Vermont rider profile #5

After I sent questions for George to fill out, he thought that it would be a good idea to turn the interview on to me. For good or bad, I did it and here it is:

At the Massachusetts border on xVT 

How did you get into bikepacking?
The first bikepacking trip I ever did was at the end of October in 2011. My friend Mike had been doing overnights and I wanted to check it out. I didn't have any gear to speak of but I did all right.

What bikepacking have you done?
Mostly all of my bikepacking have been overnighters, commonly known as S24O's. They have mostly been trips that have left directly from my house. There have been a few that have originated from another start location.

What were some of your biggest trips?
In the big picture, I don't have too many trips under my belt. I would say that my longest trips have been on the xVT route.

What routes have you ridden?
xVT is the only route that I have been involved with. I have attempted it three times now. I thought "third time was a charm" but "things" got in the way "again".

What races have you been a part of?
I have not done any bikepacking races. I have done the VT50 every year since 2009 which I really enjoy. I was hoping to be a part of the Adirondack Trail Race that is coming in Sept. '15 but I can't see that I will be ready for something like that. I would like to add that to my list of races I'd like to do. And, without a doubt, the Tour Divide is on my bucket list.

What goals do you have for this summer? Long term?
I have plans to do at least one bikepacking trip each month through the rest of the year. I am looking forward to a group ride (if I can possibly even keep up) this year on xVT. I feel that it is something awesome to be celebrated.

Whom with?
I will ride with anyone. I have enjoyed riding with a diverse group of people. I have hopes that my wife and I will do a bikepacking trip this fall. It will be her first.

special gear/style of packing?
I found Scott Felter who makes Porcelain Rocket bags and jumped in with both feet. I have a full kit from him. Frame bag, handlebar bag w/ tent sleeve, saddle bag and two bags for Anything Cages. I also had another sleeve made for my handlebar bag that is larger for my winter weight sleeping bag.

What/how do you pack?
Depending on the situation, I go between a tent and a bivy. The tent goes on the handlebars and the bivy goes on the fork. The fork also gets my sleeping pad. Sleeping bag on the handlebars. Clothes in the saddle bag. Tools, water, and food in the framebag.

Do you prefer water on your back, or on your bike?
I prefer it on the bike. Matter of fact, I don't like a backpack at all. I do carry a small musette bag that I use for carrying food and water just as I am going into camp.

How do you eat?
This is my biggest nemesis. I have the hardest time staying on the calories which is usually my undoing. On smaller trips and/or overnights, it's not that big a deal. On the hopes of bikepacking the length of Vermont, a huge deal. I have to get this right. I do typically eat pretty normal food, if not junk food.

What is one thing you MUST have when bikepacking?
I don't know that I have anything that I must have but I feel that my sleeping pad is pretty important. It feels nice to get comfortable for a good night's rest.

Do you have a race strategy?
Keep moving. I feel that if you have a mileage goal or whatever, you must keep moving, no matter what the speed.

How do you train?
I commute to my shop for work, I race at Catamount, ride as much as possible with friends. I do the Vermont50 which is one of my favorite things to do. A group of us also make two trips a year up to the Kingdom Trails.  I've also recently discovered CircumBurke, which I think will be on my yearly calendar.

Any off season considerations?
I try to commute year round. The past two winters have been a bit brutal so that didn't work out so well. I also do a fair amount of fatbiking to keep the legs turning.

How much riding/how much work/family time, etc.?
I'm lucky enough to have a wife that is real understanding of how important time on the bike is to me. My balance with family is pretty good. This year my wife is going to get involved with mountain biking and I will be able to do a little bit of both at the same time, riding and family time.

What do you like about it (bikepacking) .....Why do you do it?
Everything! It's a pretty basic response, like most people. I like being outside, exploring, riding. Bikepacking is my favorite discipline of bike riding.

Anything strange..... Seen, done, or happened while out there's?
There are two instances that stand out when asked this question. Both happened on xVT.

First, I was riding a Class IV section of the route. I came along a mother bear and three cubs. I startled them and the mom and two of the cubs ran right and crossed the road. One cub ran the direction I was traveling and then realized he went the wrong way. It then crossed the road only about ten feet in front of me. Just after this happened, while I was in total disbelief, my bladder tube fell off of my bars and the bite valve went down between the rotor and hub. It wound up on the hub and pulled right out of my bladder which was in my framebag. I stopped suddenly to get the bladder out before it flooded the inside of the bag. Of course, I was looking back with one eye the whole time knowing that the bears were not too far away.

Second, was also involving a bear, although a bit more serious. I was in the Enchanted Forest and I was partaking in a little hike a bike when I heard a noise off to my right. When I looked over, I saw a bear running through some brush right towards me. I would honestly say this thing was possibly 300lbs. It got to about 6-8 feet from me and stomped down its front feet. Part of me stood there and didn't know what to do, the other part belted out some sort of baritone belches. I made noise and it turned around and ran off. At that point I was a little more uneasy. I was in a section that I wasn't going to be able to hop on the bike and ride (fast) away. I didn't see it anymore either. I started to walk briskly while continuously reciting my alphabet. I got out of there without further incident.

Notice the bladder tube

Here are some pictures that I took on xVT. 

And a few more that I liked and used a filter on them: