10 weeks before we set off from the Ace Cafe and pretty much all the preparation is done. Kit purchased, vaccinations sorted, final installment paid. Just the visas to finish off and I'm ready to go.
Time to do a test pack then. Camping stuff and tools in the right hand pannier, papers and day-to-day stuff in the tank bag, clothes in the left pannier. I said clothes ... in .... the .... left.... pannier. With a lot of pushing it fits but it's very tight.
I can't face doing that every morning. Out it comes. Remove a couple of non-essentials, put a couple of things into the tank bag. Try again. Still tight.
Only one thing for it - more kit! Trip to BykeBitz in Yately to buy a Kriega tail pack that will fit behind my seat where the pillion seat used to be. Put the heated jacket and waterproof oversuit in there and the clothes bag now fits with some space to spare in the other pannier too.
Ready to roll. But I have already broken my rule: To fit it all in the two panniers. Perhaps I should ditch one of the non-essentials.
Time for you gentle reader to vote. Which do I leave behind ?
1. Spare inner tube and tyre irons
2. Jet boil stove and coffee making stuff
3. Heated jacket
4. None of the above - take it all. You can never have too much kit!
A truly hardy traveller needs not his luxury coffee making kit. Stop and enjoy a cup of the local brew instead, however foul.
ReplyDelete#4. Zip-tie the tyre irons to the outside of your tins between them and the bike and wrap the innertube in a bin-bag and put it under the tail pack.
ReplyDeleteIf it all becomes too much, you can chuck the stuff as time goes on or wear the heated jacket without it being turned on.
trailer?
ReplyDeleteI consulted the experts. Julia says leave the inner tube, Kevin says ditch the heated jacket.
ReplyDeleteSimon Pavey (6 times Paris-Dakar rally competitor) agrees with Jack. Zip Tie the inner to the bike frame.
The correct answer is of course, take all three. You can never have too much kit....