So did I forget anything?

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bianchi1

Guru
Location
malverns
non drousy antihistamines. You will get bitten by something small and evil on tour. They just stop the itching hell.

I reckon if you hit some long steep mountains in 35+degree heat you will start throwing away sleep mats and bottles of oil in a mad attempt to loose weight! sleep on your clothes.

I used to cut plastic spoons and cups out of used water bottles!
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
I think I will cut the carrymat in half..it's a luxury rather than a necessity...I just like a softer bed and something to sit on outside the tent.
I like my cooking so the oil stays....besides its a tiny bottle.
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
yes indeed...glasses will be on the list when I get to to opticians next week...my current ones are hopelessly scratched& beyond help.

Another thing I will do is tell the bank to expect a series of foriegn cash point withdrawels...once the automatically refused a largish withdrawel for security and I was stuck with no cash...they 'unlocked' things as soon a s I called them but what a PITA when abroad and on a bike.
 

jags

Guru
tell me this btfb how much wiser are you from your last tour not so much the cycling end but the camping and cooking did you learn anything on how to set up the tent in a good spot what about the cooking how did that go im new to this camping i need loads of first hand advice.also what about the langauge can you speak german.great packing list.
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
tell me this btfb how much wiser are you from your last tour not so much the cycling end but the camping and cooking did you learn anything on how to set up the tent in a good spot what about the cooking how did that go im new to this camping i need loads of first hand advice.also what about the langauge can you speak german.great packing list

In my head last years jaunt was all preparation for this trip. I learnt a LOT doing it, which is why the preparation for this tour has been easy...I pretty much just left everything packed from the last trip (after washing etc).

Setting up the tent...erm...yes I suppose so...like:
1) Do not set it up directly between the toilets and th etent full of drunken chavs as they will spend the entire night tripping over your tent in th edark.
2) check the ground before you pitch for stones etc
3) avoid dips in th eground on a rainy night
4) pitch with the rear of the tent into the wind, not across it. Rear because if the wind is from the front and the tent is open it quickly becomes a parachute.
5) try to anticipate where the sun will be in th eearly morning & pitch there if you can, helps dry off the dew from the tent before you pack it away next day.


...cooking on the trangia is about getting organized and being careful and judging timings etc. I ended up getting pretty ambitious...even cooked a stroganoff (well my version anyway), chile con carne etc all from fresh ingrediants not packets...although for an easy life I did use ready made sauces etc on pasta a fair bit as well. I learned to dilute the meths with water to reduce the soot on the pans...stuff like that. Carrying meths however is a PITA as it's heavy...but then again so are gas cylinders I suppose. You need to fill up the water bottles before you start cooking. I carry a simple wooded spatula I lifted from a fondue set at home...it is what i cook and eat with...no forks etc...they are not necessary with this. It weighs nothing and doesn't damage the non stick pans. I also carry an extra small frying pan which also doubles as a lid. This lid speeds up the cooking a lot. I carry a bic lighter instead of matches which get damp easy. I carry small sealable plastic bags as well for any food I don't eat but want to save for the next evening. The bag of mixed herbs & spices on my list above is pre mixed at home...mixed herbs, salt pepper chile powder, dried Garlic and onions etc. That way i dont need to flap around with lots of different packets etc. ..just grab some meat cover in the mix and cook...or add to sauces etc. I cut the meat into cubes before cooking with my swiss army knife which I make sure I sharpen at home before the trip.

Can i speak German?...erm...well that is a matter of opinion and who you might ask:biggrin:. I can get by, I know the basics and have been known to be almost fluent after 12 beers:biggrin: Seriously though, on this trip i am riding with a friend from Hannover so the language barrier isnt such an issue. I also have a German wife...so i am exposed to the language daily, but I never got my finger out and learned it though. The good thing about German people is that most will happily speak English well enough to help out if you get really stuck.

Kick off is July 12th Breman Flughaffen
 

jags

Guru
thanks btfb good advice its always great to read about tours but the more experienced tourers should explain a bit more on how its done,there's a lot more to know about this cycling touring than the average joe thinks.
 
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Bigtallfatbloke

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
I am not an experienced tourer...just a beginner, this tour will only be my third ever. There are much more experienced tourers on here than me...and they tend to have lower post counts:biggrin::biggrin:
 
Location
Hampshire
Whilst i might concede that 'croc' shoes may be light and practical... you're a grown man FFS!
Also, there doesn't appear to be any emergency booze on your list, you can't always rely on roadside supplies, I've been caught out and it wasn't nice!
 

yello

Guest
Bigtallfatbloke said:
try to anticipate where the sun will be in th eearly morning & pitch there if you can, helps dry off the dew from the tent before you pack it away next day.

This is superb advice. Packing and lugging a wet tent is no fun! Not good for the tent either. Sadly, I'm still learning and find it's not always so easy to get the perfect pitching spot (considering all the other points too). There's often a compromise involved.

I also like to try and get the tent out of the full sun in the afternoon... so in reality, short of putting blinds on the sun, there is rarely the perfect pitch!
 
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