Originally Posted by
slowjoe66
Getting ready for my first bike tour in September, I went on a little overnighter-mini tour last weekend. I found some areas where my gear was really lacking.
1)The MSR dromedary bag I brought for extra water between available watering spots, and cooking uses got thrown away. It had been stored too many years and even though I cleaned it thoroughly, it made all the water taste foul-like drinking through a garden hose nasty times 10. Any ideas?.
I use a Platypus water container. It rolls up to nothing but holds about a liter and a half(?) Together with my water bottles, I'm good.
Originally Posted by
slowjoe66
2)I need to bring a hotpad for cooking-obvious.
I don't seem to need one. I have an MSR mess kit (two pans and a lid) with a little handle/grabber. It works fine. I would use a folded bandana if I needed a hotpad.
Originally Posted by
slowjoe66
3)I need some sort of scrubby thing to wash my pot and pan and plates with.
4)A plate or bowl would be worth the weight. I chose to not bring one to save space and weight figuring to eat right out of the pan I cooked in.
I just use a yellow sponge with the green scrubber on one side. That and CampSuds go in my mess kit when I stow it. It works great. I also like to carry a plate. My wife likes the thing plastic ones with raised dividers. They weigh almost nothing. I have an old plastic (Melmac?) one I like. It's a little heavier, but I use it as a cutting board. The thin, divided ones wouldn't work for that.
Originally Posted by
slowjoe66
5)I need to get a camp/pack towel. I saw these in the camping section of the sports store but they looked cheesy. I brought a dish towel sized towel from home for my shower and such-it was severely lacking. Does anybody have any experience with those "camp towels"?
No. I just go to the towel pile in the closet and find the smallest, thinnest (lightest) one that's big enough to get me fairly dry after a shower. It's smaller, lighter, and dries quicker than a more plush bath-size towel.
Originally Posted by
slowjoe66
6)The "camp soap" I bought was a joke. It really didn't work. I had to use a half a bottle to get a lather up in the shower. At that rate for cleanup and showers I would need to bring a pint of the stuff. Ideas?
Go to the travel-size section of any drug store (most supermarkets have them also) and buy a travel-size bottle of shampoo. For soap I always save all the bars of soap from motels (or have your friends who are staying in motels grab you some.) One of those will last for several showers.
Originally Posted by
slowjoe66
7)I need to bring some sort of a pillow. I just can't sleep well with a wad of disheveled dirty cycling clothes under my head. Experience anyone?
I have the same problem. I bring along a fleece vest, partly because it's warm and comfortable, but also because it folds up into a decent pillow. I fold up my towel for the first layer, and put the folded fleece on top of that. I used to wad up all my clothes and put them in a stuff sack, but it was always lumpy, and varied from night to night, depending on what I put in, what went first, etc. I'm thinking about buying a Thermarest pillow. I tried a stuff-able pillow on my first tour, years ago (I don't remember what brand - it wasn't Thermarest - something I found in the Campmor catalog). At the time I decided it was a waste of money, but looking back I think it was because I thought it had to "stand alone". Now I think I would look for something that would make a soft, cushiony top layer, and put that on top of some folded clothes or a towel.
Originally Posted by
slowjoe66
8)And last but not least, cold drinks are nice. It was upper 90's up there and all I had to drink at the end of a hard day was lukewarm, nasty tasting water. The nearest store that sold beverages was 7 miles away-a 14 mile round trip just for some cold beverage that would be warm by the time I got it to camp. God bless my wife for driving up the 45 miles to bring me some cold beverage on ice on my night camping. I will have to be sure to get something at my last stop on tour before the campground. A hot sweaty biker needs refreshment!
I hear you. If you're 7 miles away from a store, I think you're out of luck. Water will have to do, or add some powdered drink mix if you want something sweet. If there's a store handy, though, go treat yourself! If you want more cold beverages later you can improvise an "ice chest" like so: 1) Buy a bag of ice and your cold beverages. 2) Go back to your campsite and dig a hole. 3) Line the hole with the plastic shopping bag (not necessary, but things get colder if surrounded by ice water instead of just ice.) 4) Fill the hole with your beverage and cover with the ice. The ice will be melted by morning (probably by sometime in the night) but you'll have cold beverages for a few hours - worth the price of the ice, don't you think?
Originally Posted by
slowjoe66
9)And finally, my rear wheel was found "not tough enough". I blew a spoke on the way home. Ironically I had a fiberfix on order but just hadn't received it yet. The mechanic at the LBS told me he could build me a bulletproof rear wheel for about $150. Then maybe I would need to beef up the front if I ever used front panniers...even more $$. I am really considering shelling out the jack for a trailer for my tours and not worry about going with "bulletproof" wheels. I am intrigued with the Burley Nomad and I am busy searching out the threads here to see how people like them. !
I've gone through this same progression. I had my LBS build me a "bulletproof" wheel. It never failed. However, after a few tours, I was worried, and I had bought a BOB trailer. I wanted to try it, so I brought it on my last tour. I didn't like it. My last tour was very mountainous, with some significant passes. The weight of the trailer wasn't worth it, in my estimation. I'm going back to just using my "bulletproof" wheels (which I will have my mechanic tune before each tour) and panniers. I bring kevlar emergency spokes and a spoke wrench. If I start breaking a bunch of spokes, I'll have the wheel rebuilt.
I've never broken a spoke on a front wheel, and I believe it's rare. Your front wheel should be good, but it doesn't have to be as strong as the back. I wouldn't use less than 36 spokes in the back for carrying a load, but I think 32 in the front is fine. I carry plenty of weight in the front, but it doesn't compare to my own 205 lbs. over the back, plus the panniers, plus the tent, plus the sleeping bag.