Tomorrow we ride (Bike packing prep)

This week had been mostly spent thinking about what I might take on my bike packing trip to Italy. I wrote, re-vised and re-wrote my list a fair few times. A bit further down this post should be my 'almost' definitive bike packing kit list for 7 days spent cycling from Italy to France.

Exercise took the form of 1 run commute and 2 work and back cycle commutes this week. First bike commute experienced some menace due to the towpath being closed from Selly Oak to just past University. No major problem really - just made my route a little more interesting and varied. Second cycle commute experienced further menace. As well as the towpath being closed, I heard a strange squeaking sound as I sped down a descent. It sounded like something had fallen off my bike. Indeed, something had! My rear mudguard had gone AWOL and the squeaking sound was the noise that was made as it hit my tyre and propelled away. Run was relatively regular - I followed the no.5 route due to the towpath issues.

Ok, back to the bike packing and my kit list. I obviously had a bike and attached to same was 3 bottles, a Garmin Edge and a number of bags which I have packed stuff into.

The bars hold 2 dry bags, both 13 litre. I'm not sure how 2 bags will work out as most set ups have only one. I have put one bag in a mtb harness which doesn't fit this bike but am hoping it will offer some protection. Anyway, the bags and their contents are as follows:

Grey dry bag: sleeping bag

Red dry bag: sleeping mat, teeny dry bag (to use as a pillow), full finger gloves, buff, woolly hat, arm warmers, leg warmers, down jacket, waterproof shorts, waterproof jacket, loo roll and wet wipes.

I have a pdw bindle rack attached to the rear of my bike. Am not sure if a seat bag would have been a better choice. To this rack I have attached a 20 litre dry bag.

Red (rear) dry bag: tent, bike bag, titanium mug (containing trangia stove, pot stand, wind shield, peg, sponge and snuffer), wash kit (which is a pencil case containing deodorant, Vaseline, shower gel, floss, mirror, tooth brush and paste, and TP's), breakfast (bags of my porridge) and a slim 8 litre dry bag which contained clothes (3 pairs of socks - 1 silk, 1 woolly and 1 regular, a silk base layer LS, merino base layer LS, boxer shorts and a pair of cycling shorts) and a pair of granny pants to collect apples (or clean my chain). This bag will also carry fuel (meths).

Two further bags are on my bike. These are are custom made frame bag and an ill fitting tri bag. Their contents are as follows:

Frame bag: pencil case (containing pencil, maps, gps charger and cables and passport), 3 inner tubes, hip flask, tool kit (comprised of multi-tool, tyre levers, disc pads, patches and tyre boot), dry lube, head lamp, clothes wash, euro plug, bum cream, spork, knife, tea bags, condiments, cable lock, pump, Rapha back pack and nappy bags.

Tri bag: camera, sweets, hand sanitizer, electrolytes, lip balm and sun screen.

Other stuff will be worn or carried on my person. Or in my pockets. This might change. My proposed list is as follows:

On me: sandals, cycling shorts, merino base layer, hum-vee shorts containing pouch (money, card, pills, keys), matches and phone, SS jersey, LS jersey, cap, helmet, gloves and glasses.

Tomorrow we ride!