July 9, 2024
Reflections 1: Packing, Not Losing Stuff, Getting Along, Working out (or Not)
This is our third journal and I realize that -just like history - our trials, tribulations and joys tend to repeat themselves. I feel like I am talking about the same stuff all the time: bad weather, bathtubs, great food and wine, laundry, lovely/delightful/scenic/quaint towns and villages, muddy trails, Komoot’s sense of humor, train drama and stress. Sorry if it gets repetitive.
But what you didn’t hear about - or at least not much on this trip- is our packing.
Packing: On the last two tours Dave’s panniers were packed to the brim and closing his panniers every morning became an art. This year he made a few hard-for-him adjustments. First, he left his fancy camera at home and took only cell phone photos. Two years ago he wouldn’t have dreamt of doing that but after last year (where he took a combination of both camera and cell shots) he realized that the quality of cell shots is pretty good. This year he bought a cell phone that has improved photo-taking technology and I think he is happy about how it has gone. The big upside of this change: the camera and its associated gear no longer take up valuable pannier space.
Dave also left home without his electric toothbrush and shaver and did so reluctantly, but that decision saved a bunch of space and weight.
The upshot of all this was that closing his panniers this summer took on a very different feeling - I didn’t hear nearly as much swearing as he packed in the morning. I, at least, thought that was an improvement.
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As far as my packing goes, I feel like I have it down well, with only a few minor changes I'm pondering for next year. This year I took my keen sandals in place of flip flops and that was a worthy additional use of space; I wore them every night at dinner, I could walk around town in them, and they were useful in hotel rooms. Next year I'm thinking of ditching the cycling jersey altogether and just taking an extra merino wool t-shirt; a wool t-shirt will dry quicker and I never use the pockets in the cycling jersey anyway. After three tours on only one set of cycling shorts, I'm thinking of bringing a second one. I managed to get my shorts dry every morning after being washed out in the shower/bath, but there were some near calls. Finally, I likely will give in and bring a pocket, USB rechargeable fan. Dave carries one and the situation with A/C is always so uncertain . (I read that professional cyclists carry a portable fan when they travel).
- We jointly carry a portable tea kettle and that will remain on the packing list. It wasn’t as needed this year as French hotel rooms commonly had one, but on the rare days we didn’t have one our own kettle was important. I am not a morning person so that cup of Earl Grey is critical! Something we haven’t worked out: we don’t carry teacups. I know the Grampies reported they carry collapsible cups- I haven’t found any I liked well enough to haul them across Europe. Anybody have any leads on portable, collapsible, glass teacups? Otherwise, we are always scrounging cups from the staff or filching them from the breakfast buffet.
Other small good additions to our packing we really like: a small speaker.
We got this puppy in New York back in 2018 when I was going there for my ankle surgery and it’s a rock and has worked well ever since. Classical music in the morning and evening is really pleasant and we listen to a classical station from Colorado so it’s makes us feel a little connected to home.
A second small item new to the tour this year that worked well; Dave uses a knee pillow at home and found this collapsible one this year.
We talked about adding two collapsible regular pillows for the cheapie hotels that only have one pillow; to counterbalance that out, we just learned that at Ibis you can ask for a second pillow!
Anyway, packing is always a balance between not carrying too much stuff, and having some items that make our day and night comfortable and allow us to build small routines into our day.
Losing Stuff: You also didn’t hear nearly so much on this tour about us losing things. Last night at dinner we reflected that we had done really well in that regard and indeed, we lost nothing important: passports, wallets, credit cards, medications, tablets, phones, all stayed safely in our possession. On the other hand, when I skimmed back through our journal and reflected, we actually did have many near misses that could have been very serious: the biggest was Dave’s glasses that dropped off the back of his bike rack and our tour guide Miquel picked them up on the road later in the day. (A change for next year will be to have Dave bring an extra pair).
We actually had several minor losses: Dave’s toiletries kit (he replaced the stuff), his cap lost at Reims Cathedral (he found it the next day at the Cathedral lost and found); Jill’s purple jacket (lost and recovered in the depths of her pannier), Jill’s windbreaker (left at breakfast on multiple occasions but always recovered), rubber bathtub stopper (replaced for 4 euros).
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Our biggest loss was Jill’s phone that flew off her mount (user error- itwas not on properly), and cracked the screen.
Dave actually bought screen protection insurance for her so we will find out how hard it is to use when we’re back state side.
I am sure there were many other minor losses we have now forgotten. But I attribute our overall improvement in this regard to maintaining a routine on where we store stuff. Admittedly , we haven’t gone to spread sheets……yet.
So, on those two fronts, packing, and not losing stuff, I give us a a solid A.
Getting Along: I also give us an A on getting along. A long term bike trip definitely brings out the stresses in a relationship; you’re always together, you’re always having to make decisions, and there are not many opportunities for “alone time,” which I especially need. Finally you are always in a small space like a hotel room (we’re in our tiny Munich Ibis room right now for 3 nights) with no opportunity to spread out. So these all create tension opportunities and I feel that we do well to weather those issues.
Working Out: We failed utterly on working out. Every year we look at each other and say we are going to do better - and we just don’t. We were much worse this year than last year in Scandinavia, and I attribute that partly to the fact the French hotels don’t seem to have work out spaces- they were few and far between, notwithstanding my efforts to find places with a gym. In addition, spraining my ankle early in the trip caused me to lose all motivation to work out, because I was just demoralized. We have found that we do better if we work out together and once one of us falls off the wagon, it's pretty much over for both of us! That is definitely the story on this trip. One positive note: I brought a Theraband to do some upper torso work. I have a weak right side scapula. I worked on that relatively diligently on the trip and my scapula muscles feel stronger. But overall, we just haven’t come to a solution on how to incorporate the working out part of our life on these trips. Suggestions anyone?
Of course, the bike riding is excellent exercise and my cardio and leg strength did have some improvement. Dave reports he feels good -but he felt good when we left Bend!
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We each bring two sets of riding kit. My preferred bibs don’t always dry overnight and we both use the jersey pockets for wallet and phone. I used to wear merino t-shirts but I still wore MTB baggies (with pockets) for touring then.
I can’t give up my proper camera but it travels in my handlebar bag for easy access. It rarely goes on day rides, though, because I can’t fit it if the bar bag has rain gear, and I miss it. I’ve never even considered carrying a kettle. I guess we all have our own musts.
5 months ago