Salsipuedes Canyon by Fatbike

jonshonda said:

Great looking rig! I am looking forward to pics. Can you post all the items you will have packed into the bike? It would be cool to see the unpacked and packed pics.

Click to expand...

Unpacked:

I was going to do a GPS hit at dinner in el Rosario but I couldn't find my Spot. I freaked out and booked a room, so that's where I am tonight. Then I brought everything inside and found it. Hopefully I should get that mess organized.

DSLR's, remotes (2 X Nikon V1's, 1 X D7000)
lenses (300f/4 w FT-1 adapter for V1, 10-30 for V1, and 70-300 VR for D7000)
homemade windscreen for DSLR's
extra batteries
DSLR drybags
DSLR towels
polarizers
extra backup 10 mm f2.8 lens
CF cards (not on this trip)
SD cards
CF card reader and cable
little camera brush
lens blower
dessicants
tripod
tripod bag
audio recorder and mounts, remote
microphone (probably won't take)
flash
little tripod
AA / AAA charger and plug
AA / AAA batteries
pearstone chargers for nikons and Gopro, cable
GoPro and spares
GoPro mounts
GoPro spare lenses
GoPro batteries
GoPro charger
Nikon camera straps
lens cloths
Canon 500D for macro shots
USB cable
USB charger from solar panel
iPhone cable
sensor cleaner (not this trip)
solar panel
computer (will leave in car)
dry bag for computer
hard drive (not on this trip)
cell phone and cable
PFD
UW housing for Gopro
water containers
Xtrawheel drybags (not on this trip)
epoxy (not on this trip)
crazy glue
various marine glues
boat patch material
Aquaseal
stove
fuel
pot
Orikasa plate
wind shield
pot holder
pot hanger
pot grill
lighters
knife, fork, spoon, or spork
jack knife
leatherman
sharpening stone
extra leatherman bits
air horn and pouch (not on this trip)
sunscreen
passport and waterproof pouch
wallet
little camera backpack
axe with saw in handle (not on this trip)
pocket chain saw (not on this trip)
firestarter, flint
water filter and extra strainers
desalinator hand filter
seawater distiller pot setup with copper tubes
tent
tent repair kit
ground sheet
tarp (not on this trip)
VHF radio and charger
GPS
Spot
maps
map bag
compass (may not take)
bicycle flasher
whistle
turtle lights
head lamp
extra flashlight
mattress and patch kit
rags
first aid kit
band aids
toiletries
unwaxed dental floss (can be used to mend torn tire)
contact lenses
contact solution
3 underwear
2 long sleeves
1 woolly underwear
2 cool thin long sleeve
1 short sleeve
3 pairs socks
1 shorts
1 or 2 pants
rain jacket
rain pants (probably won't bring)
belt
drysuit (not on this trip)
neoprene hood (not on this trip)
sleeping bag
plastic bags to line sleeping bag and other bags in case of rain
shoes
sandals
mask and snorkel
gloves
extra gloves
pogies (not on this trip)
towel
grubby towel
gaiters (not on this trip)
toque
hat with cinch
balaclavas
mosquito head nets
bug jacket (not on this trip)
sunglasses, pouch
glasses lanyards
emergency blanket
face cloth
J cloths
nuts and bolts bag
duct tape
silicone grease
fishing gear
crab trap (not on this trip)
nets
extra ropes
extra carabiners and cinch nuts
extra rubber bands
paddle
drip skirt for kayak
kayak / packraft
extra grab patches for kayak
kayak inflator
extra inflator
corks
bear bell (not on this trip)
bear rope
bear spray and pouch (not on this trip)
yarn
teflon tape
zap straps
wooden braces for kayak (not on this trip)
bike
pedals
SPD shoes (not on this trip)
trailer
spare brake pads
extra tire
innertube
tire patch kit
tool kit
lube
extra nuts, bolts, parts
extra rear quick release
helmet
various bike mounted bags
bike gloves
bike footwear
odometer (not on this trip)
lock (will leave in car)
keys
paper for notes
pen, pencil
spare inflator adapter
duffel bag (not on this trip)
olive oil
spices
sugar
oats
oatmeal
freeze dried dinners
pasta to bulk up dinners
clif bars, etc.
dates
peanut butter
nuts
dried fruit
Nuun electrolytes
protein powder (not on this trip)
quinoa (not on this trip)
cinnamon
water bottle
water bag

This is a great forum, don't get me wrong, and I've benefited a TON from the information here. But there is also a lot that is kinda "ho-hum, been-there-done-that". Okay, the majority. Sorry.

This thread is SO not that, and deserves a bump.

I don't know Mark_BC or anything about the Baja peninsula (which may explain my new-found fascination) but I somehow got caught up in this adventure today and I am convinced that it's a big deal. Mark_BC has been pretty understated on this forum, I think, in terms of what he's set out to do on a fatbike. Which I get. First, it seems to be his personality, and then he's been super busy with planning and logistics and is contributing to at least one other forum that I know of and probably other social media outlets.

There's not a lot of info in this thread, but he's also posted up about his trip on a forum dedicated specifically to travel in Baja, which I would never have imagined to have existed, but which is quite active. And substantial. And informative. On that forum, he is somewhat of an anomaly, travelling by bike through this super-harsh and challenging terrain. He has also raised the eyebrows of that readership, in terms of his rate of his progress, so far.

It becomes obvious through reading that forum that he's had some experience in the region and has done a lot of planning and has taken some previous bike/pack-raft trips that will be beneficial in terms of experience. But as I look at his bike and trailer and his list of what he is taking, I'm thinking, "holy hell". That is a TON of weight to be wrestling through the obstacles that are being described on the BajaNomads forum.

I will never do anything as challenging as the trip he is taking, but I have put myself out there on two different trips over the past two years that were in the middle of effing NOWHERE and the most recent was planned to cover 50 miles in four days. I was laughing beforehand, and packed a book, so I would have something to do during all the downtime. I never opened the book and the trip kicked my ass. Point being, there are certain places out there that are just over-the-top challenging to get through, by bike or otherwise, and I think this is one of those deals.

Mark is packing a buttload of photographic equipment and I can't wait to see the images. On my last trip, my camera gear added up to almost 10 lbs, so I can't imagine the amount of extra weight he is slogging up and down all those climbs and descents. But thanks in advance, Mark. :thumbsup:

Currently, he appears to be in the midst of some really challenging terrain, making very slow or very fast progress, depending on your perspective (I tend to rely on the voices of those chiming in that are familiar with the terrain, and they say he's ripping it up).

We've all been watching the Antarctica stuff lately and it's so costly and hyped, and this deal with Mark just conversely strikes me as so pure, in terms of a guy identifying this totally unique opportunity to use a fatbike in a way/area that no one ever has, and to just somehow get his ass from Vancouver BC down to LA, and then to the border and then to his starting point, and then throw down, solo. RAD, RAD, RAD.

I'm in no way trying to diminish anything adventurish that has been done on fats, but I have a sense that this may further the cause; build on it. The stuff that mikesee and his crew did was transformational in the public eye and a big part of that was the telling of the story. Time will tell, what this trip will yield. In the meantime, rock on, Mark. Thanks for towing us along on your adventure, in whatever way possible.

Here's his Spot tracker link

...and here's the BajaNomad forum link.

If you're interested in this kind of stuff.

I'm going to head back in tomorrow, from the east, from the dry lake bed. But I'm only going to ride across the lake bed, then stash the bike and hike the rest of the way in to scope it out for a night or two. If it is possible to do with a bike then I'll start planning for the next trip, with some people! Not enough time left now. Here are some pics from the last few days from the western approach. The videos are more interesting, maybe I'll take some screenshots from those.