Supplies
Posted on May 13th, 2009
A few people have been curious about what I’m taking along. Now, I’m sure this list will change ( items will be dumped, sent home, and/or picked up ), but here’s my current pre-trip set up:
Bike
12-Speed Nishiki International Road Touring Bike ( late 70s – early 80s, as far as I can tell ). Picked this bike up in Seattle for $90 a number of years ago, and it’s never let me down.
Riding Gear
Giro helmet, new Kevlar tires, rear bike rack, 2 Jandd pannier bags ( thanks Lylee! ), rear view mirror, compass, cheap bike computer, head/rear lights, gel seat cover, u-lock.
Bike Repair
Blackburn Air Stik road pump, Crank Brothers bike multitool, 3 extra tubes, extra brake pads, patch kit, chain lube, tire irons.
Clothing
3 bike jerseys, 2 padded bike shorts, arm warmers, sunglasses, 3 pairs biking socks, fleece-like sweatshirt, rain jacket shell, rain pants shell, Urban Bikers Seattle bike gloves, warm hat, warm gloves, lightweight tights, set of non-bike clothes.
Camping Equipment
Light Year 1 tent, 15º down sleeping bag ( thanks Ben! ), Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad, Drylite compression sack, 2 tarps, clothesline, clothespins, headlamp.
Toiletries
Toothbrush w/ travel cover, lil toothpaste, floss, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, lil shampoo, wet naps, nail clippers, microfiber towel, linen towel, emergency tp.
Drinking/Eating
Water bottle, water purification tablets, camelbak hydration pack ( thanks Candice! ), camping mug, mini stove-ish deal, lil propane fuel, tea-style coffee bags, box of Clif Bars and Clif Shot Bloks ( thanks Ben! ), spoon.
Misc Supplies / Tools
Adventure Cycling Association Transamerica maps, Crescent wrench, Leatherman-like tool, duct tape, first aid kit, ziplock bags, bungee cords, phone w/ charger, camera w/ charger, notebook & pen.
Believe it or not, I think I’ve got it all fitting either in one of the two pannier bags, on the bike frame or on myself. I’m not sure how much it all weighs, but needless to say, it renders the kick stand useless.
May 13th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
This was a really thorough list. Very impressed! HAVE FUN!
May 14th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Your “Misc. Supplies/Tools” list reads like a list of things the cops would find in a serial killer’s car. Not that that’s a BAD thing. I don’t know what a Leatherman-like tool is, but is it something along the line of a super fancy pocket knife, with a variety of sharp tools? That would be handy. Also, regarding the plans/instruments for defense that we were talking about last night . . . here’s an idea. Get a couple of baseball caps. Decorate both inside and outside of each cap in a different geographically-political motif . . . maybe one side would have a Confederate Flag on it, the other have a anti-government slogan on it. That kind of thing. When you are riding thru Redneck Country, you put on the cap that has the Confederate Flag on it. Any goofball driving by in his truck will give you a shout-out instead of a head-bashing. (If he stops you to chat, sprinkle your sentences with “hot damn”s and “god damn Obama”.) When you are riding thru the Utah/Montana/Idaho area, pull out the anti-government or NRA motif cap. Well, I guess that would be over-doing it because you are already starting to look like the Unabomber, so they’d alreadly consider you an ally, and not the crazy, bike-ridin’, book-learnin’, tree-huggin’ liberal that you are. Just a thought.
May 14th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Dude. Don’t listen to Becky. Just dress as flamboyantly as possible in every way and in every nook and cranny of the United States. The people of the United States of America are very tolerant of differences.
May 14th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Just in case…sarcasm was implied in that last post…
May 14th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Love where your mind travels, Becky!
I’ll keep an eye out for Confederate Flags on my next Target run.
May 18th, 2009 at 7:54 am
I am very much looking forward to both stalking you and doing a bit of vicariously living through your pictures and journals. I wish I could join you!
May 19th, 2009 at 7:39 am
I too will be joining you in meta form. Happy Travels Scott. Thanks for bringing us all along.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Hope your adventure gets off to a good start, man!
May 29th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Nice!! Keep coming west. I enjoy reading your entries, keep them coming.