You
Extended bicycle tour a vacation an adventure a shared experience with friends
And I think we can get there even without adding any extra miles a successful tour requires careful planning
clever packing and
a certain level of riding expertise
And just kind of turn your upper body. It helps get the king kind of your lower back
In the next hour our riders will provide the inspiration and insight you'll need to plan your route
Prepare your bike and enjoy the freedom and adventure of your next overnight bicycle tour
You
You can plan a trip before you leave then you won't end up in the wrong spot the wrong time
And planning the tour route
I really like to pick an area where there's as little traffic as possible because in my commute
I ride in traffic all the time, so I want to find an area where I'm not even gonna hear cars
you know the nice thing about the North Cascade Highway is that you really don't you have very many cars at all and if a
five-day bicycle tour
through pasture land and rolling hills
scenic mountain passes and high desert terrain all remote areas with a minimum of traffic
That's one of the things that I like best about touring is that you get away from
from all of the cars and from all of the fumes and from the noise and you can really relax and
Most of the areas that we've chosen I feel the people that might be in cars that are driving through that area
They're there for the same reason that we are they want to see the beauty in the area and they want peace
So we look for variety of the terrain
We look for variety of the scenery and I think if you're going on maybe a hundred and fifty mile ride
You can scout out locations that give you those options
How far can we go in five days realistically if we are riding that?
50 miles a day, and you got all day to do it
That's not that's not a real hard thing to do ten miles an hour
You can figure with stops included and as long as you're eating all day and keeping your energy level up
You'd be amazed how far you can go
Realistic mileage for a moderately fit cyclist is about 50 to 60 miles a day or an average of about 10 miles per hour
Plan a leisurely pace, so you'll have time to get up pack your gear and ride for five or six hours
Plan for stops along the way to see things and for rest and still have enough daylight to establish camp and cook dinner
Always plan your daily distances based on the abilities of the weakest members of your group and remember you're not racing
You're touring
This thing feels like a tank
Anyone want to pull the trailer for a lag?
Once we get up to the top of the pass we've been talking about we should be able to cruise down pretty easily
Careful planning is critical to any overnight tour
Certainly you need to plan how far you're going
Where you'll be staying and where you can get provisions along the way
You also need to plan for the unexpected
Especially in case of injury or serious mechanical problems
Having someone in the local area you can call for assistance or advice is always a good idea
It's kind of good to have somebody that you call ahead and find out what the road conditions are like and what the weather has been like
And sometimes they can tell you if an area is under construction or if some special event is going to happen
Even if you don't know people in a town that you really want to tour around you'll always find friends in the bike shops
I don't think that you ever get steered in an unreliable way by somebody who works at a local bike shop
They really want you to come to their area, enjoy their area, talk about their area
In fact even if I'm just going on day rides I'll go to the local bike shop first thing and ask for good routes
Because they're the only people that will tell you where to ride that there's not going to be a lot of cars
And you can tell them what you want in terms of the terrain or the challenge
And they're just enthused about giving you some recommendations
I have a friend that volunteered to actually drop us off where we're going to start the tour and meet us
I can't tell you how much we appreciate this, thanks
There are several alternatives to get you and your bike to your departure point
The easiest option is to simply roll out of your driveway and keep on going
A more likely alternative is to drive a vehicle to your starting point
If you plan to leave a car overnight, remove all valuables and try to park in a secure public area
A better alternative is to arrange to be dropped off at the departure point and picked up at the final destination
Just be sure you can contact your driver in case you don't make it all the way to your end point
If you're flying to your tour destination, you can either ship your bike by ground to a local contact or take it with you on the plane
Either way, you'll need to box it
If you call ahead, most bike shops will provide a free box or, for a small fee, they'll box it for you
Let's motor
If you do box and ship your bike, be sure you have the proper tools to put it back together before you hit the road
How much easier is it to have a touring bike as opposed to these mountain bikes? It's pretty good
I've tried riding on a bike like yours once, too, but there's just a lot of advantages to having a drop bar and handle bar
It's really that much more aerodynamic, huh?
Well, it's not that so much. It's just that I've got about four or five places to put my hands
See, I can ride down here, or I can ride up on the hoods, or a lot of times when I'm climbing, I hold on right here and I kind of push on the bars a little bit
It gives you a lot of different positions, and those positions help you to rest, huh?
Yeah, and then, let's say, this bike is specifically designed just to carry weight, the geometry of it, you know, the angles on the fork and stuff
And once you get it loaded up, you really appreciate that
Maybe that's the kind I'll get when I finally buy my own
Yeah, it's not something that you use every single day, probably, but if you're serious about going for a long trip, this is the way to go
I really enjoy my mountain bike. I like to sit upright a little more and see what's going on, look around and have my head up a little off the road
I haven't ridden for five days like that, however, I might get a little stiff
Shelly has a mountain bike, and she shouldn't feel discouraged at all that that's what she's chosen for this trip, because in a lot of ways, for a less experienced rider, they have more stability
It's the person that's riding it that makes all the difference, and people have fun on any kind of bike
Choosing a bike for a tour is a matter of personal preference
You might choose a traditional touring bike, a mountain bike, perhaps with regular road tires, or a cross between the two
Regardless of the type of bike you prefer, make sure your bike is in good working order before you leave
The idea is to avoid the need to make repairs on tour
Bikes are pretty easy to fix, but not on the road
If you like to tinker, by all means do it, you're going to save money and you're going to enjoy yourself
But if you hate to touch your bicycle in a mechanical way and it's a negative experience, by all means go to a professional shop and let them do it
Because of the amount of weight routinely carried while on tour, the spokes of your bike are at particular risk
So it's a good idea to have your local shop check the overall condition of your wheels when they perform your pre-tour maintenance
No matter how well you prepared your bike before your tour, you'll still want to bring along some basic tools
But the most essential things that we're going to need are the tire levers
And we'll want to each have spare inner tube that's appropriate for the size tire that we're using
And we'll each want to have a patch kit
Other tools and equipment to take on tour include one folding spare for each type of tire
A set of Allen wrenches, Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, spare cables for brakes and derailleurs
A chain tool, a spoke wrench, a small adjustable wrench, and small containers of grease and light oil
We don't have to take a lot of tools because we don't want to carry the extra weight if we can help it
And it's because we've taken preventative measures, we'd be sure that our bikes are in good operating order before we leave
You have to be really creative with your clothing
And the temperature, you know, still probably around 045, I think we're really going to have to bundle up
If you plan your tour so that you'll ride over a variety of terrain, you can count on a variety of weather conditions and temperature ranges
When selecting the clothing you'll take on tour, be sure to consider windchill, elevation, and seasonal factors
The rule of thumb is to layer your clothing and be prepared for anything
These are some of the clothing items that I'm hoping I can take
I might not take every item that's on the table, I'll find out, you know, as I start to pack
The most essential item of clothing that I take are my riding shirts
Because that's where you're going to have the most significant contact point
And I really like taking two pairs of a Lycra shorts because they've got really good padding in the inside
And what I do is I actually will wear one one day, wash the pair that I'm not wearing, and let them dry out
And then because I really believe in layering the clothing on, I'll take a really lightweight cool top
Of course, you aren't going to be wearing a halter top, but you might want to have a sleeveless three-pocket jersey to use
And then if I start getting cooler in the middle of the day, I'll throw on a jersey
And they have pockets in the back so you can stuff in power bars
You just take a power bar and you can keep cookies or, you know, some type of lightweight food in the back of your pouch
You can grab it and munch
I like to have a polypropylene long sleeve shirt to wear
And then a lot of times I'll put another lighter jersey just on top of it
This polypropylene is similar to the polypropylene long underwear you can buy
Oh, it is. This is what this is, and it's a wicking fabric
I mean, if you're starting to sweat, it's going to take the moisture that's against your skin
And kind of move it to the outside so that you don't get chilled
Right
A luxury item would be to have a long sleeve jersey, or you might choose to have a long sleeve jersey with the pockets in the back
Most of these have these pockets like this, right?
Yeah, if it's a jersey, if it's a true jersey, it's going to have two or three pockets in the back
All kinds of stuff here
Yeah, and like I said, this is the ideal that I would take
But I'm going to see when I start to pack, you know, how much the reality is
Prioritize, yeah
Again, I will layer on the bottom
And generally, I'll start out with a pair of riding shorts, and then I'll put these polypro leggings on
And then the lycra leggings just to keep extra warm
And then, of course, the piece of clothing that you want to have really easily accessible is your riding coat
Waterproof, breathable
When I'm not using it, I'm just going to take it and fold it up and probably roll it as tight as possible
And stick it right on the top of the pantier so I have it quickly accessible
Right
Well, you can never remember everything, but I'm going to try and bring as many layers
Some polypropylene bottoms and tops, and you want something waterproof, I'm going to have a waterproof jacket for sure
My fingers and toes get cold, so I'll try and bring warm gloves and wool socks
Regardless of the weather, a good pair of padded riding gloves is an essential item
My favorite are just a lightweight fingerless glove
And you can see these have had a lot of years of use
And I just wear these no matter what kind of riding I'm doing because of the fact that it's got this nice padding here
It absorbs shock and a lot of the vibrations
And then when it's colder in the morning, I'll put a polypropylene liner underneath them
And I'll just slip the gloves on on top of them
And another advantage of having gloves on all the time, even when the weather is warm, is that if you happen to go down
You've got some protection on your palms
It's not that we like to think about that, but it is a reality sometimes
Most essential, another contact point, would be to have really good riding shoes
Even though these may just look like regular athletic shoes, there's a big difference in the shank
They have a pretty sturdy shank on the bottom that actually keeps the shoe from bending very easily
And if you're wearing tennis shoes or some type of athletic shoe or running shoe, you're not going to be stiff like this
But this makes your foot have a very stable base so that when you're paddling, your arch doesn't feel like it's falling
Or that you won't feel the pedal on the bottom of your foot
Yeah, because I don't have shoes like this, and my feet get sore sometimes when I ride a long ways
This is what I need, I guess
Yeah, you definitely do
If we're going to be doing 50 miles a day, it's preferable to have riding specific shoes
And I usually wear pretty light socks, and then I'll cover up with some sort of neoprene booty
If it's raining or if it's cold in the morning
There are other essential items you should always have on tour
Eye protection is really important, whether it's bright sun or rain, stuff can get in your eyes
And you need to have something over your eyes all the time
Sunglasses are a critical part of bike safety and tour comfort
One feature to look for are interchangeable or color correcting lenses
And also get ones that are rounded so that it will deflect the wind from your eyes
Because there's nothing more uncomfortable than riding for 50 miles
Especially on the east side of the mountains where it's drier
And having wind just hit your eyes all day long
You get to the end of your ride and your eyes feel really dried out
Needless to say, a high quality helmet is an absolute must for any tour
Additional items to consider include a headband or helmet liner to keep your ears warm on chilly mornings
And make evenings around the campfire more comfortable
During warmer weather, a t-shirt, bathing suit, and extra pair of loose shorts will come in handy
And a pair of sandals or camp shoes will come as welcome relief to tired feet at the end of the day
I like to have all of my personal items kind of confined to one pouch
Your personal items might include bug repellent, lip balm, toilet paper, toothbrush and toothpaste
Sunblock, a personal towel, and first aid items such as band-aids and aspirin
You can imagine all the luxury items that you'd like to have once you get to camp
But the actual packing is where reality hits
You have to cram in all of those things that you've thought about into a very small space
So sometimes you end up eliminating the stuff that's not the most necessary
Take what you absolutely need to have and think about it hard before you put it on your bike
The first word that comes to mind when you talk about packing light is hills
Because you're not going to want to tote a lot of weight up the hills
And that's why a lot of items that are designed for touring, you know, they try to make them out of materials that are going to be as lightweight as possible
The first step in packing for any overnight tour is to outfit your bike with the appropriate bags
Front and rear panniers are the most common way to go
Bike bags come in many different sizes, normally measured in cubic inches
From small day bags all the way up to panniers that are 3,200 cubic inches
And for added capacity and easy accessibility, you can add a handlebar bag
Many mountain bikes, however, are not designed to carry panniers
The problem with my mountain bike is that I have front shocks, which doesn't enable me to put front bags on
That's why I'm stuck with the trailer
I can't carry my load, the only way to carry my load is to pull it behind me
You can never take everything you'd like on tour
You have to travel light, and that means you have to pack smart
There isn't really a lot of capacity on a bike, there's a fair amount
But you can't really take as much as you'd want, and if you do take too much
Then you get loaded down more than you'd like
Because once you get over about 40, 45 pounds, then you've got a problem getting up hills
I'll lay out everything that I think I might need, and then I'll pick and choose from that
Alright, so it's important to have it balanced?
Well, I'm going to put the heavy items down as low as possible
So I'll start out with the tent
The lower the weight, the better the bike will handle
So the heavier items I usually put in the bags first at the bottom
And I try not to have one side of the bike considerably heavier than the other
My front bags do the lion's share of the work
I like them to carry the heaviest of the heavy things
Because they're the lowest?
That's right, they're only a couple inches off the ground
If I pop this in the bottom of this pack, it'll be out of the way
It'll be down low, and when I need it, I'll be in camp
So that'll be the last thing that comes out of the bag
I see
And then here's the rain fly, and it'll go on the other side here
The load needs to be balanced front to back, as well as side to side
Be careful not to overload the rear, because you'll sacrifice steering and control
Also my other camping items, my toiletries and my pajamas, I'll put in there too
So now this pannier should weigh about the same as the one with the tent in it
I've got my gear all packed in plastic bags
Or a waterproof container of some sort
The panniers are waterproofed at the factory, but then they're stitched
So there's no way to keep the water out of them
So just a short ride in the rain will get most of your gear pretty wet if you don't protect it
So I always put all of my gear inside of plastic bags
You can also buy waterproof covers to fit most any size pannier
Let's go towards the back of the bike now, so we can add some weight there too
To kind of keep the bike balanced as best as I can
I've got my cook set arranged so that the dish towel can go in between the two pots
And the pot lifters down in the inside so that it won't rattle around
I'll go ahead and put my knife and my matches in there too
And my freeze-dried food, which I won't need during the day
Before you put it on the bike, try to decide if you really have to have that
Because having more than you need is worse than having less
And then another thing I probably won't be needing to get at too quick is my stove
I'll pop my stove down on the opposite side
I just kind of alternate sides, put one thing in one pannier and the next thing in another
I'm going to put this fuel bottle here in the back
This pannier has an excellent little spot for it there
I'll just drop it in and since you're up and I won't get any possibility of gas leaking on the rest of my stuff that way
It's totally on the outside
Great
I should probably put my thermarest in, don't want to forget that
I usually keep it inside because I don't want it to get abraded because it's a combination air mattress and foam pad
And if it starts leaking then it just becomes a foam pad and not a very good one
So I'll pop that in there next to my cook set
Another item I won't need until later
I think I'll put my warm clothes in this stuff sack, keep them all tidy and dry
Here's my spare shorts, helmet liner, nice warm socks, shoe covers and long gloves
I'll put them on this side just to keep going around the bike
And then I'll go up towards the front and put something in there
Great
I've got my food over here, highly treasured item
That'll fit right in the top of my front pannier
This is probably like six or seven pounds worth of garp here
Lots of munches
I've got my tool kit and my first aid kit
I can put those in the bottom of the available rear pouch here
I've got my tools in the plastic bag so they won't get rusted and they're right on top so I can get to them
These are personal items here and my camera I want to put right on top so I can get to them quick
I usually will put the sleeping bag on top but anchor it down with some sleeping bag strap
Can this get wet if it was raining? Would you have a little tarp?
Yeah I should get another plastic bag and put it in that, I forgot about that
Plastic sack inside the stuff sack is a real good thing especially if you're carrying your sleeping bag right on top there
So just bring an extra one in case it...
I thought this was your first tour
Well I've been backpacking a lot and I know about these rains
Sounds like you've slept in a wet bed too
It's even harder I think backpacking because you just have to bring what you can bring and you have to carry it the whole time
Versus biking you can bring more things because you're on a bike
If you have a trailer you can bring even more but you still have to pull those things so you don't want to bring too much
When packing items directly over the wheel it's a good idea to avoid using bungee cords
Because if the load shifts the bungee can come loose and end up in your spokes
So that's it, it's all on there, you should try it out
Maybe we should go for a test ride
It feels a little heavy to me
Elephants on parade
Well I would strongly suggest rehearsing it a little bit to be sure that your load is distributed evenly
And I think it's just good to get used to the way it feels before you start out
And again with a trailer it's the same thing
You want to get used to the feeling of pulling something behind you and being conscious of the width of the trailer
But it doesn't take too long to get used to it at all
And you feel a whole lot stronger when you get the weight off the bike, you know, when you get back to town
In a normal situation like this where people have ridden a long time together
Usually there's a group leader that's established
I think it's important to have a tour leader so you have someone with a lot of experience that makes some executive decisions
Yeah it looks like we could camp just a couple miles up the road
Dave would be a great group leader because he's been on this particular route six times
I've only done it one time but he's got a lot of experience and remembers a lot of special places that we should be able to see
When you're all just kind of even and a decision needs to be made
It's pretty difficult to come to one without arguing or getting someone's feelings hurt
So it's only right that the most experienced person can make those calls
If we get to a situation that was possibly dangerous or a hazard
It would be a good idea for someone to take charge that we all feel comfortable with and just say okay, let's go for it
I'm glad this didn't happen while I was going downhill, it was really hard steering
Me too
Let's see what we've got here
If you've chosen somebody as your tour leader it's because you're confident that they have the expertise
That is going to be really instrumental in maybe a crisis moment
Or be instrumental in making some decisions after we climb the pass for instance
If Dave is talking to Scott and he finds out that he's got some symptoms of discomfort
That wouldn't make sense for us to take another stiff climb
Then because he knows from his own experience he can make a really intelligent decision
Definitely want to regroup at the bottom of the pass before we head up the major part of it there
Having one person make the final decisions is probably going to be a lot sounder than having a committee decision
Dave's going to be able to fix anything that goes wrong
And I think that's probably the most important thing is that we've got somebody along that can fix just about anything that comes up
So I have total confidence in Dave
When people ride together more frequently they develop signals and coordination when you're stopping and turning
That kind of develops as a group and I'm sure by the end of the five days that we're traveling together that will happen
Glass
Car back
The stimulating conversation we carry on is glass, dog up, car, stuff like that
But if you point it out with your hand before you go by it then the rider behind you won't run over it hopefully
Glass
It will probably be pointing and saying glass or pothole
And then I just showed Scott and Shelley what I would do to indicate that we're slowing
I just put my hand out and I would hold a fist if we were coming to a stop
And generally I'll do this if we're slowing
This if we're stopping
Car back
If the group gets separated it will take more than a verbal warning or a hand signal to communicate
If you do have to pull off and wait for each other then you just make sure that you don't let the other rider pass you
Without seeing you on the side of the road and then get lost
I've spent a whole day trying to find my companions that were stronger than me on rides
So you don't want to get separated in that fashion
If you do pull off you need to leave your helmet on the road marker on the side of the road or something so that people know to stop before they come by
Clear
Travel
Looks like this is the beginning of the climb
Scott and Shelley are you ready for some climbing?
Get ready to grab your chain rings guys
Ok we're going to start gearing down now
Just take it as easy as you want to shift into your middle or your inner chain ring in the low gears
Ok
Alright
The second day of our trip we have the second highest pass in the whole state to deal with
Probably a 3000 foot climb in 30 miles
I really like the workout of going uphill and the satisfaction of getting there
But I'm a little worried about the climb and pulling this trailer
It might be a little much
I feel like I'm in decent shape but then again I just hope I don't poop out with this extra weight behind me
It's the longest ride I've ever done
It should be a lot of fun because the challenge that's involved there
I understand there's going to be quite a bit of climbing involved you know
Some steep hills
The challenge of being able to do those climbs and stuff and get up there and know that you did it yourself
That's the main thing
The hill has a goal that you can focus your energy on
And that focused energy is what makes the hours go by
And gives you a sense of accomplishing something, a sense of purpose
As long as it's not more than you can handle
What I usually do on a long hill like this
In order to make it easy is I'll get in a nice easy gear
Like this one
And I'll pedal most of the time in this gear
And that gives me a good cadence
My feet are probably going like 80 or 90 rpm right now
And I'll stay in that cadence because on these evenly graded hills
They could last like an hour or something
And I'll stay in this gear for like as long as I can take it until my back starts to get sore or something
And then I can shift down two gears easily
Two taller gear
And stand up like this for a while
When I do that, it rests my back and my shoulders
And it just allows the blood to go to my legs a lot better
I changed your position, great
I'll try that
A couple
Yeah, a couple higher
And then stand up
Alright, that feels a lot better on the back
And then after that gets too tiring
Then sit back down again
Shift back up two gears
And cruise some more
Another thing that helps on long hills, wiggling your fingers
Because you're putting a lot of pressure on your hands
The advantage of the touring bike over the mountain bike
Is that I can be holding it right here where I am
And really have a pretty aggressive hill climbing position
I could be pulling on these handlebars and using my abdominal muscles
But then I can also go up on the brake hoods
And ride in this position and stretch out
So there's kind of an advantage with that
If you had to use a mountain bike all the time for touring
Which you might in some countries, it might be the best way
You probably want to go with a handlebar that had bar ends
Or wrapped around so you had other options
You don't want to burn yourself out on a hill
Just because you're trying to keep up with people ahead of you
It's probably good to just let them get ahead
And know that we're going to meet at a specific point
This last pitch is about an hour duration I think
So you want to try to keep your food and your water handy
Your good water bottle that you can reach has got water in it
And put some food where you can get to it quick
We might spread out a little bit Shelly
But we'll all gather together at the top
I think you want to keep your cadence comfortable too
So that your knees don't feel uncomfortable
But just don't overdo it
Don't get so out of breath and so exhausted
And your muscles that you feel like you can't keep going
Always have the sense that you've got some reserves
Looks like we've got a really good view coming up
Yeah, I think this would be a good place to stop
And just look at it all
I'm ready to recharge a little bit
Stop and reward ourselves
World's biggest climb
I don't get much bigger than this
You've been doing really well Shelly
Because you've been able to keep the conversation going
Even at the steepest times
I really felt like you still have your reserves
Even though you were pushing yourself hard
My legs feel a little hammered
When we sit down maybe massage them a little bit
Pedaling with a couple of wet noodles right now
I'm getting rubber legs myself
Scott, how do you feel?
Well, pretty good considering
It helped a lot when Dave showed me the techniques
For standing on the pedals and going ahead and shifting up
And three gears or whatever
So you could vary your position a little bit that way
And standing on the pedals, get up out of the seat
And you're not really going any faster
But it gives you a little opportunity to change your position
Your back and your legs
It almost feels like you're resting for a few seconds
So I can brag to my friends that I climbed the second highest pass
In the state of Washington
No kidding
On your first tour
Hey, this is it
Thanks to you guys
Excellent
Ground's fluff
Yay
Good job
Thanks, Dave
All right, good fighting with you, man
Nice job, Michelle
Good job, you guys
Good deal
Looks great
This is incredible
Look at that
Oh, man
You think this is worth the pedal, huh?
No kidding
This is like...
Was this worth it or what?
Yeah
This is like the climax of the whole thing
The fact that we got to this view spot
All on our own power with our equipment
And we had this really strong sense of independence and freedom
I think there's nothing else that can match that
The downhill is nice after the climbs
After a long climb, an extended downhill cruise can be a delightful reward
But it may also offer a different set of challenges
Some people love the downhills
Personally, I get a backache going downhill
So I don't really care for that as much
It's kind of chilly
My fingers got cold and it was hard to keep them moving
Because I kind of got the death grip going
It did not go too fast, but in my toes
I'd recommend maybe some booties to put on your feet
When getting cold and some nice warm gloves
And cover your ears and hold your breath
Because you kind of lose your breath on that
Going down, you might get into a tuck position
Or not be moving your legs a lot
The same way that you were when you were going uphill
And my muscles get a little bit crampy sometimes
So on and off I'll try to just paddle even though I'm spinning out
Just to keep my legs from getting crampy
Long downhill stretches may also put a strain on your equipment
Before beginning a descent, be sure that your racks and panniers are firmly in place
That your brakes are aligned and working properly
And that your tires are properly inflated
What about these long hills like this, Dave?
This is an extremely long hill
Is there ever a problem with overheating the brakes?
I mean, if you were to ride them too long?
It can happen. I've heard stories of people heating up their rims so hot
That the tires blew off them
Mostly like in the Alps and stuff where there's just massive hairpins
And you're just breaking the whole time
Or people with tandems pulling trailers
People will overdo their brakes sometimes
That's why tandems a lot of times have three brakes
So there's an extra drag brake they can just crank it on
It also helps to feather the brakes on a grade like this
So you're not holding them on the rim the whole time
But you're just lightly feathering them
You can put your front one on a little bit after your rear one
If you're a little uncomfortable just to make sure that it doesn't grab on you or something
Going downhill, your bike will pick up speed more quickly
And your momentum will be greater because of the extra weight
If you heavily load the front of the bike, the steering will be more sluggish
Although the ride may be more stable
On the other hand, if your bike is overloaded in the rear
You may experience front end shimmy going downhill
Uphill or downhill, on road or off
The weight you carry on tour will affect the way your bike handles
The key is to prepare by riding a loaded bike under a variety of conditions before you tour
Sitting on a saddle all day long is something that you wouldn't ordinarily do in your normal course of life
And so you've got to get yourself sort of used to that
And also sitting in a position with your hands out and your back bent a little bit
You need to get about a thousand miles of riding in before you leave on a weekend trip
I've been riding probably 75 miles a week
And I also run on the days that I don't ride
I think I'd feel comfortable with 50, around 50 miles a day
If you're going to be doing 50 miles on a Saturday and 50 miles on a Sunday
You'd probably have worked up to doing about 100 miles a week of riding
Did those early miles pay off for you on the conditioning?
Yeah, yeah, I think I did a lot better than if I hadn't tried getting into shape first
Prepare by really working on it, riding a lot before you get a lot of miles in
And get used to sitting on your bike for a really long time
I'm a little saddle sore today
I'm wearing two pair of biking shorts, if that's an indicator
You know, I forgot to mention that sometimes I put some chamois fat right onto my shorts
To eliminate the friction so that I don't get chapped when I'm riding
And it really does help a lot
I think no matter how much you ride, it's hard to prepare for a five-day ride
Yeah, it is
I'm a little sore
Another thing I would do definitely is stretch more
I got kind of locked into sitting in a particular position and I would get cramps
You know, take some time to stretch and loosen up your shoulders
And sit more upright and move your hands around
And it makes your ride a lot more enjoyable
How's your neck?
Pretty good, I've been stopping and stretching and moving, you know
My back's a little stiff
I'm trying to change my position
Yeah, it's good to stretch sideways and just kind of turn your upper body
It helps get the kinks out of your lower back
It's a beautiful day
If you're going to use a mountain bike, just try and keep your body switching the angles
And stretching and trying to position it a little better
Because it does get a little tiresome on your back
If your hands are getting tired riding in the same position on the mountain bars
Be sure to wiggle your fingers a little bit
And lift up on your palms so that they don't get pinching pains
Spend hours in your saddle on a normal basis
So that you don't start noticing that you're uncomfortable
So that your saddles become your worst enemy
That tunnel was really scary
It was dark, there was no lighting, lots of loose rocks
I forgot to take off my sunglasses so it was pretty dark
And I couldn't see, I could just hear a lot of noise and a lot of traffic
Oh, it was scary
And I've been in tunnels in Washington State
But I don't remember that one being so dark
And we were coming up to it and we were coming up to it on a hill
So we couldn't go very fast
We knew that we definitely had to go single file
But we hadn't anticipated that right in the middle of the tunnel
We would have a lot of cross traffic
And it was there and I think every single one of us turned on our lights
But we forgot to take off our sunglasses
So the adjustment to the dark was kind of difficult
On any tour, you'll encounter a variety of road hazards
Tunnels can be the most dangerous as they're often narrow with poor visibility
Be sure to carry a dual purpose safety light
And have reflectors on your bike, your clothing, and your panniers
No matter how well prepared you are, some tunnels are best traveled on foot
Narrow shoulders are another hazard
Be sure to ride single file and watch for potholes and loose gravel
Take it easy on this grating
It can be a little bit unpredictable
Bridge gratings and railroad crossings should always be approached with caution
Especially in wet weather
And if you're traveling on country roads, you may have to watch for cattle guards
That river's going a lot faster than I'd expect for this time of year
There's our dogs
I went by and I saw the dogs coming
I didn't even know they were going to make it to the street though
I just went, dogs, you know
And I hear them barking and running back there
I look behind me and he's made it all the way out
Dogs are a common hazard wherever you ride
There's no set rule that works with every dog
So it's best to use common sense and approach all animals with caution
It's a little bit of traffic
It's big Winnebago
It's the logging trucks I could do without
No matter how remote the area, you're bound to encounter traffic somewhere along your tour route
Ride on shoulders whenever possible and be aware of approaching cars
A good mirror is an important safety accessory
There's a lot of different ways that you can have a rear view mirror
It just helps you feel like you have more control over everything that's in front of you
And everything that's behind you, you're more aware of it
I usually put a mirror either on my eyeglasses or on my helmet
So that I can look behind and sweep the entire road just by turning my head
I don't have to rely on where the handlebars are pointed
So I prefer that type of mirror
Handlebar mirrors work well too
But they can vibrate a little bit when you're on a rough surface
And it's a little more difficult to see
Your most essential safety item is a good helmet
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes
And should be properly fitted and adjusted to your head
Whether riding down the block or down the highway, make sure you always wear your helmet
Do you want your annies?
Yeah, I'm starving
The rule that I learned a long time ago is that you always need to eat before you're hungry
And drink before you're thirsty
And sometimes you just don't even think about it because you don't really feel like you're thirsty or hungry
Yet if you keep yourself hydrated and you're eating, munching all day long, it makes a huge difference
You never go down to rock bottom, bonk
You can't drink too much
You can't drink enough
I mean, if you drink the whole time
I mean, when you're riding a bike and going through the air at 15 miles an hour or something
The water just goes right through you
You really need to keep that up and keep the food level up too
I'm out of water
Got another water problem
Always check with local sources about water availability along your route
And always be sure to carry enough drinking water for emergencies
Depending on where you're going, you may need water purification tablets or a filtration system
This water purifier, this is something that you just use in case the water's not fit
It's a system that you actually use as you're putting your water into your bottles
And remember, we talked about the route has a lot of water on it
But the water is not always trustworthy drinking water
And this helps remove any bacteria that could cause you to be really ill
And could ruin your tour experience
Okay, some of the food that we're going to be taking
We have probably more than maybe we'll need to take
The items that you want to look ahead to have are ones that you won't be able to readily find in the little local grocery stores
Eating on tour is very much a matter of personal preference
If you like a big breakfast, you'll need to start your ride slowly
If you're a nibbler, stay with high-energy complex carbohydrates such as bananas, granola, peanut butter, fresh fruit and vegetables
And over-the-counter sports bars
I'm so hungry, I'm eating everything at one time
How much food can I shove in my mouth?
I'm eating an onion bagel with papaya and it tastes great
Papaya, that's some kind of special enzyme
It actually does help your digestion
So if you feel like your stomach has kind of gotten sluggish just because you've been riding hard all day long
It helps with the digestion
Banana chips or dates or raisins, any type of dry fruit that really gives you energy is another good snack
And if you really must have some sweet candy, it's good to have it mixed with nuts and raisins so that it doesn't end up upsetting your stomach
Scott, what are you eating?
It's a Snickers bar
Snickers?
Is that against the rules?
Give yourself a bellyache?
It's not good, huh?
Well, it's got a lot of sugar in it, but it's not complex enough so you'll digest it so fast you'll have a little rocket attack and then it'll be all over
It's got peanuts in it, I mean, a little bit of complex carbohydrates
It might upset your stomach
Okay, okay
Let us know how you feel
I won't eat anymore
Being on a bicycle tour is no time to be experimenting with new food
So if you're going to try some new type of fuel, you want to definitely give it a try before you leave home
And take the stuff that you're really comfortable eating and that you really enjoy
Dinner in a bag
Lasagna?
Want to hold on to that?
Sure
Sitting down to a good meal after a long day of peddling is a satisfying part of touring
There are several different dining options
I think that freeze-dried is a good thing to have in case, just have some with you in case you can't get to a store
Or if you're really tired and you don't feel like dealing with preparing something more difficult
Because it's real easy, you just boil some water and you're ready to go
And you're eating and just after a long day you just don't feel like cutting up the vegetables and doing all that
I think it's a good way to go
Freeze-dried meals are a lightweight, convenient addition to your diet
A good balance to the high-energy snacks you eat while riding
They add variety and are a good stopgap between visits to the grocery
If you can stop at a local store near your campsite, you can pick up perishables such as pastas and fresh vegetables to spice up your menu
If you can get close enough to a town where you don't have to carry things too far, you can do it all up
Good pasta dish, some veggie burritos, maybe even a bottle of wine
No matter what your menu, you'll need some essentials for camp cooking
Make sure you have matches, preferably in a waterproof container
And if you're camping where open fires are permitted, only use designated fire areas and follow all local guidelines
You should always bring along a lightweight camp stove with plenty of fuel
Even if fires are permitted, it's always best to cook on a stove as it's cleaner, more efficient, and better for the environment
Bring a good nesting cook set with pots, plates, utensils, potholder, and something to clean it with
After your meal, make sure you clean up your cooking and eating areas thoroughly
I just saw a sign over on the camper information that said that this is bear country
They made the recommendation to keep your camp really clean and keep your food isolated in one area
So definitely, if you don't have a car, do not put the food in your tent
You can put it in a pantier and put it up in a tree
You know, hook it up in a tree so it's at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet away from the trunk of the tree
So that's what that parachute car was for that we brought in
Yeah, so when we clean up tonight, we have to, I think, take all of the food and put it in just one pack and do that
Another thing that the animals look for is any kind of a food scrap or anything you might have left
So be careful when we clean up, clean the dishes and that sort of thing
A good rule of thumb for cleaning up is to try to leave your campsite cleaner than the people before you
Of course, there'll be times when camp cooking doesn't quite fit the bill after a hard day pedaling
Going to a local restaurant can be a real treat on tour and a good way to sample the local flavor
If you come to a fun town and it looks like a neat little restaurant, you just have to be close enough
so that you can get back to your campground safely and hopefully have a shower before you go and clean up a little bit
and ride to town and go all out and get back safely
What do you look for in a campground?
Well, I like to keep away from the road as much as possible so I don't hear the traffic all night long and the jake breaks
That's a good idea
How about showers? I think I'd, I think I need a shower
Yeah?
Showers or?
That big pass climb
Yeah, anytime that you can find a campground en route that works out that you have a shower, don't pass it up
You need it
Whether you're camping or staying in a hotel, be sure to plan your overnight accommodations carefully
and always know what your options are in case you don't reach your original destination
If you're camping, it's a good idea to call ahead for reservations during the busy season
and to check on the availability of facilities such as showers, tent sites, and drinking water
You'll also need to bring some camping essentials
Some of the things that we're all going to need are sleeping bags
and they come, we have a couple of varieties, you might have to choose between a synthetic or a down filled sleeping bag
based on how cold the temperature is going to be
but you definitely want to get something that is going to be as compact as possible
I always carry a down sleeping bag because it compresses so small and so light
The new synthetic bags have gotten better though
and I would consider trying one of those as well because a down bag has a lot of problems in damp climates
If there's any water around the down, it's just like a magnet for it, it would get damp right away
and then it's like sleeping in a big bag of sardines
Another thing that each of us will probably be carrying is an insulation pad, thermal rest, or some type of foam pad
so that we won't feel the cold to the ground and they'll make you feel a lot more comfortable when you're sleeping
You might split the tent, the tent has the poles, the rain fly, and then the body of the tent
What Dave and I usually do is we'll split the poles and the rain fly, one of us carries that and the other one carries the tent
It seems like every time I don't put up my rain fly, I get rained on in the middle of the night
You ever try putting one of these on when it's dark?
I've never done this
And raining?
Oh man, yeah that would be much fun
The type of tent you'll want to bring will depend on the temperature and overall weather conditions expected during your tour
In general, you'll want a tent that's big enough for comfort while being lightweight, compact, and waterproof
And even if it doesn't rain, sometimes just the dew will get all over the tent and make it really wet and it'll get a little bit wet inside too
I don't want that
So it's nice to look at the stars, but you know the rain fly is a good way to go
Yeah
Dave, you're ready for the sleeping gear
Alright
Looks good
She is all opened up
Where's my thermal rest?
You'll want to pitch your tent on the flattest possible ground
At most campsites, there is usually an obvious well-worn spot
Clear the ground of debris and try to put your head uphill of your feet if the ground is slanted
Here's your pillow
Thank you, I had room for my pillow
The one thing I'd like to bring is my own pillow, my favorite pillow
Pad first
Bring along whatever you can fit in to make yourself as comfortable as possible
A pillow, a t-shirt to sleep in, because a good night's sleep is critical to good touring
Well, our trip's almost over
Yeah, it's kind of sad
It's been a fun week
This is such a small little town, just perfect spot though for this
It's the kind of place you just zoom through in your car, you know
Run into another nice fruit stand on the way, do you remember?
It's pretty much the same deal all the way down the river
Apple trees
I thought since Shelly had the trailer with her, we could buy a box of apples and have her pull it back
Oh really?
Throw on the rest of the gear and put the apples in
I'd be happy to load my trailer to you if you really want those apples
But I've told my load this trip
I forgot that I didn't have a picture today
Yeah, you've got to get one for our album for sure
Give me a glass of that
Thanks
Okay, ready?
Ready
Say cheese
I think this downhill right here and coming over the bridge must have been my favorite
It's very scenic, the lakes, the wind, fall colors
Incredible
That's so pretty
This is a nice snack spot
I've had a lot of fun doing day trips
But a longer trip is way worth the planning and doing it, it's a whole new experience
I enjoyed the climbing, the climbing is the most challenging of course I think for anyone
But it was great to be able to deal with all that strain and stuff
I've never done anything like that
I've never gone anywhere near this far
Thanks Dave
Alright, it was good fighting with you man
I felt great when I got to the top
And then at the top you've got the rewards of looking over the rocks and stuff over that one perch there
That was spectacular, I didn't know anything like that existed
This is what it's all about
Yeah, I agree
This makes the whole thing worth it
The mountains were excellent, the colors that we saw, the views
And then the change of terrains really made it super special
I look forward to getting away from everything and feeling completely free and completely independent
Because I don't think I've ever experienced feeling that way in any other context of recreation
Very good, gorgeous sunrise
Yes it was, nice pasture lands
Coming down into the valley here was really special for me too
Because I just love this rolling river terrain and there's not as much traffic pressure down here
And I could really get into my thoughts more
It's just a beautiful place
You zoom past these things in your car
I've been able to be right in the middle of them for a few days
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