Logan Watts

Ridiculously difficult climbs… Long and hot stretches between anything… Smog-belching busses missing you by mere inches… Incessant hunger…Leg cramps… Undying headwinds… What’s not to love about all that?

On this second installment of FilmFestFriday, I decided to pull together several videos that capture two things that bikepacking great… wilderness and camaraderie. Here are four bikepacking videos that may inspire you to strap some bags to your trusty steed and head out into the forest.

I’m a die-hard side sleeper, and no spring chicken, so a wafer thin Thermarest mat isn’t an option. After a long ride, fully loaded, having a fairly thick and plush pad is a must, no matter the weight penalty. And now you don’t have to have carry a 2 pound gigantic bundle in order to be comfortable…

Beer and bikes, you can have one without the other… but its just not as much fun! That was the headline on the fledgling brewery’s Kickstarter page when it launched in January 2013. The three founders of Crank Arm Rickshaw Company are just as passionate about beer as they are about turning cranks, which led them to spin-off this bike and beer destination.

Finding the ideal tire is something that two-wheeled nomads seem to spend a lot of time thinking about prior to, and during a trip. I have talked with folks who have blown out a couple of sidewalls, been plagued with flats or just went through several inferior sets of rubber. They all come full circle to the Mondial after a while. Or at the very least, they want a pair.

I had read somewhere that Selle Anatomica’s Titanico is the cadillac of long-distance saddles…The king of comfort. So before going on our Central American bumpy road odyssey I thought I’d give it a shot, for my ass’s sake. Here is my 6,000 kilometer review.

Wherever my travels take me, I always enjoy observing, if not directly experiencing, the myriad ways in which the locals get around town. The family of 6 on one scooter in Thailand, the shepherd with his flock riding on top of an Indian bus, and the over-flowing psychedelically painted Jesus-themed Guatemalan chicken bus are just a few examples. But nothing is more inspiring than seeing the ways people use bicycles.

Here are four great videos that may make you want to hand over a resignation letter, pack up a bicycle and just go. Or, they may just give you something to grin about as you while away your Friday afternoon.

Five ultra-lightweight and very functional DIY stoves for bikepacking and bike touring. Made from handsome cans that housed some hoppy brew. Built and tested.

With over a thousand miles of glorious singletrack, excellent touring routes and a plethora of prestigiously awarded craft breweries, is Vermont the Holyland of ‘bikes and beer’ travel destinations?

Is this the best post-ride beer I have ever had? I do believe so.

A solo overnighter on a bucket-list trail that led to playing in the dirt and a conversation with crows.