Shinkers

Hello,

So this year I think I'm finally going to do some overnight rides. I've wanted to for the last several years but I always talk myself out of it.

Anyway, the ride that I have planned would be 170 miles with about 30 miles of hard packed dirt in the middle (which is where I'd be camping). I'd be shooting for late May or June to do this, overnight lows would be in the 40's or possibly high 30's.

The main question I have, is that I'd like to use my regular road bike. For a few overnight trips, I can't justify getting a touring bike, and I really love my Trek 1200. It fits, it's geared well, and I've been riding it for years now. Looking around, I would say that my options appear to be a large seat bag like a Carridice or Revelate, or a small rear rack like the Tubus Fly. I currently have a Marmot sleeping bag that I bought years ago and never used. It just ended up in a closet. It packs down to ~14L which is still huge. Coupled with the sleeping pad that I have, I'd probably have a rack like the Tubus pretty much full (bag and pad on one side/top, with a pannier on the other). Would I be better off to invest in a smaller packing sleeping system (smaller bag and probably an inflatable pad) that could fit into a large seat bag, or using the bulkier gear that I already have and loading down a rear rack?

I know that this type of thing probably gets asked a lot. Sorry about that.

Thanks.