Sunday, July 19, 2009

Bicycle Touring Through Maine Trip: Planning and Preparation

I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't nervous for this trip. While I am an experienced camper and cyclist, I have never really combined the two. I was invited on this self-planned ladies bicycle trip through Maine by another woman that I mountain bike with. I didn't know the other three women, nor did I really know the other woman that I would be sharing a tent with.

Clothes Line on Bike Trip

I spent the weekend before packing, repacking, packing, and repacking my two rear panniers. I kept reading online that you should pack as little (but completely) as possible for your bicycle touring trip, set it all out and then half it and then half it again.

Much of my frazzled brain resources were put into being as light as possible since I was concerned that I might be holding the group back if I packed too heavy. After I spent most of my weekend reducing my packs- I sat back and asked myself what in my pack was the biggest/heaviest and could I do without it?

Looking at everything spread across the floor I decided the biggest/heaviest stuff was my food and my underwear. I pondered this for a while- food or underwear, food or underwear- could I do with less of one of these? I cut back on one and I'll simply tell you that I was always well fed.

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