Messages

61

General Discussion / Re: Getting hungry too fast while riding

« on: March 30, 2013, 08:24:19 am »

I've carried hard cheese for 3 days with temps in the 90s (F).  It gets oily, but it's still fine.  If you can buy it in a resealable pouch, that helps with packing.

I can verify that while it gets kind of nasty looking it is still fine to eat.  We had 110F temps in the Mojave and oil separated out of the cheese, but we ate it and it was fine for a few days at least.  I have also carried hard cheese for a couple weeks on my sailboat in summer with no problem.

Hard salami and pepperoni hold up similarly well.

62

Gear Talk / Re: No Stove

« on: March 30, 2013, 08:17:37 am »

My observation is that most folks on the TA do carry one.  I think every rider we met and camped with did.  The very few exceptions were those who had a support vehicle.  That said I am sure it would be pretty easy to do without, but why?  My light cooking/eating setup weighs 9-12 ounces depending on the particular choices.  That plus about 12 ounces for fuel.

Even when I trim my gear list to bare bones, the stove still makes the cut for me.

63

Routes / Re: Transamerica Cost

« on: March 30, 2013, 08:01:33 am »

It will vary widely depending on what you eat and drink.  I am usually in the $10-15 per day range for food.

If you camp the whole way the that can be very cheap.  I think we averaged under $5 per day for lodging by staying for free when we could and avoiding the more expensive campgrounds.  We didn't need to stealth camp at all but did camp for free more than half the time.  Additionally we stayed with hosts some and stayed in a few churches that were listed on the AC maps.

64

General Discussion / Re: Getting hungry too fast while riding

« on: March 30, 2013, 07:52:59 am »

2. When you mean baked goods, do you mean, for instance, those blueberry, chocolate chip etc cupcakes available at virtually all gas stations?

I like to buy good baked stuff at a bakery when I get the chance.  Granted they are not all that frequent on most rides.  When that isn't an option I might buy the occasional danish, bear claw, sticky bun, snack cake, pie, or whatever at a gas station.

65

Gear Talk / Re: Schwalbe tires

« on: March 30, 2013, 07:45:47 am »

Wire beaded are a usually a good bit cheaper and a little heavier.  Personally I think that is the criteria to apply to the decision.  look and the difference in weight and the difference in cost and pick.

Some folks who carry a spare value the folding feature of Kevlar beaded tires, but wire bead tires fold pretty well, so even if carrying a spare, Kevlar beads aren't a necessity (look up the three ring fold).

66

Gear Talk / Re: Schwalbe tires

« on: March 29, 2013, 12:26:50 pm »

On my "touring" bike I use Gatorskins.  However for my commuting I prefer the Marathon Plus.  I only ride about 7 miles each way and I don't have time to change a flat at 4 am when I'm on my to the train station.  They may not be "lively" but for this short ride I don't care.  I've used Gatorskins and have gotten flats on trips to the grocery store.  It's a royal pain to unload my groceries to fix a flat.  As with most things it is all about personal preference.

A very good example of a setting where the MP is likely to make sense.  I might even run them myself for that commute if the roads are especially glass strewn.  I personally would probably never tour on them though.

67

General Discussion / Re: Getting hungry too fast while riding

« on: March 29, 2013, 12:22:10 pm »

I never found it to be a big problem.  With a few of the following items in my jersey pocket (among other things) I manage to stay fueled fine. 

• a sleeve of fig newtons
• a few granola bars
• fresh fruit
• dried fruit
• baked goods
• a pack of jerky

If you don't mind stopping you also could make any number of more elaborate snacks.

68

Gear Talk / Re: Schwalbe tires

« on: March 29, 2013, 09:14:19 am »

Before buying the Marathon Plus be sure they are what you want.  They are super heavy.  When I say heavy I mean more than double the weight of something like Continental Gatorskins.  Then there is the extremely stiff sidewall.   The stiff sidewall gives a ride that is the opposite of lively.  In the continuum from racing sew-ups to solid tires, the MP is pretty close to the solid tires.

They reportedly are very flat resistant and very long wearing.  If that is important above all else they may suit you.

Me, I hated them enough that I took them off after a couple hundred miles.  I value light weight and a lively ride feel highly enough that I'll accept a bit shorter life and the occasional flat.

69

General Discussion / Re: Packing for flights

« on: March 28, 2013, 09:37:09 am »

A lot depends on how much you are carrying.  I have done a few different things.  My favorite way for getting to the tour is to buy a suitcase at a thrift store  for $6-7 and dispose of it at the destination.   Other times I used a cheap collapsible duffel bag.  I have generally found them at Walmart.  I have even carried one along on the tour and used it to get home as well, but only because I didn't get around to mailing it home.

When I packed really light I was able to fit my bike and a lot of my gear in a bike soft case with the remainder in a little backpack small enough to be used as "personal item".  I mailed the soft case home when my trip was point to point and on a loop trip it stayed with a warmshowers host.  I could actually fit all my gear in the soft case and stay below the 50 pound limit if I didn't go crazy with cardboard and other padding inside the case.  I just couldn't bring myself to leave out the several pounds of cardboard though.

I have also packed my gear in a cardboard box.  The airline made me sign a waiver that they were only liable for loss, but not damage.

70

Gear Talk / Re: Looking for Rain Pants

« on: March 25, 2013, 03:50:48 am »

I think the answer to the original question is that waterproof and breathable rain pants still don't exist!  That, IMHO, is not kicking the can down the road, it's a quasi-definitive response.  "No" may not be the answer that was sought, but it's helpful if the questioner can accept it.

Clearly my point. The can didn't move. Your opinion is it doesn't exist but that does not mean it does not exist. So where did that get us? BTW I don't believe it exist either but I don't know that as a fact so I remained silent on the issue.

The can doesn't necessarily have to move for the post to be of use.  My response was written not so much for the OP, but for the new tourist who might stumble upon the thread.  If no one questions a premise they are likely to take it at face value.  I think it is of use for them to read that while some think waterproof breathable stuff is the greatest thing since sliced bread others find it to not work well at all in their usage of it.

I don't want to win over those who are happy with it, but if I were new to the subject, I'd want to know that there is not widespread agreement.

71

Gear Talk / Re: Looking for Rain Pants

« on: March 24, 2013, 01:41:50 pm »

So you are saying that you can have waterproof and breathable?  I guess that depends on how much you sweat and how hard you are exercising.   My experience has been and remains that waterproof and breathable fabrics are never breathable enough that I am not wet with sweat when wearing them while riding at my usual pace.

This is an example of what I mean by "old". It is almost invariable that someone in these conversations will begin, "I have never found a...that...or words to that effect.

Perhaps that is because they have actually tried recent offerings in waterproof breathable garments and not found them especially beneficial for their particular usage.  It seems to me that is useful information.  As is the fact that they apparently work well for some folks in their usage.

72

Gear Talk / Re: Camping Gas/stove

« on: March 23, 2013, 02:12:09 pm »

+1 on availability of the quart cans. I tend to find them more at independent camping stores and at REI and EMS. Only once was I low and forced to buy a gallon. I left behind at a campground what I could not carry for others to use. And I also had a camp store offer to fill my fuel bottle from a gallon can. If you don't want to carry two fuel bottles, you can simply carry the can with the remaining fuel in your pannier and top off your bottle each time you use the stove until the can is empty.

In places where I have stopped to look for fuel on tour I took notice of what white gas was available despite the fact that I was using alcohol or butane.  My impression was that quarts are becoming more common, but still not all that widely available.

Also at least for me I think that a quart is an awful lot to carry at one time any way,  Given that I find 12 ounces about right for alcohol and that alcohol has quite a bit fewer BTUs per volume, a quart of white gas would last me a very long time.  A pint would be more acceptable, but IMO even that might be a bit larger than optimum.

73

Gear Talk / Re: Looking for Rain Pants

« on: March 23, 2013, 01:48:28 pm »

So you are saying that you can have waterproof and breathable?  I guess that depends on how much you sweat and how hard you are exercising.   My experience has been and remains that waterproof and breathable fabrics are never breathable enough that I am not wet with sweat when wearing them while riding at my usual pace.

74

Gear Talk / Re: Shaving Creme

« on: March 21, 2013, 06:53:40 am »

my solution is Dr. Bonners liquid soap

Another thing that works well as all purpose soap is baby shampoo.  It works fine for cleaning body, clothing, and dishes.  It even works fine in a washing machine.  I am sure you could shave with it as well.

75

General Discussion / Re: Touring Question

« on: March 20, 2013, 02:04:32 pm »

Choose the life style that works for you!

That is something that folks often seem to not get.  They say that they can't go because of their job or whatever, but don't seem to recognize that their situation is the result of their own choices.  I know that I would never accept a job that would require me to "file extraction plans with my boss in case something went wrong".

I have always considered my "spare time activities" to have a pretty high priority in my career choices.  Yes I have had to compromise at times, but I have always valued leisure time activities and at least keep that in mind when making career and financial choices.