What to take? Loaded bike

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Drying out my gear after getting flooded out of camp at midnight by a torrential desert storm

As in ‘What to take?’

This is such an idiosyncratic thing. Some go around the world with a groundsheet, fuel stove and sleeping bag while others travel the railtrails of Victoria with stools and even a cutlery collander.

My basics are;

water – a whole topic here

  • Camping –

    • twelve year old, $49 tent waterproofed with gutter sealant silicone (DIY (10% silicone/90% methylated spirit) silicone waterproofing an old tent),
    • $100 hollow fibre synthetic sleeping bag (down sleeping bags became soggy in a heavy fog or rain and lose warmth),
    • self-inflating sleeping mat (it leaks air but its main purpose is to keep me off the cold ground rather than be a cushy mattress),
    • 2×3 m blue tarp ($4 or pick one up off the side of the road) and
    • extruded aluminium tent pegs ($3 from eBay)
    • dish sponge (140x10x6mm) for use as towel for body and to wipe off tent fly in morning

  • Clothes –

    • two pairs cycle knicks,
    • two short-sleeve jerseys advertising the Cycle Touring Association of Western Australia (CTAWA) and hi-viz polyester workers shirt from St Vinnies,
    • detachable cycling sunsleeves,
    • hollowfill jacket
    • polyester expedition trousers with zip-off legs
    • white long-sleeve cotton shirt for the pub
    • two pairs poly/cotton socks, one pair boxer shorts for camp ground modesty
    • bucket hat
    • lightweight rain jacket
    • sneakers

Medical and hygiene

  • sunscreen (500ml bottle)
  • natural multivitamin tablet
  • bar soap
  • bandaids (6)
  • adhesive Elastoplast 40mm wide tape
  • elastic bandage (for compression for snakebite)
  • tweezers
  • chamois lube (aussie butt cream)
  • topical anti-fungal cream (Daktarin)
  • tincture of iodine (2% iodine in alcohol) to sterilize suspect water)

Communications

  • 4G mobile phone (2G, 3G and analogue not available in many areas, many remote towns and communities did not have any mobile or public fixed line available)
  • 10,000 mAhr USB battery (charges phone, satellite tracker and torches for three nights)
  • solar panel (14W Anker foldable, used once)
  • camera (Olympus TG3 tough and waterproof point’n’shoot)
  • satellite communicator (DelOrme InReach with emergency link, text messaging, GPS locator)

  • Food

  • Preparation and tools

    • a Trangia methylated spirit camp stove and fuel, stacking 2 aluminium pots and plate
    • knife/fork/spoon metal combination
    • folding pocket knife with bottle opener and can opener
    • disposable cigarette lighter (usually replaced by hunting around for part used ones in pub beer gardens or on side of road)

  • Breakfast

    • porridge with sugar
    • damper and jam
    • black coffee

  • Lunch

    • Black&Gold fruit cake (500 g a day eaten during rests while riding)
    • bread and strawberry jam

  • Dinner

    • pasta (spaghetti) and condiments (chilli flakes, parmesan, garlic granules)
    • beef stock cubes (stock for pasta)
    • tuna-in-oil in single serve cans or packets
    • pre-mixed drinking chocolate sachets
    • coffee sachets or small tin
    • multi-vitamin tablets as I am a great believer in B-group vitamins for skin health when washing opportunities are scarce
    • rum for fun
    • eat as much fruit and fresh veg as possible when in town or at a roadhouse (I have seen remote roadhouses with signs up warning cycle tourists to have only one serve from the salad bar!)
    • scroggin

  • Tools and spares

    • Tools

    • Shimano cluster tool (that splined one that is almost exactly the same as, but not compatible with,  a freewheel tool)
    • chain breaker (check pin is straight before packing)
    • bicycle combination tool with range of hex tools, screwdrivers (flat, Philips), tyre levers
    • Torque wrench (head is needed for brake disc rotor which is not compatible with Philips screws)
    • 1 inch shifting spanner (adjustable wrench)
    • 6 inch pliers (flat jaws and side cutting)
    • dry finish Teflon chain lube

    • Spares

      • puncture repair patches, two x unopened tubes glue, sandpaper (10 cm x 5 cm)
      • chain
      • chain reusable links (at least 3 for 7 and 8 speed chain)
      • spokes (3 each for each size; front wheel and each side on rear wheel)
      • 4 x spare tubes
      • 1 x spare folding tyre
      • 1 each gear cable and brake cable
      • full set brake pads (my mechanical disc brakes were three years old and regarded as ‘old fashioned’ making spares hard to get)
      • handlebar tape set
      • full roll electrical tape
      • 5mm hex headed machine bolts (20mm, 40mm) to fit Bidon mounts and rack fixings
  • Extras that I should have taken
    • collapsible spade (military entrenching tool for latrine digging, finding water in creek beds, banging in tent pegs and smoothing camp site)
    • cargo straps with K-clamp (replaces bungee cords that I used to secure top bag but which are dangerous as they can flick back and hit you in the eye; previously these could be found on the side of the road but are getting rarer)
    • small cutting board (used to find on side of road but no more)
    • pointed hunting style hard steel knife (10-15 cm blade Bowie knife)
    • headlamp with adjustable output for camp light
    • combination cone and pedal spanners
    • collapsible 10 litre bucket
    • alcohol wet-wipes

  • Things I didn’t need

    • more than 4 spare tubes