Solstice Overnight Campout
All Bodies on Bikes Western Mass is hosting our third annual Summer Solstice Campout!
OVERVIEW:
Join us on a two day overnight bike camping adventure to celebrate the Summer Solstice! We will leave from Greenfield, MA on Saturday at 11am on 6/21, camp in tents at Maple Ridge Farm HipCamp located near Guilford, VT, and then ride back to our starting point on Sunday 6/22 by mid afternoon.
Highlights of this trip will include:
A dreamy cruise both days on beautiful, low traffic, and mostly gravel Green River Road north of Greenfield
Plenty of river dip/swim spots along the way
Camping in a beautiful location on a sweet farm with a view
A ~20 person group of people celebrating bike joy and the start of summer!
Read on below and be ready to register when registration goes live on 5/29 at 7:30 PM EST!!!
ROUTE:
This is a link to the full route and each day's routes.
Full trip: 43 miles (23.7 paved, 19.4 gravel), ~2,800 ft of climbing
Day one: ~20 miles, ~1,700 ft of climbing
Day two: ~18 miles, ~1,200 ft of climbing
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS:
This will be a beautiful, and at times challenging, ride (there’s no way to get to the dreamy land of Vermont without climbing a couple hills!). We will all ride together at a pace that is comfortable for everyone, likely averaging around 6-8 mph. Our goals are to HAVE FUN, enjoy the scenery, and make it to the campsite by dark. It is important that we are clear and communicative about our individual needs as we ride together, and that we are all honest with each other and ourselves about how we are feeling and what we can handle.
TRIP COST:
The $20 registration fee will cover the cost of the campsites and firewood. We do not want cost to be a barrier, so if you can't afford to contribute $20, please reach out, and we will provide a discount code for you.
If you would like to have pizza for dinner Saturday night, you may indicate this on your registration and pay an additional $15 at the time of registration.
Should the trip be canceled due to weather, we will make a decision at least three days before and you will receive a refund, minus the HipCamp fees ($2 or less per person).
GEAR AND BIKE DETAILS:
This route involves a mix of pavement and gravel roads. Some experience and comfort with non-pavement riding is recommended. We strongly recommend AT LEAST 700x38 or 27.5/26x1.9 width tires for this ride.
Ideally, you will have tires with some amount of tread/knobby bits. Wider tires will be more comfortable, whereas narrower tires will require more advanced handling skills. If you have any questions about the suitability of your tires or bike for this ride, please reach out to us!
Just like every All Bodies on Bikes ride, this will be a no-drop ride, meaning that we will all ride together and no one will be left behind.
We will also have a support vehicle with space for bags and limited seating available if someone needs to take a break. While we want to encourage and support you in carrying your own gear on your bike, we also know that may not feel possible for everyone at this time! If you would like to utilize the support car for some or all of your gear, please indicate during the registration process.
FOOD:
Snacks, day 1: Pack the snacks and/or lunch you want for day one. There will not be any stores to stop at until we arrive in Guilford. Our support vehicle will have some snacks and water and meet up with us at 1-2 points along the way, but you should not rely on them for all your food and water!
Dinner: There will be an option to stop at the Guilford Country store for dinner on Saturday evening when we arrive as well as an option to pitch in money for pizza at the campsite. The optional Guilford Country Store stop adds 3.5 miles to the route.
Breakfast: Pack what you want for breakfast and/or plan to purchase something at the Guilford Country store Saturday evening that you can eat in the morning.
Snacks, day 2: Similar to day 1, there will not be any stores along the route. The support vehicle will still have some snacks and water, but plan to have some of your own snacks for our ride back to Greenfield on day two.
BASIC PACKING LIST:
You will need to bring:
A working bike that is capable of handling gravel roads and is in good condition.
A helmet
A sleep system - consider sharing a tent with someone to save on weight!
tent + sleeping pad + sleeping bag
FOOD! (see notes above)
A camp stove if you are planning on cooking
WATER for the ride there (there will be easy access to potable water at camp)
Perhaps something to do at camp?
Cards? A book? Other?
Clothing + accessories
A headlamp is good if you have one
Cozy camp/sleep clothes
Tools, any bike-specific parts, a first aid kit.
A way of attaching all these things to your bike!
Want to join the ride but need to borrow a bike or a couple of bags? Let us know! We may have something we can loan you.
WAITLIST:
THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF SPOTS, but if anyone cancels, we will open those spots to people on the waitlist, so please sign up for the waitlist if you want to join but spots are currently full.
Any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at westernmass@allbodiesonbikes.com.