Bikepacking the Plateau Passage (Boulder City to St. George) [PART 1]

[@North3rdMedia]

Good of you to pop over and see my bike packing video. So I had A look at what you get up to. A pleasant and interesting surprise. I like your style. I'll be watching a few mores for sure.

[@JakebMiller]

Makin me jealous watching yall having all that fun!

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks! KZbin is good at doing that. Glad you enjoyed.

[@kenprice1047]

You two are crazy! 😂Great duo and fun times! Don’t “pump the brakes” on that! :)

[@pnwbikepacking]

Hah that was such a rookie move by me!!! Fun ride though!

[@shayneb3327]

Been patiently waiting after watching your teaser a few weeks back. Didn’t disappoint. What an awesome duo you two are. The stoke is high. Happy birthday Wilson.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Shayne. Glad you are staying stoked on my videos!

[@headsling]

I love your trips - your story telling and videography is excellent, and all made better by getting to watch to good friends have a great time. Thank you.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thank you! I hope they just keep getting better and better!

[@jamesdiedrick8118]

Hey Chris, Rod just watched the full video and wished I would have rode with you guys longer.! Thanks for adding me in it!

[@pnwbikepacking]

Dude!!! Jamie!!! Stoked you found the video man! Hope we cross paths again on our next adventure out in the desert!!!

[@jamieroszel]

04:05 "on a positive note, they're not rubbing!" 😂

[@MoisheLettvin]

Been looking forward to this video and as always y'all delivered! That sand looked *brutal*. Also that feeling of leaving the Pacific Northwest for the desert in the springtime and then getting rained on ... been there! Can't wait for the next video.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Moishe! Glad you enjoyed the video. Fortunately the rain was VERY short. We were nervous that if it was too rainy it might drastically change the trail conditions and severely impact our ride. Luckily it didn't turn out that way. Having to bail because of weather is always such a bummer!

[@cowymtber]

Nice of ya to make a movie about the Desert Fox!

[@karlr6810]

Love the desert - the wide open expanses and the beauty. One just has to ride it during the "cooler" months - I can't imagine pedaling in the desert when it's over 120! Cool vid, thanks for sharing.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Totally agree, every time Rob and I are out there riding we think about how miserable it would be in anything above 85 degrees hahaha.

[@taknname]

Chris and Rob, this video was worth the wait! Thanks for taking us along. On another note, my wife’s got a St. Patty’s birthday too. You’re in good company.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Turist!

[@brettfoster6786]

🎂 thanks buddy’s for the update. Epic fire 🔥 with the moon$$$

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks! That was my favorite shot in this video.

[@SirBikesAlot]

Great video Chris, look like you and Rob had a good time. It's always good to see the Desert Fox in his natural habitat. I'm getting some serious wanderlust looking at these trails. I'm thinking we'll have to make a stop down in Utah/Nevada next summer. Also, thanks for including the link to my video at the end 🤙. Bike safe, can't wait for the next parts.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks man. If you end up heading to Utah, id recommend going in the shoulder seasons if possible. The weather is WAY more reasonable. Hope to see you and Salty put out a video on your group ride! I've already seen a few videos from other people.

[@barkeaterproductions]

Just what the doctor ordered: I’m home quarantining thanks to getting Covid, and watching this made my day. I haven’t been able to ride my bike in over a week and this helped me live vicariously through you and Rob. Thanks a bunch!!

[@pnwbikepacking]

Ahh! Hope you can get out there again soon!

[@mswarrior932]

Great video!! Happy belated birthday!! 🌎🚴

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@JordanVegBike]

Wow, nice weather and anything? Must be nice :P Love the video, great fun vibes and awesome quality!

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Jordon! Looking forward to more content from you!

[@JordanVegBike]

@@pnwbikepacking awe thank you so much! :)

[@jamieroszel]

Love this whole video, could really feel the pain of that last day - but the redemption at the end with a birthday beer.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Jamie!

[@DougA597]

Nice ride and nice video. It's kinda good to get a beat down occasionally. Makes you appreciate the easier days. Not to mention the post beat down glow! :)

[@pnwbikepacking]

Totally agree with this! I love a good beat down once and a while.

[@lotsoffish]

"There's nowhere you would rather be and nothing you would rather be doing" man you got that so right. It's Saturday March 4th here in NY State and the bikes still hanging in my garage. It's been a long winter and I need a night around a campfire so badly this far into it. Spring can't come fast enough as far as I am concerned. I'd pay a thousand dollars for 2 60 degree sunny days in a row right about now, LOL.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Hahha I can totally relate to paying for some good weather! This time of year can be rough for sure. Time for training, planning, and getting stoked for spring!

[@randallgd]

Right on good times guys!

[@pnwbikepacking]

Definitely a good time! Thanks for watching!

[@PumpkinVillage]

Wow. Great ride and no front brakes. That camping spot with the moon rise was awesome. Belated Happy Birthday. Take care, Al

[@pnwbikepacking]

Yeah when you don't have front brakes you realize how much you rely on them haha. Thanks for watching Al!

[@jimmccorison]

Great video. Looking forward to the next part. Happy belated Birthday, Chris. What a great way to spend it.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Jim! I've started part two, hopefully it won't take as long to drop!

[@Raveler1]

Wow - what a start to the trip! I'm impressed both with the cycling and the camera work - thanks for filming and taking us along the ride!

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Lucas! Appreciate the comment!

[@lloydrushton9519]

Great episode. Thanks for taking us along.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Lloyd!

[@theoutdoorsycrew1749]

Finally it's here you guys left us in anticipation for a while but it was worth the wait, you two seem to have a great time on these adventures and fair play to ye, ye are definitely making the most of your free time. Can't wait for the next part. Also there is nothing like a nice cold beer after a long day on the saddle ( Rob knows ). Happy Birthday Chris being Irish that is a great day for a birthday hope you enjoyed it, bring on part 2

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks! Hoping to see more bikepacking content from you too!

[@naturallyadriftphotoadvent123]

My son is impressed you made it without front brakes, Chris. Wonderful footage of another great adventure, you and Rob rock. We will be heading out for our first camping trip this weekend to celebrate my son's upcoming birthday with his friends! Rob be sure to tell your wife hello for us. I wonder what part 2 will bring.

[@RobParker8]

Hey Julie, my wife says “Hi” and tell your son Happy Birthday! Enjoy your camping trip! Part two was my favorite part of the trip. Stay tuned....

[@pnwbikepacking]

I am glad someone was impressed. Rob just heckled me the whole time. Happy Birthday Julie's son!!! Enjoy your adventure!

[@ChrisBrown-dz9sz]

I’d love to see a graphical summary of the route with maybe some cam locations of your trip at the beginning of the video so I can put the route in context. Next level! Huge effort on these trips and the videography and editing is really great. Keep on truckin. Chris

[@pnwbikepacking]

Hey Chris, thanks for the feedback! Doing some kind of map/graphical summary has been on my list of things to learn how to do in post. One of these days ill get to it! Glad you like the videos and thanks for watching!

[@edzeppelin933]

You're back!! It's been a while. Oh first comment too. Love your trips as always Chris. I'm stuck inside on a rainy Australian day. Wish I was outside riding!

[@pnwbikepacking]

Thanks Ed! Glad you enjoyed the video. I like to watch bikepacking videos when it is raining... get's me stoked to plan something!

[@tedbellWRV]

On your brake problem. You probably know by now, but use top-loading brake calipers (eg Magura or many Shimano) which do not require removal of the wheel or rotor to replace pads. “Transport” devices, (plastic shims), are available for the times you do remove the wheel/rotor. The plastic shims clip into the caliper to prevent inadvertent excursion of the brake piston if you accidentally bump the brake lever or squeeze the brake lever with the rotor removed.

[@DJhunta]

This I great, I have been wanting to do this section. Now I kinda want to use my Fatbike but the roads make me want to use just a mountain bike.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Hey Hunter, thanks for watching. If I had to do it over again, I think i'd go with 2.35's. A lot of the walking we did was on steepish and sandy, or rocky and bumpy. I don't think the tires were the limiting factor... our fitness levels probably played a bigger factor. Fat bike would be slow going on that tarmac! Either way, hope you get out there and have a ton of fun!

[@Kevin-ib3io]

Man, you guys are beasts! I just did the grand-staircase loop a few weeks ago and that last day up death ridge took me 14hrs to go ~40 miles. Any tips on how to up your average speed for a new bikepacker? I don't want to rush through trips, but it would be nice to be able to do more miles if needed. Y'alls storytelling, editing/filming and adventures are all really top notch! Love the lighthearted feel. Keep up the good work!

[@RobParker8]

Hey Kevin, congratulations on doing the Grand Staircase! That is a major accomplishment! Death ridge kicked our asses as well. Chris and I struggle with the same issue. We always feel we are trying to soak in the trip and still move efficiently. My only advice would be to train hard, pack light and go with someone you enjoy being with even when things go bad. It really helps with your morale. Also, visualize a frosty mug of beer at the end. 😁🍻

[@pnwbikepacking]

Hahah I'll echo what Rob said and add a few things. There is no secret here... it's all about training, fueling your body properly, packing light, not taking long breaks, getting good sleep, and using the right bike! Faster isn't ALWAYS the goal either, there is a balance to all of this unless you're going for the FKT! Train and push yourself, but remember to have fun in the process. Kudos to you and anyone who rides up death ridge!

[@michaelp1109]

New to the channel. Trying to get myself to try BikePacking. What type of bike do you have?

[@pnwbikepacking]

Hey Michael, thanks for watching! I ride a Surly Karate Monkey and Rob rides a Surly Krampus. They are built like tanks and are great bikes for bikepacking.

[@marcotriverio8195]

which tent do you use? happy with it?

[@pnwbikepacking]

Hey Marco, I use a Zpacks Duplex. I've used it for about 3 years and spent over 50 nights in it, many with Rob haha. Overall I like the tent, but there are some quirks with it that annoy me. It is NOT the perfect tent. What I really like is: Weight, ease of set up, and it is spacious (enough). What I don't like: The mechanisms for opening and closing the doors is a total pain. It requires two hands. The zipper design for the mesh door also can be finicky and require two hands. Small thing, but the pockets are just floppy and lay on the ground, they are kind of worthless. I was initially worried about durability, but so far the tent has held up great (and I don't use a ground cloth). I purchased a Dan Durston x-mid 2 pro which I believe will address a lot of the things I DON'T like about the Duplex. Tent won't arrive for another few months though. Hope this helps!

[@marcotriverio8195]

@@pnwbikepacking Thank you so much for the thorough reply :) it sounds like you’re ok with non-freestanding - has that ever been an issue?

[@noliboyee]

I wish I have a bike buddy 😔

[@pnwbikepacking]

I hear you man! Solo trips are fun in their own right, but riding with a friend is a different experience. Check out the bikepacking subreddit. They have a Seeking Bikepacking Buds thread specifically to meet up with people and do rides together.

[@cdoubleu8719]

Probably asked a million times already. So this makes that 1.000.001: What are those racks you guys are using on the rear? (and front)

[@pnwbikepacking]

Hah, no worries. So in this video I was using a Tubus rack. I just picked this up from a local bike shop. It's quite adjustable so should fit on a lot of set ups. For the front Rob and I both use the Salsa Anything Cradle. It works great in that it keeps things out of the way of your brake and shifting cables and it's a great spot for me to mount my tripod. If I were NOT carrying a tripod, I'd consider a simpler front mount solution. Not sure what rear rack Rob is using, I an assure you though, it isn't fancy haha. Hope this helps!

[@black_eagle]

The Vegas area will be a post-apocalyptic wasteland in another 10-20 years imo.

[@pnwbikepacking]

Agreed!

[@zimmejoc]

Who needs brakes? You’ll eventually roll to a stop if you stop pedaling

[@martinsanders1246]

you got sramd.......... ;)

[@pnwbikepacking]

Haha yeah such a rookie move!

[@amineroadbikerider1504]

You guys are just amazing. Your videos bring happiness to me and motivate me to do more bikepacking trips with my friend ♥️🚵‍♂️🏞️