Cass Gilbert

After nearly a year apart, Cass and his son Sage are reunited just in time for a Good Night 2020 campout. Read on for a trip report from a Mexican biosphere that comes complete with a travelling manatee, trashy beachcombing, and moon dances… as well as thoughts on ‘big rig tag-alongs’ and a wonderful stop motion film from Sage!

While this year hasn’t involved as much gear testing as normal, for obvious reasons, Cass still has a dozen favorite items and experiences to share from 2020. Read on to find his full list of gear picks here…

Announced today, the Tailfin Cargo Cage is a nifty, modular utility cage that’s available in two sizes and is designed for forks, frames, and Tailfin’s own rack system. Read on for Cass’ full review after several months of use on a variety of day rides, dirt tours, and singletrack bikepacking trips.

It doesn’t take much to have an everyday family adventure. And yet, it’s easy to sideline the importance of making one happen in the general hustle and bustle of day to day life. Cass remembers the handful of miles he cycled into the desert with Sage, on a short but memorable border city campout; his first overnighter as just father and son. Read about the value of creating such petite but enriching memories, and find tips on what to bring on a similar, pint-sized family campout.

If you’re looking to imbue your bikepacking trips with some practical creativity, how about carving a wooden spoon on your next overnight campout? Newbie whittler Cass made his first eating implement last year and shares his tips and thoughts on the process, as well as inspiration and advice from expert spoon-making bikepackers…

If you’re hankering to cut down on your plastic waste but love your lil’ riding treats, try lobbing these delicious and easy to make energy balls into your pie hole on your next bikepacking trip. Think chocolate, dates, peanut butter, oats, chia seeds, and sea salt… with no cooking required! Find the recipe here…

Like a delightful mashup between rummaging and finding in nature’s larder, foraging for wild food can be a powerful way of connecting us all with the land around us. Cass heads out into hills in search of steep climbs… and breakfast. Read on to find out what he ate, and learn about a range of resources that can transform our appreciation of the places we bikepack, and satisfy our bellies too.

Have you ever felt that the packaging used by outdoor provision companies feels at odds with being in the great outdoors? Then check out Oregon-based Fernweh Food Co. and its compostable bag and bulk purchase options. We tickle our taste buds with a vegan Southwest stew and mushroom pot pie, and find out about Fernweh’s owner Ashley Lance, her bike, and more…

In the company of Vermonter Ron Manganiello and his virtual Fall Fundo fundraising event, Cass uses a 71st birthday ride as a reason to hang with bromeliads and study Oaxaca’s remarkable botanical cosmos during an eye-opening overnighter…

As a longterm advocate of 3″ tyres on rigid bikes, dabbling with the wide trail wheel size has convinced Cass that there’s a lot to be said for ‘skinnier’ wide trail tyres, especially when travelling where replacement options are limited. Find his thoughts on the 29 x 2.6″ Teravail Kennebec and Cumberland tyres here…

Cass shares his experiences of a bike tour in which the path to less convenience made for a much more enjoyable, enriching ride. Read on to discover the ins and out of attempting a zero-waste bikepacking trip in the UK…