Why? : Moving to a single gear list

OK Denise, why are you writing an article about your gear list? Don't you know it's been done before?

I know, I know... I've been putting a gear list in each of my journals with the thought that each tour is different and each gear list is also different to accommodate the differences in my tour. But when all is said and done, my different gear lists are very, very similar to each other. The differences? Maybe I'll have some extra cold weather clothing with me if I'm traveling somewhere (or some when) and I expect cool temperatures. Or maybe I'm planning a side trip where I'll need hiking shoes. Or I'm planning on camping on one trip, and credit-card touring on another. Or maybe... In reality, there's a core list that I always work from, and then I add or subtract items based on the needs of the specific tour - the location, the weather, the bike and hauling mode I've chosen for the trip.

So why am I writing and publishing this article? Three reasons:

1. The first reason is the selfish one. It saves me the effort (small though it was) of creating a new gear list for each trip, and it allows me to keep all of my gear decisions in one place. And since I always use my gear list as I pack for my tours, I'll have one place to go for my list and my thoughts about the items on the list.
   
2. My gear list may be useful if you're a cyclist who is just getting started with touring and trying to decide what you need. You'll build your own list as you decide what's important for you and your trip - but maybe my list and thoughts will be helpful to you.
3. And for my faithful journal readers, you won't be stumbling over a long gear list in each journal. If you're interested, you can reference this article.

I imagine that this article will be interesting to a very targeted group of readers (beside me, that is). Not interested? You really won't hurt my feelings if you stop reading now!

The bikes and how I'll haul my gear on each

In addition to having the happy problem of having a choice between two purple touring bikes when I head out on my trips, I also believe in fitting the manner of hauling my gear to the tour that I'm planning. If you've read my Panniers, a trailer, both? article, you already know that I have a preference for hauling my gear in a trailer on a fully loaded tour. I started in this wonderful world of self-supported touring using panniers, but as I migrated to touring on a folding bike (for ease of non-biking transportation), I also started using a trailer. You'll still see me riding with panniers on some trips though.

My choice of bike for the tour - as well as my choice of using either
panniers or a trailer - changes my gear list somewhat.


Purple bike number one - loaded with front & rear panniers, with sleeping bag and tent attached to the top of the rear rack. I'm more likely to use this bike when I can roll out of my door on my bike and return the same way - or when I'm using my car to get to a starting/ending point for my tour. This picture is from my very first loaded tour before I was introduced to getting the load off of the bike by using a trailer...


Purple bike number two - hauling a suitcase trailer that is also the bike case. This is the bike of choice for trips involving an airplane to get to my tour - no excess baggage fees with this bike folded and packed into its suitcase. If I'm planning a point to point tour I'll definitely be hauling the trailer. If I'm planning a credit-card, lightweight tour beginning and ending in the same spot, I might use panniers instead. You might see me on this bike with the trailer plus small panniers on trips when I'm camping and cooking since I don't want fuel or food smells in with my clothing, tent, and sleeping bag.

If I'm using panniers, I pack in Ortlieb waterproof panniers. I purchased my panniers back in 1998 and the models and names have changed since then. I own Bike-Packer Lite back panniers, and Mini-Biker Lite front panniers. I use a single front pannier (on the rear rack) to carry my work clothes when I commute by bike, and I use both of my front panniers on the rear if I'm planning a really light-weight credit card tour and I don't think I need to space in the (larger) rear panniers. The rack I use for my panniers depends on the bike:

• On my diamond frame Peter Mooney bike, I use Bruce Gordon racks.
• On my Bike Friday Air Glide, I use a Bike Friday folding rack. Folding bike, folding rack!

For traveling with a trailer, I pack the bike in my Bike Friday bike case, and my other traveling belongings in a very lightweight duffle bag. After I get to my biking destination, I take the bike out of the case, attach the trailer frame and tires to the case, and attach the trailer to the bike. The contents of the duffle jump into the trailer, and I'm ready to ride. Magic!

Lighten the load : Keep chanting: lighter, lighter, lighter...

It seems that every time I tour I think - couldn't I get by with less stuff? Or lighter stuff?

Everytime I get ready to head out, I look at everything and make small adjustments - but I think I'm at my own ideal amount of stuff right now. Someday maybe I'll figure out how to happily get by with less. In the meantime, what I take works for me, and my bike touring has even retrained my thinking when I head out on non-biking trips. When I headed to Hawaii in the fall of 2004 without my bike, it was my biking packing list that allowed me to get away with only one small carry-on bag and no checked luggage. Yes, I did have to wash out clothes every night, but traveling light is a great way to go!

When I was at Yellowstone I talked to Gerald - who is an avid hiker - about ultralite backpacking, and it started me thinking. Folks are out hiking, backpacking actually, on trails like the Great Divide and the Appalachian Trail carrying a minimum of gear. That started me thinking... Of course there is some stuff that I carry as a cyclist that a hiker doesn't need, but whereever possible lighter is good.

The easy area of "lighter", at least for me, is clothing. I think I do pretty well there, carrying only 2 changes of biking clothes and 2 changes of off-the-bike clothes. (What! 2 sets of off-the bike clothes? You'll have to keep reading to find out why.) But on some trips I need extra layers - that's usually a common-sense decision based on where I am traveling, the time of year, and what additional activities I have planned.

One thing that changes as time goes by is that manufacturers are always coming out with lighter gear. This is particularly noticeable with camping gear. I purchased a new tent, sleeping bag, and pad back in 1998 before I headed out on my first unsupported tour, and they were pretty light at that point in time. If I were starting out today (in 2005), it's likely that I would start with lighter gear. In fact, I bought a new sleeping bag last year for use on a planned but not taken tour. My old bag, which is a North Face Blue Kazoo - an awesome sleeping bag - weighs 3 pounds. That's pretty light, all things considered, and was pretty much the lightest bag around when I bought it. (OK, you're right, I was also swayed by the name!) The new bag, still unused due to unforeseen circumstances is a Mountain Hardware Phantom 32D, weights 1 pound 5 ounces. The weight comparison isn't totally fair because the Blue Kazoo is rated for 15 degrees (Fahrenheit) and the Phantom is rated for 32 degrees - but the Phantom that is rated for 15 degrees weighs 1 pound 15 ounces, which is still a pound saved. The fact remains that the lighter sleeping bag would have been fine for all of the biking camping trips I've taken so far. And those pounds add up when you're carrying your gear yourself.

It really comes down to my comfort level, although the location of the tour also can also be an important factor. On my cross-country tour, I started out with extra cables, and extra brake pads. And those were among the things that were sent home. When I started my trip, those components were new. And yes, things break, but I figured I could probably get by without the extra parts. Elsewhere on the bike parts front though, I do carry an extra tire for my trailer and (often I also carry) an extra tire for my bike. It's hard to find a decent touring tire in out-of-the-way places, and while it's easier to get a 700c tire than a 406, unless you're passing through a reasonable sized city or a town where biking is king like Missoula, it can be difficult to get touring tires. But even then it really depends on the "where" of your tour. You might have to sit still for a day or two, but overnight delivery can work to get those spare parts to you! (Mind you, overnight delivery is not always overnight if you're in a location far from an airport...) The tire lesson was a lesson learned on the road. When I was on the road in Washington back in 1999, I managed to slice a tire by (I assume) running over or into a piece of glass. Luckily the tire wasn't cut through so I was able to ride on it for a couple of days. I picked up a tire in a shop in a small town, but it was more of an emergency ration than something I really wanted to use since the tiny shop didn't have any reasonable touring tires. I bought it as a backup and continued riding into Spokane, where I was able to get the replacement tire that I wanted - another Conti Top Touring 700x32 tire. Lesson learned...

When I'm out on day trips, and when I commute to work, I don't carry a lot of extras. I have tubes, a patch kit, tire irons, and a multi-tool. If something goes wrong that I can't deal with I figure I can call a friend or co-worker for help, and I also figure I can call a taxi if I'm really stuck. Out on tour though, in that vast area between cities - sometimes I need a few extras to make me comfortable.

And I'm still chanting, lighter, lighter, lighter...

The bike and bike-related

And as to my mascot? What do you mean Rover isn't bike-related?

The Trip Mascot

I went on my first two solo trips without a mascot, but as I started on my cross-country trip back in 2002, Rover jumped into the trailer in Burlington, Vermont on a cold, rainy June day. He is a little red dog, a mini Beanie Baby. Every trip has to have a mascot, and Rover is a good companion. He makes me laugh, and I don't have to carry extra food for him since he's happy to share mine!

Of course Rover goes on tour with me. He says that he makes sure to get in a lot of exercise running or cycling in place) as we ride so he can eat chocolate all day without adding any weight to the load on the bike! And although he looks pretty big in this close-up shot, Rover asked me to tell you that he is really tiny, and he weighs next to nothing!

The all-important bike stuff!

• My bike of choice for the trip, set up with Speedplay Frog pedals
  
  
• Bicycle computer - always a wireless computer, but the brand depends on which bike. I've found that at some point - more often than I'd like - I need to replace these computers. They are pretty low cost items, and somehow, sometimes, they stop working and just won't start again even with a new battery. This behavior doesn't appear to be brand-related, but who knows! Anyway, my touring bikes currently sport computers from Specialized or Cateye.
  
  
• Cable lock - I know, I know, it's not as good as a U lock, but it does fit around a tree, a park bench, or other odd-shaped things! I don't use the lock often, but I use it often enough to not question the weight.
  
  
• Bike Friday travel trailer if traveling with my Air Glide, or panniers if traveling with my Peter Mooney purple bike
  
  
• Topeak Road Morph frame pump - Carries like a frame pump, but works like a floor pump, plus a Presta to Schraeder valve adapter just in case I need to borrow a pump. Not likely now that I carry the Road Morph, but I often used it before the Road Morph when I'd stop in out-of-the-way bike shops to borrow their shop pump. Seems very funny to me, but some of the small shops only had a pumt that could handle a Schraeder valve.
  
  
• For helping to keep me healthy and hydrated
  • Water bottles - used for Gatorade or other sports drink. My choice of bottles is dependent on what fits on the bike that is traveling with me. If I'm traveling on my Peter Mooney bike I take 2 large and 1 small water bottles. If I'm traveling on my Air Glide I take 2 small water bottles.
    
  • Camelbak with 70 ounce bladder - used for water.
  
  
  
• A map case that I can attach to the handlebars. It's handy for both maps and directions. If you're looking for a map case, I purchased mine from Adventure Cycling. (If this link doesn't get you to the map case, go to http://www.adventurecycling.org/, then go to the online store, and look under equipment, accessories.)
  
  
• Spare parts
  
  • 3 spare tubes for bicycle + patch kit
    
  • 1 spare tire for bicycle - definitely if I'm traveling on the Bike Friday, sometimes if I'm traveling on the Peter Mooney. It's easier to find tires for 700C wheels than it is to find reasonable tires for a 406 wheel!
    
  • 1 spare tube & 1 spare tire for trailer - if I'm traveling with the trailer
    
  • Spare spokes
  
  
  
• Tools
  
  • Topeak Alien multi-tool
    
  • separate spoke wrench, tire levers
    
  • A pedal wrench. I don't want to have to rely on finding a bike shop at the end of my trip to remove the pedals so I can pack the bike! I have a 2 pedal wrenches - a great heavy-duty one that allows me to usually successfully remove the pedals (recommended by the mechanics at Belmont Wheelworks to break my syndrome of not being able to remove the pedals), and a light one that might require me to borrow some strength from someone else. I take the light one with me when I travel... I can always ask for help if I can't budge the pedals, but at least I'll have an appropriate tool!
  
  
• Keeping clean & lubed
  
  • Small container of citrus degreaser
    
  • Lube and grease for bike
  
  

What am I going to wear?

Clothing for on & off the bike

On the bike

• Bicycle helmet - my current helmet-of-choice is a Giro Pneumo, nice and light with lots of air vents. And yes, it was a Pnuemo (now replaced) that saved my life back in May of 2004!
  
  
• Biking shoes with (recessed cleats, for Frog pedals) - my shoes of choice are Sidi (Women's) Dominators
  
  
• "Always" bike clothes
  
  • 2 pairs bike shorts
    
  • 2 sleeveless biking jerseys
    
  • (sometimes I add) 1 short-sleeved biking jersey
    
  • 2 sports bras
    
  • 2 pairs cycling gloves
    
  • 4 pairs socks. I switched back to wool socks last year and have been very very happy with them. I use SmartWool RBX Ultra Light or Cycling Ultra Light Mini Crew socks, both of which are very thin, fit nicely in my cycling shoes, and dry very quickly (very important with my tendency to wash them out every night). Why 4 pairs? Because I've learned over the years to be very kind to my feet. Having extra socks allows me to switch to dry socks if I get caught in the rain. And I can double them up for hiking. And they're small (OK, OK, I know I have really small feet!)... Why SmartWool? Because their socks are very soft wool within minimal seams, because my feet like them, and because their web site, while a bit odd, makes me laugh! (Not really - the web site does make me laugh, but that's not why I chose the socks!)
  
  
• "Just in case" bike clothes
  
  • Shower's Pass rain jacket
    
  • Pearl Izumi wind vest - in screaming yellow
    
  • 1 pair of arm warmers. In keeping with my purple bike theme, in the spring of 2005 I bought a new pair of arm warmers - not because I needed them, but because I found a pair of purple arm warmers!
    
  • 1 pair of leg warmers or tights
    
  • 1 pair of knee warmers - again, I want to be prepared for cooler weather, and I really don't want to wear tights all of the time. I actually prefer the knee warmers over the longer leg warmer/tights option - and I will often take one or the other (as in knee warmers or leg warmers, not both)
    
  • Water & wind-resistant shoe covers
    
  • 1 pair of rain mitts (nylon shells lobster mitts)
    
  • 1 pair Patagonia capilene glove liners - for inside of rain shells
    

For my "off the bike" time

• 1 coolmax t-shirt for sleeping
  
  
• Underwear - 3 pairs underpants + 1 sports bra
  
  
• Hanging out clothing
  
  • 1 Terry wrapper (nylon skirt!). Yes, it's an extra, but yes, I do wear this!
    
  • 1 pair lightweight shorts, usually Sahalie zip-dry nylon shorts
    
  • 1 pair lightweight travel pants - must be fast-drying, comfortable, and do dual-duty of for non-biking travel (as in flying to my destination) + off the bike pants while touring. This is a sometimes item - and in fact I sent them home several weeks into my cross-country trip. It was hot, and I figured (correctly) that I really didn't need them!
    
  • 1 sleeveless coolmax tank
    
  • 1 short-sleeved coolmax T-shirt
    
  • 1 long-sleeved Patagonia silkweight crewneck (sometimes)
  
  
• "Just in case" clothes for off the bike that can double for on the bike in really cold weather
  
  • 1 sleeveless long underwear shirt - an REI midweight MTS tank - to be used as a layer or alone
    
  • Patagonia R.5 pullover. This is very lightweight but is great for warmth.
    
  • 1 Patagonia R2 vest. It's amazingly lightweight and warm.
  
  
• 1 bathing suit. I don't always need this, but you never know when there will be access to a nice comfortable hot springs (or a swimming pool)!
  
  
• Chaco Z1 sandals.
  
  
• Patagonia Dragonfly pullover (wind-breaker, water-resistant) - I've always regretted not having a windbreaker on previous trips. The Dragonfly weighs an unbelievable 3 ounces, so it's a natural to always be with me! (As of 2005, it appears that Patagonia has replaced the Dragonfly with their Houdini jackets.)
  
  
• A hat to keep the sun away when I'm not wearing my biking helmet
  

Electronic gadgets

And yes, these always travel with me!

My stash of electronic gadgets might seem a bit much to some of you, but they make it easy for me to capture (and share) memories of my tours. I feel pretty good that I've managed to stay away from bringing a laptop computer with me so far, but it's always possible that will change at some point in the future. For now I'm happy without it.

• Digital camera(s), lenses, batteries, memory cards
  
  
• Small fanny pack to keep (a point & shoot) camera handy while riding
  
  
• Tripod and/or monopod, depending on my destination and my photography desires
  
  
• compact flash & SD card reader. Attaches to a computer via a USB port, makes the card look like another disk drive. This (sometimes) gives me a chance to upload pictures when I'm using a public computer.
  
  
• A baby computer of some sort. I started with an HP Jornada back in 2002 (upgraded to an ASUS eee in 2008).

Miscellanous stuff

Identification, money, toilet articles, and other stuff I can't seem to leave home without!

Important papers

• My RoadID. This became a "must wear when riding" item back in 2004. It contains information needed in case of emergency - contact info for friends, family, and my primary care physician, as well as heath-related information
  
  
• Passport if traveling outside of the United States
  
  
• Confirmation numbers for plane, train, hotel, and hostel reservations
  
  
• Money: a stash of cash for whatever country I'm visiting
  
  
• Plastic: credit card, ATM card, telephone calling card, AAA & AARP cards for hotel discounts
  
  
• National Parks Pass if I'm traveling in the US and I'm planning to stop at a National Park. No sense in paying twice, right?

Miscellaneous, "take care of myself" stuff

• A teeny tiny pair of GuestSpecs LifeSavers reading glasses. They fit in a case the size of a pen, which means they take up no space at all. I know, I know, hard to believe! It's a good thing I had these with me. My eye doctor keeps telling me he doesn't understand why I can still read without reading glasses - those old reading eyes, you know... I don't need reading glasses most of the time, but I need some help with really fine print like maps.
  
  
• Bungie cords or straps to attach drying clothes to the trailer (or to the rack or panniers
  
  
• Medium size travel towel. I really only need a towel on a camping trip, but I've started taking one on some non-camping trips too, usually trips that skirt the ocean. Who knows, I might just want to jump into the water, and it's nice to have the ability to dry off without waiting for the wind and air to do the drying for me! My travel towel of choice is made by Aquis.
  
• Toilet articles, including Dr. Bronners peppermint soap, and sample size bottles of shampoo to be used for hand-washing clothes, and several small packets of Kleenex
  
  
• Sunscreen - My preference is for PreSun Ultra Gel SPF30, but that can be hard to find. In fact, I have to order PreSun over the web since it doesn't seem to be stocked anywhere in my area. My web source for PreSun is Unique Sports Accessories. If I can't get the PreSun, usually when I'm on the road, my second choice is Coppertone Sport Sunblock Gel.
  
  
• First aid kit (bandaids, neosporin, stuff for blisters, ibuprofen, decongestants, etc.)
  
  
• A few zip-lock bags, just in case...
  
  
• sunglasses with 3 sets of lenses (gray, rose, yellow)
  
  
• Ice bag - You know, one of those old-fashioned things that you put ice in, to be used to ice sore knees (or other body parts)
  
  
• A stash of energy bars to start with
  
  
• A small pad of paper used to jot down some notes during the day of things I'd like to remember for my journal.

Packing, and getting to the start of my tour stuff

• REI Transformer Duffle. This nylon duffle bag is lighter than the standard (and more indestructible) Cordura bags. It stuffs into it's own pocket, and it's sturdy enough to live through airline baggage handling. I'll pack my clothes and other stuff in here for the flight (everything but the bike and trailer, but there's a good chance the trailer wheels will end up in this bag instead of in the bike case / trailer). Once I get to my destination I'll put the bike and trailer together, and everything that traveled in this duffle bag will end up in the trailer.
  
  I had some doubts about the size of this duffle when I bought it for my Hawaii trip - but it worked just fine. I used the large duffle. It wasn't full - but the medium would not have held everything comfortably.
  
  
• Eagle Creek packable day pack. A lightweight and fairly unstructured day pack that packs into a small pocket. I'll use this as a carry-on bag on the flight, and then I can use it if I'm ever wandering around off the bike and need a place to stash stuff. This let's me have a carry-on bag that doesn't take up much space when I'm not using it.
  
  
• If I'm flying to the start of my trip, a blowup neck pillow for that long, long plane ride. It doesn't take up much space when it's collapsed, and it stops that dreaded head-bobbing when sleeping sitting up.

Oh, but on this trip : I'll be camping!

I haven't been camping on my recent tours, but I'm sure that I'll get back to it one of these days!

Shelter & sleep

• Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight 2-man tent - http://www.sierradesigns.com/. I've explored getting a smaller and lighter tent, but that hasn't happened yet!
  
• Tent footprint (groundcloth)
  
• Sleeping bag - either my old standby North Face Blue Kazoo, or my newer and lighter Mountain Hardware Phantom 32
  
• Thermarest Ultralite 3/4 pad - www.cascadedesigns.com/thermarest
  
• Thermarest repair kit (valve & pad)
  
• Outdoor Research dry sacks to protect sleeping bag and pad - http://www.orgear.com/

Cooking gear

Yes, there have been trips where I've actually cooked.

I started out on my 2002 cross-country trip with the intent of camping and cooking, but I ended up not really doing either. I kept the tent and sleeping bag "just in case", and I was glad I did, but I ended up shipping my unused cooking gear home from Pueblo, Colorado. Most of it that is - it's not possible to ship fuel. I took the fuel bottle to the Great Divide bike shop, and left it as a donation for either an employee or for another cyclist passing through. They were happy to take it as a donation for a cyclist in need.

• MSR Dragonfly stove - http://www.msrcorp.com/. This is a stove that can use many different types of fuel, including unleaded gasoline! A multi-fuel makes the most sense to me since I have no idea what type of fuel will be available in small quantities. Gasoline is easy, but cleaner fuels like white gas are hard to get in small quantities.
  
• 11 ounce fuel bottle
  
• 2 titanium pots, nested: one medium, one small
  
• 1 small 8-ounce insulated cup and 1 (titanium) Sierra cup. I know this seems a little odd, but I used the insulated cup for beverages and the Sierra cup for food. That way I could have hot tea along with my morning oatmeal! It's amazing the little things that make me happy, isn't it?
  
• titanium fork & spoon

Miscellaneous stuff

• Medium size travel towel - my current preference is for the Aquis brand, a microfiber towel that packs small and dries fast
  
• Swiss army knife
  
• Petzl Tikka LED headlamp + extra batteries
  
• Bug stuff
  
• zip-lock bags
  
• several small packets of Kleenex
  
• 2 webbing straps to attach items to rear rack or to the trailer
  
• 2 bungie cords to attach drying clothes to the trailer
  
• Extra dry sack (stuff sack) & line for hanging food in trees at night
  

And this time I'll be staying in one of those other places...

That begins with an H... Hostels!

There are just a couple of items that I need when I'm staying at a hostel. Some hostels or backpacker lodges provide sheets, and some don't. Some allow sleeping bags, some don't...

• Sleep sack. The simplest sleep sacks are cotton, but you know me, I just seem to need to be different. I carry a silk sleep sack (from DreamSack) - very lightweight, machine washable, and comfy!
  
  
• Sleeping bag instead of a sleep sack. Many hostels state that they do not allow sleeping bags, but I've never been stopped from using one. And occasionally sleeping bags are recommended by the hostels. When I was planning a trip in the Canadian Rockies, two of the hostels were classified as wilderness hostels. The confirmation email I got from one of them said "this is a rustic hostel which means there is no running water and no indoor plumbing. So it may be a good idea to bring a sleeping bag and a flashlight". OK, I guess I'll bring a sleeping bag. I had a good sleeping bag, North Face Blue Kazoo which weighs 3 pounds. That was light when I bought it. But for my (canceled 2004) trip I splurged and bought a new sleeping bag. My Mountain Hardware Phantom 32 sleeping bag weighs a very little 1 pound 5 ounces!
  
  
• Travel towel. Again, my towel of choice is an Aquis Medium Adventure Towel.
  
  
• A small combination lock can be useful if you're staying more than 1 night and want to lock some stuff up since there are often lockable storage drawers under the bunks. Some hostels also have lockers.

What am I thinking of? Why do I need...

Two sets of off-the-bike clothes?

I always was my cycling clothes each day after I finish my ride. They are sometimes dry by morning, and sometimes they need to hang out on my trailer or panniers during the day's ride to finish drying. You would think that one set of off-the-bike clothes would be enough, but when I occasionally find a laundromat (or a washing machine in a hotel) I like to get my stuff a little cleaner than seems possible with hand washing. And it's really nice to have something to wear while I'm doing the wash! Funny, I remember talking about this with Mickey, a cross-country cyclist who I met in Missoula on my 1998 tour. He had just one set of off-the-bike clothing, and when he used a laundromat he usually timed his washing for late in the day when it was empty. That was because he only wore a pair of underpants while he was doing the laundry. One evening a couple of older women walked in as he was waiting for his laundry to complete, so he dropped the newspaper he was reading on his lap. He said that the way that they looked at him made him realize that these poor women thought he was doing his laundry in a public place but in the nude!

A skirt?

Yes, I really do carry a skirt. It's a Terry wrapper, which is very lightweight and folds up really small. It gives me another option for those hot hot days, and on warmer weather tours it's not really extra - it's my second set of off-the-bike clothes.

A pair of shoes in addition to my biking shoes?

Comfort! I prefer really stiff biking shoes - Sidi Dominator mountain bike shoes - and I really prefer not to walk in them. On a summer weather tour, my Chaco sandals are my choice for my off-the-bike shoes. Depending on my expectations of weather, or my other planned activities (like a little bit of hiking), you might find me in running or hiking shoes.

Things I thought I needed : But I was wrong!

Yes, even with my experience touring, sometimes extra stuff finds it's way into my trailer (or panniers). Here are the items that I've sent home from tours. Well, actually, as I initially write this, there were all sent home from my cross-country trip...

Extra bike parts - like spare brake and derailleur cables, and spare brake blocks. One day this might bite me, but so far I've been fine. I always make sure to check my bike out before I start, tune it up, and repair / replace anything that is questionable.

A pair of long pants on my very hot summer cross-country trip. I figured if I was cold I could always were my rain pants.

Rain pants OK, I didn't really send these home, but after wearing them in a downpour, I decided I didn't like the feeling of the rain pants since they managed to stick to my legs - so on later trips I carried tights instead. They aren't waterproof, but they do add some warmth.

Cooking gear I've actually cooked on some tours, but cross-country trip became a funky restaurant / diner trip. I eventually sent the stove, pans, and cooking supplies home. Will I take another camping and cooking trip in the future? It's possible, but I think that will depend on where I'm touring.

It's time to pack for my next tour

It's time to dream, it's time to pack...

I think - I hope - that having this list readily available will make my organizing and packing easier as I get ready for my next tour! Maybe it will help you too - but I'd also love to hear about your own thought processes as you decide what will be traveling with you and your bike on your next trip.