Top Touring Tips

[CafGriff]

sound and sensible ... Lovely!!

 

[John Ponting]

... in readiness for my epic in April 2013....

Did you finish your trip before you started planning or are you going in 2014? I make loads of tipoes.

 

[CafGriff]

Did you finish your trip before you started planning or are you going in 2014? I make loads of tipoes.

Hey.
I am planning the trip for roughly end of March, beginning of April '14.
I'm gathering 'route maps and stuff' to carry with me at the mo and reading cycling tour books and old inputs to this site. There is a world of wisdom out there in the Forum World, and I'm furiously making notes evry night I visit.

 

[Cycleops]

Carry vitamin C. < endless reasons as to why vitamin c is important. The reason I carry it is because I may not be able to get orange juice and your body cannot make it.

I think you'll find it can. Hold oranges in hand and rotate in juicer.

 

[oilburner]

Put photocopies of your documents in your handlebars. That way you have half a chance of persuading the authorities you are who you say you are if the real things go missing. And of proving that it's your bike if it goes missing and gets recovered! Spare spokes go in the other bar.....

Hopefully this is advice you'll never need: if you're flying, keep your phone, passport and credit card on your person. If you have to evacuate the plane in a rush (i.e. leaving your baggage behind) you can get past customs, tell the folks back home you're ok and buy yourself a meal.

This tip actually works: put a wet sock (actually, I found a microfibre cloth and Velcro tie was easier) around your water bottle. The evaporation keeps the bottle cool!

Michael.

 

[toekneep]

We carry a small artificial chamois. Morrisons sell them in packs of three but I'm sure there are loads of versions. We use it to mop condensation from the inside of the flysheet when it's bad and if the outside is wet from dew or rain I dry it off before packing. I reckon I get about 90% of the water off the tent and that's a lot of weight. When dry it weighs next to nothing and I just tuck it under a bungee before we leave the campsite.

 

[badolki]

Hi! Someone sent us a link to your site at Velo Vision, and I wasted a whole morning browsing it! It was just about the time I started to think of 'doing' Europe, and it really spurred me on to think it was possible. I just need to save up now....

Like you, I'm thinking of a trip from Malaga to Paisley and have been reading this topic for about three hours now. If i don't know everything I need to by now I probably shouldn't go !!

 

[badolki]

Have you tried stripping off before putting your coat on before going outside on a cold day as well ?
(sorry, perhaps I should get my coat = :-)

To be fair, it's not very comfortable trying to sleep in two jumpers and a pair of trousers, but it is warmer - just like the laws of physics might indicate. And as that great Scottish engineer used to say, "you cannae break the laws of physics". Maybe your sleeping bag is warm enough - so you don't need extra layers.

I shall certainly be trying the "bring warm enough sleeping bag" option next time, as wearing all your clothes is not a great option comfort wise, but it's better than freezing your bollocks off !

I went to the local fabric shop and bought a couple of metres of fleece material which I made into a liner for my sleeping bag. Warm as toast and quite light when packed.

 

[toekneep]

When you get to a cafe/pub on a really wet day roll your gloves around loo paper in the toilets and squeeze to remove about 90% of the water. If you can find a radiator to put them on while you have a drink they will be almost dry by the time you leave.
When showering at night wash your clothes by trampling them as you shower.
Take into consideration how much grass there is between you and the toilet block. It's surprising how wet your shoes can get before setting off in the morning.
Stuff wet touring shoes with newspaper overnight. They will be damp rather than wet in the morning. (When borrowing the newspaper from somebody in a posh campervan you might get asked in for a cup of tea or a glass of wine. We did.)
If there is a danger of being chased/bitten by farm dogs make sure you are well ahead of your wife.

 

[toekneep]

Also, thanks for the belly laughs.

 

[stuee147]

cut sections of drinking straws about 1 to 2 inch and carefully with a lighter and pliers seal 1 end (takes a bit of practice to seal well without burning lol ) then fill with shampoo, tothpaste, salt, peper or anything you can even do 3 or 4 inch long and fill with coffee powdered milk and sugar for a quick cuppa

spare spokes work well as skewers to cook your bangers when you realise you have forgotten the pans lol

also if like me you have a water pack if its clear as my gigger rig is if you put your cycle lamp against it so its shinning into the water it makes a great lantern for your tent also works with clear or opaque plastic bottles filled with water or juice if you want to have coloured light lol

 

[stuee147]

just found this on you-tube thought it was quite good

 

[Domestique]

A lot of campsites seem to have hot water that runs at near boiling point, perfect for a cup of tea.

 

[Martin Rees]

has anyone tried to use a compass app on their phone rather than taking one? if so are they any good?

 

[Cycleops]

Haven't tried one but as they work with your GPS they should be fine.