Kit and caboodle
10/08/2010
So you've probably seen a pic of my laden bike. Quite a few people en route have commented how lightly I'm travelling considering I'm away for a month, so if you're interested, here's what I've got with me.
The blue pannier bag contains all the clothes that I'm not wearing, separated into plastic bags, roughly divided by state of cleanliness - clean, acceptable, minging. If I'm wearing sandals, then the shoes are stuffed with as many small items as possible, and in a separate bag.
I've mentioned before that many of my clothes are from Rohan, which specialises in stuff that dpesn't need washing so often, dries quickly when it does, folds up tightly, and never needs ironing. I'm managing with:
4 t-shirts (2 'trip't-shirts with my trip logo on)
1 long-sleeve shirt to wear in the evening
3 pairs shorts
1 pair lightweight trousers
4 x underwear (2 of these are padded for cycling comfort!)
1 pr sandals
1 pr shoes
1 jumper
raincoat & waterproof trousers
In the red pannier bag (which also converts to a rucksack) I have:
small laptop (9" screen)
reading book, and map guide book
bag of cables and chargers
emergency nibbles
sun cream
travel towel
bag of toiletries & medicines (mostly with mini versions of things), incl pot of sudocrem - very useful.
leatherman penknife
bike oil
thin latex gloves and hand cleaner for the messy jobs
Under the seat is a small bag containing spare bike parts (inner tube, brake & gear cables) and tools (mulitool, cable ties, etc)
In the bar bag at the front is everyhing I need close at hand or to keep safest:
camera
passport
mobile phone (ok, 2 of them. I know.)
gloves/hat/sunglasses
snacks for the journey
a page of todays map on top
small donkey hanging from the side
The bike also has attached:
two water bottles
pump
GPS cycle computer
D-lock. Well it did until an hour ago when it just broke and fell off. Not sure what I'm going to do with that now
A cable combination lock wrapped around the stem
That's basically it. What would I have packed differently? Actually I think I got it pretty well spot on. I'm not struggling to close the bags. The only things I haven't used (yet!) are the small travel towel (as everyone's always provided them), and some of the bike tools & parts. I could have managed without one of the pairs of shorts. And the reading book. I brought a 950-pager to keep me going. Nearly 2 weeks into the journey and I haven't even opened it. There's no time, what with the pedalling, and keeping you all entertained!
You can read the book (Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson, if I'm not mistaken) on you 30 hour train ride home!
by Roman