Bikepacking - SnF reverse final thoughts

I’m really happy I opted for the “long and hard” route from Warm Lake instead of the more direct and “just hard” route that would have taken me past Deadwood Reservoir and then Placerville and Bogus, etc. This definitely felt like more of a “trip” instead of just a ride home with an overnight involved.

It was definitely hard and my body was starting to crack a little on the last day. But, I’m proud with how I fared and feel like I did pretty well without any real focused training. To be able to ride 70-90 miles four days in a row on shitty roads in remote areas with big climbs, a heavy bike, and pretty rustic camping conditions is, I think, an accomplishment I can be proud of even if I didn’t break any speed records.

I have two main goals or motivations for trips like these. The first is to see some beautiful country and be out in nature for days on end. To rough it a bit and pare things back to the essentials: riding, eating, sleeping. The second is to push myself and get a bit out of my comfort zone and to, perhaps, manufacture a bit of adventure in the process.

No way around it, this stuff is hard (at least for me). But I guess that’s the point.

Here are the trip totals:

• Distance: 312 miles
• Climbing: 20,200 feet
• Highest point: 8714 feet (day 2); 8712 feet (day 3)