loop routes could be good in pa....i'll help you out anytime...

jhl
you are sooo cool with those maps!!
i'm with you, just ride your own routes

i would be interested to help figure out off road routes anywhere i can.
but i live in pgh....would have to plan for my trips.

also, jeff, i think he is actually referring to the newly released SMT Virginia trail i had mentioned to you before (and in a separate thread on here under Routes). i don't see them giving the route away on that one though....but i had thought a cool slight diversion from the real divide sections of WV.

cool already existing trail connections for sure. but my hunch is the first few runs of this are for credit card touring.until the route becomes known, i haven't seen them freely advertise the route at all, and this trial was even advertised for a paid fee (which i thought was a little pricey??) if anyone other than close friends wanted to go along......sweet area, but the fee for tour not what i prefer to see developed for a state's premier distance traverse!!! unless they change the set up moving forward?

[DID NOT]

I DID NOT SEE TO SEE THOSE PICS NOW!!!
on the night before heading that way....
crap......

ok thanks for replying to my question. i found out from track leaders the same info too. not sure why initially people told me otherwise, guess a little confusing terminology!! thanks!!

so far my spot device is not able to be continually tracked when using trackleaders at events?
spot customer service has been ZERO help, i am currently contacting trackleaders to see if they can help, but in the meantime wonder if anyone has experience with similar issues?

i was told repeatedly i DO NOT need to have spot tracker services on my account w spot in order for trackleaders to locate me. But it seems they can only pick up a location when i push the check/ok button and not track me on route.

also, when i set it to track mode, when I look a few hours later, the track mode has shut itself off. the unit is on but not attempting to emit any signal.

i switched to the energizer lithium ultimate as some peeps rec, but this didn't help at all.

any suggestions? does everyone else using trackleaders have tracking service on their spot accounts???

i see no one replied so i will try to give you a little info.
i just did a trip from kennerdale, to cooks, to anf, back to cooks.
i did it that way because although i hadn't been to cooks in quite some time i felt it probably didn't have enough trails to do a bigger loop(we did 3 days/2 nights) & actually put a lot of road in some places.
and actually we ended up outskirted cooks and staying on jeep trails west of the forest because we didn't want to decend into the pit near the river just to spend the night climbing back out.
ANF has a lot more to offer if you go just a few miles more north.
i got from kennerdale to rt322/66 using the sandy creek path, nice but the north country trail folks are taking it over as a 'hiking path' so not sure in future they will let bikes on or what....which is silly because it's an old rail trail???the state gameland section is a bit tricky marking to follow yet but you just need to look around.

i plan on being in again

i also love the Shen, but years of riding there this is a nice change for something different. you won't regret missing
shen if you are ready for a change. 

i have ridden on one for a few years with pannier pack weight (winter camping gear) on the bike, but easier terrain than typical XC. no problems so far.

i am going to look into the details he posted. i might be interested to ride it early/late spring 2011, if anyone else would like to meet up? or even xc ski it earlier if I can see places to stay along the route are close enough.

sounds cool....maybe next year??? good luck!

hi, I tried to use the bivy bag just once & although the waterproofness was great, I have trouble sleeping with my head exposed & it's too stuffy when zipped up.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___27849

Would sell for $100 (& shipping) or a possible trade for other sleep item/gear?

ruth.

Anyone happen to live near seattle doing/want to do any rides in the mountains between tomorrow (8/27) & 8/31? Visiting friends here & they are not into longer rides. Do not have gear here for overnight, just day rides.
Ruth.

hey i am in the same boat!! the event was announced with not a lot of notice and I never did something with bags before so there just wasn't time. afraid I am going to have to get thru it with a weighty rack instead!!   good luck finding one & see you there!!

yeah i know its kind of silly, but i even am worried of wildlife to ride too much alone anywhere far from a poplulated park near my house!!
I somehow manage to usually have some friends to get into the forest with. i know there are much worse things that could happen while out there alone!
thanks for the info though!
ruth.

hi, i am rather new to the whole bikepacking thing, but after years of XC/XXC 'racing' and riding all over east coast I really want to do more of this now. Looking forward to some 'casual' paced trips in the future, but right now I would really like to do the CO Trail Race this year in august but not too sure about going it totally alone. I know you can't have an actual partner or support for this, but looking for someone who might want to ride similar pace, stop at the same towns at night, wait up if a bad mechanical happens, etc. The biggest reason is I am scared of running into bears, etc alone!my pace will not be too fast, but I do want to keep moving steadily. I am thinking it will be more than 7 days for me, but hopefully not much more than that!!

This website is great info on the routes etc for the west! and for bike set up info. thanks!!

Ruth.