First Timer Needing Advice

[sXeXBMXer]

Hey! I plan to do this ride either in the first week of April, or in the early summer depending on funds falling into the right place. Be sure to post a trip summary!! I plan on using my Surly Krampus, and am in the process of getting a gear list going. Wil be interested to see how your trip turns out!!

[eastsideride]

Hey! I plan to do this ride either in the first week of April, or in the early summer depending on funds falling into the right place. Be sure to post a trip summary!! I plan on using my Surly Krampus, and am in the process of getting a gear list going. Wil be interested to see how your trip turns out!!

Will do! If you need gear btw, come to the Trek store off 76! That's where I'm at

[sXeXBMXer]

Is that where you work?  I will do that!!! It is always cool to meet folks from the forums. Right now it looks like it will most likely be early summer (like June) since our bathroom ceiling decided to cave in 2 weeks ago

Here is another thread from MTBR about the same trail.

http://forums.mtbr.com/bikepacking-bike-expedition/c-o-canal-anyone-done-795143.html

hope this is legal as I discovered this forum from a post on MTBR. Just tryign to share the love

[black_labb]

I have to be able to eek out a last XX miles and throw down a slealth bivy wherever I end up. I can't see that happening if my bivy depends on relatively flat ground without rocks, logs, puddles, roots or other stuff that makes sleeping on it impossible. Finding 2 trees 3 to 4 metres apart is usually much easier. Am I missing something?

Sleeping pad, definitely. Closed-cell foam or bust here, trimmed to shoulder-hip length. I like my old, smashed-down ones unless it's cold.

"Am I missing something?" Fixed above .

[eastsideride]

"Am I missing something?" Fixed above .

LOL! So true!

sXeXBMXer, yep that's the place that I work at! Good link btw! Two of us at my shop are the bikepackers. We all love camping and riding regularly. I may want to do this ride again, as I have another friend who wants to go. So let me know when you do. It's super expensive though!! I just returned my sleeping bag from Amazon and went to REI and snagged an UL down filled bag that actually compresses small as a honey dew melon. Was originally $300 but it has the old logo so it's reduced to $170 ($190 with taxes). Plus the bags, I'll be at $500. Hurts the bank a bit lol

[eec]

Thanks fellas for all the great tips!

Harry, I figured I'd be stuck in crappy weather, unfortunately its the best time for me to take time to ride. The Garmin was just so I could record the ride (LOL) and the battery pack I may need for my phone.

Offroute, the one person tent is sounding really ideal. The more I have searched on bivys, the less I like them. Currently I am debating between a small compact-able tent or a hammock with a rain tarp (since they take up barely any space and take you off the ground.

I want to keep this trip somewhat inexpensive, so tents I know can be costly. Hammocks seem very cheap and a rain tarp is definitely cheap. Suggestions on those options? 

I've used both a bivy and a 1P tent and overall I prefer the tent. The bivy can be suffocating in warmer weather, and in general a little claustrophobic for long periods. I sleep better in the tent by far. I have a Marmot EOS and am really happy with it.