Good morning Leah, We have a saying in our home, borrowed from G. K. Chesterton: “An adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered”
However Prepare Prepare Prepare What’s the Scouting Motto? Be Prepared! Happy trails! John Robert Williams (Blantyre, Malawi) When not in Traverse City, MI, US&A On Mon, Jun 16, 2025 at 3:49 AM Josiah Anderson <[email protected]> wrote: > Regarding ticks, what I have always done and recommended (as a backpacking > instructor) is simply to do thorough checks at each mealtime and before > bed. Ticks generally crawl around on you for several hours before bedding > in, and so if you're checking every few hours, you will almost always catch > them in time. The only time I have ever had a tick embed was while working > in the garden; that was not a time I was thinking about checking. This is > all in the west, though; I have no idea if ticks are the same out in your > area. > > For tools, I would recommend bringing at least one spare tube each (even > though you're running tubeless), a patch kit, a pump of course, and a set > of Allen wrenches (4,5,6 and maybe 8mm). That will be enough to fix most of > the common and easy-to-fix problems. Beyond that, only bring what you're > comfortable using - for example, I only started packing a FiberFix spoke > after I got decently good at truing and building wheels. A chain breaker > and spare master link are common things to bring, but (knock on wood) I've > never broken a chain on a multi-day tour, and those things will do you more > good if on the side of the road isn't your first time using them. > > Also, one more tool-adjacent suggestion: I missed whether you said how > long your tour will be, but on trips of more than a few days, I really like > to bring a small bottle of chain lube. It's not the most essential thing, > but to me it feels very refreshing to quiet down a crunchy chain while on a > tour. One genius solution I've seen for this was putting some chain lube in > a reused dropper bottle of the type that comes with covid tests. > > As Eric said, forgetting something is a normal part of camping, so don't > worry too much. I hope you enjoy the trip! > > Josiah > > > Le dim. 15 juin 2025 à 1:45 PM, Leah Peterson <[email protected]> a > écrit : > >> This is all good. I’ll plan some practice runs before we leave. I even >> have the perfect destination with the perfect mileage. I told my kid and >> those of you who have been 19 year old men can guess what came out of his >> mouth. >> >> “We don’t need to prepare! The adventure is just going and DOING it, >> Mom.” >> >> No. No, no, no. The adventure is when you know the things you have and >> planned for will WORK so you don’t ruin your trip worrying and/or working >> out kinks. >> >> Here are two more questions: >> >> 1. How do you avoid ticks? I live in fear of Lyme. >> >> 2. What tools do you bring? I have tubeless and have a Dynaplug for that… >> >> L >> >> On Jun 13, 2025, at 11:12 AM, Matthew Cook <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> >> Unfortunately, from what I've gathered, Ken was struck and killed by a >> drunk driver while riding near his home sometime in 2003. There is a >> Wikipedia page stating this. >> >> To whoever is hosting his site and keeping it going, it is much >> appreciated as the articles provided me so much learning when I was new to >> cycling and more specifically touring. >> >> M. Cook >> >> On Fri, Jun 13, 2025, 1:39 AM Craig Montgomery <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> I haven't thought about Ken Kifer for years. Loved his site. Common >>> sense (for the most part), informative, and fun to read. Wonder what >>> happened to him? >>> >>> Craig in Tucson >>> >>> On Thu, Jun 12, 2025 at 6:40 PM Matt C. <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Leah, >>>> >>>> May I make the seemingly the lamest recommendation? Hear me out. Years >>>> ago (in the early 2000's) I got into cycling as a hipster on a fixed gear. >>>> I had done quite a bit of backpacking and then stumbled upon the concept of >>>> bicycle touring. I was amazed that the two could be combined and that I >>>> hadn't thought of it already<---maybe similar to your son. Around that time >>>> I found a web page about bicycle touring by a man named Ken Kifer. His >>>> thoughts on touring were inspirational. He has since passed but his >>>> articles can be found here: >>>> https://phred.org/~alex/kenkifer/www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/index.htm >>>> He recommended that most tours should start and end from your home. >>>> Sounds sorta lame, but I have done this many times and am always amazed at >>>> what can be seen and experienced by just riding away from my house to a >>>> destination. I feel like I always find something new as well. So it might >>>> be logistically easier to just point to something a few days of riding away >>>> from your home and just go. Sometimes this is difficult if you are averse >>>> to stealth camping....in that case planning designated campgrounds might be >>>> in your best interest. I have toured with my wife on a few instances and on >>>> others with a few of my children. With them I always try to have something >>>> arranged for camping. But by myself or with 1-3 friends, stealth camping >>>> can be really fun. It really helps to tie places together. >>>> As someone who has always had wanderlust, I think there is way more >>>> adventure right out your door than you ever expect. Just going out and >>>> finding it takes a bit of perspective shift. >>>> >>>> Also +1 to doing an overnighter. I recommend writing down everything >>>> you bring. Then when you get home, write down everything you don't use with >>>> possibly a rational on whether it should be used next time (weather >>>> differences or tools in case of a mechanical, etc.). >>>> >>>> One last thing, expect that something will not go as planned. Plan all >>>> your gear. Plan your tools. Plan all your food. Plan your route. Something >>>> outside the plan will probably happen and it will be frustrating and also >>>> be the thing you reflect on the most and laugh at about the trip. Bicycle >>>> touring is often type 2 fun. >>>> >>>> Hope some of this helps and lowers the stress levels. >>>> >>>> Matt Cook >>>> Spanish Fort, AL >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 3:32:29 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I, Leah Peterson, have refused to camp my entire life. A lover of >>>>> safety, cleanliness, hot showers and fresh coffee, I never saw the allure. >>>>> Why should I pitch a tent and sleep in the ditch if I could sleep in a >>>>> hotel bed? >>>>> >>>>> Several of my bike world friends told me I was missing out. But I >>>>> wasn’t missing out, because I was content in my hotels and unaware of the >>>>> joys and sorrows of bike camping. >>>>> >>>>> But, we have this son. This child is not a child, he stands at 6’2” >>>>> tall and is heading into his sophomore year of college. He has his head in >>>>> his books with no time for anything else, but oh, he has the wanderlust. I >>>>> read that 90% of the time you’ll ever spend with your kid is spent by age >>>>> 18. That was a year ago…I have less than 10% of my allotted time left with >>>>> one of the most beloved, treasured people in my world. I could sob just >>>>> typing it. >>>>> >>>>> E discovered the term “bikepacking” at the Philly Bike Expo. And when >>>>> he heard it he said, “Wait, say that again…” His eyes lit up and he was >>>>> determined to try. Julian (from this list) sent him some bikepacking >>>>> essentials he had, and that was the catalyst for getting E to hit the >>>>> trails. I immediately decided that since it involved my son and biking, >>>>> two >>>>> of my great loves, I was going. All my friends said, Leah, you don’t camp. >>>>> Leah, you’ve lost your mind. >>>>> >>>>> I know, I said. >>>>> >>>>> Then I went to the internet and to Pam Murray and I started to plan. >>>>> And you guys, every brain cell in my head was being used and I decided I >>>>> must be stupid because I could not figure out how to make the logistics >>>>> all >>>>> work. Choose a route. How do you get to the start? How do you get back >>>>> again? How to use Amtrak? Why does their train station and schedule NEVER >>>>> WORK for my purposes?! What do you mean there is no camping along most of >>>>> the Hudson Valley Trail? Too much mileage between these two towns, not >>>>> enough between those. I have scrapped 2 entire routes we planned because >>>>> we >>>>> just couldn’t get the logistics to work. I do not think it is supposed to >>>>> be this hard, so I must be doing it wrong. (I’m going for a ride with The >>>>> Lone Wolf tomorrow who will surely scoff and confirm that I am doing it >>>>> wrong. But also, maybe he will give me some pointers.) >>>>> >>>>> Finally, we settled on a route that takes us along Lake Erie. With >>>>> Chat GPT’s help, I have a decent plan and two campsites picked out so far. >>>>> One is first come, first serve, so say a prayer for us. Say 2 prayers, >>>>> because my husband is going to get roped into dropping us off and picking >>>>> us up at the start and finish, and he has no idea. >>>>> >>>>> He also has no idea that I just spent $$$ on a tent, footprint, >>>>> sleeping pad and sleeping quilt (ha! Have you ever heard of such a thing? >>>>> What happened to sleeping bags?!). Like, really a lot. Big money. I got >>>>> sucked down the gear rabbit hole and suddenly nothing but these >>>>> ultralightweight things will do. It is shameful. I confessed to E who sent >>>>> me this text: >>>>> >>>>> MOM SPENDING 700 ON A TENT IS NOT RIGHT THAT DOESNT MEAN YOU LOVE ME >>>>> TENTS DONT COST THAT MUCH YOU DONT NEED IT TO BE COMFORTABLE😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 >>>>> 😭 😭 😭 😭 >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> So, that is what is happening over here. Be gentle in your rebukes. I >>>>> am stressed out about this whole experiment on several levels! >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> But this kid. What would I not do for him? I thought I’d draw the line >>>>> at sleeping in ditches, but no, not even that is off-limits. I’ll do >>>>> anything, it seems, to stay involved and relevant. Luckily, my second son >>>>> is quite comfortable in hotels, and will not make me work this hard to be >>>>> in his orbit. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Leah >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/1-6ssrRirOQ/unsubscribe >>>> . >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>>> [email protected]. >>>> To view this discussion visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e2131bcd-4aa3-49cb-86e1-53ad72d1cd9dn%40googlegroups.com >>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e2131bcd-4aa3-49cb-86e1-53ad72d1cd9dn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>> . >>>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/1-6ssrRirOQ/unsubscribe >>> . >>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>> [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALm6aG0vTps9fuysdD6Jc3E-5mbadckKSyjsqfnJ2U03RFVuew%40mail.gmail.com >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALm6aG0vTps9fuysdD6Jc3E-5mbadckKSyjsqfnJ2U03RFVuew%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/1-6ssrRirOQ/unsubscribe >> . >> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >> [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CACoCefhaSt8Et-_pZQ9Ec4WA8H55WSwCgiY4GVDX7y_o9K6RAg%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CACoCefhaSt8Et-_pZQ9Ec4WA8H55WSwCgiY4GVDX7y_o9K6RAg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/50188ABD-FC0B-40F3-B6E5-2D15A208388B%40gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/50188ABD-FC0B-40F3-B6E5-2D15A208388B%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CADqZWjPEpziPw4v_EU2SuJmBwPZ4EXJzt4D%2Bf-OsBUYHUK6NMg%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CADqZWjPEpziPw4v_EU2SuJmBwPZ4EXJzt4D%2Bf-OsBUYHUK6NMg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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