Camping Technique
04-08-19 | 07:42 AM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,909
Likes: 1,241
From: Montreal Canada
Tim,
Wanted to add that the generally shared values of helpfulness and exploring and discussing of all things bike on this forum is the reason I like coming here, not to mention the silly banter that goes on between the regulars.
I have learned so much here, and would like to think that I have helped others--helping and sharing has always been a priority for me, and I would hope that that comes across to others from my interactions with folks here.
I forget sometimes that some people don't come on here regularly and are not familiar with me or my often bad sense of humour, and I clearly didnt express myself properly.
on topic, like Lee, I finally figured out that putting my gloves, bandana, sunglasses and bike computer carefully in my helmet ALWAYS was the best way to avoid the wasted time of "where is this, where is that" in the morning....
not to mention always putting the same pannier in the same spot on my tent floor, helps with a sleepy morning head for not trying to find something
I would add again, all common sense stuff.
Wanted to add that the generally shared values of helpfulness and exploring and discussing of all things bike on this forum is the reason I like coming here, not to mention the silly banter that goes on between the regulars.
I have learned so much here, and would like to think that I have helped others--helping and sharing has always been a priority for me, and I would hope that that comes across to others from my interactions with folks here.
I forget sometimes that some people don't come on here regularly and are not familiar with me or my often bad sense of humour, and I clearly didnt express myself properly.
on topic, like Lee, I finally figured out that putting my gloves, bandana, sunglasses and bike computer carefully in my helmet ALWAYS was the best way to avoid the wasted time of "where is this, where is that" in the morning....
not to mention always putting the same pannier in the same spot on my tent floor, helps with a sleepy morning head for not trying to find something
I would add again, all common sense stuff.
04-08-19 | 11:25 AM
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 105
From: Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Bikes: 2017 Salsa Carbon Mukluk frame built with XT, 2018 Kona Rove NRB build with Sram Apex 1,2008 Salsa El Mariachi, 1986 Centurion Ironman
I'm interested in hearing about technique in general from experienced bikepackers.
My specific interest is efficient setup in the evening and teardown in the morning. One challenge has been too much time spent packing up in the morning with a myriad of stuff sacks, dirty tent stakes, filtering water for the day and where did that darn bag with toothbrush go?
Obvious things like not putting items needed first all the way at the bottom of a saddle bag are learned early. I've also learned to pack the tent, rain fly and footprint into the stuff sack oriented so that the end to be staked out first is deployed first.
What else? Cooking efficiently? Filtration - as soon as you arrive or later? Drying out clothes? Packing saddle and bar bags when there is no place to lean the bike - remove the bags from the bike?
Anything at all to make things more time efficient would be helpful and I'd be open to suggestions about technique in general from experienced bikepackers.
-Tim-
My specific interest is efficient setup in the evening and teardown in the morning. One challenge has been too much time spent packing up in the morning with a myriad of stuff sacks, dirty tent stakes, filtering water for the day and where did that darn bag with toothbrush go?
Obvious things like not putting items needed first all the way at the bottom of a saddle bag are learned early. I've also learned to pack the tent, rain fly and footprint into the stuff sack oriented so that the end to be staked out first is deployed first.
What else? Cooking efficiently? Filtration - as soon as you arrive or later? Drying out clothes? Packing saddle and bar bags when there is no place to lean the bike - remove the bags from the bike?
Anything at all to make things more time efficient would be helpful and I'd be open to suggestions about technique in general from experienced bikepackers.
-Tim-
From scores of canoe trips, packing in waterproof stuff bags has become my habit, and that has carried over to cycle touring (and it's why I'm fine with panniers that are not waterproof). I have specific bags for specific things. What I keep together makes sense, and I discovered that over time by paying attention to what wanted to be in the same bags (I know, seems like an odd way of putting it, but "figuring it out" in advance didn't seem to work). I also keep specific things out of bags and handy.
So, there's a process for how I do everything and there's a place for where everything goes, and the latter of those two really created its own kind of sense over time. If I consistently couldn't get something "right," or if I kept leaving something out or putting it in the wrong place, it meant I hadn't listened closely enough to where it needed to be put or how it fit into the process. Once process and place were established, I continued to follow it, and that's been very helpful. Short story, figure out through trial and error what works for you and then STICK WITH IT. The key, to me, is not what "makes sense," but "what works."
__________________
Don't complain about the weather and cower in fear. It's all good weather. Just different.
Don't complain about the weather and cower in fear. It's all good weather. Just different.
Last edited by revcp; 04-08-19 at 12:21 PM.
04-08-19 | 10:58 PM
#28
Mad bike riding scientist
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 29,148
Likes: 6,205
From: Denver, CO
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
I'm interested in hearing about technique in general from experienced bikepackers.
My specific interest is efficient setup in the evening and teardown in the morning. One challenge has been too much time spent packing up in the morning with a myriad of stuff sacks, dirty tent stakes, filtering water for the day and where did that darn bag with toothbrush go?
Obvious things like not putting items needed first all the way at the bottom of a saddle bag are learned early. I've also learned to pack the tent, rain fly and footprint into the stuff sack oriented so that the end to be staked out first is deployed first.
My specific interest is efficient setup in the evening and teardown in the morning. One challenge has been too much time spent packing up in the morning with a myriad of stuff sacks, dirty tent stakes, filtering water for the day and where did that darn bag with toothbrush go?
Obvious things like not putting items needed first all the way at the bottom of a saddle bag are learned early. I've also learned to pack the tent, rain fly and footprint into the stuff sack oriented so that the end to be staked out first is deployed first.
The order I use with the tent is to roll the foot print, tent, fly and then the poles from the end away from the door. I don’t worry about staking it done immediately as the tent is freestanding and I may want to move it before deciding the final location. I generally set up the tent and my sleeping arrangements before anything else.
What else? Cooking efficiently? Filtration - as soon as you arrive or later? Drying out clothes? Packing saddle and bar bags when there is no place to lean the bike - remove the bags from the bike?
In the mornings, I eat cold so that I don’t have to wash dishes before packing up. I have a cup of coffee with a couple of breakfast bars.
I use a Revelate Design harness for the front so the tent and sleeping bag stuffed in their own bags and then strapped on to the harness. If I don’t have anything to lean the bike against, I just hold the bike up as best I can. Taking the bags off, stuffing them, and then trying to put them on the bike is more awkward than stuffing equipment into the bags.
Good luck. You’ll work it out eventually.
__________________
Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
04-10-19 | 05:19 PM
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,082
Likes: 391
My tip of the day, assume that the local raccoons have mastered how to open an Ortlieb bag without needing to unclip the straps. Last week the damn things were able to unroll my pannier and get into my freeze dried spaghetti meal, made a mess of everything.
Oh, and always try to camp near a picnic table so you can lay out and organize all your stuff that's coated with freeze dried marinara powder going back into your panniers in the morning.
Oh, and always try to camp near a picnic table so you can lay out and organize all your stuff that's coated with freeze dried marinara powder going back into your panniers in the morning.
04-10-19 | 07:54 PM
#32
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,909
Likes: 1,241
From: Montreal Canada
My tip of the day, assume that the local raccoons have mastered how to open an Ortlieb bag without needing to unclip the straps. Last week the damn things were able to unroll my pannier and get into my freeze dried spaghetti meal, made a mess of everything.
Oh, and always try to camp near a picnic table so you can lay out and organize all your stuff that's coated with freeze dried marinara powder going back into your panniers in the morning.
Oh, and always try to camp near a picnic table so you can lay out and organize all your stuff that's coated with freeze dried marinara powder going back into your panniers in the morning.
little buggers (well, not so little)
04-10-19 | 08:03 PM
#33
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,909
Likes: 1,241
From: Montreal Canada
and Tim, hope you are still reading.
for a bunch of years now, I use a couple of colour coded net bags that are very light, to keep smaller clothing items in and to stop the migration and being hard to find, socks or whatever.
Keep socks, underwear in a yellow bag
warm stuff, neckup, gloves, whatever in a blue one.
my civvie clothes are usually at the bottom of my clothes pannier, my extra riding kit , shorts, jersey, on top of civvies,
small dark stuff has a bad habit of getting lost in or under other stuff, so these separate bags really helped keeping track of stuff, and in the case of my "keep warm" stuff, its nice to just be able to reach in, grab the "blue" bag and get whatever if needed.
I even use these bags for my commuting, especially handy for the warm stuff as I ride in all kinds of temps, down to -10c or more, so not wasting time is nice if I need some overmitts or different mitt liners or whatever.
Handy too for keeping my wallet, cell phone, seat rain cover, glasses case etc in a yellow bag, again for saving time and not rooting around searching.
for a bunch of years now, I use a couple of colour coded net bags that are very light, to keep smaller clothing items in and to stop the migration and being hard to find, socks or whatever.
Keep socks, underwear in a yellow bag
warm stuff, neckup, gloves, whatever in a blue one.
my civvie clothes are usually at the bottom of my clothes pannier, my extra riding kit , shorts, jersey, on top of civvies,
small dark stuff has a bad habit of getting lost in or under other stuff, so these separate bags really helped keeping track of stuff, and in the case of my "keep warm" stuff, its nice to just be able to reach in, grab the "blue" bag and get whatever if needed.
I even use these bags for my commuting, especially handy for the warm stuff as I ride in all kinds of temps, down to -10c or more, so not wasting time is nice if I need some overmitts or different mitt liners or whatever.
Handy too for keeping my wallet, cell phone, seat rain cover, glasses case etc in a yellow bag, again for saving time and not rooting around searching.
04-11-19 | 09:25 AM
#34
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 9,685
Likes: 2,603
From: northern Deep South
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Sounds like you were lucky! After all, they didn't gnaw or claw their way THROUGH the bags.
04-11-19 | 10:24 AM
#35
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 45,196
Likes: 23,367
I mentioned this once before, but a few years ago one started to run away with one of my Ortlieb's even though it was empty. I was in NJ bear country and had put all my attractants in a bathroom. Best I can figure is that a very aromatic everything bagel I had carried to camp left a lingering smell. Fortunately, I hadn't fallen asleep yet and was able to get out of my tent and chase him off. I put the pannier in the bathroom with my other stuff.
04-11-19 | 12:59 PM
#37
Occam's Rotor
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,248
Likes: 2,334
A good way to get a family of raccoons, or bears, to keep you company in the tent.
04-13-19 | 04:03 AM
#39
aka Timi
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,601
Likes: 320
From: Gothenburg, Sweden
Bikes: Bianchi Lupo & Bianchi Volpe Disc: touring. Bianchi Volpe: commuting
I can really enjoy packing slowly in the morning, especially if the sun is beginning to warm me. It's the opposite of my work as a live-sound engineer where fast, effective, setting up and tearing down of gear is what we do.
If it's cold or raining, I get into "work-mode". Guess that puts me in the "compulsive perfectionist" and "slob" camps!
If it's cold or raining, I get into "work-mode". Guess that puts me in the "compulsive perfectionist" and "slob" camps!
04-13-19 | 05:58 AM
#40
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 105
From: Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Bikes: 2017 Salsa Carbon Mukluk frame built with XT, 2018 Kona Rove NRB build with Sram Apex 1,2008 Salsa El Mariachi, 1986 Centurion Ironman
I can really enjoy packing slowly in the morning, especially if the sun is beginning to warm me. It's the opposite of my work as a live-sound engineer where fast, effective, setting up and tearing down of gear is what we do.
If it's cold or raining, I get into "work-mode". Guess that puts me in the "compulsive perfectionist" and "slob" camps!
If it's cold or raining, I get into "work-mode". Guess that puts me in the "compulsive perfectionist" and "slob" camps!
04-13-19 | 06:11 AM
#41
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,909
Likes: 1,241
From: Montreal Canada
I'm more laid back, and generally slow in the morning, so developing a better system to get my stuff organized helps, but I still prefer a relaxed pace of waking, eating, hitting the can, packing up--but within reason of course time wise.
Other people wake up, chew on some dry food and are out and ready to go in 30 mins, and maybe even ride all day until dark---but thats fine, to me the most important thing is to find a rhythm that works for you, as you say rev, in camp or on the road.
04-13-19 | 04:55 PM
#42
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 5,126
Likes: 1,324
From: Left Coast, Canada
04-13-19 | 05:54 PM
#43
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 105
From: Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Bikes: 2017 Salsa Carbon Mukluk frame built with XT, 2018 Kona Rove NRB build with Sram Apex 1,2008 Salsa El Mariachi, 1986 Centurion Ironman
04-13-19 | 07:05 PM
#44
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 2,515
From: Orange County, California
Bikes: Yes
I've always looked at bike camping the same as backpacking camping; consider it an 'extended rest stop', and only bring out what you need for that extended overnight stop.
I also like to minimize cooking - a cold meal with a hot drink is all I need in the evening. Cold meals can be cheese and crackers with fruit, salami slices, small cans of fruit, hard vegetables (carrots, onions, bell peppers) . . . the list is endless. I do stay away from those cook-in-the-bag freeze-dried meals - too spicy and loaded with about a month's worth of salt. If I'm on the road I usually stop at a restaurant and get a good hot meal at lunchtime. Sometimes its also nice to just start riding in the morning and have a hot meal at a restaurant after 10-20 miles.
FWIW: I'm pretty much a dedicated credit card tourist these days.
I also like to minimize cooking - a cold meal with a hot drink is all I need in the evening. Cold meals can be cheese and crackers with fruit, salami slices, small cans of fruit, hard vegetables (carrots, onions, bell peppers) . . . the list is endless. I do stay away from those cook-in-the-bag freeze-dried meals - too spicy and loaded with about a month's worth of salt. If I'm on the road I usually stop at a restaurant and get a good hot meal at lunchtime. Sometimes its also nice to just start riding in the morning and have a hot meal at a restaurant after 10-20 miles.
FWIW: I'm pretty much a dedicated credit card tourist these days.
04-14-19 | 03:02 PM
#45
Banned
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
Did my years in the boy scouts in the 50's with Korean war surplus camping gear ,
backpacking in the California Sierras .. so when I finished my 4 years in the Navy and GI bill college
by the late 80s the camping gear tech was so much lighter..
combining that with my map reading skills And bike mechanics, I just had to go see other countries ..
.....
backpacking in the California Sierras .. so when I finished my 4 years in the Navy and GI bill college
by the late 80s the camping gear tech was so much lighter..
combining that with my map reading skills And bike mechanics, I just had to go see other countries ..
.....
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