camping — Feels on Wheels Blog

Canyon Creek Loop Fail

My partner and I have a bad track record of trying to hike or ride in the mountains too early. We’re both from warmer places (California & Georgia) so, even after 8 years of living here we both get a little confused. Last year we tried to backpack around Mount Baker in early July and were thwarted by thick snow cover, this time we tried to bike around the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in late May and also ran into a lot of snow. I was trying to come up with a fun and simple backcountry route for an upcoming Friends on Bikes campout and this was not the one.

BikesRoxanne RoblesMay 24, 2023gravel, gravel ride, gravel grinder, bike trip, bikes, bike tour, bikepacking, camping, bike campingComment

Friends on Bikes Goes to Cowlitz County

Friends on Bikes began as a way to foster community with trans, women, intersex and gender nonconforming BIPOC, and it is so fitting that our sibling chapter in Portland reached out to do a joint ride! It was a short and sweet trip — in and out in a weekend, no gear packing, just car camping and a sweet day ride.

BikesRoxanne RoblesJune 28, 2022gravel, gravel grinder, gravel ride, camping, bike trip, bikesComment

Olympic Hot Springs

I LOVE hot springs. So much. I used to live in Colorado and would be out finding hot springs several weekends a month. Since I moved to the Pacific Northwest I have been in search of nice natural hot springs, but it has been tough. Most of the nice springs in the Pacific Northwest are concentrated in Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia which is more convenient than going all the way to the Southwest, but still not as nice as having it close to home.

3 Touring Essentials I Thought Were For Chumps That I Now Love

I like to think of myself as more of a punk than a gearhead type of cyclist. I am never interested in the newest, shiniest thing. I prefer waiting for the real gearheads to get tired of their stuff so I can get it secondhand and haggle them down to below half-price — that or do without all together. So by this same token, I have always been skeptical of sports-specific foods, supplements, lotions or potions.

Bikes, GuidesRoxanne RoblesSeptember 23, 2020bike tour, bike trip, bike gear, camping, camp food, camp cooking, gear, gear listComment

Retrieving Pottery Equipment

A few shrimpy gals and I circumnavigated the Olympic Peninsula and in our first few days of the trip, we stayed in Joyce at the lovely Camp Epona. On that trip, we were sheltering in the barn because it had started to rain after dinner. While I was unpacking my bike in the barn, I noticed that there was a small pottery kiln in one of the barn stalls. I have been a ceramic sculptor and potter since I was in high school and it’s something that I miss a whole lot.

TravelRoxanne RoblesSeptember 17, 2020travel, olympic peninsula, pottery equipment, lake crescent, campfire, camp cooking, campingComment

More Things for Your Packing List

I think that gear envy is a pretty real phenomenon for a lot of people. Those feelings of scarcity or inadequacy (I wish I had that” or “Why didn’t I think to bring that?!”) are amplified when your friends have cooler gear than you; or perhaps it’s the high stakes of outdoor survival that put the lizard part of my brain on edge. Whatever the case, here is a list of stuff that didn’t make it to my helpful packing list spoke card, but are nice (and lightweight) additions to your setup. I will periodically update this list, since there is always new gear to covet.

Bikes, GuidesRoxanne RoblesSeptember 16, 2020food, gear, camping, bike gear, camp cooking, camp foodComment

Kauai: The Terror of the Sublime

As this blog would suggest, I am not much of a hiker. I am much more interested in cycling around beautiful places than walking to or through them. However, a friend of mine wanted to attempt the Na Pali Coast/Kalalau trail and assembled an amazing group of 12 to make the journey to Kauai. She organized all of us to get permits around 6 months in advance, since overnight use of the trail is extremely limited.

TravelRoxanne RoblesFebruary 13, 2020travel, hawaii, islands, hiking, backpacking, napali coast, camping, shrimps

The Olympic Discovery Trail

I wanted to make the most of this time of year by planning to explore the Olympic Discovery Trail, yet another one of Washington State’s amazing rail to trail conversions. The rail lines were removed from the Olympic Peninsula in the 1980s and advocacy to create a multi-use trail began shortly after.

BikesRoxanne RoblesAugust 5, 2019bike trip, bike tour, olympic peninsula, forks, lake crescent, lake, camping, group ride

The Bikery's Solstice Campout at Scenic Beach

The Bikery has become well known for its accessible bike camping throughout the beautiful Seattle summers. This was my first time going on one of the trips and it did not disappoint. Registration for the campout took place online in the weeks before the ride, which was the weekend of the summer solstice. Registration was $5/person to cover the cost of the campsite reservations, but nobody is ever turned away from Bikery events for their ability to pay.

BikesRoxanne RoblesJune 28, 2018bikes, bike trip, bike tour, bike camping, camping, scenic beach, bremertonComment