Originally Posted by
alaskadude
I am also not too fanatical about riding the entire distance. If I come to a mountain range, Ill put the bike on the roof of the next passing bus, and ride over to where the pedaling is easy.
I traveled on the roof of the bus for the last 30 years. I have been to this part of Asia 23 winters (Escape the cold winters in Alaska)And so the journey wont be too much different, Ill just have a bike with me.
Not carrying too much weight helps you when riding and also when you go on public transport. If you have 4x panniers as baggage and a heavy touring bike it can be expensive and very inconvenient to put your bike on public transportation. When I tour I have a saddlebag and handlebar bag that I can easily carry onto a bus, train or plane. Here is my gear list so you can compare it with what you are taking. I have considered comfort as well as weight, eg I have a single walled tent rather than a tarp as I don't like being bitten by bugs at night. Google other lists and come up with something that suits your needs, but as some others have mentioned I have never regretted reducing my gear load as having only what I need makes cycling more fun and camping more efficient.
Lightweight Touring Gear List Redux. | The Wheels of Chance