I am getting ready for my bike trip in a big way. I have been packing, unpacking, trying to sort out what I really need from what I think I might want or what I could probably getting Ireland. Since I will be riding a fully self-supported ride of 2700+ km then I will need a fair amount of stuff–mostly camping gear. I hope to not be staying at any B&B, hotels, etc…unless I really feel I need a break (or a shower). I have been practicing with a fully loaded bike (42 kilos, including the bike) and can easily ride 60km in 4 hours, including the occasional stop for a snack, a coffee, buy a t-shirt, whatever…so I am hoping to make at least 70-80km per day. People have said, “oh but you will also be sight-seeing…” True, but a large part of riding a bicycle on long trips is trying to make good time, riding the bike. It’s not about lolly-gagging about or dilly-dallying along with my head in the clouds. It really is very much a ‘point-A-to-point-B’ event.

I will be buying Dawes Karakum touring bike in Cork. Not much else to say about that. Here’s a picture…look it up if you want the specs. I’ll be bringing it back to Greece with me.

I finally found a good tent in Athens last week. A North Face Storm Break 2, 2 person tent. It weighs 2.4 kilos and is my heaviest item. My new sleeping bag weighs 790 grams. You laugh. Trust me, 500 grams is a lot of weight when you’re cycling or hiking. (2.2 pounds in a kilo, right?) Here’s the tent, set up on my terrace. It took about 5 minutes to set it up. I bet it will take less when it is raining.

And here are some pictures that give you an idea of the gear and weight I am taking. It may not seem like much, but it adds up. Remember, the bike weights about 18 kilos, so an additional 24-25 kilos is a lot.

And this will be the contents of one of the rear panniers…clothes. Note that my rain gear is in one of the front panniers. It is easier to get to it that way.

The other rear pannier will have my house–sleeping bag, tent, ground cover…and food. And water. I’ll stash water in equal amounts around the bike the best I can. The handlebar bag will contain stuff like my phone, wallet, ID, snacks, glasses, a map…It should even out all around the bike with 60% of the weight in the front.

This is something I feel very strongly about, this long distance bike thing. It’s one of the few things in my life that really felt right, does that make sense? As if it is a path I should be on for reasons perhaps I will never know. As if it is something that must be done, and done often. There are established bike routes all over Europe and even beyond, I’ll start with this one first. July 22 cannot come too soon!

–JDCM

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