for an 'off road' adventure in the green mountains of vermont--pedaling the gravel growler.
i started prepping when sawyer first floated the idea of riding a week of mostly gravel and single track, hopping from brewery to brewery, pub to pub, taproom to taproom.
first: i looked at the maps sawyer sent us and thought, way cool! a loop starting high above waitsfield and 70% of it gravel or single track through the woods. that sounds like a blast, even if it meant climbing a 1000'+ to end things.
second: i looked at the nishiki and thought, i could use a new bike, also way cool! for those of you who follow 'goap!', you have seen the sweet ride i got from my favorite local bike shop, drummond custom cycles. i had actually been hemming and hawing for almost two years, until robbie flat out told me, "this is the bike for doing the gravel growler." ok, it was time, i hadn't bought a new bike since the cresta, in 1984.
third: i looked at bike packing bags available that would fit on the addict and carry all my gear. soy and i have a few revelate bags already, purchased for our vancouver, sunshine coast adventure--they are well loved, great packs. but the addict has drop bars, so i went with a handlebar harness and the egress pocket handlebar bag. given that i only had a week or so, i didn't do my usual hem and haw.
forth: i looked into a compact bivy bag, with a corresponding thermarest, neo air. this last purchase was not exactly what i wanted, but the bivy only weighs a pound and the sleeping pad compresses to the size of a water bottle.
the one thing i didn't bother readying for was the beer. i suggested to the others that i would be the 'designated pedaler' and wouldn't need to practice for that. otherwise, i was geared up and ready to go outside and play!
i started prepping when sawyer first floated the idea of riding a week of mostly gravel and single track, hopping from brewery to brewery, pub to pub, taproom to taproom.
first: i looked at the maps sawyer sent us and thought, way cool! a loop starting high above waitsfield and 70% of it gravel or single track through the woods. that sounds like a blast, even if it meant climbing a 1000'+ to end things.
second: i looked at the nishiki and thought, i could use a new bike, also way cool! for those of you who follow 'goap!', you have seen the sweet ride i got from my favorite local bike shop, drummond custom cycles. i had actually been hemming and hawing for almost two years, until robbie flat out told me, "this is the bike for doing the gravel growler." ok, it was time, i hadn't bought a new bike since the cresta, in 1984.
third: i looked at bike packing bags available that would fit on the addict and carry all my gear. soy and i have a few revelate bags already, purchased for our vancouver, sunshine coast adventure--they are well loved, great packs. but the addict has drop bars, so i went with a handlebar harness and the egress pocket handlebar bag. given that i only had a week or so, i didn't do my usual hem and haw.
forth: i looked into a compact bivy bag, with a corresponding thermarest, neo air. this last purchase was not exactly what i wanted, but the bivy only weighs a pound and the sleeping pad compresses to the size of a water bottle.
the one thing i didn't bother readying for was the beer. i suggested to the others that i would be the 'designated pedaler' and wouldn't need to practice for that. otherwise, i was geared up and ready to go outside and play!
