I'd say Scott hit the nail on the head. For even the most burly and fit riders, any bikepack adventure, long or short, will have ample walking. It's not that you get forced off the bike because you can't ride that next steep section, it's often because you
shouldn't ride that next steep section as a matter of saving your bullets. One overblown effort trying to ride a steep pitch is enough to bring your day to a hault, or slow it to a crawl.
Those Pearlizumi shoes are an excellent choice. I have used those on a few trips. They're a good mix of riding stiffness and walking comfort. I should also point out, no matter what you take, make sure it is supremely comfortable and familiar. I ride Sidi Dominators, even for some bikepacking romps. They feel like the proverbial
old pair of shoes.. Here's the bummer - a single bikepack trip can nearly ruin a pair of race shoes. Racing shoes can be comfortable to walk in, but give it a mile or two on rocky terrain and those race slippers can look like hobo shoes in an afternoon. Plus, I've had one unfortunate blow out of a fancy buckle on day two. That made for two more days of duct tape.
Sidi Dominators:
View attachment 49971
Some of you may know of Jeff Kerkove of the Ergon Cycling Team. He's one of the best ultra-endurance riders in North America. He was a favorite for the 2010 Colorado Trail Race, a 490 mile race from Denver to Durango. This was his first extended bikepack romp and by day three he had to abandon the race with severe blisters to his heals. His remedy, which was probably three days too late, was to do this:
View attachment 49972
Excellent topic, Scott. As we discussed earlier today, another important factor is the choice of pedal regarding cleat material. It isn't ideal to walk long stretches on brass cleats or complex cleats like those on Speedplay Frogs. A stout steel cleat survives walking miles better than anything else.
Edit: Speaking of this year's Colorado Trail Race and feet - This is what the winner's feet looked like by day two. Yikes. Even with good shoes, happy feet are tough to achieve.
View attachment 49976