This is the essential how-to book for bikepacking on the Colorado Trail, whether you want to ride a segment or two on the weekends, or all 535 miles in one go. It is a companion resource that includes bike-specific information missed by other Colorado Trail guidebooks. It also serves as an experiential resource for riders, written in a friendly, casual style from one mountain biker to another. Join Michael J. Henry as he shares the tips and tricks you need to know for each segment of the Trail while also answering the experiential questions through stories about his time completing the whole Trail over the course of three summers.
In addition to the cold, hard data about the Trail, you will benefit from Henry's practical and honest advice on things like:
• Training – how to prepare your legs, your mind, and your gear
• Your bike – what you'll want, what you'll need, and how to prep the machine
• Gear – camping gear, clothing, supplies, technology
• Food and water – what you'll need, and a little bit about calorie and hydration physiology
• A rough 17-day plan that can be expanded or shortened
• Short interviews with others who have ridden the Trail
• The good, the bad, and the okay about eating and sleeping on the Trail
• The Zen of riding and suffering – the mindset you'll need, how to deal with pain and self-doubt, and how keep up morale