August 31, 2021
Tips we Learned from our Latest Adventure
After several bike trips and especially this one we have learned things that can make the trip more enjoyable and go more smoothly. Preparing in advance can help you have a worry-free fabulous adventure!
Warm Clothing even if you think you won’t need it - Rain gear can be multi purpose it can keep you dry but also be used for warmth on cool mornings. Leggings were a life saver for several of us on the cool mornings, also light weight wool sweaters/base layers were worn every morning until it warmed up. Who knew the mornings in August would be so cool even though temps were predicted to be warmer.
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Ride outfits, how many do you need - Most of us had two or three ride outfits for our 6 day trip, mainly it depends on how often you want to do laundry and whether you are carrying your clothes on your bike or not. Three outfits make it so you don’t have to do laundry every night. You can’t always expect your clothes to dry overnight…. A stretchy clothes line will help your clothes dry. There are not always enough places in the bathroom to hang things to dry.
Prepare for flat tires on your bike - Make sure you can change a tire and practice at home before leaving on a trip. Changing the back tire is the trickiest so make sure to practice that. We had three flat tires on our 6 day trip, two on the front and one on the back. Be sure to carry your own tire irons, don’t just have one set for the group. You may not always be together. Carry a patch kit and small hand pump with you that has the flip out stand that you step on while pumping. It makes it much easier! Notice that even though there were two guys on our trip it was the women who changed the tires and made other bike adjustments.
Additional bike mechanical tips - Be sure you know how to do small simple things like adjust the seat and handlebars, put a chain back on when it falls off, and make small adjustments to the gears. Know how to put the front chain ring in a lower gear manually in case a cable breaks or derailleur is being difficult. Bring a multi tool!
Navigating on the trail - Download maps for the trails you will be riding in advance. Some trails are extremely well marked and easy to follow. Others, not so much…. Some have on road sections with turns that can be trickier to navigate through. Have everyone in the group watch for trail signs to be sure you don’t miss a turn. The Trail Links app has maps for most trails out there. If you are using a gps like a Garmin or your phone bring an external power source along on the bike. Following a route on the map takes a lot of battery power…. I found that I could hook my Garmin up to an external battery source in my front bag and it worked well. And, of course bring your charging cable so you can power up overnight.
First aid and comfort supplies- Don’t forget to bring a first aid kit with big bandaids for road rash, antibiotic cream etc. also things like eye drops and lip balm can be helpful to have on hand. Of course some type of chamois cream is indispensable on a 6 day bike ride. Everyone differs on the brands they like but the most important thing is to get plenty of “seat time” in before you actually leave on the trip!
Nutrition and water - Several in our group were new to self guided touring and discovered that what was a 3-4 hour ride at home and a bottle of water took most of the day and there was no place to purchase water, food or snacks. Bring your favorite electrolyte supplement and more food and water than you think you’ll need. Gels, shot blocks, bars, nuts, dates whatever gives you energy. Several mornings we made and packed peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. There are not always convenient places to stop and buy lunch along the trail. A camelback and a back up water bottle work great for supplying a full days worth of water. Note: along the Couer d’Alene there were signs warning you not to drink even filtered water.
Being well prepared in advance leads to a stress free trip. You want to spend all of your time fully enjoying your great bike adventure. A few preparations up front will help you do that.
Enjoy!
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