Minimal Bikepacking Gear for a Mini Adventure
Summer is coming! We know we aren’t running Womens Ride Month this year but we thought we could still talk about some of the epic things the women in our community are doing. Sammy H and Georgia Mayers along with Sam P Lars Winther and Jack Hamon decided to pack up their minimal bikepacking gear and go on a mini adventure. Here Sammy H gives us the low down on their trip.
“Our mission was an overnighter and 2 days of biking (around 90km total). Starting from the Homestead Campsite near St Bathans and heading up Manuherikia West Branch and over the Omarama Saddle. There is an awesome decent down the other side of the hill and then a 15km pedal into Omarma. We finished the ride in Omarama for our overnighter then back the next day via Camp Stream and Manuherikia East Branch. This finished us back at the car at the Homestead Campsite.
We took the luxury bike packing route with taking minimal gear and stayed in a cabin at the top 10, had a soak in the Omarama hot tubs and dinner out at the Boots and Jandals Pub, where the food was fantastic!
The following day we biked back to the base of the hill and took the other route over the hill dropping us into Camp Stream then the Manuherikia East Branch. The hill is higher this way but the valley alot shorter in distance. This mission can be ridden in either direction and is a good intro into bike packing. Would recommend grabbing a group of mates and just giving it a go. Pro tip would be doing it in summer when the rivers aren't so freezing cold from the snow melt. There are lots of river crossings!
Kit
I (Sammy H) just ran a backpack which was all you needed due to not needing much once in Omarama, this is what makes this ride easy and accessible for anyone to do as you dont need lots of bike packing gear, so good for people just wanted to give it ago. However, it is nice to get the weight off your bum.
- Sam P used the Aeroe rack and the spider rear pannier rack
- Georgia had the Aeroe spider rear pannier rack too
- Lars had the Areoe Spider Handlebar Cradle”
Written and Photos by Sammy Hope
