Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Cycle Tours => Topic started by: ianshearin on February 16, 2013, 12:57:43 PM
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As a new person approaching mid life (ok already there) and about to do an expedition I thought I would document my purchases for the trip.
I am starting from scratch so thought this might be useful for others who are thinking about a trip and find themselves starting with a blank canvas like myself.
I will update this post as and when I acquire gear.
Current Total -(Approx) £2,370
Thorn Raven Tour - (Discontinued frame) Standard Thorn spec except for: Alfine Gears, Shimano Dyna hub, Rear Rack - £1250
Ergon PC2 Pedals- £54
Brooks B17 Honey £65
Thorn T-Bar £17
Rear Carradry Panniers and a Saddle bag (Seconds from Carradice factory) £50
Sleep Bag Allready Owned £0
Cycle clothing, mostly from Tenn outdoors £80
Front Panniers, ebay generic £20
Vango Banshee 300 Tent £98
Front rack, ebay £12
Stuff sack Pillow £13
Powermonkey £44
Lighter £12
Kelly Kettle Cooker £59
Pillow £5
Helinox Chair £81
Thermarest Mat £55
Micro towel £18
Click Stand £35
Garmin Edge 800 £240
Europe maps for Garmin £62
Bar Bag £50
Some minor stuff Tape, Bungees, Cutlery £10
Ipad/Iphone/Kindle allready owned £0
Medical bag, ibrufen, spray Skin, Sunblock/Moisteriser/Repellant, Shave oil, Toothpaste/brush £20
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Ian i reckon by the time you finish your wish list you will be up around £5,000,so bike sorted now what's next. ;)
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You wont be far off Jags, I was expecting a budget of about £4,500 but the bike has cut that down.
I am hoping it will be around 4k now, but time will tell.....
Next on my radar is a set of rear panniers, at the minute the Carradice Super C are my favourite, I have seen best price at just under £100 but Im happy to go with second hand on these items.
Oops forgot to add the saddle I bought few Months ago...
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what about tent have you one in mind.
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Trying to remember where you are Ian but if not too far might be worth a trip to Caradice in Nelson (Lankashire) as you may fall lucky on a pair of panniers and possible even a barbag from the "seconds" shelf"
If you are looking at cutting your budget even further Altura panniers are great value for money and some of the older models come up on ebay second hand fro peanuts. The only downsie is the need to use either covers (supplied) or sperately wrap the contents in waterproof bags (possibly a sensible precaution with any pannier bag).
I still love my Carradice Super C's although I have a set of the Ortlieb's too and they are great if a bit boring.
Like trying to compare an E Type Jag to a new BMW M5
Andy
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I thought I would document my purchases for the trip...
This is really useful and will be very valuable to others coming on and going forward, Ian. I've been wishing for something like this for some time; well done!
Sure, everyone does things a little differently, but this will be one man's way of going about it, and it'll be a great way to see what choices you make and why as we see the meter running.
Can't wait for the next installment!
All the best,
Dan. (...who thinks Einstein had it right about the relativity of time...never slower than when you're awaiting a much-anticipated delivery)
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Thanks for the kind words and encouragement Dan....
Tent is proving difficult at the Minute Jags, I cant decide on a tent yet as there are wildly different reviews around and prices can go from £200 to £800, this will be a purchase based on opportunity I think, ebay or fellow enthusiasts selling a used one may be the way to go
Im only 30mins away from the Carradice factory Andy.... ;D
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Even if you dont buy anything Ian it is still worth the visit just for the atmosphere. If you give them a call they will confirm their opening times and you just drop in (no appointment needed) and see what they have.
Only take as much money though as you are happy to spend. I took a bank card with me and it still hasn't forgiven me - lol
Andy
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Would make a nice trip out on the bike too. Some really nice riding around there.
Andy
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Thanks Andy, I think I will do that.
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yeah tents drive a fella nuts trying to choose, one thing you got to see it pitched before you part with any money.
if i had seen the akto pitched i would never have bought it ,don't get me wrong its a super tent and highly regarded.... but by experience camp dwellers of which i am not ::)
the robins tent i posted on looks a much better tent ticks all the box's except maybe on weight, but what the hell the only time you feel your carrying to much weight is when the going getting tough hills wind or whatever .
gas stoves are great but a pain in the ass trying to find the proper cylinder when you run out, take a small one for emergency's but the petrol stove is the way to go no need to worry about packing bulky gas.
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There's a Hilleberg Stalon on ebay just now http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hilleberg-Stalon-/261169840678?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_HikingCamping_Tents_JN&hash=item3cceef8226&_uhb=1
Superb cycle touring tent, I've been using mine for 15 years, unfortunately they stopped making them a couple of years ago.
The one on ebay is red though so not so good for blending in.
And maybe not the best option for Africa or such hot climates but there is a kit to allow inner only pitching.
Loads of room for two people and like a palace for just one.
Depending on bike size and saddle/handlebar height, it is possible to fit a bike in one of the vestibules.
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Thats a nice tent Rual,
Unfortunately purchases of that cost are going to have to wait a few Months, for now its getting the bike up and running so I can train and then start on the expedition gear in the Summer.
Thanks for the link though ;)
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I'm reading Mike Clelland's Ultralight Backpackin' Tips. I like a lot of the approach but it is focused on wilderness hiking: cycling is most often something quite different. Of course there are folks who get out away from towns for days at a time, but that is hardly the most common cycling. But the core principles still apply, the idea of travel as a way to experience the world more intimately.
Cycling in general is not a wilderness activity. One of my research directions is to understand how our road system was transformed by cycling, that a lot of the change we usually ascribe to the rise of the automobile was actually initiated by the earlier rise of the bicycle. Anyway, the cyclist's road is generally a good bit smoother than the hiker's trail. Cycling is more tied in to the human world rather than the wilderness.
So the world the cyclist experiences, which which the cyclist has the opportunity to cultivate intimacy, is a different world than the hiker's world. This is just a crude generalization of course. I saw a slide show this past week given by a physician who'd been on a mission in Nangchen, in Western Szechuan province in China. The terrain there is very rugged. I saw lots of single track paths in those slides and I expect that's how a lot of the country folk get home. That's not so common most places, I don't think.
Wilderness hikers aren't living off the land, other than accessing water... well, I guess there are trees and sticks that can be used as tarp supports. But food gets packed in and most any other supplies needed. Cycling is usually different. One can buy food along the way and fuel and probably some other basic supplies.
The interplay between cyclists and their world is very rich and diverse. A general guide to ultralight wilderness travel seems possible just because the interactions are more limited. A cyclist's guide will have to cover a much more diverse set of environments!
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Ian theres a hubba hubba tent for sale on cyclechat £125.
sorry jim didn't mean to jump in there. ::)
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Thanks Jags, my finances are depleted at the minute, essential purchases only for a Month or Two....
Thats an interesting comparison between the wilderness adventurer and the cyclist Jim, for me personally it is the social aspect of the tour that is interesting to me, in fact this is a statement I posted on my 'in progress' website as to the reason I am going on an expedition
Why!
Ask any school kid what they want to be and it will involve the words WAG, Football or Famous, no-one wants to be an Engineer or work in an office our celebrity culture has a lot to answer for.
My Nephews and Nieces proudly draw their benefits each Week and aspire to emulate their local heroes who are drug dealers…….working 9-5 is considered Gay.
A famous celebrity can stalk young victims unchallenged for Decades, the News on TV constantly reports the failures of our politicians and our Banks have systematically reduced our investments and futures….
However I am convinced this is not what the Human race has become, out there in the ordinary World lies extraordinary people, an act of kindness here, a shared meal there, a bed for the night for a Weary Traveller……….small things but they are what define us and over a period of 3 Months cycling from my home in Southport through France and Spain and into Morocco I hope to rediscover the nature of Mankind.
Ian
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To get into the ultralight frame of mind a bit, I got out a kitchen scale and pulled all the stuff from my saddlebag. Clelland suggests using a spreadsheet but I thought, hey, I am a software guy, so I am trying MS Access instead. Maybe it will let me play with subsets and such-like. I've attached my generated report below.
Whew, that lock, 61.5 ounces!
Your riding goals sound just great, Ian! People are the most fascinating things in the world!
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But, hey, Ian..... drug-dealers are people too ??
:P :-\
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Added
Cateye Strada Wireless £32
For training and to check on mph/distance; so I can see what sort of daily distances I can do comfortably.
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Ian did i miss out did you get your new bike .
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Cateye Strada Wireless...
Congratulations, Ian...the parts are coming together. Exciting, isn't it? ;D
I'm a fan of "buttonless" bike computers like this, where pushing the head changes the modes, resets temporary data, etc. Mine is the PlanetBike Protege 9.0 wired unit. I like it very much except for one flaw: Averages are figured on a 10-hour time base; any average accumulated after 10 hours shows as an error. Ah, well. Not bad when all else has proven good. Your CatEye is noted for being particularly easy to read with a very large display for such a small case. Nice for glasses wearers!
Has Rett arrived yet to join it? ???
Best,
Dan.
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Ah I still look with longing out the window but alas I wait ...
Taking the last Raven Tour frame means I will have to wait for a build, so Im guessing a 3/4 Week wait...
Each day sees my wallet get smaller as I console myself with 'essential' purchases in preparation ;)
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Hi Ian
Looks like you and me are about on the same level of purchasing.
For the past year I have been buying bits and pieces as budget allows.
Careful not to buy things that will be superseded by new technology such as camera and net book (but that is hard).
So I have the panniers tent sleeping matt and bag dragonfly cooking utensils tools spare tire chain and recently bought a Raven.
Not sure when I will be heading away but everything will be ready to roll. God willing.
Next on the list will be clothes.
Last on the list will be camera and net book.
Best of luck
Matt
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i have enought gear to tour the planet but to be perfectly honest i dont think i'll ever use it certainly not expedition touring .when ever i get money i spend it, if i have the funds and i want something i buy it .mind you it took me years to get to the stage where i have everything i need to tour .
buying tech stuff like net books iphone i'll pass on that as i would not have a notion how to use them, i figured years ago if i can keep warm and dry and my bike is in god working order then i'll get by.
by the way i'm listening at the moment the mike harding podcast of his show magic stuff greatmusic to have on your ipod for those long tours ;)
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, i figured years ago if i can keep warm and dry and my bike is in god working order then i'll get by.
Good comment there. In a way I want to avoid the tchy stuff but then I feel it may be handy for recording my adventures and keeping in touch with folks.
Difficult one for me and I wish I had the b's to avoid them.
Btw/ Mike Harding once over took me on the motorway driving a small jeep. I was doing 70 and he was doing a lot more!
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was he wearing those crazy glasses at the time he passed. ;D
Matt would it not be better to record your notes of the day's adventure in a diary old fashioned pen or pencil stuff ;) and when you get back home relive the adventure putting it all on computer.
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Life on the road with no gadgets :o
Your crazy......
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;D ;D ;D
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Yes, Mike was wearing those glasses. He must have been doing 90 at least. I tried to keep up with him but the old banger I was driving couldn't do it.
And Billy Connolly did the same thing a few years later near Loch Lommond. I had a better car but Billy was in a Range Rover - so no hope.
Pen and pencil idea? Well I was going to do both. Belt and braces man me.
Matt
was he wearing those crazy glasses at the time he passed. ;D
Matt would it not be better to record your notes of the day's adventure in a diary old fashioned pen or pencil stuff ;) and when you get back home relive the adventure putting it all on computer.
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You may have already seen this Ian, but something to whet your appetite (if it needs even more whetting) or to give you ideas - the Loaded Touring Bike gallery (http://www.pbase.com/canyonlands/fullyloaded). Touring bikes in use in all sorts of places - all parts of the world.
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Wow, some great photos there, thanks iL :)
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Hi Ian
this is the tent that i bought and find it great . the porch is huge. it is over 3 kg but i figure it's worth it for the comfort. you can see my review here too . i picked it up on ebay for under £100
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/Coleman-Pictor-X2/1740
best
Waser
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Hi Wasser,
Thanks for that, tents are on my shopping list for the Summer, I will be sure to look at those tents.
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Very helpful list of costs, Ian; looking forward to seeing the "After" upon your return. Truly destined to be a valuable resource for all who contemplate a similar undertaking; thanks!
Best,
Dan.
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Woah Dan, thanks for bringing this thread (back) up, I've never seen it before and I'm on here fairly regularly (aren't we all LOL). Now as Ian's fairly local to me I'm sure looking forward to what's coming next ;D
Ian, all the best on your endeavour!
Robbie.
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A bit of expedition riding from Australia
http://bicyclenomad.com/2013/08/31/canning-stock-route-photography/
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7290/9584471769_d17c9da820_z.jpg)
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Hi all,
Well Im back from my 3 Month tour, 2.5 Months early :o
Some of the guys here joined my facebook page so know the story but to briefly let you know.
About a third of the way into France I received a message from the company I did my last contract with, they wanted some more work doing before paying out..... As I hadnt been paid yet and was relying on the cash to fund the trip I turned around and headed back home.
I have now done the work and find myself not wanting to retart the trip..... :-\
One thing I did find out was that I really didnt enjoy the camping part, I seemed to spend more time looking for a campsite and organising food, water etc than I did cycling. Not to mention the bike was so loaded up with the camping gear that it never really felt like cycling to me, more like pushing ;D
Once I made the decision to turn back I mailed home some stuff, binned some stuff and blew my budget on B&b's. So each day I cycled as far and as long as I could and ended up in a nice hot bath with a cold beer and soft bed..... Now that part i did enjoy :)
The trip although cut short was still a wonderful experience and i am so glad I did it.
The future for me though is not cycle camping, it is undoubtedly credit Card touring......
To that end i am going to sell my Raven Tour and all gear and get myself a nice new Thorn Mercury for a LEJOG run in the summer.
Im sorry I cant really post my costs as I lost all track, all I can say is that is was a lot more expensive than i imagined >:(
Thanks to all the guys that joined my facebook......
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You've certainly been on a voyage of discovery Ian, even if parts of it were not entirely to your liking. You could have done it all a la Jim Royal from the comfort of your arm chair but you didn't, you gave it a go and found what suits you better. Now, if you are Mercury minded, there is one on the SJS site with a quite a few euros off. If its your size it might have your name on it. http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/thorn-mercury-580s-gunmetal-rohloff-sports-touring-bike-used-prod32698/
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Ian
Sorry to hear about having to shorten the tour. I completely understand that looking for a campsite/food/water feeling. I just returned myself after 14 weeks round the North Sea. The first two weeks were indeed tough. The weight of full gear on the bike, getting used to the daily routine of finding a camp site and planning what to eat and where to buy it each day.
Starting off in Scotland was probably easier that if I had started in France. Being allowed to camp anywhere made the search for a camp site much easier. Also, in every village or town there was often a nearby campsite with showers and toilets. Asking in a cafe or pub would often result in an offer to camp in someone's garden of next to the pub!
Norway and Sweden also permit wild camping so it was similar there too. Being in more remote areas, it was a question of always carrying the basics of pasta, rice, bread, cheese. Each day as soon as a shop was found the daily needs were purchased. It became a habit always to buy food when passing a shop so that there was always something to eat. That removed one obstacle to enjoyment.
It was indeed tough along the coast in Norway with frequent pushes up steep fjord roads and zooming down the other side to sea level to begin another 250 - 300m climb again! I found it took the first two weeks in Scotland to get used to slowing down, enjoying the experience, getting fit, getting into the routine of planning ahead for meals, and to stop worrying about where I was going to pitch the tent. I was blessed with great weather most of the time which makes a huge difference. I ended up really looking forward to setting up the tent and cooking a good meal. I also lost the initial feeling of frustration at covering a relatively short distance with a heavy bike instead marvelling at what I was doing! It took a good two or three weeks to reach that point though.
I am sure that if you restarted a long tour, you would get used to everything after 2 weeks and then really start to enjoy the experience. I cursed and swore more than a few times in the first two weeks then something changed and (without getting too Zen about it!) I became more 'at one' with my Raven Tour and the countryside. I became part of the area I was passing through and a feeling of calmness took over from the frustration.
I did feel a bit frustrated after returning to England where, especially in the South, real camp sites were hard to find. People were more in tune with an urban life style and rushing around. They looked at me as though I was mad. I of course had to that point been spoilt by the quality camp sites and food on the continent. Over there it was as though you were mad if you did not cycle!
So, maybe a second trip before you sell your Raven Tour? I would suggest the North of Denmark (Jutland) where the country is great, fairly flat, there are lots of cycle tourists, good camp sites and free camp shelters in the state forests. Scandinavia North-West Germany and the Netherlands too were ideal for cycle touring.
Thought I would add my experience so that you may reconsider selling the Raven Tour. Its a great bike and deserves a second chance.
But then you gave it a go which is more than some do ... no shame if the touring and camping route is not for you whatever you decide.
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Ian since we last spoke i have sold all my gear bike included basically the lot.
I'm not a lover of camping either especially in that akto super tent ::)
the cycling i loved never found it hard to ride the bike loaded up, bit tough on hills OK but other than that i was strong enough riding at my own pace.
no what put me off touring was bad memories not all bad but the bad one were whoppers enough to put anyone off touring ;D ;D
i had great intentions of buying myself the Audax frameset with front carbon fork but alas it turned out to be out of my budget.
the credit card touring would not intrest me to be honest if you were going that route you might as well but the lightest carbon bike you can afford, but going credit card your nor not going to meet people or have the craic as you would doing loaded touring that's a fact.anyway Ian sorry it didn't work out as you were hoping maybe next time. ;)
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Sad to hear that you had a bit of a trying time in France Ian. At least you can chalk it up as a learning experience, all good fodder for the tales to tell the grandkids (or the nurses at the old folks home). You can go on from here to discover and enjoy another style of cycling. One of the real beauties of cycling as a pursuit is that it is possible to enjoy it in so many different guises. The racing world is not for me, but I do love my loaded touring and I have a penchant for the world of classic and vintage bikes. Others love their triathlons or jump on a MTB and fly down a ski trail at ridiculous speeds. Enjoy what pleases you most.
I found it took the first two weeks in Scotland to get used to slowing down, enjoying the experience, getting fit, getting into the routine of planning ahead for meals, and to stop worrying about where I was going to pitch the tent.
When touring through new lands and getting fit to travel this is the most important thing to remember. Sometimes hard if you travel with those who pace themselves to a different beat.
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All congratulations, Ian, on your Inner Voyage of Discovery and good to have you back with us again.
We all find our own way in cycling and touring and the world is better for it; how boring if all were the same!
You'll soon find your niche and have wonderful memories to recount in the years to come.
All the best,
Dan.
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As I recall from my years of hiking in France (that's was over 6 six ago, however), just about every small town has a campground nearby. Mostly I wild camped in France, but that's because I was hiking and thus finding a stealth site is easy. Also, I only carry a lightweight tarp and bugbivy, which don't give much privacy, which makes campgrounds unpleasant. If I were bike touring in France and carrying a full tent, I would probably rely more on campgrounds. In France, campground are typically very nice (lush vegetation). Spain (other than certain parts of far northern Spain, like Basque country and near the Pyrenees) and Greece are another story--campgrounds there are often nasty (gravel ground, no trees, blazing hot in the summer).
In my experience, being ready and willing to camp makes things vastly easier in France in the summer months. Without camping gear, you either have to make hotel reservations in advance or else hope for a vacancy. If no vacancy then you have to keep on riding to the next town, and that can get stressful very quickly. With camping gear, you just pop down to the local campground if there is no vacancy at the hotel. Campgrounds almost always have vacancies for hikers/bikers (not necessarily
for automobiles/caravans). Campgrounds typically would be under 10euro, whereas the only hotel room available might easily be over 100euro.
I wouldn't sell your Raven and give up on camping yet. Also, you should probably start out with tenting at campgrounds before trying to wild camp. I've spent over a thousand nights camping, in all sorts of conditions, and currently spend almost half of each year wild camping, so it's very easy for me. But it takes time to get comfortable with it, especially dry camping (99% of my camps are dry, meaning away from water sources).
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Hi Ian, I was one of those who joined your Facebook page and enjoyed reading about your trip.
Thanks for all the info. And being honest about your future plans.
As someone who aspires to follow in your tire tracks, all your comments are pertinent.
I have a Raven as well and find it a great ride for all purposes. Guess there are lighter and faster bikes but I like the solid feel of the Raven.
I wish you well for the future.
Matt
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Ah thank you guys for the wondeful words of wisdom....
To add to the story though, it wasnt always about finding campsites and food etc, I found in the mornings my long life of competitive sports, distance running, triathalons, Squash have taken their toll on this body, joints and muscles were complaining and with the extra weight I was carrying it was quite a mission just to get out the sleeping bag :P there is only so much ibrufen one can take ;).....
But also when I was heading back and b&bing it i really enjoyed the long days in the saddle knowing it would end with a hot bath and a cold beer....
I have found a new respect for you guys that cycle/camp but for me its cc touring in the future....
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Welcome back, Ian -- and if you've found the approach that floats your boat/turns your crank/whatever, that's the one that's right for you.
J.
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Welcome back, Ian.
One thing I did find out was that I really didnt enjoy the camping part, I seemed to spend more time looking for a campsite and organising food, water etc than I did cycling. Not to mention the bike was so loaded up with the camping gear that it never really felt like cycling to me, more like pushing ;D
I know how you feel. I hate camping too, the work, the discomfort, the dirt, the grit in your food, the limited meals that can be prepared over a wonky camp stove, the shortage of water for such necessary rituals as washing your hands before dinner.
In places where there are no hotels and no traveling servants available (start at http://www.goodreads.com/comment/show/34575319?comment_show=true for a short memoir of a very superior travelling servant), for instance when I wanted to travel all the way around the coastline of Austalia to see if there was a book in sailing around the coast, I've always found a couple of starry-eyed kids and made a deal with them: I would pay the cost of the expedition but they would do the hard work. It worked spectacularly well on that occasion; both those guys named children after me, and I still use the Mickey Mouse Alarm Clock (I swear it!) one of them gave me as a parting gift when I put them on the plane back to Texas.
The future for me though is not cycle camping, it is undoubtedly credit Card touring......
There are the wannabe hard men, and then there are the mature sybarites. Welcome to the club!
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Welcome back, Ian.
I know how you feel. I hate camping too, the work, the discomfort, the dirt, the grit in your food, the limited meals that can be prepared over a wonky camp stove, the shortage of water for such necessary rituals as washing your hands before dinner.
In places where there are no hotels and no traveling servants available (start at http://www.goodreads.com/comment/show/34575319?comment_show=true for a short memoir of a very superior travelling servant), for instance when I wanted to travel all the way around the coastline of Austalia to see if there was a book in sailing around the coast, I've always found a couple of starry-eyed kids and made a deal with them: I would pay the cost of the expedition but they would do the hard work. It worked spectacularly well on that occasion; both those guys named children after me, and I still use the Mickey Mouse Alarm Clock (I swear it!) one of them gave me as a parting gift when I put them on the plane back to Texas.
There are the wannabe hard men, and then there are the mature sybarites. Welcome to the club!
We have a saying for this sort of tale here in Australia Andre....... "taking the piss"
;D :D
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We have a saying for this sort of tale here in Australia Andre....... "taking the piss"
;D :D
My mum always said, "extracting the urine"
But that's mums for you
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We have a saying for this sort of tale here in Australia Andre....... "taking the piss"
;D :D
Here in Ireland we say, "I knooow," giving the o a long value, as if it were quadruplets.
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;D ;D ;D class.
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Oh dear! Hi Ian, I remember you asking questions on here before I left on my trip.
As I've been posting details of my journey I haven't had the time or the energy to go through the forum and look at other posts.
I had seen your one lurking there and today, now settled in Sri Lanka for a few weeks I've finally got the time to read it. How shocked to find out the end result but also glad to see you've worked out what works for you.
My own experience was the same I think when I started. I hadn't ridden a bike for 20 years or really camped or done anything that adventurous.
The finding a site and packing/unpacking all seemed such a drudge to start and seemed to take up so much time. Now I don't even think about it. I actually dislike staying in a hotel now.
The thing I've done differently on this part of my trip to the last one is going slower. No aches and pains in the legs or back apart from my dodgy knee that says hello every now and again.
For anyone else planning on coming across Europe and heading further East. Western Europe is the most difficult bit as far as camping is concerned. From Croatia/Serbia onwards you can camp anywhere and people have much more time for you.
I hope you come back and tell us how your first CC tour goes. I've got a load of mates who have all got road bikes since I left and I'd love to go CC touring with them to see how it feels with no weight :)