First of all, I would like to thank everyone that helped with my previous post about touring in cold weather. I really appreciate the advice that I received, and I used quite a bit of it this trip.
The suggestion of a candle lantern, was probably some of the best information that I received. I used it in the aid of setting up my tent, reading the local paper, and it did provide quite a bit of heat in the tent.
I used a wool hat to get my ears warmed up, and it got me back to sleep during the night.
Going to bed on a full stomach on a hot meal, helped out wonderfully to get me to sleep.
The temperature ended up getting down to 30*F. So without the wonderful suggestions I previously received, I would have been miserable, cold, and probably discouraged in camping in cold weather.
Thanks again for the help in making this trip a enjoyable one.

glad to hear it went fine and that you got a candle lantern. They are one of those things that never really wear out so you'll have it forever. The light is nice isnt it, and its great it did its job of warming the tent a bit. I really like it for taking the damp cold edge off the inside of a tent if its been cool and raining.
How was the riding part of your trip?

Can you give us some more info as to which pieces of advice you followed and what your kit ended up looking like?

glad you went and did it! The cold, its not so bad if you're ready for it.


*reminding self not to forget candle lantern on next trip*

Which candle lantern did you end up using?

Aaron

As far as the trip went, it was was overall a good trip. The road I took had shoulders, which I am not used to. On the way up to goldthwaite, a cold front was blowing in so I rode up there in head winds. 18-27 mph headwinds are less than desirable. I averaged 7.7 mph on my speed. The ride back was a whole different ball game. I burned it out in 1 hour 33 minutes, with a average speed of 13.6 mph. No tail winds, just it was cold out side, the high got up to 52*.
As far as gear, I have a Kelty Grand Mesa2 tent, a Coleman sleeping bag 40*, a Field and Stream 1.5" air cell sleeping pad, a fleece blanket that I used as a pillow. I did use the candle lantern to warm up the place a bit.

@wahoonc The candle lantern that I used is a Coleman Northstar Candle Lantern.Coleman Lantern

Thanks! I haven't seen that one. I have one of the older style Sierra lanterns. It is similar to the current UCO.

Aaron

Never saw those Candle Lanterns I'm going to have to add that to the xmas list ... Thanks for the tour review... and after taking the dog on her walk at 26F with a much colder wind chill here I can't say I'd want to ride and sleep in 30 but then I'm not riding and sleeping in it either. Off to my warm bed, its a one dog night for sure...

Mike

Originally Posted by mthayer
@wahoonc The candle lantern that I used is a Coleman Northstar Candle Lantern.Coleman Lantern
Thanks! I haven't seen that one. I have one of the older style Sierra lanterns. It is similar to the current UCO.

ya, mine is a UCO one, link at Mountain Equipment Coop:

https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...34374302697119

whats handy is that it telescopes smaller, and if you look at the MEC site and type in candlelantern, you can see that you can get replacement springs, glass too. (I broke the glass once) so its not a throwaway item and is pretty small. Supposedly can burn for 9 hours.

mtheyer, jeepers you had a bugger of a headwind...thats tough in summer. At least it didnt shift direction for the ride home! but boy 12 km/h....ouch.

The ride up there was miserable. The wind was terrible, but the temperature dropped from 72*F to 54*F in those 3 hours of riding. That had to be worse part of the trip, I ended up stopping and putting clothes on to keep warm riding.

One thing that I did that made the trip better was taking and warming up water on the stove for a towel bath. Just the simplest things you really do not think about make a trip so much more pleasant. I bought some hot cocoa mix, and had that in the morning, while I was boiling water for the oatmeal.

I am definitely learning more and more little tricks, the do's and don'ts, and ways to keep myself in good spirits while touring. I love doing overnight trips, especially to little towns I have never been to before. One thing that I need to learn how to do is to stealth camp. I need to get the courage up and just do it.

Ohhh, and I need to take pictures.

Cool that you have a good time in the cold. If you want an emergency radio on the go, you can always choose something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Observer-wind-...780363&sr=8-34

They wind up and don't need batteries.

By the way, do you oil up your derailleurs after a cold trip like that if you were in the snow?

DJB - Thayer said 12 M P H Not kph. It is slow but the best you can do in those conditions.

Dear Mr Frog,

"18-27 mph headwinds are less than desirable. I averaged 7.7 mph on my speed"

7mph=about 12kph

As a Canadian over forty, I have no problem with mixing mph and kph, in fact reaching 100mph or 150mph for the first time were memorable moments. I follow motorsport a lot and am used to both...however with biking (cycling) the mph speeds are so much lower that I find I have to calculate mph into kph to compare it to my experiences on bike

no matter how you slice it, 7.7mph or 12kph average is a slog, in the cold too....I'll take a climb over that.

It's hard in Texas, where there's no public land. I've had very good luck in/near cemeteries, behind VFW halls and Volunteer Fire Department buildings. Churches are an option, but I've never been near one when it was time to pick a spot for the night.

Get in late and leave early. Watch out for greenbriar and poison oak/ivy. Avoid rest areas, dead-end gravel roads where kids might go drink and fool around and climbing fences. Don't unpack more than you need to bed down and sleep.

Be prepared to lose some sleep to nervousness the first night or two. Know that it gets easier as you (successfully) do it more.

All good advice!

I am a supporting member of our VFD which quite often gets me a place to camp as well as kitchen privileges and showers at similar departments all over the place. I used a lot of cemeteries on my trans am tour back in the late 70's. Currently I look for non posted timberland and get far enough off the road I cannot be seen, I use a neutral colored tent and tarp. Late in early out.

Aaron

what I am concerned about is stealthing it in a city. I am more concerned with the possibility of the police in the middle of the night. If I was going for a more long distance tour, I would not be as concerned bout sneaking into the brush. Another problem is that I like to sleep in while camping.

I havent had to do it that many times, but once it wasnt ideal, with a car stopping nearby in the night which was unnerving. Times that were fine were in isolated areas and therefore relaxing, but I sure wouldnt do it in a populated area, especially not a city. Police would be one thing, but I d be more worried about unscrupulous visitors....

I need to just get out and do it. I'm probably making more out of it than it really is. I am planning on making another trip possibly this weekend, or mext. I need to find a new destination with something to interest me in to visit. The winter touring is not bad at all.

dumb question maybe, but seeing as we just got our first dump of snow (32 cm or about a foot) , dont you have to worry about snow or do you not get any down there?

not sure about llano, tx, but snow is pretty unusual around here.

Last year we had snow flurries 5 times last year which was a lot. One time it was actually cold enough to accumulate, about a 1/2 inch worth. We have more problems with freezing rain.

which would probably be more of a female dog to ride in/on than snow!

mthayer, I camped in Copper Breaks SP last June and had a very nice time. You might also consider the rail-trail up near Quitaque and Caprock Canyons SP as destinations, too.

@ djb, I have rode in some freezing rain before, and it definitely was not fun. This past summer we had a tropical storm, Hermine, blow through where I live. That was not fun riding through it, 30+ mph winds, rain that stung when it hit you, but I was hungry and I didnt feel like starting my truck (diesel that doesnt like to start after it sits for a week, or if its cold out).
@ truman I had a friend that did the rail-trail up there and he said it was nice, but there was a part that had a bunch of the burrs that ate up their tires and tubes. It sounded like a cool trip to take. I will have to keep Copper Breaks in mind when I make it up to north Texas.