First... You Have To Try

You have to put yourself out there, even if you might fail. That’s how we learn.

My first experience of bikepacking didn’t go at all as planned. A group of us, all novices in bikepacking and biviouac decided to ride from Paris to Mont-Saint Michel, starting at 7pm in the evening just to heighten the challenge.

After only 10 kilometers we were huddled together in a bus shelter, waiting for a downpour to pass. We eventually covered 100kms before picking a bivvy spot on the grass of a small village square. The night was horrendous. We learned that, even in August, the dew makes everything wet.

Waking up after 30 minutes’ sleep with 300kms to reach the destination, our motivation failed and we rode to the nearest station to catch a train back to Paris.

Practice makes perfect, doesn’t it?

Building Your Distance

There are no short distances in bikepacking. There are no limits either; but that’s another subject. To begin, all you should do is plan a trip over two days or more, with a reasonable mileage in relation to your own capabilities and fill your bags with enough to survive for the desired length of time. ‘Survive’ being a somewhat exaggerated term, meaning enough to eat, change your clothes (or not) and sleep during the trip.

To increase the distances, it’s recommended to build up gradually to ensure you don’t hurt yourself. And for those who hesitate to take the plunge, a route that passes a few train stations will allow you to depart with some peace of mind.

Planning Your Route

Philippe Pollet-Villard said : « In a journey, it is not the destination that counts but always the roads traveled, and especially the detours ”. Unless you are in a race or performance logic, the best way to ride further and longer is to be blown away. The kilometers pass by themselves and time flies when the road is beautiful. Bad luck or bad preparation leads to head-down staring at the GPS when you find yourself on a big road full of traffic.

To prepare a beautiful route, there is no secret, you have to devote time to it. I always use two different programmes to compare options and make choices. With practice, you can spot the small roads quite easily : if there are many corners, it’s a good sign! Think about passing through towns or villages, there is nothing like a coffee break, sandwich or other local specialities to rejuvenate you for the next part of the journey.

Testing and Adjusting Your Equipment

It seems obvious, but before leaving for several days on your own, it is necessary to have tested your equipment by riding on it, in it and with it. What could me more annoying than to notice along the way that your rain jacket is not as waterproof as you thought or that you really should have taken a headlamp when the dynamo powered light goes out while trying to fix a puncture in the dark and the patches don’t stick to this type of inner tubes.

Riding safely is the most important thing. You have to be visible. Always take a back-up for front and rear lighting.

We get cold faster when we are tired. Even in the middle of August, I take a down jacket in my luggage (see the introduction of this article for reference…)

Just Do It

In conclusion, I would say that we all learn from our mistakes. The days are getting longer and the temperature is rising again. Go for it, go on an adventure, and nevermind if it’s not perfect the first time.

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