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Johnny Isaak | Adventure Cyclist

A compendium of adventure cycling chronicles, travel lore, tips, techniques, and tactics for the adventure cycling perplexed.

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Upgraded to a BarYak Bikepack Carrying System

Upgraded to a BarYak Bikepack Carrying System

by Johnny Isaak ·

Like most of us, COVID-19 has me locked down from doing any serious long-distance riding. So I’ve begun fiddling with my bike to get it set up for future adventures when better days arrive. If I can’t pedal long-distance, I might as well tweak the bike and ponder journeys to come.

Enter the BarYak Expedition

Always looking to improve the comfort of my ride, I installed a BakYak bike pack carrying system on the Co-Motion Divide. Before, I’d been resting my forearms directly on top of the Jones Loop H-Bar and gripped the Gnarwal. Of the various configurations, I settled on the BarYak Expedition SL 2020 – 35 that includes Peregrine arm rests, and a carbon crossbar & bar ends.

To accommodate the extension rails for the mounting system and keep the sweepy 45° handlebars, I replaced the Jones Loop H-Bar with a Jones Bend H-Bar. I also kept the Jones Gnarwal but shortened it due to the forward mounting position. I found one center grip more comfortable than two bar-ends a then ends of the crossbar.

In addition to a pretty sweet aero riding position and comfy forearm rests, the loop carrying setup for the handlebar bag improved the ability to carry gear under and forward of the handlebar in a “hammock” fashion. For added stability, I kept the pair of ROK straps to secure the load.

New cockpit setup with the BarYak and the Jones Bend handlebar.

Solid Components

Everything about the BarYak Expedition SL is a quality build. The rails are anodized CNC machined aluminum. The Peregrine Arm rests are thick and comfortable and attach to the mounts via super secure velcro patches. The ample padding is much easier on my forearms than the bare aluminum bars I previously used. Note: If you’re running 31.8mm handlebars, you’ll need to purchase a set of shims as the BarYak is set up for 35mm handlebars.

Real Estate for Gadgets

The bracket and armrest mounting plates have plenty of room to mount digital accouterments. A Gino Light Mount bolted to an extension rail made a secure location to mount the Quad-Lock for the iPhone, which, save for the Garmin inReach GPS tracker, is the only electronic gadget I use nowadays.

Hows It Ride?

In short, the BarYak is a pretty comfortable addition to the Divide. On local rides, I find myself spending more and more time on the armrests grasping the Gnarwal and spinning away the miles. Spending long hours in the saddle day after day, a comfortable aero position is just a more relaxed way to ride.

If you’re in the market for an aero bike packing handlebar gear set up, the BarYak Expedition is worth a look. Joe Stiller and his team at BarYak have come up with a winning setup I highly recommend. See you out there. Cheers.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: adventure cycling, BarYak, bicycle travel, Co-Motion, Divide, H-Bar, Johnny Isaak, Jones Bend H-Loop, Jones Gnarwal, Revelate Designs

An Unexpected Adventure

An Unexpected Adventure

by Johnny Isaak ·

Have you ever headed out expecting to do one thing and then ending up doing something completely different? This is often the case when I’m on long distance cycling tours? And it was the same this Saturday morning. Fortunately, I had my camera and the bike was ready to go, so I could roll with the punches and take advantage of opportunity.

Encountering the unexpected on the road is one of the things I like so much about bicycle travel. You never know what you’re going to experience in the day ahead. It’s about the beautiful landscapes you happen upon or the interesting people you meet along the way. Occasionally, a little of that serendipity happens at home.

Out for the Usual Morning Ride

Not expecting much, I headed out on my morning ride around Carson City to get a little exercise, check out the wildlife, and maybe grab an espresso before returning back home. I’ve come to expect spotting small herds of mule deer nonchalantly munching on succulent front lawns, or cycling among flocks of Canada geese who have ceased migrating and taken up residence in our local parks.

Great egrets, ruddy ducks, and while pelicans can often be spotted floating about on the city’s wetlands that also make for nice sunrises as well. Pedaling among these little specks of nature makes for excellent reflecting and contemplating future journeys. This morning would be a little different.

An Unexpected Surprise

Rolling out of the garage and down the driveway into the street, I glanced down the street to make sure it was clear when a low flying balloon caught my eye. I looked up and spotted a group of four or five more.

I’d completely forgot today, October 31st, was Nevada Day, the day Nevada entered the Union back in 1864. The annual celebratory parade down Carson Street had been cancelled due to Covid-19. So I’d mistakenly figured there wouldn’t be anything else happening. I was wrong. About half a dozen balloons had launched.

If anything, I was going to get a few shots of hot air balloons as they were flying on such a beautiful fall day. I circled back into the garage to park my bike and get Annie. What an excellent opportunity to get out on such a wonderful day and see what’s going on.

The Chase was On

Change of plans. Rather than doing a bike ride alone, Annie would join me in an impromptu balloon chase. The light was perfect. It was a beautiful fall day, and probably one of the last before colder, bleaker weather set in.

Annie jumped into her riding gear and the two of us were out the door. We hopped on our bikes and the chase was on. Weaving our way southward toward the city center, we closed the gap between us and the lofted balloons. Cool morning air nipped at our noses as we pumped our way through still quiet neighborhoods. Save for the occasional car, traffic was nonexistent. The only sound was brown leaves crunching under our tires.

Our bikes made easy work of following the covey of balloons effortlessly floating just above the houses, buildings, and treetops. Once near the hot air craft, casual conversations between the passengers drifted to the ground below.

Pedaling for Images

The warm early morning light made for ideal shooting conditions. The slowly drifting balloons made it easy for Annie and I to cycle down residential streets and maneuver ourselves into position to make interesting images.

It’s often said, the best camera is the one you got with you. The images I made for this post were all taken on my iPhone 12 Pro Max. Under the right conditions, it’s capable of making some pretty sweet pics.

Passengers in the woven baskets dangling under their brightly colored envelops a hundred feet or so above spotted us and waved for a photo op. People in one balloon tossed out handfuls of popcorn, which looked like snowflakes fluttering to the ground.

Cycling around Carson City, Annie and I snapped picture after picture. As the balloons floated silently overhead, clear conversations between the pilot and passengers drifted to the ground below.

Expert Flying

Skilled pilots shoehorned their balloons into the tightest spots. The moment their baskets ever so slightly touched the ground, they would blast their burners at full throttle to ascend again. Expert pilots aptly threaded their balloons through the narrowest of cracks in the trees to touchdown in small vacant parking lots often adjacent to buildings and power wires.

Silently gliding just over stands of trees, passengers grabbed hand fulls of leaves from their tops.

End of the Ride

One by one, each of the balloons located its landing zone and silently came back to earth, touching down on side streets, parking lots, or in the city park. Waiting chase crews quickly deflated and stowed them in small trailers towed by each of the chase vehicles.

At mid-morning, the sun was high in the sky. Our little balloon chasing adventure was coming to a close. Time for a fresh-baked pastry and a double or maybe a quad shot of espresso to wash it down.

When an Opportunity Presents Itself

The hot air balloons touched down one by one until they had all landed around the valley. Some were in clusters while one or two had drifted off on their own. Harsh overhead sun replaced the golden morning light. The indigo sky had turned a pale blue. The magical moment had passed.

After an incredible morning of cycling and photography, Annie and I dined at a local bakery. Croissants and espresso were the order of the day. It was an excellent Nevada Day in spite of Covid-19. If you’re not ready when an opportunity presents itself, it simply passes you buy. Success happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Filed Under: Riding Stories Tagged With: adventure, bicycle, bicycle travel, Co-Motion, hot air balloons, Johnny Isaak, Nevada Day

Divide Post Ride Reset

Divide Post Ride Reset

by Johnny Isaak ·

In between journeys or long stretches of travel is a great time to reconstitute and reset your bicycle and kit. It’s an excellent time to tweak your setup for better, improved pedaling down the road.

Bike and gear reconstitution and reset is an essential parts of any adventure, either after returning home or when taking an extended pause on the road. Once you’ve got your bike and gear reset, it’s important to tweak your rig a bit with a short trip or two before striking out for the horizon again to minimize future mechanicals. As Murphy once said, “If something can go wrong, it will go wrong, and often at the most inopportune time.”

After pedaling down the U.S. Pacific Coast last summer and getting resettled in the U.S., I’m preparing to perform a late winter/early spring deep maintenance service on my trusty Co-Motion Divide to reset it and my kit for future trips later this year. The Divide is a tried and true rig that has provided tens of thousands of trouble-free traveling kilometers across several countries and after five years is still going strong.

Proper care will keep the bike rolling along for many years to come. In addition to a comprehensive service, I’m using the opportunity to upgrade my setup with some of the things I’ve learned rolling down the Pacific Coast and across the shifting sands of Xinjiang in Western China.

Deep Cleaning, Inspection, and Maintenance 

First, I begin the rig’s reset with a detailed cleaning to remove any dirt or corrosion, which includes scrubbing away any rust and spot painting any chips on the frame. The same goes for any gear, which I did last summer at the end of the ride before storing. To get at all the dirt and corrosion, I remove all the panniers, bags, and racks. I also mark for ease of reassembly, all major bike components.

As part of the process, a detailed inspection follows the cleaning. Each piece and part is inspected and checked for serviceability. Zippers are cleaned and lubricated. The oil in the Rohloff hub is changed, and the axle seals are inspected for leakage.

The hub shifter and brake cables and housings are replaced and adjusted, which makes the bike feel like new. Brake discs are inspected, and pads are replaced if worn down. Otherwise, I will replace the pads just before any long trips. If worn, replace the tires, but I generally try to hold off until just before embarking on a long journey. The same goes for the tubes.

Zippers on the frame bag and pouches should be cleaned and lubricated. As extended exposure to the sun and dust will wear out. A good cleaning and lubrication keeps zippers operating smoothly and trouble-free.

I do the same cleaning, inspection, and maintenance for each piece of gear I carry with me. This includes laundering the sleeping bag, cleaning the stove, etc. It’s a pain dealing the unforced error of not checking your kit out before hitting the road and something breaks. I try to get good gear, so if it breaks or fails, it’s usually my fault.

A Little Help from My Friends

I do most of the maintenance on the Divide, but somethings, I leave to the professionals. A competent mechanic from a trusted local bike shop will true the Divide’s wheels true up the wheels and properly tension the spokes. He will also check the front and rear hub bearings too.

Both of the wheels are still running true, but a French cyclist on a sweet Koga sporting Rohloff hub, I’d met on the Pacific Coast, inspected the spokes on the Divide’s rear wheel, and thought they might not be up to tension. He told me he’d spoke with a rep at the Rohloff factory in Germany, who’d told him it was essential to ensure the spokes on the rear wheel were tensioned correctly to avoid breaking the flange on the hub. I checked out the spokes on the Kona’s rear wheel, and they were noticeably stiffer. So just to be safe, I’m going to get the wheels checked out too.

Sustain What Works

I’m sticking with my current rack and pannier set up. I’ve found them more functional than other setup configurations. I’m only making two changes with the Divide’s present luggage set up, which is replacing the Ortlieb Classic Roller Plus pannier I used on the front rack with a second pair of new Ortlieb Gravel Packs. The older Ortlieb’s are arguably nearing the end of their lives, and I got a sweet deal on a new pair of Gravel Packs. I couldn’t resist. Plus, all four panniers will match.

Running four bags creates a scaleable luggage system that can be sized to suit various requirements. If you are running light on a shorter trips, you can take only one or two bags. For more extended forays afield, especially if you are primarily camping and cooking, a second pair can be added to the front rack to accommodate the additional gear and spare parts.

Second, I’m swapping out the Porcelain Rocket Orbiter frame back with a Revelate Designs Ripio bag, once it returns from a zipper repair. Both are great bags. I just prefer a compartmented frame bag rather than a single compartment of the Ripio. The single compartment of the Orbiter tends to bulge out in the center when loaded. Plus it makes fishing out gear more difficult. The only drawback of the Ripio are the zippers. They are sturdy, but eventually wear out, which is something to consider.

Final setup for the U.S. Pacific Coast journey. Note the camera backpack and tripod mounted on the rear rack.

Change What Doesn’t Work

Like most other riders, I take continually note of things that didn’t work out so great and either replace or eliminate them during or after the trip. After numerous long rides and time in the saddle, I’ve assembled a pretty stout rig. Most of my kit works and is reliable, so it’s mainly a matter of deciding what capabilities are essential, and what ones I can go without, which changed from trip to trip. Gear replacements are less and less. 

Getting the ideal touring rig is an evolutionary process. Each adventure provides me with better ways of setting my bike and gear up. It’s always a balancing act between comfort and capability. I’m a firm believer that a lighter bike is more straightforward to ride than a heavier one. I spend most of my time on my bike and am willing to give up more creature comforts for a lighter bike, especially when there’s a lot of climbing involved. There’s nothing like grinding up a steep road on a heavily laden bike — not fun. I’m always looking for ways to trim the grams wherever possible. However, there is a point where one enters the zone of “stupid light.” Shedding weight is always a challenge. Take what you really need and disregard the rest. Don’t be afraid to adjust your load, for less or more, down the road. 

Adding New Gear

For new gear, I’m going to fabricate a new custom rain cover for the Divide and my photography gear. I’ve acquired a sewing machine, so I’m now able to make or modify kit to better suit my needs. More blog posts to follow. I’m also fiddling with the camera pouches a bit. I need a better set up to access my plate filters. I’ve upgraded my photography backpack and am installing a set of strap bands to tame loose strap ends. Plus, I’m going to tweak my hydration set up too. Building the “ultimate” expedition rig is an adventure in itself. 

Wrap-Up

If you take care of your bicycle and kit, they will take care of you. Take the opportunity and reset the bicycle and gear during downtime. You and your bike will thank you for it farther down the road.

 

Filed Under: Adventure Cycling, Bike Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle, bicycle touring, bicycle travel, Co-Motion, Divide, Rohloff, Schwalbe, Speedhub

Gear That Works: Quad Lock Mount

Gear That Works: Quad Lock Mount

by Johnny Isaak ·

 

Access to my smartphone while on and off the bike is vital. With map and GPS apps, I keep myself found and on the right track. I’m able to check any messages from family and friends, and can jot down any notes or thoughts I may have. 

So, having my smartphone mounted on the handlebars where it’s handy and not stuffed in a pouch, where I might have to fumble through to check a map or answer a phone call, is essential to my riding style. 

Many mounting options exist, of which I’ve had several, but by far, the best for me is the Quad Lock. 

[Read more…] about Gear That Works: Quad Lock Mount

Filed Under: Gear Tagged With: handlebar mount, iPhone mount, Quad Lock, smartphone mount

Grateful for Travel

Grateful for Travel

by Johnny Isaak ·

The last day of 2019 has passed. Into 2020 we go. Looking back over the past five years, I’m so grateful for the travel I’ve had, the journeys I’ve been on, the adventures I’ve experience.

Exploring the water town of Xinchang, China

Oh, the places I’ve been. Looking back, Asia seems like a dream. It was. It was a dream come true. So glad I took the time to go. Five years abroad is a gift that will keep on giving in the years to come.

Cape Reinga, New Zealand

Time abroad has widened my perspective and deepened my insights about the world in which we live. The friends I’ve made, and the people I’ve met have made me a better person. My hard drives are filled with images; my journals are replete with experiences. I’ve come away changed for my peregrinating exertions.

Following China’s “Mother Road” (G312) along the Silk Route through the Hexi Corridor entering the Gobi Desert.

Commitments at home hold me close. Far-ranging forays lay on distant horizons. Hence, this is a time for reflection of journeys past and preparation for adventures to be had. There is still so much more to see.

Exploring quiet villages in Zhejiang Prefecture, China.

The dream is alive. Winding my way back home, future adventures still await. The time is to move boldly into 2020, to set the conditions for journeys at home and abroad. As Newton posited, “An object in motion tends to stay in motion…”

Sunset on the coast of Hokkaido, Japan

Adventure is out there for those willing to look for it, and time never waits. Many want to go, but few are willing to pay the price required to go. Nothing stands between you and your dreams but thin air and opportunity.

Peering into the endless sands of the Taklamakan.

Go while you have the chance. Get on your bike and ride. You won’t regret it. Pushing it off to “someday” is a risky business. Life is a fickle thing. The day may never come. Act while you have the opportunity. 2020 and years beyond are full of promise. Move forward with confidence in the pursuit of your dreams. Live the life you have always wanted.

A glance back after crossing the Golden Gate while returning to the U.S.

Filed Under: Adventure Cycling Tagged With: Asia, bicycle touring, bicycle travel, Cape Reinga, China, Co-Motion, Golden Gate, Hexi Corridor, Hokkaido, Japan, Morro Bay, New Zealand, San Francisco, Silk Road, Taklamakan, Zhejiang

Travelogue: Magic Moments

Travelogue: Magic Moments

by Johnny Isaak ·

Casting my eyes out to pastel skies hanging low over the Andaman Sea. Standing on the crest of a hill overlooking the shore of the Promthep Cape at the northwestern reaches of the Malacca Strait while waiting patiently with camera in hand. Sunsets are magical things.

The setting sun burns a hole in the muted sky, the last moments of a molten ball of fire smoldering in the mist never quite touching the horizon line. It’s an instant when one’s senses are alive and fully present moment. The first whispers of a cool offshore breeze tickle the hair on the nap of my neck. Yes, it’s the perfect place to be.

Steadily, the shutter fires away. The camera buffers and writes the images to the memory card. Moments are captured. Making decent photos has a lot to do with figuring out the “perfect place to be,” and getting there and set in time for the decisive moment. For me, it’s a little deeper than that. Photography is not so much about capturing the beauty, but experiencing it first, and then recording the moment before it’s gone. And over time, it’s a collection of these little slices that make up a life well-lived.

One last glance to the horizon as the sky fades to dull gray. It’s an excellent moment to consider the gravity of things. Yes, dreams do come true to those willing to give fair chase. I bag my camera and begin ambling down the hill into the dusk. Thus ends a day spent well. Making out the shadow of my driver’s tuk-tuk, it’s time to lean forward to a new day. Life is good. Get some.

Filed Under: Travelogue, Uncategorized Tagged With: Phuket, Promthep Cape, Thailand, travel, travel photography

A Brief Canticle to Travel in 2018

A Brief Canticle to Travel in 2018

by Johnny Isaak ·

Before I knew it, we’ve done another lap around the sun. It’s the last day of December, and a new year is just hours away. Sipping a Turkish coffee and peering out of the window of our high rise over the snow-covered roofs of Shanghai, I’m quietly watching the final moments of 2018 draw to a close.

Pudong from the Bund, Shanghai, China.

Before this year becomes a memory, it’s time to take one last glance over my shoulder and savor the journeys, the challenges, and the adventure of such an awesome year before jumping headlong into 2019.

The past twelve months have been four action-packed seasons of continual travel, questing, and adventure, both on and off the bike. It’s been a series of nonstop journeys all about getting out there. It was a year of spending time in incredible places, meeting new people, and by chance, a day catching up with one good friend.

Sunrise over Cook’s Cove, the East Cape, North Island, New Zealand.

Land of the Long White Cloud

Journey to the Southern Hemisphere. Cycling across New Zealand from Bluff in the south to Cape Rienga at the northern tip, a most incredible Kiwi adventure. The family riding for the first part, and solo on the second. Meeting the Maori of the Eastern Cape. Many nights spent camping under the Southern Cross and the Milky Way. Riding to beat the tide along Ninety-Mile Beach.

The Eastern Steppe, Inner Mongolia.

Wandering on the Eastern Steppe

Inner Mongolia, a land of endless grasslands under everlasing azure skies. Days spent chasing the light along meandering rivers. Tramping through the former lands of the mighty Mongols and Genghis Khan. Pausing on windblown hilltops to capture glimpses of herds of galloping ponies. Capturing faint shadows of the Golden Horde in the corner of my eye. Exploring the sidestreets of Russian border towns. Standing on the edge of the river peering into Siberia. Thinking about adventures for another day.

Uyghur Mosque, Kashir (Kashgar), Xinjiang, China.

The Old Silk Road

Xinjiang, a new frontier, and a land of many things. A Silk Road odyssey pedaling into the heart of Asia, a place I’m forever drawn to. Endless days in the saddle making passage in this mysterious land. The Pamir Mountains lie to the west, with the Kunlun forming a border to the south. The Tian Shan runs roughly through the center east to west, and the Altai Mountains are in the north. The Gobi guards the east and the Taklamakan lies in the south between the Kunlun and the Tian Shan — such a rugged land.

Kanas River, Altai Mountains, Xinjiang, China.

Cycling through the ancient oasis cities of Turfan, Kucha, Niya, Khotan, and finally to old Kashgar located on the eastern front ranges of the snow-capped Pamirs provided me with a fleeting glimpse into ancient trade route. Mud-walled homes and dusty palm trees among grape fields and nut tree orchards harkened back to a wilder time, one that still maintains its mystic aura today.

Turning north across the eastern reaches of the Tian Shan. Heading north into the Altai Mountains. Reaching the fringes of the boundless Kazak Steppes whetted my appetite for deeper forays to the stans of Central Western Asia. It’s a land of dense forests and grass-covered hills bisected by turquoise rivers. Lazy woodsmoke emanating from clusters of white yurts wanders up cold valley floors.

Little Dragon Lake on the Duku Highway in the Tian Shan Mountains, Xinjiang, China.

Duku Highway

Traversing the heart of the Tian Shan brought me in contact with welcoming Kazaks and Mongols still living in clutches of yurts scattered across the land. Many offering spicy lamb kababs and fresh naan to us as we passed by. Uyghur people inhabited the land to the south of the towering mountain range. Our time on the road was filled with seemingly unending days climbing and descending among massive snow-capped granite giants.

Taklamakan Desert, Xinjiang, China.

Sands of the Taklamakan

The Taklamakan, whose name means “Those who go in don’t come out.” Also referred to as “The Desert of Death,” the barren land is a sea of endless dunes circumscribed by the northern and southern routes of the Silk Road. Some of the dunes reach a height of a thousand feet. Few have dared to enter. Fewer still returned once they did. The wise and less foolhardy chose to go around, and still do today. Traveling in the shadows of Aurel Stein and Sven Hedin set me to wondering what they would think of Chinese Turkistan today with the endless stream of lorries transporting Chinese goods to the west, and the vast oil and gas fields tapping the rich underground resources.

Chaing Mai, Thailand.

Time in the Tropics

A couple of short trips to Chang Mai and Phuket in Thailand provided a much-needed respite from the cold winter weather. Thailand is filled with plenty of old temples to explore, cheap beer, savory fare, and friendly Thai people.

Friends remembered.

Friends Remembered

Time with a loyal friend, a trusty comrade of distant adventures, is among the most savored of moments. Time catching up on old times. Journeys remembered. However, time moves on, but old friends are not forgotten. Bonds remain across the span of time.

Into the Tian Shan.

The Dream is Alive

A new year is upon us. 2019 is here — the open road beckons. Many dreams still remain unrealized. Time is short, and I’m running behind. I long to feel the free wind blowing in my hair, to spend more time in incredible places. There are still place left to see through the lens of my camera. Lonely highways still yearn to be pedaled. See you out there. Cheers.

Filed Under: Adventure, Adventure Cycling, Inspiration Tagged With: adventure cycling, bicycle travel, bike travel, Eastern Steppe, Inner Mongolia, Kashgar, New Zealand, Shanghai, Silk Road, Taklamakan, Thailand, Tian Shan, travel photography, Xinjiang

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