Most people keep guides on what they bring for multi-day rides. Here's mine.

As for the bike, if you're using a traditional road bike, you'll want to minimize your carry weight. it sounds like you're planning on doing that anyways, which is great. Look into frame bags from Revelate Designs, Oveja Negra, or Blackrock Gear. These bags have "soft mounting" systems that don't need any racks or hardware, so they're lightweight and they keep the bike's handling intact. The capacity is very limited, but if you're using lightweight gear, it should be more than enough. I can even camp in winter with just the soft-rack systems.

Here's my soft-rack loading system.

If your road bike has rack mounts, two simple panniers should be enough capacity for an 8-day trip.

A dollar bill works as a tire boot. A spare cable is rarely necessary unless you expect to be away from shops, which in California seems unlikely. A chain tool, I definitely recommend carrying.


I would also recommend looking into some touring tires. Something like 28c Continental Gatorskins would fit your road bike (asumedly, unless it's really aero) and would minimize your flats dramatically compared to conventional lightweight tires.

On Camping:

Finding a quiet place to camp is usually as simple as looking at Google Maps and seeing where there's a collection of trees. if you show up at dark and then leave at first light, you won't bother anyone and nobody is likely to complain. Use your best judgement.

I find that locking the bike's wheel to the frame and laying it directly next to my tent, or even tying it to the tent, means that it can't get stolen without me waking up. But honestly, if you pick a good quiet spot, your odds of being robbed in non-urban areas are low. Scout out your route ahead of time so that you're in areas with wilderness near the end of each day. The borders of graveyards, golf courses, state parks, and schools often have thick tree cover and "no-man's land" or land that is undeveloped and un-surveillanced.