Bikepacking

[hikeaz]

http://www.rei.com/h/t...

[chumley]

I wonder if REI paid for all the necessary commercial filming permits?

[Dave1]

Anyone have any info on the bivy she used?

[rcorfman]

I wonder if REI paid for all the necessary commercial filming permits?

I won't speculate on who paid for the permits, but I imagine she had them.

The evening of Oct. 25, 2015, found me and another at Wire Pass TH trying to get a ride to my truck parked near Hwy 89. A man working for the BLM stopped and asked if we were doing okay and said he'd give us a ride if he got back that evening. He was prepared to spend the night but didn't know if he'd need to or not. He was meeting Lael Wilcox and her support crew at Stateline CG to make sure they were settled and good to go in the morning. He finished what he was doing, came back and gave us a ride.

Since the BLM was officially involved, I have to think the permitting was properly handled.

[chumley]

He was meeting Lael Wilcox and her support crew

Didn't her video specifically discuss doing it unsupported?

[rcorfman]

Didn't her video specifically discuss doing it unsupported?

So what's your point, that I should have written, video crew instead of support crew? It's pretty obvious people were with her when she started and people were filming her at various places on the trail. The BLM employee didn't go into too much detail, just that there was a woman cyclist starting a record attempt on the trail and a crew to create a documentary of the attempt.

[chumley]

Somehow it triggered a mental image of Bear Grylls. As somebody who will never hike or bike the AZT, I can only be impressed by those who accomplish this impressive feat. No disrespect is intended in any way.

But IMO, a big part of an unsupported trip is mental. And even if nobody is giving you food, water, or other gear, I suspect there is comfort in having people with you along the way, or knowing that there will be a film crew to meet you at the next segment, etc.

It was an interesting video and it would be nice to see a sequel where she is able to complete the trail. Having hiked some short portions of the trail, I can absolutely say I would have zero desire to ride a bike on it! Kudos to anybody who accomplishes any part of it on a bike, never mind the whole thing--supported or not.

[azbackpackr]

I met her and talked to her on the North Kaibab Trail on October 26. With a bike you say? Yes, she had a bike. She was CARRYING the bike.
Okay using [img] didn't work. Go to plan B. While I work on Plan B here's a link to the photo I took of her at the rest stop. There were a number of people trying to talk to her, but she seemed in a hurry, rather distracted, etc. http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=39170&start=0 She said something about having ridden the AZT in 75 hours or something like that, and that she had left the Utah border some hours before she stopped here, was heading south. (I didn't watch the REI blurb yet.)

[te_wa]

anyone notice the little Mother Road brewery near the beginning? ;)