Frequently Asked Question about the BBT

The following are questions that get asked a lot regarding the BBT. Below are the answers.

1) How did you come up with the idea for the BBT?
2) What type of bike are you using?
3) How are you carrying all your gear?
4) How much does your bike weigh?
5) Will a car be following along?
6) What types of roads will you travel on?
7) Does the BBT cost money?
8) How far will you be traveling each day?
9) Do you expect the idea of the BBT grow?
10) Where will you camp en route to each festival?
11) What do you do about drinking water?
12) Is bicycle touring expensive?

1) How did you come up with the idea for the BBT? I have hiked some long-distance trails and really enjoyed it. I have also done some bicycle touring. Then it dawned on me, "Why is it that trails and tours always go from say, coast to coast or Canada to Mexico?" It seemed like a better idea to plan a tour around events, like bluegrass festivals. So that when you arrive somewhere, there is a big party going on. I wanted to ditch the notion that a trail or tour had to go in a straight line.

2) What type of bike are you using? We use 1980-style mountain bikes with slick tires. We put on very comfortable seats with lots of cush. Our bikes have no suspension.

3) How are you carrying all your gear? We use 4 Ortlieb waterproof panniers each. Two in the front and two in the back. I also carry a backpacker guitar that straps to the top of the back rack. We each have a waterproof handlebar bag that is more like a feeding trough.

4) How much does your bike weigh? With gear, food and water, about 70 lbs.

5) Will a car be following along? No. The BBT is not meant to be a supported tour. Participants need to have everything they need to survive. Still, you could "credit card tour" if you wanted. That is, ride from motel to motel and eat at restaurants and hence carry small loads. The BBT does not discriminate. And heck, if you wanted to have a car follow you, that's totally up to you.

6) What types of roads will you travel on? We try to choose interesting routes from festival to festival. If there is a dirt road option instead of a major highway (Hwy 50 for example), we'd choose the dirt road option. The smaller the better in our book even if it's a bit longer.

7) Does the BBT cost money? No, the BBT is free. Compare this to the Ride the Rockies that costs $335 for 6 days of touring. The BBT is 8 weeks and free.

8) How far will you be traveling each day? We average 60-65 miles a day. If conditions are favorable, we might do 80 miles.

9) Do you expect the idea of the BBT grow? Yes, I think the idea of the BBT will strike a chord with long-distance hikers and bike tourers who are looking for the next adventure. One reason that it's unique is because you are bicycling to these big festive camping events and when you out on a long-distance adventure, these types of events have a special allure.

10) Where will you camp en route to each festival? Wherever really. That's the beauty of be self-supported. When ever you get tired, there is most likely a spot within a couple miles for you to plop down your tent for the nite. Often that will be in Nat'l Forest campgrounds, SWA's, or nice people's farmland. Or just out in the trees somewhere. One can be pretty stealth and low impact on a bicycle. That said, we are not opposed to getting a motel if the weather has been particularly heinous and we are miserable.

11) What do you do about drinking water? When bicycle touring, unlike hiking, you pass establishments often (gas stations, stores, etc). We fill up at these spots. If its a place you can't serve yourself, (a bar, a rural home), I have never ever been refused when I have politely asked someone if they would fill up our water bladders for us. We also carry a water filter that allows us to filter river and stream water. So for us, when it is, say, 1 hour before camping time, we'll fill up about 1 gallon of water and pack it on the bikes. In this way, we can then bicycle on and when we see good camping, we can take it and it won't matter if it is near water or not.

12) Is bicycle touring expensive? It definitely does not have to be. We keep meticulous records of how we spend money and I can tell you unequivocally, that it is cheaper for us to bicycle tour than it is for us to live in one spot. That's because when you are bicycle touring, you can't really buy anything except food. When you are living in one spot, you have all the lures to spend money at your fingertips (home depot, internet, etc). If you are credit card touring though and getting motels every night, it would be a different story.