By: Dave Krauss
Published: August 2010
For many cyclists like me, riding is freedom. I’m out on the open road, just me and my bike traveling to wherever the open road and my dreams take me.
But there has always been a limit to recreational riding. Sooner or later I reach that point farthest away from home where I have to turn back. It’s that rural intersection where the road keeps receding into the distance, beckoning me into the thrilling and unknown distance.
BUT... It’s getting dark. Or I have to fix dinner. Or the lawn has to be mowed. So I turn the bike around and head home. Meanwhile, that open road is still there, calling to me, taunting me!
But what if I didn’t have to turn back? What if I could just keep going for the rest of the day, then do it again the next day without the need for heavy panniers or towing a trailer? What if I didn’t have to wake up in my tent, listening to the rain pounding on the nylon fly, knowing I have to pack it all up before I can get moving again?
If those dubious pleasures of bike touring don’t appeal to you either, then credit card touring may be just what you need. Ride the racing bike you love, carrying the bare minimum in essentials, and use that little magic card to get all the comforts of home.
Light touring this way can be liberating and easy if you plan ahead and make sure you’re prepared. Here are some tips for doing just that:
Before You Go
Plan your route – Websites like bikely.com and mapmyride.com let you plan ride routes in detail, supplying mileage, altitude profiles, and letting you generate a printable cue sheet.
Get your bike checked and inspected – If you’ve been putting off getting that strange clicking or creaking sound checked, don’t put it off any longer. Check your tires carefully. If there are too many small cuts or worn tread, get new ones. Don’t tempt fate.
Make a list of written resources and take two copies – It should include names and phone numbers of places you’re staying, local bike shops, and emergency services along your planned route. Include medical insurance info and their toll-free number. Don’t forget emergency contacts if you do get stranded. Also remember to check with them to confirm they will actually BE at those numbers while you’re on the road!
Decide what kind of ride you want to do – Will it be a loop leading you back home, or will you head out for two or three days and take the train or bus home? If you are, make sure you also have bus or train schedules and make sure they will transport your bike for you.
Check the weather forecast – Even if the forecast is clear, take a packable windbreaker/rain jacket anyway.
Decide on your luggage – Will you only take what can fit in three pockets of your jersey? That’s a challenge. Carrying a small waist or backpack can make things considerably easier without making your riding too uncomfortable.
What to Take
My regular seat bag always contains at least: one spare tube, patch kit, CO2 chuck with at least two cartridges (or a pump, if that’s your preference), mini multi-tool, two tire levers, several long zip ties, and some duct tape. Wrap the duct tape around your CO2 cartridges. It will stay wrapped straight and keep the metal pieces from clanking together.
One more extra tube and one more CO2 cartridge. A Presta to Schrader pump valve adapter – it costs $1.50 and how many gas stations in the middle of nowhere have you heard of that have Presta valve pumps? Small lights front and back if you intend long days in the saddle that just might stretch into dusk.
Small Swiss Army type knife. Cell phone for emergencies. Bandana. Small digital camera with extra batteries and an extra plastic bag for it if needed. Lightweight packable windbreaker or rain jacket.
After-ride clothing such as a nylon or T-shirt, running shorts and flip-flop type shoes. A lightweight nylon runner style cap. Swim suit if you’re staying anywhere with a pool.
Toothbrush. Take prescriptions? Make sure to take some with you. Spare glasses in a case if you’re blind as a bat (like me). Water for the road – this is easier if you’re carrying a hydration pack. Some cash, driver’s license, and that magic plastic card.
On The Road
Keep your driver’s license, credit card, cash, ride map, and emergency contact list in a resealable plastic bag in your jersey pocket. Keep some more cash, an extra copy of your map and emergency list, and a backup credit card somewhere else on your bike. Don’t forget that extra $20 bill stashed in your shoe or inside the end of your handlebars, because you just never know...
If you are going to rinse out your riding kit, do it the moment you arrive at your motel and hang them out to dry. Starting a ride in the morning with a wet pad in your shorts is not fun. Trust me on this one.
Reservations at hotels, bed and breakfasts or inns are ever so helpful for peace of mind.
Know your limits. While last minute route changes are tempting, it might end up in the kind of adventure you’d rather avoid. Also look at your past performance and be reasonable in your expectation of how far you can ride in a day. Keep in mind that an unexpected wrong turn or mechanical problem could add hours to your daily ride and leave you finding your way in the dark.
Getting Home
If your ride is a loop, this takes care of itself. If it’s not a loop, then train or bus reservations are also helpful unless you like standing in the pouring rain hearing, “Sorry, kid, the bus is full!” Good luck and have fun!
Dave Kraus of Schenectady is a longtime cyclist, freelance photographer, writer and AFAA/ISFTA certified personal trainer. Contact him at dbkraus@earthlink.net.
