My riding partner always shirks camp duties. How can I get them to contribute their fair share?

Dear Overworked,

Bummer! I feel for you on this one. Going out on a limb here, I assume that this is someone you enjoy riding with enough that you’ve put up with shouldering more than your fair share until now. If so, I say “hurray!” for having someone you like to ride with. Even if you’ve been riding and traveling with someone for a while, it doesn’t mean it will always be smooth sailing (or rolling!). And sometimes when we let things go, the other person just assumes that we’re fine with the status quo and nothing needs to change.

Just because bike travel is overall a ton of fun doesn’t mean that every single aspect is enjoyable. There is definitely work involved, and I don’t mean just while pedaling. I can think of plenty of people who love biking but when I start talking about camping, they say, “no, thank you.” With camping, there are more logistics and tasks: you need to pack all your gear, then set up your tent and other camp spaces, and the next morning pack it all up again (even less fun if you have a wet tent!). Then, of course, we need to feed ourselves, because food is fuel, and biking is definitely not fun if you’re hangry. If you are sharing a tent with your riding partner, maybe some of the camp duties causing strife include set-up/tear down, but if you’re not, then I’m guessing most of your friction is related to food duties.

To start, I’m wondering if you and your riding partner potentially have different expectations for your travels. Sometimes we have a vision in our minds as the way to tour, when really there are lots of ways to approach your adventure. For instance, maybe your friend is totally fine with carrying their gear, and maybe even camping, but was envisioning that you’d eat your meals out and not have to deal with meal planning, shopping, cooking and clean-up? If so, how would you feel about adapting to this style of bike travel? Do you cook because it’s easier on the budget or because the camp meals are a valued part of the experience for you? Or maybe both?

Another possibility is that your travel style (camping and cooking) is in line with your riding partner’s, but since you’ve taken the lead on these responsibilities, they assume you really like doing it. In this case, additional communication might be in order. Even if you like doing the meal planning and cooking, it sounds like you feel you are being taken advantage of and want things to change. If you’re already out on the road and experiencing this, the best thing to do is to speak up before these feelings grow into resentment (if they haven’t already). If you’re not currently on a trip with your riding partner but are starting to plan, this is the perfect time to tell them that you are looking for a more equitable partnership this time.

There could be several ways to accomplish this. On Adventure Cycling tours, we use a cooking rotation to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to shop for and cook a meal that they really like. You can set up your own mini cooking rotation, assigning each day’s meals ahead of time. Or you could agree to share the responsibilities each day, taking turns either doing the cooking or the clean-up (and decide how shopping fits in!). Maybe you can adopt a hybrid model for your meals, with you shopping and cooking on your night and your partner taking the “credit card” route and footing the restaurant bill when it’s their night?

There’s also the possibility that your riding partner is intimidated by the idea of cooking. It’s worth checking in with them to see if some of the avoidance stems from the concern that they won’t do a good job. You could have a couple of really easy recipes ready to go and reassure them that practically anything tastes great after a long day on the bike.

One fallback possibility, especially if you’re really fed up but want to keep riding with this person, would be to do your shopping, cooking and clean-up individually. Many bicycle tourists really enjoy the communal aspect of the experience, so it’s understandable if this isn’t your first choice. Perceptions of incompatibility with dietary restrictions or preferences may be another reason to go your separate ways with meals. If solo meal prep saves the touring partner relationship, it’s worth considering.

If you have this conversation with your riding partner and it still seems like you’re going to end up with more of the camp duties, are there other responsibilities that your riding partner can take on to potentially balance out some of this lopsidedness? Are they good at route planning or finding fun points of interest along the way? If so, they could organize your maps or create all the Ride with GPS routes beforehand. Are they good in stressful situations and do you appreciate their level-headedness? That’s really valuable. Are they a good storyteller and conversationalist and help make the miles fly by? Do they excel at finding a good playlist to jazz you up on the road? Can they set up your tent while you get dinner ready?

Ideally your riding partner will step up once you’ve been clear about your feelings and brainstormed some possible solutions with them. Or, if they contribute to making your tour fun and successful in other ways, it may be worth accepting that camp duties won’t be split 50/50. Ultimately though, it will be up to you to decide if their other efforts or qualities are enough to keep moving down the road with them on future trips.

The post Ask An Adventure Cycling Tour Leader: When Your Cycling Buddy Avoids Camp Duties appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Eventually though, especially if you want to ride solo, you’ll need to learn the basics. Plus, it’s kind of fun! You’ll find many excellent how-to videos online — the ones by Park Tool are especially good — and some bike shops and outdoor retailers like REI offer in-person classes. You can learn the most important basics with a spare afternoon and a few tools.

It’s important to get your hands dirty and practice with your own bike. Just watching videos and reading articles won’t cut it when you’re attempting a repair beside the trail in the pouring rain as the sun is setting. So don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and spend some quality time with your bike!

In rough order of priority (start at the top and work down), here are the skills to focus on:

• Adjust seat post height, saddle tilt, and saddle forward/back position so that you’re the most comfortable on your bike and know how to tweak the saddle position when you’re on the road
• Clean and lube the chain to keep it rust-free and running smoothly
• Fix a dropped chain (one that has slipped off the chainrings or cogs)
• Remove and reinstall both wheels, which might be different with different types of bikes
• Patch and replace a punctured tube
• Set up, seal, and repair tubeless tires, if applicable
• Adjust derailleurs, both front and back
• Adjust and align brake pads, and eventually replace them
• Repair a broken or damaged chain

For basic maintenance, you’ll need a basic set of tools.

• Metric hex wrenches, particularly sizes 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm
• Masterlink tool and chain breaker for repairing a broken or damaged chain
• A floor pump
• Tube patches and an extra tube
• Tubeless puncture repair kit
• Chain tube and rags
• Tire levers

Ten Must-Have Bike Tools for the Home Mechanic

Once you’ve mastered those, move on to replacing brake and gear cables, repairing or replacing a broken spoke, and doing an emergency single-speed conversion in case of a damaged rear derailleur. You’ll be prepared for nearly anything!

For tools you might need on the road, check out our post on Bikepacking Gear: What to Take & How to Pack It.

The post Bike Repair Skills to Know Before Bikepacking appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

I had to abandon a long tour that I had been planning for years halfway through it, and I’m still devastated. How do I get over it?

Dear Devastated,

I’m so sorry. It’s understandable that you’re feeling a great sense of loss, given how invested you were in this trip. It is totally okay to take some time to grieve the fact that it didn’t turn out as initially planned. You had intended to make this dream a reality, and circumstances got in the way of that happening. Something like this, that has been in your mind and heart for so long, isn’t something you can get over just like that.

Last year I co-led two cross-country trips, and at each of the orientation meetings, our participants shared why they picked this particular trip. It was truly inspiring to hear so many of them describe the years, and even decades, that they had been thinking and dreaming of riding their bicycle across the country. Many had to wait for the right time, whether it was retirement or kids leaving the house. They had to get the support of their loved ones, since nine to eleven weeks is a really long time to be away from home and household responsibilities. Many had to save up money because even though bicycle travel is pretty darn cost-effective compared to other types of travel, it still costs a chunk of change to go on a multi-week tour. Everyone did so much preparation just to get to the start of the tour — even that was a feat to be celebrated.

Then the actual riding started, and “it got real,” as they say. Both tours dealt up challenging weather, traffic, and road conditions. Even under the best of circumstances, 60-75 days is a long time to ride your bicycle. And honestly, there were times when some riders didn’t think they’d finish. I don’t know your unique circumstances, but a whole list of reasons for ending your tour come to mind: injury, weather, mechanical issues, family emergency, group dynamics. Any of which can lead to fatigue, loneliness, frustration, homesickness, and finally just feeling the need to tap out. You are human.

The need to abandon your tour before it was complete does not diminish what you accomplished. If your initial tour was 3,000 miles and you made it halfway, that means you rode your bicycle 1,500 miles! That is something that 99.9% of people haven’t done and won’t ever do. If you planned to ride for a month and only made it two weeks, you still planned and completed a two-week bicycle tour, which is long, even for the most committed recreational cyclists. I would bet money that if you described your tour to nearly anyone — where it started and where you finished — they would be impressed beyond belief. Please don’t sell yourself short on what you did.

While it’s possible that you’ll always have some regrets about what happened, sometimes as time passes, we’re able to make peace with an unfortunate outcome. Let me share a personal experience.

When I was in my early 20s, there was nothing I wanted more than to join the Peace Corps. After making it through many stages of the process, they ultimately declined my application due to a past medical concern. I also was devastated. I felt really lost, trying to reconcile my reality with what I had been envisioning for many months. Eventually other opportunities and possibilities came, and I took another path in helping others and in satiating my appetite for adventure. I still think about the Peace Corps but no longer feel the deep disappointment from that rejection. Ultimately, I’m glad that life worked out the way it did. I wonder if your future adventures might also someday ease what currently feels so heartbreaking?

In addition to recognizing the validity of your feelings and trusting that time might cast a different light on your trip, I’m wondering what the possibilities are for resuming your tour where you left off? Many, many people tackle epic journeys in smaller pieces for time and logistical reasons. Section hiking the Pacific Crest Trail or section biking the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route are much more common than tackling the whole thing in one go. It doesn’t even have to be right away. When the COVID pandemic started, many epic trips had to stop mid-way through. Even though it took two or three years, some of these groups were so committed to finishing with the same people that they went to great lengths to make that happen.

If this is a possibility, you’d hardly be starting from scratch. It sounds like you’ve done much of the planning, and from the amount of the tour you’ve already completed, you probably have some wisdom that you didn’t have the first time around. If it wasn’t a particular event that caused you to abandon your tour, but rather some more generalized conditions, are there ways to mitigate circumstances that were challenging? If you were previously solo, can you bring a riding buddy? Is this a route that would benefit from some vehicle support? Would it be helpful to break the days into shorter distances or factor in more rest days? It’s okay to adjust expectations for what your dream long tour should look like.

If you decide to start planning a new dream tour, there’s never been a better time for bike touring! The options for off road adventures utilizing bike paths and gravel roads keep expanding. Many small towns welcome bicycle tourism. Digital routes are easily searchable and accessible via RidewithGPS. And if the planning seems like a lot, Adventure Cycling offers several epic guided tours each year. Not only are the logistics taken care of, but as tour leaders we are there to support and empower you on your journey.

Your feelings about your discontinued tour are totally valid, and I feel for you. No one wants to keep mulling the “what ifs” of plans that didn’t go how we were expecting. Ultimately though, you had an adventure. If there were things you could have done differently, I’m guessing you learned from them. If you ended your tour due to circumstances beyond your control, even the best laid plans go awry. My wish for you is that you are able to both find pride in what you accomplished and start dreaming about your next big adventure. Happy pedaling!

The post Ask An Adventure Cycling Tour Leader: How to Get Over Trip Abandonment appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Choosing a Campsite

A good campsite is key to enjoying your evening, getting a good night’s sleep, and waking up feeling rested and recovered the next morning. Here’s what to look for.

Developed Campgrounds: Look for tent sites that won’t be surrounded by RVs, and avoid the sites next to and downwind of the restrooms.

Primitive Campgrounds: You’ll find primitive campgrounds throughout public land like US National Forests. They may be free or cheap (bring cash in small denominations) and may lack amenities like water or bathrooms. On busy weekends you’ll find them mostly populated with RVs.

Wild Camping: In areas like National Forests where dispersed camping is legal, you’re free to camp almost anywhere as long as you follow Leave No Trace principles. This type of camping is ideal for getting away from vehicles and enjoying solitude.

• If you’d like to avoid being seen from the road, look for sites hidden behind a rise, uphill from the road, or on the insides of curves where headlights won’t reach you.
• Avoid camping on private land, or if you must, ask for permission first.
• If you find yourself needing to “stealth camp” somewhere you’d rather not be noticed, make camp just before dark, leave around sunrise, and minimize light usage at night.

Whatever type of camping you’re doing, a great site is one that is:

• Flat and not likely to turn into a puddle if rain is expected
• Near a water source, though ideally not within 100 feet (camping too close to water pollutes the source and disturbs animals who come to drink).
• Previously used, or at least on a durable surface like dirt instead of delicate foliage
• Sheltered from wind
• Not in the bottom of a ravine or canyon in cold weather, as cold air tends to sink into these places overnight
• Not underneath dead branches or trees that could fall on your campsite

Camp Hygiene

It’s totally normal for hygiene standards to slip a bit while bikepacking. However, it’s important to keep certain personal areas clean to avoid saddle sores, urinary tract infections, and other unpleasant problems.

Change Clothes

As soon as you get to camp, change out of your cycling shorts and into something dry and breathable.

Wash Yourself

As you’re changing, give yourself a backcountry shower. Splash off your face, underarms, and especially your crotch and saddle areas; a squirt water bottle works well for this. Some people bring a little bottle of biodegradable soap or carry hygiene wipes. Wash at least 100 feet from natural water sources to avoid polluting them.

Wash Your Shorts

When you change out of your cycling shorts at camp, clean them so they’re ready for the next day. If you don’t have enough water for a full wash, at least rinse out the chamois and leave it to dry overnight. Many cyclists bring two pairs so they can let one dry the next day while wearing the other. Let your chamois dry thoroughly, ideally in sunlight, as often as possible to prevent bacteria growth.

UTI Prevention and Treatment

Going to the Bathroom

If camping is new for you and there’s no restroom at your site, you might be wondering how this bathroom thing is supposed to work. Let’s dispel the mystery.

To urinate, simply walk away from your campsite and any water sources and find a private place to go. Women will probably want to squat down. A squirt from a water bottle works well to clean yourself or you can bring toilet paper.

For solid waste, walk at least 200 feet from any water sources and dig a “cat hole” at least 8 inches deep using a rock, stick, or camping trowel. Squat down, do your business, then fill in the hole. The goal is to make it difficult for an animal to dig up or an unsuspecting camp mate to step in. Don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and water or sanitize with hand sanitizer.

Whatever you do, pack out all used toilet paper in a ziplock bag. Yes, really! Even if buried, it has a tendency to become unburied as animals dig it up or rain washes soil away, and nothing spoils a pristine place faster than used TP.

Washing Dishes

First, clean dishes by eating as much of the food scraps as you can. You carried all your food there, after all, so make the most of it! Then walk at least 200 feet away from your campsite and from water sources to rinse your dishes. You can even drink the rinse water if it’s palatable — it’s extra calories and very Leave No Trace friendly. Otherwise, disperse the rinse water over a wide area or dig a hole and bury it. Some people use a small amount of biodegradable soap for dishes, but it’s not strictly necessary.

Food and Wild Animals

Never feed wildlife. Even small, cute creatures like birds, squirrels, and mice will become aggressive towards future campers if they learn humans are a source of food. Remember that a “cute photo op” for you may lead to another camper’s nightmare or worse: every year, animals are killed by local authorities because they’ve become too aggressive towards humans. Keep animals and people safe by not feeding wildlife.

Dispose of food and packaging in proper campground receptacles or pack it out with you. Never litter or leave food bits around: it’s unsightly as well as dangerous to wildlife.

Avoid pests by keeping your campsite tidy and your food items all in one place. Most cyclists have a designated “food bag” that they keep in plain view during their evening meal and then inside their tent at night (unless you’re in bear country!). Don’t forget to check your stem bags or other snack spots for wrappers and half-eaten snacks before packing up the food at night.

Camping in Bear Country

Enjoy Campfires Responsibly

As wildfires grow increasingly common, many areas are imposing fire restrictions to make sure unsuspecting campers don’t accidentally set fire to the forest. Usually canister stoves are allowed for cooking, but alcohol or solid fuel stoves without shutoff valves may be off-limits if strict fire rules are in effect.

If you do make a legal campfire for cooking, warmth, or ambiance, do your best to minimize impact to the site and reduce risk of your fire growing out of control. Use an existing ring or build your fire on a durable surface like dirt or rock, and only gather wood if there is plenty to be found from fallen or dead trees. Never leave a fire unattended, and make sure it’s completely, 100% extinguished before going to bed.

Cooking over a Twig Stove

The post Camping Tips for Bikepacking appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Water

You’ll want to sip water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. For many cyclists this means 2 or 3 big gulps every 20 minutes, or at least 3.5 liters of water every 5 hours. In especially hot climates you may need more, but don’t go crazy; it’s actually possible to drink too much water, especially if you don’t replenish electrolytes (more on this below). If water is limited, stretch your supply further by drinking a liter every time you fill up, camping near water whenever possible, riding at cooler times of the day, and using the bare minimum for washing and cooking.

Filtering Drinking Water

It’s easiest to fill up with potable water at restaurants, convenience stores, or campgrounds, but between these stops, bikepackers often need to drink from natural sources like streams or lakes … and sometimes less pristine sources like cattle tanks and muddy ponds.

Always filter or purify water from natural sources to avoid getting sick from waterborne pathogens like Giardia. A lightweight backpacking filter like the Sawyer Squeeze catches bacteria and parasites, which is sufficient in the US and other infrastructure-rich countries. In places where sanitation infrastructure is lacking, you’ll want a purification method — like UV radiation or chlorine dioxide drops — that deactivates viruses too.

Electrolytes

When we sweat, we lose electrolytes as well as water. These electrolytes (including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride) need to be replenished to avoid muscle cramps and keep your body healthy. Normally a balanced diet is enough, but in very hot weather you might need extra salty snacks or an electrolyte replacement drink.

Even if you’re drinking water and replenishing electrolytes, dehydration can sneak up on you in hot weather. If your urine is a dark color or if you’ve gone many hours without urinating at all, it’s time to take a break in the shade, drink water, and eat some healthy, salty snacks.

Food

Food is literally the fuel that keeps a bikepacker’s pedals spinning. But riding through remote areas with small bike bags and a big appetite presents some challenges. Some people pack all their food for the whole trip in advance, others cram their bags full of grab-and-go meals from convenience stores along the way. Choose the best strategy for your dietary needs, route location, and riding style.

Resupply Strategy

For a trip of around three days or less, it’s reasonable to carry all your food from the start. You might still research any towns along the way so you don’t miss an opportunity to stop for burgers and ice cream.

For longer trips, a common rhythm is to carry food for several days at a time, resupplying with whatever is available at towns along the way. This gives you less control over your diet, but takes pressure off the planning and packing process.

Many people mix these strategies, leaving home with a few dehydrated meals and some hard-to-find ingredients, and buying most snacks and staples along the way.

How Much Food?

Budget at least 3,000 calories per day, maybe closer to 4,000 for demanding trips, depending on your body and metabolism. Always keep a few emergency snacks tucked away, and it wouldn’t hurt to pack a full extra meal for each stretch in case of unexpectedly slow conditions.

Eating on a bikepacking trip is an all-day activity, so plan to get at least a third of your calories from snacks. Snack early and often; don’t wait until you’re feeling hungry or tired. An open bag of trail mix in a stem bag makes it easy to snack on the go.

To save weight and space, plan your menu precisely. Some people partition each meal and day of snacks into separate bags so they know exactly how much to eat and how much to save for tomorrow. Remove all unnecessary packaging, like outer boxes or wrappers, to save space and reduce the amount of trash you’ll need to pack out.

What to Eat

Nutrition

A healthy diet on a bike trip isn’t much different from a healthy diet at home; it’s just a bit harder to accomplish. You can generally “get away with” underpacking calories or overdoing junk food on a short trip, but over many days this can add up to low energy levels and negative health impacts.

It helps to think in terms of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat, and protein. You may have heard that carbs or fat are “bad,” but that’s usually just a question of amount. We need them all, and especially when we’re getting lots of exercise there’s usually no reason to avoid them. Carbohydrates give us quick energy, fat gives us slower-burning fuel reserves, and protein helps our muscles grow and recover. Overdoing sugary processed food still isn’t the healthiest idea even while bikepacking, but if you do have a sweet tooth, there’s no better time to indulge a bit.

That said, nutrition science is always evolving and there are many ways to eat a healthy diet. If you know what works for your body, stick with it.

Food Availability

Your food options will depend on where you’re riding.

Small towns typically have a general store with basic snacks and grab-and-go meals, and perhaps a diner serving burgers and chicken strips. You’ll find plenty of jerky, chips, instant noodles, and microwave burritos, but don’t count on fresh veggies or your favorite brand (or any brand) of quinoa. Larger towns with grocery stores and fresh food may feel like paradise after a few days on the trail, but they also take more time and energy to navigate.

Space and Weight

Bikepackers usually try to pack the most calories into the smallest and lightest package possible. This means choosing foods that are:

• High in fat like trail mix, full-fat cheese, and nut butter
• Low in water content like couscous, instant noodles, or dehydrated backpacking meals
• Compact like trail mix and cheese rather than chips
• Durable like freeze dried versions of fruits and vegetables

To cook or not to cook?

A stove, pot, and fuel take up space and add weight, so think carefully before you decide to cook on your bikepacking trip. If you’ll be passing through towns once every couple days, it’s possible to eat a satisfying menu of no-cook snacks plus the occasional grab-and-go meal from a convenience store or restaurant.

Cooking is most appealing if you have specific dietary restrictions, your route has long distances between resupplies, or you really enjoy the process of cooking at camp. If a hot cup of coffee in the morning is all you really need, consider a lightweight solid fuel or alcohol stove.

Food Ideas

These foods can be found in many small grocery stores throughout the United States.

• Healthy no-cook snacks
• Hard aged cheese, wax-wrapped cheese, or string cheese
• Jerky, meat sticks, or salami
• Trail mix and nuts
• Nut butter
• Protein or energy bars (look for higher fat and lower sugar)
• Dark chocolate
• Hummus with tortillas
• Grab-and-go meals from convenience stores
• Frozen burritos (let them thaw in your bag during the day)
• Sandwiches
• Canned food (heavy but convenient and can be eaten cold)
• Cheese and salami with tortillas
• Quick-cooking meals available in most convenience stores, and secret ingredients to spice them up
• Instant oatmeal (add nuts and dried fruit)
• Ramen (add peanut butter and hot sauce — really!)
• Instant mac-and-cheese (add extra cheese, bacon bits, salami, or dried veggies to this and the next two)
• Couscous
• Instant mashed potatoes
• Ingredients to buy at home and add to meals along the way
• Powdered butter, coconut oil, cream, or other high-fat powder to mix into meals
• Powdered milk to add to oatmeal or instant coffee
• Freeze dried vegetables
• Dried bean flakes
• Spices and seasoning packets

Up Next: Camping: The Joyous Backbone to Bikepacking

The post Food and Water Strategies for Bikepacking appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Heavy in Houston asks: I always overpack because I’m nervous I’ll need something I don’t have. How can I lighten my load both mentally and physically?

Dear Heavy in Houston,

You’re not alone. While I have been on tours with a few fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants folks, in my experience, the majority of pannier-toting bike tourists like to be prepared for anything. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s probably served you well in many aspects of your life. I get it; I’m a detail-loving planner, too! At the same time, one of the joys of bike touring and bikepacking is the freedom they give us from our day-to-day lives. And the last thing you want is to lose any of that joy by being weighed down both physically and metaphorically.

As cyclists, we’re fortunate that by distributing the weight on our bikes, a few extra pounds might not matter as much as it would for a backpacker. But even so, a lighter load makes it easier to get down the road and up those hills. More than that, being on the move involves a lot of packing and unpacking. The more stuff you have, the more stuff you need to keep track of and the less time you have for enjoying those quiet sunsets and hilltop vistas — or simply getting a solid night of sleep!

You’ve said that you always overpack, which makes me think that you’ve gone on bicycle tours before. That knowledge base is to your advantage. Have you considered making a personalized list of every item you brought on tour in the past? It may sound simple, but this is the time to catalog everything, down to the clothes and tools you’ve packed. In preparing for a recent cross-country trip with Adventure Cycling, several participants asked my co-leader and I what we were planning to bring. They were thrilled when we provided a very detailed list, right down to the number of charging cords and socks. (This is when I learned that my co-leader rides in sandals!)

For those who haven’t been on tour before, never fear. If you’re planning your own tour, Adventure Cycling has plenty of packing guides to get you started. And if you’re taking one of our guided tours, Adventure Cycling provides a detailed packing list when you sign up.

Once you have your list, carry it forward, modify it, and pare it down rather than starting from scratch each time you plan a new trip. To help me do this, I resist the urge to immediately get my gear and clothes clean and put away when I return from a tour. Instead, I dump everything out from my panniers (or duffles) and inventory what I packed and what I used. Do the same, and if you see something in your pile that you didn’t touch, take note. You probably won’t need to pack it next time. (The only exceptions I would make for this are rain gear and bike repair items. When I return from a tour and realize I didn’t need to use them, I count myself lucky and pack them again next time.)

As far as clothing, less is more. And honestly, there are only a few items that you really need more than one of, such as riding shorts. You can get by with two shorts and do some hand laundering each night. For these purposes, I always pack a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and a travel-sized bottle of liquid laundry detergent — instant washing machine! If you’re fortunate enough to have access to an actual laundry, those rain pants you hopefully don’t need can be worn while you’re cleaning all of your other well-used items.

The hardest part may be holding yourself to your packing list and not throwing in those “just in case” items before you head out the door. If you do discover you truly need something you didn’t pack, there will be stores along most routes. (Though it is a good idea to check your route first before you rely on this option.) If you could really use a warmer layer, buy a logoed fleece or beanie at the camp store. It will be a nice souvenir that you’ll treasure when you get home.

E-commerce is also an option. My air mattress developed a leaky valve while I was on the Southern Tier in East Texas. I was hundreds of miles from an REI or other sporting goods store, and it didn’t appear that I could fix it. After a couple of nights of suboptimal sleep, I was able to have a replacement delivered to a RV park a few days up the road. For some items, you might also rely on the kindness of others, whether it’s your riding buddy letting you use an extra light or a stranger giving you some snacks.

While most of your gear will apply to all your adventures, your packing list will vary a bit from trip to trip. Funny story: On a four-week ride through Alaska and the Yukon, I packed all of my usual camping necessities. Including a headlamp. In June. It never approached darkness on that trip and my headlamp stayed in a stuff sack the whole time. While I didn’t need the light, I was grateful that I thought to pack a headnet to fend off the blood-thirsty mosquitoes, something that I wouldn’t need on a jaunt from home in Southern California.

Here’s another tip: don’t just write down your list. Lay your gear out all together before packing it away and take a photo or two. It may be several months before your next big trip, and those quick images can ease the packing anxiety next time around. For instance, you’ll clearly see exactly which long-sleeve shirt you brought along, and then remember that you liked the sun protection it provided and that your riding partner remarked on how visible it made you on the road. That one’s a keeper.

One of the joys of bike touring is stripping life back to the basics. We need to feed ourselves, regulate temperature, and get some rest each night, and when it comes down to it, that’s really it. I’ve been amazed at how little “stuff” I need, even for an 11-week trip across the continent. It’s almost a shock getting home and seeing how many things I own and definitely didn’t miss. When I’m on a self-contained bike tour, I truly have everything I need, literally within reach. If there is something I don’t have, I’ll make it work anyway.

Remember: It’s supposed to be an adventure. Trust that you’re a resourceful person and that even if you find yourself in a bit of a pickle, you’ll figure it out and it will make for a good story later.

Wishing you a wonderful tour, as well as some newfound levity both on the bike and in spirit.

Brielle Wacker led two epic cross-country tours with Adventure Cycling last year and is eagerly looking forward to many weeks on the road again this year. When not sleeping in her tent, she resides in Solana Beach, California.

The post Ask An Adventure Cycling Tour Leader: How To Stop Overpacking appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

• Ride your bike often, stay active, and begin working up to longer rides. Check out our bikepacking training guide for more.
• Pick a bikepacking route and make a rough plan for camp locations, water refills, and food resupply stops.
• Make reservations for popular campgrounds and hotels, especially if you plan on riding during that region’s high season. Pro tip: If all the campgrounds are booked, consider dispersed camping.
• Arrange transportation for yourself and your bike.
• Talk to a medical professional about any health concerns.
• Start learning and practicing basic bike maintenance.

2 to 4 Weeks Before You Go:

• Acquire all the bikepacking gear you’ll need and start using it on training rides to dial in your packing system. Not sure what gear you’ll need? We’ve got you covered.
• Test any new camping gear to make sure you know how it works.
• Review the route, make a navigation plan and acquire maps or apps as needed. Call to verify business hours for any critical stops.
• Bike maintenance checkup: Go through essentials yourself or visit a bike shop for a tune up.
• Transition to riding terrain that’s similar to your intended bikepacking route, if you haven’t been already.
• Consider a fully loaded overnight shakedown ride.

Final 2 Weeks Before You Go:

• Download and prepare offline resources such as maps, route notes, emergency contact info, podcasts or music as desired.
• If you plan to bring a satellite messenger, make sure your subscription is active, sync messages and settings, and let your contacts know what to expect during your trip.
• Taper your training to let your body rest while staying active with gentle exercise.
• Do a final bike check: lube chain, adjust brake pads, review the tools and spares on your packing list.
• Prepare and pack any food you’ll be bringing.
• Watch the weather forecast and make last-minute adjustments to clothing and gear.
• Do a final complete test pack to make sure everything fits.
• Pack your bike for transport if needed.
• Charge electronics like power banks and lights.
• Get excited! Watch videos, read blogs, pore over maps, or whatever else you do to cultivate stoke.

Special Considerations

For longer trips, consider these additional steps:

• Arrange for someone to care for your pets, plants, or home.
• Put a hold on mail or arrange for it to be picked up.
• Fill any prescriptions you’ll need to take with you.
• Arrange bill payments in advance.

For international trips, consider these additional steps as early as possible: 

• Arrange flights, including bike transport via checked luggage or shipping.
• Check visa requirements and make arrangements.
• Visit a travel health clinic for vaccinations and other considerations.
• Make sure your passport will be valid for at least six months from the start of your trip.
• Consider travel insurance to protect your belongings and your health.
• Decide how you’ll get and carry local currency, especially where credit cards are not widely used.

The post The Complete Bikepacking Trip-Planning Checklist appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

The post Planning a Group Bike Tour appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Everyone is capable of going on an epic adventure. I am neither brave nor strong, yet here I am, having traveled through 15 countries and many regions in the U.S. on various trips. I am just a normal person. I still get scared sleeping in my tent alone, and have embarrassingly little upper body strength. You do not need anything special to embark on an epic adventure, just the desire and drive to do so. 

People often tell me that they want to do a big bike tour, but they do not have enough time. Or enough money. Or they have children. Or their significant other/spouse does not ride bikes. Or they can’t leave their jobs. Or they’re too old. But! There is always a way. People bike tour with kids, or follow animal migrations, travel on a shoestring, or take envelope-pushing weekend trips in order to meet other obligations.

I am about to re-embark on a Round-The-World bicycle tour that I began in 2019. After 14 months on the road, a pandemic-induced disruption has kept me and so many others at home since March 2020. ("COVID Cutoff: An Unexpected Hiatus." Adventure Cyclist Magazine, June 2020). It is finally time to start again. I’ll be gone for another two to three years. Despite being a planner, there have been many sleepless nights, the hamsters of my mind running on wheels of endless to-do lists. There are important things that I’ve somehow forgotten to do (get new tires), and things that are completely arbitrary (repainting the bathroom). But just like everything else in life, we can prioritize and break it all down into manageable chunks. I remind myself of this with deep breaths at all hours of the day and night. But how did I get to this enviable spot, in the final stages of planning and departing to travel for so long? More importantly, how can YOU find a way to plan your own epic bicycle adventure?

The Unbearable Lightness of Cleaning

Time

Time is the base of our planning pyramid, because it defines where we go and how we go. It is also a precious commodity we can never get back, and it is slipping through our hands every day. First, figure out when you can take time off work, and how much time. Don’t pick a place and then say, “I can never bike tour in Canada because I only have time off in the winter. Poor me!” Use your time off to guide the rest of your decisions. Look at your chunk of time – hopefully months – and guard it. Write it in your calendar. Talk to your boss about it.

Conversely, decide if you want to take a pause in your career. This worked out well for me, and sometimes this is easier to do in the beginning of your career than later. People also switch companies all the time, so if you think of it as a pause between jobs, it is much less daunting. Many companies will see your diverse travel experiences as a plus, and you can resume your career when you return. If you are older, maybe an early retirement is in the cards. Ask yourself, “Do I want to adventure or not?” Take the necessary steps in life to make it happen.

If you have children, how long can you be apart from them? Or can you take them with you? How long will your significant other let you leave and still welcome you back? The more time you have the better, since we are indeed talking big adventures here! 

Once you know how much time you have and what part of the year it falls in, then look at the seasons. Is it summer or winter in the northern hemisphere? Unless you’re a masochist, time off in winter might rule out much of the U.S.  But years ago, a friend and I worked in bike shops and couldn’t take time off until October, so we rode the Southern Tier Bicycle Route and had a ball. It snowed on us in Arizona, and it was beautiful. Bike touring in the southern states of the U.S., Central America, Baja, and Mexico are also options for the winter. If you’re up for off-road cycling, bikepacking.com contains a plethora of resources for routes all over the globe. Go BIG! It’s never the perfect time, so just go. If you have ample funds for a plane ticket, think about the Southern Hemisphere. You can also sign up for a newsletters that notifies you of cheap flights (Pomelo, Scott’s).

8 Tips for Bicycle Touring Abroad

It is surprising how quickly you can narrow your scope when you simply ask, “When can I be gone for the most amount of time?” then, “Where can I go?”, and finally asking “where do I want to go?” Think about your other parameters thirdly. Do you want desolate dirt roads? Museums? Good food? Good art? Jungles or deserts?

If you don’t have unlimited time, decide if you want to cover a lot of ground quickly, weaving in some type 2 fun, or if you want to relax and pedal leisurely. That will help you narrow down the route and location. What can you do in 2-3 weeks?

Circumnavigate a peninsula in Costa Rica? Bike as fast as possible along the Northern Tier and take a bus home? Choose a reasonable amount of miles to cover, and have a bailout plan (bus, train, hitch hike) in case you can’t make it due to some unforeseeable delay (rainstorm, illness, one million flat tires).

How to Create Your Own Touring Route

Money

For many of us, our budget will act like a seesaw with our time. If money is your limiting factor, figure out how many weeks or months or years you can stretch your funds. This will depend on where you are going, and what level of discomfort you are willing to endure. I prefer to sleep outside and eat beans and rice (or whatever the cheapest thing to eat is where I am), in order to be gone as long as possible. But if you want to sleep in hotels every night, your money will not stretch as far. Money can inform your destination choice; some places are cheaper (Colombia, Guatemala) than others (Switzerland, Norway).

If you have indeed quit your job and have somewhat unlimited time, you are really able to fling yourself out there. Congratulations. Plane tickets will obviously cut into your budget, but this new locale may have noodles for $1, so things might balance out. A lot of solid adventures can be had with less than what we spend on housing each month, or every couple of months – around $1500 can get you rather far. There are certainly people out there who are better qualified to advise you on how to strategically save money, and probably have spreadsheets to make things more complicated than they need to be. But my advice is: pare down, and don’t buy things. Every time I decide to not buy something I want (a concert ticket, a fancy coffee, a cool dress), I consciously think about how long that money will last me on a trip, especially in another country with a favorable exchange rate. Do I want the dress or do I want the adventure? I want the adventure. And if you’ve read this far, you do too.

Packing Hacks for an Inexpensive Tour

Loved Ones

If your limiting factor is other people (kids and partners)

Kids

If you’re going solo, talk with whoever is taking care of your kids while you’re gone, and come to an agreement on the number of days you’ll be gone. While cycling in Patagonia, I met a French woman who sent videos or skyped with her 8-yr-old daughter every day. She said they were quite close and her daughter loved following the adventure. You don’t have to be unavailable just because you’re not physically there. A touring musician I met said she could only be gone for two weeks, or else she missed the smell of her two-year-old, and felt she missed too much of his growth. There is an old adage that says, “Kids don’t listen to what you say, but they watch everything you do.” I believe that by going on big adventures, we are empowering our kids to do the same.

I have been overwhelmingly impressed by stories of folks taking their kids on trips. By showing their kids a different way of life, they are opening them up to so much. The group might pedal 20 miles a day then play frisbee for the afternoon. They modify miles and itineraries to fit the kids’ needs, while maintaining the status of Epic Adventure for everyone. Some tote toddlers in trailers on Rails-to-Trails routes, while others take kids on tandems. There are plenty of resources to help plan a trip involving kiddos: from Adventure Cyclist, from Outside Magazine, and from REI. There are also many blogs  about traveling with kids.

How to Bike Overnight with Young Kids

Spouses/Significant Others

This seems to mostly fall into three categories, and Alastair Humphreys’ book, Grand Adventures, helped me dissect these situations before my own departure(s). Hats off to Humphreys, who has given many of us, including myself, the extra push to chase our dreams, especially the big ones. 

Situation 1: They can and want to go with you.

Hooray! Make sure they know what to expect, so there’s no tears in the rain.

• Plan accordingly, and discuss time, money, and acceptable levels of comfort/discomfort to make sure you’re on the same page. The longer the trip, the more important planning together is.
• Travel can be stressful on relationships, so make sure your communication is good and both of you are equally contributing to the trip, so one does not feel like they are dragging the other along, or vice versa. Be flexible and open to compromise. Discuss what might go wrong, and how you will deal with it.
• A little alone time can help maintain the relationship (and sanity for my fellow introverts). Bring all the patience you can muster, because you will get annoyed with each other at some point, and that is okay. You might want to do different things when you reach a town, and that could be a good time to give each other space.

Moon of Honey

Situation 2: They can’t go with you, but are supportive.

Also hooray, with the most honeymoon-like, cuddly reunion. This was the case with me and my husband. I left before our first wedding anniversary, and he was my number one cheerleader. In fact, he still is!

• Plan how you will communicate while you’re gone, and talk about what fears or worries they might have. Try your best to alleviate these concerns.
• Test out your chosen method of communication (SPOT device, Whatsapp, etc.).
• Give your family your tentative itinerary, and show them the other people who are doing this ‘crazy’ thing. When I left for my round-the-world trip, I set up an Instagram account for my mom and inundated her and my sister with posts and accounts of other women traveling solo. It worked! They no longer think I am completely nuts.

Document and Share Your Adventure

Situation 3: They don’t want to go, and they don’t want you to go.

Ask why they don’t want you to go, and see if you can compromise on these aspects. Is it the time, the money, the chores or childcare they will be left to tackle solo? Are you going with an attractive travel companion? Do they think it is too dangerous? Is it too dangerous? See if you can talk it out and alleviate their concerns. Can you hire help for children or housework? Can you get a friend or relative to help? Maybe your partner is saying now is not the time to go, especially if you have small children. Keep planning though, because “not now,” is not the same as “not ever.” I planned for seven years for my long tour, mainly because I needed to finish a masters degree then save up money, which took a long time. Hold fast to the dream!

If your partner is worried about the danger, remind them that most of the time, people perceive unknown situations to be much more dangerous than they actually are. Gather evidence and make your case for your location. (If you can’t, that might be a sign you should choose a different place.) When I cycled through Mexico and Central America, I checked in as often as possible with my husband, and stayed in more hotels instead of camping. It wasn’t always what I wanted to do, but it put him at ease, and that was important to me. Sometimes our lives are not only our own, and we need to consider our parents, partners, friends, and kids. These considerations might alter our adventures, but it doesn’t have to end them.

The Little General

Lists and Plans

Make a massive to-do list on a poster board or butcher paper. Share this with a friend who might have helpful suggestions. Then make a smaller one with the things that actually, really do have to get done before you leave. Prioritize the shorter list. Accept that you will not get everything on the list done, but prioritize what’s necessary. Some important things are type 2 fun (not fun to do, but once on the road, you’ll be glad you did them).

Efficient Trip Planning for the Busy Cyclist

Make all bills/house payments/kids allowances automatic. Streamline your finances so that you can meet your obligations without futzing around with online banking while you’re gone. Have one account responsible for bills, etc. and leave that card at home if you can. This way, if a card gets stolen or hacked while you’re traveling, you’ll have less to reset. Divide your traveling spending money into a few accounts, and set up some automatic transfers. This might sound like a headache now, but it’s much less work than dealing with a replacement card somewhere remote where you don’t speak the language. Use one main card while you’re gone, and hide 1-2 others in hidden pannier pockets. 

Get your gear list together. This can be very fun! If you need to buy gear, look at eBay and Craigslist often, because new things pop up every day. I have found a good amount of quality, barely-used things through these sites. This relates to the money part – be thrifty. Don’t postpone your trip because you spent too much on gear. It’s better to go with what you already have than not go at all.

Touring Gear Essentials

Nuts and Bolts

Calculate mileage, days needed, and rest days. Try not to be overly ambitious, and remember to enjoy yourself. If you can, don’t worry about your return trip. Just go. If you really must be back by a certain date, have a back up plan in case things go awry, and discuss this backup plan with loved ones. 

Get a book or several from the library or bookstore, and read about the places you’ll be going. Learn about the culture and the food. Don’t just read the news, because that really should be titled, “bad stuff that happened today.” Instead, talk to people who have been there before, especially on bikes. Look at other people’s routes and do the same route, or alter it and make your own. Study maps, because it is quite fun. Ask questions, and reach out to friends of friends who might live there.

Finally, Pack your bags, and go now. Go far. Do not wait for something to happen to you, or for the ‘right time’ to magically appear. Let 2023 be the year you grab life by the horns and hop on. Then come back and tell us all about it.

This Winter, Plan Your Dream Bike Trip

The post Epic Planning appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Spark Your Imagination

Over the last fifteen years I’ve been lucky to go on lots of long bike trips, and each one has started in the same place: my imagination. Imagination is a vast realm of spark and sparkle. If you can see yourself pedaling away, cackling into the wind, then you’re one step closer to actually doing it. 

Look at a map, read some stories from Adventure Cycling’s blog, check out some pictures, and imagine yourself pedaling. What will it feel like to ride over a mist-shrouded mountain? Or roll through the sunshine on a cheerful urban bike path? Are you eating cookies? Or picking blueberries off a roadside bush? Once the wheels of your imagination are spinning, you’re already getting somewhere.

Choose Something Exciting

After you’ve spent a while playing with the reality of infinite possibility, it’s time to point yourself in a clear direction. Which specific bike trip fills you with genuine excitement? A weekend trip around town with your best friend? An epic ride across the entire United States? A family adventure on a rail trail?

Everyone’s idea of “an exciting trip” is a little different. My own measure of an exciting trip is to answer the question, “If I fail at this, will I still be happy that I tried?” If the answer is yes, it’s probably worth pursuing. If not, I need to choose something else.

A great adventure is one that aligns with the core of what’s important to you as a person. It touches on something special, vibrant, and alive inside you that longs to be fulfilled. That’s why it feels exciting when you choose to do it!  And even if things don’t go exactly as planned (spoiler alert: they rarely do) it will still be a great adventure, because it’s the path you chose from your heart.

When Things Go Wrong on Tour

Find Out What’s Stopping You

Well, there’s always something to stop you! Maybe there are several things, or a whole pile. Whatever they are, write them down. Maybe you want to pedal across Montana but you’re afraid bears will steal your snacks. Maybe you want to bike across town but prefer to go with a friend and you don’t have one yet. Maybe you don’t have time off from work right now. Maybe you don’t have a bike. It’s okay! Just add it to the list!

Once you have a list, you can relax because you’ve already achieved something great: you’ve identified exactly what’s stopping you from doing the thing you want to do. Now the ball is in your court. 

Title your list “Problems to Solve!!!” And then take a look at each item. For each thing on your list, write down five solutions. If you don’t have any solutions, write down five next steps to find a solution. If you can’t think of any next steps, poke around the Adventure Cycling website. Chances are, there’s a blog on there to help you out. If there isn’t, please add your “problem to solve” in a comment below, and I’ll see if I can help you out. 

The Worst Part of a Bike Tour: Research and Preparation

Plan the Big Things

Okay, you’ve played with possibilities, pointed yourself in a direction, and identified and removed some barriers. Now you can start to really plan! 

I am generally terrible at planning and tend to wait until the last minute to do it, which is why many of my trips are very awkward. You can avoid this awkwardness by reading and following The Adventure Cycling Guide to Planning Your Bicycle Adventure which is a very useful and thorough guide to all the big and little things you need to plan. Seriously: all you need is this guide. 

I recommend making sure all the biggest parts of your plan make sense before you worry about the little things. The big parts are things like getting a bike that works for your route, identifying your timeframe, and creating a budget. These are the things that need to get sorted out or the trip just won’t happen. The little things—like deciding what shirt to pack or knowing what you will eat on day five—can wait until the big stuff is done.

Know the 7 Basics of Bike Camping

Plan the Little Things

Once the big pieces of your adventure puzzle are in place, you can think about the wiggly little details. The Adventure Cycling Guide to Planning Your Bicycle Adventure includes resources, lists, and links which will help you get into the nitty gritty of everything you need for your trip. 

For whatever reason, little things tend to be very overwhelming for me. It’s just that sometimes there’s a lot of them! When I feel overwhelmed by all the little things that I don’t know how to do, I stop, take a big breath, and start singing my favorite song, which is just the words “DON’T PANIC, I DON’T NEED TO PANIC…”, over and over again in an angelic soprano. I’m not kidding. Everyone who knows me, knows this song, and in the days leading up to a big trip I sometimes catch my friends humming the tune. It makes me happy to know they are not panicking. 

It’s normal to get a little anxious when you’re setting out on something you’ve never done before. I’ve spent roughly a quarter of my adult life on wayward trips to far flung places, living in my tent, figuring it out as I go. And I STILL have to sing the “Don’t Panic” song every time I pack. I’ve come to terms with it. I hope you will too.

Packing Hacks for an Inexpensive Tour

And Then You Just Go!

I don’t know what this is like for other people, but I know what it’s like for me: as soon as I get on my bike and start pedaling, everything feels right and makes perfect sense. I pedal and breathe. I feel healthy. I feel free. And I thank my former self and all the people who endured and supported me, for all the strange steps and wild ideas that it took to get me out here, doing what I love.

5 Tips to Conquer Your Fear of Bike Touring

Your Dream Bike Trip

Winter is the perfect time to sit back with a cup of tea and plan the bike trip of your dreams. And who knows? Once you plan it, you might really go. And if you aren’t feeling up to planning and organizing your own tour, that’s ok! Adventure Cycling offers many guided tours, including some educational tours meant to give you the knowledge and confidence to travel by bike.

Epic Planning

The post This Winter, Plan Your Dream Bike Trip appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.