Beginner BIKEPACKING!

Are ready to try bikepacking? Are you ready to let your bicycle carry the load?
This will be a new adventure for me and a new event offering from Suncoast Outdoors. Two nights / Three Days of primitive camping and cycling.
What is bikepacking? Simply put, bikepacking is a mix of cycling and backpacking. Bikepacking involves carrying only essential gear much like backpacking but attached to your bike. This event will require your bike to ride on pavement and limited dirt roads. You will need to carry a full load with shelter/sleeping system, a cooking kit, food, water, and your clothing needed for two nights of primitive camping and three days of cycling. And do not forget a spare tire tube and tool kit.
There are options for attaching your gear to your bicycle. There’s purchasing specific gear for bikepacking, and there is a pack-it and strap-it method or the combination of the two methods. Please find what works best for you.
https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/
The planned route:
Day 1: Hideaway Ranch to Fort Cooper State Park – approx. 38 miles.
We will meet at the Hideaway Ranch (aka Brad & Jamie’s house) at 9:30 am. Get our gear loaded and attached to our bikes. The plan is to saddle up and hit the pavement by 10:30 am. at the latest. This first day is approximately 38 miles. Having gear on our bikes will slow us down considerably. We want to have plenty of time for breaks, adjustments, and stopping for lunch before arriving in Fort Cooper. Once we arrive at Fort Cooper, we will set up our camp for the night.
Day 2: Fort Cooper to Crooked River Campground – 22 miles
We will have a leisurely morning but target our departure time to be no later than 11 am. This departure time will give us plenty of time for breakfast and to repack our gear. This could be a challenging morning getting all our gear packed up properly. We will take breaks and stop for lunch as we make our way to Crooked River Campground at Silver Lake.
Day 3: Crooked River to Hideaway Ranch – approximately 25 miles
We will have breakfast and pack up our gear for our last day of bikepacking. We will leave early on this last day. We should be more proficient in our packing up, and everyone will be ready to get back home. Much like backpacking, we will have limited luxuries.
Since this is a beginner event, we will be learning as we go. I suggest watching some videos on bikepacking. You will find that most of the gear you use for backpacking transitions quite easily to bikepacking. The biggest challenge is getting it attached to our bikes.
https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/
https://youtu.be/AoFJUGYC0z4
https://www.rei.com/learn/series/intro-to-bikepacking
https://www.garagegrowngear.com/blogs/trends-top-10/bikepacking-on-a-budget
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bikepacking-checklist.html
https://youtu.be/Srhl4Uu6HfQ?si=rfGlpBXzskTdbBOs