I have an older version of that light that goes everywhere with me in the camelbak. LOVE it- simple, not too big, gets the job done. I like the newer 'low' of 3 lumen for doing things around camp better than my older might brighter 'low', but I'm a cheapskate and probably won't replace it until it dies. Which could be a loooong time, lol.

East = too far away, haven't even scratched the surface of what's available in Washington, and if we're feeling like something amazing BC is *just right there*...

FWIW nobody I know of is ripping off 100+ mile days here in the central Cascades even unloaded. Just too steep. Anything over about 18 miles and you might be into an all-day adventure depending on where/what it is. Incredibly beautiful, wild country to be had though.

As I always tell husby, "Not all miles are created equal". Carrying my bike up a thirty-something-percent shale covered chute on the way back from Miller Peak (the big red triangle behind me- trail actually goes across that front face).

I'm in central WA and most folks will run out of time and/or juice before there's an end of trails to beat around on. 30 miles unloaded is considered a big day out here though, and depending what you get tangled up in there are some 18-20 mile routes that take 7 or 8 hours even by pretty strong riders.

For starters, download the ORV maps http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/okawen/recreation/climbing/recarea/?recid=57117&actid=37
Anything open to motos is fair game, just double check those red lines as many of them don't allow bikes.

There's a lot more unmarked stuff out in the west fork Teanaway, but you kinda have to have someone who's familiar with the area get you started. I have a buddy who took off w/ friends from Roslyn up over the ridge into the 'way and wandered around in that drainage for ~3 days before they finally headed back.

There's also more trails and green dot roads out of Joe Watt/LT Murray just SE of Taneum, but given the size and terrain of Taneum + Manastash + Naches already... we'll maybe see ya in a week, lol.

Oh yeah, it's work all right! But as you point out, the memories are awesome. The other thing is that this is our lifestyle and I'd like her to see such adventures as normal.

One Saturday a month or so ago we sort of accidentally ended up doing 40 miles of road and rail trails with her on the TAB. When we pulled in to the driveway we told her most adults haven't done 40 miles on a bike in a day, so she could be very proud of herself. Bikes are fun, they keep you healthy, and they are very good transportation... That may be a valuable lesson for kids facing a future where health, wealth, and petroleum look increasingly limited.

I set my post where my leg is just short of fully extended with my foot flat at the bottom of the stroke. Anything much less than that for an extended period of time will cause knee problems for me.

Having said that... I've also found it absolutely critical to get the seat far enough back that my knee isn't overly compressed at the top of the stroke. I'm told this isn't uncommon in taller folks with a long femur (I'm 5'8" with a ~33" inseam). That means all my seats are clamped as far forward on the rails as I dare.

[THANK YOU]

[crosspost from MTBR as requested by Slim]
This area has been rendered much less popular since a freak set of thunderstorms caused severe flash flooding over Naches/Manastash/Taneum last May and washed out the main roads. So when husby sent me a very sweet txt on Friday requesting me RSVP an invitation to "The First Annual Manastash Lake Bikepacking trip", I had to say YES of course.

This also gave us a chance to test some new gear. We had ordered Revelate Viscacha seat bags, but only one was employed this time since I had the TAB off my seat post already. But we were both able to test drive the Bedrock Bags Chinle compression panel. Gotta say, the MOLLE panel on the front is sheer genius... infinite possibilities there, but in this case it was most notably used to carry our daughter's tiny little fishing pole in.


The crux of the trip came right off the truck. This is where the creek blew out the culverts and the road. Had to bust the trail-a-bike and the BOB trailer off the bikes and carry each piece across one at a time.

Then we darted down a road to a chunky trail and began the climb. Halfway comes Lost Lake, where daddy and daughter stopped to do a little fishing. Note handlebar bag on Ol' Yeller is flipped over... that's because no matter what we did, the short front V-brake cable would clamp down on the rim if we loaded the bag on the front of the handlebar. So we flipped it over. Believe it or not, it worked all right for this short trip (although it made shifting 'interesting', but if anyone remembers gearing from '98 and knows how heavy a TAB with kid is, you'll know why I didn't bother changing it up much).



Finally got to Manastash Lake, and found the PERFECT campsite... complete with dock. !!!! This was apparently a memorial to John Bostick. Whoever you are: THANK YOU.


First fish! Brook trout, which was very good pink meat baked in the camp fire in foil.

Helping daddy fish more (which didn't get more fish).


Sunset at Manastash lake, on what might be our Best Camping Trip Evar.


Took us about 3 hours in, including stopping at Lost Lake and talking with some moto guys at Manastash Lake, and about 1.5 hours out (which included a LOT of breaks for someone who was tired of getting crotchelated back there bouncing over all the chunk).

P.S. You KNOW it's a good kid-camping-trip when they start crying in the truck that they'd rather be back up at the lake, lol.

I have NO idea re your original question.... I just gotta say "stumphumper" is the best name for a bike evar. 

We just did bikepacking trip #2 with our 6yo, and posted pics/trip reports on MTBR's bikepacking forum.

Years ago my dad very accurately described kids: "They're like an army- they move on their stomach". Seems like as long as you have enough food for the short people and are patient with their pacing requirements, they'll do quite a lot.