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Tour training

1/4/2014

9 Comments

 

My big goal this year is to go on our Whine & Chocolate epic bike adventure in summer--Eugene to Vancouver with a side trip to Victoria. We'll be moving slowly with low-mileage days and plenty of rest days and detours. However, it will be quite a trying journey both as a solo parent for many weeks (although we won't be alone for much, if any of the time) and constant every day riding with kiddos in unfamiliar territory.

To help minimize the shock of the trip, we are continuing to practice with overnights as often as we can. I want to make sure our gear is useable and functional, that we're not over- or under-packed, and that we know our limits. I'm only planning 30-40 mile days but with a loaded bike and kids, it could sometimes feel like a double century.

One way I plan to practice touring is by having our bike "kit" packed at all times and ready to roll at a moments notice. We have most of the gear we'll need but are still looking into a few things such as a sleeping pad solution for the boys, cookwear, and wool clothing for me. I have come up with a list of things to gather. Let me know what you think and if there's anything I'm missing or you think is superfluous.

Whine & Chocolate epic bike adventure gear list (edited additions in italics):



Clothing:

Me--tights, pants, skirt, short sleeve, long sleeve, 2 socks, jacket, gloves, gaiter, hat, rain gear, off-the-bike shoes

Boys--thermals, shorts, long & short sleeves, jacket, gloves, gaiter, hat, rain gear, sunglasses, off-the-bike shoes



Kitchen:

Bowl, mug, spork each, knife, wooden spoon, ladle, cutting board, 2 pots, skillet, stove, gas, windblock, lighters, towels, spices, oil, baggies, foil, food stuffs, scrubbie, Hydroflask & Klean Kanteen bottles, cloth produce bags



Toiletries:

Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, Dr Bronners soap, sun block, Chapstick, hair ties, pStyle-like device, bug spray, baby wipes, towel



Electronics:

Phone, charger, lights, light charger, batteries, headlamp



Tools:

Multitool, pump, tubes, duct tape, zip ties, oil, wrench, patch kit, chain tool, lock, tie downs/bungees



First aid:

Band aids, ice pack, tweezers, scissors, gauze, bandages, aspirin, kid pills, thermometer, nail clippers, Rescue Remedy, antihistamine, Traumeel



Sleeping:

Sleeping bags, pads, tent, pillow for me



Toys:

Books, dinosaurs, Star Wars toys/cars/something little that they can play with for hours, notebook, color pencils/pens



Food:

TBD although lots of chocolate is a given!

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9 Comments
Dale
1/4/2014 01:27:31 pm

I don't see any rain gear on the list but think it will be needed some. Also, good maps & reference material. Maybe cards & notebooks for boys to be creative with too.

Reply
Lamaia
1/5/2014 12:58:13 pm

I've never bike toured,so take all my suggestions with a grain of salt, but..

I also thought about rain gear... just in case. I use rain pants for Melia just to cut the wind, but obviously they serve both functions. A rain jacket could also serve as a wind breaker for the boys... and then they could layer underneath for appropriate temperature?
Layering could include a fleece jacket, that could be turned inside out for a pillow instead of bringing pillows.

I also assume that everyone needs sunglasses to protect their eyes from flying objects. Last spring I was intermittently blinded by crap in the air.

Do you need a tarp for under the tent?

How are you going to carry your money, passport, etc?

And... does your mug fit in your cup holder on your bike? :)

Finally, I went to EcoThrift Mall about a week ago and got a bunch of wool- including Merino wool- tops and sweaters for cheap! I'd check them out.

Reply
Elle Bustamante
1/6/2014 06:55:12 am

Great suggestions, Lamaia! Rain gear, definitely! I might get a body suit for the little, the big has a nice jacket already. I hadn't thought of eyewear since I have glasses. I'm not sure I could get the little one to keep them on but the big one probably would. It would be nice for long sunny days! I think I'll splurge on a pillow for myself (I've done the jacket thing without much luck), the boys haven't seemed to mind but we'll keep testing. I'd rather be comfortable than worry about saving space :)

Our tent as a footprint for a tarp. Might be good to have an extra to cover the bike but I'll wait to see if it's necessary.

Money, passport (hadn't even remembered that'd we'd need them for Canada, thanks!), might go in a passport wallet that's zippered into Mondo Slings.

My mug will certainly fit into the cup holder or at least be able to stay within reach! I think I'm going with a Hydroflask so it'll keep anything hot/cold for long periods of time!

I'll have to check out EcoThrift! Thanks for the tips!

Reply
Lamaia
1/6/2014 03:27:39 pm

You may not need a passport- I just assumed you would. But it's better to find out sooner than later cause there can be a long lead time on getting a passport if your current one is expired.

Becky
1/6/2014 10:10:35 am

Not sure how rustic or remote the route and campgrounds will be/ if you'll be wanting to drink stream water, but I always get a lot of use out of my water filter/pump when I'm camping.

Reply
Eunice link
1/6/2014 02:55:35 pm

(not a tourer either! apply grain of salt here.)

- bungee cords?
- also, make sure the scissors you have will be able to cut the zip ties!
- Do you have inflatable pillows? They are often advertised as seat pillows for spectators, but are a nice substitute to the rolled up sweaters.
- garbage bags can double as rain gear in a pinch.
- if you have enough money, anything can be purchased/replaced ;)

Reply
Elle Bustamante
1/7/2014 12:25:25 pm

We all need a passport for Canada. If we had passport cards they'd work but we just have books. It'll be fun to roll across the boarder!

Reply
Elle Bustamante
1/7/2014 12:26:38 pm

Probably not too remote and we'll never be more than a day away from a city/town so we'll probably be ok. Still, might be good to have a back-up option. Thanks!

Reply
Angie White link
1/8/2014 06:25:55 am

Wanderlady here - that all sounds brilliant. The only extra things I thought of was consider avoiding cotton clothing as its slow drying, fast- drying synthetics and double-use clothing (like board shorts and rashie shirts - dry fast and can be used as regular clothing) and definitely agree with merino for layering.
also coconut butter or something similar - use for cooking but also for face protection - windburn can really be bad esp for the little ones - rubbing it over faces regularly provides some protection and it natural and beneficial. And its nice to rub into your hands before bed!. Of course you can use chap stick all over too.
I've got my kids sunnies with wetsuit-material strap to keep them on (babybanz.com/cpsia) they are brilliant.
and yeah, extra tarp for the bike if you think its needed, or big plastc bags to at least cover the seats to keep the dry for the next ride!
sounds brilliant, just what we will be doing! Solo parenting, low-mileage days, lots of stops etc! Good luck!

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