Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Tunnels of Gold (Video)
“Tunnels of Gold” is a 10-minute video documenting the time Cameron Sanders and his partner Leialoha spent bikepacking our Appalachian Gravel Growler. Despite logistical hurdles delaying their start, they were treated to a stunning display of fall colors and plenty of local flavors. Watch the video here…
Words, video, and photos by Cameron Sanders (@renaissance.cyclist)
After bikepacking the Baja Divide, Ozark Trail, La Ruta Mala, numerous remote Alaskan Islands, and countless weeks on the up-and-coming Cap the Climax gravel route in Eastern Oregon, Leialoha and I had our sights set on something less intermittently soul-crushing for our fall 2022 destination bikepacking journey. Scouring BIKEPACKING.com’s route archives, we settled on the Appalachian Gravel Growler, hoping for an October visit that would showcase the region’s awe-inspiring autumn foliage and tasty brewpubs.
Tunnels of Gold is a short film about our time bikepacking North Carolina’s Appalachian Gravel Growler route. It’s an introspective visual trip report that showcases the breathtaking flora of Pisgah National Forest and the surrounding countryside while diving into unforeseen logistical difficulties that kept our adventure spicy.
We shot everything almost entirely with a Lumix GH5 and Sirui 24mm anamorphic lens. While anamorphic lenses are predominantly used for videography production, we captured the still photos with the same equipment. A Cotton Carrier chest harness was used to quickly access the camera while in the saddle.
Both Leialoha and I pedaled Mahall Bikeworks expedition gravel bikes. These steel gravel bikes offer 27.5 x 3.0″ tire clearance, have 500mm+ chainstays for extra-stable wheelbases, and 420mm axle to crown heights ideal for rugged gravel bikepacking routes and anything with intermittent singletrack. Additionally, my rig sports a prototype Wren Perseverance drop bar, and Leialoha’s rig is a dedicated basket-packer using a modified Wald basket rack supported by a Wren Beefcake plus-sized gravel carbon fork.
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