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Lightweight to Iceland
I decided to challenge myself this year with a ride around Iceland. Route 1 is 850 miles long and I'm taking a 3 week vacation to ride it all. So, given my addiction to all things gear related my first step was to consider the changes I'd have to make to my usual summer touring gear. Well Iceland is wet and windy, so I have beefed up rain gear and I'm taking an insulated jacket as it can get down to freezing some nights even in summer.
For those interested here is the revised gear list Tent, Tarptent Contrail (strapped under saddle, weight 1.5lbs) NELSON LONGFLAP SADDLEBAG (weight 14.0lbs) Hudson River Sleeping Quilt with wings Thermarest Neo Air, Sleeping Pad mini Trangia Stove Antigravity gear solo cook set 8 oz Denatured Alcohol Ti Spork Pot holder BIC Lighter 50' Cord Exofficio Convertible Long Pants Marmot Minimalist rain pants SmartWool Long Underwear Andiamo padded cycling Underwear SmartWool Mid-weight Long Sleeve T-Shirt Smartwool Socks Gloves Rain Booties Insulated Primaloft Jacket SmartWool Balaclava DEET Multitool Leatherman, Juice 2 x Kevlar Spokes 2 x inner tubes Pump Patch Kit Tire boots 2x Powerlink Brake cable Gear cable Misc Nuts and Bolts 4x AA batteries Plastic Bags Duct tape First Aid kit Sewing kit Petzl headlamp ORTLIEB HANDLEBAR BAG (weight 5lbs) Marmot Mica Rain Jacket Razors Sunscreen Butt Buttr Lip balm Microfiber Towel Shampoo Toothpaste and Brush Dental Floss Comb Bike Cable Lock Wallet Guide book pen iPhone and cable Hypermac-mini battery, and cable Plug adapter small FM radio and ear buds CLOTHERS WORN, NOT INCLUDED IN WEIGHT Padded Underpants Smartwool Long Sleeve zip T-Shirt Cycling Knickers Socks Cycling Shoes Cycling cap Bandana For emergency food I carry couscous and stock cubes in my cook set and honey, quick oats and teabags in a canister in my third bottle cage. Food I buy daily is carried in the Ortlieb, or if it is bulky the flap on the saddlebag can be extended to carry loaves of bread or cans of beer. |
have a great trip nun, how do you manage to pack all that gear into the smallest of bags.
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Just when I think I'm getting a good start on a lightweight kit, I read something like this and realize how far I have to go.
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That setup looks great. With no panniers you won't be as susceptible to cross- and headwinds. Your tent however will get pushed to its limits. Most campsites have a layer of sod, but underneath the sod it's all rock. Tarptent's stakes may break. I'd recommend some thin ti stakes that can weasel their way through the tough rock without breaking.
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Originally Posted by niknak
(Post 12260407)
That setup looks great. With no panniers you won't be as susceptible to cross- and headwinds. Your tent however will get pushed to its limits. Most campsites have a layer of sod, but underneath the sod it's all rock. Tarptent's stakes may break. I'd recommend some thin ti stakes that can weasel their way through the tough rock without breaking.
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I'm surprised you will be able to purchase food every day, but you've scoped out the route.
I would worry about the availability of alcohol for the stove and would carry a litre but I understand the alcohol burners are very efficient. I didn't see rain pants to wear with the rainjacket. These garments would also be effective in cold wind. You are a lightweight packer while I am a heavyweight. I take a freestanding tent that will withstand a gale. Sounds like a pretty exotic trip. You will really be on the road less travelled. Enjoy |
Given Iceland is surrounded by the Northern North Atlantic Ocean,
I'd say Don't skimp on the rain gear, You may be wearing it Daily for 3 weeks . Like I did on the western Irish Coast. +1 on picking a strong Tent, One you can Put up in a Gale, (ie 30+ knot winds) Hoop tents , that are not freestanding which can be but together flat on the ground Way better than one that you have to try to put the fly on separately and Last. |
Originally Posted by skilsaw
(Post 12261292)
I'm surprised you will be able to purchase food every day, but you've scoped out the route.
I would worry about the availability of alcohol for the stove and would carry a litre but I understand the alcohol burners are very efficient. I didn't see rain pants to wear with the rainjacket. These garments would also be effective in cold wind. You are a lightweight packer while I am a heavyweight. I take a freestanding tent that will withstand a gale. Sounds like a pretty exotic trip. You will really be on the road less travelled. Enjoy I have full rain gear that is seam taped; Mica Jacket, Minimalist Rain pants, booties. My tent is single walled and Tarptents are often criticized for not being good in the wind. However, that's mostly because people don't pitch them right, although I am a bit concerned about pegging it down in the shallow Icelandic soil. |
In Norway I often had to camp on stoney ground. I used large boulders and parachord to hold down my Hilleberg Akto.
North Atlantic storms can be fierce any time of year but are more common after mid sept. There are times I thought the Akto would blow away but it held up OK. Good luck with your tarp tent. |
Originally Posted by skilsaw
(Post 12261292)
I would worry about the availability of alcohol for the stove and would carry a litre
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Originally Posted by MichaelW
(Post 12262004)
In Norway I often had to camp on stoney ground. I used large boulders and parachord to hold down my Hilleberg Akto.
North Atlantic storms can be fierce any time of year but are more common after mid sept. There are times I thought the Akto would blow away but it held up OK. Good luck with your tarp tent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V3gKohpfCY |
You'll most likely be fine with your tarp tent. My hiking buddy used his TT Moment in some CRAZY winds when we were backpacking in the sierras once, and it held up just fine. Picking a place for the tent is important though, find a natural wind-break before setting up
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You shouldn't really have any trouble with your tent around here, as long as it's waterproof... Buying food along the way is easy, along the Ring Road (Highway 1). There are towns every 100 km or so - or closer - and service stations scattered all around the place.
Just make sure your waterproofs are up to it, otherwise you will get wet, cold and miserable. If there is anything you need to know, just drop me a line. Magnus Thor Iceland |
1 Attachment(s)
Originally Posted by Magnus Thor
(Post 12263583)
You shouldn't really have any trouble with your tent around here, as long as it's waterproof... Buying food along the way is easy, along the Ring Road (Highway 1). There are towns every 100 km or so - or closer - and service stations scattered all around the place.
Just make sure your waterproofs are up to it, otherwise you will get wet, cold and miserable. If there is anything you need to know, just drop me a line. Magnus Thor Iceland One thing I've realize is "th" as in "Thor" is written with a letter that looks a bit like a "p". Here is my planned route, do you see any problems? http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...,22.807617&z=6 and here's the bike. I put some 700x35c Schwalbe Duremes on it as it will mostly be tarmac, but they'll be a bit of off road too. The cannister in the third bottle cage carries instant oatmeal, honey and 16 tea bags. I've found a brand that are quite strong and as I like my tea quite weak I find I can get 4 cups out of a single bag....so that's 64 cups. I should be ok. I also have couscous and stock cubes packed inside my cookset and a couple of packets of noodle soup in a saddlebag side pocket. The Ortlieb up front is half empty so I can easily carry food I buy along the way. http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=190993 |
Originally Posted by skyzo
(Post 12263045)
Picking a place for the tent is important though, find a natural wind-break before setting up
After watching your Tarptent test video, Nun, it looks like you've rigged your tent well to withstand a good storm. Can't wait to read a report after your trip! |
Nun, that is a very impressive and well-planned setup. You're very inspiring to some of us heavier weight packers. Thanks for posting the informative videos and the packing list/weight info. If I didn't have three tents already I would definitely consider one of the tarptents.
Anyway, enjoy your adventure and be safe out there. |
Nun, I was talking with a bicyclist from Iceland who was in the shop recently picking up some road tires and I asked him about cycling the ring road. He mentioned something about people knowing the times when the truck travel is heaviest around the road?
There may be some local conventions as to when the truck travel is heaviest. You might want to ask around about this once you get there. Have a great time, i've got some UL camping to be done outside of Paris this year if all goes according to plan. |
Originally Posted by Bekologist
(Post 12266860)
Nun, I was talking with a bicyclist from Iceland who was in the shop recently picking up some road tires and I asked him about cycling the ring road. He mentioned something about people knowing the times when the truck travel is heaviest around the road?
There may be some local conventions as to when the truck travel is heaviest. You might want to ask around about this once you get there. Have a great time, i've got some UL camping to be done outside of Paris this year if all goes according to plan. Also I can't take credit for the Tarptent Contrail video, I just found it on youtube. |
Originally Posted by nun
(Post 12263833)
Thanks Magnus,
One thing I've realize is "th" as in "Thor" is written with a letter that looks a bit like a "p". Here is my planned route, do you see any problems? http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...,22.807617&z=6 and here's the bike. I put some 700x35c Schwalbe Duremes on it as it will mostly be tarmac, but they'll be a bit of off road too. The cannister in the third bottle cage carries instant oatmeal, honey and 16 tea bags. I've found a brand that are quite strong and as I like my tea quite weak I find I can get 4 cups out of a single bag....so that's 64 cups. I should be ok. I also have couscous and stock cubes packed inside my cookset and a couple of packets of noodle soup in a saddlebag side pocket. The Ortlieb up front is half empty so I can easily carry food I buy along the way. http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=190993 |
Originally Posted by Magnus Thor
(Post 12263583)
If there is anything you need to know, just drop me a line.
Magnus Thor Iceland |
The trucks on the road should be your least problem. At least I have found them to be amongst the most courteous drivers on the highway. Having said that, they tend to leave the city here in the afternoon and drive through the evening and night so there won't be heavy truck traffic when you are riding. What you have to watch out for is cars pulling camper trailers, those never seem to realize how wide those campers are.
Once you get around 100 km out of the city in any direction, the traffic dies down to almost nothing so you should have no problems. The wind is everpresent and always seems to be in your face, strange as that may seem since there is no such thing as a straight road in Iceland... Is there no room for fenders ? Magnús Þór (don't know if the icelandic characters show up correctly.) Ísland |
Originally Posted by burtsbees
(Post 12267374)
I've toured Iceland, mixing parts of the Ring Road and the Interior (Golden Triangle and Landmannalaugar). Outside of Reykjavik, there is hardly any traffic. The Ring has no shoulder and cars do fly past you, but it's so infrequent that it shouldn't bother you. It rained almost every day, but that's nothing compared to the wind. Incredible. Now if you get a tail wind, that's a different story. You are correct, there is an occasional bus just in case. I didn't encounter any in the Interior, but since you're sticking to the Ring, it's a moot point. You'll be able to find food every day on the Ring, albeit you might be eating gas station food in the afternoons. Just based on reading this thread, you seem to have plan this trip meticulously.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=191044 |
Originally Posted by Magnus Thor
(Post 12268331)
The trucks on the road should be your least problem. At least I have found them to be amongst the most courteous drivers on the highway. Having said that, they tend to leave the city here in the afternoon and drive through the evening and night so there won't be heavy truck traffic when you are riding. What you have to watch out for is cars pulling camper trailers, those never seem to realize how wide those campers are.
Once you get around 100 km out of the city in any direction, the traffic dies down to almost nothing so you should have no problems. The wind is everpresent and always seems to be in your face, strange as that may seem since there is no such thing as a straight road in Iceland... Is there no room for fenders ? Magnús Þór (don't know if the icelandic characters show up correctly.) Ísland I wanted to put fenders on the bike, but it's very tight with the 35mm Duremes on there. If I went down to 32mm there might be space, but I want a big tire for the off road section. Anyway my saddlebag acts a bit like a fender and I have good rain gear, but I'll see if some SKS raceblades XL will fit http://urbanvelo.org/sks-raceblade-clip-on-fenders/ |
2 Attachment(s)
Fenders?
Well I can't fit full fenders on to the Rambouillet with the 700x35 tires that I want for the off road sections. So the compromise is to use some SKS Raceblade XL fenders. http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=191233http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=191234 |
Looks great! Let us know how the gear setup works out for you when you get back, and good luck!
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