OP Day 7-Saving the Best Weather for Last

Once again, I only took one photo today, but I took these last night. 

Lake Sylvia

The brand spanking new Legacy Pavilion at Lake Sylvia State Park

I would have taken photos of the inside, but there was a function going on (I didn’t think they would appreciate me crashing their party...although it looked like they had some good food).

Mama and goslings soaking up the sun. 

Dad standing watch. 

My final campsite of the trip. 

I discovered if I don’t want to get going too early, the trick is to sleep later! It was 6:45 when I woke up (usually been waking up at 6:00). I was on the road at 9:15. 

This is the only photo for today. 

The Satsop Towers. I’ve ridden right behind the one on the left. 

I’ve ridden this route a few times, and even if I hadn’t, it’s not all that exciting. The only good thing is that it’s possible to ride all the way from Montesano to McCleary without going on Hwy 8. If you take Mox-Chehalis Rd., you can stay off of 8 even longer (which I did). Except for the noise, though, Hwy 8 is okay to ride. It has a nice wide shoulder. 

I told myself, if it was at least 11:00 when I got to McCleary, I would have lunch at the Subway there. It was 11:02. But, it’s no longer a Subway. Still looks every bit like a Subway, but it’s now called Scout Subs. It’s been open for 3 months. I asked what the difference is from Subway. The owner said the meat is fresher (and not all turkey based), and they have some different menu items. There is only one choice of bread, but it was also freshly baked. Overall, it was good. It filled me up for the remaining 29 miles to home. I made it home at about 2:15. 

A Wrap up of Sorts

When I planned this trip (rather hastily I might add), I was just thinking it would be good to get out on the road. It actually was more than that (besides getting to see Heike again, which was worth the whole trip). It was a good test for a few new things. I’ve done many a shakedown ride, to test new gear, but they’ve always just been an overnight. A week is a much better test. 

The Tent

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepacking tent performed very well. I’m more than happy with the purchase. While it would have been better if I’d had the footprint designed for the tent (not my MSR Hubba Hubba NX footprint), it still did a good job in the rain. 

Using Sly as a Multi-Day Bikepacking Bike

I wasn’t too surprised that Sly handled the multi-day tour just fine. It’s been a long time since I’ve toured on a drop handlebar bike. It was fine, but I do like the butterfly trekker bars on Tilmann. I also like having the belt drive on Tilmann. I had to carry chain lube (and I should have brought a rag). Where Sly really shines is his weight. He is so much lighter that it makes everything easier. I didn’t really notice a detrimental effect of running the gravel tires (especially the new Rene Herse rear tire...it’s more knobby than the Schwalbe tire on the front). One concern would be the bags rubbing on the carbon frame. There are ways to protect the frame (various adhesive products), but I don’t know how many days/weeks it would be a good idea to bikepack with a carbon frame. For this trip, Sly was great. 

The Rain Poncho

I’m sure I looked like a total dork riding down the road with the rain poncho, but it worked! If I could make one modification, it would be to somehow make a clear “window” on the front so I could see my Garmin. It would be especially helpful when there are lots of turns. The poncho didn’t blow around or flip up in the wind. I found I stayed warm, but not hot. I brought my gaiters, but I found my lower legs and feet stayed pretty dry without them. If it was really pouring, the gaiters would help with spray from the road, but in a moderate rain, they weren’t needed. I took waterproof gloves, but except for added warmth, they weren’t necessary. The poncho also kept the whole front of the bike dry, which was very nice. 

Ortlieb Bags

The Ortlieb Fork Bags were great. I fit all of my food in them. Even empty, they hold their shape (unlike the Salsa dry bags for the Anything Cages). The Ortlieb Roll Closure Frame Bag worked well too. I think it will work better when it’s on a bike that it fits better. Sly’s triangle is a little too small, so the frame bag was kind of smushed in. 

So, that’s pretty much it. Best parts of the trip were getting to see and chat with Heike, and the Spruce Railway Trail part of the Olympic Discovery Trail.