Dogs, Blogs, and Bike Cogs

I discovered bikepacking because I had a distaste for hiking (sorry, Pop). I liked being outside, exploring trails, and camping, but the hiking part was slow, tedious, and barely felt like you got anywhere.

If you’re a loyal follower of the Pedaling4Pups blog, by now, I’ve definitely got you planning your first bikepacking adventure. Or, maybe you’ve stumbled upon this post from afar, and are looking for a bikepacking gear checklist from a complete stranger. Kudos to you – but, I’d recommend checking out the rest of the site before you sign up for my misadventures.

Normally this blog brings you tips about bikepacking, recommendations for gear, and stories about my misadventures on the trail. But today, we’re going to do things a little differently and update you on some of the latest and greatest that’s going on at Pedaling4Pups!

I started biking a lot more in college. I hated taking the transit system, and the best way to navigate the city was to take a bike that I shared with my six roommates (not at the same time).

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Bike races are hard. Fun, but hard. 

So hard it took me almost a whole month to write this post – but hey, we’re here now so better late than never.

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In the red corner, weighing in at a lengthy 40-miles long, the "Gruesome Gravel Grinder," the "Annihilator at Arrowhead," it's the Black Fly Challenge (TV audience "booo"). 

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“Were you ever scared?” 

I get asked this question a lot when I talk about the Great Divide. The answer is absolutely. I was scared every day on that trip.

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I thought my bike trip was impressive – until I learned what the Tour Divide was.

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It’s funny. If you complete the Great Divide, people start to think, “You must be a pretty big bike guy.”

Spoiler alert: I’m not.

There are some real gearheads out there and I definitely recommend going to your local bike shop if you want any advice on how to fix your bike. If you’ve read my exploits, you know bike repair isn’t my forte.

The Great Divide is the longest mountain bike trail in the world -- which is exactly why I picked it for my first-ever bikepacking adventure. Go big or go home, right?