Preparing For My First Trip!

With school holidays looming fast I will have some time off soon. With this time off I am hoping, like crazy, to attempt my first trip. Nothing great, just about three nights away to test it all and see how I go. Then I can work on a longer one...lol.

The bike is in good order with the exception of both wheels needing a little truing. They're not out by much, but I have noticed the spokes, especially on the front wheel are somewhat loose. This can, at times, cause a little bit of brake rub and is more annoying than anything. Pus I want to make sure they are good to go for the trip. the rest of the bike is in good order with new cables, brake pads and tyres in good order.

I still haven't got my front panniers and some other storage for the bike, hence why only the short trip. Living out of two panniers and an old back pack as a trunk bag should suffice. I am, however, hoping to have the handle bar bag by the time I leave, simply for camera etc. But if not, its not really a problem.

As someone who has done a lot of camping, I have a fair amount of gear, although the swag I usually use is way too big for the bike.
I do have a little tent called a Mozzie Dome. Simply a No See Um screen dome with a small fly over the top. It has worked well in the past, is small, light, extremely quick to erect and fits well into the panniers. I can't see the point in paying for a new single person hiking tent or bivey when I have this. After all, I am trying to get set up on a budget.

I do have a selection of sleeping bags, but they are heavier ones designed for more colder weather. They are also large as I am not the smallest of blokes and have needed the room. I am thinking of purchasing a lighter one before I leave, simply because the weather has warmed up nicely now (not that it ever gets that cold in Central Qld) and the extra room on the bike would be great.

Cooking will be over a couple of small Hexamine stoves. They are light, heat well and cheap and when packed away are not much larger than a packet of cigarettes. These were only $12.99 from Ray's Outdoors Bundaberg. They work by using small tablets that light much like a fire lighter. The stoves come with twenty-four tablets and packets of refills (24 tabs) are only $2.99. They'll work well for cooking some pasta, rice or oats, or boiling water for much needed and required coffee.

I am in the process of purchasing a Sea to Summit sleeping mat. Small, compact and extremely light as well as insulated. I really do not want to end up stuck with just my old yoga mat.
These Sea to Summit mats are, as far as I'm concerned, the duck's guts, and accompanied with the inflation bag, take no time at all to inflate. Some things you can't do on the cheap so paying the money for this is well worth it. A good night's sleep is a must.

Along with my sleeping mat, I have on lay-by a small hiking cooking kit. It has everything in in it from three small pots and a skillet. One of the pots is able to act as a mug as well, so even less to carry, although I am partial to my stainless steel camping mug. All the other essentials I already have in my little camping stash. Again, I know I probably could of made do with some of the stuff I have in my camping gear, but they are old pots and pans, full size ones, so not too practical for trying to save weight and room. A few dollars here and there is ok, or just plain necessary.

I am hoping to get an Oztrail Fly before I leave. This is a just in case it rains, as the Mozzie dome is rather open at each side. Although I have been in the rain with the dome before, it can come in if there is a reasonable amount of wind that pushes the rain in form the side.
These flies are light, take up bugger all room and merely precautionary.

I am still working out storage for water and have come up with a few ideas, but just need to test these out before I leave. I have a back pack with a hydration bladder inside it, that go on top of my rack with my solar panel on top of that. Along with that I can probably fit a bottle in each pannier. I'll work something out.

Power will be supplied by my home made solar system, of course.

I won't need to carry too much in the way of clothing as I am only travelling for a few days.

Food will be from home, pasta, rice and some tinned fish, sachets of tomato paste and a jar of mixed herbs. I'll carry along some Vita-Wheat and peanut butter for lunches as well as some powdered milk and oats for breaky.

I have made my own coffee infuser from some old parts of an old aluminium espresso percolator. Using the filter and filter basket I have managed to successfully use these old bits. It was a little bit of trial and error, but with the right coarseness of grind it worked. This saved me around $20.00 and the possibility of suffering instant coffee. Yes, I'm a coffee snob.
It was simple to make. I just removed the filters from the percolator, filed down the edges of the bottom filter until it fitted snugly withing the basket, and well, Bob's ya knob.

 I can't believe the time is drawing near and I am getting more and more excited as it approaches. Its not as though I haven't camped before. I always have, some remote, and when on my own pretty basic. This side is nothing new to me. BUT the adventure of bike touring, well... I know i'ts not off to some distant foreign shore, or thousands of kilometers around this great country, but for me it's a start, an exciting one.