 Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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on: November 29, 2009, 01:58:43 PM
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mingus
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 18
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« on: November 29, 2009, 01:58:43 PM » |
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I'm looking at buying some kit for my first bikepackling experience, at themoment my preferred setup will be a tarptent (contrail) with a Western Mountaineering down sleeping bag. The trip i'm planning is in Victoria (Australia) during January so the chance of rain is minimal, but i'm a bit concerened about havin a down bag on a wet trip and not being able to get any sleep if it gets wet.
If you have a down bag, how do you go about keeping it dry? Should i get a synthetic bag and just deal with the fact that it weighs twice as much?
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #1 on: November 29, 2009, 02:11:39 PM
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sherpaxc
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 577
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« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2009, 02:11:39 PM » |
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Buy a good waterproof compression sack and if you're still worried stuff it in a plastic bag as well. A whole slew of use use down bags and haven't had any trouble with it getting wet. Just be careful when pulling it out. Have your tent set up first then pull it out. Easy cheesy!  |
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #2 on: November 29, 2009, 05:09:51 PM
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mingus
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 18
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« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2009, 05:09:51 PM » |
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Thanks Sherpa, just the confidence i need before spending a few hundred on a new bit of kit. I think i'll go buy it before someone posts to the contrary  |
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #3 on: November 29, 2009, 05:48:17 PM
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Pivvay
Riding and exploring
Location: Westminster, CO
Posts: 681
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« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2009, 05:48:17 PM » |
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I stuff my down bag in my waterproof bivy and put that all in my seatbag. The down bag itself has never gotten wet and the rain on this year's Divide race was epic. Some water does find it's way into the seatbag in hard rains but it's never gotten thru the WP bivy.
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-Chris Plesko
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #4 on: November 29, 2009, 11:16:50 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2009, 11:16:50 PM » |
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>The trip i'm planning is in Victoria (Australia) during January
Where are you going, out of curiosity? I'm from Melbourne.
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #5 on: November 29, 2009, 11:26:09 PM
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mingus
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 18
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« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2009, 11:26:09 PM » |
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>Where are you going, out of curiosity? I'm from Melbourne.
I'm from melbourne as well. This trip is a first step towards bikepacking, i've done a bit of touring but stayed on hotels/hostels. This time i'm carrying camping gear but doing road riding and camping either in proper campsites (for longer rests) or wherever i can find sapce to pitch the tent for a few hours.
The route i'm planning is from my home, up though marysville to benalla, on to the border of NSW at Yarrawonga, back down through Bright and over Hotham, then down to Paynesville on the Gippsland lakes. I've got friends there who i'll stay with for a few days recovery (or a week if needed!) then head back to melbourne through south gippsland.
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #6 on: November 29, 2009, 11:51:44 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2009, 11:51:44 PM » |
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Cool, that's a pretty long trip. The start is actually similar to what I have in mind for a short trip, whenever I can find a weekend: Starting somewhere like Warburton or Healesville, through Marysville, as far as Jamieson, then turning back south again. Not really sure about logistics - most bike trips that I've been on have used V-line, but that gets limiting after a while. Incidentally, have you seen Keiran Ryan's off-road bike adventures book? The Hurstbridge-Marysville ride may be of use to you. I sketched it out in Google Maps. |
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #7 on: November 30, 2009, 01:07:12 AM
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mingus
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 18
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« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2009, 01:07:12 AM » |
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Long is exactly what i was after, it's about 700km to paynesville then another 400km home. As long as things go to plan logistics won't be a problem on this trip, i get to walk out my front door and hop on the bike then arrive home the same way. If things don't go to plan then there's the V-line from wangaratta or shepparton, or from Bairnsdale if i'm out of time to ride home. Thanks for the route i'll keep that one in mind, and check out Keiran Ryan's book as well |
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #8 on: November 30, 2009, 01:30:10 AM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2009, 01:30:10 AM » |
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>then there's the V-line from wangaratta
That one's only a coach service atm, until mid 2010 or something I think. Shepparton is ok.
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #9 on: December 16, 2009, 05:32:18 PM
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thelankymanx2
Posts: 13
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« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2009, 05:32:18 PM » |
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Yer there are only coach services from bdale. Vline wont let you take a bike on the coach (even in a bike box?  ? maybe) Enjoy your trip. I will build up to something like that, though I am thinking about Melb to Albury in a day and have come back from Albury in 2 days. Hope the weather holds for you |
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #10 on: December 16, 2009, 05:43:10 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #10 on: December 16, 2009, 05:43:10 PM » |
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Melb-Albury in a day??? Jesus.
I have taken my bike on Vline buses twice, but they're cracking down now. Who knows why.
Incidentally, I'm suddenly looking for a 4 day offroad trip (to do solo, unless anyone's interested) between Xmas and new years. Was thinking near the Alps-ish, any ideas?
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #11 on: December 16, 2009, 08:45:42 PM
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thelankymanx2
Posts: 13
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« Reply #11 on: December 16, 2009, 08:45:42 PM » |
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http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195884Has some ideas about where to go for a ride. I am looking at doing a ride somewhere for 3 days MTB bikepacking during the same time. Will probably head off on the 27/28th and back on the 30/31st. Havent decided where we will be going though. This will be my first bikepacking ride. Have done the Albury-melb ride with camping at Bonnie Doon. Did you have any ideas where to go? The Albury ride is doable with a the right conditions. It would be an epic though. 340kms though i would probably start in Albury cos it is slightly higher than melb and hope for a tail wind.
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #12 on: December 16, 2009, 09:51:40 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #12 on: December 16, 2009, 09:51:40 PM » |
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Yeah Keiran Ryan's book (2nd ed) has some ideas, but nothing longer than about 110 km - there's Anglesea to Apollo Bay, Murrindin-Melbourne, Hurstbridge-Marysville (done the first third of that, to YarraGlen, nice rather than earth shattering).
That Sale-Wang route has some promise, but because of the bus situation, think I would make it a loop back to the same train line - something like Sale-Licola-Baw Baw-Moe.
So, not sure from your post if you're looking for a partner. If so, I'm definitely up for anything - my new tarptent is itching to be tried out. Though it sounds like you might be fitter than me. 60-80km per day of offroad is enough for me.
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #13 on: December 17, 2009, 01:55:10 AM
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mingus
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 18
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« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2009, 01:55:10 AM » |
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Stevage/thelankymanx, I'd be keen for a weekend trip sometime soon (well before winter anyway) but will have to wait till i get some more gear (like, for instance, a mountain bike!). In the mean time my plans have changed and i'll be heading to adelaide via the great ocean road just after new years, departing melbourne on the 2nd or 3rd. f either of you are interested in joining me for any portion of the trip you're welcome.
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #14 on: December 17, 2009, 02:00:31 PM
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thelankymanx2
Posts: 13
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« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2009, 02:00:31 PM » |
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I think that since it is me and my mates first attempt at Bikepacking that we might go solo to start with. Would be looking at going out again in Feb if you are keen. Maybe we should start up a Vic Bikepacking thread so it is localised and we dont hijack this thread anymore
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #15 on: December 17, 2009, 05:14:13 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #15 on: December 17, 2009, 05:14:13 PM » |
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mingus: I have to work on the 4th (could possibly take one day more), maybe I could come for an overnighter. Where in 'melbourne' are you starting - really in the city? or training down to warrnambool? manx: definitely can't do feb, I'm already booked for 2 weeks hiking in tassie, much to my new employer's angst... And finally...I ran into a fellow bike commuter on the way to work today, a phd student on a crosscheck by the name of Tom. he told me he's doing an offroad trip in the snowy mountains between xmas and new year, at first I thought it might have been someone from this forum You don't come across a lot of bikepackers in general... |
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Topic Name: Keepin' it dry
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Reply #16 on: December 18, 2009, 05:58:36 AM
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mingus
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 18
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« Reply #16 on: December 18, 2009, 05:58:36 AM » |
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Stevage, at the mo i'm planning to leave from Kew sp basically from the CBD. I'm also considering training as far as Geelong, i did ATB this year (anticlockwise) and was glad that the melbourne-geelong section was mostly in the dxark as it's pretty booring out there, don't see a lot of point doing it agina except to say that i've ridden melbourne to adelaide! This is my thread and i'm happy for it to be hijacked, but thelankymanx has just started a thread to discuss details of other route/trips here, you might be interested |
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