Accessible Bike Camping Trips

We aim to have our trips be low-barrier, fun, skill-building, safer spaces through:

• Sliding scale suggested camping fee of $6-30
  If you cannot afford the fee, that is okay. We still want to provide a space for you to experience bike camping in a welcoming environment! The camping fee helps cover the cost of the campsite, basics of the group’s meals, gas reimbursement for the sag wagon, firewood for the campsite.
• Dinner and breakfast
  We will provide basic building foods (e.g. rice and salad greens for dinner, granola for breakfast) and folks can bring an item to build upon the meal so we enjoy a communal potluck-style meal together. Note: this is offered only for the Sat to Sun portion of the trip.
• Gear
  We can help folks find biking and camping gear if they do not have what they need for the trip.
• Sag support
  We will have a sag wagon. A “sag wagon” is a car that can carry your more heavy equipment to the campsite and can aid if there is an issue along the biking route. Note: this is offered only for the Sat to Sun portion of the trip.
• Clear expectations and establish a safer space
  Lots of encouragement! We will establish a safer space policy up front, provide a quiet area of the camp, designate people to help de-escalate conflict, and provide name tags with pronouns.
• Biking, talking, eating, and being with each other is fun!
• Skill Sharing
  We will share skills about building fires and setting up tents. Folks are welcome to provide additional skill shares on other topics!
• The Route
  Our route is mostly flat, mostly on trails, at a casual pace (around 10mph, a slow “muppet pace” like our usual group rides) and we will have mechanical support on the ride. Come to a Grease Rag group ride to get your legs ready.

Schedule

Saturday, July 19th: Mandatory Planning Meeting

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Meet outside of Venture Bikes on the Midtown Greenway
Two weeks before the trip! At this meeting, we’ll do a trip overview, figure out volunteer roles, sort out any final gear shares, and answer questions. It will be a great opportunity to chat with each other before the big trip too! The Grease Rag community has a lot of communal knowledge, and we are here to ensure the trip is a success for everyone.

We will meet on the big hill that is next to Venture Bikes which is part of the 10th/11th Ave exit. If the weather is not good, we can move inside Venture Bikes.

Saturday, August 2nd: The Camping Trip

10:30 AM – Meet outside of Venture Bikes on the Midtown Greenway (same spot as the mandatory planning meeting)
We will have a few icebreakers and casual get-to-know-you activities before the ride, along with group stretching. This is when folks can put items in the sag wagon and use the bike shop for last-minute purchases. Bathrooms are located in the bike shop, and there is a cafe if folks need any food or beverages for the ride.

11:30 AM – Roll out

3:00 – 4:00 PM – Arrive at Carver Park

Sunday, August 3rd: Returning from the Camping Trip

10:00 AM – Roll out

2:00 PM – Return to Venture Bikes
The return trip will have similar stops as the departure trip, however, the Excelsior Library will be closed, so on Sun we will stop at a local coffee shop. The Hopkins Depot stop will be open. VB is closed on Sun but Midtown Global Market off of 10th Ave exit is open if you have any bathroom or food needs before going home.

Sunday, August 3rd to Monday, August 4th: Optional

Carver Park only allows people to reserve a weekend campsite if they pay for two nights when reserving between Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Therefore, we do have the campsite available from Sunday into Monday. One of the camping organizers can stay behind for this option. However, we are unable to guarantee sag wagon support, and there will not be communal meals like on Saturday into Sunday. We can plan group meals together, but this option will be more independent overall.

This option is available for folks who would like to do two nights or folks who want to do the route themselves on Sunday and just do one night of Sunday into Monday. We can all ride together on Monday morning or folks can ride on their own time on Monday.

What You Are Responsible For

• Having a bike in decent working condition
• Getting your labeled gear to the meet-up (masking tape and a permanent marker works great)
• Adhering to our Safer Spaces policy
• Snacks, lunch (along the route to/from the campsite), and beverages/water
• Having your tent, sleeping bag, and overall sleeping arrangement worked out before the trip
• Bringing eating utensils, dishware, cups, water bottle
• Contributing to our salad bar and breakfast bar
• Yourself!

The Ride

Bookmark the Route!
The ride is 24 miles, almost all on trails with some on-road riding, and mostly flat. There will be ride leaders/marshalls, mechanical support, and up to 35 of us riding together. This will be a great experience! We will be rolling at 10-12mph, and no one will be left behind.

To get us to our campsite we will bike out on the Greenway, to the Hopkins Depot, where we will take our first break. We will continue on to the Cedar Lake Regional Trail, then follow the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail to the Excelsior Library, for our second break stop. There is a brewery, coffee shop/bakery, and grocery store nearby. We will continue on the trail until we reach our campsite.

Campsite

The campsite is the Zumbra 2 group site at Three Rivers Park District Carver Park. It can accommodate 35 people and 5 vehicles. The site has a large stone shelter (back up for rainy weather and can be used for bike storage), a fire ring, a water pump, and picnic tables.

The bathroom has a porta-potty style toilet and has room if you want to use the bathroom to change clothes. There are no showers at the site.

More information about the campsite:

• Three Rivers Park general rules and public safety
• Lake Auburn campground policy
• Group campsite guidelines (PDF) – Our site is at Lake Zumbra 2

What to Pack

In addition to what is listed above under “What You Are Responsible For,” you may also refer to these packing lists:

GR Bicycle Camping Packing List – a handy spreadsheet

Bike Camping Packing Pack List – a big list with tips and recipes!

Inspiration

Don’t let the whiteness and the cis-maleness of the outdoor industry deter you from enjoying the outdoors with us. For inspiration, follow these Instagram accounts dedicated to us outside:

@IndigenousWomenHike on Instagram

@TheBlackOutdoors on Instagram

@BrownFolksFishing on Instagram

@GreaseRagBikes on Instagram (That’s us!)

Read more about FTW bike camping and touring from Grease Rag.

Grease Rag is a group of FTW (our imperfect shorthand for Femme, Trans, Women, Non-binary, Two-spirit people who don’t benefit from cis male privilege) who bike together with the purpose of supporting and encouraging each other in collaborative and fun learning environments while in a safer space. We are primarily located on occupied Dakota and Anishinaabe land, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The very first Grease Rag camping trip

Initially, the first Grease Rag bike camping trip was a reaction to my very first bike camping trip. My first trip was led by a bunch of well-meaning guys who weren’t able to support me in the ways I needed. I needed gear, reassurance, tips on how to load my bike, and an honest representation of the trip logistics (mileage, speed, conditions, etc.). In the middle of that first trip, as I was curled up in my tent after a long hard day on my bike, I had a moment of clarity. I decided that I was done allowing cis men to have agency over my camping experience. As a beginner, learning how to camp as an adult, I really was relying on men to make fires, pack food, determine routes, and generally do everything for me. I wasn’t actively trying to learn, I wasn’t relying on myself, and I certainly wasn’t having all that much fun. My internalized misogyny was dictating that I just let these men “take care of me,” without any thought about why they were more qualified than I was to tend to my needs. All I knew is that camping is supposed to be FUN, and I wasn’t quite there yet.

So I convinced my friends Becky, Greta, and Kat to let me lead a bike camping trip, as the most experienced in the group with ONE trip under my belt. What we lacked in experience we made up for in enthusiasm!

We started off making a lot of rookie mistakes. We overpacked: box wine, cast iron skillets, full-size tarps. We didn’t listen to the weather reports. We didn’t have a Plan B. We didn’t all have fenders.

The morning of our trip was gray and ominous, with rain in the forecast. As we rolled out, we laughed in the face of the escalating summer rainstorm. “We are badass! We are not made of sugar! What’s a little rain to us?!” Hubris.

Twenty-three miles on crushed limestone trails with loaded-down bikes was not the easiest feat, but we had a reasonable goal. A doable destination. We ate those peanut butter trail miles for breakfast. Spirits were damp, but we were still having a good time, so we kept going. After we rolled up to the guard shack at the campground a few hours later, drenched to our cores, we took a group photo. We look happy in the picture because we hadn’t yet been told that the torrential downpour had flooded the campsites.

There was nothing to do but turn back home.

At the nearby nature center, we dried off under bathroom hand dryers and ate our camp food during a presentation about owls. Was this really it? The end of our trip? Despite everything, we were still happy to be with each other, and it didn’t feel like it was over. As the owls got packed back into their carriers, we plotted to bike the 23 miles back into town to Greta’s apartment. The plan was to camp on her floor and keep the good times rolling. And that’s what we did! We made a dent in that box wine, reflected on the lessons learned, and high-fived each other for being intrepid and badass! I have never regretted that trip, even if some details were regrettable. I think the reason I still remember it so fondly is because we did it ourselves, together. We took agency over our own experience and really leaned on each other when it was hard or we didn’t know what we were doing. And we made it! (Sort of!)

You can’t beat the beginner stoke!

Since that first trip in 2010, I’ve led at least 17 bike camping trips. Some were multi-day trips, some were for intermediate skill levels. But my favorites will always be the beginner trips. You can’t beat the energy of a beginner trip! Everyone is nervous and excited, and at the end I get to relive those sweet, sweet high-fives of badass accomplishment.

Over the years, Grease Rag has grown in size, and maturity, and we have got our trip planning down. We center our trips around FUN, low barriers, skill building, and safer spaces. I look back to all the support and encouragement I needed for my first trip, and try to offer that to others. I look back on all the mistakes I’ve made and lessons I’ve learned, and try to pass on my wisdom. We have fun things for campers like buttons, stickers, zines, camp games, go-arounds, and stretching circles. Most campers on the trips don’t know each other, so we have a pre-trip camping meeting to introduce ourselves and answer any questions. Clear camper expectations, from what to pack, to rain plans, to mileage and conditions of the route, are all shared ahead of time. For people who don’t know if they can bike the whole way, we have volunteer drivers with vehicles, and we camp in a place with a stone shelter option in case it rains really hard and we have a tent fail. There is a cost to participate, but it is a sliding scale, so it can cost you $0 if that’s what you need. If you need gear, we hook you up with a community member who can loan you what you need. We have a skill share so people can participate in making kindling and starting fires. We do some education during the trip on safer spaces and appoint certain people as space-keepers you can go to if you have an issue. Nothing is perfect, and our trips are not for everyone, but I am proud of how our community supports each other so everyone can have a good time.

You can view our trip details on our website. Including pack lists, stories, and advice. We share all of this in the hopes that many people, especially BIPOC FTW, will feel empowered to give bike camping a try. And maybe even take a few friends out for their first time!

Grease Rag has been leading group bike camping trips for beginners since 2009. This year, the FTW* trip is August 20-21. Scroll down for details on the trip and how to sign up.

*Femme, Trans, Women. In other words, people who do not benefit from cis male privilege

CAMPING SIGN UP HERE

VOLUNTEER SIGN UP HERE

Accessible bike camping trips

We aim to have our trips be low barrier, fun, skill building, safer spaces

Low barriers!

You can drive if you aren’t able to bike. A vehicle to get your bulkiest gear to the camping site. Sliding scale $0-$30 camping fee. Hooking you up with the gear you need. Clear expectations and established a safer space. Lots of encouragement!

Fun!

Biking, talking, eating, and being with each other is fun!

Skill building!

We will have a planning meeting to talk about cooking, packing, and gear. We will share skills about building fires and setting up tents. We can provide additional skill shares if you have other topics in mind, too!

Safer spaces!

We will establish a safer space policy up front, provide a quiet area of camp, designate people to help deescalate conflict, and provide name tags with pronouns.

About the Grease Rag Group Camp Trip

Want to give bike camping a try in a safer and supportive environment? WE GOT YOU.

• Don’t want to/can’t bike? Let’s figure out an option to get you to the camp site.
• Don’t want to/can’t pay $30? It is a sliding scale of $0-$30 fee.
• Don’t have all the gear you need? We will hook you up with borrowed gear! Our community is mighty, and will provide us with everything we need.
• Don’t feel confident about your ability? You can do this! Our route is mostly flat, mostly on trails, at a casual pace, and we will have mechanical support on the ride. Come to a Grease Rag group ride to get your legs ready.

Don’t let the whiteness and the cis maleness of the outdoor industry deter you from enjoying the outdoors with us. For inspiration, follow these Instagram accounts dedicated to us outside.

@IndigenousWomenHike on Instagram

@TheBlackOutdoors on Instagram

@BrownFolksFishing on Instagram

@GreaseRagBikes on Instagram (That’s us!)

Read more about FTW bike camping and touring on our website.

Schedule

Sunday 8/7

• 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Mandatory Planning Meeting at Powderhorn Park
• Two weeks before the trip!
• At this meeting we’ll do a trip overview, answer questions y’all have, and sort out any final gear shares. It will be a great opportunity to chat with each other before the big trip too! The Grease Rag community has a lot of communal knowledge, and we are here to make sure the trip is a success for everyone.

Saturday 8/20

• 11:00 AM – Meetup in Powderhorn Park
• We will have a few ice breakers and casual get to know you activities before and after the ride.
• 11:45 AM – Roll out
• 3:00 PM – Arrive at Carver Park

Sunday 8/21

• 10:00 AM – Roll out
• 2:00 PM – Return to Powderhorn Park

What You Are Responsible For

• Having a bike in decent working condition
• Getting your labeled gear to the meet up (masking tape and a permanent marker works great)
• Adhering to our Safer Spaces policy (Read it here)
• Your own snacks, lunch, and beverages
• Having your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad arrangement worked out- Gear Email will be sent on August 10th)
• Bringing eating utensils (see list under Food)
• Contributing to our salad bar and breakfast bar (see Food)
• Yourself!

The Ride

This is the Route (bookmark me)

The ride is 26 miles, almost all on trails with some on-road riding, and mostly flat. There will be multiple ride leaders, mechanical support, and up to 35 of us riding together. This will be a great experience! We will be rolling at 10-12mph, and no one will be left behind.

To get us to our campsite we will bike out on the Greenway, to the Hopkins Depot, where we will take our first break. We will continue on to the North Cedar Regional Trail, then onto Minnetonka Blvd for a short distance to Minnetonka LRT trail, where we will stop at Excelsior Library. There is a brewery and a grocery store nearby. We will continue on the trail until we reach our campsite.

Campsite

The campsite is the group camp site at Three Rivers Park District Carver Park: Zumbra 2. It can accommodate 35 people, 5 vehicles, and has a large stone shelter in case it rains, fire ring, and picnic tables.

Food

We will provide

• Supper basics (vegan/halal rice & lentils/beans)
• Spinach greens for the supper salad bar
• Granola and plant milk for the breakfast bar

You need to provide

• Snacks for the ride out and back- enough to sustain yourself from noon to 4pm
• Beverages, although there will be plenty of water available to fill your bottle
• Your own plate, bowl, napkin, fork, knife, spoon, mug, cup, water bottle
• A “salad bar item” that we will put out buffet style, so you can build the salad of your dreams- Think proteins, dressings, and whatever is fresh fresh from your garden. Whatever you like!
• A breakfast bar item that we will put out buffet style so you can build the granola bowl of dreams. Think nuts and fruit and whatever else!

What to Pack

In addition to what is listed above, you may also want to refer to these packing lists.

GR Bicycle Camping Packing List – a handy spreadsheet

Bike Camping Packing Pack List – a big list with tips and recipes!

Sign up!

Sign up to volunteer! (Some roles are paid)

CAMPING TRIP SIGN UP HERE

If you have any questions or concerns, please ask: greaseragmpls@gmail.com

Check it out!

Grease Rag has put together a collection of zines (all FTW, mostly BIPOC creators) on the topic of bike touring. Due to the pandemic, we have had to limit our in-person touring workshops and trips. Hopefully this traveling zine library will keep you stoked on bike touring until we can do another trip together. In addition to reading these zines, visit the “Skill Share” section of this website for more inspiration and information.

Want to sign up to receive the traveling library? Head over to Facebook and join the library thread. Not interested in Facebook? Here’s a list of the zines in the library- build your own!

Grease Rag Zines

Purchase: picklewitch.org/merch-store

• Bike Camping: FOR US “BIPOC FTW Bike Camp Trip,” July 2018. 
• Bike Camping: FOR US “BIPOC FTW BIke Camp Trip,” 2019.
• Knots and Rope and Stuff: “FTW Only Skillshare,” July 2018.
• UNREST: Biking Through A Pandemic & Global Uprising, 2020.

Other Zines

• An Introduction to Bike Touring, 2021. By Roxanne Robles. Purchase: feelsonwheels.net/shop
• Fix a Flat, 2020. By Ayesha McGowan, Sam Scipio. Download: aquickbrownfox.com/blog/2020/5/26/fix-a-flat-printable-zine
• RAR Bikepacking Essentials List, 2020. By Ami Puri, Sarah Swallow, Sam Scipio. Download: radicaladventureriders.com/resources
• Ride Outside Responsibly, 2021. By Cyclista Zine. Download: cyclistazine.com/zine-library
• Teo & Esther’s Camp Cooking Session, 2019. By Teo Ducot, Ester Song, Serena Rio. Download: radicaladventureriders.com/resources

The goal is to keep the library moving onto eager hands as long as it is needed and wanted. Creating resources for our community is something that Grease Rag invests in, and I’m happy to facilitate this traveling zine library.

*Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Femme, Trans, Women. In other words, people who do not benefit from white/cis male privilege

CAMPING SIGN UP HERE

VOLUNTEER SIGN UP HERE

Accessible bike camping trips

We aim to have our trips be low barrier, fun, skill building, safer spaces

Low barriers!

A vehicle option to get you and your gear to the camp site. Sliding scale $0-$20 camping fee. Hooking you up with the gear you need. Clear expectations and established a safer space. Lots of encouragement!

Fun!

Biking, talking, eating, and being with each other is fun!

Skill building!

We will have a planning meeting to talk about cooking, packing, and gear. We will share skills about building fires and setting up tents. We can provide additional skill shares if you have other topics in mind, too!

Safer spaces!

We will establish a safer space policy up front, provide a quiet area of camp, designate people to help deescalate conflict, and provide name tags with pronouns.

About the Grease Rag Group Camp Trip

Want to give bike camping a try in a safer and supportive environment? WE GOT YOU.

• Don’t want to/can’t bike? We are arranging a vehicle to get you to the camp site.
• Don’t want to/can’t pay $20? It is a sliding scale of $0-$20 fee.
• Don’t have all the gear you need? We will hook you up with borrowed gear! Our community is mighty, and will provide us with everything we need.
• Don’t feel confident about your ability? You can do this! Our route is mostly flat, mostly on trails, at a casual pace, and we will have mechanical support on the ride. Come to a BIPOC FTW Ride Together group ride to get your legs ready.

Art by Cori Nakamura Lin

Don’t let the whiteness and the cis maleness of the outdoor industry deter you from enjoying the outdoors with us. For inspiration, follow these Instagram accounts dedicated to us outside.

@IndigenousWomenHike on Instagram

@TheBlackOutdoors on Instagram

@BrownFolksFishing on Instagram

@FORUSftwofcolor on Instagram (That’s us!)

Read this wholesome account of the last BIPOC FTW camping trip, or this account of a recent beginner bike camping trip.

BIPOC Bike Camping Trip

Recap of Grease Rag Group Camp 2017

Schedule

Sunday 8/18

• 6:00 – 8:00 PM – Mandatory Planning Meeting at Midtown Global Market
• One week before the trip!
• At this meeting we’ll do a trip overview, answer questions y’all have, and sort out any final gear shares. It will be a great opportunity to chat with each other before the big trip too! The Grease Rag community has a lot of communal knowledge, and we are here to make sure the trip is a success for everyone.

Saturday 8/24

• 11:00 PM – Meetup in Powderhorn Park
• We will have a few ice breakers and casual get to know you activities before and after the ride.
• 11:45 PM – Roll out
• 3:00 PM – Arrive at Carver Park

Sunday 8/25

• 10:00 AM – Roll out
• 2:00 PM – Return to Midtown Global Market

What You Are Responsible For

• Having a bike in decent working condition
• Getting your labeled gear to the meet up (masking tape and a permanent marker works great)
• Adhering to our Safer Spaces policy (Read it here)
• Your own snacks, lunch, and beverages
• Having your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad arrangement worked out- Gear Email will be sent on August 10th)
• Bringing eating utensils (see list under Food)
• Contributing to our salad bar and breakfast bar (see Food)
• Yourself!

The Ride

This is the Route (bookmark me)

The ride is 26 miles, almost all on trails with some on-road riding, and mostly flat. There will be multiple ride leaders, mechanical support, and up to 35 of us riding together. This will be a great experience! We will be rolling at 10-12mph, and no one will be left behind.

To get us to our campsite we will bike out on the Greenway, to the North Cedar Regional Trail, where will will take our first break at Texa Tonka Park. We will continue on Minnetonka Blvd for a short distance to Minnetonka LRT trail, where we will continue to Excelsior Library, where we will stop. There is a brewery and a grocery store. We will continue on the trail until we reach our campsite.

Campsite

The campsite is the group camp site at Three Rivers Park District Carver Park: Zumbra 2. It can accommodate 35 people, 5 vehicles, and has a large stone shelter in case it rains, fire ring, and picnic tables.

Food

We will provide

• Supper basics (vegan/halal rice & lentils/beans)
• Spinach greens for the supper salad bar
• Granola and plant milk for the breakfast bar

You need to provide

• Snacks for the ride out and back- enough to sustain yourself from noon to 4pm
• Beverages, although there will be plenty of water
• Your own plate, bowl, napkin, fork, knife, spoon, mug, cup, water bottle
• A “salad bar item” that we will put out buffet style, so you can build the salad of your dreams- Think proteins, dressings, and whatever is fresh fresh from your garden. Whatever you like!
• A breakfast bar item that we will put out buffet style so you can build the granola bowl of dreams. Think nuts and fruit and whatever else!
• Bring your own snacks.

What to Pack

In addition to what is listed above, in the food instructions, you may also want to refer to these packing lists.

GR Bicycle Camping Packing List – a handy spreadsheet

Bike Camping Packing Pack List – a big list with tips and recipes!

Volunteers

Sign up to volunteer! (Some roles are paid)

If you have any questions or concerns, please ask: greaseragmpls@gmail.com

CAMPING TRIP SIGN UP HERE

FTW are proficient at creating spaces for ourselves. Online spaces, the space between two friends over tea, events and art that celebrate our voices. We are adept at creating these spaces because in a cis hetero patriarchal world that does not see us as normal, powerful, or natural, making space is a survival mechanism. We make our own spaces or we die, alone, in fractured corners of isolated shame and dysphoria. We are always at the vanguard of language and social and racial justice, because we are affected the most by violent gendered and racialized language. We reclaim and make spaces and languages to describe our reality, and eventually (hopefully) the rest of the world catches on.

I sit by this creek, with my toes in the burbling water, tree leaves dappling the large round rock I am sitting on. I am healing myself by giving myself this time outside. My bike is quiet, waiting patiently. Traffic and responsibilities are distant. My phone is off and I’m scribbling on a pad of hot pink paper. I’m breathing and thinking about how making space for ourselves outside conflicts and intersects with our existence on stolen and occupied land.

When I think about making space for myself, as a POC FTW who is not indigenous to the occupied Dakota and Anishinaabe territory of Minneapolis where I live, I sometimes think about the “outside is free” campaign, and themes of “liberation” and “exploring” the outdoors. I think these messages resonate because nature is a place that holds me and all of my identities without judgement, but they also dangerously promote a false narrative that nature is empty, untouched, and there for discovery or to be conquered. This narrative assures us that it is our right to be outside, our right to name things, our right to claim all we see. Assures us that it is our right to colonize/Columbus what has been stolen and is occupied.

I think the outdoor industry is so guilty of creating this narrative, while creating more barriers for POC and Original People to connect with nature in sacred and recreational ways. The industry does not represent us beyond tokenizing us as marketing material, the industry has created an expectation that expensive gear is a necessity, the industry has promoted climbing and otherwise desecrating sacred places. 

I claim space from the outdoor industry when I bike down trails, dip myself in water, and listen to trees in the wind. I resist the siren song of “outdoor liberation without responsibility” by swapping and buying gear second hand, picking up trash, naming the land I am on, and learning how to respect sacred sites. I am calling my community in to have more conversation about the tensions around what it means to obtain our liberation on stolen and occupied land. Please listen to Indigenous voices on this topic.

As we engage in processes of reconciliation it is critical that land acknowledgements don’t become a token gesture. They are not meant to be static, scripted statements that every person must recite in exactly the same way. They are expressions of relationship, acknowledging not just the territory someone is on, but that person’s connection to that land based on knowledge that has been shared with them.

— Lindsay DuPré- Metis Nation
whose.land/en/whyacknowledge  

Learn about the land you are on, and learn from Indigenous people.
native-land.ca/territory-acknowledgement/

A version of this was published by bikepacking.com 10/1/2018. I wrote this as a reflection after returning from the WTF Explorers Bike Summit.

This is what Grease Rag means to me.

My whole life I’ve been intimidated by certain things that boys are encouraged to play with at a young age. Fire, knives, rope… I’ve slowly worked on conquering these things. MY DAMN SELF. No one in my family taught me how to build a fire, no friend ever showed me knife skills, no one ever taught me any knots. Access to knowledge and experiences like camping are not something I ever really had and I am so proud of myself for being open to learning outside skills. I’ve learned so much through my own study, and inviting friends to share their skills with me. I feel powerful!

I have felt powerless when camping and the dude I was with told me I was tying something up wrong, or tried to teach me a knot and I was slow to get it, or acted like their gear was too precious for me to practice with. I have felt powerless when finding an overwhelming amount of information on the internet, almost exclusively by white men who condescend with language like “common sense,” implying you are dumb if you don’t know what someone definitely taught them.

I feel powerful with Grease Rag. I asked people to come over and skill share about rope. I admitted that I just googled stuff and have been studying the past few days, but have very little skills. Everyone was just as excited as I was to learn, and were completely unfazed in my gaps of knowledge and awkward teaching techniques. THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.

The cult of expertise dictates we must be experts to be valid. To be enough. We can’t dabble, have questions, or screw up, or we aren’t “real.” Grease Rag has helped me tear down that expectation of perfection that has kept me from learning about rope (and so many other things) because of my fear of failure.

FUCK THE CIS PATRIARCHY. GREASE RAG FOREVER. FTW LIBERATION NOW.

A little over a year ago I went on my first ever bike camping trip. Not only was it my first time bike touring but it was also my first camping trip in years!

Was I nervous? A bit. My old sleeping bag had gobbled up an entire pannier, thunder storms had awoken me in the wee morning hours, and I’d accidentally loaded up my bike inside my apartment and was barely able  to keep it from escaping me down the half flight of steps to the outside!

Was I excited? HECK YEAH! I was going on the Grease Rag WTF newbies’ Bike Camping Trip. I’d been wanting to try bike touring for a while and here was my chance to see what it was all about with a group of supportive, caring, and fun-loving WTFs.

Fast forward to this year. Had I become a bike camping fiend, logging miles near and far? Well…not really. But I did now have my own touring panniers, a new warmer and smaller sleeping bag, and some terrific pack lists. Even more importantly, last year’s trip gave me the confidence and know-how to organize this year’s Grease Rag Beginner Camping trip.  So on an early June afternoon, our crew – myself, my co-leader Luci, and eight bike camping rookies ­­– set off on a small touring adventure.

And here we are taking a lunch break outside the Excelsior Library. (PS Across the trail is a tiny history museum that would love to have you stop in and say hi!)

After we got into camp, the sunshine took a rest for several rainy hours. Luckily we were able to set up our tents before it began raining in earnest.

There’s nothing like an evening sunset after the rain!

Even though we’d forgotten our fire-starting kits, Frances came though with some dry sheets of newspaper. Thank goodness, roasting smores over a camp stove just wouldn’t have felt the same!

The next morning, we headed back to Minneapolis.

Are you interested in exploring bike camping and/or riding with other WTFs? Check out the Grease Rag facebook page and the Grease Rag calendar for upcoming events, rides, and workshops.

Jen’s YOU DO YOU Bike Tour Philosophy

Accomplished a Seattle to San Diego bike tour!

Bike touring is often gendered, white. Jen and their partner created a “Small People, Big Trees” zine, which came out of noticing these aspects of touring. Overall bike touring is FUN and CHALLENGING.

• Don’t sell yourself short
• Safety and comfort first
• It’s not a race, be flexible
• Listen to your body’s physical, mental and emotional needs
• Everyday is an accomplishment and something to be proud of

YOU DO YOU. Set some ground rules for yourself so you are know your expectations and you can refer back to them when you are feeling stressed.

Bike Camping 101 with Casey

Casey is a mechanic, and has done a few long tours. Her first tour- strapped stuff to their backpack and asked other people to carry things for them. Success!

What is a touring bike?

Longer wheel base, lots of gears, shorter top tube, for starters. Casey prefers steel frames.

If you are looking for a touring bike, look for frames with holes for attaching racks. You can attach racks without the holes, but you won’t be able to load it up as much.

Jandd Expedition racks are tough and durable!

Trailers are great at carrying odd shaped and heavy items, but add a lot of rolling resistance.

Personally prefers Ortleib waterproof panniers. Kitty litter/ paint buckets DIY panniers are also awesome!

Handlebar bags for essentials: Chocolate, chapstick, wallet.

Fatter tires are more comfortable and absorb shock, and are better in varied terrain. Reflective strips on your tires are bright and visible! A little bit of tread and thorn resistant. Recommends tire liners.

Best tip for a successful tour?

Ask people for directions or talk to locals- that could be the best story of your tour!

Things go wrong, you might be tired, you might want to hang about- be flexible with your schedule!

Local bike shops are the best places for finding local info.

Before you leave

Clean and lube everything on your bike before you leave, tighten all bolts, make sure your chain is not worn out, any necessary repairs or replacements and test ride! Check brake pads and bearing systems. Everyday, check your ABC-Q: Air, Brakes, Chain, Cranks, Cog, Quick release. Listen to your bike!

City and County maps have good detail- rest stops, gas stations, visitor centers. Some cities/ counties will send you maps, or you can download them.

Make a budget

Online bill pay can help you keep up with your bills back home- computers at libraries are free. Food is the most expensive, besides lodging.

During your tour

• Balance your load, side to side.
• One bag full of gear and bike stuff.
• Keep things in individual bags.
• Stretching is great for your body! Take lots of stretch breaks.

Bring some basic tools

Not every little town has a bike shop. Zip ties, duct tape, dental floss (for sewing), and electrical tape. Because you never know! Tools to carry for minor fixes like adjustments and flat fixes: Multi tool (with chain tool), extra tube, pump, extra spoke, Freewheel/ cassette removal tool, etc. Carry small film canister of necessary bolts and washers.

What do you do when spokes break?

Rear wheel has two different side spokes! Always bring spare spokes with you, spoke wrench. Even tension, true wheels: check at Grease Rag!

Safety and security

Cable locks through panniers, u-locks, and more danger in populated areas. Don’t be afraid of high visibility and bright clothing.

Camping

You can camp anywhere on Forest Service land, and all State Parks in MN and WI HAVE to give you a place to sleep. Tents are a personal choice! Sleeping bag liners and good quality sleeping bags are important.

Time for an adventure! I’m spending the day out with friends and bikes. We’ll start by taking our bikes on the Northstar Commuter Rail to Big Lake, MN. From there, it’s a 12-mile bike ride to Lake Maria State Park, where we’ll go hiking. Then we ride back to the train station and take the train back to Minneapolis. The commuter rail only runs 3x/day on the weekends, so I hope we don’t miss the train back home!

Planning, planning…what do you pack for a day outdoors in sub-freezing temperatures, exploring somewhere you’ve never been before? I don’t want to be an alarmist, but it’s cold out there and we want to be prepared for the most likely scenarios. That means having enough food, some tools, and a backup plan for emergencies. Fortunately the train will be warm and there is a visitors center at the state park where we will also have a chance to thaw out if needed. There are no lockers for stowing our extra stuff, so it’s a balance of packing lightly and bringing everything we need.

On the trip north, I’ll strap my lock and cable to my bike and carry everything else in my backpack. I might lock my helmet to my bike once we get to the state park. I haven’t decided yet. I’ll continue to carry my backpack while we’re hiking.

Packing list

• lunch and plenty of snacks, including vegan Samoas from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and lots of trail mix
• water bottle
• extra layers-a fleece jacket for when we’re waiting outdoors for the train, a hat for when I’m not wearing my helmet, an extra pair of gloves and mittens, plenty of extra socks (I anticipate using all of these things)
• chemical hand warmers, since I have a few around the house. If we end up wanting them, we will really, really want them.
• sunglasses or ski goggles, depending on the temperature
• a spare tube, a patch kit, some tools, including a 15 mm wrench. I’m the only one who needs the wrench or a 27″ tube. One of my other friends is bringing a 700cc tube and the pump.
• bike lock and cable, bike lights (it will be dark by the time we get home)
• a map and directions from the train station to the park
• money for the train fare, of course! and some extra cash

I’ve also checked over my bike and made sure my tires are at the proper pressure. Underinflated tires are more likely to get flats while riding. There was a slow leak in my rear tire, so I finally did something about it last night. It works ok if I keep pumping it up for my short commute, but I want to go into our adventure with all of my gear in good working order.

That’s a lot of text! Hopefully I’ll have some pictures for you in the next few days. In the spirit of traveling light, only one of us is bringing a camera, and it’s not me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an adventure to prepare for.