Around Arrowrock: PBJ Bikepacking near Boise, Idaho

This week we've got a guest writer returning to the blog. Idaho's own Luke Tokunaga recently rode and camped along the Around Arrowrock route with his trusty Sklar PBJ. Luke's bikepacking photos inspire us to get out and explore more. Without further ado, here's Luke!

With winter approaching, we knew our window for warm-weather camping in Idaho was coming to an end. So, the group chat lit up, and we loaded up our bikes for one last summer send-off!

Earlier this year, we rode the Around Arrowrock route, a roughly 110-mile loop with just over 8,000 feet of climbing that starts and ends right at your doorstep. It was actually the very first bikepacking trip I did on my Sklar PBJ, so it was pretty special to get back out there and rip it again.

This time around, the crew consisted of myself, Lucas Erlebach, Tyler Nelson, Austin Squire, Mack Scharff, and Paul Whitworth. We decided to switch things up a bit. The first time we rode the route, we tackled it in two days and one night. It was a full-on PUSH, grinding out the miles and racing the daylight to reach camp. With all the climbing and distance, it definitely took a toll.

For this trip, we wanted a slower, more laid-back, party-pace kind of ride. Instead of rushing to cover the miles, we stretched it out over three days and two nights, with one main goal: get to camp early and straight-up CHILL.

And honestly, that made all the difference. We had more time to soak in the scenery, really enjoy the hill bombs, jump in the river for a swim, and enjoy the little moments along the way. One of the biggest highlights? Rolling into the Y Stop and buying out their entire supply of beer!

It was the perfect way to squeeze one more adventure out of the season and enjoy what could be our final warm summer/fall bikepacking trip around Boise, Idaho.

Fun times! Luke shared a ton of great photos, so check out the gallery below. Immediately below the gallery is a link to the route on RWGPS, so don't miss that. Thanks for reading and we'll see you next time!