Vermont Bikepackers Campout in Poultney, Vermont

 

Vermont Bikepackers Community Campout Campout Details, Schedule, Logistics:

REGION: Slate Valley – Poultney, VT

MEETING TIME: 5pm for beginner riders at the Trailhouse, 4pm for those biking in at the Castleton park and ride.

MEETING LOCATION:

• Beginner riders: Please meet at the Campsite at the Trail House 758 Old Lake Rd, Poultney, VT 05764 at 5PM on 9/5
• Intermediate/Experienced riders: Please meet at the Castleton park and ride at 4pm on 9/5 to then bike in approximately 10 miles to the campsite via the Delaware and Hudson rail trail.

ROUTES: We are still in the process of updating our route for this year, but you can find similar routes from last year here: Ride with GPS event here. We will send an email with the updated routes for you to download ahead of the evnet.

SCHEDULE:

Saturday 9/5: Arrive at the Trailhouse around 5pm

Intermediate and anyone interested in riding into the campsite to meet at the Castleton Park and Ride by 4 to ride the 10 miles to the Trailhouse.

Beginner riders or those wanting to park on site please arrive at the Trailhouse around 5pm

Both Castleton and Poultney offer stores for any extra supplies needed.

Please do your best to arrive at camp by dark!

Group camp set up, individual dinners, hang out time.

Sunday 9/6: Wake up at camp by 7am!

Cook breakfast, and get yourself and your bike ready for the day.

8:30am: Mandatory Rider’s Meeting and  ride briefing for both rides.

9:30 Ride:

• Beginner (approx 26 miles, 1900’ elevation gain) and Intermediate ride (~50 miles, 4600’ elevation gain) options available.
• Both rides will be going through town with resupply options for food and water. Each ride will also be going by several points of interest such as swimming holes, and llamas!

Finish back at the Trailhouse late in the afternoon.

Settle back in to camp for the evening

6pm Dinner:

• Communal Dinner time. Bring your own supplies, and show other folks what your cooking setup is like!
• Saturday night the trailhouse will be making some pizzas onsite for folks to enjoy. Please bring $ to help cover the cost if interested.

Once folks are being fed, we’ll dive into different topics of discussion and presentation such as

• First aid on the trail: What are some common injuries that can occur on a bike and how to address them?
• Maintenance: What are common issues that can come up and how to remedy them?
• Nutrition and Hydration: How to eat/cook with only gas station food
• Bags and bike setups: Intermediate riders can run through their rigs
• Route making: Overview on how to make your own route. Can include how to identify public trails and roads that allow bicycle traffic, how to use free tools, and how to navigate.

Monday 9/7 – Wake up at camp by 7am!

Cook breakfast and prep for the morning ride.

8:30am: Mandatory Rider’s Meeting and ride briefing

9am – Ride (all riders) (approx 20 miles, 1400’ elevation gain)

Return to the Trailhouse by early afternoon.

Pack up camp

Closing and goodbyes by 1:30pm.

Depart by 2pm

• Intermediate riders ride back to Park and Ride: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51618955

MANDATORY GEAR:

• A bike suitable for the route. This route is best for bikes that can have tires over 45mm. This includes hardtail mountain bikes, rigid gravel bikes etc. The terrain we will be riding on will be mostly dirt and the surface can vary so having tires over 45mm is recommended. We don’t recommend a road bike with small tires.
• A helmet. Bikepacking Roots (and their insurance policy) requires riders to wear a helmet when riding their bikes during this event.
• Clothing, repair tools, equipment, food and water to ride self-sufficiently along the route.
• Overnight gear and food for one night of camping. This can be packed on your bike or carried in a camp vehicle.
• Use this recommended gear list.

WEATHER:

• Be prepared for all kinds of weather, including daytime temperatures (Fahrenheit) up to the high 80’s, nighttime temperatures in the 40’s. Rain, wind, and thunderstorms are also a possibility. Sunscreen or sun protection is also advisable.

FOOD:

• Please arrive prepared with the food you need for the event, including meals to prepare at camp. You’re welcome to team up with others to cook in small groups!
• You’ll need 2 days worth of ride food, 2 lunch(es), 2 dinner(s), and 2 breakfast(s).
• We recommend you carry at least 2 liters of water capacity. There are ample water sources on the route. Bring water purification if you plan to get water from any rivers or streams!
• Resupply: The Trailhouse is just a couple of miles from the town of Poultney which has grocery stores and convenience shops.

Please note:

• The beginner option will have folks parking on site at the Trailhouse, with a ~25 mile bike ride on Sunday, and a ~20 mile ride on Monday.
• The intermediate ride will have folks park at the Castleton Park and Ride and ride the ~10 miles to the Trailhouse that Saturday. Sunday’s ride will be ~50 miles, Monday’s ride will be ~20 miles plus the 10 miles back to the Park and Ride.
• Camping and other programmed activities are all the same between both ride options.
• This campout is open to those under 18 years of age, with parent/guardian consent.

These events are not guided! We ask that you come ready to ride self-supported with all your own gear, food, water, and ability to navigate the route under your own power. Volunteers will also be riding and able to assist if help is needed, but it is not their responsibility to lead the ride!

This event is part of Bikepacking Root’s Community Event Calendar, where we share bikepacking events across the US and Canada.