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.

10 Wheels

What tour are you talking about?

10 Wheels

My First camping trip with friends. they loaned me the panniers, tent, sleeping bag.

https://www.bikeforums.net/texas/5248...e-city-tx.html

Equinox

This tour transports your gear to the next destination. There is an optional tent set up service(extra charge), but I think the group sets up their own site.
I think these tours are generally the same as far as logistics are concerned. My friends do many of them and the procedure is mostly the same from tour-to-tour.

10 Wheels

What tour are you talking about?

Where and when?

Equinox

Great pictures but I think my trip would be a lot easier because it's totally supported.

alan s 

Get an inflatable pad such as a Thermarest. And an inflatable pillow such as an Exped. And bring ear plugs. Those three things are essential for me to get a good night's rest.

Equinox

Great. Now we're talking. Foam pad is no good?

Equinox

I get the feeling you would be a wealth of information. Is a 2-person tent good for two people? How do you deal with cycling clothes? It's a summer tour in a temperate climate,Around 300-350miles in six days, so regular clothing won't be much of a problem. How do you deal with the shower truck? Do you bring your toiletries in one of those plastic baskets? Do you bring your own towel? Do you bring a clothes line?

10 Wheels

Borrow a friend's tent. Set it up in your backyard and try it for one night.

Some riders do Not Like Tents.

I have tent camped 44 nights.

Machka 

This is the Golden Triangle tour, held in Alberta each May. I've done it twice.

Golden Triangle - Sat, May 21 2016, Sun, May 22 2016, Mon, May 23 2016

When you register, they send you a package of what to bring. Have you received your package yet from the tour you're doing?

Nevertheless, the basics are:

-- a tent. If you're going with 2 people and going to share, get one that is for 2-3 people so you've got room to breathe. But get one that packs down small and is fairly light. These tours often have weight limits on the sagged luggage

-- an inflatable mat like a Thermarest or even something thicker. Foam is not good. You won't mind foam on Day 1 ... but by Day 2 you'll be regretting that decision. The thing is, you want a comfortable night's sleep.

-- a down sleeping bag

-- a decent pillow set-up.

-- something along the lines of a sarong. When I camp, I'm often warm, so I sleep on top of my sleeping bag, on top of my mattress, with my sarong over me like a sheet. But I can also use it as a pillow cover or a dress when I'm doing laundry.


You don't need to change clothes every day. You can even wear your cycling gear a couple days in a row ... just air it out overnight, don't bunch it into a corner. For a week, I'd bring something to wear while sleeping, something to wear around camp after the ride, and a couple pair of cycling shorts and jerseys.

I don't know if there will be laundry available ... that info should be in your tour package.

Toiletries in ziplock
Yes, of course you absolutely must travel with your own towel Have you not read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy?
No ... I use the tent cords

10 Wheels

Here is a Test for you:

Borrow a friends tent.

Ride 60 miles, come home set up the tent and sleep in it.

Get up the next morning and ride another 60 miles.

Report back how you feel.

Equinox

I'm truthfully not worried about that aspect. I'm concerned more along the lines of what to bring.

Equinox

Did you not read the title of my thread?LOL

10 Wheels

You will Learn what you need.

Equinox

That's why I'm asking you. I'd like to shorten my learning curve and take advantage of your expertise.

Machka 

Yes ... that's why I gave you a list of helpful advice.

10 Wheels

We all have differnet needs for sleeping.

You have to determine What you need.

I use a fan to remove the moisture build up.



PLEASE DO A TEST NIGHT IN A TENT.

1Mule

LOL! Some folks make ya wanna ~~~>>

mstateglfr 

Not sure why there are so many poor responses to your questions.

1- a 3 person tent is good for 2 people. Or a 4 person tent is even better.
I say this because the gear will be carried by truck, so you can use a bigger tent without the pain of having to carry it.
A 2 person tent is cozy to say the least. 2 people can fit, but they will typically be very cramped.

2- Contact the company about clothes washing. You can just wash clothing and hang dry in the evening if needed.

3- i use clean clothing each day. Salt, stink, and sweat is no appealing to me.

4- sleeping bag, sleep pad, maybe inflatable pillow if you want one.

5- bring tools and clothing for the day with you on the bike.

6- pack clothes in gallon ziploc bags then toss wm in your duffel bag. It keeps everything dry and easy to access. It keeps the funk away from the clean too.

Cyclist0094

From one old guy to another...

As mentioned in previous posts you want a 3-4 person tent. Definitely bring a ground pad for your sleeping bag

For a week long trip you probably will not have access to laundry facilities. But you will very likely have running water to rinse out your cycling bottoms,top and socks each night. For a week I typically will take 2 changes of cycling clothes, A causal shirt and a pair of convertible nylon hiking pants/shorts for off the bike and when the bugs are out. I also bring a pair of light shoes for off the bike. If the weather is cool and you aren't riding too hard you could get a couple days out of a riding outfit. That may be dependent on who is in the tent with you.

Bring the usual personal toiletries just enough for the week. Keep a couple wipes on you while riding just in case nature suddenly calls in a remote location. The tour operator will/should have first aid supplies but I always keep a small roll of bandage tape and a few pain reliever pills in my on-bike kit. Any rescue meds such as inhalers bring doubles. 1 to keep in the support vehicle and 1 to keep with you. Make sure your companions and the tour operator know if you use rescue meds.

If you are providing your own bike it is always a good idea to have your own spare tubes,frame pump and a tire change tool in case you have a problem if separated from the group. Also a good idea to have a cheap poncho in your on-bike kit in case it rains or you get cold and need a wind break.

spinnaker

Forget the sleeping pad unless you have used one before.

They will carry your gear so you might as well take along a regular air mattress like you might use for guests at home. Coleman has a battery operated pump to inflate.

https://www.campmor.com/c/intex-twin...mattress-68757


A compromise would be something like this
https://www.campmor.com/c/eureka-sin...e-sleeping-pad

I purchase the Campmour brand and don't think I paid near that.


It is what I use when hauling my own gear.


Bring a flashlight. I also bring a small radio to get the local broadcasts.

I agree with the above. Change of off bike clothes and shoes. Bring along some TP on the ride. Space blanket is a good insurance policy should the sag wagon can't find you and in the event of a break down. Space blankets weigh next to nothing.

Equinox

Thank you. I'm surprised too.

Will Wheeler

"What size tent would I need for two people? I wouldn't expect extreme weather."

As others have mentioned: A roomy two-person, or a three-person tent. If you're unsure about the whole camping aspect and don't want to spend a lot of money on a tent, a Chinese tent bought from Amazon or on ebay will most likely do just fine. I use one of them myself and it's actually not that bad. It's a "TrackMan" two-person with openings on both sides. Plenty of room for me and my gear

"Do you need fresh cycling clothes for each day?"

It depends on how sweaty you get and how picky you are. I always bring an extra set of shirt and shorts with me and wash the dirty set in a drybag after each daily ride, whenever it's possible. That goes for my body too (not in a drybag of course).

"What general supplies are useful?"

I would also bring an alcohol stove and a little pot for boiling water, if you like a coffee or a meal now and then, on your own terms. For walking around in town or for general evening wear I bring a pair of polyester pants of some kind, a thin long armed polyester shirt and a pair of nylon/lycra sports undies. Everything here is quick drying in case something needs a wash. I am in a colder climate so I also bring a thin down jacket for the chilly evenings. A pair of plastic slippers is a very nice to have for walking around in. A is something you should use if you care about your sleeping bag. When it comes to socks I don't care to wash them at all. I buy a pack and throw them away as they get smelly.

Happy Feet

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?