Have you considered using a smartphone instead of a regular GPS? When my friend an I rode it we had both the ACA paper maps, which are great for figuring resupplies, daily distance, and side trips, as well as our smartphones with the apps Maps.me. and Gaia GPS. We primarily navigated with our phones and usually referenced the maps in the morning, before setting out. For much of the route, navigation is pretty straight forward and doesn't require staring at a screen to find the way.
I wrote a bit about using a smartphone for navigation here (https://wanderingbybicycle.com/1477-2/), and there are also some trip reports from the Great Divide as well. Enjoy the ride, it's an amazing experience.

This past summer a friend and I spent a few weeks bikepacking, bikerafting, and bikepushing on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. The highlight of the trip was spending four days bikepacking the beach from Nikiski to Homer. The west coast of the Kenai Peninsula is somewhat unique -  it has easy road access, convenient resupply points, and very little people or development. From the beach, you'd have no idea the Sterling Highway runs just above the bluffs. Also, as long as you follow the tide chart, there is minimal technical difficulty along the route. If this sounds like fun, I wrote more about the trip here.

To combat the handlebar load swaying, I just use extra straps. I use the Revelate Harness, which with the stiff foam support IMO is the best system around for heavy loads. Strapped in the harness is a Revelate Saltyroll (a Sweetroll without the handlebar mounting points), my tent poles, trekking poles if I'm carrying them, and my tent in a separate drybag. I use two Voile XL straps to cinch the load tight to my handlebars and leave my cables long so they fit between the Saltyroll and the tent drybag. No cable binding or load bouncing over rough trails with this system. Over everything I run a Revelate Pocket and use another strap over that to hold everything firm.

This past summer a friend and I spent a few weeks bikepacking, bikerafting, and bikepushing on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. This area is home to some of the best singletrack in Alaska (and the location of the Keani 250 bikepacking race), days of rideable coastline, and beautiful glacial rivers. To combine a little bit of everything, we started this trip off with paddle, push, and pedal over Portage Pass, which you can read about here

Another possibility, if you have the option, is to pick an airline with "cheep" bicycle fees. Jet Blue is $50 for a boxed bicycle up to 99lbs and Alaska Airlines is $75 for the same. I've flown both carriers with bike boxes close to 99lbs without a problem. As for packing, I put everything inside the bike box except for some clothes, sleeping bag and tent, in case the bike doesn't make it to the destination, which I've had as well. If possible, I also mail my stove to the destination instead of flying with it, so I don't risk having it confiscated by some some TSA agent who doesn't understand the rules for flying with a stove. I lost a Trangia alcohol stove due to this.

Depending on the trip, I use a few different setups -  a Revelate Pika, a Carradice Camper Longflap, or a drybag strapped to the top of my rack. This summer in Alaska I was carrying trekking gear in addition to my bikepacking kit, so I needed more room than most seatbags provide. The setup I used was an Old Man Mountain Sherpa rack (Pugsley specific) with a 65 liter Sea to Summit Big River dry bag strapped to the top. The dry bag doubles as a liner for my ULA Circuit backpack, which I stored inside while riding. Rolled way down it's not much longer than the top of the rack and it can be rolled smaller or expanded as needed. With this setup I had more than enough storage capacity, the bike handled fine - like a heavy mountain bike, and there are no panniers in the way on narrow trails or hike-a-bikes. Also, for extra water capacity while desert riding, MSR Dromedery bags can be added where panniers would normally go.

For bikes without eyelets the Thule Pack 'n Pedal Tour Rack may be an option, although I wouldn't carry a lot of weight on it.

A few years back I rode from Sierra Vista to Antelope Wells, before heading south to the Barrancas del Cobre ( Adios Estados Unidos, Hola Chihuahua Mexico ). From Sierra Vista I followed pavement for awhile, then took an old railroad bed to Douglas. From there I followed the Geronimo Trail to Cloverdale Road, which you seem to use as well.

At the Cloverdale Road intersection I turned right and followed Cloverdale Road to St. Louis Pass Road, a major road to the left and possibly unsigned, but there are signs at the intersection for Diamond A Ranch and No Trespassing / Locked Gates Ahead. On St. Louis Pass Road I rode through two locked gates ( I just lifted the bike over) and over a cattle grate with two wagon wheels. At road fork after the cattle grate / wagon wheels I turned left and followed the road to the third locked gate and the intersection with the main paved road to Antelope Wells. I made a right and it was about 4 miles to the border.

I was told by border patrol that it was fine to ride through St. Louis Pass Road, and they even unlocked and opened one of the gates for me.

OK, lets wrap this thread up. First - jhl99, GMNF follows the same bicycle rules as all other national forest land in the country. There are signed bike routes, but those aren't the only routes you can ride and we can go a lot more places than motorized vehicles. Also, much of the VAST trail system in the national forest is open to bikes, but keep in mind most of the VAST system is on private land outside the GMNF. If you check out VMBA, you'll see Vermont is further along than much of the country when it comes to mountain biking.

As for posting about the ride, it's been posted about before and is somewhat well known, at least within Vermont. I'm not sure what more you would like divulged, but you're more than welcome to ride the route and spend all the hours you want processing photos and writing up a better report. Also, I never said the route wasn't legal, I said it was being fine tuned. This isn't my route and out of respect for the route developers, my time, and those who ride it after me and want a bit of unknown adventure, I didn't give point by point descriptions or a GPX file, but I did give hyperlinked information and my contact info on how you can get it, if you want it.

As for riding on private land, it's a privilege, not a right, and that privilege can be revoked. Yep, most  Vermonters, flatlanders or multi-generation, are really friendly and wave when you pass by, and some are a bit, well, as I said - ornery, just like the rest of the humans in the world. Talk to most any road cyclist and they would attest to that.  I'm glad some have never had a bad interaction, but saying every Vermonter is friendly is like saying every dog is friendly; I don't have to get bit to realize it's not true.

I hear where you're coming from Lentamentalisk, but I honestly don't feel anyone's being secretive. They, or actually he, Dave Tremblay, is still refining the route, along with working on other routes he's dreamed up. Also, as I mentioned in Part 1, many sections of this route cross private land and use the VASA, VAST and Catamount Trail systems. Vermonters can get a little ornery, so making sure everything goes smooth before the track appears all over the internet is best for the long term success of the route.

If anyone has trouble getting in touch with Dave, send me a message and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks and enjoy the ride.

This is an absolutely awesome route that showcases some of the best mountain biking in the state. For any that are interested, Part 1 of the trip is posted in the Routes section, and here's Part 2.
Riding the XVT (Cross Vermont Bikepacking Route): Part 2

A few weeks ago I rode the XVT Bikepack Route from the Canada Border to Ripton with a friend and this past weekend I rode it from the Mass. Border to Ripton with another friend. This is an absolutely awesome route that showcases some of the best mountain biking Vermont has to offer. Thank you Dave Tremblay and everyone involved in creating this route for all their years of hard work, it's so much better than I could have ever imagined.

For any that are interested, I wrote a post about part one of my trip.
Riding the XVT (Cross Vermont Bikepacking Route): Part 1

Have you checked out Defiant Pack's (https://defiantpack.com/) Custom Zipperless Frame Bags? I used one for a two and a half month bikepacking trip to Alaska this summer and couldn't have been happier. The construction is top notch and the top flap design is adjustable and allows for overstuffing. I was able to fit five days of food in the bag without a problem. Last I checked there was about a two week wait.

Hi All,
A friend and I are spending this summer traveling around Alaska with fatibkes, packrafts and backpacks and I’m looking for any trip ideas you may have. We’re starting on the Kenai Peninsula and plan on doing some variation of packrafting and biking Hope to Homer and riding the Kenai 250 bikepacking route. After that, we’re still tossing around ideas. What we’re most interested in is multi-day bike/hike/paddle trips that don’t involve flying. I know an airplane opens up so much of the state, but it’s most likely out of our budget. We considered the Nabesna to McCarthy traverse, but the thought of doing that with heavy fatbikes isn’t too appealing. Also, class II+/easier III water is our paddling limit with heavy packs and bikes. We're planning on 2-3 months of traveling, so we have plenty of time for multiple trips.

If you're road biking, what about staying under pavilions and gazebos in towns to stay warm and dry. My bikepacking tends to have less pavement, but I did ride back to Vermont from Montana after finishing the GDMBR last year and most nights I had some sort of shelter over me. I'm not saying it was always legal, but it kept the condensation off. Also, because the air is dryer under the shelter it also feels a little warmer. In larger towns and cities police often patrol the parks, so stealthiness is a must, but in most smaller towns no one bats an eye (still be stealth). Yes, it does put you a little closer to traveling homeless then bikepacker, but I've never minded that and it may get you a free breakfast - it happened to me.

Hobo Camping by John Fontanilles, on Flickr

Nothing against Revelate bags, I have two and they're great bags, but have you considered a zipperless framebag. I had a custom zipperless bag made by Defiant Pack (http://defiantpack.com/) and I really prefer the design. It uses water bottle mounts and Velcro for attachment and has a large top flap that allows for quite a bit of overstuffing. Because it's custom, it fills every bit of the triangle and holds quite a bit more than the Revelate/Surly Pugsley bag I replaced due to a broken zipper. The bag loads from the top, so it's one big pocket without dividers, but it's custom so vertical dividers can probably be added and it does have two pocket on the top flap. Also, at $160 it's actually a bit cheaper than the Revelate bags. Here's a photo showing the fit and flap design.

When I rode the GDMBR last summer, I used and Android phone with the same two apps. Maps.me was my primary app and covered the whole route with the exception of part of the Wamsutter section. I also had photos of the Adventure Cycling GDMBR maps on my phone for reference as well. I wrote a post on my website after the trip about smartphone navigation, if you want to read more. https://wanderingbybicycle.com/1477-2/

I know this thread is a little old, but have you checked out Scott Pauker's website http://spokeandwords.com/

I met Scott up in Alaska and we've kept in touch. He's linking up as much dirt as possible on his way around the world and has some great posts on the areas you are interested in.

It's tough to walk the line between weight and preparedness, but in the middle of nowhere I'll take a few extra ounces of prevention. I run a Rohloff, so I don't pack a spare jockey wheel or Stein tool, but I do for long trips on my derailleur bikes. Also, none of my bikes have suspension outside the tires, so I don't pack a shock pump. Having a way to remove the pedals is nice for long hike-a-bikes or bushwacking. Below is what I carried on the GDMBR, which is basically the same kit I carry on most of my trips.

    Leatherman Rebar multi-tool – carried on my belt and used for everything from food prep to opening faucets without handles.
    15mm wrench for the Rohloff axle bolts and pedal removal
    8mm / 10mm combo wrench – the two most used sizes
    T-20 Torx wrench for Rohloff bolts
    Crank Brothers Multi 19 tool – great chain breaker and spoke wrench
    Plastic Shimano Hollowtech II tool for the outer crank arm bolt - I've used this a lot for bottom bracket adjustment and repair
    Fiber Spokes – I carry two
    Replacement spokes – two front and two rear with nipples, stored in my handlebar
    Spare shifter cable - the Rohloff uses a slightly smaller ferrule but it's easy to modify a standard cable with a file.
    King Cage titanium tire levers – light and strong
    Generic patch kit
    Presta to Schrader valve adapter – for touring I use Schrader valve tubes
    2 extra tubes – Schrader valve
    A few miscellaneous nuts, bolts and washers
    2 chainring bolts that also double as Rohloff disk rotor bolts.
    A few chain links and a master link
    Front and rear disk brake pads - I leave these out for trips under 2 weeks
    Gorilla Tape – the strongest duct tape I have found
    Tyvek tape– for fabric repair
    Zip ties
    Small tube of Aquaseal
    Small sewing kit – thick nylon thread, one straight and one curved needle, 2 safety pins and that’s about it.
    2 hose clamps
    3 feet of baling wire – there’s a reason why farmers fix everything with this stuff
    Lezyne Micro Drive HV pump with gauge – the best pump I’ve found for high volume tires
    Chain lube, an old toothbrush with a chopped handle, and a rag

I store all of this in a zippered stuff sack which is kept in a seam sealed Tyvek envelope to keep it waterproof. If you're interested, the rest of my pack list can be found at http://wanderingbybicycle.com/gear-list-for-the-great-divide-mountain-bike-route-gdr/

My 2013 Surly Troll out front of the old post office in Vallecitos, New Mexico. This is from my Northbound trip up the GDMBR this past summer.



A rundown of the build can be found on my website at http://wanderingbybicycle.com/what-i-ride/2013-surly-troll/

Have you considered a down quilt? I used the Mountain Hardware Lamina 35 for the past few years and this spring I switched to the Nemo Siren 30 degree down quilt. Wearing my mid layers I would get chilled in the Lamina in the mid 30s, especially my feet, while the Siren is comfortable, if not warm, with just base layers in the high 20s. I sleep directly on top of my sleeping pad, which is a Klymit Static V. On cold nights with just the pad I do feel a chill from the ground, which the quilt can't help, but putting a 3 foot Reflectix bubble sheet under my torso, under the pad, mitigates that. The one downside is after over 3 months of continuous use this summer on the GDMBR and Northern Tier Route, with not many showers, my pad looks like someone died on it from all the dirt staining. I've considered covering it with a sleeping pad liner both for comfort (sleeping on the plastic is a bit clammy in the heat) and for easier washing. The Siren packs so small an XS Sea To Summit eVent compression dry sack is fully cinched tight and it does fit in my Sweetroll. Hunting around on the internet I was able to get the Siren for $220 shipped, but I don't remember from where.
As for packing, I keep my bag and pad in my Carradice Camper Longflap saddlebag. I also use a Revelate Harness, with a few extra straps, on the front because I find it more stable and versatile that the Sweetroll, but that's personal preference.