Gear List For Long Distance Bicycle Touring Trip

Complete List Of Everything On The Bike

Of course every bicyclist is different. Some carry everything but the kitchen sink, others carry a credit card and cell phone. I am beginning with this gear. Maybe in time I will thin the equipment out or add to it, only time and experience will tell me what is needed and what is dead weight for my trip.


1. Ortleib Front Pannier, Left, waterproof
2. Lightweight socks, biking
3. Wool socks, hiking, cold weather
4. Underwear
5. Rain jacket and pants, good REI stuff
6. Light long underwear, wicking, warm
7. Medium long underwear, warmer
8. Dry bag for computer, rubbery for kayaking and such
9. ASUS netbook computer with cover, totally cool, I recommend
10. Magellan pants, zip off into shorts
11. T-shirts, cotton nylon blend, comfy
12. Magellan shirts, cool, dry fast, dressy enough for eating out


1. Ortelib Pannier, Front, Right
2. GORP. Good Old Raisins & Peanuts. With M &M's!
3. Bath towel
4. Knit hat for warmth
5. Non-dairy creamer. Thanks Shipley's!
I also have some hijacked jelly packs. Don't tell.
6. Tea selection
7. Utensils, one-cup coffee gadget
8. Washrag
9. Snack bars
10. Peanut butter, can stew, veggies, tuna
11. Mess kit
12. Extra plastic bags
13. Sugar
14. Coffee
15. Honey
16. Day-Glo vest, gift from Lexi and Sara.
(Where is the promised cash contribution to the trip girls? It was my Father's Day gift!)
17. Oatmeal


1. Ortleib Rear Pannier, Left
2. Katadyn water bottle purifier filter. Dip in river, drink, like magic.
3. Sterno stove and fuels
4. Candle lantern
5. Candles
6. Bathroom- toothbrush, paste, shaving, lotion, shampoo, soap, sunscreen
7. Foot care, lotions, creams, moleskin
8. Manual for camera, I am still learning it.
9. Tool shed, rope, can opener, sewing kit, tent repair kit
10. Pajama bottoms
11. Hat, large brim, neck flap, light, quick dry, high SPF
12. First aid, bandages, painkillers, Immodium, Carmex, etc.
Also, somewhere in there is an LED headlamp.


1. Ortleib Pannier, rear, right
2. OK, both shoes would not fit into one pannier. I have yards rather than feet.
3. Water bottle filter had to be moved
4. Net mosquito hood, cheap, light
5. Kyrptonite New York City lock. Heavy, $3,000 Warranty.
6. Cheap and small tripod
7. Electronics- chargers for phone, computer, camera, batteries, etc.
8. Prescription, 2 months. Won't get you high but without it I don't digest food well. A real pain in the neck. And wallet.
9. Toilet paper. Enough already


1,2,3,4 Panniers, loaded
5. Sleeping bag in dry bag
6. Sleeping pad- Soft and keeps cold ground away from me
7. Tent in dry bag
8. Tent poles
9. Under seat bag, full of tools, spare tubes, patch kit.
10. Helmet
11. Biking shoes and socks
12. Bright yellow jersey
13. Shorts
14. Handlebar bag for phone, camera. snack



1. Handlebar bag
2. Bell. Required in some countires, and fun!
3. Waterproof map case mounts to handlebars
4. Mileage computer
5. Air pump
6. Underseat tool bag
7. Sleeping pad
8. Tent and stakes
9. Sleeping bag
10. Front panniers
11. Water bottles, thanks Sari, Jeanne, and Shannon!
12. Rear panniers

That's it!
I haven't weighed it but it seems scary heavy. That credit card and motel style of biking is surely easier physically, but more expensive. But when I took her for a first spin it was surprisingly easy to move along nicely. A bit wobbly at first, I have to get used to the extra weight.
Strangely, as soon as the wheels touched the pavement the sky darkened, lightning crashed, drizzle fell, and of all things a black cat crossed the street a block away.
I turned the corner!
(Literally and figuratively, I suppose.)

Read more...

Follow Alan's Travels!

Digg It | Add to Technorati | Save on Del.icio.us | Stumble It | Facebook

Surly Bicycle Is Being Fine Tuned For Around The World Trip

That's Not The Way To Ride A Bike!

That's me looking totally shabby and straddling the Olive Green Surly Long Haul Trucker bicycle which arrived at West End Bicycles in Houston, Texas today. Chad is fine-tuning the placement of the saddle and such and I look as uncomfortable as that time I had that bad visit to the doctor! After much measuring and remeasuring I took her for a spin and I have to say the bike felt more comfortable than any bike I have ever rode. Being properly measured and fitted to a bike means all the difference in the world.
BTW, I was wondering if any of you have any ideas on a name for the bike. One friend suggested Blue Passion and a couple of argu-scussions have broken out over here about possible names. Ideas? Send them to me or put them in the comments and I might just have a poll to decide the final name.
Even happier, little Ollie is almost out of the woods with the vet 95% sure he will make a full recovery. Me, I am 100% sure! Thanks for all the kind words while Oliver recovered from nasty old distemper and beat the odds. I compared his neck to his first collar when we found him being neglected and underfed. His neck is now HUGE!

Remember my mentioning a bad doctor visit. Oliver had his own funky MD moment today! Look at his sad face...Thankfully my own medical sufferings were not recorded on camera. Not that I know about!

Read more...

Follow Alan's Travels!

Digg It | Add to Technorati | Save on Del.icio.us | Stumble It | Facebook

Surly Long Haul Trucker Bicycle. Taking One For A Test Ride!

Sunday afternoon I managed to squeeze in a quick visit to the bike store to again ponder the imminent purchase of the nicest and most expensive bike I could imagine owning. After much research on bikes and touring it became apparant that you can tour on anything (one gent has pedaled the world for 25 years on 40 dollar bikes) but a nicer ride will make the trip smoother and more enjoyable. Less chance of sitting on the side of the road in India wishing you had moved up the quality scale a bit.
Gearing that sits lower to the ground, a longer chain, proper geometry, and a steel frame for strength were the main attributes I sought in my bike. Surly makes a bike called the Long Haul Trucker that fit the bill. Online reviews were excellent. Check out this interesting gallery of loaded touring bikes sent in from around the world. The are no shortages of Surly LHT's. Those pictures are votes of confidence right from the road.
Surly themselves gave the bike shop West End Bicycles in Houston, TX a high rating for Surly knowledge and with great tredpidation I visited the store. I should explain. I am not a Lance Armstong wannabe, I don't crave high tech gear or lust to shave milliseconds off of my speed. It's highly unlikey you will ever see me in spandex tights of any color, but even less chance I would wear those shorts that seem to encomapss all colors!
I explained all of this to Chad, the clerk at the store, and I have to say he and the others there have been great. Chad actually listened to my thoughts (rare in retail sales), validated the choice of bike, offered great advice, even showed me a line of padded seat biker shorts that looked like us folks that just like riding slowly could tolerate being seen in. Looking for a bike? Stop in and visit them.

Click On Images For A Larger ViewSo here is the pricey little beauty. West End Bicycles had the same price as any online source so I prefer to keep it local where I get personal service and advice. The bike sells for... hold on if you shop at Wal-Mart... $1,050! This is easier to swallow if you visit the other rows where the bikes go for $2,000, $3,000, $5,000 and up. Understand that I drive a Ford Escort that might be worth $1,500. Ah well, it is my vehicle, home, and comanion for the coming months, and I am going to sell the Escort to buy the bike. Anybody need a dependable little work car? Ladies, buy this Escort for your man and no other woman will look at him. Ever. I guarantee it.


Of course I had to work in a picture of my beautiful daughter Alexia holding my beautiful bike... um, well, you know what, I think any bike making an around the world trip needs a name. I think I will make up one of those polls again and let people send in suggestions and vote on the best name! But the bike. Like any expensive and finely tuned machine it always looks better with a pretty girl beside it. Of all the things in my life Lexi is what I am most proud of and the thing I am going to miss the most while away.


Zipping through the Heights neighborhood where the bike store is located was great. She rides like a dream. Several years ago I bicycled the MS150 charity ride from Houston to Austin and I recall that one of the guys lifting my bike into the truck for the ride back to Houston said "Wow, that's the heaviest bike I've lifted all day". It was a $20 dollar Goodwill ten speed! In my research several riders said the Surly Long Haul Trucker was a little heavier than the bikes that cost, well, a few thousand dollars more. It may weigh more, but when Lexi lifted the bike easily over her head and then lifted it with one hand, well, it's all relative, isn't it?
Again, my aim is to enjoy a trip, take my time, see as much of the world and meet as many people as possible.
No rock solid goals on distance.No need for 100 mile days.Keep the schedule loose and free.
Hope to meet some of you out on the road. If interested write to me, I would love to get an invitation to visit or stay the night.

Read more...

Follow Alan's Travels!

Digg It | Add to Technorati | Save on Del.icio.us | Stumble It | Facebook