spelger

hi all,

i'm planning a long ride this year, something i've been wanting to do for a very long time. I plan on being on the road for 4-5 days and am wondering what you vets take along the way. the trip takes me from the CA/NV border to the NV/UT border along route 50.

(if interested, head to ridewithgps and look at the following routes, i can't post links yet)

/routes/26646900
/routes/26646920
/routes/26646962
/routes/26646970
/routes/26646977

here is my stuff list.

one man tent
mylar emergency blanket (2)
extra bike shorts
extra bike shirt
extra socks
light long sleeve shirt
light bike jacket
chain repair kit
TP
towel
bandana(s)
knife and other tools
first aid kit
small mag lite
book
snake/scorpion bite kit
solar powered usb charger
sweat pants
sweat shirt
leg warmers
arm warmers
.45 S&W + 2 clips
tire repair kit(s)
duct tape, few feet
string/wire
tie straps
camera (batteries, empty flash card)
air pump
spare tube(s)
buff
sun block
lip balm
money (cash/credit)
ID

thanks,
scott

Machka 

Are you doing a tour ... or a long distance ride?

I ask because most of our long distance rides don't require a tent ... that's more of a tour thing.

clasher

Seems like you're prepared for anything... good idea in the remote desert. I might not bring regular sweatpants and sweatshirts but I have found some quick-dry types that pack down really small and are still warm. I don't carry a camera now, I just use a smartphone and it works well. On tours I carry a spare tire. I don't know if you're riding through goathead country or not, but some sealant in your tubes (or a tubeless setup) might be worth considering. I used to carry a small roll of rebar tie wire but never ran into a use for it so I don't anymore. Same goes for the duck tape. I make sure my tires are relatively new and that all my cables have been changed before heading out on a tour or long brevet.

CAT7RDR

I would bring a foldable tire, degreaser and chain lube considering the length of ride, road conditions, and lack of services.

unterhausen

I feel like this should be in the touring section. I can move it if you like

debade

I would visit crazyguyonabike site. There maybe people who have done the route and could provide suggestions. There are definitely people who have shared their equipment list.

spelger

ahh, yes, perhaps the touring section makes more sense. move my post at will.

thanks, and i will check the site.

-scott

unterhausen

moved here from the Long Distance forum

Tourist in MSN

For camping on your ride, there is a touring board on this forum. You may get more input there.

Sweatpants and sweatshirt, I avoid cotton when touring, it is not very warm when wet and takes longer to dry.

Leave the 45 at home.

I usually bring food, cooking gear, water bottles, etc. No sleeping bag or pad? If it does not rain, then you don't need the rain gear that you did not plan to bring.

saddlesores

did that ride sometime during the last century, so my
route info would be mostly out of date.

be prepared for long stretches with no services. some of
the shops listed in trip reports may no longer be in business.
plan to carry more water than normal.
a small filter might be handy for stock tanks.

you need sun glasses, and a helmet with a visor, as you'll
be riding into the sun all morning. and something to cover
the back of your neck as well.

you got a tent.....you plan to eat?

as to the "toy", how do you plan to get home?
amtrak/greyhound may have xrays......

alan s 

I would bring a smart phone and recharge battery or solar panel. That will be far more useful than an handgun. If you need to carry, perhaps something lighter would be better, but I'll leave that up to your better judgment.

indyfabz

"Leave the gun-take the cannoli."--Peter Clemenza

CAT7RDR

Reading the Nevada firearm laws, unless you have a conceal permit, looks like you would have to have that cannon holstered in plain view "Open Carry" on your body. That would be fun.

boomhauer

Three people asked if I was carrying a hand gun while riding highway 50. They all thought I should. Weird looking drifter types checking me out made me nervous so I went shopping for a hand gun at the Rock Shop. Couldn’t bring myself to buy one. Wish those people never asked if I was carrying. I feel kind of foolish thinking about the whole episode now.

mev

I've done that ride twice. Trip report for the first time: https://www.mvermeulen.com/nevada/index.htm

Longest gap between water is up to 85 miles. Summer temperatures can approach 100F. It is dry and night temperatures can fall.

Plan appropriately as far as water, sunscreen goes. US 50 is a well-traveled route so if worst comes to worst, you should be able to catch a ride with a passing pickup.

Otherwise, great wide open scenery and some fun valleys to climb over and between. Enjoy your ride.

samkl 

If you can, replace the sweatshirt and sweatpants with something lighter weight, less bulky, and non-cotton.

Bring a headlight and a tail light too. Sometimes things don't go according to plan, and you don't want to be stuck riding at night without lights.

A water bladder can be very useful.

The gun is such a bad idea I don't even know where to begin.

indyfabz

The empty flash card will start to weigh you down once you start taking photos.


Sleeping pad/mattress?

jefnvk

You plan on sleeping in the tent with no bag/pad? I also don't like sweatpants/shirts, get something not cotton.

Bangstick is a personal preference, I offer no advice or judgement on it except to make sure you know the laws of every state on a multistate trip if you take it.

mrveloman

Scott - since you haven't clarified your trip details, we'll assume you plan on camping. Using a mylar blanket for warmth won't be nearly as good as a sleeping bag. Mylar blankets are meant to keep you alive not comfortable. Lots of lightweight affordable options are available. Also, if your snakebite kit is of the suction cup type, best thing to do with it is toss it in the trash or at least leave it at home. Modern medicine no longer recommends sucking out the venom. Do a little research on proper treatment. Same for scorpions - best practice is ice (or cold pack) and antihistamine.

Decision on personal protection is personal but really 1 or 2 spare clips? What are you expecting?

Finally, considering the isolated area you'll be riding if it were me I'd bring a spare tire just in case. Of course I'm an old fashioned engineer and subscribe to both belts and suspenders.

fietsbob

Once you have that check list, print it, bring it on the trip, mark things you used , then next trip planning, consider not bringing the items not used, last time..









...

veganbikes

I might recommend using a Dynamo hub which you can plug in lights and USB chargers that are powered by your front wheel moving. The neat thing about that is you can run them anytime and you never have to charge them.

I would also avoid cotton as people have said. I would also add a sleeping bag and pad vs. emergency space blankets. I would ditch the bandannas and stick with the buff, they are lightweight and quick drying (assuming not made of cotton, all mine are synthetic but they may make cotton ones?)

As far as firearms, carry or don't carry but make sure you are doing it legally and don't do anything stupid. I personally would go for something lightweight and easy to carry and probably stick with one magazine but then again I haven't really had a need to carry on tour. I have been in situations not on tour where just pulling out my phone in the dark sent people running because they thought I was pulling a gun and ran off. You could also try impersonating Bobcat Goldthwait and just be a little crazy.

For personal lighting I would go with a headlamp because when you need a flashlight you also need your hands. Black Diamond headlamps keep going up in lumens but not in price which is excellent and they make a USB rechargable one.

I personally would skip the TP and go with baby wipes which can be used to clean yourself off/freshen up in other ways. Keeping all of your downstairs areas nice and clean is important so you don't chafe or get rashes or sores which are not fun.

A folding tire isn't a horrible idea but if you replace your tires with good quality new tires you might not really have the issue. Though plenty of spare tubes is good.

Water, water and water, along with some good food that you can eat while cycling. Sometimes on those hot long days in the saddle trying to stomach heavier foods can be tough but an energy chew or gel can help give you some boost. Also a good electrolyte mix like Coco Hydro, Nuun, Camelbak Elixr (the last two are in tablet form and easy to use) can be handy as well. Like food sometimes water can be hard to put down and as someone who has been there many times I have relied upon that stuff to keep me hydrating.

Also Dr. Bronner's soap is good for cleaning just about anything and I always carry it on tour and use it around my house. From cleaning my body to my floor to my dishes it does it all quite well.

Ghazmh

Could you find an oil that is for bike chains and guns?

trainsktg

First day in Reno a few years back, I saw a guy OCing a large 1911 style handgun on his hip in the Fernley Walmart. He was shopping with his family. No one batted an eye.

Keith

WNCGoater

Don't have a lot of bike touring under my belt yet but backpacking is similar, in that it takes some sober reasoning to decide what to take. Take nothing unnecessary and everything that IS necessary get as lightweight as you can afford Leave a little room and weight for "luxuries". That may be a means of making coffee, a flask of 'Ole bone warmer, or chocolate and a pillow to put it on each evening.

Then REALLY weigh out the necessity of the "luxuries". THAT's what will break your back!

+1 against cotton sweatpants/shirt. If you even need warmth, get some merino.

Get a bag for the expected nightime conditions. Again, as light weight as you can afford. Down filled is the lightest.
Get a pad to sleep on. Some of them are quite heavy. Some are lightweight but hugely bulky. Thermarest NeoAir is lightweight, easy to inflate and packs small. Not cheap though.

Drop the .45 and go for a .38 snubbie or .380. Or pepper spray. Or carry nothing. But if the .45 is all you got and you must have it along, you don't need 2 spare magazines.

Drop the snake bite kit. Just carry a first aid kit and learn how to avoid varmint attacks.

There are IMO better alternatives to a mini mag light. LED headlamps are lighter weight, get better mileage out of the batteries, offer hands free operation for reading or secondary headlight if you're caught riding after dark.

I carry baby wipes. There are biodegradable ones available. I've taken a bath out in the backcountry with them and sometimes it's nice just to wipe the grime off your face.

Water, and water. Hydrate or die. That's a fairly arid region so be sure you have enough and a means to carry it through long dry stretches.

79pmooney

The space blanket - get one real one, not two emergency ones. The emergency ones are throwaways. One use and it is really tired. Two and it is dead. The real ones (maybe $15 at REI) will last you many trips and be far more versatile. I use it as a ground cloth on cooler days to reflect some heat back, over the tent to make is a little warmer, over my sleeping bag for the next step in warmth and it will still have all the emergency value of the throwaway if you really need it.

Ben