Ready to go - see ya'll tonight!

Wanted to see if anyone is having good or bad experiences in doing trans-Mexico bike trips.  Looking at either a Baja run or central mountain pathway.  Most of my experience in the area is on motorcycle, which allows different opportunities.  Concerned about general safety and clean food/water sourcing.  Thanks for any input.

check out my thread in the bikepacking section, I rode from La Paz to Cabo and I have to say i felt safer in mexico than i do in my own town, well at least as safe. everyone was fantastically nice and really went out of their way to help us out.

the 2nd part is up on my blog as well as fat-bike.com

http://calestravels.blogspot.com/2012/04/baja-bikepack-trip-part-2.html

As for the packing up bikes what part are you interested in? the way down was easy i just got 2 26x26x10 boxes from a local box store and put the wheels in those then the frame and all the bags went into a standard bike box that I got from a shop. that way you aren't going to be overweight on either box and wont get charged an extra arm and leg beyond what you are already getting charged for the oversize bike box.

Locust, how in the heck did you get your bike, gear and 120 oz. water down to 34 lbs, especially having clothing, etc down to 20 degrees.   Would you be willing to share your list of what you are bringing with you?  

I just put my bike together and everything on my bike and with with only 64 oz of water is 50 lbs and I thought that was good.  Thanks.

well the bike I started with is 20lbs 4oz so ive got some room to add weight right there, as for clothes ive got an extra kit + LS jersey + insulated leg, arm and knee warmers, neoprene shoe covers if i decide they are going to be needed, puffy jacket, rain/wind shell,  spare tubes, nipples , spokes , chain, pump, etc. then spot tracker, water in a 100oz bladder, 20oz bottle in jersey pocket, gps plus food bars and whatnot. there is some other stuff but thats the basics. I am a serious weightweenie about all my gear, every gram counts.

Locust, Do you have any camping/bivy gear with you?   Or are you thinking of hoteling it?
Thanks!

no bivy gear outside of a puffy jacket, even if something prevents me from riding i will be ok out for at least a night in sub freezing temps, but if all goes well yeah im gonna nap in a park or hotel it.

I think I've got me setup dialed in, did a 40 mile mtb ride yesterday with all the gear and it feels great, I wasnt happy with my framebag (the PR seatbag my be the best thing in existence though)  so I ripped it apart and re-did it today adding some features and slimming it down. I may add or leave out 1 or two pieces of clothing depending on how the weather looks closer to day of but I think I've got myself covered for temps down to low 20's and up to 100+ the entire setup including 120oz of water weighs 34lb 1oz

Melissa and I took the Pugslys down the coast of Baja from La Paz to Cabo San Jose last week.

part one of the words are here http://calestravels.blogspot.com/

Video here https://vimeo.com/39991473

Awesome, now there is some good Beta! Do you have a link to your facebook posts?

Hmmmmm I'm really considering going as light as possible, I just spent a week riding in the baja desert in 100 degree heat with no resupplys all day and i think i can pull off a no bivy ride (obviously i'd sleep but im thinking of trying to make it to hotel type areas for that) , I'd bring clothes to survive a night in the desert but I'd really rather not carry a camp kit but I am teetering on the edge here. Sometimes being first has advantages, other times not so much.

Having done Trans iowa a few times I've got a handle on the no sleep part of racing but this is obviously going to be quite different terrain wise although the amount of climbing is similar 25k vs 30k still staying on technical singletrack while tired is a whole different animal than staying on a gravel road.

Either way, i can't wait.

Oh, Brendan what is the rule on begging for shelter? like can I stop at a random house and and ask to sleep in their garage?

Ive been reconning for this race a bunch around the san diego area and from what I've seen its going to be awesome, so excited to race this course!

I was just thinking we have a whole bunch of so-cal guys doing this race, is anyone interested in setting up some carpools / hotel shares for the night before the race?

ha you are right, the frame bag was a relative piece of cake compared to that little thing.

i totally got into the zone last night and busted through the frame bag and a seatbag. the seatbag turned out really great and i guess so did the frame bag, im really happy how it all turned out although my ocd might get the better of me and cause me to make another gas tank bag but that can wait for the time being while i test these out. ill snap some better pics of the gear off the bike tonight but here are a few picws i grabbed while i was walking out the door thismorning.

i've been lurking on this thread for a few weeks and i finally got the bits to make some gear, and i've got to say whatever eric charges isnt enough! man this was the most fiddly sewing project ever, although i think it came out OK in the end. i'd do some things differently next time and i'm sure the 2nd one would go much faster but here is my first bit of gear, a Gas Tank.  it's about 3.5x4.5x8. the whole thing is lined with closed cell foam and seems pretty sturdy. but seriously sewing all these tiny bits together was a PITA. i'm making the frame bag tonight and i think its going to seem like a piece of cake after this tiny thing.