Originally Posted by
M Rose
So I’m trying to build a route for my first multi-day bikepacking trip. I won’t be sleeping in any hotels, air b&b’s, or bead n breakfasts. This will be a multi day trip through some of Northeastern Oregon’s most sonic and hellish country. In other words I’m wanting to go into Hell’s Canyon.
leaving from my house and ending at my house the route is 243 miles long with a total accent of 26,000 feet and 97% paved.
my question is how do I break this mileage up into realistic travel goals. I’m coming from a Overlanding background where we typically cover between 40 and 200 miles a day depending upon terrain and road type.
I grew up in Pendleton and go back every year but I haven't done any bike touring there for almost 40 years. I just looked at the ride from Athena to Elgin on Google maps to refresh my memory on what the climbs were like. I think they are off my list for good.
There's a lot of great scenery around there. Take bear spray with you (but you probably know that). I recommend doing a couple of 2 or 3 night trips this season to iron out the details but sometimes the best plan is to just go for it.
I remember driving to Pendleton with my girlfriend to do a ride and when I went to the back of the car to start unloading the bikes I discovered that I had lined my rear wheel up with the tail pipe and the tire and tube was a liquid chocalatey mess dripping onto the pavement. It wasn't easy to find a tire and tube in Pendleton at that time. I think I got one at a k-mart or bi-mart and the tire I bought kept peeling off the rim as the tube expanded on the hot pavement.
As another poster noted packing light is important. But maybe with modern equipment and gearing breakdowns aren't as much of a problem. (it is a problem with the age of my bike and knees).