GDT Bikepacking Race Training

In two weekends time Al and I will be setting off on our first bikepacking race. It will follow much of the the GDT trail in Victoria. Starting at the Bendigo train station (7am on the 9th March) and finishing at Castlemaine train station it will travel from Bendigo -> Castlemaine -> Daylesford -> Ballarat -> Mt Bunninyong > Bacchus Marsh> Daylesford -> Castlemaine. 382km. Self Supported. It will require riding for a very long time, navigating and sleeping in a bivvy on the side of the trail. I'm excited. I'm scared. No coming through transition every hour having someone hand me food and a drink bottle and encouragement. It's just me, my bike, a garmin dakota. Oh boy. 
It's not the riding the bike aspect I'm worried about, it's the self sufficiency and sleeping in the woods in a bivvy thing!! I've been practicing how to use the maps on the garmin dakota, how to pack my revelate bags effectively and sleeping in a bivvy. Here's what my bike set-up is looking like:

Sleeping bag, bivvy in red bag at the front of bars. Food bag at front of bike. Small feed bag with first aid kit on down tube. Saddle bag has arm warmers, leg warmers, tube, raincoat, XPED sleeping mat. 
As the race goes through plenty of towns it means I can pack lightly.






Giant XTC 29er will work a treat for this race. 

Comfort in the bivvy bag. Let's hope for good weather!!!


You can follow our progress on trackleaders, I will put the link onto my facebook page when our SPOTs have been signed up to the race.

Here is Al's setup with a tarp. Not sure if he will be using the tarp yet. His bike set up will be very similar to mine except his bike is a rigid single speed........

 


Bring it on!!!