Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Bikepacking the Fool’s Loop (Video)
In David Lamb’s latest video, he takes on our 270-mile Fool’s Loop bikepacking route in Arizona, sharing a detailed look at what it’s like to ride the challenging trail and some lessons learned along the way. Find the 30-minute video, photos, and a brief written introduction to the trip here…
Words, photos, and video by David Lamb
Created by Miles Arbour, the Fool’s Loop is a 270-mile bikepacking route that starts in Phoenix, Arizona, heads north to Cordes Lakes, and returns via the Black Canyon Trail (BCT). The highlight of this route is the variation in terrain. There is a little something for everyone. The first 120 miles are mostly gravel roads before you hop onto the BCT for a long stretch of singletrack back to Phoenix. The BCT ranges from smooth and flowy to steep, rugged, and rocky. Temps ranged from 92 to 101°F, and we carried up to seven liters of water.
I rode this route with Paul Faupel, who you might recognize from the PNW Bikepacking YouTube channel. After five years of solo trips, this was my first time bikepacking with a friend. Paul is a great riding partner, and I learned a lot from him about what I should and should not be carrying on a route like this.
I was also fortunate to speak with Miles. His goal was to make the route challenging, and he absolutely succeeded. The section between Sheep’s Bridge and Cordes can have very limited water and a ton of climbing, so it is critical to carry enough. The second half of the BCT is also slow, rocky, and exposed in places. We had to ride well into the night on day four just to set ourselves up for a water resupply the next day.
While riding this route, I spent a lot of time thinking about how bikepacking changes my perspective when I go back home. Like many people, I am endlessly hard on myself when I make mistakes. Completing a trip like this is so challenging that it forces me to give myself some grace. I broke my drone remote on day one and was bummed out, but bikepacking is full of unforeseen circumstances. An ability to roll with the punches is what determines how much fun you will have doing this.
If you are considering riding it, here’s my advice:
- Don’t ride this on a gravel bike. I was extremely glad to have front suspension and 2.6” tires.
- Depending on the season, carrying around six liters of water may be necessary for the Sheep’s Bridge to Cordes section and parts of the BCT. Be prepared to filter and purify water.
- Da Brim is a game-changer when riding in Southern Arizona.
- Plan ahead if you want to stay at Bumblebee Ranch. Paul and I got lucky.
Further Reading
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