Take on the 8 in 2021

Join us on Friday, Sep 24 ​for the start of your self-supported bikepacking adventure. There will be a group start in Montpelier, but you may choose to start from Brattleboro or Derby Line, VT if it's more convenient. There are three mileage options: north lobe (260), south lobe (380) or full 8 (640 miles) of the Vermont Super 8 bikepacking route.  For more information on the route, see our routes page.

This is not a group ride! Riders will be responsible for their own supplies, services, and navigation. Riders will be provided with a .gpx track file and should complete the chosen course under their own power in order to be included in the results. There is no entry fee, but riders will be encouraged to register with a satellite tracking service for the duration of their ride. To learn about other riders' past experiences on the Super 8, and to find out more about the self-supported bikepacking standards, check out the GD/ results / reports page.

The Super 8 is an extremely challenging course, but with the right expectations, preparation, gear, pacing, and mindset, riders of many skill levels can take it on. Vermont has an inclusive community of bikepackers. If you have questions about the route, you are encouraged to float them to this facebook group.

To register for the Grand Depart, send a Letter of Intent to dan@vermontbikepackers.org . Please state that you understand that you are solely responsible for your own services and support. It would also be good to know your intended mileage option and previous bikepacking experience as well.

See you in September! Maybe before then. Cheers and happy new year.

2020 Grand Depart: razor thin splits and one badass female finisher

On Sep 25, nineteen riders lined up for the 3rd Grand Depart of the Vermont Super 8. 7 riders finished the North Lobe only, 2 riders finished the South Lobe only, and 3 riders finished the Full 8. Notable finishes include Erik Nelson, who set the new FKT on the North Lobe of 1:07:59, besting Jeremiah Macrae-Hawkins's 2020 time by about 10 minutes, and George Lapierre's 2020 time by about 30 minutes. Rob Janelli was the first place finisher of the South Lobe.

The highlight accomplishment of this year was Brittni Gorman's finish of the Full 8, making her the first place overall 2020 finisher as well as the first known female to complete the Full 8!

Matthew Tschiegg completed his second successful ride of the Full 8. Matt is now our only two-time full-8 finisher.

Check out the Results page to see full details. Over the coming weeks, we expect trip reports to roll in so keep your eye on our social media for updates (IG @vermontbikepackers), or check back here to see if anyone has sent in a report!

Super 8 2020 files are live

We're thrilled to release the 2020 .gpx track files for the Vermont Super 8 Bikepacking Route. We're proud of the quality of our data. The 640-mile route files are ground-sourced where they need to be and at this point have been vetted by over 20 riders. Team work makes the dream work.

We made ~35 improvements to the 2020 files including stray track corrections, reroutes due to a trail closure, and more camping and resupply waypoints! All these changes were touch-ups -- there are no major re-routes compared to 2019.

You can ride the Super 8 any time, but why not send in a letter of intent for the Grand Depart on Sep 25?