BIKEPACKING BAJA CALIFORNIA – BAJA DIVIDE – BIKEPACKING GEAR

Maybe we all believe that our neighbor’s bike is always lighter than ours and that on the next trip, cutting our toothbrush in half and using smooth stones instead of toilet paper to avoid carrying any extra weight will make all the difference.

So, how can we relax our minds and let go of these obsessive thoughts that plague every cyclist?

Well, perhaps we should listen to the story of Liudvikas (31), Eglė (33), Perkūnas (“Thunder”, 2.5 years old), and Girė (1.5 years old)—a Lithuanian family on the road. In June 2024, they set out on a three-year journey to test their resilience as a team, without worrying too much about Dad’s 300 lbs rig (with babies) and Mom’s 200 lbs rig (with food ).

Many readers may not know much about Lithuania. Can you describe it?

Liudvikas: Some call it Eastern Europe because of its history with Russia, but geographically, it’s in Central Europe. Our neighbors are Latvia, Poland, Belarus, and Russia, and we border the Baltic Sea. It has one of the oldest languages in the world and the culture is very different from Mexico. Yeah. As every country, we have our things to solve with the politics and people are never happy but it’s our country and we love it!

Eglė: It’s a small, flat country with four seasons. It’s quite cold, and people can sometimes be grumpy. But it has a lot of clean water—you can drink straight from rivers and lakes.

Tell us about your bike trip. Where did you start, and where are you heading?

Liudvikas: I had many jobs. I was a yoga teacher, then moved into forestry, construction, ecological building, and woodworking. I made musical instruments, furniture—anything from wood. I worked as a freelancer. Eglė was an architect and co-owned an office with friends. When the babies were born, she left her profession. Now, we are traveling and creating videos, hoping to earn some income that way.

We started in Vancouver, Canada. We prepared for two months, bought tickets secretly, and just left. We sold most of our belongings to make it happen. The main goal was to spend time with our kids and experience something different.

Were you big cyclists before this trip?

Liudvikas: Not at all. In Lithuania, we only cycle for about six months of the year, and only three of those months have good weather. We used bikes for commuting but never for touring.

Eglė: We had to learn everything. That’s why we brought our bikes instead of buying them on the road—so we could test them.

How did the idea of such a big bike trip come about?

Liudvikas: I traveled a lot before, and we planned a trip before having kids, but then life changed. After a few years of routine, we decided to try it with kids. We love the outdoors—camping and spending time in nature—so biking felt like a good fit.

Did you get inspired by other families doing this?

Eglė: We tried to find families who had done it, but we couldn’t find any. We thought it was common, but when we asked around, most had only done short trips.

Tell us about your gear setup.

Liudvikas: I have a Surly Disc Trucker with multiple panniers and a baby seat. I also tow a trailer with both kids. Agle has a Trek Dual Sport with six bags and a cargo trailer for food, both bikes and trailers with Schwalbe Marathon tubes tires ( 2” and 2.25” ) with inner liner. She didn’t like the front-heavy setup, so she opted for a trailer. It helped balance the weight.

Eglė: We all sleep together in a large Marmot Tungsten 4P tent with a big mattress system made of square sleeping pads ( Big Agnes Divide Insulated -double + single-) held together by a fitted sheet. We have shared sleeping bags ( two Rab 700 Outpost and two Morrison Outdoors Big Mo for the kids ) and dress mostly wool.

How much water do you carry?

Liudvikas: about 13L.

Do you carry a water filter?

Liudvikas: yes.

Are you following a specific route?

Eglė: Not really. We stick to paved roads because we’re too heavy for bikepacking routes. We adjust based on conditions and avoid cities when possible. We tried to hit a little piece of the Baja Divide from Rosarito road station to Carambuche but we had to head back because it was too rough for us and the baby trailer.

Have you faced any dangerous or uncomfortable situations?

Eglė: Cycling through parts of California was tough—poor areas, many homeless people, and big jails. People assumed we were homeless, and finding places to sleep was difficult. Churches sometimes helped, but police told us it was too dangerous to camp.

What has been a highlight of your journey?

Liudvikas: The Warm Showers community. Everywhere we go, we find kind, generous people who understand us and offer help. We’ve made many friends through it.

Does it feel safe to ride on the highways with the babies?

Eglė: We feel quite visible on the road—we have bright colors, large flags, and we move slowly, which helps drivers notice us. However, there are still moments when it doesn’t feel completely safe.

That said, Mexico has been a pleasant surprise. The drivers here are very respectful, and we’ve actually been able to relax. We had expected it to be chaotic, but it turned out to be much better than we thought. In contrast, the U.S. was more challenging—some drivers there seemed to deliberately push cyclists off the road as if to make a statement that we didn’t belong. In places like Montana, people would honk and even show the middle finger.

Canada was better, but Mexico has been the most considerate. While we’ve had a few close encounters, we’ve never experienced hostility. Drivers here acknowledge us in their mirrors, give us space, and pass carefully. It’s a big relief compared to what we anticipated.

What’s your daily routine like?

Liudvikas: We wake up with the sun and take 2–3 hours to pack, eat, and play. We ride about 35–40 km a day, often timing it with the younger baby’s nap – yep, she’s the boss! – . It’s a very slow pace, but we know that pulling a heavy trailer up mountains is exhausting so we take it easy.

How do you entertain the kids?

Eglė: They don’t use electronics. In Canada, we showed them maps, but it only kept them entertained for a few minutes. Now, we give them occasional treats if we need to push a bit further. We also found that they like to sit on the bike baby seat outside the trailer so we try to alternate them as much as we can and Eglè now is getting a front baby seat too.

How do you manage diapers?

Eglė: Our youngest still uses them, but we try to minimize it by using a portable potty. Carrying dirty diapers is a hassle, so we avoid them when possible.

How do you fund your trip?

Eglė: We have donations from platforms where people support us. Lithuania also has good maternity benefits, so we get some financial support for our youngest. We’re exploring sponsorships but haven’t secured one yet.

Would you recommend this type of journey to other families?

Eglė: Yes!! but it took me four months to adjust. It’s valuable family time, but it’s also a test of teamwork.

Liudvikas: It’s a great way to bond. It teaches kids resilience, independence, and a connection to nature. If you’re not a good team before, you’ll find out quickly on a trip like this.

Give a great tip to a family that wants to take a bike trip like you guys.

Liudvikas: We had friends from Lituania that saw us struggling with the bike bags setup who decided to weld a custom rear rack that allows to carry both the baby on the seat AND the panniers. I think this is a great thing to consider having.

Is Patagonia your final destination, or do you plan to continue?

Eglė: Patagonia is the goal, but we don’t know what’s next. Plans change constantly.

Does traveling with kids make you more vulnerable?

Liudvikas: It seems that way, but kids actually protect us. People see them and are more likely to help rather than harm us.

Where can people follow your journey?

Eglė: Our YouTube channel, Minčė ( https://m.youtube.com/@minciafamily ), is in Lithuanian, but we plan to add translations. Our Instagram has content in both Lithuanian and English under our personal names: Eglė Žudonite ( https://www.instagram.com/eglezidonyte?igsh=MTRzbWZxMGd3cTZzNQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr ) and Ludvikas Cibas ( https://www.instagram.com/liudvikas_yoga?igsh=MXZlMmZ3N2d1dWQ3cA%3D%3D ).