when camping on a tour...

[iLB]

If you are spending more than one night at a particular camp site and riding around the general area during the day do you leave your tent etc behind?

 

[snorri]

Yes, it makes a pleasant change day tripping without having to carry the full touring loadand not having to pitch the tent at the end of the day.
I suspect you are hinting at security worries re leaving gear in the tent unattended but I would be taking bike and camera, the most valuable items, and just don't worry about the rest. There has been the very rare occasion when I have felt uneasy on a camp site and not left items unattended....you just have to rely on gut feelings.

 

[rich p]

Sur le continent recently in Portugal and N Spain, I often didn't even bother locking the bike. I certainly leave my tent erected, especially given that it's probably the worst piece of accommodation on the site. I have never had anything stolen from a campsite but have been donated many items from food, beer to the loan of table and chairs.
Like snorri, I have only been uneasy once or twice on a site in Europe but I do tend to avoid large city sites.

 

[iLB]

Exactly what I wanted to hear !

 

[middleagecyclist]

Yes, it makes a pleasant change day tripping without having to carry the full touring loadand not having to pitch the tent at the end of the day.
I suspect you are hinting at security worries re leaving gear in the tent unattended but I would be taking bike and camera, the most valuable items, and just don't worry about the rest. There has been the very rare occasion when I have felt uneasy on a camp site and not left items unattended....you just have to rely on gut feelings.

+1

 

[seashaker]

Been camping loads and never felt like I didn't want to leave my stuff during the day. If I ever felt like that, I would prob pack up and go somewhere else!

 

[Brains]

If you want to leave valuable items behind for the day, most campsite offices will look after them, larger sites often have small lockers for exactly that eventuality

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

only ever once had an issue where the tent had clearly been 'gone through' whilst we were away from it, and that was in the UK on a school trip too many decades ago to own up to. Some weirdo took my best friend's dirty underwear! Wasn't interested in mine, so never really felt violated the way she did.

Otherwise, we always carry out passports, driving licences, wallets and the small camera with us. Usually the big camera would stay put - it is double bagged (with not a trace of it being a camera) and would take some serious finding and would be a chance find rather than knowledge of it existing because I never get it out unless I'm in the tent with doors closed (but I have camera insurance that covers me leaving it unattended in the tent).

 

[ColinJ]

I intend to tour one day and these are the kind of things that I worry about so it is good to read such positive remarks.

One thing that I hadn't worried about was the risk of a serious dog attack until I read aramok's account... That was truly horrific - Heal soon!

 

[rollinstok]

If I'm on a day ride from a camp site I will usually leave the tent erected with the panniers full of gear inside and just take the barbag with valuables. Same when I go out for a few beers.. the barbag has everything I need to get out of trouble and never leaves my side.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Heal soon!

thank you. Time is apparently the best healer. hope my patience lasts that long!

 

[rich p]

Hope it won't be too long Emma. I've just got back from a 3 week tour in Portugal and N Spain and one night I'd idly mentioned your tale to my wife who is pretty scared of dogs anyway. Probably shoukld have kept schtum as she had a dream about it one night and then as we were going through the Picos we were attacked by 5 huge hunting(?) dogs. I'd seen them from a distance but hadn't realised they would attack. They leapt a fence from a field and if we hadn't been going quite steeply downhill, with me screaming at Terry to "****ing pedal faster", I dread to think of the outcome.
It must have been very traumatic for you and I salute your courage in planning to continue.