combatdecoy

Last week my girlfriend and I went on a 3 day trip through parts of SW Wisconsin.
It was really nice and smooth, and for the first trip of the season it went relatively well.
here are a couple of pics from the mini tour..


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antokelly

excellent your sure carrying a lot of gear, is that a guitar you have strapped to rear rack.

combatdecoy

Yes, we were carrying a ton of gear....
But we kinda look at the little trips as preps for the big ones.
And yep thats a guitar on the rack.
Mark

bwgride

Is that a Banjo Brothers waterproof handlebar bag you have?

If yes, how sturdy is the attachment system -- is there any play in the attachment part holding the bag; does the bag wobble much on bumpy roads -- in short, does it seem secure?

Are there any weaknesses you've noted in the bag overall?

wheel

On 3 day tours I will bring next to nothing (try). These tips and tricks you learn help on your big tours.
Careful wet clothes which freeze do not dry LOL. I guess it was colder outside than I thought.

Rogerinchrist

Where did you come across that Cobra?

4000Miles

I'm from Madison - how did you like your trip? Did you find it cold enough to the point of being uncomfortable sleeping in the tent? Deeeetails please!

mesasone

Where's the kitchen sink?

Are those the Axiom Champlians? How do you like them? I almost sprung for a pair of those + Lasalle for up front. I was worried about being able to fit bulky clothing (like a hoodie which would just about take up an entire pannier), but decided I really didn't need anything that big. I wonder if they're really as big as they claim... 3600 cu inch IIRC?

Randochap

You forgot something.

combatdecoy

Your right, I did forget something....
The dog. My Poodle has been riding with on my local rides around the city.
I was afraid it would be too cold for him so we left him.
I have to figure out a better way to mount the guitar to his milk crate...

The handlebar bag is a banjo bros... Had it for over a year and no complaints at all.

The panniers are Axiom Champlains, and also work well.

Camping this time of year is nice. It got down to about 37 but by quickly warmed up to
mid 60's.. Funny, we didn't take any early morning pics but if you would see our front panniers
at 8 in the morning they were virtually empty, and by noon they were stuffed full of the clothes
we had to wear in the morning. It also rained both nites which was just fine...

I chose to sleep in a tent from July until April of 01/02 living in Northern Mn, so 37 degrees is actally pretty pleasant with a decent bag..

Thanks for the comments
Enjoy your day!
Mark

Neil_B

Very nice. Thanks for sharing the photos.

BigBlueToe

What kind of bikes are those?

I'm heartened by the fact that you brought your guitar. I've often longed for mine on bike tours. Is it a full-size or a travel model?

combatdecoy

The bikes are both LHT's.
The guitar is a Washburn "Rover" travel guitar.
Its plays awesome and sounds good for a small guitar.
I don't have any pics of it but maybe I'll take some.
It looks really funny, kind of like a Lute.
I usually just walk around with it hanging off my shoulder
cause its like 5 or 6 pounds and really comfortable.
I bought it on CL for 95 bucks!!

Roger, I would think the Cobra must be the helicopter...
If that is it, we came across those in West Salem, WI.
I think there is a tank and copter also in Norwalk, WI about 50 miles from
there.

Take care
Mark

82times

Oh, how fun. It looks like this was mostly on one or more of the long trails Wisconsin has. For the next tour, keep in mind Wisconsin roads are basically fantastic. All the tiny little roads that wind around and go basically nowhere are PAVED and smooth as glass unlike in neighboring states where they would mostly be gravel. Such fun.