The sport of cycling, in America, isn’t even a blip on the radar screen when compared to football, basketball, baseball, and perhaps even soccer. The downfall of Lance Armstrong, one of America’s most iconic sports characters, has cast a spotlight on a sport few Americans understand. Some people even have an opinion on the troubles of this so called dirty sport that they fail to comprehend. And this is fine. People are free to judge as they so choose. That’s what makes America so great – Free Will.

What is this sport of bicycling? Why do people who like the sport think it’s so great? “I mean, come on, anyone can ride a bike.” I don’t know how many people have said that to me over the years. People have said this to me as well, “It’s a bike, it’s a toy, I had one when I was five.” I always reverse said statements made: Anybody can push down on a gas pedal, kick a ball, or swing a golf club. Yet, few can do those well. So what is it with my fascination of cycling, and why do I like it so much? Oh, and I’m not a racer; I’m a long distance cyclist.

The beautiful thing about cycling is that it’s played out on the open road, path, or trail. It hides nothing. There is no secret to how it’s done. Sure there is technique, gadgets, lingo, fashion, gimmicks, and technology involved. But at the end of the day, and when you strip everything away, it’s the rider, the road, and the bicycle. The road just is. It’s an inanimate object – it isn’t against you, nor is it for you; but it can make one suffer like no other. The rider feels the pull of the earth as he ascends a mountain. He also feels the earth pushing him faster and faster as he descends that same mountain. The end result being, the bicyclist forms an intimate knowledge of the road traveled. It’s the freedom involved in cycling, that free will to choose the road, path, or trail less traveled. And, of course, we cannot forget the amazing feeling of wind in the hair. The bicycle can become a time machine, reminding ourselves of when we were children at play. In its simplicity the bicycle is, Free Will.

But cycling is so much more. It’s my drug of choice. When the mind is clogged up with clutter from the chaos of life all I have to do is jump on Black Magic, and pedal down the road. As I gobble up miles the mind starts organizing the mess, and clearing pipes. My thoughts become sharper, my mood lightens, my stress is released, and life is much more enjoyable. If I could capture the euphoria of a really long bicycle ride placing it into a pill it might possibly become the most widely used drug. Then again, it might not.

There are challenges to really long bicycle rides. The person has to suffer. Riders have to keep their energy reserves high making sure the tank doesn’t go empty. When it does, and blood sugar drops from lack of calorie intake, the heart begins to take the good blood supply away from the brain delivering it to the muscles demanding the fresh blood. It’s called “bonking,” “hitting the wall,” “meeting the man with the hammer.” And, it’s always an interesting experience.

The highs of cycling are really high, and the lows, extremely low. I guess that’s why an adventure cyclist like me always looks for more challenging obstacles. Perhaps it’s the idea that the next high has to be more extreme than the last. That next rock climb has to be bigger and higher. The next car has to bigger and faster. As we advance we have to take on bigger and better. My next challenge is coming this May. And of course this next challenge is more extreme than the last.

What goes in those weird bags (panniers) that get strapped onto the bicycle? And, why would anyone want to pedal a bicycle for endlessly long hours just to have to set up camp, cook on a little stove, wear smelly clothes, be cold, and then get up and do it all over again the next day? Who in their right mind would want to strap on 60 pounds of gear and pedal up a mountain? Have you gone mad! Yep, it’s crazy fun!

The Gear

When I set out on bike-packing mission, or a long tour, the gear I take is the same. It doesn’t matter if my trip is a s24o, three days, or five months long. I take the same basic supplies. This list is an almost completely exhausted list, it gets trimmed down to fit the occasion.

Shelter and Sleeping Arrangements for One

Tent: REI Half-Dome two person tent.

Sleeping Bag: Marmot Pinnacle 15 degree.

Sleeping Bag Liner: Sea to Summit 15 degree light weight (this preserves the bag knocking up the temperature rating of the bag minus 15 degrees) liner. This essentially makes the Pinnacle a zero degree bag.

Sleeping Pad: I double up. I use a Z-Lite closed foam pad under my NeoAir Trekker inflatable pad. This set-up gives me ultimate comfort with less heat loss due to convection from the ground below. Not only that… during the days if I need to sit somewhere and want to keep my ass dry, or up off the ground, the Z-Lite gives me a seat.

Tarps: On long trips I carry two five by seven tarps. One is a ground cloth for my tent, the other is for whatever needs to be covered. Me on a rainy day; or perhaps, Black Magic if the night looks wet?

The items listed above all fit in the right rear pannier, called, the bedroom.

Survival Gear, i.e. cookware and etcetera.

Stove: MSR Dragonfly Stove, I like to cook real food. The dragonfly offers me the ability to do so. I do have a Primus Yellowstone canister stove that I use on ultra-light missions. However, canister cooking has it’s downfalls that make me less likely to use the Primus. The Yellowstone (for $20.00 you cannot go wrong) will fit into my back pocket though, and only has two parts.

Cookware: GSI Dualist pot, it is my cook everything pot. It’s the only pot I carry. Inside my pot I put a measuring cup, a bowl with which houses a few items, two lighters and matches, and pot-holder, and a rag.

MSR Miniworks EX water-filter: No self-respecting outdoorsman would go out without one. Simple, easy to use, clean, and field maintain.

Eating Utensil: Light-My-Fire spork, it’s titanium and has a serrated edge to cut with. Spatulas, mini sponge, camp-soap, and hand sanitizer.

MSR Pack-towels: Two full size, and one face cloth size. The face cloth size stays in my handlebar bag.

Magnesium Flint Stick.

Multitool: I carry the Leatherman Wave.

Various pieces of bike gear: Spoke-wrench, nuts, bolts, wire, etc..

Knife: A belt knife generally used for cooking, and a Benchmade that stays on my person (Rule #9).

Parachute Cord: I carry with me 50 feet of parachute cord, and clothesline for my kit to hang-dry.

Laundry soap: it’s generally carried unless I know I will be adventuring out into the wilderness.

MSR Dragonfly field repair kit: and a spare windscreen.

Heavy Duty tinfoil wrapped up in square sheet.

Camelback: 2 liter. I also carry a water bottle for the water filter, and two bicycle water bottles, and if I know I’m going without water resupply for a long while to no access of available water to filter; I bring along a gallon jug.

Toiletries.

The above listed fits into my left rear pannier, called the kitchen. Well everything except the Camelback, and that of course is worn on my person.

The Art of Dressing

Pants: One-hundred percent merino wool pantaloons, only one.

Shorts x2: The shorts have to be moisture wicking, quick drying, and water resistant.

Socks x3: Wool, wool, wool.

Sweater: Again, it’s got to be wool. Wool keeps eighty percent of its insulating value when soaking wet, and it doesn’t stink.

Shirts x3: Moisture wicking high-tech, and light weight.

Thermal Underwear: seasonal of course.

Flip-flops for the shower

Shoes: Cycling shoes that have the cleat built into the shoe, and they need to have some flexibility for hiking purposes. Light weight and quick drying is a must.

Some seasoned tourists may call this kit overkill, but hey, that’s my style. Plus I don’t like to look, and smell, like an old worn out shoe.

The aforementioned kit fits inside the closet, the right front pannier.

The Pantry:

I can fit up to 5 day supply of food. I carry spices, snack bars, and beef jerky when climbing mountains. I also prepare a home-made trail mix complete with dark chocolate. I always carry 2 freeze-dried dinners as emergency food.

The pantry is the left front pannier.

Upgrade to the list this year: MSR Hubba single-person tent, and maybe the gear shield.

Remembering an old trip and training for anew.

Camp at Monty

Random thoughts while resting at Monty Campground, Deschutes National Forest – August 3, 2012.

I like this campground; it’s a beautiful setting.

Being healthy is awesome and it gives me the ability to do these things (traveling by bike).

My spelling sucks, and at times, so does my penmanship.

I checked the map and couldn’t find a surefire way of getting to Sisters through the Metolius Scenic River area. Eddie Vedder’s Long Nights is playing. Love Into the Wild. Christopher McCandless and I would have been good friends, I think. We both obviously cherish our wild places. I wish I could have met him.

If I had my guitar I would be practicing with it right now.

My bike had a crash today as I was removing my panniers from the racks. The bike fell on its side breaking my mirror. Not the mirror itself, but the clip that mounts it to the handlebars essentially breaking the usage of said mirror.

A view from the saddle (mirror)

 The future is bright.  Musings from the open road begins.  Remodeling is almost complete.