You are welcome. I am actually medium experienced, having not done any real expeditions over a 2 to 3 week period. There are folks around here with much more experience. I have, however, done a lot of backpacking and toured the world with a backpack on foot and by rail-plane-bus.

Initially one wants to carry everything but when one realizes that an 8 oz electric shaver has to be schlepped for a week on your back you rethink it and get a plastic disposable razor instead. It´s a process of elimination and experience. Just get going and do your best to have fun. Follow what others have done before on the journals, and learn from your mistakes.

Whether you take 30 lbs or 40lbs on your trip won´t make a hill of beans of a difference on a 1 week trip unless you are climbing all day. I think it is silly for people to put off touring until they can afford 2,000 dollars worth of equipment when they can be having fun all along with a 500 dollar used bike and a kayak bag like you have until they can save the dough for a dream set up. In Panama where I work sometimes, people ¨tour¨ with a milk crate on the back of a rickety rack and a 250 dollar mass produced Chinese-made mountain bike. And they love it!