The bikepacking events in New Zealand that I have participated in all have either 4 or 6 hr layovers in a 24 hr period. The 4 hr layover is no big deal, it doesn't really affect too much, other than it does add another layer of strategy. The 6 hour can be a pain, as you tend to do all your sleeping, eating and maintenance in that window and then just ride harder during the day...it's a system that tends to favour the riders with a higher speed, rather than the ones that can churn out the hours....also you can get sucked into the idea that you shouldn't stop for MORE than the designated layover, so some folks get worn down that way too.

I'm over to do the TD this year and looking forward to the freedom of a non-regulated day. I'm guessing I'll be stopping for a minimum of 4 hrs a night and sometimes more than 6, but I like that I get to choose.

I am a bit of a weight weenie but I wouldn't ride with just one tube.  It's the one area where I'm willing to carry a few more oz's to insure that my ride continues. 

So you run 2 tubes , and no extra sealant or co2? sounds fair.

Yes I have a power bank and I have run it in "night mode" (which I find worse). Obviously I want to reserve battery life. I've read on a gps forum running the backlight at the lowest setting doesn't use much battery life, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this.

Also, I have read that loading a route with waypoints means the unit will come to life as I approach a waypoint. But it seems routes are limited to 250 waypoints, much too short for a TD like ride.

Hi

I have an etrex 30 that I run on batteries (no dynamo). I want to find a good way to navigate at night. Currently I ride with a light on my bars, and a torch on my helmet that is usually off. I've been running with the backlight set to 15 s which is fine, but at night it's a black screen and I need to hit the toggle to get it to light up.

The thing is worried about missing a turn as I can't see the track without constantly hitting the toggle. Should I run a bit of constant backlight at night so I can see the screen? Set the track up as a route so I get notification when I'm off route???

Any help would be great.

I think how you structure your training has a bit to do with your exercise history. I come from a background of mountaineering and hiking. Big days (20hrs) are something I've done since I was a teenager and an 8 hour day feels short to me as long as I manage the intensity.

My focus in my training was initially to get some speed so I got into road riding/ racing with a focus on 100 milers: 4-5 hrs at good intensity. I found that brought my general speed up. Now after a few years at this and a number of multiday bikepacking events under my belt I now think in skill sets: hills, flats, standing, cadence. I mix up length and intensity around this. So a ride might be 2 hrs but would include 4 x 5 mins standing intervals, or 4 hrs on the flat no stopping, constant output, or 6 hrs with 2000m of climbing, or 1 hr at cadence over 100, or 4 x 5min cadence <60 seated on hills. Somewhere in the mix I'll do a big day or a big weekend, but that usually is a check to see how I'm going. I don't like to do this too much as the recovery is too long and I feel it eats into the motivation I need to bank for events (one can only suffer so much!).

To keep it all interesting I ride a my fully mtb, my hardtail and a road bike. I'm lucky that I can ride outdoors year round tho.

A truly waterproof seat bag or handlebar roll would be great, but i think rather than seal the seams with goo I think there might be a better way of achieving it. I'd put a false liner in the seat bag that was tape seam sealed, with the opening integrated into the roll closure. You could attach the back end into the seat post end of the seat bag. It could be reasonably light material (30-40D) as it wouldn't suffer much abrasion. As this is the waterproof layer you could save cost by not using the VX style fabrics that give  false sense of waterproofness and stick with a 600-1000D standard cloth for the seat bag/ handle bar bag. This would work even better on a bar bag, surprises me no-one has done it yet.

It will bloody cold biking that route in mid winter (June in SH).

Does anyone the best return flight option for international travelers?  I was planning on flying into Auckland, but then have no idea what is the best option once you reach the end point on the southern island.  Do you need to back track to Auckland and if so what is the best option for doing that?

You can fly Invercargill - Auckland on Air New Zealand (just book online on Air NZ site) or you could ride/ bus to Queenstown - see some sights/ hang there for a few days before direct flight back to AKL. There are more airline options out of Queenstown that may give you a better price.

you can contact through the event website. Last I heard there was a wait list .....

http://www.touraotearoa.nz/

Looks like Seb has opted for a dinner stop at the local bar in Basin ... not a bad choice for some local Montana hospitality.  Plus, a few riders doing the same up in Seeley Lake.

Seb mentions on fb that has a bit of a sore knee and has been/ needs to soft pedal to Butte tonight....here's hoping Montana burgers can cure that....

Seb also seems to have come into this firing on all cylinders. He and Bethany (sitting a close second in the women's race) have been planning this trip for...well, a while now. My guess is neither of them showed up to lolly-gag across the country.

i rode with Seb on this years Kiwi Brevet in NZ. He's organised, efficient and very self contained. Riding 200 mile days and hiking through snow won't be a bother for him. I only met Bethany briefly, but she impressed me as someone with a super positive outlook on life (and riding).

I have an etrex 30 & use a 62s for work. (which has similar interface and antenna) . The biggest difference will be the accuracy and speed of the gps in getting a fix due to the external higher spec antenna. For bikepacking this is not a big issue IMO as accuracy down to a couple of metres rarely matters. That said, I prefer the control panel of the style on the 62s/ 64s vs the e30. The joystick is fiddly on a bumpy road but ok.

Why buy a down jacket? No use if it rains, can't really wear it if your riding... get a synthetic - you'll use it 10x more. Way cheaper, and only a fraction heavier/ bulkier/ less warm these days. Oh, you live in AZ.... maybe down is better there.

Do you think I would get away with using a silk sleeping bag liner and down jacket to sleep in March time? I'd like to avoid carrying a full sleeping bag if possible.

That would be chilly - locals would be using a bag for sure. In March daytime temps will be 15-20deg c, night time 5-10c. Once yr down south will be a bit colder and snow is definitely on the cards. I'd be packing a summerweight  bag for sure + down jkt as backup.

Re mtb - ability of Te Araroa. Simon would have a good feeling for it. My knowledge of the north is a bit vague - so can't comment. However in much of the South Island would be off limits (National Parks) or not worth taking a bike. The new trail that is being built in NZ is cycle trail that the Tour Aotearoa will use. Te Araroa is mostly a collection of existing walking tracks and access agreements to get through private land - AFAIK there is no new "trail" being built - at least down south in my neck of the woods. Also worth noting that down here the trail is in many cases a route - there is no trail on the ground. I walked from Lewis Pass to St Arnaud a few years back and 3 days of that there was little marked trail - and definetly no foot trail to follow. You be carrying a bike on yr back for that section!

There are good options for mtb bikepacking in the South Island - but there is little info out there and it takes some creativity and local knowledge to put together a good route. If yr committed to that idea you could spend a few (3+) weeks doing the length of the South Island that would include awesome singletrack, remote travel and fantastic scenery.

 Yes the Tour Aotearoa will be a "rigid" tour - more akin to a TD and not remote at all.. Some great riding and I reckon awesome scenery (I'm in!). I think it will be a great insight into NZ culture and the range of environments...

If you want to know more, PM me. I'll be offline for the next week in the hills ....

Brian

It seems like it may be much like my last adventure (the CDT), in that it's not done, has some sections most would consider 'too burly' for bikes, and it's not so clear which sections are even open to bikes.

Most of Te Araroa is closed to bikes and I would say that even more of it would be way too hard to even contemplate taking a bike on. NZ bush is pretty hard core. Sure, there would be sections that would be nice riding, but not much.

A really good South Island route was done way back.... http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/hotrides/13/off-the-beaten-track

Kennetts new book just out today http://www.kennett.co.nz/shop will cover pretty much everything you need to know.

Rotovegas, Taupo, Wellywood.

As a stalker who likes to see a fair game....

If you sign up to be tracked by trackleaders, aren't you accepting a service from them in relation to the race? They are tracking a race, not just a route (like the GDMBR tracker). If the service points out where you have "alternated" from the route as part of the service AND you knew this before you started (which was not the case in 2014) surely there would be little room for discontent? Other issues like outside help etc are more problematic.....

I have a terrapin, done some multiday races and mtb touring (single track) with it - probably 20 days. The terrapin stays on my bike all the time & I load/ unload a light dry bag (15litre).
The up side.
- You can put your own drybag in it and be sure stuff will stay dry
- it doesn't rely on so much how well you pack it (like a viscacha) to keep it's shape
- it's very easy to unpack/ pack at the end/ start of each day
- I find it really stable

the down side
- it's a bit slower to get stuff in & out of during the day, so I tend to put my overnight stuff in it.
- when it gets very full it gets a bit bulbous, but that's more to do with the shape of the dry bag

Anyone using one of these http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-bt10-led-bike-light/

do the stated run times match up, weatherproofness ?? etc. I would be using it bar-mounted only. I like the extra light available over a LD 22...