Bikepacking Tips
A couple of weeks ago I took part in a bikepacking event that was already on my calendar for almost one year. Whoever you speak with, mentioning the opportunity of adventuring for a week in wild Patagonia will probably tell you that it is an opportunity not to miss.
Along with other 50 Argentinian guys and a handful more of foreigners we rode through some of the best trails and roads of the Argentinian Patagonia starting in Bariloche. We crossed a couple of National Parks and stopped every night in very basic -though beautiful- campings along the way.
I already knew the majority of the whole route since it wasn't my first time here, but doing it with a fully charged bike (almost 30 kg) and in company felt a little bit different, more challenging but more special at the same time.
There was no assistance whatsoever along the way and often the only few houses on sight were at the start and at the ending point of each day.
I thought about taking this trip as an opportunity to disconnect from the rhythm of the western society we live in and to reconnect with myself, nature and the bike. A chance to prove myself that I was able to be self sufficient for a few days without external help, wild into the elements and the strong Patagonian wind.
Down here I want to share some tips or advice I feel like giving to anyone who wants to embark on a self supported bikepacking trip, where like in my case once you arrive at the camping at night you can enjoy only a warm shower and often not even electricity.
The conditions of campings in remote places are often far from our expectations so bringing a toilet roll or damp napkins is a good practice for every trip.
Bring a tiny rope, you might find it useful on many different occasions and as well to create a structure for hanging up washed clothes.
At night use winter mountain socks. Often the humidity and cold gets into our body from our limbs, make sure you dress up according to the weather outside, especially when resting.
Do not rely so much on shops for food, especially while riding in places far from civilization. The best way to be self sufficient is to use dehydrated meals. I have found on the Adventure Menu ready meals the best possible solution available. Tasty food combining bio ingredients and great flavors. Like they say “The best outdoor restaurant you can visit”
Like for every night under the stars or in a tent, relying on an inflatable mattress to have under the sleeping bag will make the difference.
Don’t forget to take a pair of flip flops or Arizona Birkenstock with you. They are useful in case you need to cross a little canal by foot or to walk under the shower.
Make sure you always have extra storage or folded bags to use in case you need to carry some food or wood for the fire. A light foldable backpack can be very useful.
Plan your hydration well. According to the route and the opportunity of refilling along the way you should bring enough water. There are various ways to have up to 5 water bottle cages arranged on your bike. As well, you can use one of the frame bags as a storage for a camelback sack. Ultimately, you can buy prior to the trip some purifying water capsules to make every water drinkable, though the taste might be a bit strong.
One of the silliest mistakes many people make is thinking that the sun won’t be an issue. Especially if we will be riding in altitude (above 1000m) or near water courses or lakes, protecting your skin from the sun's direct or indirect radiation is fundamental. So do not forget to bring with you solar cream (the dry effect ones are preferables). Sleeping at night after an insolation can be painful and can ruin your only resting moment.
Bring cash, no cards. In remote places the old cash notes are the only way you will be able to pay for food or your spot in a camping area. The saying “always have a dollar in your pocket” has never been so true.
Don’t forget that your GPS bike computer can stop working due to heavy rain, overheating or battery issues. A good alternative to check if you are going in the right direction is to download one of these apps where you can check your position and the route even if you are out of range of internet and phone signals. I use Mapy.cz which works perfectly once you have downloaded the map of the area where I ride. Alternatively, the old way of bringing a geographic printed map can be an option too.
Take with you a power bank. The best ones on the market are 30000 mAh. You might rely on it for charging your bike computer, camera, and phone during the whole trip.
Bear in mind that the power bank won’t be able to charge either your drone or your di2 bike set up, so if you are running electronic gears every couple of days you might want to give it a charge as soon as you find a plug on your way.
Finding a good spot for your tent is fundamental. Covered from the wind and perhaps under a tree against the rain can improve your night a lot and make the process of folding and unpacking the tent a lot quicker. Just make sure the tree under where you will sleep is not rotten and won’t fall with the wind.
Before leaving for your trip, have a good look at your bike, do some maintenance, grease all the parts you need to and replace the braking pads with some new ones. Don’t forget to bring an inner tube or 2 even if you will be riding tubeless, and obviously don’t forget a good multitool. A knife and some tape can turn out to be very useful on some occasions as well.
To light up a fire often you need to use what you just have around you. I found it useful to use the “barba de viejo”, this was the name for a fast-growing perennial vine often founds on Native trees in South America.
These are the tips that I really recommend ahead of a multi day backpacking trip. Surely there are many other things to keep in mind, as often we only learn with practice, but if you just follow this advice you will turn your experience from a nice one to a great one.
Last but not least, travel light and enjoy every single second of your time out there.
During all this trip I was proudly supported by Vaude. You can find an article in relation to it here
Let’s not forget a first aid kit
Barba de Viejo
