Brendan here again. I wanted to share this bikepacking trip to show folks who work that getting out for an overnight is feasible and fun. This time there were three of us on the trip: myself, Sam (who you met in May on our Little River excursion), and Veronica (former OSH mechanic and Femmechanics instructor extraordinaire). I was hellbent on riding the tandem so I tricked her into being a stoker for the trip. Sam was working on Saturday and both Sam and I worked on Sunday, so we had to find somewhere relatively nearby. After taking into account the fact that I don't have much experience on tandems we settled on Sand Bar State Park which is on Route 2 en route to South Hero. It's about 17 miles away from Burlington by the mainland, but I'd highly recommend using the bike path and ferry. Unfortunately it had stopped running so that wasn't an option for us.
We convened after work at about 6:30 and headed out with lights on already. Gone are the days of 9pm sunsets.
Part of the impetus behind choosing this specific weekend was the full moon. We were fortunate enough that our 8:30pm arrival at the campground was met with clear skies and a moon bright enough to cast strong shadows. After having a snack we set up the hammocks and settled in for the night
A brief aside about bikepacking with hammocks for those interested: Camping hammocks are great. They're light and they don't take up much space at all. However, there are some additional challenges to overcome when compared to tents. First, and not as obvious as most would like to admit, there's got to be a place to hang it. Second, be prepared for rain and/or bugs with a tarp and/or net if either are a possibility. And third, while your comfy down sleeping bag may be rated for 35 degrees, your underside will be cooler because all the material will be packed down and air will be moving past. For this reason most carry an inflatable sleeping pad to use anyways if temperatures look like they're going to dip.
In the morning we awoke to a beautiful sunrise and the sounds of ducks, duck hunters, and cars (yeah, it's not that far away from Route 2).
We got on the road pretty quickly because Sam and I had to get back in time for work. One of the benefits of being a stoker is that you don't need to hold onto the handlebars if you don't want to:
On the way back into town we got to enjoy some fresh cider donuts at Sam Mazza's farm. Here's Sam lookin' pretty fly with the flowers:
Even with the donut stop (two each, plus cider), we were able to get back with plenty of time for a hearty brunch and shower before work. Moral of the story: pack light, camp somewhere nearby, and have fun! Even just a quick overnight like that seemed like a fun adventure.
Thanks for reading! Have fun and ride safe!