Barely a month to go

Time is flying by and December 12th is rapidly approaching.  Gear decisions are finally coming to closure.  I have updated my winter storm and riding gear with a Mammut storm shell and a Mammut Softshell.  My new Western Mountaineering 0 degree sleeping bag arrived as did my winter pogies.

The addition of the pogies has caused me to ditch the Jeff Jones bars for a pair of straight Salsa Pro Moto bars.  While I like these bars I do miss the sweep of the Jones bars.  Obviously in winter your hands are in the pogies so there really is no need for all that extra space presented by the Jones bars.  I would still like something with a bit more sweep and will keep an eye out for something used that would work, including some smaller bar ends.  The pogies are simply awesome!!

On the shoe front, perhaps my most serious issue, it appears that I will opt for the winter hiking boot/VBL/Neos Overboot route instead of my existing Lakes or even the new 45Nrth shoes.  For whatever reason this does not excite me as I am so used to riding my Crank Bro pedals.  Still, I think given the temperature range, the amount of overflow, and the unknown, this is a better route.  To prepare, I have mounted an old pair of flats on the Muk and will begin teaching my muscles how to pedal this way instead of the clipless way.  Luckily their is still some time and at a minimum, once I get to AK, I am in no hurry, so slow will be ok.

I spent a week and a half testing out the new MSR Universal Whisperlite and I was quite pleased.  It burns nicely, seems to be some what miserly on the fuel front, although it is prone to priming flare ups.  This is something to take notice of when lighting up in a vestibule.  I still don't have it quite down, but I am confident that it will work out.  All in all I like the stove and think it is a good choice for the winter conditions.

My shelter choice is a surprise, but to say I am stoked is an understatement.....

The rest of my cook kit stays the same with my trusty Snow Peak pots.  I will be adding a Kupilka bowl/spoon to avoid the dreaded "shit, my lips froze to my spoon, cup, pot...".  I love the simplicity and ancient elegance of these and am really looking forward to their arrival.

Lighting will be with my USE lights, both the front and head.  These lights really do rock and I expect no issues with them. 

Lastly is my decision to move to a rear rack for this trip.  While I prefer to go with straight Porcelain Rocket setup, my need to carry larger items and more food make this a smart decision.  I have the new wide Salsa Rear Rack coming and will report back on how that works.  As soon as I get it, I will do a mock load up and report back on how it all fits.  Luckily my winter trips last year really prepared me for this, even if I am making some changes.  I don't expect too many surprises when it comes to loading out the bike.

Pics and layout coming next week.

Salsa's new racing Fat Bike - The Beargrease

Oh boy does this look hot, a mukluk on a diet, designed for those that want to got fast and FAT!!  Here is a quick look post over on Dirtrag and I must say, I am excited.  It is no secret that I love my Ti Mukluk.  It is without a doubt the funnest and most comfortable bike I have ever ridden, even more so that my first Salsa, a Fargo. 

I took my Mukluk on an 875 mile trip earlier this year and it proved to me that Fat is not only fun, but a great way to tour an unknown area.​  The new Beargrease is 5lbs lighter than the Muk and is designed to go fast.  I can't wait to check one of these out.  If you are a winter fat bike racer then you need to get your order in to your local Salsa dealer fast, because these bikes are going to fly off the shelves.  Check out more here over at the MTBR forums.  This is an exciting time to love FAT!!

Day one with my Alpacka Raft

Today was the first day I was able to get out on the water with my pack raft.  Yesterday I had taken the time to make sure it would fit in my Porcelain Rocket handlebar bag, the one that Scott made custom for my winter travels, and I am happy to say it fit with room to spare.  That means that I can carry the raft on the bars plus one other item, all safely tucked out of the way.​

My plan was to take the raft, learn how to use the inflation bag and then get it out on the water for a spin.  Right now I am up in the Canadian Maritimes where the water is cold, the wind is generally blowing 15+ and the currents run up to 6 knts on the ebb.  Needless to say, they are challenging waters to kayak in, let alone float around in a raft.  I really had absolutely no idea what to expect, so in my typical fashion, I just jumped right in.  ​

​The first thing I noticed was how easy the raft is to inflate.  I am sure it will get even easier as I figure out the tricks of using the inflation bag, but even with my lack of knowledge I managed to get the raft inflated in a matter of minutes.  After removing the inflation bag I used the oral inflation tubes to top off things.  With the raft inflated I put her in the water and floated away.

Setting up the raft and GoPro.. Batteries died, so not many pics today

For the trip today trip I am using one of my Aquabound paddles, a 215cm length paddle and one of my summer weight Astral vests. That vest is super light and one that I may consider taking on my extended trips..  My first reaction as I paddled away was wow, this is going to be hard.  I felt like all of my strokes were hitting the sides of the raft and I could not even imagine what it would be like with my Mulkluk lashed to the front.  Earlier today I had watched some videos on how to lash a bike to the raft, and in that video, he talked about using his backpack as a seat.  Well I got to thinking and realized that this raft had an inflatable seat that I had neglected to blow up.  A quick trip to shore, some deep breaths in the inflation tube, and I was back on the water.  ​

​This time however, things were completely different.  The seat elevated me enough to make my paddle strokes not strike the side of the boat, and there was also the added benefit of being off the bottom of the raft.  These waters are currently running about 47 degrees and on my first run I had noticed a chill seeping into my legs and bum.  Being on top of the seat eliminated any discomfort that I was feeling and made the raft much more manueverable.  To finish the first outing I took the boat through a channel the locals call the Narrows.

​On the Ebb, all of the water from the bays drain out into the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean through a very narrow passage way.  On the bigger tides, the current can reach upwards of 8knts here with lots of whirlpools, boils, and other crazy disturbances.  Todays tide, a mere 18.9' was on the small side, but still, there were enough disturbances in the water to make it interesting.  The raft just laughed at everything and yielded to my every paddle stroke.  The boat turns on a dime and is rock stable.  I can't wait to get it loaded and out in some real conditions.

Paddling the raft using my Aquabound paddle and Astral vest

Tomorrow I will work on lashing the Salsa Mukluk to the raft and seeing how that works.  I have watched several videos showcasing different techniques so I will try a couple of them, take some pictures and write up what worked and what didn't.​  I am totally stoked about how the raft opens up an entire new dimension in travel possibilities.  For the past week my brain has been going non-stop with potential trips.  I have a number of small micro-adventures planned that will let me work through the details of bike-rafting so that I can safely move onto the bigger stuff!!

Salsa Mukluk

I just love touring and adventuring on this bike.  I have to say, as much as I love my Fargo for its overall utility, the Mukluk is getting way more time due to the overwhelming fun factor.  It not only goes anywhere and does anything you ask of it, but it also acts like a personal ambassador to all you meet.  Roll through any area with other people and they will stop, stare, ask questions and smile big, xxit eating grins on their face as they contemplate how to acquire one for themselves. 

In the last two weeks alone, I have been single track riding on some crazy technical terrain.  The guys I were with had suspension mountain bikes which they used to deftly work their way through and around all of the obstacles.  Not me, I just rode OVER everything -- big rocks, roots, small rocks, bushes, off trail, on trail, well you get the picture.  It just goes anywhere.  Then I was out training on the Mukluk on pavement because my Fargo is in the shop.  Yes, it is clearly not as efficient as the Fargo or a road bike, but dang, what fun.  On one stretch of the ride, I was happily cruising along at 17mph or cranking up the hills in stand up mode. 

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The Mukluk and Porcelain Rocket bags tour the coast of Campobello

Then, there was my morning session on the beach flats, that due to the astronomical low tides, made for riding more than a half a mile off shore.  I worked my way through ocean water, sand, mud, and everything in between.  As I have said before, nothing but smiles on my face as I pedaled along. 

Now, the rust on the chain the next day was a completely different story, but thanks to my buddy Dave I may have found a solution in the form of the Connex by Wippermann chains.  I am looking for one now to try out and will definitely report back as soon as I get one in my hands.​

Lasty, there are many sites on the web with awesome reviews of the Salsa Mukluk, so instead of writing detailed words, I will let my images showcase the amazing things you can do and places you can go on this awesome bike. ​

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Touring the pristine beaches of the Gulf Coast

Porcelain Rocket Salsa Anything Cage Bags

Anyone who follows my travels knows how much I love the Salsa Anything Cages.  They dramatically changed the way I was able to set up my bike for ultra light travel.  For the past year I have been a user and huge fan of Porcelain Rocket.  Scott's bags are really just the bomb.  They have held up to thousands of miles of travel across 3 continents and 6 countries. 

As good as Scott's bags are and as good as the Anything Cages work, something was missing.  I know I was not alone in voicing my thoughts and opinions to Scott in the hopes that he would come up with a creation that would complete my bikepacking setup.  Several weeks ago, as I was working with Scott on a custom set of winter bags for my new Ti Mukluk, he spilled the beans that something was afoot.  He would not say what, only that my shipment might include a couple of surprises.

It was a great sense of joy that overcame me as I opened my package from Scott and not only found my custom bags but also two brand new Porcelain Rocket Anything Cage bags.  Wow, all I can say is that Scott knocked it out of the park.  These are brilliant bags, elegant in their simplicity, and exactly what I was hoping for.  I have had them out on the bike for a couple of short rides and the 4 point attachment system kept everything locked in place.  Anyone who has had a dry bag strapped in their Anything Cage, only to have it wiggle loose and get tangled up in their spokes will greatly appreciate these bags.

The bags have a very nice roll top enclosure that while not waterproof, will definitely keep most of the moisture out of your kit. The bags attached to the Anything Cages using four attachment points.  Two large velcro wings come from the front of the bag and wrap around the outer part of the Anything Cage and then fold back on themselves.  These are nice, big, and burly velcro attachment points that should be sufficient in and of themselves to hold the bags in place.  However, Scott when one step farther and added two additional velcro loops to hold the bag securely to the back of the cage/fork combination.  With these 4 attachment points the bags are ready for the toughest of trails.

I head to Canada for a 3 week bikepacking trip and these bags, along with my custom made Mission Control Handlebar setup will be put to the test.  I will definitely follow up with my thoughts and images after I return from that trip.  Here are several images from this past weeks test ride on the Gulf of Mexico beaches.