Touring - What unnecessary comfort do you bring on tour with you?

Just curious about this. I was packing for my trip along the GAP and C&O on Thursday and had whittled down my gear from my last tour. I dropped a lot of clothes, but the one thing I can't give up is my netbook. Yeah it weights 5 pounds and takes up space but since I suffer from insomnia it helps to keep my from going crazy if I wake up in the middle of the woods at 2am and can't get back to sleep.

Just curious what other people bring along that they know is completely unnecessary but they wouldn't travel without.

All things are completely unnecessary except of money, passport, flight ticket and bike. I carry 40 kg unnecessary suff with me :) First aid kit, tools and spare parts are things that I even don't like to use on tour :(

I carried about 30 pounds of stuff on my last tour and most of it wasn't necessary. A few of the unnecessary items were:
Second set of bike clothes
Camera
Cellphone
Palm sized internet tablet (N800 7 ounces)
iPod Shuffle full of audio books
Cooking gear
Pillow
Crocs

I carried about 30 pounds of stuff on my last tour and most of it wasn't necessary. A few of the unnecessary items were:
Second set of bike clothes



I'm sure those that rode behind and downwind of you wouldn't see this one as unnecessary :D

The two biggest unnecessary things I bring are photo equipment (including tripod) and hiking shoes, although I'd be flotting in the sea if it weren't for the shoes. I could say the bike shoes are the unnecessary items. Photography is equally, if not more important than biking for me so I wouldn't travel without it.

A small laptop, at least on propose.

As a fairly new tourer I always find I have unnecessary stuff. Every ride I reduce the stuff down.

All my comforts that I pack are necessary or else I wouldn't bring them

I carry a couple of pounds of beads - along with needles and thread and such - in my panniers. But I'm a bead artist and that is what I do - so it is worth it to me! You can see my beadwork here: www.familyonbikes.org/beads

Depends on if you want to define a necessity more broadly or more narrowly.

Narrowly almost everything is unnecessary as Johny states above.

More broadly, I'm with VT Speed, anything that you determine you need for your tour is a necessity. Multi-tool gives me peace of mind, even though I may not even use it (hopefully). Necessity. Camera is a necessity, because I am not going to tour and see all these neat things without recording the images to show people later. Laptop, for under a week tour I can do without and just write a journal when I get home. But if your laptop keeps you from going crazy while you have insomnia, I'd classify that as a necessity.

It's only unnecessary if you don't use it;) I've used everything I carry at least once on all of my tours. That includes the overly stocked toolkit that I carry in my Camelbak. On my last trip, I even needed the spoke wrench to tweak a wheel that I foolishly built but didn't ride before touring:o

All my comforts that I pack are necessary or else I wouldn't bring them

+1

But if we're talking luxuries here, over the years I've discovered I can tour without these items, but I prefer to tour with them:

1) Three inflatable pillows, rather than just one or none

2) Wool socks, the heavy and warm kind, not the little-bitty cycling socks

I like to be warm and comfortable when I sleep!! If I have a bad night's sleep, I'll have a rough day cycling the next day.


BTW - instead of a laptop on a tour, Rowan and I have used his pocketmail. It's a whole lot smaller and lighter!! We can type emails at any time of the day, and "mail" them whenever we get to a phone. If I want to type a journal, I can email the daily stories to myself to post on my website later using the pocketmail as well.

And if I want to access the internet to check BF or whatever, I can do that at a library along the way.

In the lines of luxury: a small hip flask full of Single Malt Scotch. It's not a necessity, and the timing has to be just right. But on every tour, I've had at least one "perfect" night for it, usually by an open fire by a lake or river. I've finished a good meal, then have a cup of strong black tea with honey and a sip of Scotch. It never tastes better.

--J

...Single Malt Scotch. It's not a necessity...

not so a bad choice :) Sometimes even necessary...

+1 on the Scotch.
and maybe a cigar.

I carry a small Thermarest pillow. It's so much more comfortable than wadded up clothes in a stuff sack, and it weighs little.

The other thing is coffee, a one-cup coffee funnel, filters, and a plastic travel mug. Sure, I could probably wait until I got on the road in the morning to stop and get a cup of coffee, but I wouldn't be as contented if I couldn't brew myself a cup whenever I want.

a small pair of good binoculars and a bird book...

I carry a small Thermarest pillow. It's so much more comfortable than wadded up clothes in a stuff sack, and it weighs little..

I've been battling with this one... I bought a new sleeping bag which came with a free present... a blow-uppable travel pillow which is so horribly comfortable that I'll take it with me next tour... gonna miss that aching neck in the mornings ;)

My candle lantern, it seems so soothing to read by or just have it on in my campsite at night.

I always bring five juggling balls with me. Doesn't help me out while cycling but it's a great way for me to clear my mind and pass the night away.

I always bring a whole set of books, usually three or four. Ive always been a bookworm, and even though they are heavy as can be, I always carry them, usually some novel, some nonfiction science book or something, and some sort of nature manual like edible plants or tree guide or something like that. Backpacking too, I even carried them in Iraq and Afghanistan when I was in the army and people made fun of me for it.

To be honest, I barely take any luxuries at all with me. I took a netbook on my last tour, but that was so I could do work on the train to and from the start.

Hmm, I'm seriously trying to think of anything unnecessary I bring... occasionally a thin book. Coffee bags maybe. I bring a compact camera, but I wouldn't call that a luxury.

Oh...I guess the Exped Downmat 7 is a luxury, because I could definitely get by with a foam mat. But god dang it's comfortable :)

I always bring five juggling balls with me.

Kudos if you can juggle 5. Never got there myself. Plateaued at a shakey 4 ball shower and a few 5 ball multiplex patterns.

I've always wanted a guitar with me but it's too bulky and heavy. I'm thinking of taking up the mandolin.

I carried about 30 pounds of stuff on my last tour and most of it wasn't necessary. A few of the unnecessary items were:
Second set of bike clothes
Camera
Cellphone
Palm sized internet tablet (N800 7 ounces)
iPod Shuffle full of audio books
Cooking gear
Pillow
Crocs


I haven't toured since the early Sony Walkman era, but I consider my I-pod (or Walkman) a necessity and don't leave home without it. :lol: Pretty much the same for cell phone, and less the camera.

I've always wanted a guitar with me but it's too bulky and heavy. I'm thinking of taking up the mandolin.

I bought a BOB trailer for touring just so I could bring my ukulele. A ukulele is tuned exactly like the first four strings of a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret. (so, all the chord forms are the same, a D chord on the guitar is a G chord on the uke so it's an easy transition for guitar players) A soprano uke is 20 inches long and in a soft gig bag, easily fits inside the Bob drybag if anybody was curious.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/Boondockflyfish/Lehua_Soprano.jpg

That's a pretty uke. I've been playing ukelele occasionally since I was a kid. That's a good idea, but I'm more intrigued by the mandolin at this point. How easily can one adjust to an instrument tuned in fifths?

Real flatware.
I like to eat with proper utensils, not flimsy plastic.

That's a pretty uke. I've been playing ukelele occasionally since I was a kid. That's a good idea, but I'm more intrigued by the mandolin at this point. How easily can one adjust to an instrument tuned in fifths?

You can tune a mandolin an octave above the top four strings of a guitar (d,g,b,e)

Check here for alternative mandolin tunings and string gauges:
http://www.mandolin-player.com/instruments/mandolin/tunings.html

the 'alto guitar' and 'renaissance guitar' tunings look interesting aswell as the hawaiian mandolin tuning

You can tune a mandolin an octave above the top four strings of a guitar (d,g,b,e)

Check here for alternative mandolin tunings and string gauges:
http://www.mandolin-player.com/instruments/mandolin/tunings.html

the 'alto guitar' and 'renaissance guitar' tunings look interesting aswell as the hawaiian mandolin tuning

Although you can do so, if you play guitar all the rest of the time, most people I have met that play both, tell me they get used to the differences between instruments fairly quickly. Alternate tunings also make it difficult to learn music specifically designed for the instrument in question.

I think my unnecessary comfort is my siberian husky. I trained him up for our first overnight tour this year, though circumstances have kept us from doing it. He's great company on my longer rides and I miss him when he's not happily jogging along beside me. It's worth the extra effort of a pound or so dog food and extra water. :)

I carry WAY more stuff than is neccessary. It's a bit sad but hey, it's my funeral. Current weighty and needless items: camera equipment including tripod, gameboy color and cartridges (what can I say, I'll always be a child), too many books, laptop, more socks then I pribably need.

gameboy color and cartridges

Wow thats a new one. I've never seen anyone carry one of those on tour.

my shortwave radio.

Sometimes a Very Low Frequency receiver circuit if I'm going to be far away from the electrical grid and want to listen to and record the sounds that space makes :)

Books. I'll bring one on an overnight, and have brought two on longer trips.

Heavy wool socks, even on a summer tour. Also three sets of them.

A travel pillow.

Wow thats a new one. I've never seen anyone carry one of those on tour.
Haha! Well, we've been on the road for a month with two more ahead of us and it's my most portable music platform.

Now that I think about it, we carry way too many books. We currently have around 11 or 12 books with us - a mobile library! Luckily, we're two so we can spread the weight.

Haha! Well, we've been on the road for a month with two more ahead of us and it's my most portable music platform.

Now that I think about it, we carry way too many books. We currently have around 11 or 12 books with us - a mobile library! Luckily, we're two so we can spread the weight.
That's why I like audio books. A dozen audio books weigh exactly nothing if you are taking the device to play them any way. On my last tour I took enough books to last for a couple months in my Ipod Shuffle which weighs less than an ounce. The charger I found on line somewhere also weighs about an ounce.

Since my employer supplied me with a Blackberry. The phone, audio books, GPS, and palm sized WiFi tablet have all been replaced with one device. Also it will charge from the one ounce charger mentioned above. I can download new ones along the way although it is extremely slow unless I find a WiFi connection rather than use the cell connection.

Books are pretty heavy. Do you travel somewhere you can't buy books along the way? On the TA we used paper books, but used the free book swaps we found along the way, traded books between us, mailed books home, and bought books along the way.

For music, I either sing or play music in my head.

I've always wanted a guitar with me but it's too bulky and heavy. I'm thinking of taking up the mandolin.

I would always carry one of these back when I was a backpacking instructor. They sound quite good, they're just quiet. I even fell on mine once. It got a good crack in the body, but sounds just the same. They are under $200 and come with a decent soft case.
http://www.playbetterbluegrass.com/images_products/4461_large.jpg

Books are pretty heavy. Do you travel somewhere you can't buy books along the way? On the TA we used paper books, but used the free book swaps we found along the way, traded books between us, mailed books home, and bought books along the way.



When I toured Australia, I stayed in one area for about 5 days, so I picked up a book at a used book places, and then sold it back to the place and got the next one ... and went through 3 books, I believe, in those 5 days that way.

If I wanted books with me and was on the move, I'd do the same thing, only I'd sell it back to the next shop up the road.

Interesting to read what people think is luxurious- pillows, music players, books. Many of us would no sooner leave without those than w/o a bike.

For me the kitchen kit is indispensable. I carry a good knife, a couple of large nesting pots, flexible cutting board, coffee kit, and never, ever, worry or complain about the weight and volume of it nor the fresh veggies and fruit I carry. I generally cook most (90%) of my touring meals, it's worth it to me.

>When I toured Australia, I stayed in one area for about 5 days, so I picked up a book at a used book places, and then sold it back to the place and got the next one ... and went through 3 books, I believe, in those 5 days that way.

"Book exchanges" are starting to become common in youth hostels around the world - thank dutch frugality for that one :) I only used them a couple of times, but you find some pretty interesting, if rather kooky, books in them...

I haven't been on a solo unsupported tour (yet) but I've taken my Amazon Kindle along on three week-long supported group tours. With the wireless turned off it will last a week easily without recharging. It's nice to have essentially unlimited reading materials along in a nice lightweight package. And if you're not totally out in the boonies you can download more books and periodicals from wherever you are without needing to hook up to a computer.

Hiking shoes, inflatable sleeping pad, i-pod, one book.

Hiking shoes take up a lot of space, but I very much enjoyed being able to slip into non-cycling shoes and comfortably hike around the areas I camped at. Plus, they're waterproof - perfect for rainy days at camp. The sleeping pad I was up in the air on, felt kinda wussy about it, but after two weeks on the road - I was very happy I brought one. There were some very rough gravel tentpads at a few of the campgrounds, and it was nice to not worry so much about roots sticking up, etc. I-pod - meh, coulda left it at home. Same with the book.

For those considering a mandolin, ukulele or some form of (miniaturized?) guitar...

My instrument of choice is a double bass, but I wouldn't bring one on tour. I'd bring a harmonica.

If you're primarily a picker, I think a mandolin is the best of those options; it has good range and enough oomph that you can actually use it in a jam session if you run into another player. All the other not-quite-a-guitar options, especially a ukulele tuned like a guitar, are just too anemic for my taste.

If you're primarily a singer, and you really need something to strum while you sing, then a ukulele (tuned like a ukulele) may be a decent option; it's loud enough and rhythmic enough to do the job, but you'll still miss the bass.

Then again, if you're primarily a singer, I'd suggest the bike tour is a good time to practice singing without strumming.

I carry a small soft sided 6 pack size cooler. Fill it up with ice at a service station during the day and maybe before finding a camp site in the evening! It's great having a cold drink instead of lukewarm.It rides fine on top of my front rack.

For those considering a mandolin, ukulele or some form of (miniaturized?) guitar...

My instrument of choice is a double bass, but I wouldn't bring one on tour. I'd bring a harmonica.

If you're primarily a picker, I think a mandolin is the best of those options; it has good range and enough oomph that you can actually use it in a jam session if you run into another player. All the other not-quite-a-guitar options, especially a ukulele tuned like a guitar, are just too anemic for my taste.

If you're primarily a singer, and you really need something to strum while you sing, then a ukulele (tuned like a ukulele) may be a decent option; it's loud enough and rhythmic enough to do the job, but you'll still miss the bass.

Then again, if you're primarily a singer, I'd suggest the bike tour is a good time to practice singing without strumming.


The standard tuning of a ukulele is the same as a guitar. There is no special guitar tunings for ukulele.

My instrument of choice is a double bass, but I wouldn't bring one on tour.I mentioned this earlier in a related thread: I used to play the piano. I have a grand piano, so it does have wheels though... :D

--J

I have brought a folding chair on tour and once brought telemark skis and ski boots to hang out in the snow for a couple days, that was a hoot of a tour!

bike and ski (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMknRyKYLUE)


-but my comforts usually consist of some thin and thoughtful book, a small pocket radio with weatherband, and a sink stopper for doing laundry.

Hiking shoes, inflatable sleeping pad, i-pod, one book.
The sleeping pad I was up in the air on, felt kinda wussy about it, but after two weeks on the road - I was very happy I brought one. There were some very rough gravel tentpads at a few of the campgrounds, and it was nice to not worry so much about roots sticking up, etc.

Amazing, you really considered camping without a sleeping mat at all? Is the grass really that soft? Me, I use an exped downmat. The biggest downside is I get so lazy about my tent sites now - this weekend I camped literally on the road (or rail trail) both nights. Because you can.

I cant go without my small camping Pillow. I also carry a soft sided 6 pack esky in the summer.You have to carry water so you carry it as ice and you can have cold drinks and keep things cold at the same time. Some nice thick socks to wear in bed in the wintertime. Like Machka if I have a lousy sleep I do not have a good day the next day. Stevage I would like to just camp sans tent but I always get worried about spiders getting me (My major phobia)

Book(s), camera and gorrilapod, and an iPod. Pad and paper for taking journal notes (most the day's mileage) or writing directions.