Free Water Source Along Routes
#26
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#27
Cycleway town
Jet wash
Windscreen washer refilling hose/tap
Walmart's cheapest lemonade (prob 20c a litre)
Windscreen washer refilling hose/tap
Walmart's cheapest lemonade (prob 20c a litre)
#28
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Growing up in Minneapolis, I was very fond of the Lake Harriet water pump.
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No ... I go into a service station and buy the water.
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If I get water from a place of business, I usually buy a few things from them. But that's usually a few hours into a long ride so I can use something.
Out in the wilderness though, I often use a Sawyer filter with caveats. Unless it is a matter of life or death...
- I don't filter water downstream from human habitation. Filters will not block viruses.
- I don't filter water downstream from mining operations. Many heavy metals leech out of rocks when exposed.
- I don't filter in heavy sediment areas such as below a glacier. It will clog a filter quickly.
I also take aquamira tablets along just in case.
Being way out in remote areas is not a place to get dysentery or similar.
Out in the wilderness though, I often use a Sawyer filter with caveats. Unless it is a matter of life or death...
- I don't filter water downstream from human habitation. Filters will not block viruses.
- I don't filter water downstream from mining operations. Many heavy metals leech out of rocks when exposed.
- I don't filter in heavy sediment areas such as below a glacier. It will clog a filter quickly.
I also take aquamira tablets along just in case.
Being way out in remote areas is not a place to get dysentery or similar.
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#32
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Any bar or tavern (in Wisconsin, every little town has at least one). They will fill it up no questions asked. Well, sometimes they'll ask a typical Wisconsin question, i.e. "Beautiful day for a bike ride, ainna? Where youse guys headed?"
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And especially if you're going to use the toilet!
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I have, on one hot, summer day riding out in the middle of nowhere (very small towns, no convenience stores) stopped at a liquor store to see if they sold any non-alcoholic beverages I could consume. A beer really sounded good but I was getting low on water and didn't want to dehydrate myself any more than I already was. The lady said that their liquor license didn't allow them to sell anything that wasn't alcoholic. So I opted to buy a bag of ice and filled my water bottles and hydration pack with the ice, which promptly melted as I rode.
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On some of my routes there are fill stations specifically for water bottles. Other sources are bubblers located near facilities. Lastly, I buy water. A source of water is usually part of route planning, is it not?
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For 95% of my rides I usually carry as much water as I need. Also, I'm usually riding urban/suburban routes where I'll pass at least 1 convenience store every other mile. I have no problem throwing down a couple of bucks for an ice cold drink and guzzling it down on the spot.
But I have to say that there are some pretty good solutions that I would have never thought of mentioned in this thread .
But I have to say that there are some pretty good solutions that I would have never thought of mentioned in this thread .
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I ride on, and about ten minutes later, a car stopped and asked if I needed water, and that they lived less than a quarter of a mile up the road, and I was welcome to stop by and fill my bottles. I thanked them and told them the story of the church. Once I got close to the state park I planned on staying, there was a convenience store connected to a bar. I bought water and smelled food. Heaven awaited...beer, food, and a gallon of water.
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I buy it too, but some days there are no places to do so. I ran into that recently. I would only have places to buy water where I camped, and then again where I planned to camp at the end of the day. I would end each day buying a gallon of water, and after having found too often that opportunities to buy water water was scarce where I was, I would buy a gallon when I had the chance and strap in to the bike. A gallon can be had for less than the price of a bottle of water most of the time.
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If I get water from a place of business, I usually buy a few things from them. But that's usually a few hours into a long ride so I can use something.
Out in the wilderness though, I often use a Sawyer filter with caveats. Unless it is a matter of life or death...
- I don't filter water downstream from human habitation. Filters will not block viruses.
- I don't filter water downstream from mining operations. Many heavy metals leech out of rocks when exposed.
- I don't filter in heavy sediment areas such as below a glacier. It will clog a filter quickly.
I also take aquamira tablets along just in case.
Being way out in remote areas is not a place to get dysentery or similar.
Out in the wilderness though, I often use a Sawyer filter with caveats. Unless it is a matter of life or death...
- I don't filter water downstream from human habitation. Filters will not block viruses.
- I don't filter water downstream from mining operations. Many heavy metals leech out of rocks when exposed.
- I don't filter in heavy sediment areas such as below a glacier. It will clog a filter quickly.
I also take aquamira tablets along just in case.
Being way out in remote areas is not a place to get dysentery or similar.
#41
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In Iowa, two of us who were ahead of the group stopped into a senior center to get water because there was no store in town. The guy who ran the place, after checking with the town's mayor, invited the group to spend the night there. To have A.C. was heavenly. Another extremely hot and humid day. They refused to take any money, but we left our night's camping budget as a donation to the center, which had been built entirely with donated materials and labor.
In extremely rural Illinois three of us stopped at a school that was holding extracurricular classes on a Saturday. Temperature would top out that day at over 100. Filled up out bottles from a water fountain. The teacher asked us if we would talk to her class. At first we were hesitant since we had nearly a century that day. She pleaded with us. She wanted the kids to know that there were all sorts of opportunities in the world. We couldn't resist after such hospitality and spoke and answered questions for maybe 30 min. She took this photo. She also had each kid write us a thank you letter and mailed them and the photo to Bowling Green, OH, which is where our next rest day was scheduled for.
Later in the trip someone remarked about seeing a "Restroom for Customers Only" sign. I think that was somewhere NY.
Last edited by indyfabz; 08-23-19 at 04:42 PM.
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#42
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On my tour in June, I would ride all day with no place to stop for water. One day, I stopped in the only town I went through, and there was no business still open, it was a dead town. I rode on and saw a church on a lonely stretch of road. I stopped to see if they would fill my bottles. There was a young boy outside playing, and some adults in the back doing doing some tree work. The boy said hi, so I asked him if there was anyone inside the church, and if I could go in. He said he would have to ask his grandma. He opened the door and yelled, "Grandma, there is someone here!" She came to the door and invited me in, and I saw it was no longer a church, but was now a house. I apologized and told her I stopped to see if the church would let me fill my bottles. She said she would fill them, and invited me further in, I said that was okay, and didn't want to intrude. She insisted. She told me she recently retired from running heavy equipment, and had moved to Ohio since she had family there, and was in the process of remodeling the church into a home. She proceeded to fill my bottles, and gave me a drink mix she said she always used when she was working int he heat in Florida. It was a nice chance encounter.
I ride on, and about ten minutes later, a car stopped and asked if I needed water, and that they lived less than a quarter of a mile up the road, and I was welcome to stop by and fill my bottles. I thanked them and told them the story of the church. Once I got close to the state park I planned on staying, there was a convenience store connected to a bar. I bought water and smelled food. Heaven awaited...beer, food, and a gallon of water.
I ride on, and about ten minutes later, a car stopped and asked if I needed water, and that they lived less than a quarter of a mile up the road, and I was welcome to stop by and fill my bottles. I thanked them and told them the story of the church. Once I got close to the state park I planned on staying, there was a convenience store connected to a bar. I bought water and smelled food. Heaven awaited...beer, food, and a gallon of water.
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#43
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Last edited by indyfabz; 08-23-19 at 04:50 PM.
#44
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Those who drink unfiltered water from natural springs are taking a huge risk.
Some won't believe me, others rely not having had a problem in the past and some will rage at reading this.
None of this however, will change the fact that Giardia and Cyrptosporidium cysts are widespread throughout the world, including the US.
Filters are extremely small nowadays and very effective. I hope some of you will consider using one.
-Tim-
Some won't believe me, others rely not having had a problem in the past and some will rage at reading this.
None of this however, will change the fact that Giardia and Cyrptosporidium cysts are widespread throughout the world, including the US.
Filters are extremely small nowadays and very effective. I hope some of you will consider using one.
-Tim-
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#45
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Water sources are included in the Open Street Map cycle maps, although you need to zoom in to see them. They're included as Points Of Interest when you download the OSM cyclemaps from openfietsmap.nl to your Garmin GPS.
You can sometimes use the bathroom sinks at places with public restrooms like grocery stores, although they often lack the space to accommodate a water bottle.
You can sometimes use the bathroom sinks at places with public restrooms like grocery stores, although they often lack the space to accommodate a water bottle.
#46
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Those who drink unfiltered water from natural springs are taking a huge risk.
Some won't believe me, others rely not having had a problem in the past and some will rage at reading this.
None of this however, will change the fact that Giardia and Cyrptosporidium cysts are widespread throughout the world, including the US.
Filters are extremely small nowadays and very effective. I hope some of you will consider using one.
-Tim-
Some won't believe me, others rely not having had a problem in the past and some will rage at reading this.
None of this however, will change the fact that Giardia and Cyrptosporidium cysts are widespread throughout the world, including the US.
Filters are extremely small nowadays and very effective. I hope some of you will consider using one.
-Tim-
#47
Senior Member
Most of my rides are urban. Most of my urban rides intentionally skirt or go through at least three of our many urban parks. Most of those parks having working fountains. Never seen the homeless showering in those fountains, but wouldn't be surprised to find it happens. I'm one of the least sick persons I know at times going years in a row not taking sick a day. Likely more genetics, but I like to joke about it being my extremely lax attitude towards germs, it boosts my immunity. I am the polar opposite of a germ-aphobe.
Writing this got me to thinking about how many gangway spigots I drank water out of as a kid when we played outside 90% of the summer. It was pretty rare someone actually chased us off.
Writing this got me to thinking about how many gangway spigots I drank water out of as a kid when we played outside 90% of the summer. It was pretty rare someone actually chased us off.
#48
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I'm actually looking for a good Camelbak to use in the forest trails. Any recommendations?
#49
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I've never had an issue getting free water refills here in the states, I'm surprised this is even a thread topic. If I don't top-off at one of my regular convenience stores, I'll just walk in someplace and top-off with water, usually without bothering to ask. I'll sometimes let the cashier know I just got water, but they've always been so completely cool about it, they dismiss it like I didn't even need to mention it.
One place I often stop at, the two girls will be walking outside to smoke a cigarette as I'm walking in. They'll stop to wait on me, then say, "oh, you're just getting water", and they'll head outside and sit down, leaving me alone in the store !
But then again, I live in the rural Deep South, where folks just ain't as wound up as the rest of the country !
One place I often stop at, the two girls will be walking outside to smoke a cigarette as I'm walking in. They'll stop to wait on me, then say, "oh, you're just getting water", and they'll head outside and sit down, leaving me alone in the store !
But then again, I live in the rural Deep South, where folks just ain't as wound up as the rest of the country !
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Nope, I've never used one. But I know there are plenty of good options, including some that are cycling-specific. I'm sure some 'net searches will turn up some good options. Good luck!