Bikepacking with a dog?

[mtn_cyclist]

 I couldn't find a thread on this so i apologize if it's an old topic. So....I got a dog. Let me know how taking your dog along works out. Thanks!

[vmabuck]

I plan on trying it when I am solo.

My dog runs great with me on the bike, free or on leash. I would commute with him through town with ease as well. I lived in Santa Fe NM and we went every together on bike. But I would not burden any other rider with him on a trip. Because I know there will be stops and lots of slow downs throughout the ride.

I know my dog would love it. He used to follow me up ski mountains under the chairlift then stay right on my rear wheel on the downhill. He has insane cardio and stamina.

I think the biggest issue would be how does your dog do off leash on a bike ride? Mine sticks with me...

[wahday]

I feel like there was a brief discussion either here or on MTBR in the bikepacking section about riding with dogs. Anyway, I also have a dog I would like to take bikepacking. I have backpacked with her once last fall with my son and everyone had a great time. A bonus in chilly weather is that they are a portable heat source...

My only concern is about stamina and being careful not to overexert her. Planning to take her on a long day ride out in the mountains and see how things go.

[vmabuck]

Yes, an endurance test would be a must in my book.

Where are you from in NM? I lived in Santa Fe. I took my dog with me on all the local trails there. and he went fly Fishing and backpacking with me as well with nay an issue...

[wahday]

I'm in Albuquerque. The backpacking trip with the dog was in San Pedro Parks near Cuba. So. Much. Water! It was great to travel so light. The dog was great. Chased some cows which was scary as they are so burly. Also came upon some lady horse folk but she behaved herself more or less and they were very cool. They had been camping by horseback up in the wilderness area as well.

I have a file for some routes around the wilderness area that would make a great bikepack and not require carrying all your water (courtesy of another NM rider and poster here). Also, we have some land out in the Zuni mountains which is where I have mainly staged bikepacking from. Chain of Craters area and El Malpais area too. No reliable water sources out there. Its like the moon.

Feel free to PM me.

[vmabuck]

I miss NM for sure. But I am in OK now.

One ride you should look into is the Cebolla river starting at Seven Springs Hatchery in the Jemez. I used to hike in there all the time to fish that creek. It would make an awesome ride. Never got to explore it much past 5-6 miles though. But there are FS roads you could catch there that wold bring you back to Jemez Springs at least. So much land to explore just in the Jemez...

[wahday]

My parents were from OK though I haven’t spent a lot of time there myself. I know the area you are talking about. We have done a lot of car camping up in there and I have visited the hatchery site as well. You are right that the forest road network is pretty vast. You can actually drive (or ride) from Fenton Lake all the way to Cuba which would be an interesting adventure as well.

[vmabuck]

Very cool! I am assuming you also explored the road that goes up the Rio San Antonio to the hotsprings right there near the T store.

I know we could talk about this all day LOL!

I was curious if you have ever been up to the Conejos River area around the Platoro Reservoir? I used to go up there all the time Fly Fishing but never explored the mtn bike scene. It has to be sick if they allow riding on the trails. I am pretty certain though that at one point I ended up on that road coming back from a motorcycle trip based out of Lake City CO. I was following a guy that knew a route and somehow I think we ended up there before heading back to Santa Fe. I know we did I just don't remember how exactly LOL! That was an epic 6 day ADV ride on my DR650 up through passes like Black Bear and Imogene, engineers pass etc...

I did a lot of single track on the bike as well, that shit was tough. I loved the trails around Cochiti..

[wahday]

Definitely been to the hot springs. Such a gorgeous area! Have not checked out the Conejos however. There is just so much to explore here but time is scarce at this point in my life. Busy job and school aged kids.

Back to the topic at hand, I am going to try and find a video post of someone bikepacking with two dogs. Looked like a blast!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wahday]

Found it!

Not my video:
https://vimeo.com/91492726