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I just investigated the PCT method and after finally figuring it out with the help of some little diagrams of my own it seems pretty effective. My only concern is that most cycle campers have to hang both front panniers since after a while they both reek of food. I find that hauling a set of full fronts up over a branch creates so much friction that I usually either break the branch, fray the rope or cause blisters to appear on my tender hands! My method is heavier, uses two ropes which have to be tied to something and yes, a smart bear might figure out the key ........ but here it is for whatever it is worth: attach a small mountaineering pulley to one end of a length of accesorry cord. Attach a biner to the end of the second cord. If your pulley isn't heavy enough place it in a little drawstring bag with a rock. Throw this over a branch and lower the pulley end to the ground. Place second cord through the pulley and holding the free end, raise the pulley up to the branch. Tie off the pulley cord. Feed the biner through the loops of the panniers and hook it to the cord. Pull the free end up until the bags reach the pulley. Tie off second cord. Hope I explained that well enough. It's actually easy. I've stowed 4 loaded front panniers this way.

I carry a bundle of zip ties on any tour for any number of reasons but they can be useful in securing panniers to racks and 'locking' snap buckles if you are nervous or riding too close to 'civilisation'.

They will foil any opportunistic thefts just remember to keep your pocket knife 'key' in your pocket instead of the panniers.

Tyvek for ground cover under tent, cover for bike at night, tire liner, inside the front of your shirt on chilly mornings.
Duct tape and zip ties for everything else....

Just bought a roll for my siding project - will experiment- it's quite light too - good tip. Just think of the ensemble you could generate using Tyvek, duct tape AND the zip ties! Quite the fashion statement.

You could make quite a statement! Or you could use the Tyvek and Duct Tape to make a very large envelope to slide the bike in at night and not worry about the wind uncovering the bike. Dry from above and below......

If your tent poles won't fit inside your bags and you decide to strap them to your rack, I'd advise sewing some loops (similar to the top of some panniers) on your tent pole bag and then threading your rope or bunjee cord through the loops as well. This will stop the poles from wiggling out from under your rope and getting lost along the way.
Also, a thick rubber band (like those from broccoli and lobster) around the opening end will also give you a little more security in the tent pole area while on the bike.

Tyvek tarp
 

Tyvek bike envelope here!!! you'll have to scroll down quite a bit, but here it is.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journ..._id=30086&v=4y

Tyvek
 

We might all learn something from Joy Santee's Tyvek on CGOAB. Go here: Tyvek

I haven't tried it yet, but now I'm interested. She also mentioned the cooking in a freezer bag, neat stuff. My two cents, John

If you are allergic to bee stings or are tired of bugs flying into the vents of your helmet try hot gluing some window screen mesh over them. It still allows air flow without the insect problem.

LOCKING UP YOUR BIKE _____________________________________________


I heard a good tip recently when you are camping out in a public campground.

using a cable lock, thread this through your bikes frame, the other end through the straps on your helmet. Put the helmet inside your tent and shut the zippers around it. This way it acts as a anchor for your bike. If any one trys to move it you will wake up.

Drink your urine to replenish lost salts and electrolites!

lovely I think I might give this tip a miss until there's no water on earth.

As well you should. I was taught that drinking urine when you're dehydrated (and why else do it?) is counter-productive. At least, the poster should have included some documentation along with this particular "tip."

Drinking one's urine to avoid dehydration (as in, "I'm out of water, thirsty, and I'm going to die if I don't drink something so I'm going to drink plenty of urine") is a quick route to some serious kidney problems....and it won't help your dehydration. In fact it will make it worse because your body will use more of its limited water to flush out the increased concentration of waste that you've put back into your body. All reputable survival training courses agree on this point, although some asian medical practices suggest drinking a small amount every day to avoid various illnesses. Me? I'll stick to my morning coffee, thanks.

This also applies to drinking sea water if you're in a survival situation in the ocean, but I suppose that's pretty rare while on tour...

Sam

I never said stop drinking water as well! Sheeeesh! Here's one link, your in for some new ideas:http://www.biomedx.com/urine/

Walk your bike a bit during the course of a long, touring day.

I had walked my LOADED touring bike up a few of the steep hills in eastern KY and VA. (Why doesn't anyone else ever admit to this?) Although I did it because I was simply tired, I found that after walking, my muscles and body simply felt better.

Walking for while (whether on hills or the flats) makes you use your muscles differently than riding, allowing them to be stretched and soothed a bit. Plus, you get the pressure off of your butt and Mr. Happy for a while.

One way to rest is to stop and sit a while. Another is to simply walk; but you're still moving, still expending calories, and really helping your body to continue the ride.

David in PA (FL)

I'll admit it...

"Hi, my name's Paul, and I walk my bike from time to time on long days"

Oh, so you're a walkoholic! :lol:

Are you on the 12-step program? 12 steps does not seem like enough to counter the rigours of bike touring!

This only applies to the women on the forum, but I'd like to recommend using a mooncup or menstrual cup while touring, if not all the time. I am the first to admit I was very sceptical but after finally getting up the courage to try one I am totally converted.

You can wear it for hours at a time, it's much easier to clean and less messy than you'd think, never leaks, there's no risk of TSS so you can wear it ahead of time if you think "the painters" are about to arrive, takes up almost no room compared with carrying boxes around and you don't have to worry about what to do with the garbage if you're camping. Not to mention the fact it's cheaper than buying supplies every month. I wouldn't leave it at home now -- a real godsend if you are keen on 'wild' travel in remote places, where you don't want to leave a trail of garbage behind you and may not always be near shops for supplies.

I found walking to be good also but found it much more enjoyable without the bike in the middle of the day. It's just so ackward to walk with a bike. Maybe it is just me but when I have to walk my bike up a hill, I'm still tired, just in two different muscle groups instead of one. So I really, really try not to get off the bike.

I'm ALL in favor of walking!!! :D On my tour in Australia I walked everything in sight! There was one day where we covered just over 90 kms in total, and I calculated that I walked about 15 kms of it!!

On brevets, it's actually recommended to get off the bicycle and walk for a while if you feel tired/sleepy, rather than lying down for a short nap. You do use your muscles differently and can stretch things out.

To get to the best stealthy bed-down sites, ya gotta walk a bit.

Hello,

On past tours, I rode many perfectly straight roads located several light years from nowhere that had almost no traffic. I could see many miles in either direction. On these roads, cars would of course approach me from behind. Because the road was straight with no stops, no other traffic, and no buildings or turnouts of any kind, I always assumed that the drivers of these cars are probably somewhat zoned out. They don't really have to concentrate, as all they have to do is keep the car pointed straight. Plus, in high-heat, things ahead of them may kind of waver or appear out of focus as the heat bears down from the sun and drifts up from the roadway.

Are they paying attention enough to truly see me in the road after being "relaxed" for such a long period of time? Worse, are they also babbling on the cell phone, oblivious to little else along their journey?

To help them along and also protect myself, I literally signal to them that I AM HERE, up ahead of them. To do this, I simply arc far out into the road and back to the shoulder, and then repeat the process. My movement almost surely catches their eye, and I feel a bit safer.

David in PA (now in FL)

keep some rope in the bottom of one of your bags and tie a large NUT Bolt to it to help flip it over a branch to hang your food add'd bonus the Nut and rope make a good weapon too

Hello,

Here's a suggestion that I think could possibly save you expensive repairs later. If you're on a very long tour, go to a LBS occasionaly, and have them measure your chain to determine if it has stretched. If they discover that to be true, replace it immediately. Although a stretched chain could work just fine, generally, for a while, it will eventually damage your chainrings and/or rear cluster. That's exactly what happened to me, and I had to replace the chainrings and rear cluster about 800 miles later.

David in PA (now in Florida)