Takeaways
Overall, I'm very pleased with my first bikepacking trip! I would totally do it again.
- I liked my food system. My bases were: croissants (savoury carbs), pepperoni sticks (savoury protein), fruit bars (fast, sweet carbs). I supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetables right before heading to camp. One hot meal mid-day. No-cook worked fine for me. And therefore no need for a stove setup. Here's what I packed for the tour. It was an overcast weekend so I didn't end up using the electrolytes but I'm glad I still packed them.
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
- Gear-wise: I am a big fan of the Arkel Rollpacker. There was no wag, and it was easy to access. Also a big fan of the Fidlock twist boa cages. I had a 1L Hydroflask clasped and it felt solid. Aerobars didn't do much for me comfort-wise. I'll do double layer bartape on the hoods in the future. Battery-powered string lights strung inside the tent are an amazing quality of life improvement. Titanium bikes are super comfortable.
- Not showering isn't as bad as feared. A good towel wipe mostly does the job, and you can always find a proper bathroom to refresh the face and neck before camp.
- I need to get a proper sleep system. I was cold because I thought two down jackets would be enough, and uncomfortable because I'm usually a side sleeper. I think my next tweak will be a down quilt, and two camping pillows. Any side sleepers with tips?
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 3 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 1 |
These are essential to insulate you from the ground.
I would favour a down sleeping bag over a down quilt.
The bag provides a layer underneath you.
It is counter intuitive but some say that the least clothing that you wear inside a sleeping bag the warmer you sleep. Not so sure myself.
16 hours ago