Review of my gear for Cross Country 2024
In this post I review the new gear I used on Cross Country 2024, and also some of the not-so-new gear. I have not included any photos in this post but I have included links to the items, to photos of the items, and to blog posts about the items.
1. Bike and accessories
I had used the rear rack for at least six years, including on my 90-day trip in 2019, but it broke on Day 21 of this trip. I was fortunate to be able to replace the rack with another one of the same type, although it took six days to arrive, causing me to have five unplanned rest days. Machinist David Brorein told me the new rack, being made of aluminum, is susceptible to the same sort of failure as the original rack, so he's thinking about how he might reinforce the new rack to prevent its failure. Another possibility would be to use a rack such as the one found here that is supported by struts attached to the seats stays, but I prefer the cleaner appearance of the rack I have.
The front-wheel stabilizer made it easier to use two hands to close the wedgie bag without the front wheel turning to one side. I think it also might have helped reduced the shimmy of the bike.
The 2-liter water bladder was an essential addition to my gear for use in territory where the need for water was great and the opportunities to get water were far apart. It was unfortunate that the water bladder is designed in a way that a crack developed leading to a leak, but I now know that I can avoid creating the crack by not tightening the cap too tightly. By putting the water bladder in a 3-liter stuff sack I was able to easily mount the water bladder on top of my trunk bag. I never needed to use the filter cap.
I used Infinity tools (straps) in two ways: 1) to minimize the side-to-side movement of my handlebar bag relative to the handlebar (see Stabilizers for handlebar bag), and 2) to secure the stuff sack holding my water bladder to the stuff sack holding my cold-weather clothes (see this photo). For both uses these straps worked well.
I used Voile straps in two ways: 1) to secure my spare tire (protected by a custom bag made by Simply Light Designs) to the bottom of my rear rack (see these photos), and 2) to secure the stuff sacks holding my water bladder and cold-weather clothes to the top of my trunk bag (see these photos). For both uses these straps worked well. Initially I used bungee cords for the latter purpose. Voile straps are substantially superior.
For this trip I used Continental Gator Hardshell tires. I had three flats: one caused by a piece of steel wire, the other two being pinch flats caused by underinflation. The front tire showed little wear, while the rear tire had worn enough that I replaced it with the spare when I was in Chattanooga. I will continue to use Gator Hardshells for multi-day trips.
I never needed to use the Counter Assault bear spray I took in case of an attack by a bear, so I don't know how well it would work. Let's keep it that way! On my bike the bear spray was kept in a Billy Flamingo cage attached to my handlebar with a BiKase cage braket. When walking around my campsite in bear country I kept the bear spray in a Counter Assault holster attached to my belt. Whether I was riding or walking the bear spray was always ready to be used in case of an attack.
After being bitten by a dog on 9/13, I bought a can of PetSafe SprayShield dog spray and carried it in the bear spray cage. Unfortunately that dog spray repels dogs but does not prevent them from attacking again after they are sprayed, as I learned on 9/24. Joe Blackmon, whom I met in Waynesville, North Carolina, suggested using lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
2. Tools, parts, and supplies
This was the first time I carried a 5.5 inch long 6 mm hex key, which was necessary to tighten the bolt of the stem when reassembling my bike after transporting it to Portland. I now plan to carry the hex key with me on all multi-day trips.
3. Electronics
The Garmin InReach satellite communicator allowed me to send and receive texts when there was no cell service, which was less frequent than I had expected. It also allowed people with a link to a map to follow my progress. The communicator was especially valuable the day my rack broke because it allowed me to immediately ask Tom Reingold to buy me a new rack. The communicator's mount, attached to the rear of my trunk bag, worked perfectly (see these photos). In order to use the satellite communicator I have to activate a monthly data plan. I will use the communicator in the future only when I would often be without cell service.
For a few years I've been carrying a backup phone identical to my main phone on multi-day trips. I downloaded all of my routes onto my backup phone just as I did on my main phone. The backup phone also had all the apps and all the passwords I might need in case the main phone failed. This was the first time I installed an activated SIM card in the backup phone. I had thought the three-month subscription for the backup SIM card would cost $42, but it was actually $112. I don't know whether I will install an activated SIM card in the backup phone in the future. If so it would only be on trips where I am often away from civilization.
4. Clothing
To wear while riding I took two short-sleeve lycra shirts (one white, one black) for warm weather and two long-sleeved wool shirts for cold weather. Because the lycra shirts smell after wearing them for one day I stopped wearing them early in the trip and instead wore a long-sleeve wool shirt which was comfortable even in hot weather, and the wool shirt never smelled. Wool is truly a miracle fabric, comfortable regardless of the temperature and needing to be washed only infrequently. I had Lori (my wife) send me a short-sleeve wool shirt for riding in warm weather (like the short-sleeve wool shirt I wore when not riding). The short-sleeve wool shirt arrived with a resupply package in Dillon, Montana, on 8/13. From Dillon I sent home the lycra shirts along with other items I no longer needed on 8/14.
I was glad I had my cold-weather clothing (weighing three and one half pounds) for the few times I needed it. I was able to easily mount the 5-liter stuff sack containing my clothes on top of my trunk bag.
5. Personal items
Previously I had only worn monthly contact lenses, but for this trip I used daily contact lenses in order to reduce weight. I had room to carry only a month's supply of daily lenses. A month's supply of daily lenses weighs about 5 ounces, whereas a month's supply of cleaner for monthly lenses weighs about 15 ounces. The average weight reduction (over time) was therefore only about 5 ounces (15/2 - 5/2 = 5). Meanwhile the daily lenses, being thinner than monthlies, were harder to insert, and they're more expensive. Both dailies and monthlies require resupplying monthly, either lenses or cleaning solution. For all these reasons I will not use dailies in the future.
I put a half teaspoon of homemade electrolyte powder in every water bottle and had almost no leg cramps, and none of them significant. The 7" x 7" reclosable plastic bags worked well as the main storage of the electrolyte and the 3" x 6" reclosable plastic bags were convenient for holding the electrolyte I would put in my water bottles. The stainless-steel teaspoon worked perfectly for measuring the electrolyte to be transferred to the water bottles.
I've been using a Defender razor on bike trips for the last six years, so it's not a new piece of gear, but it continues to give me a comfortable close shave using only water (no soap or oil) so I wanted to mention it here.
6. Camping gear
I had previously camped with my sleeping bag, air mattress, and tent when the temperature dropped a little below 40F. Those nights, with the elevation no more than 1000 feet above sea level, were cold but acceptable. On this trip I spent three nights slightly below 40F that were unacceptably cold: in West Fork, Montana, at 5900 feet; in Grant Village, Wyoming, at 7800 feet; and in Colter Bay, Wyoming, at 6800 feet. So 40F feels much colder at high elevation than near sea level. I don't know what temperature would have felt ok with my sleeping bag and tent at those elevations, but I suspect it would be at least 50F.
7. Bags
The wedgie saddle bag worked much better than my handlebar bag to store my cleat covers when not in use. I will continue to use that bag on multi-day trips.
My modified Ortlieb trunk bag worked perfectly. Because its main compartment is 100% waterproof it kept the clothes it carried dry, and its mounting mechanism made it easy to attach to and remove from my rack. I will have Uriel Gurgov, the shoemaker who modified the bag, replace the Velcro straps used to hold the tent pole with stronger Velcro.
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See Cross Country 2024 to find links to my daily blog posts as well as blog posts about the planning of the trip.
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