Bikepacking Shake out

With new gear and an upcoming bikepacking adventure, shaking out the gear for an overnight with my biking buddy started at Waterloo County Park outside of Lebanon, OR. As large ‘RV’ campgrounds go (120 sites total), the facility along the Santiam River was perfect – clean, super flat and of the 120 sites, there were 6 being used. Only downside was the noise from a sawmill about 1 mile away. – flush potties, running water, and showers along with electrical and water hookups.

Funniest sight – along the outskirts of Lebanon on Day 2a, a group of 6-8 deer ran toward us on the other side of road – running on the sidewalk. They struggled to figure out our flashing lights and the cars – we all stopped to watch. Not every day a group of deer runs down the sidewalk!

The Ride Routes

Day 1 – We started at Waterloo Park and went thru Pleasant Valley and then around Foster Lake into Sweet Home and then back to Waterloo Park. This is the lime color.

A good view of Foster Lake on the hot / sunny day.

Day 2a – We again started at Waterloo Park, leaving before 06:30, and did the purple loop around the East / Northeast of Lebanon. Then back to the park and my buddy headed home.

Day 2b – Solo leaving Waterloo Park and retracing some of the Pleasant Valley track but continuing straight out McDowell Creek Road to another county park and waterfall. Turned around went back to Waterloo and packed up home; this is the early lime color and then the pink. Rain started as I was leaving in my car.

The waterfall was a creek-fall (not a river) and the county park wasn’t busy at all.

All routes were pavement with short stretch on US 20, but the rest of the roads looked less busy and ‘more rural’ than this.

The Shake

Oddly, everything pretty much worked the way we wanted. Bikes were great, gear all worked as expected. Several tiny things were missing or needing to be improved, but a positive shake-out. In the process, we also mapped and planned our larger up-coming bikepacking trip.

Data Geek Cellar

There were 3 different rides and each has its own data set.

Day 1 – Foster Lake

Day 2a – Lebanon Loop

Day 2b – McDowell Creek Falls

Gear set is too fluid to start ‘documenting’ – more later. But my initial list with bike pics is here.