My Gear

This post wasn't the most fun, but is probably one of the most useful. It made me look at ALL the crap I have. Also, it is just a list. The grammar and formatting are off because I am lazy. Details. The list is complete though. I basically travel with 6 parts: tent, sleeping bag, bike, left pannier, right pannier, and backpack. I realize some of my shorthand might not make sense. Just ask and I will explain.


My bike, a Surly Long Haul Trucker.
Bike:
Bike computer
3 water bottles
Back rack
Bungee cord
Under seat pouch with spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, and air nozzle converter


Tent: REI Half Dome 2. This is a 2 person tent. Way bigger than what I need. I was being cheap and didn't want to buy a new one because I wont use a one man in the states because I always take Sabah with me.

Sleeping Bag: Mountain Hardware, 3 season mummy bag, 10F or -10F. I can't remember. I thought this bag would be overkill. I meant to buy a smaller one, but ran out of time. However, those temps are survival temps, not comfort temps. My bag has been needed to keep me comfortable a couple nights, others it was just too hot. It doubles as a sleeping pad because I do not carry one. Unfortunately, this bag was just stolen. I will be replacing it.


Left pannier contents.
Left Pannier:
Ziplock bag with 5 mini zip ties and 9 regular zip ties.
Extra computer magnet - this went home.
Extra bungee cord - I had 2, one went home.
Extra u-bolt lock key
U bolt
Quickdry camp towel, 18' by 12'
Extra cable for rear derailer
Electrolyte disolvable tablets, 2 tubes, was gatorade, will be salt pills
1 box oregon chai, was 3
1 bag oregon chai
Altoids, won't be replaced
2 spare tubes
Patch kit
Extra master chain link
Bike rear light
Front fork spacer for packing, went home
Mini air pump, accepts co2
Pant leg wrapper, went home
Chain oil
White container with 4 chai, 3 gels, and a tea
Short sleeve underarmour, went home
Sleep losenges, won't replace
Tourist receipt
Blue plastic, endurox recovery drink
Foot print for rei half dome, 5 stakes
29 tea bags
Jetboil, with fold up plastic spork
Book, Walden Two by BF skinner, replaced by Are You Somebody?
40 crossword puzzles, was a hundred
Pannier shoulder strap
2 socks: soccer and patagonia lightweight, both went home.
Blue bandana
Toilet paper in ziploc
Gauze
LED light
Sabah's camp light to guide me home
Medical tape
2 extra ziplocs
1 ft cord
Carabiner
4 foot string for tying up food
2 fire starters
Stormproof matches
2 qtips, new skin, large bandaid, small bandaid,
Hand sanitizer
8 needles with thread
Steripen to make sure water is drinkable
Bag with playing cards, 1 oatmeal, three handwarmers, went home
Book, The Longest Climb
Waterproof bag
20 servings protein in plastic cylinder, won't replace
Added salt pills and more Endurox after these photos were taken when I went to USA


Backpack contents and gear I wear.
Backpack and my gear while riding
Painter's hat for a sun hat when foot touring, wish I had my old Indiana Jones hat.
Wire bikelock for quick locking and tire locking.
Ziploc with passport and wallet.
Spiral notebook and pen
Maps of the day
Single page of crossword puzzles
Napkin
Helmet
Biking gloves
Book I am currently reading, Eat, Pray, love (replaced by a book about Lance Armstrong's 2005 Tour de France win(
Camera cord
Cellphone, no international service, mostly a clock
External hard drive, should be a solid state, just broke, now dead weight
Sunglasses
SLR camera, got this back, still not working right, never get a Canon camera fixed in Hungary
Video camera
Mini microfiber towel to clear camera lenses
Ziploc with visa applications, photocopy of passport
U-bolt lock key
Leatherman pocket knife with pliers
Spork, taken home because plastic one is holding up
Waterproof bag for camera, etc when raining
Sunscreen
Advil, maybe 10 tablets
Past country coin bag
Innova Mile High Ultimate disc
Food - 2 pieces of bread, cucumber, nuts, bagel bites, 2 snack bars, dried fruit, 2 gel shots
Wrist sweat band
Cooling bandana that has gel stuff to hold absorb more water or sweat
GPS Spot tracker that emails people where I am at the press of a button
Slider shorts instead of a shammy. Never wanted to spend on it and you get used to it.
Riding shorts
Yellow t-shirt
Green Keens



Right pannier contents
Right Pannier:
Second pair of slider shorts
Bathing suit
Cleat bag - taking home.
Rain jacket - already needed this a lot
Scrubs bottoms to sleep in.
4 breakfast bars
T-shirt to keep clean and wear in towns.
Zip off pants to keep clean and wear in towns.
Q-tips, will use up the last few and will not replace
Dental floss
Aloe
Shampoo
Earplugs, essential for hostels and crowded campsites
Nail clipper
Conditioner, brought almost empty to finish it off
Soap
Second aloe, will use up and will not replace
Sabah's dog dish, being sent home
Second sun tan lotion, expensive here and having a second encourages me to use it up
Burt Bees moisturizer, will use up and will not replace
Ear wax remover for when I go diving in Red Sea
Light weight fleece that has been used more times than expected
Long sleeve capilene for riding or around town
Lonely Planet middle east book
Lonely Planet Med. europe book
3 Bikeline trail guides, will be sent home
Bike computer instructions, will be sent home
Ramen pack
Razor and extra blade in ziploc
Pannier strap
Wedding invitation, going home
Spare notebook, going home
NZ fake tattoo
Photocopy of passport
USA money
Extra credit cards
Kazoo from worlds
2 battery chargers for two cameras
1 phone charger
Spare battery for camera
Cpare memory card for camera
Camera cord for camera
Canon camera strap, sent home
3 co2 catridges to inflate tires quickly, used one of these
3 sweat bands from worlds, sent home
buff
Socks
Extra bungee cord
toothbrush and holder
Prescription bottle full of advil
Toothpaste
Vaseline
Bodyglide, same as vaseline, brought almost empty to finish it off
Tape, sending home
Safety pins, sending home
Chapstick
Hair ties, sending home
Icy hot

I carried this set of gear through 2570 km/1596 miles over 34 days (27 riding and 7 resting). That distance is just over half the USA. Imagine driving from New York City to the eastern Colorado border on I-80 and I-76.