【BikeToFishing】 Bring Your Super Chill Vibes

As I mentioned the other day on Erichin’s blog (she’s actually my upperclassman from university), the day after the MADE show ended, we went bikepacking with the builders.

Liébault from SimWorks USA had told me, "Bring your bike!" so I had of course brought my own. But due to the hectic, non-stop days leading up to the main event, I hadn’t even opened the box. I didn't actually open it and get everything ready until the night after the show. Well, that's business as usual for me, though (lol).

So, to shake off the show fatigue, I decided to head out for a ride with a stellar lineup of builders and friends.

The builder scene is serious about their vehicles, too

The Philly Boys, led by Tom from the up-and-coming Philadelphia-based LA MARCHE BIKE CO, arrived in the vehicle Tom drove all the way from Philadelphia to Portland over four days. The sight of four LA MARCHE bikes loaded onto it was nothing short of breathtaking.

Then there was Jay from CHRIS KING, who recently acquired a Japanese fire truck he’d been lusting after. He rolled up with his brother Jeremy (SYCIP DESIGNS), who’d been staying at his place during the show, and Curtis (RETROTEC CYCLES). It’s even more surprising that this fire truck was actually used in Ena City, Gifu Prefecture. I mean, honestly, everyone has way too much style!

Bring Your Super Chill Vibes

Here is the mastermind behind this ride, the one and only Liébault.

As she wrote at the end of the packing list in our group chat, "Bring Your Super Chill Vibes," Liébault packed just about everything. Having spent time years ago traveling across Europe while brewing coffee, she believes a morning cup after an overnight camp is non-negotiable. She came prepared with her favorite beans and a full setup. That coffee she made for us was delicious.

Yes, this is what "super chill" is all about. It’s not just about the ride; if you want to enjoy yourself more, you might want to bring this or that along. Naturally, that increases your luggage and makes the bike heavier, but her stance is, "If that happens, you can just ride slower."

Curtis from RETROTEC is usually super minimal and smart with his packing, but he wouldn't budge on his snack chips—strapping them to his handlebar bag was pure "super chill." Honestly, those chips saved me when I was about to run out of fuel (lol).

Of course, with a big group like this, everyone’s pace is different, but nobody complained. Everyone waited for the slower riders, and we spent the time chatting and snacking. It was a super chill ride from start to finish.

LA MARCHE Crew

Tom from LA MARCHE joined us with three friends from his home city of Philadelphia. It was my reunion with Tom and Jordy since the Philly Bike Expo last autumn.

These four, who are long-time friends, are truly close; they were joking around with each other the whole time, and they’re all incredibly good-natured people. They built up their bikes using LA MARCHE’s most popular model, the Town & Country, each in their own distinct style, and it all looked so great.

Tom, who made a name for himself as a fixed freestyle rider and even did stunt work, hasn't lost any of his riding skills even after becoming a builder. He’s such a sport—always ready to strike a pose whenever the camera is pointed his way.

All of them were incredibly cool, reflecting their own personal styles, but it was honestly the coolest thing to see Sean's bike, which had been displayed as a show bike just the day before, covered in dirt and being put to real use. That's right—bicycles are tools, after all. They're meant to be used like this.

Of course, I brought my fishing rod 🚲🎣

Since we were going to spend the night at a campsite by a lake called Frog Lake, I actually did a little research in advance. I figured there were fish in there, so I snuck my fishing rod into my bike box.

Justin from the LA MARCHE crew also brought fly tackle, so as soon as we arrived and set up our tents, we headed for the lake. We had talked about cycling to a stream near the campsite, but since it seemed like there wasn't enough water to fish, we ended up fishing in the lake together for the brief time we had before sunset.

As for the results, after about an hour of persistent effort, a beautiful rainbow trout finally hit my line.
The lure was a Rapala Countdown Elite. A memorable catch, using an American lure in America.

So, I brought my own "super chill" vibes to this bikepacking trip, and after a night of deep sleep in my tent—exhausted from the show—it was a success.

Man, that was one hell of a ride right after the show, and I have to say, seeing my senior colleague ride through it all so toughly was really impressive! It was tiring, but worth every bit of the fun!