Maiden Voyage – Pats First Cycle Adventure - Part 2
Some searching questions about cycle touring – Ever itched to mount your bike and pedal into the wide blue yonder for a few days – but not sure where to start? Pat is about to try his first self-sufficient tour – test his endurance and test his gear.
This is part 2 of a 3 Part Series. Review Maiden Voyage – Part 1
First though we had to answer some stiff questions from a fellow cyclist down at our Saturday morning Beach and Coffee hangout – we thought you might find them useful too.
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MaryAnne: What is a reasonable distance to ride in one day?
Pat: Well Burrum Heads is about 35ks each way. I want to start small to be sure I can handle it. Also I want to test my camping gear so this is a good way to do both.
Dave: I have averaged 50-100ks a day – usually about 60-80ks comfortable for me after three years of touring. A family could ride 10 or 20ks each way and camp overnight with the kids and have a total ball. People often fret over distance – when they just “ride” and forget about kilometers they usually surprise themselves
MaryAnne: Is it best to have regular short stops, or just ones for morning tea, lunch etc?
Pat: I think it is important for me to allow for recovery – exertion and then rest. If suitable rests aren’t vectored in then I mightn’t last the day.
Dave: Of course I am obsessive compulsive when it comes to history, scenery and photos so I stop far too often!
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MaryAnne: Do you do anything in particular to your bike when you tour?
Pat: My bike is fairly new & recently shop serviced so I lubed the chain with Teflon and checked tyre pressures. Tyres should be inflated to recommended pressure for better wear and least rolling resistance.
Dave: A good service – oil the chain if needed, check air pressures particularly, make sure “quick release” nuts are tight, brakes adjusted etc. Usually I just carry spare tube and basic tools – really bad dirt roads in isolated areas I carry a spare tyre.
MaryAnne: Does the weight of the camping gear make much difference to the riding?
Pat: I’m about to find out!
Dave: Too much gear can certainly drag you down and cause breakdowns. I weigh 110 kgs (steadily reducing!) and I regularly broke rear spokes when touring loaded. I have replaced my rear wheel with a double-wall rim (which is about the norm now) – hopefully this will eliminate that problem.
MaryAnne: Do you carry a maximum KG of weight – do you weigh it?
Pat: I haven’t yet but I will.
Dave: If I need it I take it – on average I seem to tote about 18ks which is similar to other cycle tourists. Some cycle tourists travel much lighter.
For example my dome tent worth AU$60 is 2.7 kg. You might halve that with a quality hiking tent worth much more. My gas stove with disposable cylinder all up is 1kg. My summer sleeping bag is 0.7kg and my winter bag is 2kg – both el cheapo bags and again quality down hiking bags weigh much less and are less bulky.
MaryAnne: Have you found particular attire and footwear to be optimum?
Pat: I found cycling shoes with cleats dramatically improved my cycling comfort. I am wearing knicks already and cycling jerseys are next.
Dave: I wear safety shirts for visibility. I can’t afford cycling jerseys so I make shift with cheap brand fluorescent yellow-green shirts for $10 from cheap shops. They can be hot in summer but I wear a singlet under and make shift. I wear proper bike knicks worth about $50 – they are vastly more comfortable to ride in wicking away sweat and no seams in the wrong places. I usually wear sneakers but their soft nature is inefficient transferring energy from legs to pedals. When I ride NZ in January 2006 I will use light street shoes with hard soles. My bike came with toe clips and I find them adequate.
MaryAnne: How much water would you carry?
Pat: At the moment I have 3 x 750 ml bottles but I think I will need more.
Dave: Summer I usually have 4 x 750 ml bottles if I can refill through the day. If no refill points, or if it is a dry camp overnight I carry 4 litre wine cask bladders as well and fill them up at the last sure water point.
MaryAnne: On a long ride, how would you prepare yourself from a nutrition point of view before starting?
Pat: As I see it just a good healthy balanced diet. Too many simple sugars can send insulin levels up and induce tiredness so complex carbohydrates are better.
Dave: Nothing beforehand really (this is touring remember – not Iron Man comps!). I just have a high-carb breakfast before I leave – porridge, muesli etc.
MaryAnne: What food is best to eat while riding and when should this be consumed – eg while riding?, regular short stops?
Dave: Again personal choice but something high-carb. I mostly use muesli bars, and trail mix – mixed nuts, dried fruit etc. You need to keep the boilers stoked with regular snacking – I am still over-weight so I try to eat only what I strictly need. If you don’t keep the carbs up you can “hit the wall” – incredible fatigue and exhaustion etc. Not pleasant, particularly if you are a long way from your destination. Read your body – if you are hungry when you are riding you are overdue to eat.
MaryAnne: What food is best to take on the trip – for maximum health benefit and for minimum weight?
Pat: I’m trying a wheat product called cous cous this trip.
Dave: Key points are weight and fuel value – dried food is best to carry. I use rice, pasta etc. Some are happy with pasta mixes that have sauce in the packet – others like plain pasta and add their own flavours. Touring meals is an adventure topic in itself! If I can access fresh meat (take it frozen or buy on the road) I use Deb dried potato and dried mixed veges for quite a reasonable “meat and three veg meal”. Of course tea out at a pub is quite a treat too if available!
MaryAnne: How many days food is about max to carry before being able to top up at a store?
Dave: Depends on the food you take – for me about five but diehard tourers go much longer.
MaryAnne: What is your fitness training program prior to the trip?
Pat: Mostly the Saturday BUG rides (20ks average) and around 15-20 ks three days a week.
Dave: Long slow distance – whatever you can do several days a week – in my case I try to cycle 10 to 20ks a day – often a commute to work would meet this. One long trip a week – anything up to 100ks if you capable of it, and a rest day. As fitness grows short weekend tours just “happen” but the long multi-day tours benefit from conditioning.
Hill training is good too one day a week – work some hills into the routine. The “roadies” – racing cyclists and triathletes are a great resource for serious training tips – and there are some excellent websites.
MaryAnne: Do you carry any forms of communication?
Pat: mobile phone.
Dave: Mobile phone when they work, sometimes public telephone. I always have 50c stashed in a pannier for a public phone call. I own an EPIRB for emergencies in isolated areas – but I haven’t cycled anywhere that isolated since buying it! A 5 watt CB UHF transceiver could have some use – but coverage is limited. Probably a satellite phone is the best all-round communication – if you can afford one.
MaryAnne: If mobile phone, do you have plans for when you’re out of range?
Dave: Walk to a farm – or failing that pray!
MaryAnne: Do you let anyone know your itinerary and do you keep in regular contact with someone?
Dave: I give my family my itinerary, and on multi-day tours my itinerary is usually posted on the preparation pages of my WWW cycling journal. If we can be contacted at accommodation I usually list that, but of course when bush camping contact is much more difficult. I am pleasantly surprised how often lately I have kept mobile coverage during tours. Of course being married I check in regularly with my wife – good for the health!
MaryAnne: What medical kit do you take?
Dave: a basic hiking kit in a pencil case which packs much better. I have asthma so certain medications are crucial, and these are duplicated in another little packet down in the bottom of another pannier.
MaryAnne: What camping gear do you carry – are there any hints about lightest/efficient items – what do you sleep on?
Dave: Whew I think this lady works for a paper! See list article 1. Mostly the lighter/the better the item the dearer it is – particularly tents, sleeping bags etc – see comments on weight above. If you are poverty stricken like me then start with whatever you have and travel heavier is the only option. I started this way and gradually I am upgrading various items one at a time.
MaryAnne: Are there any little extras you take you have found to be “must haves”?
Pat: A small pillow!
Dave: Same here!
MaryAnne: Where do you carry the wine opener for easy access?
Pat: Mine goes with the can opener!
Dave: I KNEW we would get to the important question last! With the mess kit of course – I usually like to sink a glass or two with tea!
This is part 2 of a 3 Part Series. Review Maiden Voyage – Part 1
| Article by Dave McLeod of Hervey Bay in Queensland Australia. Dave is a Writer, Music Educator and Cycle Tourist. Find out more about Dave at his blog “Aussie Writer & Cycle Tourist”.This article has been provided for publication by Dave McLeod. Unauthorised use or reproduction is strictly prohibited. All material & images are © Dave McLeod. Break Loose thanks Dave McLeod for allowing us to bring you his excellent cycling article. |
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