Coconino 250

I have finally gotten my photo essay online of my bikepacking trip on the Coconino 250 loop.  A stunning and somewhat challenging loop in Northern Arizona that takes you through forested pines, high alpine trails, dessert sand, and beautiful slick rocks.  This is a must do loop and one that I look forward to revisiting in the future.  

My bike of choice for this trip was the amazing Salsa Cycles spearfish.  Fast and nimble, it was absolutely the perfect rig for this trip.  Everything was photographed on my Leica Monochrome and a single 50mm Summilux.  Forcing myself to shoot with a single lens and in black and white was definitely one of my most rewarding photo expeditions.

Enjoy

Desert Bikepacking Load Out - Salsa Spearfish

This is just a quick post on what a high desert packing kit can be.  For this trip, we carried up to two full days of water and food and planned for zero precipitation.  For me, this was one of my lighter loads with minimal extra kit.  Water was carried in a camelback Mule, a spare water pack that could be lashed wherever was practical and a feedbag on the handlebars which always held 24 ounces of water.  The trip was on a FS Spearfish thus minimizing any 'frame' bag space, an obvious location to store mucho water....  Since this is a quick post, fire questions and I will attempt to expand where needed:

Front Roll Bag

1. Bivy (UL Cuben)
2. Pad - Neo Air
3. Small Food Bag
4. Clothes
   1. Cap 4 top
   2. Wool knickers
   3. Spare socks
   4. Rain Jacket/Wind Break

Rear Bag

1. Sleep bag 
2. Down sweater

Frame

1. Pump
2. Tool bag
3. Lube
4. Co2 kit
5. Light headlamp **
6. Fuel (Alcohol)
7. Stove (Trangia)

Handlebars

1. V1 in feed bag
2. Snacks on top tube
3. Snacks, water in feed bag, makeshift
4. Light **

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Eszter admires my shiny new Fish ;-)

Back

1. Camera
2. Cam batteries and filters
3. Electronic ditty (Batteries, cables, etc)
4. Warm Hat
5. Warm Gloves
6. Arm Warmers
7. First aid
8. Knife
9. Shock pump
10. Chemicals
11. Wallet
12. Snow peak pot

On Me:

1. Bib Shorts
2. Jersey
3. Over Shorts
4. Sidi Shoes
5. Socks
6. Vest

Food was stuffed wherever. The Camelback Mule did not provide the flexibility to carry food. I would not choose that pack again.  Also, as noted, this was on a Spearfish. With a Frame Bag, spare water would go there and lighter, bulkier items would go in the backpack where applicable.  Carrying 1 or 2 platypus bags as backup water storage along with your choice of straps for lashing them in different spots is critical.

Logistically or philosophically, I carry only what will be used.  Therefore my on bike clothing is my camp clothing with the obvious exception of my bibs.  Get to camp, take off bibs, add puffy, gloves, hat and I am set.

Below is an image of a similar load out on the Oregon Outback.  With the addition of a full size frame bag I was able to ditch the backpack. Camera gear was carried on handlebars using a makeshift camera bag lashed to the bars.

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Salsa Fargo, Porcelain Rocket frame bags - SUL setup

Thoughts

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Coconino 250, AZ -- Leica MM + 50 Lux & Salsa Cycles

The power of a bike, not only as a form of transportation and recreation, but as a tool to help cleanse the soul.  We climbed hard that day and were rewarded with a vista that required no words to describe -- we simply sat, in awe of the natural beauty.

Early Days - Coconino 250

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Eszter on a Salsa Spearfish showing us the way -- Leica MM, 50 Lux

Coconino 250

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North of Flagstaff joining the AZT

Leica and the Coconino 250

A gamble, taking the Monochrome to the desert... Would it work, would I be able to tell the story only in B&W? Would the Monochrome survive, like its fore fathers? Who knows, but looking at this first image, one of Eszter's Salsa Spearfish, I am very excited about the possibilities...Looking at a second, of Eszter bombing down the trail gets me really going...

It will be another week or so before I look at everything, but....

Pisgah and the Spearfish

I am currently down in Brevard NC putting the new Salsa Spearfish through its paces.  This is an amazing place to ride, photograph and enjoy good local brews.  I feel like I have just found a hidden gem on the east coast.  With miles and miles of forest roads and single track it is definitely a mountain bike playground unlike anything else I have found on the East Coast. 

The Hub, located right at the mouth of the Pisgah on the Davidson River, is an absolutely fantastic base camp.  The shop staff is super friendly, willing to help with digesting the unfathomable amount of riding options.  The shop is fully staffed with bikes and all the kit you could need as well as a cleaning station outside.  Inside they have a  little pub setup where you can grab a nice draft brew from one of the local breweries.  I have made it a practice of stopping post ride and enjoying a nice cold Pisgah Pale Ale.

The Fish, well what can I say, truly a home run by Salsa.  This is one of the nicest and most fun bikes I have ever ridden.  It climbs like a billy goat and flies down the single track in effortless fasion.  I am super stoked to be taking this bike to Arizona for the Coconino Loop in a couple of weeks.  There is no doubt that it will make for a fantastic bikepacking experience.  Loads of travel when necessary and yet rigid enough to make the flats an efficient and comfortable experience.  More on that trip in a week or so.

I will update my Photo Essays site with a full story but for now, here are a few teaser images from my first week.

NAHBS Bound - 2 Weeks and counting

With the show being on the East Coast this year, I am going to make the pilgrimage down to Charlotte with the MM and a rented (Lensrentals.com as always!!) Fuji X-T1 in tow.  I am looking forward to seeing all of the amazing creations from some fantastic frame and bike builders. 

While checking out this segment of the bike industry is my main goal, a secondary effort will be spent evaluating the new Fuji X-T1.  A camera that is really generating a ton of buzz and one that I feel could really make a great (rugged, weather sealed) bike adventure camera.  I shot the Lost Coast trip with two Fuji cameras and a little Nikon V1 with mixed impressions.  Both of those cameras had pros but a ton of cons.  I am excited to see what Fuji has done and give it a real chance.  I am really stoked to try out the WiFi component and do some live blogging while roaming the show.

After finishing up with NAHBS, I will head to the mountains of Western NC for some trail riding on the new Salsa Cycles Spearfish.  I need to learn how to set the bike up to go tubeless in preparation for a run on the AZT in April.  An area full of flat inducing Goatheads, I have to figure this whole thing out.  Sooner or later, manufactures will make the whole process of running tubeless easier...

If you are going to be at NAHBS or out in those western regions of NC and want to connect, please comment or drop me an email.

It appears that the Fuji X-T1 is in stock at BH Photo with the kit lens, while the body only is still on 'Pre-Order'.

Go Fish

Madagascar was the plan, but things change... Now, where to take the Fish? 

Reveal The Path

Here is the trailer for Mike Dion's Reveal the Path movie.  If this does not make you want to change your life and go explore, well.....

A visually stunning adventure by bike: 'Reveal the Path' explores the world’s playgrounds in Europe’s snow capped mountains, Scotland’s lush valleys, Alaska’s rugged coastal beaches and Morocco’s high desert landscapes. Ride along and get lost in the wonders of the world. Filmed across four continents and featuring Tour Divide race legends, Matthew Lee & Kurt Refsnider, this immersive film is sure to ignite the dream in you. Join in as the creators of 'Ride the Divide' take you on an adventure that will leave you with an eager desire to chart your own course to far away lands or simply to discover with eyes wide open what’s right around the bend. Like the bagpipe music? Check out http://www.albannachmusic.com "Outlawed tunes on Outlawed pipes" http://www.revealthepath.com http://www.salsacycles.com https://www.facebook.com/thepathmovie https://twitter.com/revealthepath