The Essentials

Bikes (2 Novara Randonee Touring Bikes)

Ortlieb Rear Panniers (2 sets)

Dry Bags (LL Bean)

Front Ortlieb Bags (2)

Peddle Pockets

Medical

4 Easy-Derm Packages (Mederma Bandages)

Ibuprophen  (1 bottle)

Anti-Diharrea Pills

Anti-Septic Toweletts (11)

Triangle Bandage

Gloves

Ambisol (for bug bites)

Benadryl Anti-Itch Cream

Gold Bond Powder

Tiger Balm

Snake Bite Kit

Gauze Patch (2)

Emergency Survival Handbook

Bandaids

Lycene Pills

Tissues

Kitchen Camping  Gear

Camp Stove (Snowpeak)

Utensils (2 sets)

Spices (Salt and Cumin in Film Bottles)

Swiss Army Knife (2)

Camp Towel

Camp Soap

Clothes Pins (4)

Can Opener

Waterproof Lighter

Steel Wool

Misc Camping Gear

Deet (40% 2 Bottles)

Tent/Thermarest Patch Kit

Headlamp (2)

Seam Sealer

Extra Batteries

Rubber Bands

Crazy Creeks (2)

Bike Gear

2 Puncture Repair Kits

Multi-Tool

Chain Link Tool

Set of Spare Spokes

Rear Lights

Zip Ties

2 Self Healing Tubes

Bar Tape

Extra Brakes (8 Total)

Locks

Pumps (2)

Toiletries

Deoderant (2 ea.)

Toothpaste (2)

Baby Whipes (4 packs)

Sunscreen

Hand Sanitizer

Razer

Lotion

Girl Supplies (See Suzie for Details)

Nail Clippers

Toothbrush

Tech Stuff

Still Camera (Nikon Cool Pix)

2 Video Cameras (Kodak Flip Cams)

Computer (Asus EEE PC)

Chargers for Accessories

IPOD Shuffles (2)

Phones (Galaxy S2 and IPhone)

Country Converter

Walkie Talkies

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REI Half-dome Plus tent with footprint

EZ Lite Sol sleeping pad

Sleeping bag (40 degrees)

Silk sleeping liner

Alien III multi-tool

Planet Bike pump

Sunglasses (clear and shaded)

Bike lights

Headlamp

Gloves (full-fingered and no fingers)

Korean bandanna

Pearl Izumi all-road bike shoes

SPD pedals

2 pairs bike shorts

REI synthetic boxers

2 jerseys

Polo shirt

Smart-wool socks

Pearl Izumi rain jacket

REI light water-proof pants

Flat tire repair kit

2 spare tires

Continental “Travel Contact” touring tires

dozen zip-ties

Rubber bands

2 thumb drives (in case camera memory fills up)

Ipad with case, cable, universal adapter

Ukulele

Frisbee

Das Beast (right leg)

Mr. No Pity (left leg)

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Packing for any three month trip can be a daunting task, be it backpacking, RV’ing, or cycling.  After speaking with friends who have done a lot of touring I have a pretty good idea of what to bring and what I can do without.  I know that eventually I’ll be in the mountains of Macedonia and slam my head against a wall for forgetting something important, but it’s best not to worry about things like that and just prepare as best you can.

Make lists!  I’ve had a running list of websites, gear, blogs, and reviews on almost everything I’m bringing with me.  The outdoor store REI has been a great resource because their online store has reviews of almost everything they sell, and they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee (I’ve already exchanged my sleeping bag, cycling gloves, and bike lights for better ones). 

You will discover that your list will grow quickly as your departure date nears.  I’ve accepted this fact and have just decided that it’ll be better to take too much stuff to Istanbul (my arrival city) and will throw away what I deem unnecessary.

Here is my gear list:

Surly Long Haul Trucker (Bicycle)

Tubus Rear Rack

Ortlieb Rear Packer Classic Panniers

Ortlieb Rack Pack (Medium)

Ortlieb Handlebar Bag Plus

REI Half-dome Plus tent with footprint

EZ Lite Sol sleeping pad

Sleeping bag (40 degrees)

Silk sleeping liner

Alien III multi-tool

Planet Bike pump

Sunglasses (clear and shaded)

Bike lights

Headlamp

Gloves (full-fingered and no fingers)

Korean bandanna

Pearl Izumi all-road bike shoes

SPD pedals

2 pairs bike shorts

REI synthetic boxers

2 jerseys

Polo shirt

Smart-wool socks

Pearl Izumi rain jacket

REI light water-proof pants

Flat tire repair kit

2 spare tires

Continental “Travel Contact” touring tires

A dozen zip-ties

Rubber bands

2 thumb drives (in case camera memory fills up)

iPad with case, cable, universal adapter

Ukulele

Frisbee

A few notes about what I’m bringing:

Panniers

There is a debate within the touring community about whether to bring waterproof bike bags (like the Ortlieb bags I am bringing) or to use lighter, non-waterproof bike bags and keep everything in plastic inside the bags.  The argument against the hardier Ortlieb bags is that if you crash or an animal chews it’s way into your bag, you’ve lost the waterproofing but are still carrying a heavy bike bag.  There are also complaints of a mildewy smell to bike clothing that is kept in the Ortlieb bags.  Obviously a wet pair of bike shorts isn’t going to dry inside of a waterproof bag.

I decided on the Ortlieb bags because they have an incredible reputation in the touring world, and because I am bringing an iPad on this trip.  I will possibly switch over to non-waterproof bags on a future tour, but for now I love my Ortlieb’s.

Less Is More

I have a total of 150 liters of space in all my bike bags.  I decided against putting a rack and bags on my front tire because I felt that if I had the space, I would fill it with useless items.  I had several people tell me that you want your bike as “balanced” as possible, but after several fully-loaded training rides I think this is a bunch of baloney.  I’ve ridden up 1,800ft climbs and cruised back down them at top speeds and felt perfectly comfortable with all my gear on the back.  You will want to try and equalize the weight in each rear pannier as best as possible, but front panniers aren’t required for a trip like mine.

Things That Might Seem Unnecessary

So I am bringing an iPad, ukulele, frisbee, and camp chair.  On the surface these things are unnecessary, but will add so much to the trip.

Sitting on the ground without back support is annoying.  As I expect us to make camp everyday with at least 2-3 hours of daylight left, having a chair to relax, eat dinner, and play ukulele in will be indispensable for three months.  The iPad will allow us to write blogs and emails at night, then send them during the day when we find Wifi.  Since we are doing this trip for charity it is important to stay connected and raise donations.  I can also save every map we will need for the trip on the iPad.  The ukulele will be my attempt to start off a music career, and I’ve never travelled without my frisbee.

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Once we landed in California, there was no doubt in our mind that we needed to move forward and look towards purchasing new bikes for the trip. We decided not to skimp on our bikes since we expect to take them on many more trips in the future. Therefore, we made a quick trip to REI once we landed in San Diego to check out our options. The first choice was for us to copy off our other teammates and grab a Surly Long Haul Trucker. It looked beautiful set up on the store rack and after taking it for a test spin, it felt like heaven compared to our old Sub 40s.

We would have walked out of the store with the Surlys right then and there but were a bit deterred by the high price at around $1,300. After all, this was a new cost we had not expected to incur at all. While discussing our options, we learned of a 20% off sale on all REI products for members. Suzie’s father John offered up his membership and we immediately began perusing the REI brand bikes, Novaras.

Of particular interest, the Novara Randonee caught our attention. Similar in retail price to the LHT, the Randonee is REI’s finest touring bike. Reviews online rave that the parts and frame of the bike rival the LHT and make it the perfect choice for anyone looking at taking a long range tour. In fact, the only real con we found was that it was a bit heavy, and the saddle was uncomfortable (good thing we bought the Brooks!). With the 20% discount, Ski had his ordered for shipment to New Hampshire for $953.

Suzie struck the jackpot when an employee “secretly” informed us that there was a clearance sale set for the next day that would have a Randonee on sale for $500!! The only catch was that we needed to wake up at 4am to get there in time to be at the front of the line.

In the end, we woke up early and Suzie’s parents drove us to REI in time to get a good spot in line. After waiting in the cold San Diego air (never knew that was even possible) for a few hours, the doors opened and we rushed to find the bike. At first, we couldn’t find it and truly believed the trip was wasted, but Suzie’s father went in the store and found the bike still behind the counter waiting for us to buy it. We left REI with Suzie’s new Randonee strapped safetly in the back of the truck.

Since returning to New Hampshire, we have had time to bike about 160 kms on the new Randonee bikes. No joke, they are 20 times better than our old Scott bikes and we are pumped to have real touring bikes built for long haul trips on our upcoming trip. Though the cost dipped into our budget a bit, there is no doubt that it was worth it as we will be more comfortable on the new Novaras.

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While cycling shorts have done the job for short weekend trips and 4 day rides, I always knew a 5,000km trip would require something more substantial. I needed a seat that was more than just a hard pad that punished me throughout the days and threatened to keep me from going my hardest. I think the other teams members agree with me that there isn’t much worse than a sore rear while cycling, and we’ve done our homework to avoid this at all costs.

I can’t remember seeing a single post from any cycle tourist who did not use/recommend Brooks Saddles as the option for long distance touring. Our friends have used them for years, Katie used one on her journey across the world, and countless others swear by Brooks as the most comfortable and long lasting saddles that money can buy. In fact, many people believe that any Brooks Saddle will likely outlive the owner!

It wasn’t really a question of durability for me. I mean, it would be great to have the same saddle running strong for 10 years, but I need something that’s just outright comfortable to ride in over a long period of time. When first seeing the Brooks Saddles Katie and Jared own, I wasn’t convinced. They appeared hard and unforgiving, something that could easily be avoided altogether by just purchasing a gel pad. However, gel pads apparently go flat very quickly and you are left with an uncomfortable flab to ride on the rest of the trip. Further, Jared, Katie, and everyone else I have spoken with have assured me that after breaking in a Brooks… you won’t feel a thing! This… is what I hope for out of my Brooks Saddle. Reviews to come…

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The first question in terms of purchasing cycling bags became: how much room do we need? As much as I would like to take along my X-box and complete set of Lord of the Rings Extended Edition DVD’s, I somehow thought that having too much space as an option may lead us to fill it with unneeded items. Suzie and I decided that for a 3 month tour, we would be fine purchasing only rear panniers for the trip. I know many cyclists choose front panniers as well (and I believe that Katie and Stephen may be using these) but we figured we could make due packing light and saving money by skipping the front bags.

To hold our tent and sleeping bags, we decided on using dry bags and strapping them to the rear rack. This would provide us with plenty of extra space for some camping gear and our sleeping equipment. Further, using dry bags would keep everything safe from potential downpours (please no!) as we cycle.

From the start of our planning, we knew we wanted solid handlebar bags for the tour. From cycling with Jared, Katie, and Katie, Suzie and I have always been jealous of their front handlebar bags. They provide easy access to essential equipment that we may need on the road without needing to stop and rummage through a packed side bag. Above all else, this includes our camera, video cameras, and the pounds and pounds of food I’ll need to energize before some of our bigger climbs.

Research in the way of panniers wasn’t really all that difficult; across the board “Ortlieb” has ruled the day. From biking forums to personal testimonies, I have yet to hear a negative review on anything Ortlieb makes for the avid cycle tourist. Their quality products have stood the test of time for many people that I have been in contact with and I felt foolish even considering another option.

The drawback for me on Ortlieb was the price. I know I am a bit of a cheapskate, but come on… I’m an English teacher buried in student loan debt with a credit card bill that could earn you a three month all expense paid trip in the Caribbean. Most of the money that I budgeted for this trip was supposed to be for the tour itself (food, lodging, sights, and adventures) not all this “pre-takeoff” stuff. Still, sacrifices need to be made in order to ensure that we not only complete the trip, but do it without losing everything when a pannier rips in half and scatters clothes and camp gear along the roadside.

We chose Ortlieb panniers since they are adjustable, lightweight, water resistant, and have a carrying capacity of 40 liters each. Hopefully I won’t be eating my words, but I believe that this purchase is going to prevent any stresses or problems to arise because of baggage problems. On Wiggle, the set of back roller classic panniers was $178 and they were shipped free of charge to my house in New Hampshire within a week of buying them. Don’t fret if they aren’t in stock when you go to make your purchase, they were off the site a month after we bought them and back on a week after that… it all depends on demand.

Handlebar bags was a similar decision to our panniers question. We didn’t want to skimp on quality because of price, and so… it was Ortlieb again that we chose. Storing our video cameras, passports, credit cards, and maps into a non-waterproof $20 bag that might as easily fall apart or stay on the bracket just seemed like a bad idea. Like with the panniers, Ortlieb handlebar bags are sought after pieces of equipment that come with perfect reviews and praises from a variety of sources.

While we could have skipped out and stored valuables in our panniers or bought a sub-par brand bag, we pulled the trigger and picked up a bag each at BikeBagShop.com. We found that the bags were cheapest here at $97 a pop and they even came with a free Greenfield stabilizing kickstand, which we will be testing on the trip. Our decision to purchase the medium sized Ultimate 5-Plus was based on reviews from Jared, the fact that the casing appears easier to close than the classic model, and the fact that we don’t need the amount of space offered by the larger sizes.

With bags purchased and on the way to my house in New Hampshire, I’m fairly confident that the most expensive gear elements are now out of the way (save the saddle). As we have not yet used them on the tour, it’s tough to say with absolute certainty that our decisions will be best, but I’m confident that choosing Ortlieb bags will not leave us kicking ourselves at the end of a long day of cycling.

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That being said and understood, we needed to assure we had bikes that could handle the long road ahead, yet they did not need to be the kind we expected to be on for a journey across the planet.

Suzie and I decided to go with our faithful steeds “Pink Thunder” and “Green Lightning” which were our first bike purchases ever. We bought them back in May of 2011 under the supervision and recommendation of our guru Jared. The Scott Sub 20 is by no means top of the line, yet it gets the job done…and well. We have ridden over 2,000km’s already on our bikes just in Korea, so before beginning the trip we knew that they would be up to the Balkans challenge. The Sub 20 is a hybrid bike, not recommended for long touring, yet capable of doing so if need be. For a 2-month trek, their frame and design is more than capable of handling the gear and equipment necessary to get us to our goal in Athens. Plus, at only about $500 USD, the Scott Sub 20 is a steal and we both highly recommend them to any beginner or intermediate cyclist as a great first bike.

Sessions and Katie have us beat by a bunch with their Surly Long Haul Truckers. Katie bought her bike back in 2007 (don’t quote me on that) prior to setting off on her incredible cycling tour from Korea to London. Taking on the hills of Kazakhstan, passing through the deserts of China, and cruising up and over the Alps, her Surly has been going the distance for quite some time. Though it’s a few years old, Katie has been rocking the Surly through Korea in recent years and it is this particular Surly’s taillights  that I am all too familiar with after watching it fly past me up the long climbs in the Korean countryside. I believe that this is one of Katie’s most loved possessions and a bike that she recommends to people the world over (I hope on not putting words into her mouth here).

Taking the advise of Katie and many others, Sessions also purchased a Surly Long Haul Trucker in March of 2012. His new bike really looks like a beauty. The sturdy frame of the Surly is meant to handle some serious luggage and is rated as one of the top touring bikes in the world. There’s little doubt that as we push up hills in Greece and Montenegro, the favorable gear ratio of the Surly’s will have Suzie and I wishing we pulled the trigger and just bought new bikes (but come on… we’re po!). I think I speak for the whole team when I recommend this bike to anyone looking to go off on a long cycle tour and continue cycling in the future. At around $1,000, it’s almost double the price of our Scott Sub-40, but I think both are well priced bikes where the saying “you get what you pay for” will surely hold true.

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