Trip Preparations: All that Stuff

Here is a detailed post concerning what I am bringing. Though there will be many unknowns along the way, but the ability to carry “stuff” (as George Carlin would say) gives me some sense of stability and security in tangible items. On the other hand, all this stuff can be burdensome, and having a light and aerodynamic bike does make a difference in how fast and far I'll be able to go. Weight may be be the biggest factor. When backpacking in the woods, my backpack would frequently be over 30 lbs, depending on the length and comfort of the trip. Last year I trained with 35 lbs of free weights in my bike panniers, and hope to be under that for the start of my trip. While also being physically challenging, heavy bikes have been known to break spokes, bend wheels, and otherwise damage increase the likelihood of damage.

In addition, panniers, especially front panniers, seem to limit the top speed of the bike when equipped. For example, I found front panniers reduced my speed from +30 to only about 26 on one local hill despite the additional wight they added. Although fast speeds are not necessary, there are bound to be losses at lower speeds or with headwinds.

I did decide to go with panniers instead of a bike trailer. My experiences with trailers have been mixed. On the plus side, I have been able to carry bulky items that would not have fit into a single pannier. On the other hand, I've had them wobble when loaded and have even broke a spoke. I once lost the tailor wheel when riding downtown, and had to dodge through traffic to retrieve it from the middle of an intersection. Good memories :)

My original panniers were made by Avenir, and seemed to work well for the price and availability. I used these for the first year on the original bike. I decided to upgrade to the Ortlieb brand, as these are much larger, more durable, and have a waterproof liner. The other big purchase was for rain gear. I bought a bike specific rain jacket, pants, gloves and shoe covers that were pricey, but should work out well.

Clothing is making up a big part of what I'm bringing. I'm a skinny guy, and get cold easily. The cold weather we've experienced locally had me overly cautious, but now I'm scaling back my cold riding expectations. Still, I'm bringing arm and leg warmers, paints, warm socks, gloves, hat, a down jacket, etc. This is in addition to my warm weather shorts and t-shirts. I found great shorts that have the stretchy riding shorts sewn to the inside of regular shorts. This is a little more socially acceptable, especially in Arab countries where tight riding shorts would stand out.

Further complicating matters is my non-riding time. I want regular cloths for restaurants, museums etc. I also plan on doing some hiking, and want to bring a pair of boots. Things like sandles would be nice but probably won't make the cut. Although light, clothing and shoes take up a lot of room.

I plan on doing a lot of camping, hosteling, and generally bumming it along the way. I'm using a somewhat roomy 2 person tent that I already had. It's small enough, but the tent poles may be problematic. I also purchased a nice “thermorest” sleeping pad, and 40deg down sleeping bag. The sleeping bag is lighter then the one I replaced that was rated to a much lower temperature, but should keep me comfortable in the conditions I can reasonably expect. Importantly, it takes up about 1/3 the space compared to my warmer bag. I also have a sleeping bag liner that I can use if it gets cold, or by itself if there is a warm or night, or, I have shelter with no linens. Lastly, I could layer clothing inside the sleeping bag if it gets really cold, or simply seek shelter on the colder nights.

On the cooking front I bought a multifuel stove and have already tested using automotive gasoline. I am unsure of the price or availability of specialty camping fuels abroad, so I thought this was best. My favorite instruction so far is “A brief soccer ball sized fireball is normal” to get the thing started, which was a scary experience (fill it with gas, pump it up, sent it on fire. What could go wrong?). A bit over cautious at first, I was able to get it going after watching several u-tube demonstrations. It was really powerful once it got going. It boiled a test pot of water in just a few minutes. I'm also bringing an light aluminum pot, pan, silverware, folding serving spoon, as well as a small sponge and biodegradable soap to clean up with. In the soap dept, I'm also bringing 4oz of powdered laundry detergent, along with a folding bucket for washing.

All food will have to fit into my small “bear canister” (a heavy plastic cylinder designed to sealed from wildlife) when I am camping. Though I don't expect any bears, critters of all sizes are frequent and capable of steeling food. I'll have three water bottles and a thermos (that also fits into a water bottle cage) in case I want anything hot to drink. I also have a six liter foldable water bag that I can use for longer tips where I may not have access to water for maybe a day or two. I decided against bringing my water filter, but will be bringing chemical purification tabs in case of an emergency. I can also boil water with the stove to clean water if needed.

On the issue of safety, I've put together a fairly comprehensive first aid kit with antiseptics, bandages, gauge, an elastic wrap, as well as medications. I also have travel toiletries, and had to get a small mirror for shaving. A small towel and shower stuff will be welcome when showers are available. Thinks like antibiotic hand jell will be useful, as well as insect repellent, and sunblock.

To keep the bike healthy, I've assembled tools and spare parts that I may need for the bike. This includes a spare folding tire, tubes, patch kit, air pump, folding multitool, and other tools and lubricants for the bike. I also put together a sewing kit, and added some duct tape and zip ties for good measure. I tired to minimize and simplify where I could, but this bag is over 5 lbs alone. Still, I should be able to fix most things that happen along the way.

Lastly, electronics have been been a pain in the but. I have a cell phone, front and rear lights on my bike, a camera, my headlamp, my tablet, my GPS, and maybe a small radio to keep charged up. I have a multi-county outlet converter (thanks Mom and Dad!) and a USB splitter to charge all these things at once. I also bought a 5 watt folding solar charger that was meant for outdooring. I experimented with mounting this to the top of my luggage when riding during the day, and found moderate success keeping small things charged when away from power.

 

This is not a complete or final list of what I'll end up bringing. Things are being still being added and dropped all the time. For instance, I'm still completing a “day bag” for traveling off bike (hiking) as well as a cheep watch, maybe with timer; an alarm may be useful. But I think I'm mostly done buying “stuff.” My credit card and bike bags will thank me for slowing down. Frankly, the the weight and volume is actually lower then what I was anticipating carrying. But I've yet to have the bike or bags really fully loaded. Things will probably get added and dropped last minute. Please feel free to contact me with whatever questions you have and I'll try to answer my best, and I'll be sure to post on important changes going forward.

Half Time

The beginning of March marks the half way point in my preparations, as I still plan on leaving in May. I have to say, things are looking pretty good. Travel preparations got quite overwhelming, and after many days in the library researching routes, accommodations, and a whole host of other things, I finally decided there was just too much information to take in, especially with such an open itinerary. Not knowing what to do, I decided to let more things come naturally. Some people have recommended that I make no plans at all, and just go with the flow. That's not quite my style, but I have to agree that perhaps it's best to plan a few things and let the rest fall into place.

Wanting to be well informed and be in good contact, I broke down and bought a tablet computer. This actually was a tough decision as I didn't want the expense, risk, responsibility, or carry weight of having a computer. I feel this is something I will have to look after and lug around with me. However, it will come in handy for things along the way, such as researching, reading travel eBooks, also with things like translation, transferring pictures from my camera, and mapping. The tablet interfaces with the GPS I mounted to my handle bars, and can pre-program bike routes for the next day. I have mixed feelings on this too, as I feel like getting lost is part of the adventure, and having a GPS deadens the experience. The practical part of me knows there will be windy, rainy days where huge road atlases are not useful. I plan on using the GPS sparingly, or perhaps as an aid rather then a rule.

The bike is nearly complete, but constant sub-zero temperatures keep me mostly inside. Fortunately my apartment complex has a mini gym with an exercise bike that I've been using regularly. I've also been running and lifting more, with some bike specific routines. This will be a major lifestyle change for me; from sitting in an office all day, to being quite active, or at least on my feet all day, and I hope to be as prepared as I can.

Other equipment is also falling into place. I've had to scale back some of the expectations of what I can realistically carry, and how far from civilization I can go. There is a lot of information here, and I will make another post about equipment soon.

Other preparations are underway. I opened a new bank account with free international ATM use, got my taxes done early, renewed my passport, and have scheduled appointment for all necessary vaccinations, including Rabies (I hear they like chasing lone bicyclists.) I've also joined sites like Couch Surfing and others that may help me see the real culture, and maybe stretch a buck (or Euro). There is still a to-do list, but it seems more manageable now that I have access to information along the way.

I have also been keenly following the developments in Ukraine, Syria, and Turkey, as these are areas I had planned to be in or near around a year from now. Even Russia, which I was hoping to visit Moscow, seems questionable despite a successful and safe Olympics. We'll see how things develop. I tend to think the news generally overhypes events for ratings. Then again, maybe not.

Lastly, the reality of the trip is starting to set in. It has been a fun research project, but somehow it does not feel real, as if I'm planning for someone else, or just for the heck of it. I guess I've been disappointed enough in the past to not get my hopes up, and part of me resists getting excited about the trip. Once I resign from my job, sell my car, and packing up my apartment, I think reality sets in and I'll hit the "am I really doing this?" wall. Further, there are things I was looking forward to this summer that I will have to miss. Trips like this are exciting, but you have to consider the sacrifices and tradeoffs, and expenses involved.

What's different now is a degree of optimism. Where I was previously worried what may happen, or more importantly, what I would become or where I would end up, much of that fear as subsided. This may have to do with a dead end job where staying and doing nothing is the worst decision I could make. Perhaps my recent graduation? Maybe just springtime optimism?

I saw this on an Apple commercial, but had to look up the rest.

　

O Me! O Life!

By Walt Whitman 1819–1892 Walt Whitman

Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,

Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,

Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,

The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

                                       Answer.

That you are here—that life exists and identity,

That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.