Well, its funny but my experience is the opposite, when I ask for directions to random pedestrians or drivers they will notice Im going by bicycle, then they will try to estimate the actual riding time for me and tell me my destination is soo far away that I should go by bus or something when the actual destination was only 2km away. These of course are the people who think bicycles are toys.

They're not!?

Wow, I just had to pop in and say that after the first day implementing this bungee version of the trick I can surely say that it is the best thing since sliced bread :)

humm, well err.. ok you got me, let me rephrase that... these people think a bicycle is ONLY a [silly] toy which is the only one those without a car (or suv) could afford play with. Does my point get trough now?

edit: grammar

Just thought I'd "bump" this post for the benefit of knoxg who might be looking for some good tips and tricks for his brochure. :)

Maybe if it became a sticky post we could collect even more tips and tricks.

Notice the tire saver!

If you plan on pitching a lot of tarps, go to a camping shop and get a few replacement sections of tentpole (the fancy aluminum kind). They're quite light, and It's much easier than finding sticks every time you try to pitch. If I'm bringing a tent, I bring 3 12" sections, and if I'm not I bring 6.

A u-lock makes an excellent peg hammer.

A shower cap makes an excellent rain cover for your saddle for overnight.

An upside down 2L pot covered with a fleece or a sarong makes a consistently shaped, high enough pillow. (I always had problems with a sore neck from making a pillow from whatever bunched up clothes I had available until I found this trick.)

In cold weather, a thin fleece balaclava can get you from miserable to cozy quite easily.

Great tip, thanks!.....as I don't like to sleep on pillows that are too cushie..... :)

A camelbak water bladder makes a perfect pillow. Just blow into the bite valve to inflate to desired thickness and lock the valve. You can leave it in the backpack or remove and wrap with clothes or a towel.

Telescoping trekking poles make great supports for a tarp when there may not be any convenient trees or branches.

A silk sleeping bag liner is very lightweight, adds a bit of extra insulation, and is very compact and lightweight. On warm nights you it may be all you need.

Many quick releases (seatpost or wheel) can be used as emergency tire levers when your plastic ones break.

Don't go crazy carrying spare parts and heavy tools. If you have a major repair job, have someone at home FedEx stuff to you or use overnight delivery from a mailorder place for any parts and tools unavailable locally.

You can make a pot cozy by cementing together pieces of a blue foam sleeping pad. Instead of wasting fuel simmering food like pasta, bring it to a boil then set the pot in the cozy so its completely contained within. The cozy will maintain the temperature and the food will cook as if you were simmering.

Nice tips. Re the cozies: I've found Relectex insulation easy to work with (for various sizes/shapes) and insulates well also.

Instead of regular old oatmeal (which I'm not too crazy about) try making savory oatmeal - just cook it the same way, but instead of adding honey/raisins/apples etc, just add a dash of dried chicken/vegetable stock, or a some crumbles of bouillon cube.

It ends up tasting like stove-top stuffing that was cooked too long.
Much more palatable for my tastes. (I'm not a sweet tooth except for chocolate)

sleep in a hammock with a tarp. among numerous other advantages, you can unzip you sleeping bag in the middle of the night and pee out the side straight onto the ground. expecially good when the ground is wet/muddy/snowy.

I just hope you take notice when you're stepping out barefoot, in the cold morning light!

that's the beauty. by morning it's all gone! absorbed into the ground! well, unless it freezes on some snow. that's not so great. also, be sure to jiggle aggressively before zipping up, esp. if you have a down bag.

Commute to work by bike to work out the kinks encountered by new equipment.

I don't know, Mr. Super Socks, I was always told that "If you shake more than twice you're playing with it..."

My other, super-secret tip:

Any piece of gear that's easily lost or forgotten, mark with reflective tape. Before you leave camp scan around with a headlamp or a blinky held near your eyes and it just jumps out at you.

I think that's an excellent idea ....


Who can create stickies around here? Koffee?? Anyone else???

Which brings up another very important tip - don't eat yellow snow!

Peneten cream, nice package, great for any diaper heat you might encounter. A bllion babies can't be wrong.

you don't have to sleep in a hammock to pee out the tent door, people!

And sleeping with a cooking pot as a pillow is inviting a bear to play paddycakes with your noggin mid-sleep.

You don't put food or cookstuff in your tent.

Bear, mice and other critters love those types of nocturnal challenges.

I get mine for a buck as well they come in yellow or blue - I buy 10 at a time - many many uses. I also carry a fair selection of electical ties and I wrap electical tape around one of my tubes. Also probably everyone carries a chain tools and extra pieces of chain and a quick link. My parnter has to have a tube of - pardon my language but "butt Butter". Swears by it - just need a good broken in saddle and the right shorts.

A couple of quick ones:

* Don't use bungee cords to secure stuff on your rear rack. Instead, use a bungee web. It's many times more versatile. You can always secure "one more thing" under it. Bungee webs are available from REI and other stores/websites. About eight bucks.

* When touring in out of the way places (which is just about everywhere on the TransAm), don't assume that the local bike shop has the item you need in stock, including common items. Call first. One shop I visited didn't have Halt! dog spray; another didn't have my tire tube! I wasted about twelve cycling miles to get to those places.

Fabulous idea, Machka! I wouldn't have thought of this.

BTW, men wear sarongs too, just differently.

If you want to learn how to tie one:
http://www.tropicalhulahut.com/pilot.asp?pg=video

:)

+1

Unless you are in New Zealand.

...AND you don't mind opossums roaming around your tent at night!

One thing I always bring with me if I am going to carry food is Pita bread. I do not have to worry about it getting squashed. Actually any flat bread if good.

If you find you are being too picky about camp sites, wait until you are too tierd or it is too dark and then you may not bee so picky.

Always hang your food in trees if there is the remotest possibilty of bears in the area, and especially if is raining. Animals tend to have a keener sense of smell when it rains.

Four tortillas also pack well.

A task which is not as easy as it sounds!!