Updated Lightweight Packing List for Bicycle Touring Couples

Now that we have a few tours under our belt, and our last tour was in a place where the temperatures were a bit cooler (New Zealand), our packing list needed to be updated. Here’s what we’re taking with us for our upcoming ACA Sierra Cascades tour. Total weight is everything but the bikes and racks.

Category Name Pieces Discussion Grams Pounds
Total       27 kg 59.5
Camping       4471 9.85
Tent Big Anges Copper Spur UL2 tent Tent Nice tent, fits two normal sized people snuggly, two doors, two vestibules. 450
Rain fly Rain fly Could have went with UL3 for another 500 grams, but don’t see need? 510
Overall Bag Overall Bag Left behind stake bag 11g 25
Ground Cover Ground Cover 175
GC Bag GC Bag 11
8 Stakes 8 Stakes 89
Emg Splint Emg Splint 10
Poles Poles 440
Pole Bag Pole Bag 13
Sleeping Bag ZPacks 20F 900 Fill Down w/ Draft Tube Sleeping Bag Evaluating durability, so light it is unbelievable. Regular girth is snug on me and I am skinny. 600
ZPacks 0F Sleeping Bag Smaller bag, but lower temperature rating. 595
w/Draft Tube
Stuff Sacks for Bags Sea to Summit UL Dry Sack 8L Roll up dry sack 56
Sea to Summit UL Dry Sack 8L Roll up dry sack Found that the version of these bags with compression straps weren’t really needed because we had plenty of space and the straps added 100 grams. 30
Sleeping Bag Liner Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner Liner Keeps sleeping bags cleaner, works as lightweight cover on hot nights, adds warmth if needed on cold nights 115
Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner Liner 115
Sleeping Pad Exped SynMat Duo Pad for two Lightweight & insulated; schnozzle bag makes inflating a breeze. Two independent inflation points so you can both sleep comfortably. 797
Pump Exped Schnozzle Pump Bag Store the sleeping pad and pillows inside the bag. The bag can inflate both sides of the sleeping pad in about 3 bags of air. 58
Pillows Exped M Air Pillow M Air Pillow 72
M Air Pillow M Air Pillow 72
Headlamp Black Diamond Headlamp weight includes 4 Lithium AAA batteries. Much brighter than previous headlamps. 100
Headlamp 100
Bug Netting Ben’s Invisinet mosquito protection 19
Bug Netting Ben’s Invisinet mosquito protection 19
Eating       3074 6.77
Stove Soto Windmaster  stove + bag 73
Stove Trangia Alcohol burner 110
Stove Trangia Gas burner  + bag 194
Pots & Pans Trangia  Pots, pans, and handle 858
Orange Bag Trangia 27
Bowls Sea to Summit Delta Bowl Bowl 87
2 Spoons & Forks REI Plastic 37
Measuring Spoon MSR Fold-able Useful for measuring/scooping 30
 Stirring Spoon  GSR  Long handle. 17
Can Opener John Wayne Style  +carabiner for storage 129
Dish washing Towel Small Camp Towel 22
Dish Drying Towel REI travel towel  Fluffy drying towel 57
Kitchen Sink Sea to Summit 5L Sink Makes dishwashing/peoplewashing easier when facilities are lacking 135
Bag 35
Dish washing Sponge Scotch-Brite Stay Clean Scrubbers Sponge Great easy to clean sponge 7
Fuel Primus 230g Gas Can 375
Bear Can Bearikade Weekender store all of our food in here don’t have to worry about critters, nor bears on future rides. 881
Hygiene       1109 2.4
Shovel Montbell Scoop if nature calls, while in nature 39
Toilet Paper Tiny Travel Roll 30
Towel Travel Towel Grey 113
Travel Towel Green 142
Turban  Green Helps dry long hair. 73
Wilderness Wash Citronella Body Wash 110
No Smell Other Wash 110
Shower Shoes Airwalk (Pam) Flip Flops 138
Cushe (Matt) Flip Flops 192
Toothbrush Crest Spin Brush Toothbrush Luxury choice to have battery operated toothbrush. Weight includes batteries. 100
Extra Head 0
Toiletry Bag Eagle Creek Lightweight 42
Fingernail Clippers Generic 20
Survival       1086 2.4
Space Blanket / Tarp / Picinic Blanket Space Tarp/EMG Blanket terrific all around tarp, used on side of roads, picnic benchs. Can act as emergency blanket if needed. Very versitale 345
Water Storage Nalgene 96oz Cantene going through arid areas, up to 90 miles between services, empty they weigh almost nothing 80
Nalgene 96oz Cantene 80
Bug Lotion 3M Ultrathon Lotion Excellent bug repellent, does contain DEET 70
Pepper Spray Fox Labs 2oz Spray Bottle Best pepper spray on the market. 145
 2oz Bottle 145
Filter Hydrapak Filter Bottle Collapsable filter bottle. 56
Purification Tablets Iodine tablets for emergencies. 0
First aid kit Assorted 135
Emergency Tape Tenacious Tape Terrific repair tape, have used on rain pants and toiletry bag holds very well 30
Bike Stuff       5515 12.2
Panniers Axiom LaSalle 45 Rear Pannier Have lasted two tours, work well 855
Rain Cover 75
Axiom LaSalle 45 Rear Pannier 855
Rain Cover 75
Randonnee Aero 60 Rear Pannier New/waterproof 885
Randonnee Aero 60 Rear Pannier 885
Axiom Cartier Front Pannier 775
Axiom Cartier Front Pannier 775
Repair Stuff Fiber Fix Spoke Kevlar Spoke Just in case can replace a spoke 16
Fiber Fix Spoke Kevlar Spoke 16
Bike Care Tri Flow Lubricant 68
RavX Retractable Cable Lock Extremely lightweight deterrent 50
ACA Maps 185
Luxury       575 1.27
USB Cord 17
Battery Backup Anker Bar 242
USB Cords Startech 6″ USB A to Mini B These weigh in a few grams less then other cables 12
1′ USB A to Micro B Yes I am obsessing over every gram 17
1′ USB A to Micro B Yes I am obsessing over every gram 17
Misc Micro B 17
Misc Micro B 13
Headlight for Bike Diablo Exposure Light 1000 lumen’s 🙂 109
Helmet Mount 10
USB Cord proprietary 🙁 25
Reusable Shopping Bag Chico Bag Bag included carabiner to clip to pannier, folds in to small pouch on its self to store small 41
Clothes Line REI Easier than string 55
Matt’s Clothing     5132 11.3
Rain Jacket Showers Pass Event Event Jacket w/hood 472
Rain Pants Sierra Designs Pants Cheap rain pants also used in cold weather to keep wind off legs 377
Bike Shorts AeroDesign 210
Bike Shorts AeroDesign 210
Cycling Base Layer Showers Pass  Top 176
Bike Shirt Ibex Neo Long Sleeve Wool 260
Ibex Indie Short Sleeve Wool 190
Giro 179
Cycling Base Layer Assos  Long Sleeve 215
Cycling Tights Castelli  Windproof pants 198
Down Jacket Patagonia 361
Leg Warmers D 117
Leg Warmers  Pearl Izumi 130
Arm Warmers  Cutter 65
Sun Sleeves Novara great for keeping sun off the arms 45
Cycling Vest Garneau High Visibility 126
Cycling Shoes  Pearl Izumi  MTB shoes  805
Shoe Covers GoreTex 176
Cycling Gloves  Pearl Izumi Full Finger for most days  68
Showers Pass Insulated Full Finger for cold days 142
Camp Pants REI 360
Camp Shirt Smartwool Long sleeve wool is great for not smelling, breathes well 161
Camp Underwear Exofficio 2 pairs 172
Stuff Sack Sea to Summit Event Bags Roll up dry sack not compression type bags with straps, they are 100+ grams heavier 50
Down Vest Marmot Zeus 268
thermal underwear  Icebreaker  wool 147
Balaclava Pearl Izumi Full Face protection 51
Beanie Zpacks 30
Bathing Suit 190
Socks Castelli 2 Pairs 54
 Showers Pass  1 Pair  67
 Swiftwick  1 Pair  49
Pam Clothing     6067 13.4
Underwear Exofficio  Travel underwear. Durable, washes and dries easily. To be worn off the bike. 3 pairs. 78
Camp Bra Victoria’s Secret 94
Camp Shirt Ibex wool Long Sleeve 143
Camp Pants REI  Long pants, convertible to shorts 352
Boy Shorts Stoic  Wool Underwear 83
Base Layer Under Armor  Bottom 187
Camp Socks Wigwam  Wool 75
Down Jacket Big Agnes 324
Down Vest Isis 309
Bathing Suit generic 129
Cycling base layer Showers Pass  Top 154
Heavy cycling shirt Assos Cycling  Cycling heavy layer-top 206
Sports Bra Victoria’s Secret  Front enclosure makes for easy removal at the end of a tiring day 145
Sports Bra Victoria’s Secret  Different style 156
Jersey Ibex  Wool S/S jersey 164
Jersey Garneau S/S jersey 116
Bike Shorts AeroDesign 217
Bike Shorts AeroDesign 212
Bike Shorts AeroDesign 200
Socks Smartwool 30
Socks Smartwool 33
Socks Ibex 28
Socks Swiftwick 38
Cycling Wind Pants Sugoi  Heavy, but necessary for me, I like them better than leg warmers. 449
Bike shoes Shimano MTB shoes 745
Balaclava Pearl Izumi Full Face coverage 50
Earwarmer phd 27
Riding Beanie Showers Pass  Also use as camp beanie 69
Glove Liner Showers Pass 30
Outer Glove Showers Pass 118
Arm Warmers Cutter 66
SunSleeves Novara 42
Rain Jacket Showers Pass  Elite 2.0 458
Rain Pants Showers Pass  Refuge 346
Shoe Covers Gore Tex 194

We’ve worked really hard to get these numbers as low as we can. I’m sure there’s still some places where we could shave off ounces, but we’re both pretty comfortable that we’re not carrying any extra unnecessary weight this time around.

ACA Pacific Coast Section 5 Maps 56-59

If you live in Southern California, or you have family in the area, and are looking for a great 4 day practice ride, I might suggest Goleta to Los Angeles. There are a few advantages to this ride: ease of transport to the start line, beautiful ocean riding, and access to convenient state campgrounds.

First off, take the Pacific Surfliner train to Goleta. Amtrak is a great option for bicycle tourists. It’s easy to purchase a ticket and reserve a spot for your bicycle (advanced reservations for bicycles are required). When the train gets to the station look for the conductor waving you towards him, you will either wheel your bike directly on to the train or lift the bicycle up to the conductor in a cargo car near the rear of the train. Panniers can stay on the bike if it is not too heavy to lift.

Upon arrival at Goleta use ACA Section 4 Maps 55 and 54; make your way north to Refugio State Beach. You might be tempted to stop at El Capitan State Beach, but trust me, the hiker/biker sites at Refugio are worth the extra few miles; you will be staying as close to the beach as you can get.

For Day 2, retrace your route from Day 1, and continue on through Santa Barbara to Carpinteria State Beach. This makes for a very short, approximately 35 mile day 2. Enjoy the ride, especially on the bike path through UC Santa Barbara. As you ride through campus, you will notice all the bike racks for the students, and if between classes the hundreds of people biking around. It truly is amazing.

Day 3, leave Carpinteria State Beach, and head south through Ventura and Oxnard, around Mugu Point and follow the ocean to Malibu. Leo Carrillo State Beach has a very nice, isolated hiker/biker site behind the dumping station, hidden in the trees. You can walk to the beach or just enjoy the sunlight filtering through the trees.

For your final day, make your way into Santa Monica. The ride through the transition from Malibu into Santa Monica is the most harrowing part of the ride. Keep your eyes open for doors opening on the right, and cars wishing to pass on the left. It’s just a few miles, and then you have the dedicated bike path to look forward to. Although you have to share the path with runners, walkers, roller bladers and other cyclists, it is still a pleasant ride past the pier.

From Santa Monica, there’s a few options. Ride into LA, find a metro station, and head back to Union Station. From there you can return to your starting point via MetroLink or Amtrak. If you ride the Balloona Creek bike path upstream (away from the ocean), you can pick up the Expo Line at the end of the bike path.

And there you have it. A nice, four day bicycle tour, through some of the best that Southern California has to offer. Can anyone else suggest a short tour? Leave your ideas in the comments!

High Altitude Riding

I don’t know about you, but I live at a pretty low elevation. We’re not right at sea level, but pretty close (just over 1000 feet). When we’re planning our bicycle tours, it’s inevitable that we’ll be running into some high altitude stuff, even just momentarily. Riding at sea level doesn’t prepare you very much for the challenges of higher elevations. Luckily for us, we have a National Forest nearby, with elevations up into the mid to high 7000s feet. We definitely like to get up there and ride as much as possible, not only because it’s cooler on a hot summer day, but it helps train our bodies to know how to breathe when the oxygen levels are lower. When we climbed up over the pass from Arizona into New Mexico last fall, we were unprepared for the difficulty of breathing. We just took it slowly, and tried to rest when we needed it.

I recently visited a family member in Wyoming, and found myself struggling to breathe doing normal activity. My brother’s house sits at about 6700 feet, and I could sure tell a difference. One thing I found useful to getting myself acclimated was physical activity. The second day after I arrived, I went for a run. Sure, my pace was slower than normal, and I didn’t go nearly as far as I usually do, but after the run, I felt better and had an easier time breathing. And then came the real challenge: a bike ride. After I’d been there a few days, I borrowed a bicycle and went for a climb. By the time I had climbed 1000 feet and reached the summit, I was huffing and puffing. I took a break at the top, enjoyed the view, and then coasted back down. It took just about a week to get fully acclimated, but the addition of physical activity made a huge difference.

One thing to keep in mind if you’re making a big climb and you’re is not used to the elevation is to take it slow. Don’t expect too much from your body. Even a few thousand feet of elevation higher has a noticeable difference in oxygen levels. You will have to breathe more to get the same amount you are used to. So, go easy on yourself. If you have a chance to do some high altitude training before your ride, great! It can only help. But if you don’t, that’s ok, too. Just take it slow and steady. Give yourself lots of breaks. And enjoy those views from the top!

Those Hills Are Intimidating!

On my first ever bicycle tour, we bicycled down the Pacific Coast. We started in northern Washington, near the Canadian border, and made our way south toward Mexico. After the first few days of climbing up and down steep, small hills, I realized how unprepared I was. The steep hills just about made me throw in the towel. Each night, I would glance at the map for the next day’s ride, and worry if it looked like there was a sizable hill coming up. As we drew south and closer to the biggest climb on the coast, Leggett (1 and 2), my anticipation increased. Would I be able to make it?

But here’s the thing. The big hills always turned out to be much easier to climb than I expected. In general, hills are graded gradually. Even steep ones usually aren’t steep for long. And the best thing about being on a bicycle is you can take a break whenever you need it. There’s no rule that says you have to keep climbing a hill once you’ve started. My husband’s motto is: Slow and steady, and onward and upward. As long as you keep making forward progress, you’re golden! My memories of the Leggett climb are ones of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. The climb was gradual, and quite pleasant. The view from the top was amazing, and the downhill ride was exhilarating.

As I have gotten better at bicycling and touring, I have become a better judge of what my body is capable of. I find the least enjoyment with rolling hills, even as a well-seasoned tourist. I much prefer slow, gradual climbs. Additionally, I have learned to take with a grain of salt a car driver’s opinion of upcoming hills. Car drivers don’t even notice the millions of hills they climb with no effort; on a bicycle you have to fight and conquer each one.

On a recent tour, we tried out an Android app simply titled “Elevation Profile” that we used to show the elevation profile for the next day’s route. It was much more accurate than the map profiles we had been using. And since I had more confidence in myself, it felt good to see what I was capable of achieving.

Once again, bicycle touring can be seen as a metaphor for life. How many times do we stand before an obstacle and psyche ourselves out before we even try? Worrying about how big that hill was the night before didn’t change the fact that the hill existed, or that I had to climb it. The best thing to do is take the challenges as they come. And there’s nothing better than reaching the top of a particularly long climb, taking a deep breath, and smiling all the way down the other side.