Category: hiking

My NEW Touring Bicycle

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel3 Comments

Due to the pandemic, it’s very difficult to TEST RIDE bikes. Shops simply don’t have much inventory.

I knew that the Trek Checkpoint line were often included in lists of top Gravel Bikes for All Terrain.

I was looking for something more rugged and with more carrying capacity than my otherwise excellent Ghost.

I ended up with the Checkpoint ALR 4 … mainly because I lucked into finding one in stock at West Point Cycles in Vancouver. Still — it took over 4 months to get the accessories I wanted.

This bike is Aluminum, not steel, so it’s relatively light at 10.26 kg / 22.62 lbs. Carbon fork.

It’s got a ton of attachments. I special ordered the deluxe BONTRAGER racks front and back. I’ll load up with 4 full size panniers for longer trips.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I bought an inexpensive (CAD $43) 25 litre rear top pannier bag for those trips I want even MORE capacity.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I upgraded the tires to BONTAGER HARD-CASE editions. That should mean fewer flats. Just in case, I have a saddle bag basic repair kit.

After considering wearing bike shoes, I’m happy to have decided on flashy flats with adjustable straps. Deftrap nylon platform pedals.

I’ve hidden an AirTag so can locate the bike with the FindMy app.

Internal cables are tidier.

I now have the option to use drop bar grips — but I normally prefer flat bars. Happily, I can switch between several handlebar positions on this rig.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I put a quad lock for my phone central on the Blendr Stem. It has two attachments, normally my light and GoPro.

Once in a while I’ll take off the saddlebags and use it like a mountain bike.

Click PLAY or see it action on YouTube.

What is the Rule of 430?

… a formula that demonstrates replacing about 430 driving miles with 430 riding miles can offset the carbon cost of your new bike. Anything above 430 miles, and your bike is now carbon-negative.

Future BIG bikepacking trips I’m considering include:

Lookout: Love, Solitude, and Searching for Wildfire by Trina Moyles  

On By Rick McIn books, climate change, hikingLeave a comment

Trina Moyles is a northern Alberta woman who decided to write a book about climate change and the resulting increase in forest fires.

Forest fires are one of the few outdoor “dangers” that truly worries me when hiking and cycling.

Over several 5-month summers alone in fire towers, it evolved into more of a life memoir.

And Trina has had a very interesting life.

While searching for smoke, Trina unravels under the pressure of a long-distance relationship–and a dawning awareness of the environmental crisis that climate change is producing in the boreal. Through megafires, lightning storms, and stunning encounters with wildlife, she learns to survive at the fire tower by forging deep connections with nature and with an extraordinary community of people dedicated to wildfire detection and combat. In isolation, she discovers a kind of self-awareness–and freedom–that only solitude can deliver.  …

Amazon

I learned a lot. And found the book very entertaining.

Canadian Geographic REVIEW.

visiting Newport, Oregon

On By Rick McIn cycling, food, friends, hiking, travelLeave a comment

I happily joined in the Adlard family and friends vacation to Newport, Oregon following our climb of Mt Adams, Washington.

Newport only has a population of 11,000 yet is a big tourist destination. Great beaches.

Here’s the vista from their rented beach house deck.

We enjoyed cycling the HUGE beach. (VIDEO)

It’s WINDY so Kites and Kite Surfing are popular.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That’s close to Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area. A fun stop.

Oregon Coast Aquarium is well worth a visit too.

We had 3 terrific dinners at seafood restaurants on Newport’s Historic Bayfront. Research for Chef Dave Adlard.

Local Ocean was great. Clearwater Restaurant, as well.

“Dead Guy” burger at Rogue

Tom enjoyed our stop at the Rogue Nation Brewery & Spirits factory. We did well, as well, at a boutique wine tasting shop.

Dave cycles every day. So our group cycled every day.

The iconic image of Newport is the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Art Deco and Art Moderne design motifs as well as forms borrowed from Gothic architecture.

When you have destinations like Newport, who needs Hawaii? 😀

Gone HIKING — mostly offline in August

On By Rick McIn hiking, travelLeave a comment

I want to tell God about my PLANS … 😶

We’re hiking a section of the Pacific Crest Trail out of Tuolumne Meadows, CA starting Aug 5th.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Flash Drive Back-up for iPhone

On By Rick McIn Apple, hiking, photos, videoLeave a comment

For my purposes, an iPhone X (for example) is better in many ways than a dedicated camera like the Sony ZV-1.

I want 4K video at 60 frames / second. The iPhone does that. The Sony doesn’t.

One BIG downside of using your camera for video is running out of storage.

But I solved that with the purchase of a tiny SanDisk 256GB iXpand Flash Drive Go for iPhone CAD $82.

It works well and quickly to back-up all your photos and videos, freeing space to take more.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

West Coast Trail after the pandemic

On By Rick McIn hikingLeave a comment

For the next couple of weeks I’ll be mostly disconnected from the internet attempting a West Coast Trail YOYO.

Hiking the trail. Resupply. Then hiking back to where I started.

June 10 starting SE from Bamfield.

June 15 starting NW from Port Renfrew. UPDATE – I quit after my first crossing, due to minor injuries and gear problems. Rescheduling part 2 for July.

I’m a VIDEOGRAPHER

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, videoLeave a comment

As a coach, I KNOW you need to practice to improve at anything.

I’ve been studying and editing most days during the pandemic. It’s been my #1 new hobby.

For my purposes — outdoor YouTube videos — I’m good enough now at the mechanics.

Here’s my latest. A terrific tune supported by a pretty montage.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It’s not nearly as good as the best. But that video would cost you at least $50k.

I work for free. 😀

At least I now understand how the BEST videographers create those works of art.

In my mind, I’m moving NEXT to a focus on STORY.

Story is most important, in the end.

Over the summer I’ll be looking for good (short) video stories. Shooting a lot of content. Might not do much editing until winter.

Here’s my favourite video of 2020.

An IMPORTANT MESSAGE … and very creative video editing.

… I wonder what Nike paid for this. 😇

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’m fully vaccinated

On By Rick McIn cycling, ethics, government, health & fitness, hiking, travelLeave a comment

😀 Send me ALL the vaccine passports.

I got dose #1 of “Covishield”, the Indian version of Oxford–AstraZeneca, March 18th. NO — I’m not worried about blood clots.

I was in the first 7.76% of Canadians to get jabbed.

When Alberta started allowing the second dose of AstraZeneca after only 4 weeks, I signed up. Got jab #2 on April 16th.

Sounds like Vaccine Passports are a terrible idea.

But it’s inevitable that something like this will become required for international travel for many months. Or years.

Do I need a drone?

On By Rick McIn gymnastics, hiking, videoLeave a comment

Tried it once. Found it too complicated. LAWS too restrictive.

BUT — what about indoors?

Gymnastics Clubs would allow it. Of course I’d need an expensive one — something like the new  DJI FPV ( $1,299 plus accessories).

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Here’s some indoor footage.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.