe you should loan me your helmet cam so the world can see the carnage in first person HD glory.

Backcountry Coffee

As a self-diagnosed coffee addict I've tried a lot of different methods to get my fix in the backcountry. Hopefully summarizing my experiences will help you avoid a few mornings of bad brew and speed your path to coffee nirvana.

Instant coffees:

I've tried a few different instant coffees. They're lightweight, easy to adjust strength, simple to use and usually inexpensive. Sounds wonderful and perfectly suited for backpacking, right? Wait until you taste it. Its hot and easy... but its not coffee.

Rating:

Coffee bags (commercial):

Until recently Folgers singles coffee bags were my go to solution for hiking. Similar to instant coffee, this is a lightweight option that can be scaled up or down for strength and the bags are relatively inexpensive. I typically use two bags for a 12oz cup of coffee. The quality is so-so but its far superior to standard instant coffee products.

Rating:

Home made coffee bags:

At home I only drink coffee from a local roastery - Cashua Coffee. I've tried a few different methods of making the equivalent of the Folgers bags except with GOOD coffee inside. Theoretically this is the perfect solution, right? Great coffee, inexpensive and MYOG to boot? Perfection. Unfortunately, I never made good cup using this method. I'm sure there's a perfect combination of grind, fabric or paper and amount of coffee in the pouch but I couldn't find it. I was successful in making OK coffee using this method but not the great coffee I'm in search of.

Rating:

Pressed coffee:

This is my method of choice at home. I have a press at work, a few presses at home, a cup with a press built into it for road trips... you get the idea. I'm addicted to pressed coffee. My sweet wife gave me the Snowpeak coffee press a few years ago and I love it. The only weakness of this system is that it only serves one function and its lighter than most presses but its still not UL. Still, I take it on some trips where I can afford the volume and know I'll have time to enjoy my coffee in the morning. Its hard to beat this.

Rating:

Starbucks VIA

On my last trip I took a few pouches of Starbuck's new VIA instant coffee. I have to admit that I was pretty skeptical prior to trying this one even after reading a few positive reviews on the internet. I've had more than one horrible cup of coffee due to experiments with instant coffee gone wrong. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised by the VIA Colombian blend. It even creates a crema that you would expect from freshly brewed. The only drawback to this the price at about $1 per 8oz cup.

Rating:

Next experiment?

I've read that the Jetboil Coffee Press will work with the Snowpeak 700 mug . This could be the coffee holy grail - light at 0.8oz, low pack volume AND fantastic coffee.



Rating: TBD...

Table Rock to Eastatoe Gorge

I just got back from a two night hike from Table Rock State Park to Eastatoe Gorge via the Foothills Trail. This was a group hike coordinated by the SC State Parks program. We were blessed with great views and fantastic weather the entire weekend. The temperature never dipped below 45 F and the skies were clear all three days.

We started out at Table Rock State Park around 9AM Friday morning. We only planned to hike 9 miles each day so I was looking forward to taking time to enjoy the views and relaxing in camp both evenings.

Most of the leaves were gone but several of the large white oaks still were showing a lot of color.



Great vistas from just below Pinnacle mountain.


(After the video buffers click on the slider to make the movie play)

The first night we camped at the Cantrell Homestead. There are still remnants of the old dry stack chimney at this site and there's plenty of room to spread out. Water is only a few hundred feet down the trail making this a great way-point on the FHT. Here's a photo of my MLD Grace Duo Tarp and Serenity bug tent.



One of the unique things at the Cantrell site are the stone recliners around the fire ring. They're a great way to cook dinner, enjoy good company and warm up by the fire.



We camped the second night at the Eastatoe Creek Gorge which is about a 9 mile hike from the Cantrell site. The Eastatoe Creek runs right by the camping area.



Just down from the main camping area is an impressive narrows. You lose the sense of scale in this video unfortunately. The narrows drop around 40ft in a 20 yard run that is never more than a few feet wide. Powerful!


(After the video buffers click on the slider to make the movie play)

More great fall color along the FHT.

Two Wheels One Gear

Singlespeeding... I just can't quit jabbering about it. Jenny tries not to roll her eyes when I enthusiastically tell her about the beautiful simplicity of it. To help you understand the transformation a little better you can read this post on the MTBR.com forums. If you want the condensed version, here it is (I wish I could take credit for creating this!):

The Ten Phases of Singlespeeding

1. Build your first singlespeed -- inspired by others riding SS, you either convert an old bike or buy an entry level SS to get the flavor.. Ride it, ***** about how hard it is getting up the hills, think about where to ride next. Lather, rinse and repeat...

2. Upgrade madness -- the weight weenie / blinglespeed side takes over and you suddenly develop a need to upgrade. A combination of an empty bank account, an upset significant other or a weight weenie part failure ensues. You have parts shipped to work, so the wife won't see the bike parts you ordered. You start looking for ideas (like the MTBR SS forum) to further your obsession of the perfect SS. (note to Jenny: I didn't have any parts shipped to work)

3. Gear ratios - your brain becomes obsessed with determining the optimum gear ratio for the upcoming race or given terrain. You temporarily lose focus on just riding and being one with your bike. Your library of forks, chain rings and cogs/cassettes starts to rival the selection at Supergo or Webcyclery.

4. Realization - the entry level SS no longer is good enough. You convince yourself you need a better bike -- custom, SS specific, whatever..

5. Purism - you realize that you're almost exclusively riding your SS. Your other bikes are collecting dust. Under your breath, you sometimes mock others riding gears and work your butt off to one-up them. You use your SS as a tool to brag or as an excuse / handicap (I geared too stiff for the course...) Start hating RockShox and Shimano just on principle, and start thinking rigid forks and DH tires are the better setup.

6. Laziness - you go out and upgrade to a "proper" SS. Now that you it, the upgrade and gear ratio obsessions are fulfilled. You get lazy, and start trashing your bike without taking care of it. You forget about checking tire pressures, chain tension, broken teeth and don't even consider about the consequences. A wonderful delusion, until the bike leaves you stranded 5 miles from your car, and your cell phone has no signal deep in the woods...

7. Heresy - ride your SS so much, that when you ride your geared bike, you miss your SS. You take it one step further and actually sell off the geared bike(s) that you previously couldn't live without.

8. Fight club - start putting beer in your water bottles, grow some unusual facial hair (for the men), dress like a freak, and acquire the attitude that you don't give a **** about racing or beating the gearies. Riding a pink colored bike frame or wearing orange socks with your Birkenstocks to a bar after the ride doesn't even click to you as being strange.

9 (optional) Scorching - as if SS'ing isn't fringe enough, start thinking http://www.63xc.com is an interesting alternative. Give it a go, maybe even get hooked.

10. Approach martyrdom - actually leave the clique by riding so much that few buddies can keep up with you. You become one with your bike. You simultaneously learn a level of humbleness and let your results speak for themselves.

Because I'm a weak man I accelerated from stage 1 to 7 quickly. Most friends would argue that I teetered on the edge of stage 8 (fight club anti-social insanity) prior to singlespeeding. I argue that I'm quite stable but free thinking. I'm sure Tyler Durden would have a similar pitch. Leave me alone. Seriously, before I have to punch someone in the ear.

I digress... the point of this post is to share my new-found passion. Bikepacking (read closely - BIKE packing). I know, I know... I love cycling and backpacking so the combination should have been as obvious as peanut butter and chocolate. It just wasn't, though. It wasn't until I fell in love with singlespeeding. Better put until I became a singlespeeder. The thought of keeping all of the geary bits, springy parts and countless other complicated whatzits working properly plays counter to the simplicity that I gravitate towards. Its was fun to get out and ride but spending days out in the wilds with that sort of bike just didn't seem to fit. Enter the rigid singlespeed beauty. Seriously... sexy, fast, simple. Behold...



Now I can't wait to strap my gear on the bike and get out there. Farther, faster, easier and simply. Interested? Check out the friendliest bunch of people you'll ever meet over at bikepacking.net. There are tons of archived threads to get you up to speed and any questions that aren't easily answered by the history will be answered in short order if you post. I'll be posting gear experiments and trip reports soon. Let's go bikepacking!!

Montana Adventure

Where do I start? Its been a busy few days. Jenny & I took off for Montana this past Friday after work. Our flight out of Memphis was delayed so we missed the flight from Minneapolis to Helena. Delta was good enough to spring for food and a hotel. Unfortunately, its one of the worst hotels I've stayed in that still bears a brand name. Just in case you're looking for a hotel near the Mall of America, do yourself a favor and avoid the Ramada.

We adjusted our flight schedule to fly right into Missoula, MT since we lost a little time with the flight delays. Missoula is a great little town. We rumbled through a farmer's / craft market downtown and browsed a few stores.

Jenny in downtown Missoula



One thing that really stands out in Montana is the lack of chains. Some of them are there but they're usually on the edge of town and they haven't choked out the locally owned stores.

Jenny & Me Enjoying a cool morning in Hamilton


That evening we drove to see our friends in Hamilton, MT. Dayln and Lisa live there and were nice enough to take the bulk of their Sunday to entertain us. After grabbing a great brunch we floated the Bitterroot River.

Lisa, Jenny & Me enjoying a break on the Bitterroot


Looking downstream


Westslope Cutthroat trout - the Montana state fish

Me and Jenny in front of the Skalkaho Falls.


We drove to Helena, MT the next day (Monday). The drive from Missoula to Helena was very interesting with lots of great views. We rented bikes after arriving and rode around town to enjoy the architecture in the downtown area. Helena was one of the richest towns in the US during the local gold rush. The homes there resulting from the gold boom are gorgeous. Apparently deer are everywhere in Montana - including downtown Helena.



Tuesday was my last day in Montana. I intended to ride Helena Rim Trail... I was only partially successful. I managed to get lost on the multitude of trails outside of town. The bad news is that I never completed the HRT. The good news is that I still had a blast.

The trails look landscaped!


Big Sky


I think this is part of the trail that wasn't officially bike trail... who knows... who cares


More Montana Single Track