For somebody who knows nothing about adventuring by bike, I sure do spend a lot of time consuming content about it. So much so, that I've convinced myself that adventuring is my next calling. But how do I go from weekend warrior to ultra-distance rider?
The beginnings of a grand idea
My first micro adventure was conceived as most things are, around a table, in a pub, with friends.
It came up in conversation that I was starting to consider an ultra. An ultra, in cycling terms, is an event that is loosely defined as covering more than 200km or 125 miles. No small feat, even at the lower end of the spectrum but as things get spicier, ultras regularly hit the 700 km mark or more as you delve deeper into this bourgeoning sub-culture of cycling.
At this point, my friends expressed curiosity at best and at worst, scepticism. Though admittedly tough to hear, this reaction is not unreasonable. My longest ride to date is 270km, riding from London to Paris in 17 hours (including the ferry crossing) and this was a brutal if rewarding experience (we raised significant funds for charity) that I've not come close to repeating in the almost 10 years since I completed it. Couple that with my limited off-road experience, and decidedly minimal time on my actual gravel bike - having only ridden 800km in total since I've had it. So given all that, scepticism and doubt are reasonable responses.
Credit where credit is due, my friends did not dismiss this idea. Instead, they suggested we take it one step at a time and start with a micro-adventure. A relatively short overnighter, somewhere local, to test kit, see if I enjoyed the experience and mostly, to have a good time as a group. I listened to this and rolled it around in my mind, whatever reservations I might have harboured at that moment, two of my friends have significant experience in long-distance riding and their advice was welcome.
I'll come back to Badlands itself in a follow-up piece and that will provide some much-needed context as to why I've pinned it in my calendar, but first, to our adventure.
Anything can be an adventure
As with all projects, it's important to start small and I decided that anything can be considered an adventure with the right setup.
We decided - as a group - that we should stay fairly local, we should pack light and we should go supported. Make it fun, make it accessible and make it happen.
We pinpointed a campground a short ride from where I live in West Kent, 20 or 30 km maximum from home. Just far enough away to discourage any abandonment due to bad weather, but not so far as to combine riding challenge with carrying kit and sleeping under the stars for the first time. It's worth noting that this was also my first ride back following my hamstring injury, so I had no clue how I would fare with that alone.
Now, full disclosure, I'm under no illusions that this was some grand adventure, it was - as intended - an opportunity to dip my toes into the world of bikepacking and ultimately begin the process of understanding what it takes to travel solely by bike and self-support on multi-day trips. Training for the distance and the sheer volume of back-to-back riding would come later.
The riding itself was by all purposes, uneventful. My hamstring held up fine - a welcome relief, The bike felt stable if a little heavy fully loaded and we reached our campsite comfortably. My fitness was not there, to be expected of course as at this point I'd been off the bike for 6 weeks, but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.
So what about bikepacking? After all, this micro adventure was a chance to dip a toe in the water of this discipline and to ask myself the question: Is this the future of my cycling journey? What conclusions I can draw after a short escapade with friends, close to home, in good weather are limited, but with a minor change of mindset, I see no reason I can't turn my mind toward an ultra. Maybe it will be next year, maybe the year after, but I'm determined to explore this part of myself, scratch that itch and take my cycling history - currently of 10+ years on the road - into the unknown world of long-distance, mixed surface riding.
Kit and caboodle
Kit-wise, there are some key learnings. Firstly, it seems you can always go smaller. My tent, sleep pad, and bivvy could all have been smaller, lighter, and easier to pack. I'd borrowed a plethora of top-quality from my father-in-law, so this was not a surprise, but it's certainly worth noting that robust and heavy-duty do not necessarily go hand in hand with a good bikepacking setup. If this was indeed the first step on my prep for my first gravel ultra, then it's worth noting that this setup was a bit heavy-duty for the rigours of race day, but it's all in the experience. For more details on the kit and the setup, check the bottom of this piece.
Bike and kit setup
Bike
3T Exploro Racemax
Roval CLX 50 wheels with WTB Wrangler 40mm tyres
Shimano DI2/GRX mix - 46/34 x 11/34
Kit
Half frame bag - Alba Optics
Top tube bag - Restrap
Handlebar bag - Lifeline dry bag
Backpack - DHB
Jersey - Isadore Essentials Jersey
Bibs - Le Col HC bibs
Socks - Fingerscrossed
Helmet - Met Trenta 3K Carbon
Glasses - Alba Optics Delta
Sleeping - North Face Bivvy & Sleep mat
Tent - 3 man Alp Kit
Camera - Google Pixel 7 & Fujifilm XS10 + 23mm
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