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In a couple of weeks myself and and my wife are booked to do a 'Wilderness Trip' and will need to carry all our luggage with us in a couple of panniers and a rucksack.
Any advice about packing light and making our clothes last will be welcome. Not camping, though will have sleeping bags to carry. Temperature around 30 deg where we are going.
It is a guided trip, so probably not carrying tools/spares.
Thanks 🙂
Where/what country? What kind of riding? What weather is expected? How long is the trip? What facilities do the overnight stops have?
Not meaning to be awkward, just might help with the advice a bit! As a starting point zip-seal plastic bags are good for keeping stuff dry/compacting clothes.
You still want IMO basic tools and spares even if guided - especially any spares that are specific to your bikes like mech hangers and pads.
Clothes - clean underwear every day or some travel biodegradable travel wash and wash some, clean socks every day - t- shirts not so critical - just stink 🙂 Flips flops to give you alternative shoes for the evenings
Basic first aid kit including normal OTC painkillers and insect repellants / sting relief
Pen knife
head torch
Leightweight camping towel
Thanks - riding is off road, tracks. Some road I think. 6-7days riding using hired bikes, not our own. Overnight will be partly B & B type. Weather said to be warm 30deg. Rain possible though,,,
Flip flops for evening footwear plus shorts and a lightweight shirt, a down gilet is handy to have in in case it gets cold but doesn't weigh a lot/take up much room. Chamois cream is maybe a good shout (especially if it's going to be warm) as you're riding for a good few days. Worth taking sleeping bag liners too if it's likely to be warm at night time. You can cut down on riding clothes quite well if you're organised and wash then hang up riding clothes as soon as you finish for the day (a good excuse to buy posh hi-tech jerseys/t-shirts etc!).
That's all that springs to mind for now!
It really would help if you were less secretive about your ride. 🙄
You might want to think about water sterilisation and some way of carrying lots of water on your bikes.
Man-made fibres tend to dry quicker than cotton and this might be important if you want to have clean/dry clothes every day. Silk works too.
try and keep the rucksack light.
IMO don't use a rucksac - get all the weight on the bike but opinion is divided on this
Sorry druidh, not meaning to be secretive, just brief - location is Carpathian Mountains in Romania - my wife decided she wanted to do the trip after talking to 2 of her colleagues who originate from the area. It is way out of the norm for both of us, thus the need for advice, so thanks for the suggestions so far!