Originally Posted by
sloar
I like to rough it, I leave a lot of unnecessary comforts at home. I’ll choke
down instant coffee, one pair of non bike shoes, and very few non riding clothes. No pillow or
chair. I do like to have my Kindle and my phone with earbuds. I always have my desert boonie cover I wore in the Marines while deployed to Somalia.
We sound somewhat alike, except for the coffee thing.
Cutting down on non-riding clothes can really help with bulk and weight. When I got back into loaded touring after a 9 year break, I first carried a lot more of that stuff than I did during my 3 long trips in 1999-2000. I remember going to Montana in 2011 with a couple of short sleeve tees, a long sleeve tee and a bulky fleece. I’ve pretty much cut it down to a pair of convertible pants, one synthetic tee, a light, long sleeve pullover, one pair of light, synthetic long Johns, a light pair of off-bike shoes, one pair of warm socks and a wool cap if it might get chilly, and two pairs of underwear. If I won’t be going out anywhere, I’ll often leave the pants legs at home as I can wear the shorts over the long Johns. Not worried about making a fashion statement. All of that stuff plus my sleeping bag fits in my right, rear Ortlieb Back Packer Plus with plenty of room to spare if I have to carry food.
Love my Kindle Fire. Got tired a burning through headlamp batteries reading at night, and it’s less bulk and sometimes weight. (Try carrying For Whom the Bell Tolls around the mountains of Southern Spain.) The battery lasts a long time, it recharges quickly and I can add a new book if I get Wi-Fi access on the road.