Justin Lichter - Ultralight Bike Touring and Bikepacking: The Ultimate Guide to Lightweight Cycling Adventures

Justin Lichter has hiked more than 35,000 miles since 2002, including thru-hikes on the Appalachian Trail, International AT, Eastern Continental Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Great Divide Trail, as well as treks in the southern Alps, New Zealand, Africa, Iceland, and the Himalaya Range. He is a Triple Crowner, having hiked the ECT, PCT, and CDT (more than 10,000 miles) in one year. Check him out at justinlichter.com.

Justin Kline has pedaled loaded bicycles, some lighter than others, tens of thousands of miles through more than two dozen countries. The mountains have always been his calling, and the Alps, Appalachians, Cascades, Dolomites, Himalayas, Pamirs, Pyrenees, Sierras, Tian Shans, and Rockies have all taught him valuable lessons in traveling light. His favorite rides start on the dirt and end under the stars with nothing more than what was carried on his bicycle.

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ISBN 978-1-4930-2397-4 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-4930-2398-1 (e-book)

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You havent lived until youve lived with only what you can carry under your own power.

I lift the small ceramic saucer to my lips, capturing every bit of warmth possible with my exposed fingertips. Its some of the best-tasting chai Ive had in some time, perhaps ever, and Im not in the local coffee shop, boutique teahouse, or an upscale restaurant. Im sitting cross-legged, wearing Russian galoshes and most of the clothing I own at the moment, on the plywood floor of a railcar-turned-home high in the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Just 30 minutes earlier, my wife and I were slowly turning the pedals over as we made our way up a seemingly endless climb, dodging mud bogs, rolling through deep ruts, and crossing countless streams. The forward progress of our incredible adventure had just come to a halt though, as a leather-faced local man vehemently signaled us from a distance. With slight hesitation, we laid the bikes aside and made our way over a mid-calf-deep brook toward the gentleman.

Like most other people we encountered in the country, he spoke no English so it was a game of Charades, only our one-word clues were dictated in Kyrgyz and Russian. Fortunately, hand gestures and visual cues can be universal throughout the world, and we quickly learned that our dwindling mountain path was soon to be impassable as it was blocked by snow taller than us. We knew this was a distinct possibility when we plotted and began the route in early spring, but it didnt prepare us for reaching the actual conclusion of defeat.

Despite sharing little more than a single common word in our vocabularies, the man clearly read the dejected looks on our faces as we struggled to process turning around and forging a new route or spending days attempting to cross a high alpine snowfield in frigid temperatures with insufficient rations for the added duration. That was the moment he uttered the Russian word chay , or tea. With our other options certainly less appealing, a warm drink and temporary shelter from the relentless elements seemed like an obvious solution.

While he gathered wood and animal dung to heat the tea, we entered his home, a hunter green caravan, the only man-made structure amid the barren landscape. Despite being on wagon wheels, this small structure looked like it hadnt moved in decades. Within the cozy confines, we were surrounded by the most basic of provisions: meat hanging from the ceiling to cure, a bucket of water from the nearby stream glazed over with ice, and chickens jostling around the steel stove as its heat began to radiate.

The small, knee-high table quickly become a buffet of everything this stranger had to offertea, sugar, butter, naan, cookies, and wrapped candies. We reciprocated by offering our own biscuits, peanut butter, and a number of other ready-to-eat snacks wed been carrying. With some finagling of a makeshift antenna, our host tuned in some background music on his battery-powered radio, the sole source of electronic entertainment in his off-grid homestead. Carrying on any sort of conversation was impossible, but the smiles, gestures, and politeness made it clear that we were all enjoying each others company over the most basic of meals.

After the last drops of tea were poured and the final crumbs of stale cookies were consumed, it was time to move on. We had a significant amount of descending to do before dark so we could make camp at a low enough elevation to stay warm overnight and position ourselves to resume an alternate alpine route the next morning. What had felt like a disappointing misadventure at first turned into an unforgettable encounter and temporary bond between strangers from very distant lands. We parted ways with a warm feeling inside that took more than tea to elicit. We had reached a part of the world that saw little, if any, bicycle travelers, and this was just the beginning of our life-changing adventures to come.

This journey would have been impossible with a traditional touring setup and fully loaded bicycle. With a precise kit and capable off-road setup, we were able to explore a rugged and remote part of the world we had only dreamed of, and meet people who lived unimaginably different lives. The days and months that followed were some of the most memorable weve ever had on a bicycle. This was expedition touring at its finest, and like most great adventures it did not come without challenges.

Traveling light by bike walks a fine line between being prepared and relying on your surroundingsallowing you to cycle farther, faster, and truly enjoy the riding experience. With only the essentials, youre able to engage with your surroundings, and that is when travel and adventure by bike is at its best.