bike learnin's

check back from bike trip.
hi all. we made it 110 miles out from east lansing, only half way to sleep bear. my sit bones felt so bruised and my knees hated me. so, lesson learned - training is important! someone tell me about your comfortable bike seat. i just tried the nashbar women's racing seat. i'd don't think i'd reccomend it. but, here are things that proved themselves useful:

if you don't know where to stay at night, can't find woods, etc. you can...
01. call the local police & ask them to where you can camp/sleep for free. we did this our first night and set up camp at a conservation park.
02. ask churches or farmers if you can pitch a tent on their property. people tend to be nice & helpful. for churches, i would call ahead before leaving and try to set that up for best results.

foods to cook on a single propane stove...
01. aunt jemimah pancake mix does wonders for a morning tummy. bring pam or some sort of spray cooking oil & a small container of syrup.
02. instant oatmeal is great anytime.
03. pitas travel great as they don't really get squished.
04. canned soups, pastas, & dehydrated instant things in bags (ie. lipton noodle dishes, you can bring powdered milk to mix in)

important things not to forget are flashlights & silverwears.

dr. bronner's castile soap is great because you can wash yourself, your clothes, or your dishes. it's also biodegradable, i hear, so you can wash in bodies of water if you so want.

using a car solar shield as a sleep pad didn't do anything special for me. i think it would be good in colder climates since it should reflect your heat back at you & is a layer between you and cold earth. as for summer use, it wasn't padded enough to make any sort of noticeable difference.

overall, it was a fun trip despite my weary body. next time, i want to be dropped off 3 hours north of e.l. and bike on all those beautiful country roads.

i wanted to record my packing list for bike trips because when i started i was extremely curious as to what other people, especially females, packed. this one is a 3-4 day trip from east lansing to sleepy bear dunes (michigan). we're bring cooking gear which is new for me! i'm psyched.

note about my gear: i always try to buy affordable & reasonably priced things. Most of my gear comes from either tj maxx, marshalls, or nashbar.com. not to promote any of these stores, i'm just trying to provide resources & specific information :)

.clothing.
1 padded bike shorts (pearl izumi & nashbar)
4 pair socks (adidas w. heat/moisture control, so comfy!)
2 sweat wicking t-shirts (nike & underarmor from tjmaxx)
1 cotton t-shirt
1 bra
4 underwear
1 windbreaker/water resistant jacket (nike from tjmaxx)
1 hoodie or pull over (micro fleece is great for varying cold conditions. however, it's summer so i'm taking a cotton hoodie)
1 pair jeans (for when off the bike. it's sorta awkward to walk around in spandex all the time)
bathing suit
elastic knee brace

.bike gear/accessories.
2 rear paniers (nashbar)
back rack
helmet (giro havoc from nashbar)
gloves (crochet nashbar, buy xs if you normally wear small in ladies)
bike shoes (Cannondale W's 05 Carve Mtb Shoe from nashbar)
u-lock (trek)
head light (meijers)
wireless bike computer
extra tube
hex key tool (ikea)
chain breaker
pocket knife
compass (so useful!! seriously)
hydration pack (high sierra from costco)
extra water bottle & holder (salsa. i like to use it for sun tea or lemonade)

.camp.
tent
sleeping bag (mine is a marmot women's 15F synth.)
car solar shield (i read this was a cheap & good sleepign pad. i'll let you know. meijers)

.cooking.
single propane stove (meijers)
lighter & matches
1 pot
2 set silverware
1 plate (whole set at meijers)
1 cup
tea tin (gotta have black tea)
dehydrate organic black bean humus (REI)
clif bars
individual ketchup, mustard, relish, jam (from food courts everywhere)
i'm not sure what else we are gonna eat yet. more on that later

.toilettries.
epipen (i have a nut allergy)
advil
advil cold & sinus
pepto bismol
multi vitamin
aloe vera gel
sunblock
bug spray (burts bees!)
hand sanitizer
face wash (homemade :D)
face wipes (organic witch hazel)
castile soap (good for washing everything! you, your clothes, etc.)
deodorant (jason organics!)
contacts
eye drops
chap stick
hand towel

.personal/misc.
ipod & battery speaker
sanyo xacti digital camcorder & batteries
cell phone & charger
slingshot daily planner
wallet

if you're a biker & looking for specific info that isn't listed or have other questions feel free to ask me! i'll try & give you an answer.