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Magpies
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In these regions, swooping magpies
can be a hazard during their mating season between August to late
October. I seem to have overcome this problem by lacing 5
electrical cable ties (5mm x 300mm) onto my helmet so that they
stick up as spikes. Don't have them all vertical because you
need them at the side to keep them from coming in from those
directions too. The ties on each side of my helmet are roughly
horizontal and more than shoulder width. Since I've been using this
setup, I've never been struck or had to take evasive action. They
just don't come within 2-3m of me, so I ignore them - even the
country maggies who delight in playing tag with their neighbours as
you are riding along through their territories. I think that the
general directions of the spikes is important, and more than 5 is
probably an overkill. You look a
bit of a dork, but it keeps you safer, and is always a conversation
starter in each new town.
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Packing
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Backpack. I
have found it to be useful to include a small light weight backpack to carry
groceries, etc, back to camp. There are a number of towns that are now
or becoming plastic bag free, so this is very useful in these circumstances.
The pack can be compressed small enough to be held in your cupped hands.
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Blanket - light weight.
During the variable spring/autumn months, I carry only a light weight sleeping bag that is
rated to 10oC. I have found that the inclusion of this blanket provides flexibility for unseasonably warm or cold nights. I
made it from a length of polartec (or similar) fabric purchased for less
than $5 from a local
fabric store.
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Camera and spare batteries or
charger. I carry spare rechargeable NiMH AA batteries
rather than a charger. I charge all of the spares before the trip.
I have purchased my camera, GPS and radio so that they all use AA batteries. This makes it easier to replace as they can all use alkaline batteries if all of my NiMH's are flat.
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Chain oil screw top container -
empty. This is only recommended if you are flying.
However, even if you are not flying, it is wise to carry your oil in a screw top
container to prevent leakage that may damage the contents of your panniers and the
panniers themselves. As you are prohibited from carrying anything that
may be flammable on flights, you will need to purchase some chain oil somewhere along
the route if you have flown to your start point. Many manufacturers use alternate methods for closing the
container, most of which are not really suitable for touring cyclists.
By carrying this empty container, you can decant oil purchased along the way and
be confident that you won't have oil stained gear.
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GPS and spare batteries or
charger. Refer to "Camera and spare
batteries or charger" above. My GPS is a Garmin Etrex Legend
Cx. I have found that Enerloop 2000mAh batteries last for over 25
hours continuous use when the GPS is set to normal tracking. This
equates to about 5 days riding per set of batteries provided that the GPS is
turned off when stopped for more than a couple of minutes.
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Hats.
Using baseball caps to keep the sun off in Australia is not too smart.
The intensity of our sun requires a broad brimmed hat to provide as much
shade as possible. I recently purchased a Columbia unisex hat with a
90mm brim, mesh sides on top and a light weight fabric across the top.
It weighs next to nothing and folds up into a small bundle for touring and
springs back into shape when worn. See the tip on Hill Climbing.
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Laundry mesh bag.
I have a large mesh laundry bag with short lengths of rope tied in each corner.
If I have to carry wet clothes on the bike, I put them in this bag and tie it on top of
my rear luggage so that it will dry during the day's riding. The bag
is also useful for carrying clothes, etc, to and from the laundry.
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Pants - long or short.
Trousers with zip-off legs are the most practical to take on a trip. They
are usually suitable enough as long trousers to get into most venues and
provide comfortable shorts as well.
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Plates.
When travelling without my family, I have found that it is unnecessary to
carry plates. I just eat out of the saucepan. Saves on weight
and washing up!
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Seat - light
weight. I have found a fold-up seat to be very handy.
It enables me to sit in some comfort almost anywhere, and not have to try to
find a dry bit of ground to park myself or to keep away from the creepy
crawlies. The weight is minimal but the benefit is well worth the
extra bit of effort up the hills.
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Socks
- quick dry. It is best to take dark socks on a tour,
rather than white or light colours. It takes numerous washes to remove
evidence of the road dust from light coloured socks, so even when they are
clean, they look dirty. Dark socks are also more suited to being worn
after riding. I have found the thick Explorer socks available from
supermarkets to be good for travelling.
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Tools - spanner for removing
pedals. This is only required if it is necessary to
re-assemble the bike after a plane flight or train trip. In most cases
a 15mm spanner is required. Before packing it, check that it will fit
your pedals - I had to file the front and back of my spanner so that it
would slip down between the crank and pedal.
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Washing powder.
Most caravan parks will sell you washing powder at exorbitant prices.
It is best to carry sufficient in a re-sealable plastic bag or small plastic
bottle to satisfy your needs for
the time that you are away.
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NSW Train Travel
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CityRail is continually doing track work
which can effect timetables and the ability to travel with a bike. It
is wise to check their website (Links) for any track
work to be done at the time that you plan to travel. Where buses are
used to replace trains, it is likely that bike travel may be limited or even
not allowed. I have found that provided the bus has a luggage
compartment underneath, usually it is not a problem, but I suspect that it
also depends on the driver attitude. I have even had a situation on
one trip where five of us were allowed onto the Muswellbrook train at
Newcastle and the train became a bus at Singleton. Being in the
country, the driver was really helpful even though there was no luggage
space under the bus. He put all of our panniers in the small
compartment at the back of the bus, and the five of us and our bikes boarded
and moved to the back of the bus. Then we headed off on the 50kms to
Muswellbrook without any dramas. That's the real country attitude of
"let's solve the problem"!
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Bikes can travel on all CityRail trains, but during peak
hours, a fare has to be paid for the bike. At other times, and on
weekends, they are not charged.
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All trains.
Do not board the train with your bike at the front or rear vestibules of the
train. They must be kept clear as emergency exits for the driver and guard.
Always try to minimise the inconvenience that your bike may cause to other
members of the travelling public.
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Intercity trains from Sydney to
Newcastle or the Blue Mountains and Wollongong. The CityRail trains,
will most likely consist of 4 + 4 or 2 + 4 carriage sets. This means that in
the middle of the train, there is a guard/driver compartment at the end of
each set. This is usually the best place for bikes, and occasionally the
connecting doorway is unlocked enabling the bike to be placed into the
vacant guard/driver compartment. Put your bike there in that vestibule.
It may be a bit tight, but there won't be passengers pushing you and your
bike out of the way as they walk between carriages. There are usually toilets at each alternate
carriage. Avoid that end of the carriage and the end of the carriage
adjoining it. The location of the toilet is easily seen before
boarding the train. It is in the end that has a white tinted window.
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Sydney suburban trains.
These trains will be busy with regular on/off passengers. Load your bike at
either end of the carriages and place them in such a way as to provide the
minimum inconvenience to other travellers. If possible, limit 1 bike to each
end of a carriage.
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Diesel trains of the Hunter,
Goulburn and South Coast lines. These trains will be
busy with regular on/off passengers. In the newer trains, load your bike at
the centre of the train and place them in such a way as to provide the
minimum inconvenience to other travellers. There are usually 2 hanging racks
in one carriage, while the other carriage has space for wheelchairs/prams
that can be used for bikes if there are no wheelchairs/prams. In the older
sputniks seemingly only remaining on the Hunter line, there is often a large
goods compartment at one end of the train - on these trains, it is OK to put
your bike in the end compartment and remain with it for the journey.
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XPT trains operated by
CountryLink. Booking of your bike onto train is
required at the time of purchasing ticket. Failure to do this may result in
the bike not being carried on the train with you. The bike must be boxed and
will be considered as luggage. Individual pieces of luggage must not exceed
20kgs.
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Domestic Airline Travel
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Boxes from bike shops can be used, but are smaller than
those provided by the airlines. VirginBlue box size is 300 x 800 x 1400 and
can be purchased for less than $20 at the airport. Use plenty of
packing tape on the box.
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If you intend to box your bike at the
airport, you must supply your own packing tape. Be warned that the
airlines sometimes run out of boxes at the airport. If your bike is
not boxed, it won't be allowed on the flight. I once had this happen
to me at Melbourne, but fortunately one of the other airlines had bike boxes
that I was able to buy.
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Some airlines recommend letting all of the air out of your
tyres before packing the bike. My experience has been that this is
unnecessary, particularly as they claim that the luggage compartments are
pressurised. This eliminates the tedious pumping up of the tyres as
you are assembling the bike in your destination terminal. However, I
usually reduce the air pressure in the tyres a little.
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I normally pack my tent, spare tyre and light weight folding
seat in with the bike. This reduces the number of pieces of luggage,
and where the contents of the bike box are treated as 5kgs of your allowable
luggage, it helps to minimise the chance of an excess baggage fee.
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Tape 2 pannier bags together to reduce the number of pieces of
luggage that need to be collected at the destination baggage carousel.
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Don't have tools or anything sharp or inflammable in
carry-on luggage.
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Do not pack any metho/gas or chain lubricant. All fuel and
food can be purchased at your destination to save any potential excess
baggage costs.
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If taking a fuel stove, the burner and storage bottle should
be purged of any traces of fuel. For Trangia stoves, put metho in the
burner, light it and allow it to burn out completely, then wash it out. In
the case of the bottle, thoroughly wash and soak it. Allow both the burner
and bottle to dry with their lids off.
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Arrive at the airport with your bike packed at least 1 hour
before your flight departure. You will usually be required to provide photo ID
to be able to collect your ticket and lodge your baggage.
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Expect inconsistency. Security at all airports have
some different criteria. Things that are let through at one place may
not get through at another. (I have had to dispose of electrical cable
ties in cabin luggage that I carried for emergency use because they could be
used as restraints. However, the 3m length of clothesline and roll of
insulating tape were not problems in my cabin luggage. You figure it
out!)
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Accommodation
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Unfortunately, many caravan parks have a
minimum charge, which is for 2 people, so if you arrive alone, you have to
pay for 2. Often the privately owned parks will drop the price if you
point out that you are alone on a bike with only a small tent, but the
council operated facilities are completely unsympathetic.
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If travelling near mining or power station
areas, and planning on pub, motel or cabin accommodation, it is wise to book
in advance. When mines and power stations have maintenance shutdowns,
this type of accommodation is at a premium for workers who come
from out of town for the maintenance work.
This is particularly the case in the Hunter west of Branxton and in the
Lithgow area.
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Dehydration
Most people need 4-8
litres of water per day (coffee, tea and alcohol help to further dehydration).
Remember, if you’re feeling thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
Early symptoms include
feeling thirsty, excess sweating, headache, dizziness and nausea. If
dehydration continues, it can result in seizures, a loss of consciousness and
even death.
First aid consists
mainly of
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Lie the
person down in a cool shaded area:
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Give
them water in small quantities at a time (creek water is OK if you have no other
water);
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If the
person cannot keep the water down, or does not recover quickly, seek medical
assistance.
Dehydration for a touring cyclist can also
slow down recovery for the next day's trip, so keep the fluids up regardless of
the day. If you drink too much, it will pass through you. If you are
not drinking enough, the sign will be little or no urine.
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Snake Bite
In the event of a
snake bite, the “pressure-immobilisation” technique is currently recommended by
the Australian Resuscitation Council, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.
The lymphatic system
is responsible for systemic spread of most venoms. This can be reduced by the
application of a firm bandage (as firm as you would put on a sprained ankle)
over a folded pad placed over the bitten area. While firm, it should not be so
tight that it stops blood flow to the limb or to congests the veins. Start
bandaging directly over the bitten area, ensuing that the pressure over the bite
is firm and even. If you have enough bandage you can extend towards more
central parts of the body, to delay spread of any venom that has already started
to move centrally. A pressure dressing should be applied even if the bite is on
the victim’s trunk or torso.
Immobility is best
attained by application of a splint or sling, using a bandage or whatever to
hand to absolutely minimise all limb movement, reassurance and immobilisation (eg,
putting the patient on a stretcher). Where possible, bring transportation to
the patient (rather then vice versa). Don’t allow the victim to walk or move a
limb. Walking should be prevented.
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Travelling with Others
Travel professionals
have told me that the dynamics of a group will begin to splinter after 2-3
weeks, and after 4 weeks, there can be some major confrontations. Choose
your travel companions carefully, and remember, it's a holiday for all of you,
and we all have our own individual foibles. If friction develops,
implement strategies to minimise the risk of it ruining the holiday, and
possibly destroying friendships.
I have found that it is best at the
beginning of any tour to talk to travel companions to determine how they would
like to travel. Sometimes there may be an expectation that everyone will
remain together as a group, but this can cause problems, as some in the group
may wish to do things differently to others. I prefer to start early -
between 7-8 am - and arrive in camp in reasonable time to wash clothes and have
them almost dry by sunset. Others may start later in the day and get
into camp before sunset. Sometimes, if our speeds are similar, we will
meet every 10 kms or so - at the nearest hill top enroute - and preferably in
the shade. At other times, where personal travel speeds are different, or
interests are divergent, we meet at the camp at the end of the day. These
strategies enable everyone to enjoy their trip and not be in the pockets of one
another unless they want to, and no-one is forcing the group to follow their
preferences, or preventing others from doing as they wish.
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Tent Choice
After your bike, the
choice of a good tent is one of the most important decisions that you will have
to make for bike touring. Typical tents suitable for bike touring weigh
between 2-4kgs, making them also the heaviest individual item that you are
likely to have to carry. Our tent is a 2-3 person
Macpac Tundra - which we purchased in about 1992 for around $700. It
weighs about 3.6kgs and unfortunately is no longer made. Probably the
closest to it in their current range would be an
Apollo or a
Celeste. We chose it based on the following criteria:
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Had vestibules at
either entrance that could be used for storing gear outside the tent but
under cover, or cooking in during bad weather;
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Was a multi-pitch
tent which enabled both the inner and outer to be pitched simultaneously, or
separately if required - which is really useful if it has to be put up in
the rain;
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Was easy and quick
to pitch, having only 2 poles and 6 or so pegs;
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Was insect proof
with a good floor;
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We could kneel in
the tent to get dressed if required;
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The tent was roomy
for 2 people (it was a 2-3 man tent), allowing reasonable space for us if
confined during bad weather; and
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It is a 3 season
(spring to autumn) tent, in that each of the internal doors has a screen,
which can be fully closed off - not just a mesh. This helps to keep
some of the warmth in and cold out.
As we had done quite a bit of
"toothbrush" touring with our young sons before we bought this tent, we knew
that it was something that we would continue to use for some time, so the
initial cost of the tent, while being expensive in those days, was not a major
consideration as we considered that the quality would pay for itself.
Today, suitable tents can be purchased for less than $100, but you get what you
pay for.
I still use this tent when travelling
without my wife, even though I could save about 1kg on a smaller tent. The
ability to spread out my gear in the tent is a bonus that I am prepared to pay
for in an additional weight penalty up the hills.
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Tyre Problems
It is always wise to
carry a spare tyre on a tour. Sometimes one isn't enough, and it is
necessary to patch a tyre that may have a torn case in order to limp into the
nearest bike shop to get replacements. Probably the most effective way
is to use one of Australia's plastic bank notes. Wrap it around the tube
in the location that the tyre has been cut, and it will usually have sufficient
strength to allow you to proceed with care to the next bike shop. I have
been told that the same can be done by cutting a plastic drink bottle and
wrapping it around the problem area. Because of its rigidity, it may cause
a consistent "thump" with each revolution of the wheel, and I suspect more care
would be required to ensure that the plastic from the bottle does not cut or
abrade the tube. However, I carry a piece of sail fabric with me that I
obtained from a sailmaker. It is about the size of a $5 note and has an
adhesive on one side. I place the adhesive side lengthwise onto the inside
of the tyre, and work the sail material until it is evenly bonded to the tyre.
Once that has been done, reassemble the wheel and regularly monitor the
condition of the cut to ensure that the "patch" is holding. I've ridden several thousand kms with one of these repairs in one of my tyres
without any problems (the cut was about 1cm long and the tyre was used for my
local riding and was pressurised to 120 psi.)
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Puncture Repairs
I was told of this
method of repairing punctures, and I have found it to be extremely good, but not
necessarily usable while touring unless you can borrow a hair drier in one of
the camping areas.
Roughen the area to be patched and then
place the glue on the tube where the patch is intended to be placed. Allow
the glue to dry - for 10 minutes, 10 hours, 10 days, or until you are able to
properly repair the tube. Heat the dried glue on the tyre with a hair
drier for about 30 seconds and then firmly place the patch on it. I have
found that this fixes even those "unrepairable" tubes with the holes next to the
ridges where the moulds have been joined.
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Rear View Mirrors on Drop Bars
I have never felt comfortable riding
without a rear view mirror. Those available in bike shops don't seem to cater
very well for the drop bars (perhaps it is not "cool" to use a mirror on a road
bike!). They either vibrate like crazy, or fit into bar ends - which means a
large eye movement down to look at what is happening behind. To overcome this, I
made my own many years ago, and it has been quite successful. Having bought
a new carbon fibre toy with Ultegra gear for local riding, I had to re-design the original concept to
accommodate the gear/brake lever combination.
Essentially the mirror is just a Mirrcycle mirror with the handlebar plug
cut off. The important bit is the 2.5mm aluminium attaching it to the brake hood.
It is rolled to fit over the brake lever and under the rubber boot and is firmly
held in place by velcro strapping. Up and down movement on the arm is minimised
by the depth of the arm, and I have reduced sideways movement by putting a
slight roll in the flat metal along
the arm.
The wing nuts on the mirror enable it to
be easily adjusted if necessary while on the road, as well as allowing the
mirror to be folded out of the way when the bike is up-ended to fix a puncture,
etc.
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Hill Climbing
When you have a reasonable sized hill to climb, I recommend that
you adopt the following:
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Ensure that your shoes are tied up tight enough to prevent
your shoes from causing blisters;
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Carry a quantity of bandaids in case of blisters;
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Take off your helmet and gloves then secure them to the top of
your rear load;
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Wear your broad brimmed hat and plaster yourself with
sunscreen; and
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Walk up the hill on the opposite side of the road with the
bike on your right closest to the edge of the road. This enables you to see the
oncoming traffic, and it puts the bike between you and any snakes that might
be sunning themselves in the debris at the edge of the road.
And for the tandemists, when my wife and I were touring, we made
a "harness" for the stoker so that she could pull the bike up the hill while I
balanced and pushed it. As you know, tandems aren't easy to balance and push up
hill, and it is pretty near impossible for 2 people to push. We used our 3-4m
clothesline and tied it to a shoulder strap that we had for carrying our
handlebar bag. The strap formed a sash over the stoker's shoulder to spread the
load and it all worked quite well for us. We got quite a few looks (especially
from the tourist buses) and plenty of friendly toots, but it really made it
substantially easier for me in getting our load up the hills.
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Nocturnal Toilet
From the 1970's to 1990's I used to fly sailplanes (gliders).
One of the problems faced was how to accommodate toilet needs on a long flight
(3 to 8 hours) in a confined space. The "piss bottle" became a regular
accompaniment on these long flights, with special efforts made to ensure that it
did not get mixed up with the "drink bottle". (I believe that the women
used Kimbies.)
So, on to bike touring, where nocturnal visits behind the most
convenient tree or to some far off toilet can sometimes be damp and chilly as well
as creating a major disruption to a decent night's sleep. Not any more!
Acquire a plastic "piss bottle" with a screw top lid, the appropriate sized aperture
and volume, and these nocturnal wanderings become a thing of the past. Empty its
contents in the morning or as need be (outside the tent of course), and if it is
re-used, rinse it out and make sure that it can't be mistaken for a drink
bottle.
Thanks to the advice of one of our band of lady touring cyclists,
I can now add this link for their added
nocturnal toilet comforts. She has one and speaks highly of it. Use
this device in your tent with a piss bottle and there's no more wandering off
into the cold, damp night for a toilet stop.
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Are you leaving an empty house
behind?
Apart from all of the usual security measures undertaken when
leaving a residence empty, remember to turn off all electrical appliances that
are not necessary, especially the off peak storage hot water service.
There is no point in paying for hot water that will not be needed, and it will
help to reduce the carbon footprint of your tour. These hot water services
are usually the largest consumer of electricity in a home.
Remember to turn it back on as soon as you return from your trip,
but usually you will not have any hot water until the next day.
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