Rollin' and Tumblin' at the WeedSac Bike-Packing Tour
A new event and bike route bring adventure cycling to the Sacramentos
Flatulence and laughs ring out at camp during the night. The high-protein and carb diets produce loud nocturnal emissions from an exhausted group of cyclists, with little to muffle the noise except thin tent walls.
It’s night two of the annual WeedSac bike-packing ride. Some sixty cyclists spent the day trudging up Carr Gap Canyon Road from Mayhill to a little valley near 16 Springs where they will snooze for the night. Women and men, from teenagers to baby boomers, climbed over 3,000 feet during the day and carried their gear with them.
Sleeping bags, propane stoves and freeze-dried meals are pulled from the bicycles. Ultralight tents and tarps offer shelter for the night. Some riders opt to sleep on the ground.
“The simplest way to describe it is a bike tour,” says Matt Mason of Las Cruces and the event’s founder.
“We’re loading our camping gear on our bikes and doing a full tour of the southern end of the Lincoln National Forest, hitting the highlights; Bluff Springs, Agua Chiquita, and the little country stores; just showing people what life is like, and what the terrain is like, in the Sacramentos.”
2025 marks the third year of the WeedSac, a 120 mile excursion through the mountains by bicycle. Participants climb nearly 12,000 feet over three days. They set off from Cloudcroft on a Saturday and pedal back into town the following Monday.
A “mutual sufferfest, wholesome, a ride with friends” all describe the event. It’s not a race. Shortcuts are not shunned and riders go at their own pace.
Local Ranges, Global Riders
While the label conjures images of Cannabis, WeedSac has little to do with the stuff. The event takes its name from the hamlet of Weed, New Mexico, which is close to the halfway point of the ride, and is combined with Sac; a shortened version of “Sacramentos.”
The route follows narrow-gauge railroad beds, old logging roads, and gravel forest roads. It’s a mostly unpaved affair with a sprinkling of singletrack trail and highway miles mixed-in.
“I would hate to say that some people like to suffer. I don’t know if that’s totally true. I think there’s enough of an offset with things that are so positive that it’s worth the physical pains. Like, they come back spiritually or emotionally improved. Their mental health has improved enough from being with people, doing that experience together,” says Mason.
Mason and fellow cyclist Phil Simpson, originally from Alamogordo, began piecing together bits of forest roads and trails to create a destination for bike-packers in the Lincoln. What emerged from their weekend explorations with friends is a 150 mile loop through the mountains they christened “Rollin’ and Tumblin.” WeedSac is simply the event where a group of riders tackle the Rollin’ and Tumblin’ loop together. Adventure minded cyclists may ride the circuit at any time.
“Most people aren’t familiar with the Sacramentos at all. The Gila maybe they’ve heard of from southern New Mexico…they hadn’t seen the forest in the same way as all these quiet country backroads,” says Mason. “You’ve not heard of it but that’s not an indication of the quality. It’s like a secret thing.”
For many, the WeedSac marks their first time in the Sacramentos. Sonora, Mexico, Albuquerque, El Paso, Michigan, Las Cruces, Denver, Austin are all represented here.
“I’ve been hearing some people say this doesn’t look like New Mexico, this part; Weed and Cloudcroft. It’s true,” says Karla Robles. She and her husband drove up from Sonora, Mexico, crossed the border in Nogales, Arizona, and joined the weekend adventure.
The couple manage a Spanish language adventure cycling website and document rides throughout Mexico. They represent some of the notable bike-packing personalities present at WeedSac. Other figures include Albuquerque handlebar maker Keaton Haire of Doom Bars, Eric Arce of Pedalhomie, and bike fabricator Cjell Monē of Monē Bikes in Silver City.
Recently, Monē set a world record for completing the 840 mile Arizona Trail on a coaster brake bike that he built himself. Think of the bike you rode as a kid, pedal backwards to engage the brake, and that’s a one-speed coaster bike.
Junk Food, Laughs and Sore Legs
Looking up Lucas Canyon, a line of bright-colored bodies dot the hillside as riders walk their heavy bikes up the steep grade. Sunny skies make way for snow flurries that resemble Dippin’ Dots ice cream. The moisture is just enough to tamp-down the silty trails and keep the dust at bay.
Cyclists slide into groups of riders who match their pace. Total strangers quickly become friends when they slog uphill together, sometimes moving at a snails’ pace. Other times, riders chase each other’s back tires as they descend notable peaks like Benson Ridge at breakneck speeds.
“You find your little group to ride with and then you just go. Lots of laughs…I was just making the joke that three days ago I didn’t know anyone and now I have a bunch of new friends…this feels like instantly you have a community,” says May Tsupros of Michigan.
People peel off at picturesque meadows where they pick a tree under which to rest and shovel snacks into their tired bodies.
Donut sticks, honeybuns, beef jerky, tuna packs, tortillas filled with peanut butter, and candy are all fuel. Riders opt for food that packs the most calories and carbs. The occasion marks a rare time when Little Debbie snacks are a welcome staple amongst this fit crew.
Water is consumed quickly. Refill stops are strategically placed throughout the route. Bluff Springs marks the first watering hole on this trip. Thirsty travelers dip their Nalgene bottles into the cold mountain springs. An iodine tablet or backpacking filter kills any nefarious bacteria.
As one of the more visited sites on the mountain, Bluff Springs is where the cyclists encounter waves of UTVs and pickup trucks on the road. Most drivers wave and slow down for the group, so as not to shower them in clouds of dust.
“There was a guy in the gas station complaining about running into 20 bikers on the dirt road right outside of Mayhill. Immediately, the cashier scolded him, told him to slow down. She was like ‘you be careful,’” says Shaun Price from Fort Defiance, Arizona and the Navajo Nation.
The pack descends on the Mayhill Country Store to resupply. Inside, cashier Patch Goodson scans packs of fudge, ice cream and “lots of water” as the riders deplete the shelves. “We’ve had a line backed-up for two hours,” says Goodson.
“Hey everybody, how many miles have ya’ll done today,” she asks as another group of sweaty cyclists approach the counter. “We love special events. We love keeping it local,” says Goodson.
A sea of bicycles litter the parking lot outside the store. They vary from decades-old steel machines worth a couple hundred dollars to top-of-the line custom rigs built specifically for off-road touring.
Show Up, Leave No Trace
Back at camp that night, post-ride activities include chunking rocks at a stalk of broccoli and at a plastic cup set atop a tree stump. A birthday song echoes through the valley to celebrate one cyclist’s turn around the sun. Everyone is in bed by 10pm.
“It’s so wholesome and beautiful and people show up as their most authentic self in situations like this,” says Tsupros. “Nobody here has been on their phone, you can’t. Everyone is so present.”
For WeedSac’s founder, community, presence and a low but fruitful impact are the goals of the ride.
“I don’t think you’d find any evidence that we were there other than the people at the Mayhill Country Store would say ‘oh yea, we definitely remember them,’” says Mason. “You know, they had a killer day, put more money in the register than they typically would on a Sunday, I would guess. And that’s really the impact we’re looking to leave is; do the local people like us? Are they excited to see somebody on a bike coming? If so, then for us that’s a success for sure.”
There’s a physical barrier to entry for events like this. Dodging baby-head rocks atop a weighty, human-powered machine or ascending thousands of feet in a day will tire the legs of the most avid cyclists.
Still, bikepacking’s promoters tout the method as one of the best ways to see the country.
“It’s a really cool way to get acquainted with places, to actually immerse yourself in it. There’s so many things you would never see if you were driving through it,” says Price.
He and two other riders took a wrong turn during day two. The mistake equaled a nearly 60 mile day of pedaling with 6,000feet of climbing. They arrived to camp late and promptly plopped on the ground and gorged themselves on Cool Ranch Doritos, with a main entree of ham and cheese wrapped in tortillas.
A group campground is already booked for WeedSac 2026. Mason limits the party to 74 riders. Hopeful participants must mail a postcard to Mason when he announces registration on his Instagram account @MonumentalLoop. It’s a first come, first serve method of entry.
“If somebody wanted to invest some time and money and energy into growing a gravel event or bike event with 1,000 people or 2,000 people in Cloudcroft, I think it could be done,” says Mason. “The riding is good enough, the scenery is good enough, the roads are fantastic. I think that’s possible. I, myself, am not pursuing that.”
For now, WeedSac will remain an intimate group tour of the Sacramentos, but the Rollin’ and Tumblin’ loop beckons riders at any time of year (weather permitting). Curious cyclists may find the route here.
To learn more about bikepacking, routes and the gear involved, Mason recommends bikepackingroots.org.
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