What Do I Take On A Bike Adventure?

            I have been making long distance trail tracks on my bicycle for nine years with this next ride occurring almost ten years after my very first ride. I have learned what to take and what not to take for these journeys. Lets start with what to take, shall we?

WHAT TO TAKE

            Keep in mind that I do these trips self-contained, meaning I bring everything I will need with me from the get go.

1. BICYCLE: It seems a tad obvious, but this item is your most important piece of equipment you will need on the trail. Make sure it is a comfort/hybrid bike. A hybrid is what happens when a cruiser mates with a mountain bike. My bike has a comfortable seat with springs and a shock absorber. It also has shocks on the front forks as well. The tires should be wider tires than street tires with little knobby bits on the edges to help in case of mud, but not all over knobby like mountain bike tires tend to be. Mountain bike tires will just drag you down as well as hurt the improved surface of some trails. Now there are some additional things you will need on your bike for this adventure that rarely (but sometimes do) come with your bike, all of them important to this kind of ride. They are:
   1. FENDERS: Fenders are really nice to have. Why? There is a 90% chance that you will have to ride in the rain on one of these rides. Every trip on the Great Allegheny Passage that I have taken had at least one (likely more) days that it ended up raining. You lose precious miles and time if you try to wait this out and plus its part of the adventure to ride in the rain. So why fenders? Well most rail trails are made of crushed limestone. When wet that limestone powder becomes a sludge that gets picked up by your tires. You do not want to be the guy (or gal) with the sludge stripe down your back do you? Without fenders you become a sludge skunk. Plus the sludge from the front wheel will not splash you in the face with fenders.
   2. REAR RACK: A rear rack is another essential item. Not only can you load up larger items of gear like tents and sleeping bags, but also it is needed for another essential item,
   3. PANNIERS: Panniers are bags that mount to the side of your rear rack. They are often mistakenly referred to as saddlebags. A saddlebag on a bike is a small bag that fits under the seat (or saddle) of the bike and usually will hold your tools and a repair kit. Panniers are useful in that they can hold some heavy gear, but it keeps it low enough to the ground that it doesn’t make you bike top heavy. Mine have rain covers so I will tend to use them to store my clothes, food, some of my camping equipment and water. Look for a future post on how I pack my bike to learn more on what I put in there. Some people also use a front rack and front panniers. For me though, experience has taught me not to overload the front of my bike.
   4. HANDLEBAR BAG: I have a small handlebar bag that also doubles as a fanny pack when off the bike. I plan to use it for some smaller gear as well as maps, my glasses/sunglasses (whichever I am not wearing at the moment) and my wallet.
   5. HEADLIGHTS: I have two headlights, really you only need one. They make great flashlights at camp as well as let you see inside tunnels. I recommend LED headlights for your bike as they are brighter, easy on battery life and don’t require having spare bulbs in your toolkit. Mine also as a bonus have a flash setting to make me more visible when riding in traffic.
   6. A BELL: I have an old 1950’s “ding-dong” bell on my bike. A bell is useful when passing a slower biker or hiker. I typically give two dings and a dong and politely say “on your left”. I also have a Harpo Marx style horn, but mostly for fun (and honking at geese).
   7. MIRROR: Simply, I like to see what is behind me and a mirror facilitates that better than growing a pair of eyes on the back of my head.
   8. BIKE COMPUTER: Essentially a bike computer is just a fancy digital speedometer. It will also keep track of your trip distance, your bikes total odometer and your maximum speed.
   9. SMARTPHONE HOLSTER: Okay, it’s not essential, especially since not everyone has a smartphone. But I will be bringing mine along. Possibly using a tracking app to record my adventure pending on how the battery holds out while doing some test rides on my local rail trail.
   10. CAMPING GEAR: We covered the bike itself; now let’s talk about what goes on the bike. As I mentioned before, I will be camping the entire trip (except for one or two indoor lodgings) Here is what I bring, you might bring other stuff, but this is what I use:
       1. BACKPACKING TENT: I have a nice small one-man backpacking tent from REI. This tent is awesome; it is lightweight and packs up smaller than my sleeping bag making it easy to pack too.
       2. SLEEPING BAG: And speaking of a sleeping bag, regardless if you are out under the stars or in a tent, you really should consider a sleeping bag. My sleeping bag is now ten years old, but holding up fine. It is a mummy style backpacking bag that I put into a compression sack making it easy to attach to the bike and not take up much space.
       3. SLEEPING PAD: I also bring along a sleeping pad that folds up and takes about the same space as my tent. The pad really saves your back from rocks and other un-pleasantries that come from sleeping on the ground.
       4. STOVE: You gotta eat and I gotta have coffee. The best way to do that is with a camp stove. Mine is a Butane/Propane powered stove that heats water to a boil before you can blink. Okay maybe not that fast, but pretty dang fast.
       5. MESS KIT: A mess kit is your pots, pans, plates and eating utensils all in a nice compact kit that usually will have its own bag and will nest into compact form. Mine is an old Boy Scout model from when I was a Boy Scout myself. I also carry a can opener and a titanium spork.
       6. ILLUMINATION: Whether it’s a flashlight, a compact lantern, your bikes headlamp or all of the above, you’re going to need light. Campsites in the middle of nowhere get nice and dark and light sure comes in handy. Especially when you get delayed and roll into your site after dark. I carry the twin headlamps of my bike, a Maglight flashlight and a small Black Diamond lantern that runs on AA batteries. The lantern really lights up a large amount of space while the flashlight is handy for making my way to the Port-A-John (and for making sure I don’t pee on a raccoon or bear when I wander into the trees to relieve myself) or reading in the tent.
       7. TOILETRIES: I always carry a lightweight toiletry bag whether it’s backpacking or bikepacking. Everything I need fits into the bag my quick dry towel came in. My toiletries typically include:

                                          i.    Quick Dry Towel: handy XL size towel from REI that dries me after showering or being rained on and is typically dry within a few hours.

                                        ii.    Mouth Wash: Mmmm, minty fresh breath.

                                       iii.    Toothbrush & Toothpaste: Mmmm, clean mouth.

                                       iv.    Deodorant: Sure, I am going to smell in general with nine days on the trail and limited bathing, why add to the stench.

                                        v.    Biodegradable Soap: Makes sure I have clean hands for eating AND I help to keep nature and our National Parks clean.

                                       vi.    Shampoo: For those few times I get to bathe myself. I actually take my normal stuff and put it in a mini container. No need to take a huge bottle of shampoo.

                                      vii.    Advil: I get headaches. So I keep a bottle here and one in my first aid kit. Plus it could be useful for muscle aches (boy, which you are SO gonna have).

                                    viii.    Sun Block: I don’t particularly like sunburn. Do you?

                                       ix.    Bug Spray: Most of this trail is in river valleys. Bugs are also in river valleys. Keep them off of you. I recommend something with DEET. That will help keep the bloodsuckers (ticks) off of you.

1. FIRST AID KIT: Well, I should hope this is a DUH. Get one. Get a good one too. I use a Hikers First Aid Kit, same one I use when backpacking. You never know when one of these suckers will be needed. Trust me on this one. Just get it.
2. MATCHES and or LIGHTER: I bring a Zippo lighter with fuel and a bunch of matches that are strike anywhere. KEEP THEM DRY. They can start a campfire and even start your stove if the igniter stops working. I must say, a campfire always makes for a pleasant campsite.
3. ROPE: I always bring some rope. I think I have used it once as a clothes line. I still bring it, but it isn’t necessary.
4. CLOTHING: I assume you are not going to be biking naked, right? So likely you will require clothing. I try to pack synthetic clothes due to an experience with getting cotton wet. It takes a while to dry, while the synthetic stuff dries quickly. So here is a quick rundown of the clothes I bring:
   1. BIKE SHORTS: I cannot stress enough how important this one piece of clothing is. Without bike shorts you and your butt will not be friends at the end of the ride. Even with bike shorts you will be saddle sore, just not nearly as bad as without them. Do you hate spandex? So do I. I am not one to wear something that leaves little to the imagination to what lies beneath. But, aren’t bike shorts skintight spandex that reveals all? Yes, but not all bike shorts. The type I wear look like regular shorts. In fact they even have a zipper fly and pockets. Most outfitters carry them. Mine are from LL Bean.
   2. BIKE JERSEY: It’s lightweight and its wicking capabilities keep you dry and it helps block the sun. They also for the most part have a zipper to let cool air in after pedaling for hours. I bring three of them with me and cycle them throughout the trip.
   3. T-SHIRTS: Remember, no cotton. My shirts are the same synthetic ones I wear for hiking. I typically bring one or two of them to wear at camp and around town.
   4. PANTS: I bring one pair of hiking pants for at camp and town.
   5. SOCKS: I have these wicking synthetic padded socks. I bring enough to have a fresh pair everyday while riding and a few extras for camp and town. Remember what Lt. Dan said about taking care of your feet (before, you know, he lost his.)
   6. FLEECE: Mornings and nights can be chilly in the mountains. A good fleece will keep you warm even when it is wet.
   7. RAINCOAT: It’s going to rain. If it doesn’t, then I will be very very surprised. Just make sure it’s a wicking type raincoat or there wouldn’t have been much of a reason to have put it on in the first place. Also, keep that raincoat on top of your gear; you don’t want to be digging in the bottom of a bag in a torrential downpour, do you?
   8. HAT: You won’t need a hat while riding (unless you are going sans helmet) but a wide brim hat comes in handy at camp. Especially for keeping ticks out of your hair.
   9. SNEAKERS: You know, for sneaking! A good comfortable pair of lightweight sneakers will serve you better than boots. Some people have special pedals that require fancy shoes to use. I am not some people and I prefer good old flat pedals with shoes that I can wear off of the bike. One word of advice, spray your shoes with some Campdry before your trip. It will keep your feet dry when you hit some water.
   10. HELMET: Not everyone uses one. I do, mostly on the insistence of my wonderful wife. For some unknown reason she doesn’t want me to get a head injury.
   11. THE SMALL STUFF: By calling it the small stuff, I don’t mean to say it isn’t important, I mean that it’s the small odds and ends. Things like:
       1. BATTERIES: Know what you need and bring extra. I bring rechargeable as well as disposable batteries for powering everything from my iPhone to my headlights and camera.
       2. CHARGERS: for when you actually have a place to plug in. Get juiced up as much as possible. I have a battery pack that gives an extra boost to any USB powered device (such as an iPhone) it usually gives me a few more days for the old phone. I also plan on getting one that runs on AA batteries too.
       3. TOOLS: Something is going to break. Make sure you have the means to fix it. Have the proper tools for your bike as well as a spare tube or two. And don’t forget the patch kit. Do you know how to remove your wheel and change a flat? You might want to learn before a trip like this.
       4. BUNGEE CORDS: they hold stuff on your bike and they can break. A few extras don’t hurt.
       5. MAP & TRAIL BOOK: It comes in handy for the most part.
       6. PEN & PAPER: I plan to write a journal along the way (even though I still can’t find my journal from my 2010 trip) and will thus need a pen or two and some paper. I am an artist so I carry a small sketchbook too (but I have yet to use it on any hike or bike trip). The pen will also come in handy signing Geocache logs along the way.
       7. HYDRATION: Water is important. You are doing major aerobic exercise on a trip like this. You gotta stay hydrated.
          1. ON MY BACK: a have a hydration pack full of water. I don’t recommend carrying anything else but the water in your pack or you will likely be popping a lot of that Advil. A hydration pack makes it easy to get a drink. Just bite the straw and a rush of refreshing water enters your mouth.
          2. IN THE BOTTLE RACK: My bike like most bikes has a bottle rack. I keep a small Nalgene bottle in mine loaded with Gatorade. I only drink the Gatorade when I take a break and it will typically last me the day. I have a second cage that I am thinking of putting a spare bottle in.
          3. IN THE PANNIERS: Inside the pannier with my food will also be found a couple of large water bottles. One is marked Filtered while the other is marked Unfiltered. The unfiltered bottle is used to collect water from the pumps, springs and if I am desperate the canal or river. I then use a filter pump to move the water to the filtered bottle which I use to fill everything else. I also have two or three smaller bottles filled with filtered water. Some of the bottles might also get attached to the rack to distribute the weight better. Water weighs a lot, but it is worth it.
          4. WATER FILTER: As I just mentioned above, I bring a hand pumped water filter to purify water. It is the same one that goes with me when I hike too. Simply if I barely trust mountain springs at their source high in the mountains, I will definitely not trust water that is just about to dump into the river after passing towns, homes, people and animals. I frankly am not a fan of getting sick the way water borne illness makes you. Especially when I have to ride a bike 300 miles to get to my car. The canal has wells and pumps that are declared safe, but after seeing the orange tint of my unfiltered bottle the last trip, I’m glad I filtered my water.
          5. FOOD: You gotta eat. And I am not going to eat out every day of a trip. I have a few places planned for breakfasts along the way and a couple for dinners. But most will be eaten at camp.
             1. DEHYDRATED FOOD: Just add water for an instant gourmet meal. They make a variety of dinners and breakfasts and will provide the majority of my meals.
             2. RAMEN: Not my first choice, but it gives a little variety to the Mountain House and it doesn’t lighten my wallet as much either.
             3. PEPERONI: Yes, a whole stick. Good for lunches and doesn’t need refrigerated.
             4. SPAM: Again not my first choice. Oh and I also don’t buy it by the can, I get the single serving pouch and like the peperoni, it’s good for lunch.
             5. ROLLS: a pack of hamburger rolls should last the week and will make eating the peperoni and stomaching the Spam easier.
             6. SNACKS: I will also get some Oreo’s or potato chips (or other snacks that strikes my fancy at Sheetz) so that I can have something with my lunch (or my second breakfast and elevensies).
             7. FRUIT: I will likely pick up fresh fruit, like apples, at the start of the trip or on the way.

The above just about covers what to bring on a bike adventure. Now:

WHAT NOT TO BRING:

1. A BACKPACK: Unless you like pain, I do not recommend packing everything in a backpack. I don’t even recommend packing a little in a backpack. Trust me, this is from experience. The only pack on your back should be a hydration pack that is used for water only (which is heavy enough to still cause pain but worth it)
2. A BIKE WITH WIDE HANDLEBARS: Some older cruisers out there have wide handlebars. This looks cool, but after many miles with your arms spread out to hold the bars, well needless to say it hurts. How do I know? Experience, trust me on this. I couldn’t turn my head to the left without shooting pain and both arms at the shoulder had gone numb.
3. A REAR BASKET: It seemed like a good idea at the time. That said, it prohibited me from attaching my panniers to the rack. That caused the bike to be top heavy when I attached the panniers to the basket. Then I discovered that since I am short, I couldn’t raise the seat high enough for the clasp to work and had to attach the basket with bungee cords.
4. COTTON CLOTHES: See above. Cotton will stay wet for a long time.
5. BOOTS: Boots can be heavy and hot and will be unnecessary for pedaling. Get a comfortable pair of sneakers and waterproof them with a silicone spray. Your feet will thank you.
6. VIENNA SAUSAGE: Several reasons here. First it comes in tins full of water, and that is heavy. Second, I made the mistake on my 2006 ride of eating almost entirely Vienna sausage. You will smell like Vienna sausage if you eat too much of it and eventually your body will reject it.

This list is far from complete of what not to bring on a bike trip; it is just based on my own experiences. Plus for all I know you like Vienna sausage and you will not have the same reaction I did.

I hope this list was informative and that it helped you out in your own planning. Naturally you will have your own experiences and as the years go by will be able to create your own list of essentials too. If I managed to forget something, I will post an update. So be sure to subscribe to this blog so that you can keep up to date and for more articles like this one.