Travel-ready Pannier Prep Guide

April 29, 2010

COLD: toque, gloves, neck warmer. A “deal breaker” is what I call a puffy compact jacket, vest or mid-layer that not only warms you instantly, but doubles as a comfortable pillow.

Bathroom

Everyone likes a non-stinky cyclist at the end of the day, including your sleeping bag. I organize personal items by body part: teeth (toothbrush, paste), eyes (glasses, contacts, case), skin (soap, bug spray, sweat-proof sun-block, lotion, towel) and hair (shampoo, comb, elastics).

Resources

The useful little items that are so easy to forget. Maps, guidebooks, schedules, large clear Ziploc bags. Pen and notepad. Wristwatch with alarm. Camera and batteries. First aid kit. Phone card.

Guilty Pleasures

Additional useful but less necessary items: ear plugs, safety pins, bulldog clips, needle and thread. A convertible stuff sack/pillow case. Sarong/pashmina. Menstrual cup, panty liners. Silk pajamas. Loofah (scrubs off salt, sand and sweat). Soft-sided cooler bag, candles/lantern, bread bags (for feet), collapsible water bladder. Booze. Books. And my new favorite: the ultra-light camp chair.

What do you pack for a cycling trip? Write Momentum and share your story, or visit momentumplanet.com and tell us online.

Ulrike Rodrigues lives, rides and writes in Vancouver, Canada. Read more adventures at ulrike.ca

Tag Topics: Issue 45, Mitey Miss, pannier, Ulrike Rodrigues, travel and tourism

by Ulrike Rodrigues

April 29, 2010

Latest Comments

Frisbee Bowl

Chris Keam - Good call about the frisbee as a bowl or plate. Tupperware should make a Frisbee bowl with a snap on lid.

Posted by Scott May 23, 2010 23:18:19
and another thing...

...a mesh/String hammock is very light, easy to pack and makes for comfy relaxing at teh end of a long day, provided your camp spot has conveniently spaced trees or posts to tie it to

Posted by Sean May 14, 2010 11:46:26
Light packing list--a real vacation!

Warm, flat, and mildly touristy...Baja is a bit warmer than Monterey County and both are great for cycling. I hop off the coastal bike path and bike on Del Monte Beach here in Monterey sometimes,the north end of which looks much like the scene above.

I like that packing list! A real vacation--no cell or laptop! And you wouldn't need a GPS to find that end-of-the-day beer here; just print out Monterey County's HER Helmet Thursdays listings with the bike-there tips and you'll easily find that sociable spot! http://www.bicyclingmonterey.com

Posted by Mari Lynch May 06, 2010 23:46:17
some addt'l items

I use a 10 litre dry bag to carry my thermarest. It slides inside snugly, holding it nicely rolled up and if a monsoon hits I have a back-up 100% waterproof container for stuff that can't get wet, such as electronics.

I usually wear a mesh safety vest in hot weather. Just enough coverage to act as a sunscreen layer, cool and breathable, and highly visible.

A roofer's hammer has a axe-like end and a hammer end. A good two-in-one tool for bike-camping (chopping kindling, hammering in tent-pegs.

For long trips I like to bring a soup thermos. Fill it up in the morning with a can of soup, for a hot lunch, or with stew, chili, soup or what have you if you stop at a restaurant for lunch and you have an instant supper ready for when you get off the bike an don't feel like cooking, but are starving after a long day in the saddle.

A frisbee can be both a plate and an ice-breaker. The world is filled with ultimate players in the most unusual places, kids will flock to you as soon as you pull it out, and the lip means you can also use it as a very shallow bowl.

Posted by Chris Keam May 06, 2010 08:41:29