There are always Phil freewheel hubs, and god knows howmany freewheels still on the planet, many good ones, many crappy, just pick well.  Get an 8 spd chain and friction shift, far less to go wrong.  A rear spaced at 135 is almost dishless and builds into a solid wheel. 

I still have one bike with 9sp casette and let the chains go way to far hoping the rear casette will wear so I can justify replacing it with an 8 sp, but it keeps on going.  Strong wheel with 40 spokes, and it is the only wheel I have needed to true in the last 2 years. 

I realy wish there had been a push towards dishless/strength in the technology, but those of us going that direction are by far the minority.  Most people out there buying bikes just want it to work, and are willing to pay others to fix it when it is not working.  Also remember you do not see most of these guys when you are two days back in the woods.  Heck you are not likely to see them outside of a saturday morning in many cases.

This does not mean that is a bad thing, just they way of the mass market. 

The horse trough on gridley is about half way up and could save you some water carry, but by the time you pump it it may have been less work to just carry.  Other than that and maybe at homes on the way up Sisar the next water is likely near the camps at Piedra and lions camp etc.  That is the valley between Nordhoff and Pine Mountain.  I have never ridden the trail down from Nordhoff to the camps, but have heard it is pretty rough.  The heat is a whole nother problem, I have never ridden up there after May, but I have hiked, and thought I was going to pass out.  There is no shade, all scrub and sage

Once the weather cools a bit I would be up for riding from town, either up the 33, and over sulphur mtn to Sisar.  Or the other way up the 150 from Santa Paula, but that is a long slow climb.  I would think the best way down from Lions camp would be the 33, a couple thousand feet of smooth paved decent with very little traffic.

Has anybody here ever ridden from Nordhoff to the 33?  I know there has to be a way because the 4x4 guys start there, but I have always seemed too dense to figure it out.

Rob

I am here in Ventura with the Santa Barbara Los Padres map up on the wall dreaming for a year and a half now, work and family commitments were the biggest block, the other was finding somebody else to go with.  Most People I know seem to think a ride over 5 miles or so is nuts. 

Things have been settling down a bit at home and work, so I have been thinking about a quick overnighter up Sisar rd, along Nordhoff ridge and down Gridley.  I have also thought about riding up behind Matilija and heading towards SB a bit before dropping back down to sea level.

What are you guys doing for water up there?  that has been another of my excuses for not heading up there for mpore than an afternoon ride.

Rob

Take a look at the Marathon Extreme as well,
http://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon_extreme
I have been running the 622x42 for over a year now in different combinations, front rear, with an old XR.  I love it and have not needed the extra volume unless pushing realy fast on loose fist sized rocky trails.  I would have to belive the 50 or 57 would be really nice on more of a 29er type rig.  The road buzz is minimal and for the toughness they roll really well.

here are some pics of my mixed terain set up
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rperks1/sets/72157622761433374/

What type of brakes are you planning on using?  That can play big into the rack mounting and choices that will work.  Disk will limit your options the most, but I have used these for all sorts of loads over all sorts of terrain,
http://www.oldmanmountain.com/

If you can get the disk down low on the chain stay, not sure if there is a slider way, then you are open to options like Bruce Gordon or Tubus which build pretty robust racks as well.

I would think hard on this now before you wish the custom bike was something else. 

I have ridden in nothing but surf trunks for 20 years or so and never had too much trouble.  When I was younger and less picky my saddles came out of the free bin at the LBS.  Then I discovered Selle Italia Flites.  As I have aged into my thirties I find the Brooks B17 near perfect on or off road.  

The biggest contributor to long term comfort is fit in my opinion.  Second is hygene. and third is keeping weight in check and thereby extra folds of flesh.  Wipes help with the second, the third you are on your own.  

At the moment I am recovering from a year long job with 4 hours a day in the car, now followed by a 6 week old baby.  I admit having a bit more flesh than I should at the moment.  I caved and bought a pair of the Ibex knickers, the built in knee warmers are a dream, but I am not so sure about the chamoix, I may remove it in the next week or so.

KEEP YOU PLACES CLEAN

Rob

have you considered a dyno hub lighting system?

Prices are wide depending on what you expect the lights to do and the level of build quality you can afford.  Also a cost consideration is how much you can do yourself on the setup combined with tolerance for overseas purchases.  With the $$ to Euro rate where it is you can get Son systems for pretty good deals from places like this:
http://www.starbike.com/
I have not ordered from them yet, but know people who have and are very happy, I had the stuf in the cart and failed to pull the trigger.

Rob

I will add to the old socks plan.  They come in a wide variety of length and weight, and you likely have the raw materials at hand.  Tools needed? scissors.

My favorite pair is made from some old snowboarding socks that I used about 3 times.  The heel hits my elbow perfectly with the toe up towards the shoulder.  Also, the engineered padded parts add wind resistance in just the right places.  as summer is setting in new socks like these are dirt cheep at places like sierra trading post.

Rob

which carrier were you using?