First Bikepacking Trip: What I Packed, What I Learned

I finally did it. My first bikepacking trip is in the books — 24 miles, 2,384 feet of gain, and enough lessons about packing a bike to fill this entire post. This has been a long time coming. If you listen to the podcast, you’ve heard me talk about taking up gravel biking and trying bikepacking for yeeaaars.

A long time coming

I planned this for solstice weekend, inspired by Swift Industries' Global Campout. The whole idea is just going, wherever you are, however far you can get. I had big plans to join a group ride down the hill from me, but some things just feel right solo, and this was definitely one of them.

I had been waiting to feel ready. For the "right" conditions, the "right" amount of experience before loading up a bike and heading out alone. But I was done waiting.

Honest truth: it took me a lot longer than I expected. My bike was heavy, fully loaded for the first time, and I also didn't exactly choose an "easy" route. The first 5 miles were fine, then came a few miles of steep, rocky climbing. I definitely walked my bike more than a few times. However, there were a lot of sections that I surprised myself on and biked through. It really gave me confidence in what my bike is capable of.

The Gear That Got Me There

My trusty steed for this one was my Salsa Journeyer, she hauled all my stuff and my questionable life choices without complaint.

I borrowed a NEMO Dragonfly bikepacking tent, and it helped my packing situation so much that it's now 1000% on the list to buy for myself. This tent packs down small, comes in a bag ready to strap straight to your frame, and sets up quick. That last part was something I didn’t expect to be so nice after a long ride.

For water, I brought a Sawyer Squeeze filter. Honestly, I've never really had to filter water before, and I probably didn't need to where I was, but I wasn't taking any chances on my first solo trip out.

Food-wise, I leaned on my GSI stove and some genuinely delicious backcountry meals from Heather's Choice. Since Heather’s Choice is no longer making products, I cherished these last two meals I had and have been saving them for something ✨ special ✨. The spaghetti was a godsend after the ride I'd just had.

For safety, I brought a Garmin inReach Mini, which made me feel so much more comfortable going 20+ miles from reliable service alone and made my partner feel a lot more comfortable too, given how directionally challenged I can be. I also had all my maps downloaded offline through onX Backcountry.

And before I left, I treated my clothes with Sawyer's Permethrin spray. This ride and campout were mosquito-packed, and it worked wonders.

What Didn't Work

Not everything about this setup was right, and I'd rather tell you that than pretend it was a flawless first trip.

I strapped a milk crate to my front rack, which, let's be clear, is not the recommended way to carry things on a bikepacking setup. It's bulky, it takes up more space than it should, and it kind of invites you to overpack just because there's a big open box sitting there asking to be filled. On the way up, I loaded some heavier items into it, and it threw my balance off on the front wheel more than I expected, especially once I started getting tired. Steering got noticeably harder the more fatigued I was, which is exactly the moment you don't want your bike fighting you.

I also overpacked. I brought a hammock and a bug net, thinking I'd get to camp with plenty of daylight to actually enjoy them. I didn't. I got there too late to really use either one, which meant I hauled the extra weight up 2,384 feet of gain for basically nothing. Out of pure stubbornness, I set up the hammock and had breakfast in it to make it “worth” the haul.

I’ll be packing more on the frame, like on the forks next time.

The Firsts Kept Coming

For someone who considers herself outdoorsy, there were still a lot of firsts on this trip. First time at this lake. First time loading a bike up for a multi-day trip. First time camping solo off the bike.

And with all those firsts came the thoughts, some new, some familiar but still intrusive like, “Why the fuuuuhk am I doing this? Can I actually do this? Am I even enjoying this right now?”

I don't think those questions ever fully go away when you're doing something hard for the first time. I think you just learn to keep pedaling while you ask them.

So, Would I Do It Again?

Yes. I did it, and I was stoked. I can't wait to do it again, especially with people sometime! But I'm glad the first one was mine alone. There's something about figuring out that you can do a hard thing by yourself that you can't really get any other way.

24 miles doesn't sound like much on paper. It felt like plenty.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share gear I've actually used and genuinely recommend — everything in this post reflects my honest experience on this trip.