Touring luxuries
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Re: Touring luxuries
A radio and a good book , also mentioned else where a hip flask.
Re: Touring luxuries
Luxury can lie in quantity rather than any specific item. I think the quantity of clothes my wife carries is luxury. I often put smelly clothes on in the morning and don't have separate nightwear. But even what I have is luxury for others. I have known people cycle with just one item of spare underwear. The size of your tent can be a luxury. The weight of your sleeping mat can be a luxury.
Most of our explicit luxuries are edible things we buy along the way. Eating fresh potatoes, watermelons, and other heavy/bulky food items are luxuries when cycling.
Most of our explicit luxuries are edible things we buy along the way. Eating fresh potatoes, watermelons, and other heavy/bulky food items are luxuries when cycling.
Re: Touring luxuries
Echoing previous answers, a chair-kit for a sleep mat (I find it uncomfortable sitting on the ground with no back support for any length of time) and some means of access to Actual Coffee (usually an Ortlieb filter holder or an Aeropress for us).
Still on the comfy chair front, a comfy chair on the bike too: I use a recumbent tourer and that means a good aero position while still looking where I'm going or at passing landscape and not leaning on my arms most of the ride, a huge difference!
We have a choice of tents according to how weight-weenie we're feeling. The bigger one (enough room for a while extra person) is a luxury, but one worth having most of the time for us.
Pete.
Still on the comfy chair front, a comfy chair on the bike too: I use a recumbent tourer and that means a good aero position while still looking where I'm going or at passing landscape and not leaning on my arms most of the ride, a huge difference!
We have a choice of tents according to how weight-weenie we're feeling. The bigger one (enough room for a while extra person) is a luxury, but one worth having most of the time for us.
Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
Re: Touring luxuries
For me, "luxuries" may include the Kindle, a chair (Alite Mayfly now, thermarest chairkit previously), a pair of binoculars, or a bigger than necessary tent. I used to take a radio, but since the Kindle I've given it up. A thick sleeping mat is a luxury compared to the old Karrimats too
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Re: Touring luxuries
My main luxury for the last few tours has been my Exped Downmat 9LW - for a better night's sleep (along with quality sleeping bag, liner and tent). It is heavier and takes up more space than previous sleeping systems, but worth it for the comfort. (of course, taking a good, quality bike is also a luxury I enjoy!)
The luxury item I always take, but could get by without is my iPad.
The luxury item I always take, but could get by without is my iPad.
Re: Touring luxuries
Luxury items – something unnecessary, desirable and expensive. Hmm – quite a lot of bike ownership involves unnecessary purchases of desirable and expensive items!
What once was luxury is now easily carried - books, photos, music, radio, all on a smart phone. Communication now so much easier, although there always was a certain joy arriving in a new foreign city and going to collect (hopefully) poste restant letters. Gear is so much better these days - lighter, more compact, effective (although my neo air thermarest is necessary to me as well as desirable and expensive so sort of a luxury). Navigation, route-planning and recording journeys is also more easily done but I still prefer using actual maps, so maybe they are a luxury. Merino wool clothing still feels luxurious to me, doesn't smell, keeps you warm - in fact, it works so well hard to classify as a luxury item any longer.
I think I take 2 items which aren't really necessary: one is a Bluetooth keyboard which allows me to type detailed accounts of journeys (using the same smart phone), and the other is a tiny inflatable pillow which makes camping much more comfortable - wish I'd used this years ago. I like the idea of being able to make good coffee but there are so many places selling good coffee these days that I'm happy to stop in a café.
My 'luxury' item is a tiny LED lantern that hangs in the tent because it offers a lovely comforting light which is really appreciated when a long way from home.
What once was luxury is now easily carried - books, photos, music, radio, all on a smart phone. Communication now so much easier, although there always was a certain joy arriving in a new foreign city and going to collect (hopefully) poste restant letters. Gear is so much better these days - lighter, more compact, effective (although my neo air thermarest is necessary to me as well as desirable and expensive so sort of a luxury). Navigation, route-planning and recording journeys is also more easily done but I still prefer using actual maps, so maybe they are a luxury. Merino wool clothing still feels luxurious to me, doesn't smell, keeps you warm - in fact, it works so well hard to classify as a luxury item any longer.
I think I take 2 items which aren't really necessary: one is a Bluetooth keyboard which allows me to type detailed accounts of journeys (using the same smart phone), and the other is a tiny inflatable pillow which makes camping much more comfortable - wish I'd used this years ago. I like the idea of being able to make good coffee but there are so many places selling good coffee these days that I'm happy to stop in a café.
My 'luxury' item is a tiny LED lantern that hangs in the tent because it offers a lovely comforting light which is really appreciated when a long way from home.
Dawes Galaxy 1979; Mercian 531 1982; Peugeot 753 1987; Peugeot 531 Pro 1988; Peugeot 653 1990; Bob Jackson 731 OS 1992; Gazelle 731 OS Exception 1996; Dolan Dedacciai 2004; Trek 8000 MTB 2011; Focus Izalco Pro 2012
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Re: Touring luxuries
I would go for a lightweight travel tripod - preferably carbon fibre - makes photography so much more interesting
Re: Touring luxuries
Sweep wrote:I seem to remember someone on here recommending a stainless steel cafettiere possibly available through the demon amazon, until i get that my favourite luxury ( i lie, a necessity) is a bialetti espresso maker.
Definitely +1 from me!
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Re: Touring luxuries
Richard Barrett wrote:I would go for a lightweight travel tripod - preferably carbon fibre - makes photography so much more interesting
I often take my GorillaPod, but a bigger, lightweight carbon tripod would be nice!
Re: Touring luxuries
Book here too.
My first trip I was told not to take a book as we had no space and I got Miserable. Read our travel guide end to end instead! Next trip I got lightweight gear and took a nice big classic- something like Middlemarch that will last. These days I can do the same and take many classics on a kindle.
Thinking about maybe taking one of those lightweight chairs next time as my second luxury....and maybe jettisoning the cooking gear.
My first trip I was told not to take a book as we had no space and I got Miserable. Read our travel guide end to end instead! Next trip I got lightweight gear and took a nice big classic- something like Middlemarch that will last. These days I can do the same and take many classics on a kindle.
Thinking about maybe taking one of those lightweight chairs next time as my second luxury....and maybe jettisoning the cooking gear.
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Re: Touring luxuries
MrsHJ wrote:Book here too.
My first trip I was told not to take a book as we had no space and I got Miserable. Read our travel guide end to end instead! Next trip I got lightweight gear and took a nice big classic- something like Middlemarch that will last. These days I can do the same and take many classics on a kindle.
Thinking about maybe taking one of those lightweight chairs next time as my second luxury....and maybe jettisoning the cooking gear.
Agree on the 'miserable without a book', always my lifeline, need to read a few pages before i settledown at night and absolutely essential to fill a few hours apres cycle. Then if I am awake early i need something to read..... lol
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Re: Touring luxuries
I cycle camp as light as possible: 1.6Kg tent, minimal clothing, no cooking kit just 1x plate,1x mug, 1x spork, etc., but I need back support for siting and my luxury is a Helinox chair weighing in at 2LB.
Without my stoker, every trip would only be half a journey
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Re: Touring luxuries
A few peebols to save midnight treks across the campsite to find the loo & my medium thermarest compressible pillow
Re: Touring luxuries
loch eck steve wrote:A radio and a good book , also mentioned else where a hip flask.
I have a couple of hip flasks.
But are they needed? Just buy a half bottle of your favourite tipple? Those bottles are pretty tough surely?
Sweep
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Re: Touring luxuries
Malt whiskey?....one of my best memories is next to the Caledonian canal sipping a miniature of Jura whilst watching a red deer getting its bed time drink..coffee? My aeropress is most welcome. Biggest luxury? Electronic communication,I had a very bizarre night in the middle of nowhere.but I had 4G internet so had a bedtime video chat with my six year old son.
I don't do ' Facebook ' but sometimes communication is the biggest luxury. Imagine not having seen your children for a few weeks then having them in a field with you......that said perhaps solitude is the biggest luxury. How many times do we really get to be alone,cycle all day,camp,repeat...
My votes go for time,precious moments,snatched moments when you feel alive again. And Led Zeppelin....
I don't do ' Facebook ' but sometimes communication is the biggest luxury. Imagine not having seen your children for a few weeks then having them in a field with you......that said perhaps solitude is the biggest luxury. How many times do we really get to be alone,cycle all day,camp,repeat...
My votes go for time,precious moments,snatched moments when you feel alive again. And Led Zeppelin....