Bailout Logistics – June. 28, 2024
Hosting the Swift Campout has made for some interesting logistics. Coming up with a route that was fun, welcoming and most importantly not too hot is a challenge here in the desert at the Summer Solstice. Our route sort of makes that work.
Also to make that work, Toby and I drove ahead to camp, to claim a spot and stash water and drinks for when we arrived. I dug a hole and buried ice and drinks. Henley did this for us last year, but he also thought of putting the beers in a garbage bag. Without the bag, the beers got rather muddy as you can see here.
And with our bailout on the ride, Toby and I had to make another trip to retrieve our camp provision. As Ellie, Burger and Ellie have already elaborated on, it was still a great adventure. And now we have plenty of leftover Dragoon Beers for our fall events!
Resupply Intel: Parker Canyon Lake – June. 21, 2024
Last weekend I found myself in the little lake front convenience store at Parker Canyon Lake after enjoying some paddle-boarding with my family. The question of what this little store is actually stocked with has come up a multiple times in the past few years. The thing is that this store is about a mile descent off of the AZT. The descent is just long and steep enough that it is only worth it if you really need a resupply. But its in an area that it is the only resupply option. It also falls along other routes including Joe Cruz’s Madrean Rugged Ramble.
Anyways, here are the shelves… I hope it helps someone make up their mind if the little off-trail trek down to that store is worth it.
Delux Donuts at Last Week’s Breakfast by Bike – June. 14, 2024
For 8 out of 10 breakfast by bikes our pancake artist, Toby works hard to crank out artfully delicious pancakes. But for our summertime runnings of this event, Toby gets to take a break as I go pick up 2 dozen donuts. Here is our friend Elliot, owner of Roadrunner Bicycles, enjoying a deluxe donut topped with Dan’s, owner of Loball Bikes, scrambled eggs. It was another fun gathering. We’re always surprised by the remarkable turnout of our June Breakfast By Bikes. Turns out there are plenty of folks in town looking for something cool to do early in the morning before it heats up.
Mining Developments in Patagonia, AZ – June. 7, 2024
An insightful and disturbing piece came out this week in The Radavist. Patagonia resident Loren Mason-Gere writes about an all but inevitable manganese mine currently under development in the Santa Ritas. It is heartbreaking to consider the destructive mining that is probably about to get fully underway in this beautiful place that we ride and bikepack. Please read this important article, share it and consider supporting local watchdog group Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA).
Congratulations to Austin Killips’ AZT FKT!!! – May. 31, 2024
All of us at the shop were blown away to learn about Austin Killips’ remarkable AZT FKT earlier this week. Albeit already a successful bicycle racer, this was Austin’s first bikepacking race! And not only that, she did it under the warm desert conditions of a late May start.
I didn’t have any photos of Austin, but I happened across an old photo on my phone of a little art piece that captures the mood of an epic bikepacking trip across Arizona.
Desert Tortoise Encounter – May. 24, 2024
Ellie’s post from last week reminded me that I had a photo of a desert tortoise that we came across while returning home from a family overnighter to Catalina State Park. And this encounter with wildlife while on a family bikepacking trip reminds me of the family trip down in Patagonia, AZ where just at the end of it we came across around a dozen Coatimundi crossing the road. Both times, nature was doing its best to impress the kiddos!
Heavy Bikes in the Work Stand – May. 17, 2024
I noticed these two big Ebikes in the stands the other day. Front and back, that stand was really loaded down. The steel beam in the middle is doing its job, but we’ve been talking about getting a bike stand with a hydraulic-powered lift that can help us deal with these heavy cargo bikes that come our way.
What can you carry on your bike? – May. 10, 2024
The other day Toby had to pick up a drip coffee maker that his buddy Nate had left at the bar for him (long story). Anyways, I was curious how Toby was planning on getting it home. Sure enough the plan was to strap it on the rack.
I often think about the connection between bicycle commuting and bicycle travel, how one is a gateway to another. When I launched Campfire Cycling, with our commitment to becoming very focused on bikepacking and bicycle touring gear, I was a bit reticent to be leaving behind BikeShopHub.com’s great selection of bicycle commuting gear. Perusing out bag, trailer and accessory archive gives a sense of it. But, I also recognized how the commuting and bicycle travel are deeply connected. And we see it play out all the time. Someone is first inspired by the adventure of getting out bikepacking, but after the buzz of the first adventures are over, they realize all this travel gear is also great for getting themselves around town with everything they need.
So this begs the question, whether on a trip or commuting, what are some interesting things you’ve carried on your bike?
Wack Pack Insights! – May. 3, 2024
We love carrying Oveja Negra bags! They’ve got so much style and color especially the Wack Pack ones. And the thing about the Wack Pack bags is every bag is unique. Every now and then we get a customer who wants to see the Wack Pack options before they buy. So, while we aren’t crazy about having to do a photo session every time this comes up, I’ll let you in on a little secret, we are willing to do it. The catch is you have to buy a Campfire Gift Card for at least $20, which you can then apply to your Wack Pack bag or any other Campfire purchase if we don’t have the Wack Pack bag for you.
Adventure Series Talk featuring FUGA – Apr. 26, 2024
On Tuesday night we gathered for our 4th Adventure Series Talk. We’ve been organizing these talks every 6 months with RoadRunner Bicycles. This one took place at American Eat Co. in partnership with FUGA – Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad and LSA – Living Streets Alliance. This photo of us arriving after a ride organized by LSA. The talks were all by Fugistas. FUGA has been doing amazing things in leading rides based out of South Tucson. All of the speakers expressed so much enthusiasm and gratitude for FUGA being there for them. The power of community was a constant theme through all five talks.
Bike Friday Rack – Apr. 19, 2024
We were lucky enough to get a sample of a Bike Friday All-Packa bike into the shop. Bike Friday was looking for feedback from bikepackers on their design design. Our impression so far is that bikepackers who want a folding bike are not a big group, definitely a subset of a subset. But those that want this as their bike travel solution, love this bike. Just see Joe Cruz’s review.
We had this bike in the shop for only a few weeks and one of our customers snatched it up. He wanted a rack installed and drawing from our broad selection of bike racks, came up with this Tubus Disco with Salsa Bent Struts as our best option. It even can stay on when folded and sort of acts like the Brompton fold when the wheel is flipped back.
Tout Terrain USA in Tucson – Apr. 12, 2024
Last week I had a chance to drop by the new US Distribution for Tout Terrain bicycles. It was great to see Wade’s operation and a bit more bicycle industry happening here in Tucson. And who knows, we may even be offering Tout Terrain bikepacking bikes and trailers here at Campfire one of these days. Any Tout Terrain fans out there?
Tombstone Hustle Coming Up – Apr. 5, 2024
A little throwback to our fist circumnavigation of the Tombstone Hustle two years ago. We came across these two very friendly dogs along the route. As they followed us and really seemed to need our help, someone had the insight that we should check their tags and call their owners. Their annoyed owners showed up 20 minutes later. We got the impression that these dogs had done this before, after the owner shouted at them to get in their truck and took off with barely a nod.
For adventures like these… join us for our upcoming Tombstone Hustle April 20-21. This one will be lead by Toby and Ellie!