sf-la coast tour thoughts and preparation

[drew]

so ill be riding from SF-LA in a couple of weeks. this will be my first tour lasting more than a few days, so i wanted to put my plans out there and see if there is anything i should reconsider or any glaring holes im missing, or anything i still need to buy, while there is time.  i've blocked out 8 days. gonna try to camp only. im mostly following "bicycling the pacific coast", but if there are preferable route options, i'd be interested in those too. i know people do this without any preparation, but i have some time, and i like thinking about it. 

taking my hunqapillar with a carradice camper, acorn tool roll, jandd mini mountain panniers on the front, and a basket that i'm trying to leave open for food and incedentals along the way, maybe with a soft sided cooler. 

rear rack/camper bag

tent

sleeping bag/pad

alcohol stove (considering bringing my biolite stove for the charging capability, but it's pretty heavy)

bowl/utensils/matches/cooking stuff

lock

towel 

camera 

tools/maintenance 

2 tubes, levers and patch kit

multi tool

crescent wrench 

pump

front panniers 

5 t-shirts

overshirt 

2 musa or musa-like pants 

2 shorts

underwear/socks

rain jacket

packable down jacket

sandals

toiletries 

chargers/ipod nano

 i put this list together, and it is basically the same as my s24o list, but with more clothes. im especially interested in what things beside clothes, i should be adding for a longer trip. also interested in what people do for security while going through cities with a lot of stuff strapped to their bikes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bill Lindsay]

My personal secret is to ease into it.  The way I ease into it is an easy first day just to Santa Cruz (<90 miles from Daly City BART) and I treat myself to a bed at the youth hostel there.  Then the second night I camp at Pfeiffer Big Sur.  

[Eric Norris]

Let me say before I start that I’ve never done bicycle camping. Not my thing—I would rather sleep in a cheap hotel than on the ground. So I may not understand some of the realities of camping over a period of days.

That being said, a few thoughts:

— Seems like you’re bringing a lot of clothes. 5 t-shirts? Why not bring fewer and wash them when needed. I would bring one pair of pants and one pair of shorts … or maybe one pair of pants with zip-off legs that convert to shorts.

— No towel? Lest we forget: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/24779-a-towel-the-hitchhiker-s-guide-to-the-galaxy-says-is 

— Check the weather and see if you’ll need a down jacket. Note that summer along the coast is when the fog rolls in. Be prepared to keep yourself dry as well as warm.

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com
www.campyonly.com
campyonlyguy.blogspot.com

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[Deacon Patrick]

I don't take extra shirts, shorts, or pants. I wear them till I wash them, then they dry on me. But eating paleo has the benefit of no BO from grains and veggie oils. I'd skip the towel. Two pair underwear and alternate/wash as needed. Enjoy! You'll have a blast. Post a tour report and photos when you get done!

With abandon,

Patrick

[drew]

Haha, a towel is on the list. don't worry, ive made that mistake before.  see, im fine sleeping on the ground, but my weakness is in wanting something clean to put on when i wake up from riding all day and sleeping on the ground. hence the shirts, which are not a problem on 2 or 3 day rides. i like the idea of minimizing and washing on the way, though i don't know if i can ride with wet clothes on.  maybe a 2 day rotation system so one set has a day to dry... my sweat is not as sweet as yours patrick. 

[Anne Paulson]

Gear:

Three T-shirts are fine. Do laundry along the way.

Are you bringing sunblock?

You'll need soap for the showers. And quarters.

You didn't list alcohol for the stove.

A light hat with a brim is nice for when the sun is out, and I
definitely recommend a wool hat for evenings.

Riding on the coast is a lot different than riding in dry Colorado.
It's easy for your clothing to dry, if you're in Colorado, but along
the coast things take forever to dry.

Route:

On the first day, take Old San Pedro Mountain Road aka Planet of the
Apes. It's not a road; it's a trail, but very ridable on a touring
bike.

There's an oil spill at Refugio State Beach, north of Santa Barbara.
You have an option to go inland there. Do so. The campgrounds along
the coast are closed anyway because of the spill.

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-- Anne Paulson

It isn't a contest. Enjoy the ride.

[Deacon Patrick]

Actually, Anne, Colorado has been quite damp, and I've had nothing but rain and high humidity on quite a few of my bikepacking trips the last three years. So I stand by my no spare approach. Though I would not have pre-ventile. The damp is why I've switched from a down sleeping bag to a Wiggy system though.

With abandon,

Patrick

[Bill Lindsay]

Fred from Big Hero 6 has the underwear thing figured out

4 day undies

[scott]

Get a couple of diaper pins and pin them to your saddle bag. Wash your undies and shirts in the shower, wring them out, then pin them to your bag to dry for the day. Also, bring three shirts. If they are wool, bring two. Have a great ride!

[Esteban]

This is a few years old now, with new products to market -- but here were my post-tour thoughts after SF-SB in 2011:

https://veloflaneur.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/7-day-tour-what-i-brought/

Don't bring much in terms of clothing. In general, two versions of on-bike clothing (2 wool t-shirts, 2 shorts, 2 pair wool socks, with 1 seersucker/chambray/SPF collared overshirt as the exception), and 1 set of off-bike clothes (lightweight pants, camp t-shirt, down jacket, swim trunks). The coast will be wet in the morning during the summer, but rain is highly unlikely. A small quick-dry camp towel can be hung off the back while riding. Honestly, keeping things dry is the challenge, even in drought, and especially north of SLO. 

Esteban

San Diego, Calif.

On Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 11:55:19 AM UTC-7, drew wrote:

[Daniel Jackson]

One edit id make is not more than 2 tshirts. One on you and one clean wet and drying on the rack of your bike.

[Chris Chen]

Soft sided cooler is a good plan; I carried one of those "insulated" bags on a tour and it was fantastic for picking up "perishables" along the way like pork chops, cheese, eggs, and butter to the campsite for dinner.

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[dougP]

Drew:

I agree with the comments that you are taking too many clothes.  2 t-shirts made of a quick dry material are adequate.  One wool LS jersey & one SS plus the Ts give you plenty of layering options.  Rain jacket "yes" but leave the down at home.  One pair of pants.  I use a cargo net like Rivendell sells to hold my stuff on the rear rack, and it is a convenient place to put damp laundry that hasn't dried out overnight.  10' of clothesline plus a few clothes pins are handy for drying in camp and don't take much space. 

Personally I've found multi-tools to be highly over-rated.  Sure, they have everything in the world BUT they are inconvenient to use (every tried to use the chain breaker on one?).  Go over your own bike & see what it needs.  On my Atlantis (a pretty standard Riv build), 3-4 allen keys, a small screwdriver, 8 & 10 mm wrenches (Park makes a very thin one) take care of most common adjustments.  Trade the crescent wrench for a real chain breaker.  I've lugged around a cassette cracker & one each replacement spokes and have never used them, but I think that wards off broken spokes. 

Where in LA are you ending?  And how are you getting home?  Those points could effect your routing at the end.  BPC is based on continuing beyond LA, and there are various options if this is your end point.  At the end of your trip you'll be tired and interested in making it simple.

dougP

On Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 11:55:19 AM UTC-7, drew wrote:

[dougP]

Drew:

Re:  Anne's comment: "There's an oil spill at Refugio State Beach, north of Santa Barbara. You have an option to go inland there. Do so. The campgrounds along
the coast are closed anyway because of the spill. "  As of today, they are estimating weeks to months for the cleanup so likely the campgrounds will remain closed.

In BPC this is the Santa Ynez Valley Alternate.  San Marcos Pass gets lots of high speed traffic BUT there is an old road roughly paralleling SR 154.  BPC says at mile 36.5 "start 4 mile climb".  Before that, on the left side of the highway look for Paradise Rd or a sign to Paradise.  Take this, keeping the main highway in sight on your right (there are a couple of forks).  This road crosses under the main highway where it is up on a very tall bridge and continues up to the Cold Spring Tavern and eventually rejoins SR 154 at the summit.  It has steeper sections but is lightly trafficked and more scenic.  After you re-join SR 154, it's all downhill to Santa Barbara.  A couple of miles down from the pass, on your right is Old San Marcos Pass Rd, another lightly trafficked alternate that ends at Cathedral Oaks Rd.  Turn left (east) on Cathedral Oaks, the right (south) on Turnpike Rd (at Tucker's Grove park).  After Turnpike crosses the 101 freeway & RR tracks, turn left on Hollister (near San Marcos HS) to re-join the BPC route. 

dougP 


On Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 11:55:19 AM UTC-7, drew wrote:

[Bill Lindsay]

Speaking of side routes, I highly recommend getting off Hwy1 at Pescadero Creek Road, right on Cloverdale Road, right on Gazos Creek Road.  That adds a tiny bit of distance and a bit of climbing but it is removed from the Hwy 1 traffic for a bit, and takes you through a couple cute towns.  You'll still make it to Santa Cruz on Day 1.  All the Central Coast Randonneurs know that loop.  

[drew]

great. this is getting good. consensus is that there are too many clothes, and now i get to justify buying some versatile quick drying stuff too. 

thanks for the route suggestions, and keep them coming. any chance to get off the main highway is welcome. 

doug, i live in LA, near downtown. i'll just be riding home from pch, which will be a depressing end to the trip, but one i feel i must make. 

[sameness]

doug, i live in LA, near downtown. i'll just be riding home from pch, which will be a depressing end to the trip, but one i feel i must make.

Loop through Santa Monica and you can draft me home.

Jeff Hagedorn
Los Angeles, CA USA

[Anne Paulson]

I disagree with "leave the down at home." In all the coast hiker-biker
campgrounds every night, you will see people wearing those down
"puffies." It gets cold at night. The last time I stayed at one of the
coast hiker-bikers, the one at Half Moon Bay, I brought my down puffy
jacket and was glad to have it.

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[Anne Paulson]

For even more getting off Highway 1, instead of exiting at Pescadero
Creek Road, take Stage Road just north of San Gregorio. That takes you
to Pescadero, where you can go left on Pescadero Creek Road, then take
Cloverdale & Gazos Creek as Bill describes. Stage Road has two
moderate climbs, but it's deserted and beautiful.

[dougP]

The Ballona Creek bikeway, just below Marina del Rey, takes you to the Expo Line.  Don't succumb to depression; take the train. 

dougP

[Bill Lindsay]

I agree with Anne.  It might not be the most socially responsible place to buy down clothing, but I got mine from Uniqlo.  Their ultralight down jackets are super cheap, very fashionable, and it comes with its own ultralight stuffsack.  I use mine for lounging in camp, and then stuff it into my pillowcase when I bed-down.  It's a jacket and a pillow.  

[drew]

i tried to resist the down puffy jacket for a while, just because it seems like everyone in any outdoor setting has them.  it truly is a great piece of travel gear though. i take mine on any and all trips, bike or un-bike related. 

sidenote-  rei and campsaver have the patagonia nano puffs on sale this weekend. not down, but warm, ok with getting wet, and extremely compactable

[Eric Norris]

Wow. How did I forget the BEER?

http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/blog/don-t-let-the-can-get-you-down-get-yourself-a-beer-growler-pannier/ 

--Eric N

www.CampyOnly.com

CampyOnlyGuy.blogspot.com

Twitter: @CampyOnlyGuy

On May 22, 2015, at 7:09 PM, drew <drewbe...@gmail.com> wrote:

i tried to resist the down puffy jacket for a while, just because it seems like everyone in any outdoor setting has them.  it truly is a great piece of travel gear though. i take mine on any and all trips, bike or un-bike related. 

sidenote-  rei and campsaver have the patagonia nano puffs on sale this weekend. not down, but warm, ok with getting wet, and extremely compactable

--

[drew]

wouldn't whiskey be the ultralight option?

[John Bennett]

I rode the PCH 15 years ago, and found this book to be very helpful in navigating the ride. I don't know if it's been updated recently, but it never gave me a bum steer:

http://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Pacific-Coast-Vicky-Spring/dp/0898869544

Have fun. 

John

[James P]

I'd add a torch/headlamp to your list.

Also, you may want to check out crazyguyonabike.com if you haven't already - there are great trip reports which might give you some route/campsite ideas. (You can filter by area etc.)

For navigation, a map (or two) is not a bad idea either - Adventure Cycling's Pacific Coast Maps #4 & #5 is what you'll need for SF to LA (http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/pacific-coast/)

Items I'd also consider which are super light & add to your safety - a reflective triangle ($8 on the Riv site here) and ankle reflectors ($10 on the Riv site here) - adding to your conspicuity for those early mornings and late afternoons on Highway 1 (which can get foggy) is always a good idea.

Pedal safe, take lots of photos (to prove it happened) & best of luck with the trip. 

[Neil]

Good start to your list. I also think you are bringing too many clothes, but preferences matter. Yes, add a headlamp.

Just got back from 3 nights through southern Humboldt Co., and although it wasn't necessary, I greatly appreciated the luxury and instant warmth of my puffy coat. Oh-so-nice at the end of the day to have this single layer over a cotton t-shirt rather than layers of wool and nylon.

Also, regarding transport of cooler-type items...I've always had great luck burying beer, cheese, meat, etc. in my down coat and/or sleeping bag deep in a pannier. Beer keeps cold all day, even through the late-summer heat of Oregon. Cans R better, of course.

Oh, one other consideration...my buddy insists on bringing his backpacking-type camp chair on bike overnights. This isn't one of the older Thermarest-style ones, but a modern one from REI with legs. Weight is negligible to me, I think less than a pound, but is slightly bulky (like a large Nalgene bottle).

I feel this item is overkill if you are in developed campgounds with picnic tables, and yet I always find myself stealing time in his chair while he is off doing camp chores. For bandit camping with no facilities, if the options are sitting on the ground or on a chair, I would bring this chair.

Have fun on your trip, sounds like a blast!

[dougP]

After seen the photos attached to Manny's post "Mashley S24O Half Moon Bay", I withdraw my previous suggestion about leaving behind the down jacket.  Those pix have got me thinking maybe I need one.

dougP

[Anne Paulson]

I'm taking longing looks at this sitting pad:
http://www.rei.com/product/829881/therm-a-rest-z-seat-pad?cm_mmc=cse_PLA-_-pla_multichannel-_-8298810001&mr:trackingCode=8338A8F1-E449-E111-BC1B-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla_multichannelonline&mr:ad=52774012000&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=126983827960&msid=ovjLvtDz_dc|pcrid|52774012000|&lsft=cm_mmc:cse_PLA#tab-specs

Now that I've decided to use rear rack and panniers for my Divide trip
(starts next month, yikes) I have somewhere to strap that little 2 oz
pad. It would be so very handy.

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[Deacon Patrick]

Anne, are you not taking a sleeping pad? If I use a pad to sit on (I usually don't) I just use my sleeping pad (a cut-down Thermarest Ridge foam like that).

With abandon,

Patrick

[Anne Paulson]

My sleeping pad is an air mattress. I don't want to expose it to the
bare ground because it could get punctured. The beauty of that little
z-pad is that it's tough enough to stand some abuse.

[Deacon Patrick]

Ahhh. Got it. Is there a benefit for you of an air mattress over a foam?

With abandon,

Patrick

[Anne Paulson]

I'm old, and a side sleeper. No foam for me.

[Deacon Patrick]

Nobody old rides the Great Divide MTB. Grin. I imagine side sleepers are allowed, though I have no idea what that has to do with foam v inflatable. Grin. I am delighted you know what works for you!

With abandon,

Patrick

[drew]

we got a friend of mine one of those fancy REI chairs. it's pretty cool, and youll be the hero of any camp out if you have an extra chair or can roll a large rock well. ill probably just use my z-lite sleeping pad on this trip though. 

[John Bennett]

Best sleep system, bar none, is made by Big Agnes. The inflatable pad fits into a sleeve integrated in the bag. No more slipping off. Fantastic!

https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/SleepingBags

Cheers,

John

[hsmitham]

Anne,

I'm with you, I too am a side sleeper and a air mattress is a must. I've found that if I keep it slightly deflated I get a wonderful night of rest. That foam pad looks great! Super lightweight perfect for siting anywhere, just not really compressible. These days I like super compression to save on space.

Your doing the entire divide? How long are you taking?

~Hugh

[Anne Paulson]

I have had two Big Agnes pads. In both cases, they worked just great
until one morning when I woke up and I was sleeping on the ground.
Others have reported the same thing-- eventually they leak, unfixably.

[Anne Paulson]

I'm planning to go more or less the speed of the book, so ~70 riding
days and ~12 rest days. I won't slavishly follow the book, because I'm
incapable of being ordered around by books. But I expect I'll go about
that speed.

[dougP]

That little Therm-a-Rest pad can also double as a knee pad.  I use my flip flops for kneeling pads when messing around in my tent from the outside.  That would be better.

dougP

[Ryan Christbaum]

Definitely a warm jacket of some sort.  I live in the Berkeley hills and I only sleep with the windows open 3-5 days per year.  I know a guy who once drove cabs in SF and made the best money during the summer from freezing passengers.  You could also detour east of SF by 20 miles and get the Riv tour.

 

-Ryan 

[Dennis Hogan]

+1 for John's Big Agnes system. I don't have it but wish I did. Am contemplating velcro to attach the bag to the pad but haven't tried the idea yet. Am also a side sleeper and find the bag and pad seem to have a -/+ relationship of mutual attraction leading to sore mornings.

Dennis in PDX

[M D Smith]

I have used the Big Agnes system and I am not a huge fan.  I LOVE the sleeping bag (I forget the model name, but it's a 40 degree rated down bag - perfect for all but wintertime bike touring.)  It's the pad I couldn't stand...  I use the bag but ditched the pad, opting for my trusty 3/4 length Thermarest (which works fine in the BA's sleeve, which is genius) instead.

The things I did not like about the BA pad:

-You have to blow it up.  I much prefer the "self inflating" Thermarest.  When I get to my destination for the eve, I set up the tent, unscrew the pad's valve, and throw it in there.  After I eat, have a beer, and fart around camp for a bit the pad is mostly inflated requiring only a few puffs to firm it up before bed.

-The BA pad was noisy.  I tend to move around a lot as I go to sleep and the BA pad sounds like a candy wrapper in a movie theater every time you move a muscle.

-Also, the stiffness of the thick BA pad affixed to the bottom of the bag made me feel trapped in it.  When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is lie on my back and lift my knees for a few minutes.  I could not do this with the full length BA pad in the sleeve and being stuck in a rigid sleeping bag made me very claustrophobic.

Obviously these are just my quirks, so take that as you may, but I'd recommend a few nights "test ride" on your floor or in your backyard before heading out on a multi day trip with the BA system.  As I said, I highly recommend the sleeping bags, I just don't like the pad. 

-Mike

[Surlyprof]

For those using a thermarest pad, I always had good luck with their compact chair kit (I have an earlier version).  Once you get a handle on how to fold it up, it works great.  A little padding and lumbar support after a day of hiking or biking was always a welcome relief.

John

[John]

If you're a cold person, bring a down sweater. If you're warm person, or a freshly landed meteorite as my wife calls me, down is overkill for the coast, but windbreakers are a must.

On synthetics vs down or wool, I only feel cozy with down or wool. Synthetics keep me from being cold, but I never feel cozy warm.

I know synthetic down substitutes say they keep you warm if they get wet, but have you ever tried it in the wild? If getting wet is unavoidable, I use fleece (or neoprene). Fleece you can shake out if drenched, but synthetic downs not so much. And synthetic down substitutes have a short life-span, never leave them in a stuff sack in a hot car or car trunk. It doesn't take much heat to permanently flatten their loft.

John

[Mark Reimer]

I just finished an 8 day tour across Washington and Seattle and had some interesting observations regarding clothes

- I brought three t-shirts. I only ever wore one on the bike (merino t-shirt, stayed dry while sweating). I'd often wear no shirt at all, which was the most comfortable option. Then I had a cotton t-shirt I wore while setting up camp and sleeping. Just nice to have a clean dry shirt to change into. The third never left my bag. I should have stuck with two.

- I had two pairs of shorts - denim cutoffs (jorts!) and some looser synthetics. The denim shorts were fantastic till it rained for two days. The synthetics were great for drying out quickly. I could have stuck with the single pair of synthetics. Though my riding buddy wore denim cutoffs with no underwear for over a month of riding and loved every minute of it though. 

- Merino underwear. This is the MOST important thing I had! I wore the striped MUSA underwear for up to three days in a row, then would wash and change to my second pair. It's all I needed. I was dry, fresh, happy. I had a third pair of cheaper and much thinner merino. I tried pulling them off to change and they completely fell apart in my hands, hah! Pays to get quality I guess. 

- Socks - two pairs max needed. Merino wool to keep that foot stank out

- Merino wool sweater for the cool and/or moist days. (Seeing a trend? Wool is the best!)

- thin gloves and a rain shell. That's all I needed for clothes. It was enough to be clean, comfortable, and presentable if needed. Of course, your standards may be higher than mine. 

[Mark Reimer]

And by "Riding across Washington and Seattle" I meant Washington and Oregon. Doh. Need more coffee. 

[drew]

i was persuaded to try the merino underwear thing, since im already on the socks and shirt wagon. i had the same experience as you though. destroyed after 2 days of riding. i was using minus33, which i guess are somewhat budget.  tried buying the striped riv ones, but they are out of those and the devold. would be interested to hear if other brands can last.  if it's between stinking and spending 50$ on underwear that will last 3 days, i will stink. 

[Mark Reimer]

They'd last way longer than 3 days for sure. That was just how long I decided to go before switching. I know many people who stick with one pair. The Riv ones are probably 3 times thicker than the Mountain Equip. Co-op and Smartwool pairs I've had. They're definitely designed with a bike seat in mind. I can't see ever destroying them. 

On Tue, Jun 9, 2015 at 4:16 PM, drew <drewbe...@gmail.com> wrote:

i was persuaded to try the merino underwear thing, since im already on the socks and shirt wagon. i had the same experience as you though. destroyed after 2 days of riding. i was using minus33, which i guess are somewhat budget.  tried buying the striped riv ones, but they are out of those and the devold. would be interested to hear if other brands can last.  if it's between stinking and spending 50$ on underwear that will last 3 days, i will stink. 

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[Hugh Smitham]

Drew,

I've used the devold for a couple years now and only worn my first pair out. They finally just disintegrated. I think they're worth every penny.

Mark,

Your clothing pack list is spot on. I on the other hand have a tendency to overpack.

When I'm riding I really don't need much on as I'm generating lot's of heat. Synthetic stretch shorts, devold wool (two pair to rotate) underwear, wool socks, button down lightweight synthetic shirt and windbreaker.

Once off the bike for 1/2 hour I get really cold obviously depending on the current ambient temp, I usually change into light wool long underwear (which I'll sleep in ) wool socks (2nd pair), my knickers, synthetic sweater, beanie and if really cool light glove liners. I also bring a short sleeve wool base layer shirt as a back up for the button down.

I suppose I could ditch the base layer but it's so light weight and compressible it's hard to leave it behind. Maybe the knickers are overkill as well but they're also lightweight and fairly compressible.

I also bring cheap flip flops to shower in. Really dislike foot fungus.

The above is my clothing list for an up coming two week tour.

Tail Winds,

~Hugh

On Jun 9, 2015 2:16 PM, "drew" <drewbe...@gmail.com> wrote:

i was persuaded to try the merino underwear thing, since im already on the socks and shirt wagon. i had the same experience as you though. destroyed after 2 days of riding. i was using minus33, which i guess are somewhat budget.  tried buying the striped riv ones, but they are out of those and the devold. would be interested to hear if other brands can last.  if it's between stinking and spending 50$ on underwear that will last 3 days, i will stink. 

--

[drew]

hugh, where are you going?

im liking all the paring down suggestions. 

i found a good deal on a nemo gogo, so ill be trying that out. not too much smaller than my 1 man tent, and a breeze to set up/take down. packed, it's the size of medium sized cantaloupe. 

 right now ive got a medium saddlesack, 2 jandd mini mountain panniers and a basket. seems like i might have room to spare.

[Patrick Moore]

FWIW, I find that decently made nylon boxers -- loose, hi-rise -- make very comfortable riding togs -- nothing comes between me and my Target nylon boxers. 

The nice thing about these is that, tho' they will stink and within 24 hours if you ride much in them, they are very easy to wash and very quick to dry. And I daresay that 3 pr of these will cost less than 1 pr of decent merino undershorts.

In other news, I've found merino (will have to try my other lesser-wool jerseys) jerseys are quite comfortable in temps up to 86F or so with 30% humidity or so. More on this as temps rise.

On Tue, Jun 9, 2015 at 3:16 PM, drew <drewbe...@gmail.com> wrote:

i was persuaded to try the merino underwear thing, since im already on the socks and shirt wagon. i had the same experience as you though. destroyed after 2 days of riding. i was using minus33, which i guess are somewhat budget.  tried buying the striped riv ones, but they are out of those and the devold. would be interested to hear if other brands can last.  if it's between stinking and spending 50$ on underwear that will last 3 days, i will stink. 

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Alburquerque, Nouvelle Mexique,  Vereinigte Staaten

*************************************

The point which is the pivot of the norm is the motionless center of a circumference on the rim of which all conditions, distinctions, and individualities revolve. Chuang Tzu

Kinei hos eromenon. It moves as the being-loved. Aristotle

The Love that moves the Sun and all the other stars. Dante  

[Hugh Smitham]

Drew,

I'm heading to Vancouver Island BC for a two week tour. I pine for the PNW and further North, VI has been on my list.

Next year,  I'm planning on doing the Oregon Outback like Mark just finished and then some tours in the Sierra's.

I'm liking the Six Moons Designs Tent tarps for lightweight compressible shelters. There are other manufacturers out there making ultra-lightweight shelters but then the cost skyrockets. When I toured the California coast I used a REI two person tent. I ditched the tent and used the rain fly & footprint. I found  on the coast that bugs weren't an issue just the dew. This year on my tour I'm considering the same with my Marmont Eos1,  ditch the tent for the fly & footprint and bring my Titanium Goat bivy (7oz). That way I'll keep the weight & space at a minimum.

Here's my setup. Atlantis,  small campee rack up front with basket & shop sack clothes only to keep the weight at a minimum. Tubus low rider rack with two small Carradice panniers usually empty but used to carry food & beer into camp. Acorn handle bar bag for the stuff you grab most often, keys,  wallet, camera ect...

Rear:

Medium Sackville Saddle sack, carrying synthetic 45f degree sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow, fly & bivy, cook gear stove. Supported by the Nitto R14 top rack.

Tail Winds,

~Hugh

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[Hugh Smitham]

The Nemo gogo is interesting, still like a tarp though a bit more versatility. Seems if you have a leak on the air frame it could be a bummer pretty small floor space & height. It is a bivy though. And not cheap!

Tail Winds,

~Hugh

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[Spencer Hawkes]

My wife and I biked from Portland down into Northern California last summer and here are a few things that might apply to SF-LA:
-We followed the 'Bicycling the Pacific Coast' book pretty closely and showered almost every night. The state parks all were shower equipped, just bring along a hand-full of quarters. (Although most were free, some weren't)
-I brought a super light wool baselayer (smartwool) for sleeping and wandering around camp in the mornings. Slipping into something clean at night always felt good.
-Bring half a brillo pad for cookware cleaning
-Some sort of multi-use soap for dishes/hands
-I'm glad I brought a rag for bike repairs/wiping chain
-as mentioned before, headlamp
-Although not totally necessary, I brought a hand pump with a gauge. I'm not crazy into tire pressure being exact or anything, but the gauge was nice. (crankbrothers sells a great one)
-Small bottle of 100% aloe gel. I'm not great at applying sunscreen regularly, so this saved me, and it feels amazing to throw some on your forehead or neck even mid-ride if things are getting really hot.
-Lastly, not a piece of gear, but we always ate good food, and never worried about carrying extra food weight. Sweet potatoes and butter are awesome in tinfoil dinners, ice cream right outside the grocery store, nice sausages saurkraut and lemonade all made the trip that much more wonderful. Figure out what you want to indulge in a bit and go for it. For us it was food.

As a parting note, the crankbrothers multi-17 is the best multitool I've ever used, and the chain breaker is better than any other. I find myself reaching for it over my home mechanic chain tool from park pretty regularly now. Also it can be tightened if the tools come a bit loose after a few years, and as far as I'm aware has a lifetime guarantee (haven't had to use this in 6 years, but a friend has his replaced for free)

Have an awesome trip! Someday I hope to ride the section you'll be doing!

-Spencer