Originally Posted by
Equinox
My friends want me to go on a week long cycling tour with tent camping at each destination. I'm an old guy, and aside from sleeping in a tent in the back yard as a kid, i've never been on a camping trip. What are the logistics of this. What size tent would I need for two people? I wouldn't expect extreme weather. Do you need fresh cycling clothes for each day? Are their laundry facilities on these things? From what I gather, I would say no. This tour provides food. What general supplies are useful? Explain this to me like you would explain it to a five year old. I know virtually nothing about this. LOL.
The problem is with your question, not the people who are trying to be helpful LOL.
Camping is a huge activity that a person can write books on. You need to narrow it down and ask more specific questions instead of expecting people to spend hours typing stuff that may or may not pertain to your situation.
What size tent for two people? Depends on the manufacturer but a good starting point is a 2 person tent. Makes sense, probably why they call them that. If you pick a specific tent someone may or may not be able to tell you how that particular one fits.
Do you need fresh clothes? Really, unless I'm missing something that is not a camping related question. You will ride a bicycle all day, perhaps socialize afterwards; how clean you appear and smell depends on your general hygiene standards. Do you wear fresh clothes every day normally?
If the question is related to laundry facilities and whether you would otherwise need 7 fresh sets for seven days that totally depends on where you are touring, hence the request for more specifics. Is there a laundry mat in Spuzzum BC, no. Is there one in Kamloops, yes.
If there are no laundry facilities some people (me at least) bring basically two sets of riding clothes and perhaps a relaxing around camp set. Wash the used riding set when getting to camp so they can dry overnight and the next day. You can wash clothes in streams, lakes, bathroom sinks and showers.
This minimizing is done because you have to haul everything you bring on your bike so weight/volume savings are desired. If it's a supported tour where a van is carrying your stuff, and they have no restrictions, take what ever you want. That goes for general supplies. You don't need someone to tell you to take a toothbrush or a book or a sun hat. Your tour provider should send their customers a list of items required.
Lastly, how can anyone explain things to you like you are a five year old? You aren't, and people don't tell five year old's how to camp. That would be a conversation beyond their capabilities. Five year old's depend on parents to do the planning and if an adult asks others the first thing most people will say is: Be more specific. You camping in the forest or the mountains or the desert; you camping in Canada or Mexico?