Stick to your list when shopping, they say. I don’t always do it; and if I followed that rule to the letter, I might miss some good bargains. When I went to Whole Foods day before yesterday, sunblock wasn’t on my list; but I saw it on sale and got it.

If I’m ever able to take my dream bicycle tour, my wish list would be extensive; and it might be hard for me to “stick to your list”. If neither my hybrid nor my road bike will do, Item Number One is a touring bike!

The next question is: is this tour self-supported? If it is, I have to look into camping equipment; and this is where the list gets long! I’ll need a tent; and that’s barely the beginning!

A waterproof tarp to put under the tent is a must.

The List Goes On

So, I have my touring bicycle; my “ground cloth”; and I have my tent. Don’t forget, though: on a bicycle tour you need to eat; and by all accounts, that’s a lot of food! It’s too expensive to buy ready-made food all the time; so self-supported bicycle touring means outdoor cooking!

Cooking isn’t all that needs to be done. We’ve got to wash our clothes, too! Pack along some mesh laundry bags to protect your more delicate items of clothing.

Incidentally, what clothes do I need for a tour? They say, if you’ve packed clothes for a few days, you’re good to go for weeks; just “recycle” things. All well and good; but I have to consider what weather conditions I can expect. Some kind of rain gear is a must; and keeping arm and leg warmers handy isn’t a bad idea, even in Summer.

Don’t forget spare tubes; and a basic tool kit is also a must. So is a first aid kit.

Omigosh, how can I “stick to your list?” For every item I think of, I extend it to several more!