Lehi to Page: a Bike Touring Fundraiser
From left to right: Abby, Taylor, Tim, and myself (Devin) just after crossing the Arizona border
From September 30 to October 3, a few of us here at Guthrie’s participated in a bike tour in order to raise awareness and funds to buy food for the elderly living in the Navajo Nation. The trip was organized by Taylor Wall, a Guthrie employee and a senior at East High School. Over the course of 4 days we went a total of 315 miles starting in Lehi and ending in Page, AZ. For each of us it was our first bike tour and along the way we learned a lot about best practices and some gear that can make your life a lot easier during long days in the saddle.
Let’s start with the bikes. Taylor and I were both on Trek Checkpoints, their renowned model for the gravel category. However, it has proved itself to be much more than just a gravel bike. I would classify as more of an adventure/”do anything” road bike. I was on the Checkpoint ALR 5 while Taylor had the Checkpoint SL 6. This is my second year on this bike and I’m not getting rid of it anytime soon. I use it for everything from commuting to work, climbing canyons, and even the occasional lap on Bonneville Shoreline trail (albeit a little bumpy). The versatility and capability of this bike has not ceased to amaze me.
There are a few features on the Checkpoint worth noting that are optimized for self-supported tours. Much like many bikepacking and touring specific bikes there are mounts all over the frame, making it easy to install racks to mount all of your gear. The only downside is that Trek designed this to be optimized for Bontrager specific racks and bags, which means you have to buy their stuff if you want to tour. Another great feature is the stranglehold dropouts, which allow you to adjust the length of the chainstay by up to 35mm. For this trip I slid the dropouts as far back as I could which made for a much more stable ride, making it a lifesaver for those long days in the saddle. In the interest of comfort, the Checkpoint has clearance for up to 45c tires, and can accommodate as low as 25c. For someone like myself that routinely switches rubber, I am able to set this bike up however I want depending on where I’m riding. The last day of our tour included a 47 mile stretch of dirt road through Grand Staircase Escalante, and having those extra wide tires made for a much smoother ride. Although this bike is great, every model has a pressfit bottom bracket, which means your bike is bound to creak eventually, and believe me mine does. Fortunately, there are threaded bottom bracket conversion kits available as an aftermarket upgrade.
Having the latest and greatest tech is nice, but the crown jewel of this ride was Tim’s bike: a 1985 Trek 410. This bike is vintage in the truest sense of the word, and it even held up better than most of the newer bikes being ridden on this trip. It was complete with a full Campagnolo drivetrain, steel frame and fork, and friction shifting front and rear. Of course Tim made a few modifications to optimize it for the trip, such as puncture resistant tires, panniers, and a bar bag. Although he also had a significantly smaller range of gears than our bikes he was still able to keep up. The real test came the last day on the dirt road, Tim did have to go somewhat slower due to the lack of vibration dampening on such an old bike, but he came out unscathed with nothing more than a loose brake caliper. This bike is a testament that you really can teach an old dog new tricks.
What a beauty.... sheesh
That being said, having the newest gear can be very nice. Here are a few things that will make your life much easier on a self-supported tour:
Da Brim
Originally born from a rock climbing experience, Da Brim is essentially a visor that attaches to any bike helmet to shade your entire face and neck from the sun. This thing is a godsend pretty much any time I spend wearing a helmet. It saves me from putting on greasy sunscreen and even works as an umbrella when it gets a bit rainy out. I’ll admit I was skeptical at first - I mean the thing looks goofy as hell. However, after seeing our mechanic Ryan without a sunburnt face and neck after wearing his for multiple seasons I was sold.
Ortlieb Ultimate Six Classic handlebar bag
This was probably my favorite accessory on this tour. It allowed me to keep everything I needed while riding within reach without drastically changing the feel of my bike’s front end. The bag is completely insulated with a hard shell bottom and has a waterproof cover with a transparent flap for your phone. You can even fill it with ice and it won’t leak, just in case you wanna crack a cold one out on the road. One thing I was really impressed by is the mounting system. As opposed to a traditional bracket with screws, the Ortlieb bag has a bracket that attaches via a wire cable that wraps around both the bar and stem, making it much more stable than any other bag I’ve tried. The bag itself can easily be taken on/off and comes with a key in case you want to lock it to your bike.
Enzo's Buttonhole Chamois Cream
Chamois cream is always an essential for any time spent in the saddle. The benefits are undeniable - reduced friction, inflammation, and less saddle sores. Compared to other creams I’ve used, this one has more viscosity, an all natural formula, and even smells like mint. As per the label on the jar, you should apply a generous mitten full of this stuff right onto the perineal area, aka the “Buttonhole”. My fellow riders on the trip were doubtful of its magical properties and refused to use it at first but after about 100 miles they willfully gave in. Besides, who wouldn’t want a product with a name like that? Stop by our Sugarhouse store to pick up a jar today.
above products available in store only, call for more details
On a more serious note, the main purpose of this trip was to raise awareness for the situation on the Navajo Nation. It was startling to see the lack of resources available to the people living there, particularly when it comes to food. For years Taylor’s neighbor, Fientje Allis, has been working with the Navajo Nation, including making several food deliveries a year. The pandemic has provoked the need for additional support so Taylor decided to step in by organizing this trip. Funds raised will be used to purchase, assemble and deliver large food boxes to 100 households of elderly, home-bound and at-risk Navajo Nation residents throughout the winter. If you are interested in donating please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/89g39-navajo-nation-food-drive.
- Devin Keefe