Fall Bikepacking in New York

Abigail Schomer, a documentary filmmaker based in Boise, Idaho, discovered Moonspin during the Boise MTB Festival this past June. She was planning an early autumn bikepacking trip to celebrate big birthdays for her and her best friend, and chose to kit out their ride with Moonspin gear.

Decked out in Drift Pants and Drift Shorts, Retro Moon Wool-blend Socks, Rossi T, and a Moonspin bandana, Abigail and Brooke set off the ride the entire length of New York State. Despite experiencing a lot of September rains, they had the ride of a lifetime. The beautiful fall leaves, abundant access to quaint lodging and food options, and friendly locals willing to lend a hand when needed kept them safe and joyful while they pedaled into a new decade together.

Safely back home in Boise, Abigail and Brooke shared some reflections on their birthday bikepack experience, including what it means to be a women adventuring on bike, and how their Moonspin gear kept them covered from the time on the saddle to dodging rain in Upstate New York's cute coffee shops.

Moonspin: For someone who's based in the wide open spaces of Southern Idaho, what brought you to New York for your 30th birthday bikepacking adventure?

Brooke: Abigail & I both have fall birthdays and we knew that we needed to do something special to kick off the next year of our lives. We are really lucky to have the Idaho wilderness in our backyard & have spent time together in those spaces on foot, bike, and skis. We have been dreaming about an “urban bikepacking” adventure to scratch our itch for time outside mixed with a big city experience. This trip successfully exceeded our expectations! 

Moonspin: Of all the ways to travel and experience a place, what inspires you to adventure by bike? What unique perspectives does traveling by bike offer?

Abigail: I've come to find that traveling by bike is the perfect pace for discovering a new place. Walking is a bit slow if you want to take in a good amount of landscape, and driving isolates you from the environment and the people passing by. When I moved to a new city, I only had a bike, and I quickly learned the streets and places because my mind could absorb my surroundings at that speed. That's when I realized the "pace of presence" is best captured on a bicycle. I want to be fully awake to my adventures and soak up every second of my time away!

Brooke: Traveling by bike takes an intentional decision to slow down & “enjoy the ride.” It allows for the unexpected & creates room for curiosity. It is saying “yes” to whatever the trail/city/weather/etc. has to offer in that particular moment. It removes me from my comfort zone which is where some of my favorite experiences have been formed. 

Moonspin: How do you pack for a trip like this - where space and weight are a premium and you are likely to encounter a variety of weather?

B: This was a unique trip because we stayed with various folks along the way, so we avoided bringing meals or camping gear. We primarily focused on bike maintenance & clothing (for lots of forecasted rain). I personally love the Moonspin pants; it’s a light longer layer that is still easy to move and breathe in while also being funky and fun. 

A: Don't even ask me, I definitely overpacked! Most of our backcountry trips mean some level of suffering all day, with a place to camp at the end of it. We chose this trip hoping for fun stops along the way, something that set it apart from the backcountry. We figured we'd be hitting coffee shops, browsing stores, and going out to eat, so we packed extra city clothes and cute outfits to wear once we arrived. Little did we know our Moonspin Drift MTB pants would be the only thing we wore from sunup to sundown. I could have ditched half my wardrobe and been set!

I'm always working to shift my activewear toward more organic materials, and my Wool Blend Retro Moon Socks were another daily driver. They saved my cold tootsies even when they were soaking wet from all the rain.

Moonspin: As you embark on a new decade, what bike adventures do you see embarking on?

A: This trip opened my imagination to a whole new way of traveling, and I'm not sure I want to plan a trip without my bike ever again. Riding lets you sink into a place in a way nothing else does, and the people we met along the way made the journey so special. We were at the mercy of the elements, and again and again strangers noticed us and offered warm drinks and dry places to recover. Those moments are the ones we still talk about most.