Equipment and Stuff

I ride a standard 2020 Surly Disc Trucker overloaded with camping gear and the necessities for self-supported cycling. The Trucker has seen me through 37K miles and I’ve replaced most of the running gear: bottom bracket, pedals, rear cluster, rear derailleur, and of course, the routine items like the chain, cables, and brake pads. Schwalbe Marathon 700c X 38mm can’t be beat — I’ve had only one flat in those 37K miles, compliments of a drywall screw. But you don’t want to be in a hurry riding these slugs.

I’ve added a few items and removed others with experience gained over a couple of long-distance ventures. Panniers and handlebar bag are Ortlieb, and a Sea to Summit dry bag atop the rear rack for the tent and other wet stuff. A dry bag for wet stuff is an oxymoron, but it works well. The weight will remain a beastly 105 pounds for bicycle and kit; quite heavy by most standards, and I may shed some gear en route. I always say that but never do.

Camping equipment includes a REI Halfdome+ tent, a Nemo Forte20 sleeping bag, and a Nemo inflatable mattress. I use a Jetboil butane camp stove for coffee and oatmeal in the morning, and often a rice/fish concoction for dinner. A new addition for this trip is a Platypus QuickDraw 1L water filter system designed for backpackers. I’ve never had a problem with bad drinking water, but sometimes the well water at campsites is creepy to think about with doubtful testing.

Electronic gadgetry includes an iPad w/ keyboard case, iPhone, Wahoo GPS, Garmin Varia rear radar/strobe, Niterider headlight, and an external battery pack. An unfortunately heavy but necessary item is a travel CPAP machine with a battery power pack.

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George (Buddy) HallI'll be following along - parts of your route are also in my long-term queue to ride. Some interesting similarities twixt you and I; I'm not a youngster either, but you have 4 years on me - I also ride a Surly Disc Trucker (2015 model) and it weighs out at 105 pounds when I'm fully loaded and carry camping gear - and I too now travel with a made-for-travel CPAP machine but mine is corded. My 2 coast-to-coast rides (2015 and 2021) have each been more challenging due to forest fires, and the western states are currently battling fires, so beware that you may find yourself having to detour around burn areas. Best of luck, I'll be following along and learning from your experiences.
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1 day ago

Ken GrossGood to meet you (virtually) Buddy. We do seem to be of similar mindset about bicycle touring. I journaled my 2021 TransAm and a 2023 truncated Norther Tier in the *other* journal site. I’m trying CycleBlaze because it seems like a better interface.

Spot-on about forest fires. I had to divert on the 2021 TransAm, and even hitched a ride to get around closed roads. Unfortunately it was pretty smoky/hazy in the Teatons and Yellowstone and I didn’t see much. The ACA and the NFS does a good job on mapping fires and road closures and I’ll certainly keep an eye on the situation.

CPAP: I use a Breas Z2 with optional power pack. I lugged two batteries on the TransAm, but rarely need both so I’m going with a single this trip. More often than not, 110v is available at campsites and city parks every couple of days, or I’d spend the night indoors at churches/hostels/motels for a variety of reasons.
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22 hours ago