LIFE-STYLE | TRAVEL | AERIAL
Photographer/Videographer specializing in Life Style, Travel, and Aerial Imagery. FAA 107 Certified for sUAS flight operations throughout the US. Fully insured. Videography work is limited to Aerial productions.
Based in Maine (May-December) and SWFL (Jan - April). Available for travel year round.
Erik and Josh working the dustbowl of the Oregon Outback
I am back from my whirlwind trips this spring, The Pisgah, The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, The Coconino 250, and the Oregon Outback. Now for editing and sharing along with my ramblings on gear, life, and bourbon.
Ok, since I tossed the weight out there, I will post a bit of a list. Josh and I are going to do a detailed writeup of our kit, plus pictures, plus a bit of verbage on what worked and what didn't after we complete the Oregon Outback. After spending a week cycling through Arizona with Eszter, I learned that what I thought was light, wasn't and what I thought was needed, wasn't... At least for that sort of trip.
So, here is a brief breakdown on kit, with, as I said, more details to follow. The weights include the weight of my Rear, Frame, and Handlebar Bag. Weights do not include Food, Water, Fuel, or Camera Gear (although electronics is included), nor does it include the clothes that I wear while riding. Like all trips, there will be last minute things that get added and/or subtracted causing the weight to go up a bit or down a bit. The main goal is that the bulk of my kit be small enough so that at the end of the day, my bike, and my gear, is not the enemy of my legs...
My non-winter riding kit now consists of an Ibex sleeveless top, cycling jersey, cycling vest, arm warmers, buff, cycling shorts with over shorts, socks and shoes. I find that this can be more than comfortable for me from 40 degrees to hot. If it is colder I simply throw on my rain jacket or nano puff until I am warm.
The main goal is that the bulk of my kit be small enough so that at the end of the day, my bike, and my gear, is not the enemy of my legs...
Handlebar Bag (including cuben bag) 3.0 lbs
Neo Air Pad
Rain Knickers
Rain Jacket
Cap 4 Top
Spare Socks
Saddle Bag (including bag, non-cuben) 3.1lbs
Bivy
Sleeping bag, 40 degree
Patagonia Puff Jacket
Frame Bag ( including bag 3.6lbs)
Electronic Ditty Bag (Batteries, Goal Zero Guide Plus, Cables, A/C)
Cook Kit (not counting fuel, going canister for this trip)
Tool kit with spare tube
Pump
Headlamp
Chemicals
Snow Peak Ti Cup
At long last the 2014 Salsa Fargo's are really rolling out the doors. I know the non-Ti models have been shipping for a while, but now the Ti ones are hitting peoples doors. This means that a ton of cool Fargo Adventures are about to take place. As incentive to share your Fargo plans, I have a brand new Porcelain Rocket handlebar Pack (and possible another goody or two) that I will give away to the person who shares the coolest story of how they intend to use their new Fargo.
Stories must be shared on my Facebook page. If you don't have FB, then go ahead and drop a line here and I will share it with the FB audience. You must have a Fargo in possession or on order for this to be fair, so lets everyone play nice please...
Lets give it 30 days and then I will pick the winner. Have fun and lets share some stories.
Ok, 1,2,3 GO!
Handlebar bag will be black w/o the pouch -- Photo (c) Scott Felter
My life has taken a bit of an unexpected turn the past two months -- Something that I will write about when the time is right, but for now, is all consuming. In the meantime, my riding and writing is definitely taking a back seat to the issues that need to be dealt with. While going through this life event, I continue to explore my environment in B&W, just at a slower and much less adventurous pace. The adventure will be back, but for now it takes a back seat to more pressing issues of life.
I do have a couple of items that I will be writing about in the next week or so during down time, including my thoughts on the state of the Mirrorless market (Olympus v. Fuji while Nikon and Canon are asleep at the wheel). I have a brief review on how I use a L bracket combined with the RRS mini plate and a Black Rapid (Kurve, Metro, Sport) strap to carry my cameras in certain situations. Lastly, I have some thoughts on B&W photography as a means of enhancing your color vision.
I am optimistic that my much desired 2014 Salsa Ti Fargo will arrive soon and the review on that can commence along with the unveiling of my SUL kit from Scott, the master mind at Porcelain Rocket (1.5 pounds for an entire bikepacking setup...). I am still on the fence with regards to gearing the Fargo, a toss up between going with a Rohloff or XX1. Your thoughts are appreciated.
One of the things I love most about upcoming trips is the planning process. What will the route be, what are the gear requirements, how am I going to carry what I need, and what camera gear is needed? Early in the process I begin making lists, sorting through requirements and eventually bringing out the scale to insure that I have not gone overboard with the 'oh I could use that piece of kit' syndrome.
My Gen 1 Fargo on the Oregon Coast
Next month, I head to California to bike the lost coast. A stretch of road, trail and beach that runs from the Oregon/California border down to the beautiful city of San Francisco. I will ship my bike and gear out to Crescent city because their is simply no way to fly there on a plane big enough to carry all my kit. I will hop from the east coast to San Francisco, meet up with my riding partners, Erik and Andrew, and then take one of those puddle jumpers up to our starting spot.
Camping amidst the giant redwoods
My goal for this 7 day trip, since it is short, and in the relative confines of civilization, is to go as light and fast as possible. The exception to this could be my camera gear which largely rests on the issue of bringing the D800 and Zeiss lenses. Over the next several weeks I will begin to share my process of planning, pairing and then packing. This will be a SUL (Super Ultra Light) bikepacking trip for me, with a goal of coming in under 10 pounds for everything but food, water and cameras.
Stay tuned as the Fall is about to get really fun!
It has taken the entire summer, but the Mukluk is finally rebuilt and ready for another year of adventures. She had been beaten and abused over the last year, between the relentless dowsing of salt water to the harsh Alaskan winter. I stripped her bare and rebuilt every single part of her. New wheels, hydraulic brakes and an XX1 setup are sure to help me navigate whatever terrain I throw at the bike.
I have gone back to the Jones bars, having found them to be the most comfortable setup I have ever used. While not as good technically, for the type of adventure touring I do, they cant be beat.
The other major shift for me is the switch to Flat pedals. I love the Crank Brother eggbeaters and enjoyed trying some new Look clippless pedals, but they all have serious limitations during the winter. This year, for both the Muk and the Fargo, I am going to try doing some long distance tours using flats and 5-10 shoes. Winter will see me shifting back to the new and upgraded 45Nrth boots once the weather turns really nasty.
Lastly, I am going to go back to good ole fashion Leather for a while. I picked up a Giles Berthoud touring saddle that I am going to try and break in. It is claimed to be waterproof so hopefully it will handle the winter weather just fine. I will post details and thoughts on all the gear as I begin to put it through its paces.
Now lets go RIDE!!
Check out the latest Salsa Newsletter for a look at the new lineup including the first product shot I have seen of the new Ti Fargo. The new color scheme, carbon fork, and Anything Cage mounts are sure to add to the cult status of the Fargo.
