So far, most of our posts have dealt with practice rides and various preparations, but when one of our avid followers asked us “where are you going to sleep?”, we realized we should give some information about the basics. So, Abby Galm, this is a special post inspired by the questions you asked your Dad!
Packing
Our bikes have special racks on the front and back that we attach our panniers to. They are steel racks made by Tubus.
We have four panniers each. The smaller ones fit on the front, the big ones on the back. The panniers are made by a German company called Ortlieb. They are constructed like dry-bags, meaning all or stuff will stay dry even in the heaviest of summer thunderstorms (although the riders might have decided to get off and get an ice cream to avoid getting wet).
The yellow bags are Jana’s, and the red ones are mine. The two smaller bags fit on our handlebars. They contain maps, sunscreen, sunglasses and anything we need while we’re moving.
Here are all our clothes. We’re taking two sets of cycling gear (ie, two pairs of shorts, two cycling tops etc). We wear one set, then the other set will probably be bungied to the back of the bikes, drying out having been washed the night before. For off the bike, we both have roughly two changes of clothes, plus something to sleep in and a pair of shoes each (thanks to Curt and Lisa for an excellent late addition to our cycling wardrobe). We’re not expecting too much cold weather, but we’re both taking fleeces, waterproofs, gloves and hats just in case there are some cold nights at the start or in the mountains. If it’s really cold and/or wet, we’ll probably find a motel or restaurant to hole up in!
And here’s our stuff ready to be packed. We’re using some Eagle Creek compression sacks to ensure everting stays clean, dry and packs down as small as possible.
Sleeping
We’re planning to camp as much as possible, taking advantage of America’s brilliant network of excellent camp grounds.
We have sleeping bags with inflatable sleeping pads that fit in to pockets on the backs of the bags (to stop the more mobile sleeper rolling off their pad). We also have some pillows, a really good, light weight tent (see our earlier post about the tent ) and a couple of tarps and some rope to keep it all dry.
Washing
Abby asked a great question about washing. How will we keep our stuff clean so that we’re allowed to sit inside at the various restaurants we plan to visit, and generally look presentable.
The funny looking green bag is in fact a collapsible sink. We’re using some special sport wash to get the sweat out of our clothes, and a quick drying tea towel (the yellow cloth) for our dishes.
Cooking
Jana and I are both keen cooks, and we’re looking forward to challenging ourselves with some camp ground cooking. Most camp grounds have fire pits and BBQs we can use, but we’ll also take a couple of stoves for breakfast, lunch, tea and when we’ve eaten enough charred meat.
We’ve got plates and cups, a chopping board, knives and forks, and yes, a tea strainer. What kind of an Englishman would cycle across America without a good supply of loose leaf tea?
The funny looking metal box is an Emberlite stove. It collapses flat and it’s fueled by wood or grass etc. It should help cut down on the amount of fuel we have to carry.
Tools and Spares
Hopefully we won’t be needing these, but I’m taking a small selection of tools and spare parts should something break. It’s enough to cover most minor repairs, and fix bigger stuff well enough for us to limp to the nearest bike shop for a proper repair.
With a bit of luck, we’ll get away with fixing a few punctures and replacing the odd
nut and bolt.
And that’s it! Stuff to live off for three months and all in a handful of bags. Many bicycle tourers report realizing that they don’t need big houses full of furniture and ‘stuff’. I’m beginning to agree, but I suspect I’ll always enjoy the pleasures of a comfortable sofa, a proper bed, and a nice meal that didn’t involve constructing the stove before it was cooked!
