S
snowbeard
Guest
well, I finally got to do an overnight camping trip off my bike!! I was going up the Cache La Poudre canyon with some friends to go kayaking, and since there were so many people going, but not an extra seat for me friday night, I stuffed my boat in a buddy's truck and packed my pack for the road. I used an old climbing pack and strapped it on the luggage rack and passenger's seat real good, stuffed the leather ski gloves in the saddle bags just in case (boy was I glad about that later!) and some brews, and off I went!
I've been riding now for almost nine months (time for the real test soon!) but always just around town or to work, etc. this marks the first overnighter, and it was camping to boot!!! the bike felt great with a little extra weight, but I'd probably need to stiffen the rear for a long trip with the girlie, but 40 lbs (if that) of pack was fine!
the trip up started late, and I drove the canyon in the dark (another first, usually I run home before it's late!!) trying to lighten up on the deathgrip I'd find myself in from cold. I rode so slowly up that canyon that I had to let three people pass me!!
but riding alongside a twenty foot drop in to a raging class III-V+ whitewater river, at night, with deer, in a canyon, and did I mention I was cold??? :wink:
next day, once the coffee kicked over the hangover, I rode down to find my buddy with my boat and have some more fun!! for good or bad, I didn't find him for quite some time, but that just meant I got to ride up and down the canyon a few times
, by the time I left, I was really starting to feel good!! nice speed and lean in the curves (so far I've approached things from the slow side and am working up carefully) so it was nice to find a comfortable medium that felt so sweet round the bends. finally did find him and did my run in the water, then got back on and headed home!!
final tripmeter was 225 miles, my longest yet! my back was stiff, and my neck got sore, but on the way home I boosted the pack forward and had a nice lumbar support!! (although the bike has alot more "bounce" from the back, I could really feel some vibrations in the pack that I don't get just sitting on just one plane of the bike, maybe I'm on the pivot point between front and back and just can't feel it)
well, anyway, just wanted to share the love, the canyon's a nice place to ride, and I'll get the hang of this two lane highway eventually...!!!
I've been riding now for almost nine months (time for the real test soon!) but always just around town or to work, etc. this marks the first overnighter, and it was camping to boot!!! the bike felt great with a little extra weight, but I'd probably need to stiffen the rear for a long trip with the girlie, but 40 lbs (if that) of pack was fine!
the trip up started late, and I drove the canyon in the dark (another first, usually I run home before it's late!!) trying to lighten up on the deathgrip I'd find myself in from cold. I rode so slowly up that canyon that I had to let three people pass me!!
but riding alongside a twenty foot drop in to a raging class III-V+ whitewater river, at night, with deer, in a canyon, and did I mention I was cold??? :wink: next day, once the coffee kicked over the hangover, I rode down to find my buddy with my boat and have some more fun!! for good or bad, I didn't find him for quite some time, but that just meant I got to ride up and down the canyon a few times
, by the time I left, I was really starting to feel good!! nice speed and lean in the curves (so far I've approached things from the slow side and am working up carefully) so it was nice to find a comfortable medium that felt so sweet round the bends. finally did find him and did my run in the water, then got back on and headed home!!final tripmeter was 225 miles, my longest yet! my back was stiff, and my neck got sore, but on the way home I boosted the pack forward and had a nice lumbar support!! (although the bike has alot more "bounce" from the back, I could really feel some vibrations in the pack that I don't get just sitting on just one plane of the bike, maybe I'm on the pivot point between front and back and just can't feel it)
well, anyway, just wanted to share the love, the canyon's a nice place to ride, and I'll get the hang of this two lane highway eventually...!!!
