A Different Way of Looking at Things



Last March and April I wrote a couple of entries about some of our planning ideas and our chance encounter with “Clem” with his apparent lack of concern about planning a tour. One of the rules that we formulated was:

           Lesson number 2: We don’t work for NASA and this isn’t a trip to the moon. Keep it simple.

We got that one right!

After 20 days on the road covering 1,000+ miles, we have come to realize that there is no absolute right or wrong way to bicycle tour. We probably carried too much equipment and clothes. We did use most everything that was packed except the espresso maker. Unnecessary items can be mailed home. You don’t have to be a strict minimalist to have a successful trip, just be ready to pedal a little harder. A combination of camping and motels worked well for us. A combination of camp cooked meals and diners (heavy on the diner side) was our successful strategy. Where we slept or ate was more a factor of what was available when we were tired or hungry. 

After reading ride journals on the Adventure Cycling website (www.adventurecycling.org) and Crazy Guy on a Bike website (www.crazyguyonabike.com), I believe that our equipment list was pretty ordinary. A good quality tent is important. Brian carried a Kelty model and I had an REI tent. Both withstood a tremendous thunderstorm that blew in off ofLake Erie. Light weight sleeping bags and Thermarest pads completed our houses.

We each carried a single burner camp stove. Brian had a MSR stove and I had a Coleman stove. Having two stoves was probably overkill, but it did allow us to cook slightly more elaborate meals and have everything done at the same time. We used a small MSR nesting cook set with two pots and a lid. We also had a small titanium tea pot. A fork, knife, spoon (made of lexan) and plate completed the kitchen. I forgot to pack a plate but corrected this error at a general store. We also had insulated, covered plastic mugs for our coffee. Coffee was brewed using spoon like devices that had filter material on two sides. Stirring the coffee filled spoons in the mug produced a reasonably good cup of coffee in about five minutes. It is our opinion that coffee is not a luxury.



Brian was responsible for putting together the medical kit and I was responsible for the mechanical kit. Fortunately neither of us was sick or hurt on the trip, so I don’t know exactly what he brought. I brought sufficient tools to cope with common problems. These included spooks, spoke wrenches, cassette remover, cone wrenches and grease, chain tool and lube, hex wrenches and of course, duct tape. We each carried tubes and tire levers for our tires. 

I was carrying the Topeak Morph pump. I highly recommend this piece of equipment for everyday use. It has a T shaped handle, a foot peg, and pressure gauge in the hose. It works like a mini floor pump.

We carried our toiletries and prescriptions (old guys always have prescriptions). I carried something called camp suds which is a bio-degradable soap that can be used for clothes, dishes, and sweaty old bodies. We each carried a pack towel. This is a light weight towel that is like a chamois made out of a man-made fabric. These work well and dry quickly, although they leave you slightly damp. Brian said it was sort of like using the blow driers in public restrooms.

Brian and I would each make some changes in our equipment on future trips. The stuff that we thought would work, did work. It’s not rocket science.

 

Wes

Posted: Sun - January 9, 2005 at 10:55 AM      

©