Eiry Bartlett
Pacific Coast
Pre-Ride
Well, the last few months sure have been a whirlwind. I started this year fully intending to work on my business, to put my time into helping it grow and be successful. So much for that plan.In February I noticed the call-out for Blackburn Rangers, and with a little encouragement from friends I went ahead and applied for the Out There program. I didn’t expect I would be a viable candidate, as I had absolutely zero bike touring experience. My love of cycling, exploring and documenting were my only assets. I guess they were enough.
Since being accepted to the program, I haven’t spent more than two weeks at a time at home in Vancouver. First there was the “Behind the Redwood Curtain” tour to the Lost Coast and Mendocino National Forest, which truly tested my ability to adapt and rise to the challenges thrown my way. (There’s a reason that bit of coast is called “lost”).
Almost immediately after returning from California, I was off to Prescott, AZ, for the Whiskey Off-Road and Blackburn Ranger Camp, a chance to meet my fellow Rangers and share stories and plans for our upcoming tours. I was still the one with the least experience, but I had caught the bug; more bike tours ensued, more travelling, more like-minded friends made, and what feels like virtually no preparation for my Pacific Coast trip. I’ve ridden the Lost Coast without dying and taken a three-day solo bike-camping trip, so that’s enough prep, right?
Like Sam, I sit here a day away from leaving, with my gear in a pile and a bike that is possibly built, but possibly not. I’m stressed and I have my fears, but I also know that the wonderful part of bike touring is that you can just take each day as it comes. I’ll be self-sufficient, which gives I have flexibility and, ultimately, a lot of freedom. I have to be in LA by the 18th of September to see Neutral Milk Hotel at the Hollywood Bowl, but apart from that there are no set plans, no dates I have to adhere to, nothing to tell me how fast or slow to ride. I could hole up in the redwoods for a week then bust ass straight south if I wanted to...but I probably won’t.
I’m bloody excited to get out there. This will be longest self-propelled trip I’ve ever attempted, and I’m pretty sure it’s just going to make me want to get out and do it all over again as soon as I finish. Can I go now?
- IMAGES OF THE ROAD -
- Pacific Coast Milestones -
Eiry Bartlett
Gear List
- Blackburn Gear -
- My Bike Specs -
- Frame Braun Cycle Works (Vancouver based frame builder), hand painted by Justin Wright
- Frame Size True Temper OX Platinum tubing, custom, 49 cm
- Fork Surly Disc Trucker, 26
- Headset Chris King NoThreadSet 1 1/8
- Crank White Industries VBC Road Cranks 165mm, 48/32, black
- Bottom Bracket Phil Wood Square taper
- Pedals Shimano SPD
- Cassette Shimano XT 10spd, 11-36
- Rear Derailleur Shimano XT M772 Shadow 9spd
- Shifters Shimano Dura Ace 7900 10spd
- Brakes TRP, Hy/rd
- Wheels: Rims Velocity Blunt 26
- Wheels: Front Hub SON 28 32 hole, CL disc, black
- Wheels: Rear Hub White Industries CLD 32 hole, black
- Tires 26
- Stem Thomson X2, 100mm
- Handlebars FSA Wing Pro, 40cm c-c
- Bar WRap ESI Grips RCT wrap
- USB Charger Sinewave Reactor, Black
- Camping/Living -
- • Golite 'imogene ul3' tent
- • Sleeping bag feathered friends 'petrel'
- • Roll mat + patch kit thermarest 'pro plus'
- • Headlamp black diamond 'spot'
- • Jetboil 'sol' stove
- • Stainless steel camp frying pan
- • Snow peak 'ti-single cup 2' mug
- • Gsi 'fairshare' bowl
- • Baladeo stainless steel folding cutlery set
- • Aeropress
- • Sawyer mini water filter
- • Nalgene bottle 32oz
- • Platypus bottle
- • Ronson lighter
- • Handmade arraworks knife
- • Packtowel ul towel
- • Sigma dp1 merrill camera + extra batteries
- • Notebook, sketchbook and pen/pencil
- • First aid kit
- • Sunscreen
- • Sewing kit
- • Ziplok bags
- • Ear plugs
- • Bungee cord & s-biner
- • Mesh ditty bags
- • Baby wipes
- • Assos chamois cream
- • Khiel's shampoo, dr bronner's soap, moisturizer
- • Toothbrush/toothpaste
- • Toiletpaper
- • Ibuprofen
- • Lip balm
- • Nail clippers/file
Eiry Bartlett
- FROM: Vancouver, BC, Canada
- DOB: 2015-08-09
- Single
- OCCUPATION: Owner/Designer - ARRAWORKS
- What was the genesis moment or inspiration for your upcoming adventure? I'd have to say it was the moment I saw the Blackburn Ranger call-out. This is exactly the kind of spontaneous change of course I thrive on: one minute you're settling in for a season of studio work, the next you're off cycling around the country. The Pacific Coast Highway is a route I've traveled many times in my life, now I get to experience it using my favourite mode of transport.
- Have you travelled by bike in the past? In recent months I've embarked on a couple bike-camping trips with Blackburn, but I had never traveled any further than a day of pedaling could take me until then. I never really thought that I could get into the idea of riding with a fully loaded bike. I'd certainly traveled with my bike or rented a bike to tour a town, but the added weight of racks and bags had always been an obstacle, one I've most definitely overcome.
- What is your goal for the route? To explore, to meet new people, to have fun, hopefully to make it all the way to Mexico, and to photograph the whole experience. For me, this isn't just about cycling down a highway with a pretty view. I want to expand on the traditional Pacific Coast Route, adding in some detours of the off-road variety, back-country camping, investigating the places that my previous road trips never let me see. You're pretty damn free when you're on a bike tour and I want to make the most of it. Cycling really is heaven for me.
- What do you hope to get out of this journey? I think the point of any adventure is to challenge oneself. I mean, the point is to have fun, but you gotta push your boundaries to really feel like you've made the most of it. This won't be the longest solo journey I've ever embarked on but it's the longest that will be powered entirely by me, the first that depends on my strength and endurance to complete. My life has completely changed in the last year; I left my full-time job to go freelance, I moved cities, I've made a whole new group of friends, and I've really started trusting myself when it comes to knowing what will make me happy. This trip seems like another step towards feeling like I'm actually living my life. Whether I finish or not, at least I'm trying things I've never done before.