posted
Actually Hobbes I think his list is reasonable. It is close to what my Aunt and Uncle had when they bicycled across Australia and New Zealand. The second time they did it they had a bunch of baby paraphenalia they had to take along because of their 4 month old infant that they took along with. The baby slept on small lambskin fleece every night. Of course with two bikes you can fit more stuff too. I think with careful packing you could fit all of that in large rear panniers, though you might need front panniers too.
Posts: 11265 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
With the tent, sleeping bag and air matress I'm skeptical about getting it all on the rear. I guess you could probably do it with some on the front too...
posted
Air mattress? No way in Houston I'd want to blow up an air mattress after biking 80-100 miles. Rather sleep on rocks.
Posts: 6213 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've spent a lot of time camping, and I can tell you even the smallest pads still take up what amounts to a meaningful amount of room when you're talking about a bike. If he can fit it all on there more power to him, but with everything he listed, and the extra stuff you added on I'd say possible chance with loading things on the front, but no way is that all going to fit on the back.
posted
You'd be surprised. I intend to get a handlebar bag for the electronics, but my two panniers should be enough to hold what few pairs of clothes I'm taking and a small tool kit. The list is far bigger than the actual supplies are -- I'm hoping all I'll need to fit on top of the rack is my pad, my bag, and my tent, along with maybe a 2-liter bottle of water. I shouldn't have much trouble lashing them in place, especially if I can find a decent cargo net.
Aside from those, most of the other items mentioned are tiny -- I doubt I'll have any trouble at all fitting them in.
AJ, I'd love to bring extra clothes, but as it stands, I don't think I have enough room even for a pair of sweats. Let alone khakis. If people along the way find the sight of me too inappropriate to tolerate, I'm happy to keep on moving. And if you're just worried about that steak dinner, heh, how about I take you out to McDonald's instead? On me.
Besides, I think I'll have fewer problems with sight than I will with smell. I've no idea how I'm gonna wash all these. Though, heh, I'm gonna give plenty of housewives something to look at as I chill around in laundromats in my one spared pair of bike shorts or something.
posted
As far as pads go, I intend to buy a closed-cell foam pad. They roll up long, but flat -- it'll go at the bottom of my pad-bag-tent pile, but I should haven't any trouble with it.
As far as bikes go, I'm really leaning toward that police bike one. I'll be buying quite a bit of it with my own stash, but damn, I think it's worth it. If only for the crime deterrent -- what kind of idiot criminal would jack a police bike?
On the downside, I may need to refit it with slimmer tires. And a possibly redone handlebar -- I'm gonna want it as cushy as possible. And I'm definitely getting some gel-filled gloves, Hobbes, no worries on that count.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, and I CAN ride on the freeway, provided there's no other way to get from one place to another. It'll be interesting, but what the hell, who's gonna pull over the police bike?
Man, heh, I think I'll buy a POLICE decal even if I don't buy the bike. That's gotta be a lot of stinking fun right there.
Pull over! Ma'am, you know how hot you're looking driving at that speed? Sheeyit. How would you like to get out of this ticket?
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Lalo in the fine print your bike will NOT say "police" I believe it is illegal
I think you are wasting your money if you get that model but it is up to you. And I suspect you can get a ticket quite easily while biking on a freeway. But we will wait and see.
posted
Heh, very deep, Monteverdi, but I am taking simple provisions. Sleeping bag/tent, clothes, and a GPS so I don't get lost. Along with a med kit and a tool kit so I don't, y'know, die. If you don't think this is an adventure with no clear goals or purposes, what does fit that description?
And please, no self-discovery bullshit. I'm doing this trip for myself and for my own reasons, not to proclaim my sudden rush of new wisdom to the world -- if only we could all learn that lesson...
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
You need to just leave, instead of planning to leave...
You don't need a super-bike You don't need a satellite You don't need a computer You don't need digital communications You don't need a camera You need some clothes, You need some tools, You need some money, And you need to not be afraid To leave... The rest will take care of itself, One way or another, Or another, Hit the road.
Posts: 575 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
monteverdi obviously you havent the slightest clue about bike riding. I however HAVE gotten a flat that I've been unable to patch miles from civilization in the high desert in 110 degree heat and had to walk the 9 miles back to civilization, without a cell phone to call for help. I don't wish that on ANYONE (though I'm contemplating that it might be a good strengthening experience for your character given your obvious cluelessness)
Lalo needs a bike that isn't going to fall apart on him after a day of hard riding. Tour de France riders have an entire support car with trained technicians and spare bikes to get them on the road again in the event of a minor problem. Tour de Lalo has no such luxury. I'm for a simpler bike than the "police" bike that Lalo is so fond of. However, it is a quality bike that hopefully won't break down at the most inopportune time. And in the even that does happen, because it does and it will no matter how good the bike, he needs to be able to take care of it on the spot. And if he breaks an appendage or gets run over, the cell phone will be highly useful in calling for help.
(I've seen the results of way too many biking accidents to believe that one won't happen somewhere on the trip. Hopefully Lalo only comes off with road rash, and doesn't end up with needing skin grafts like my friend Brett, or with a concussion like my father on one occasion and in another occasion in a mountain bike wreck he dripped blood all over my car since they happened to take it with. I had my dad's bloodstains from that accident on my steering wheel til the day I got rid of it. It gives you an ever present reminder of bicycle saftey.)
You also clearly don't know the first thing about basic survival techniques or normal backpacking equipment. Wait a minute! Maybe you think Lalo should pack his shotgun and live off of squirrel.
Yeah right. It has nothing to do with fear, and everything to do with common sense.
posted
another note on clothing. You need one item that you can stay warm in, because going through the rockies and the high desert it can get COLD.
I think as far as bike repair goes, I'd only take the basics: 2-3 spare inner tubes and tire irons. Spokes don't break that often and you can ride on less then the maximum numbers but if you wanted spare spokes and a spoke and spokewrench I could see that. The whole point of getting a good bike is that stuff like spokes and chains WON'T break despite the abuse. In case of emergency it would be far better to call for help than to attempt other repairs yourself, especially given the weight tradeoff and your general inexperience with bike repairs. No, offense but you could quite likely screw it up worse and delay yourself even more as a result.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
