Bikepacking reading list...

[ScottM]

I'm looking for books about bikepacking.  Do any books about touring singletrack exist?  Would accept rough dirt roads, by mountain bike and without a 575 lb load.  Adventure cycling has a "personal accounts" book list:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/store/index.cfm/category/30/personal-accounts.cfm

There is an account of the GDMBR there:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/store/index.cfm/product/298_30/twenty-nine-hillsa-great-divide-mountain-bike-epic.cfm

Close, but not quite what I'm looking for.  I'm sure someone will mention a new book by a certain JH -- definitely the kind of stuff I'm looking for.  Anyone got any pointers?  In the absence of that, how about a favorite touring book, no matter what the style?

[DaveC]

Off the Map by Mark Jenkins. 

About riding 7,000 miles from Valdivostok to Leningrad in Communist Russia, including a nearly 900 miles stretch just north of Manchuria with no roads, just swamp, goat trails, and days of pushing along the Trans-Siberian railroad.

I believe it is out of print, but worth seeking out.

[ScottM]

Found it at Amazon, just ordered.

http://www.amazon.com/Off-Map-Bicycling-Across-Siberia/dp/0060975326

Thanks.  Any more suggestions?

[DaveC]

I tracked down this article over breakfast this morning:  http://outside.away.com/outside/adventure/200203/200203_the_hardway_1.html

A good one.

[rocky rode]

Hey Scott,

How would you feel about doing book trades here on the list?  I have quite a few, not so much bike related but at least adventure related, or how to related, ultralight backpacking, etc.  These long winter nights are for reading!  Any interest?

Gary

[ScottM]

Gary -- sounds good to me.  This thread seems like a good place to do it (maybe post what you've got and others can offer a trade).  I'll have a look around and post a few later.

[dave54]

Not quite bikepacking, but here's one you can download for free into your MP3 and listen.

The journal of John Wesley Powell from his exploration of the Colorado and Green Rivers.

http://librivox.org/canyons-of-the-colorado-by-john-wesley-powell/

[Wyoming Tom]

Scott,

I have the 29 Hills book and it is really pretty weak. There is almost no discussion of the bikes or equipment they used. It is pretty much a story about people they bumped into and things they saw along the way. Just my opinion, but there really wasn't much meat in it.

I will send you my copy to read. If you want it let me know.

Tom

[Slowerthensnot]

http://docs.google.com/View?docID=dhr7n9q9_103hkshv6f7&revision=_latest&hgd=1

[ScottM]

http://docs.google.com/View?docID=dhr7n9q9_103hkshv6f7&revision=_latest&hgd=1

Good addition, thanks Dave.  You might say I know one of the characters in Kent's story very well.  He sure went to pieces fast on that one.

[cgar380]

anything by Rick Ridgeway but especially "Big Open: On Foot Across Tibet's Chang Tang"

"Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey" by Goran Kropp (cycled from Sweden to Everest solo w all his gear and proceeded to climb and summit w/o supplemental O2 then rode back). I just checked this one out from the library so I don't know how it will be but I know about Goran from an article in some magazine when he did this trip.

I'll be subscribing to this thread, so when I find some more I'll post them.

[Slowerthensnot]

Good addition, thanks Dave.  You might say I know one of the characters in Kent's story very well.  He sure went to pieces fast on that one.

Though you might enjoy that!       well you do learn more from the mistakes

[ScottM]

well you do learn more from the mistakes

Indeed.

Keep the suggestions comin', everyone.  I'll post others that I find here too.

[LiMoDad]

Here is a link to somebody's favorites:   http://cycletourist.com/book_recommends.html 
More oriented to touring but I figure people who like to bike pack like all adventure.
Just finishing Off the Map.  Not a whole lot of bike content but definitely a good read

[sean salach]

this,

http://www.amazon.com/Full-Tilt-Ireland-India-Bicycle/dp/0879512482

by dervla murphy, who was badass before you knew what badass was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dervla_Murphy

[sean salach]

a google search on thomas stevens will fill your head with the need for adventure for years. fit's the 'ultralight' credo as well. at least in the minimalist sense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Stevens_(cyclist)

[ScottM]

I alluded to Jill Homer's book in my first post, and I think many of us are aware of it (I haven't yet finished my copy).  But here's the site:

http://ghost-trails.blogspot.com/

Jill is a user here at bikepacking.net, completed the Iditarod Invitational to McGrath last year and did the updates for the Great Divide Race last year.

[Slim]

Not a book but Singletrack magazine has had several articles on bikepacking from feature articles on riding the Ukraine to how to's on bivy camping.
If you are not in the UK they offer an digital subscription if you find the newstand price a bit much. Unlinke most American magazines they actually have reading in there believe it or not! 

[Kevin Montgomery]

I'm surprised this hasn't made it onto the list yet:

http://www.amazon.com/Catfish-Mandala-Two-Wheeled-Through-Landscape/dp/0374119740

[Mathewsen]

this piece on jeff boatman/carousel in sierra mountain times is a good read

http://mysierramountaintimes.com/?p=3276