Outfitting for this ride

The ongoing battle to not overpack and to be prepared

I lay out all of the items for a tour on my guest bed and check them off my packing list. Note: I am overpacking!

I overpack. I constantly revisit my bicycle touring packing list to skinny it down. I am an over-planner. That leads to the need to be prepared for anything. Maybe it comes from my scouting days.

This tour is an easy one to outfit. It is a week with overnighting at my home on the third night. It is a supported tour where my luggage is being carried in a luggage truck. Water and snacks are provided in the ample SAG stops. I will do laundry and re-pack mid-week at my house.

The photo on the top of this post is everything I will be packing for on the bike and in the luggage truck. I allowed myself a little luxury packing a few extra things (just in case). Am I the only one who always seems to pack an extra pair of underwear regardless of how little I pack? I guess my mother’s advice to always have clean underwear in case I am in an accident stayed with me.

I developed a variety of packing lists for my bike tours. These lists factor in being self-supported vs supported, camping vs credit card touring, number of days, and weather/seasonal needs. A few years back I published my bicycles touring hacks. That advice from 2019 on packing still applies to any bicycle tour I am cycling.

Packing

You don’t need as much as you think. That pretty much sums it up for everything.
Weight and space, that’s what it is about.
You only need two cycling outfits for a 2-day or weeklong tour. Launder them in the sink or shower.
Pack for the season but keep an eye for unusual weather.
A seasonal waterproof jacket is a must, but I often prefer not to wear it. Cursing ensues.

What not to pack

The photo below is from my first bicycle tour. I severely overpacked. It was a 7-day self-supported camping tour. I had 75 pounds of gear on that bike. After 2 days of pedaling that hog of a rig, I mailed 25 pounds back home to lighten the load. Do not be Tom. Pack lightly and revisit your packing list again and again.

My Kona Sutra outfitted with 75 pounds of gear for my 1st 7-day self-supported camping tour in 2011. 25 pounds were sent back home on the 3rd day of the tour. Do NOT be Tom.

Self-supported bicycle tour documents

Here are two of my bicycle touring lists to help you plan for your first tour on a bike. Everyone is different. There are different styles of bicycle touring. This reflects my style and preferences. Make them your own.

My 7-day self-upported credit card tour packing list. I use this as a base and customize it.

My 7-day self-supported credit card tour bicycle configuration I use as a base and customize to the tour.

Quote of the Day

You don’t need as much as you think. That pretty much sums it up for everything. - Tom Bilcze

Today's Trivia

Ohio is known as the mother of Presidents. It is the only state with eight U.S. Presidents. Only Ulysses S. Grant) served two full terms. Four died in office. They are Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William H. Taft, and Warren G. Harding.

Follow the Tour

No need to jump on a train or canal boat as I pedal the tracks of steam locomotives and canal boats across the Buckeye State. You can just check me out on social media at Cycle Blaze and Instagram with hashtags #OH2Erie and #Moffitt22.

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