Tag Archives: Bike Packing

Beginner Overnighter to Colossal Cave State Park

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***If you would like to join this ride but it is cost prohibitive to do so or if you need to borrow gear to make it happen, please let us know.

We’ll be leaving Campfire Cycling at around 9AM for a +/- 30 mile ride down the loop (Paved bike path) most of the way to Colossal Cave State Park We’ll be staying at a group campground with room for 20 tents. We will also be setting aside a middle meetup option for folks that don’t want to/can’t ride the full 30 miles.

On our Community Events/Rides we follow our Campfire Code of Conduct. We strive to create a positive and supportive environment where everyone feels welcome and heard. We don’t assume anyone’s abilities based on outwards appearance. We take responsibility for our actions and words. We respect the land, it’s original stewards and leave no trace.

If this is your first bikepacking trip, we are here to help. If you like advise on gear need or want any other advice we strongly recommend you stop by with your bike or pack up your bike for the trip and bring it by the shop so we can checkout your setup and make recommendations as needed. Feel free to setup an appointment or just stop on by.

While this is a beginner oriented bikepacking trip, everyone is welcome. I’m sure all of the newbies will appreciate having experienced campers along for the ride.  It’s a great opportunity to do a shake down run with new gear or a new to you setup as well as sharing experinece, knowledge and setups.

This will be a no drop ride. We ride at a party pace with many stops and chances for regrouping as well as resupply. Campfire Cycling will also always have a mechanic at the back of the ride so no one is left behind in case trouble arises. There is also food available near the camp.

Please be prepared with all of your own camping gear, food and water. This will be semi remote camping without many supplies nearby. Campgound has vault toilets and running water. There are businesses and a grocery store on the route with markets nearby the entrance/exit of the campground.

Protect the Land we Ride on. For this trip we will have beautiful scenic views of the Santa Rita Mountains who’s unique environment is under threat to some heavy mining. Rosemont Canadian Company want to extract and export copper while dumping tons of wast into a mile wide hole that will seep lots of toxins into our groundwater. The Tohono O’odham Tribe as well as many conservation groups have been fighting this mine and for years. We recommend visiting: The Sky Islands Alliance, The Calabasas Alliance, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas. Donate, show up to events and get involved!

Advanced 2 Nighter: Gila River Ramble

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***If you would like to join this ride but it is cost or transportation is prohibitive or you cannot afford all the gear, please let us know.

Are You Ready for the Adventure?

*Some details are tentative*

We’re really excited for a new to us route and to get our “Spring” bikepacking season rolling. We’ll be heading up toward phoenix to ride Scott Morris’ Gila River Ramble Route (Anything but a ramble, from what I’ve heard ) it’s 110 miles and 10,663 feet of climbing (and descending) into pure joy. Keep in mind this will be an extremely challenging route with lots of hike-a-bike, limited water/resupply and challenging single track terrain.

The plan is to meet up and Start at the AZT Parking in Kelvin and then camp somewhere past mile 30 or so on the first day depending on how the wind goes up on the ridges (we might opt to ride a little further down hill to get out of the wind). Second Day we will ride through Superior for a resupply (there is an optional route we will probably include) and then camping somewhere around between mile 75-80. On the third day we will finish back at the trailhead. We will try and collect water as much as we go, but plan on being able to carry up to 7 liters of water for safety. There will only be food resupply in superior if we plan on using that lollipop extension).

Here’s what you can anticipate by reading about the route, as well as read recent comments: Gila River Ramble on Bikepacking.com and from the original route on bikepacking.net.

This ride is advanced bike packing with challenging terrain (technical singletrack, slickrock drops, fair amount of climbing and low sources of water as well as a possible river forging. We recommend a hardtail mountain bike with big tires or a Full Suspension.

Ride Pace is ride at your own comfortable pace. This is not a race. We generally ride at a party pace with many meetups and stops so we can re-group and enjoy the scenery. Campfire Cycling will always have a mechanic at the back of the ride so no one is “stuck” alone at the back or incase a mechanical issue come up.

Anticipate Temperatures to range from: 30 degrees (or slightly below) at night to low 70’s during the day.

We will be contacting everyone who signs up for the ride to make sure they are prepared for the challenge. Please sign up if you plan on joining us.

Protect the land/area that we recreate on. For this ride we are very near to Oak Flat (Chi’chil Biłdagoteel). The Apache People and mining activists have fought for over a decade to protect this sacred land from a giant copper mine. You can read more about and it and get involved here. We recommend that everyone make a donation to Protect Oak Flat, write Congress and Senate and consider getting involved in some capacity. http://apache-stronghold.com/take-action.html. We will be riding through the traditional lands of the Akimel O’odham,O’odham Jewed, Western Apache and the ancestral lands of the Hohokam and Sobaipuri