# Why's Water So Darn Heavy? and Other Rookie Mistakes on the Carrizo Plain



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

I finally went on my first bikepacking trip. Fortunately I have a solid background in backpacking, so I wasn't _completely _terrible at it, but I was definitely _pretty_ terrible at it. Also fortunately, I was solo, so I wasn't inflicting my poor decisions on anyone but myself, and I'm fairly good at laughing at my foolishness (I have a lot of practice at it).

The first hurdle, before I even left, was the logistics of water, since there is exactly none in the Carrizo Plain National Monument in southern California, and I drink a lot. But I got lucky with finding some roomy cargo options inexpensively, and I'm not afraid to leave the tent at home if there are no mosquitoes or rain, so I was able to squeeze 7.7L (17 lbs right there!) into my load. And that also had other weight-influencing ripple effects, specifically not bothering with dehydrated food, since then I'd just have to carry more water for it anyways. But I usually suffer through heavy loads while backpacking for extra comfort at camp, so the extra weight didn't intimidate me too much, and I continued on with my planning.

Excessive amounts of overanalysis later, I was finally on my bike and on the road. Then off the road; less than 20 minutes in I mistook this dry wash for a forest service road.










I'm not real familiar with desert travel. Where I am from anything this flat and open is a road. but it's also not this soft. Even my 3" tires weren't enough to float on it fully loaded.

But I wasn't too far off track. The real road paralleled the wash and I was quickly back on it.










For a while, anyways. I took a wrong turn somewhere (looking at the map in retrospect I know exactly where and when), and the road turned into overgrowing double track, which turned into a moto trail, which turned into a game trail, which turned into nothing somewhere back there.










Somehow I didn't meet any rattlesnakes in there.

Dummy that I am, instead of turning around, I decided the road I wanted was _definitely_ right over that saddle up ahead of me which _definitely_ wasn't more than 5 minutes of hike-a-biking away. An hour later I was up here, trying to figure out how to get down there.










A little unwelcome, unpleasant freeriding later I was back somewhere on some road. With that uncertainty I worked on slowly drifting north until I intercepted Soda Lake Road and headed south along it. In spite of the steady headwind wearing me down I was able to get a little artsy along the way.










With sunset approaching I picked a campsite. The reward for traveling heavy was a truly decadent dinner of homemade chicken tortilla soup and a couple cold beers.










I had clear skies all night and, miraculously, nearly no wind.










I've woken up worse places.










A quick breakfast and repack, then a quick climb, and it was all downhill from here (more or less).










There was a definite Old West feel out there.










Lots of gentle rolling terrain along Elkhorn Road kept the riding interesting.










Back on the valley floor my plan was to follow the service road along the power lines back to Soda Lake Road, but after about 500' it turned to deep, soft, fine, dry silt that was like trying to ride though tar, and this time I was smart enough to concede continuing was a bad idea and turned around.










I had started the day with a wonderful tailwind, and for a brief moment it teased me that is was going to flip at the same time I was and continue helping me down the road, but it decided to keep steady as I turned into it, so my final memories of the ride aren't my best memories of the ride, but at least an hour of fighting it made getting back to my car and off the saddle a true pleasure. But overall, the trip was great, and even the suffering was enjoyable.


----------



## Johnny Chicken Bones (Jul 13, 2005)

Thanks for this.
That’s a great write up and worth the read.
Keep pedaling. It doesn’t look too hard from here.


----------



## NoCanSurf (Feb 19, 2021)

Looks like one hell of a trip. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## ctxcrossx (Jan 13, 2004)

Great write up. Very entertaining!


----------



## CObikeman (Nov 25, 2014)

Nice, man - thanks for sharing. Good dinner indeed.

COBikeman


----------



## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

nice read, and enjoyable pictures.

Desert travel is definitely a different beast.


----------



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

Thanks everyone.



Johnny Chicken Bones said:


> It doesn't look too hard from here.


I see what you did there, but I still agree. And the further in the past it gets the easier I remember it being. ?



CObikeman said:


> Good dinner indeed.


I skipped the chocolate milk this time, but it's definitely still in my mind to bring on a future trip.



Harold said:


> Dessert travel is definitely a different beast.


For sure. The majority of my overnight adventures are in the high Sierra where you can hardly go a mile without falling into a crystal alpine stream. I only carry a liter of water at a time while backpacking. So I enjoyed the new challenge. My math was pretty good, too. I got back to the car with less than 1L of the 7.7L I started out with. And I did cache 2 gallons in anticipation of possibly staying out another day to ride up Caliente Peak (though I ended up deciding climbing 3000' over 12 miles into a 10 mph headwind with a rig sitting at 75+ lbs was a little more misery than I was interested in this trip).


----------



## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

Most backpacking days involve carrying more in water than my entire base weight, by a factor of at least 2 (3-4L). Welcome to the desert  Looks like it was a good trip though.

I still hate carrying water


----------



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

dysfunction said:


> Most backpacking days involve carrying more in water than my entire base weight, by a factor of at least 2 (3-4L). Welcome to the desert  Looks like it was a good trip though.
> 
> I still hate carrying water


Wow, you've really got your weight down. My problem is every time I cut 12 ounces from my base weight I add another beer to my pack, so I never make any net improvements.


----------



## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

looks easy from here said:


> Wow, you've really got your weight down. My problem is every time I cut 12 ounces from my base weight I add another beer to my pack, so I never make any net improvements.


A byproduct of having to carry water, that and ordering a cuban fiber grace solo tarp in a moment of weakness after returning from a trip and deciding my shelter was 'too heavy'.

Carrying beer is a better solution.


----------



## 3blackbikes (May 4, 2011)

I also have an irrational fear of running out of water. Once I raided a gas station, bought 2 gallons, and pedaled quite awkwardly holding onto them with one finger on each hand while also steering, braking, and unsuccessfully trying to shift on a hill to hoarde them back at my camp. 2 miles away. At least it was paved. 

Ended up using only about 1/2 gallon, I had to just pour out the rest. And crush and carry the empty jugs to a trash can. 

🤷‍♀️ 🤦‍♀️


----------



## iliveonnitro (Jul 9, 2005)

Sleeping exposed in the desert would freak me out. How do you prevent a rattler or scorpion from joining you in your sleeping bag while you're passed out?


----------



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

iliveonnitro said:


> Sleeping exposed in the desert would freak me out. How do you prevent a rattler or scorpion from joining you in your sleeping bag while you're passed out?


I gave them a thought, but with a projected low of 48° I figured they wouldn't be too active overnight. Rodents ruining my food was more of a concern to me. Every square yard of ground was punched with multiple holes, and every time I woke up at night I heard kangaroo rats around me. Fortunately there was a barbed wire fence near my camp I was able to hang my food from before I went to bed, and it made it safely through the night.


----------



## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

looks easy from here said:


> For sure. The majority of my overnight adventures are in the high Sierra where you can hardly go a mile without falling into a crystal alpine stream. I only carry a liter of water at a time while backpacking. So I enjoyed the new challenge. My math was pretty good, too. I got back to the car with less than 1L of the 7.7L I started out with. And I did cache 2 gallons in anticipation of possibly staying out another day to ride up Caliente Peak (though I ended up deciding climbing 3000' over 12 miles into a 10 mph headwind with a rig sitting at 75+ lbs was a little more misery than I was interested in this trip).


I mostly ride in Pisgah, which is also quite wet and lush. Quite a few trails, however, run ridgelines and don't cross water often. Depending on where you are, you might need to do some actual work to reach the nearest water, but there's usually plenty of it. I once tossed a 2nd bladder in my pack plus a bottle, so I was around 7L, because I didn't have a filter I could bring. But nowadays, I have a pretty lightweight gravity filter with a Sawyer mini I can use, so I don't ever carry that much water anymore.


----------



## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Thanks for the share, @looks easy from here. It looks like a perfect trip. Desert bliss, while you can still get it...



iliveonnitro said:


> How do you prevent a rattler or scorpion from joining you in your sleeping bag while you're passed out?


Zip it up?

Just kidding! I print a out few of these warning table tents and place them around my sleeping bag. I know they work - I've never had a rattler or scorpion try.


----------



## ericzamora (Dec 14, 2017)

Great write-up! Congrats. I'm thinking i may want to ride down there too on an overnighter (or 2). One thing i bought last year (have yet to use) is an Ursack. Having a backpacking background, you've certainly heard of them for bears (i use bear cans in my backpacking), but i imagine they can work well for rodents too, and of course they offer smaller sizes for just that purpose. And lightweight, which should be great for bikepacking.

eric/fresno, ca.


----------



## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

Ursacks are OK for rodents, and that's what I generally use. I have a Ratsack, that I use for grand canyon trips. It keeps the coatimundis and the corvids out nicely (the ravens at GCNP are notorious for stealing food). We watched a couple peck at the mesh for a long time before they gave up.


----------



## ransom208 (Mar 31, 2021)

a flask of whiskey will go farther than a 6 pack of beer. 
congrats on your trip


----------



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

The whiskey would definitely go farther: all the way to the end of the trip, unopened. 😉


----------



## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Sometimes the best decision is to turn around. And often times the bad route decisions keep piling up on one another.


----------



## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

Going to do my first bike packing trip this year. In AZ. I am going to stay relatively close to civilization. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

leeboh said:


> Sometimes the best decision is to turn around. And often times the bad route decisions keep piling up on one another.


For sure. I'm usually pretty much 1:1 on my good decision:bad decision ratio on adventures. Perfect example from this trip: not turning around in the canyon, but realizing quickly to turn around trying to cross the plain.



DrDon said:


> Going to do my first bike packing trip this year. In AZ. I am going to stay relatively close to civilization.


Cool. What bike do you have? Be sure to post up a trip report after.


----------



## GMUGNIER (Dec 5, 2006)

Carry dehydrated water. Problem solved! 🤣


----------



## Johnny Chicken Bones (Jul 13, 2005)

Silly fool. There’s no such thing as dehydrated water. You need to drill holes in it to save weight.


----------



## GMUGNIER (Dec 5, 2006)

Johnny Chicken Bones said:


> Silly fool. There's no such thing as dehydrated water. You need to drill holes in it to save weight.


What do you think this is? Anyhow?


----------



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

GMUGNIER said:


> Carry dehydrated water. Problem solved! 🤣


I considered that. But with no water on the Plain, what would I use to rehydrate it?


----------



## GMUGNIER (Dec 5, 2006)

looks easy from here said:


> I considered that. But with no water on the Plain, what would I use to rehydrate it?


Well - if you are planning a nice bike packing trip you can take 20 - 30 gallons of water and plant it with X,Y,Z coordinates and leave it at specific spots along your trail. I have done this in the past and as long as you don't make it too obvious - no-one ever knows its there. Another option (especially considering that you are going to be fairly close to civilization) Is to have a local person meet you on a specific date and time with water/food etc - (or provide them with a prepackaged box to meet you with) Idk - just some options - But i like to pre-plan my trips and leave a stash of water and food along the way and i pick it up as i go. I wonder if we could add a "supplies" tag to geo-caching to have food and water for available people that need it, then - replace it, or pay someone to replace it when their trip is over?


----------



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

I did cache a couple gallons hidden under some tumbleweed caught on a fence in case I decided to stay out a 3rd day, but I ended up sticking with just an overnighter (and I retrieved my cache on the drive out).


----------



## GMUGNIER (Dec 5, 2006)

Cacheing water and supplies is a great way to extend range and add luxuries we would generally not have access to. Also it is a great benefit to make sure the routes and trails we are taking are not a surprise and allow us a chance to "scout the route" During ultra-long expeditions or bickpacking adventures this is the smart and safest way.


----------



## GMUGNIER (Dec 5, 2006)

I just read an article about a marathon that goes across the Sahara desert, (race on foot!) they have to carry everything on their body to the next way point stations where they can "fill-up on water, and supplies" Absolutely crazy and waay too extreme for me, but - To each their own! There was one guy that was winning and got caught in a sand storm - he had to live for months without food or water - He survived and is back doing the same race - Frickin NUTZ!


----------



## KThaxton (Jun 4, 2009)

Months without water you say?


----------



## GMUGNIER (Dec 5, 2006)

KThaxton said:


> Months without water you say?


Yep! Apparently he drank his own urine - as nasty as that may sound (but whatever - its sterile and everyone likes their own flavor i guess?) I think he collected water from the night air as well - I don't remember where i read that article - it was very interesting


----------

