Subject: 4 Rides
------------------------------
Subject: 4.1 Maps
From: Jim Carson <carson@rice.edu>
Updated-From: Joel Spolsky <spolsky@panix.com>
Adventure Cycling Association maps are not free, but you can get them
without joining. To order stuff with Mastercard or Visa, you
can call
+1 (406) 721-1776 (24 hr). Maps are currently (Feb 1995) $8.95
each to
"non-members," $5.95 each to "members." There are also small discounts
for
sets of maps and members in the continental US don't have to pay for
surface shipping and handling.
Scale of the maps is generally 1" = 4mi/6.4km. Certain areas are
more
detailed when necessary. I like the maps because they have lots
of
interesting features labeled (campgrounds, grocery stores, major
changes in elevation, historical info about the region,...), they're
printed on a water-resistant paper, and they fit nicely into a handlebar
bag map case.
As of Feb '95, there are three transcontinental (W-E) routes an east
coast
(N-S) route, a west coast route (N-S), and a middle route and numerous
routes among the various parks in the western U.S. and Canada.
Membership is $25 individual; $35 family; $19 for students/seniors.
Lifetime is $475; $650 for couples.
Members get copies of Adventure Cycling Association's magazine, Adventure
Cyclist, published 9 times annually, a list of tours run by Adventure
Cycling Association, and the annual _The Cyclists' Yellow Pages_.
_The
Cyclists' Yellow Pages_ provides *LOTS* of interesting information
on
touring and points of contact for more information about cycling and
touring all over the world. (For example, they have an arrangement
with
The Netherlands Service Center for Tourism whereby you can purchase
full-color, 21" x 38", 1:100k scale, Dutch-language maps.)
Adventure Cycling Association's address and phone:
Adventure Cycling Association
(406) 721-1776, fax (406)
721-8754
PO Box 8308
Missoula, MT 59807-8308
------------------------------
Subject: 4.2 Touring supplies
From: Scott "gaspo" Gasparian <gaspar@inf.ethz.ch>
Recently, I asked the group:
what do you bring with you on medium
trips? (medium being more than one nite, and less than a week).
I
received some excellent replies, a few great stories, and lots of things
that I never would have thought of. (at least not until I needed that
spare spoke that is).
Ok, for all of you who don't know what to bring with you on that
next medium trip...
FOOD:
Here, just whatever you
normally consume. If you plan on
staying in a hotel/B&B, then obviously 1 day's worth is enough.
Standard things like power-bars and drink mixes should do the trick.
Since I'm not going to BFE, I have no idea what to pack for a real
"camp-out" type tour. This subject is enough for a discussion
in
itself, but I just eat what I want.
CLOTHING:
Almost everybody suggested
something different, rangin from hi-
tech bodysuits to cutoffs and T-shirts. However, everybody agreed
on the
indispensibleness (tm) of rain gear. Specifically, light waterproof
pants and jacket are not only good for staying dry, but have a very
high
warmth/weight ratio.
A spare change of skivies,
and a pair of dry socks were also
highly recomended. A pair of jeans or a "smushable outfit" can
come in
handy, but I usually smell so bad after a day of riding that anybody
who is
talking to me doesn't care what I wear. If it might be non-warm,
a
watch-cap or other non-helmet type hat can help.
FIRST-AID:
Outside of the standard
band-aids/antiseptic-goop bit, sunscreen
and bug-away topped the lists. Asprin or Ibuprofen and rolaids
were
mentioned, but I guess thats a personal thing, just like...
TOILETRIES:
I stick with: soap, toothbrush/paste,
deodorant. That covers
all I need, but everybody has different needs, and I'm not even gonna
touch the "personal hygeine" stuff. A razor is handy too, it
can help
keep that road-rash dressing from ripping all your remaining hair out.
MISC:
I'll put the tent/pit stuff
into this category. Robyn Stewart
gave an excellent testamony to the uses of rope and tarps. A
piece of
rope stretched between two trees can keep the food above the
critter-level, and can also provide a rudimentary tent with the aid
of
an old shower-curtain. Again, there is a whole area of discussion
here
on the pits and mattresses, but if it keeps you warm and dry, it works.
TOOLS:
Basically, this could be
split into two different classes, with
things like tire-kit being in the "fix it yourself" category, and other
stuff like a chain remover tool is in the "how far will I be
from
civilization" range. This was what I really wanted to know about
when I
posted my request, so a little more info than the first groups.
Most of this depends upon how much work _YOU_ do to your velo.
If
replacing spokes is trivial to you, then you already know what tools
to
bring. Also, wrenches and screwdrivers are very velo dependent:
handy
sizes for a MTB might be useless for a nice racer, and vice-versa.
Tools
that tune more than repair are also an individual call. I always
carry
a hex-wrench that fits my brake-shoe adjustment bolt, but never the
larger
one that actually removes the entire caliper.
pump
pressure gauge
flat kit
wrenches (sizes and type
for your velo)
hex(allen)-wrenches (sizes
and type for your velo)
chain tool
chain links
tire levers (plastic)
spoke wrench
safety wire
duct tape
zip ties
SPARES:
Again, these fall into "distance
from civilization" categories.
For example, that nut that connects your front mudguard to the forks
is essential, but could be fixed with the safety wire until you find
a
velo-shop/store that might have a replacement. Then again, one
little
nut is easy on space/weight, and it may be hard to get a replacement
if
your velos measurements are non-standard. If you have a hard-time
finding a replacement for that random part at your local store, bring
one with you.
inner tubes
tire-boots
brake shoes
light bulbs
spokes (labeled if different,
tied to the frame)
nuts and bolts for rack/fenders/etc.
tire (if you're _really_
out there)
toe-clip strap
shoe-laces
cable (especially if yours
are longer than normal).
cable housing (for the shimano
special shifter ones)
NIFTY IDEAS:
Here are some of the better
inside tips that I found both
humorous and usefull....
mjohnsto@shearson.com (Mike Johnston)
A sock (to keep tools inside
and for keeping grease off my hands
during rear wheel flats)
s_kbca@dante.lbl.gov (Steve Kromer)
The most important article
to take along on a long ride
seems to be faith.
chris@wg.estec.esa.nl (chris rouch)
15cm of old tyre
Robyn Stewart <slais02@unixg.ubc.ca>
Enough money to get Greyhound
home if something goes terribly wrong.
sarahm@Cadence.COM
bungie cords - you never
know when you might want to get that
set of six beer mugs as
a souvenir and transport it on the
back of your bike.
cathyf@is.rice.edu (Catherine Anne Foulston)
ZAP Sport Towel. I
think it is really useful because you can
get it wet and it still
dries you.
------------------------------
Subject: 4.3 Taking a bike on Amtrak
From: Carlos Martin <martin@morticia.Princeton.EDU>
The following article relates my own experience in taking a bike
as luggage on the Amtrak in the summer of 1992. It is intended
to
offer advice to those who might choose to do the same, and is not
intended to reflect the views or policies of Amtrak. For reference,
I traveled from Trenton to Pittsburgh at the start of a tour.
Traveling with a bike on Amtrak can be problem-free if you take a few
precautions. Amtrak handles bikes at stations that check in baggage.
(Smaller stations and some trains don't check baggage at all.)
There is a $5 baggage fee for bikes, and it includes a box. Call
the station several days before your trip and notify them that you
will need a bicycle box.
The box they provided was big enough to accomodate my relatively
long-framed touring bike (Specialized Expedition) without taking off
either wheel, and with room to spare lengthwise. You will, however,
have to remove the pedals (even clipless ones) and turn the handlebars
to fit the bike in the box. Plan on putting only the bike in
the box -
no helmet or panniers. (You may want to check with Amtrak on
this point -
they may not cover damages to the bike if you packed other stuff
in the box.)
Before leaving home for the station, loosen your pedals and stem
enough to make sure you won't need heavy-duty tools at the station.
Plan to arrive at the station one and a half hours before departure
time - Amtrak wants all checked baggage at least a half hour before
departure (they may tell you one hour). Don't forget to keep
your
tools handy.
At the station, go to the baggage room, get your box and some tape
from the attendant, remove the pedals, and loosen the stem bolt and
the bolt that holds the handlebars in the stem. Hold the front
wheel between your feet as you turn the handlebars parallel to the
top tube. Roll the bike into the box and seal the ends.
If everything goes smoothly, you can do the above packing in
ten minutes. Now go have lunch before you get on the train
unless you want to take your chances with train food.
BTW, the trains are very roomy and comfortable, particularly if
you are accustomed to traveling in airline cattle coaches.
I would travel by Amtrak again in a similar situation.
(The usual disclaimer applies: I have no connection to Amtrak,
other than being a taxpaying subsidizer and occasional user
of the rail system.)
------------------------------
Subject: 4.4 Travel with bicycles - Air/Rail/Other
From: George Farnsworth <georgef@nicom.com>
I checked the FAQ for information about taking bikes on common carriers
and riding in and out of airports some time ago.
At that time there was little information so I initiated a mini survey
on
these subject on rec.bicycles.rides, etc.
Now I have collected information on cycling in and out of about 100
airports around the world and using trains in the US and Europe.
This information is at http://nicom.com/~georgef/access. Although
the web
may have eclipsed the FAQ for certain purposes, it might still be possible
to provide a pointer to this data, almost all of which was contributed
by
readers of r.b.r (who's email addresses appear in the listings).
------------------------------
Subject: 4.5 Warm Showers List
From: Roger Gravel <wsl@intercime.qc.ca>
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 14:14:23 EST
The Warm Showers List is a list of Internet and off Internet
persons who have offered their hospitality towards touring
cyclists. The extent of the hospitality depends on the host
and may range from simply a spot to pitch a tent to meals, a
warm (hot!) shower, and a bed.
This list works on the reciprocity formula. What this BIG word
means is simply this: if you want to use the list you have to
submit your name on it. If you don't have room but could still
help a cyclist, please add your name to the list.
The Warm Showers List is free.
If you wish to be included on the Internet Warm Showers List,
please fill the application form (if it is not included below
or in the separate file please ask for it) and return it through
one of these two manners:
by E-mail, to: <wsl@intercime.qc.ca> (Roger Gravel)
by S-mail, to: Warm Showers List
C. P. 2921 succ Terminus
Quebec (QUEBEC)
Canada G1K
8H4
You can also apply through the bicycles related Internet page:
[ http://www.megaquebec.com/users/velo.monde/wsl ].
The whole of the FREE Warm Showers List can be obtained via
E-mail and S-mail but not at any Web site. A list of some
of the coordinates (i.e. Name of host, Email addresses,
City/Country/State) of some of the hosts are available to
everyone on Internet via this Web page:
[ http://www.megaquebec.com/users/velo.monde/wsl/vh_wwwsws.htm ].
Keep in mind that if you want a hard copy of the list you will
have to pay for the postage stamps. Please contact me and we can
talk about the best way to implement this.
On behalf of the touring cyclists I thank you for your generosity.
Roger Gravel
<wsl@intercime.qc.ca>
Wisdom should be cherished as a means of traveling
from youth to old age, for it is more lasting than
any other possession. - Bias of
Priene, circa 570 B.C., one
of the Seven Sages of ancient Greece.
=================================================================
It is as easy as 1 2 3 and it is FREE
=================================================================
Because machines tend to break and people make mistakes, if I have
not answered your request in a few days, please send me a message,
I will try to correct the glitch as soon as possible.
=================================================================
98.01.01
PARTICIPATION FORM
=================================================================
Organization: (name of organization)
EMAIL <address> (For pre-trip communication)
Name:
(Who are you?)
Home phone: and/or Work phone:
(non mandatory but the work phone can be helpful)
LOC:
(Non-Email Contact)
Address (line two)
Address (line three)
Nearest largest city (>50,000 people):
(It's much easier to find a large city on a map than a small one,
and some small ones aren't even on some maps!)
Direction and Distance from above city:
(Some cities are very large and getting through or around a city
can be very difficult.)
----------------------------Will provide:
SLEEP: Lawn (for tent or sleeping bag)?
SLEEP: Floor (for sleeping bag)?
SLEEP: Bed (Wow!)? (Cyclists' gotta sleep.)
Food? (or distance to nearest grocery store or restaurant - if known)
(Cyclists' gotta eat.)
Shower? (or distance to nearest motel - if known)
(It can be a real boost
to know shower is waiting at the end of the day?)
Laundry facilities?
Local advice/help? (If you don't have room but could still help a cyclist)
(You can provide as much, or as little, as you want.)
Availability: (If only available some months, please indicate this, otherwise 'year-round')
Cost to Cyclist: (Do you wish any money for your hospitality? if any: How much?) (please, no more than $5-$10)
Preferred Notice: (Do you require advance notice? If so, how many days (weeks) notice?)
Maximum Number of Cyclists: (You don't want a major tour coming through :-)
Storage: (Is there a safe place to store bikes? If so, storage for how many bikes?)
Motel: (Distance, Cost - if known)
(In case a host is not home,
for an emergency, etc.)
Local Bike Shop: (Name, Phone, Distance, Reputation - if known)
(In case bike repairs are needed - good to know where good shops
are.)
Any additional comments you would like each interested person to know before contacting you?
p.s. To allow the manager of the list to put your coordinates on the
Web
page please make sure to include the following sentence : PLEASE ROGER,
PUT MY NAME, MY EMAIL ADDRESS AND THE NAME OF MY TOWN ON THE WEB PAGE
FOR EVERYONE TO SEE in the body of your message.
Thank you.
=================================================================
Roger 'velo-hospitalite' Gravel
wsl@intercime.qc.ca
------------------------------
Subject: 4.6 Touring Europe Guide
From: bhilden@pacific.Eng.Sun.COM (Bruce Hildenbrand)
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 22:30:56 -0700
GUIDE to BICYCLE TOURING in EUROPE
This guide has been written in an effort to help prospective cyclists
get the
maximum out of their European cycling experience. It based on
knowledge gleane
d
from my many European tours and those of others, most notably, Chris
Wiscavage
who never gave me an incorrect piece of advice.
WHY GO TO EUROPE?
It is important to set some sort of goal for your trip. This can
be as simple
as "I just want to have fun!" or, "I gotta get up the north side of
the
Stelvio" . For instance, in 1988 my goal was to see as much of
the European
Alps as possible, particularly those passes that have played roles
in major
European professional cycling races (Tour de France thing, Giro de
Italia,
Tour de Suisse) as could be had in about three weeks US to US.
One thing that will be noticeably different to the American cyclist
is the
respect that European drivers have for cyclists. Cyclists get
much more
respect in Europe then they do in America.
SELF SUPPORTED or with a TOUR GROUP?
There are two basic ways you can tour Europe. The first is to
sign up with an
organized tour group. The tour package usually includes lodging,
meals, guide
service and transport of gear to and from each day's destination.
The other
basic option is to self plan a tour where you, or your small group
of friends,
are responsible for lodging, meals, route selection and hauling your
gear from
place to place.
The big advantage of guided touring is that you can benefit from the
experience
of your touring company and its guides. These people usually
have a familiarit
y
with the area you will be visiting and they can make arrangements for
decent
lodging, meals and cycling routes. If you are new to traveling
in Europe and/o
r
you cannot speak the language of the countries which you will be visiting,
then
a guided tour may help ease the tension of being a stranger in a strange
land.
One disadvantage to guided touring is that you are part of a heterogeneous
grou
p
of people who may differ widely in cycling ability. Also, there
is no guarante
e
that everybody will get along and become friends. Some may see
the chance to
meet new people as a positive side to guided touring.
Another disadvantage to guided touring is that in most cases, hotel
reservation
s
have been made in advance which means two things. First, your
daily route is
not particularly flexible since when you leave town A, you must be
in town B
that evening. Secondly, if the weather is bad, you usually do
not have the
flexibility to layover and let the weather clear. You either
have to ride in
bad weather, which is a real drag in the high mountains, or take the
support
vehicle or other forms of transportation to the night's destination.
Self-guided touring has the advantages that you can choose your companions,
you can choose the dates you want to travel and if you haven't made
hotel
reservations in advance, you can vary your itinerary to meet your prevailing
attitudes and weather conditions.
The downside to self-guided touring is that you are basically on your
own.
You make all the decisions. If you are somewhat familiar with
the area or
have down some research, you are more likely to make good choices of
cycling
routes and places to stay. However, every once and a while you
may pick
an unfriendly town or a horribly busy road, both of which looked good
on a map
or came recommended in a book. Also, if you experience any equipment
failure
you will be responsible for either making the repairs or finding someone
who
can do them. Most guided tours bring a mechanic and enough parts
to be able
to handle most equipment problems.
This may seem counterintuitive, but I think the more ambitious the tour,
the
better off you are doing it in a self-guided fashion. If you
are going to be
riding lots of miles with lots of climbing you want to know who you
are going
with and also have the flexibility to be able to modify your route
if something
happens.
Because I prefer self-guided touring, this guide is written with that
type of
touring in mind. However, I feel it contains enough valuable
information for
those taking a guided tour to make it worthwhile reading for all potential
cyclo-tourists.
LOGISTICS
Airlines
When planning which flight to take, there are a few guidelines that
may be
helpful. I think the key here is that you want to go through
customs and
change planes as close to your final destination as possible.
If you miss
a connection because of flight delays or custom delays, you have a
better
chance of catching a flight out the same day. Reasonable places
to clear
customs are Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Atlanta, Washington DC and Newark.
New York's JFK is hit-or-miss. I have had both very good luck
and very bad
luck at JFK.
Also, allow 2-3 hours for making your international connections.
Most
airports have separate terminals for international and continental
flights.
There may be some distance to be covered to make plane changes which
may
result in either you or your baggage not making the flight if you cut
the
connection time too closely.
I have had both good luck and bad luck with just about every major airline,
so
I
think all carriers are basically OK. One thing to note is that
Delta Airlines
and United Airlines are smoke-free on every international flight.
Also,
Alitalia offers good fares to Italy but be forewarned that the workers
for this
airline like to go on strike at very short notice.
Most airlines have beefed up their security on International flights,
they now
verify that all passengers who checked luggage are on the flight.
This means
that every time you change planes you have security checks and potential
delays
.
Suffice it to say, the fewer plane changes the better.
Air fares differ between high and low seasons, arrival and departure
locations, date of purchase(I am a terrible procrastinator), etc..
In 1986
I flew Denver- > Frankfurt->Denver during low season for $620.
In 1988 I
flew Denver->Geneva-> Denver during high season for $1050. In
1990 I flew
San Francisco->Barcelona then Geneva-> San Francisco on the return
during
high season for $1200. High season runs from about June 1 to
September 30.
An interesting note, one year I was flying to a town near Pisa, Italy.
The
far e from San Francisco to Rome was $1000. If I added the Rome
to Pisa
connection the fair only increased to $1007. The extra $7 charge
was well
worth getting closer to my final destination as the alternative was
to take
a 4 hour train ride. So, check when booking fares to see if you
can get
closer to your final destination for just a little extra money.
Chris Wiscavage advised against flying by charter. He said that
charters are
notorious for being overcrowded and if they run out of baggage space
on the
plane, then the bikes are one of the first items to be left behind.
On one of
his trips flying charter, he had to wait 5 days for his bike to arrive.
Obviously, the conditions vary between charter companies, if you have
one that
you trust and the price is right, go for it!
On most international flights, if you check your bike as one of your
2 pieces
of luggage you will save the $50 (or whatever) charge(each way).
Current
international baggage requirements (as of 6/94) are: 1st bag - may
not exceed
62 linear inches and 70lbs.; 2nd bag - may not exceed 55 linear inches
and
70lbs. I have checked two bikes as my two pieces of luggage and
not been
charged for an overage.
Flight delays seem more and more common. I have found that if your flight
is
delayed going to Europe, unless there is some catostrophic problem
that
cannot be fixed, it is best to stay with your original flight and wait
out the
delay. If you try routing yourself through another airline or
reaching your
destination by hopping through many cities, you may have a much bigger
problem,
especially with your luggage catching up to you. Be patient,
sitting out
delays seems to be the best alternative. This is a good reason
to avoid
booking hotels in advance. You can almost always get a room somewhere,
but
trying to stick to a regimented schedule may cause for major stress.
TAKE a BIKE or RENT?
This is a commonly asked question. There are a number of pros
and cons to both
renting a bike in Europe and bringing your own bike. Also, there
are several
factors that can influence your decision. Note that on international
flights,
your bike can be checked as one piece of luggage, so there really is
no added
expense to bringing you own bike on the plane.
First off, if you are planning an ambitious trip with lots of miles
and/or
lots of climbing, you will definitely feel better riding your own bike
rather than renting. Add to that the fact that, these days, most
rental
bikes are are mountain bikes. This may be an advantage if you
are planning
lots of climbing since the gearing tends to be lower, but a mountain
bike
is not as nimble as a road bike and can be significantly heavier than
a
road bike. Of course, if you r primary bike at home is a mountain
bike,
these differences may be less noticeable than if your primary bike
is a
road bike.
Secondly, if you are combining your cycling vacation with large portions
of
non-cycling segments at the beginning or end of the trip, it may be
better
to not worry about lugging a bike halfway across Europe, especially
if you
are going to use trains as your primary mode of travel (see "Taking
Your
Bike on th e Train" in a later section). Another option in this
case, is
to ship your bikes , by train, to the destination where you will need
them
if your cycling comes at the end of the trip or to your departure
destination if your cycling comes at the beginning of the trip.
Personally, I prefer to bring my own bike. I know the condition
of all the
components and since everything should be in good working order, I
can be
assured that barring any catastrophe, my bike will not let me down.
Also, it
just feels a lot better and hence more enjoyable to be astride my trusty
steed.
PACKING A BIKE
There are many ways and specialized containers to help facilitate packing
a
bike. I have flown frequently with my bike for the last 10 years
and have
never had any damage when my biked was packed correctly.
Get a cardboard bike box from your local friendly bike shop. Mountain
bike
boxes are best because they are a bit wider and easier to pack, but
as mountain
bike frames get smaller, road bike sized mountain bike boxes are getting
harder
and harder to find.
Here is how I do it:
1) Use 3/4" foam pipe insulation to protect the 3 main tubes (top, down
and
seat) and tape in place. Make sure to get the insulation with
an inside
diameter that most closely matches the diameter of your frame tubes.
2) Take the seat, pedals, and front wheel off the bike.
3) Use a bit of string to attach the LEFT(non-chainwheel) crankarm to
the LEFT
chainstay.
4) Remove the rear derailleur from its hanger and just let it hang.
5) Remove the handlebars and stem from the frame(this may necessitate
removing
the cyclocomputer mount, and the front brake cable from the brake -
a good
reason for soldering the ends of your cables!) and hang on the top
tube.
6) Place a spacer in the front fork (see below).
7) wrap downtube shifters and brake levers with thin foam to minimize
metal-to-metal contact.
8) Put the seat, pedals and other small parts in a bag and place the
bag in the
front of the bike box.
9) Slide the frame in such that the forks are just ahead of the bag.
10) Spread the box a bit and slide in the front wheel on the LEFT side(non
chainwheel) of the bike with the front axle about 8-12" in front of
the
seat tube. The end of the handlebars should fit between the spokes
of the
wheel.
11) take the pump off the bike and securely tape it to one corner of the box.
12) use foam squares(I have about 20 1' X 1.5' X 2" pieces procured
from
shipping crates at work) to pad the bike from any potential metal to
metal
contact. Be sure to put padding on top of the bike, as you never know
which
way the bike box will end up.
13) Close the box and tape with strapping tape. Check to
make sure the bike
cannot move around inside the box, there should be sufficient padding
to keep
any shifting from occurring.
You can make a very inexpensive, yet very effective spacer to prevent
damage
to the front fork from an old front axle. Leave the cones and
lock nuts in
place and use the quick release skewer taken off your front wheel to
secure
the spacer in the fork.
Bring a small amount of grease (35mm film cannisters work great for
this)
to aid in re-assembly and throw in some rags or paper towels for wiping
off the excess grease.
Also, note that if your bike has Campagnolo Ergo levers, it is much
easier
to remove your stem and handlebars if you leave a little extra cable
during
installation. Another alternative is to loosen the brake and
shifter cables,
but this is a last resort as it requires that you re-adjust the shifter
cable
tension when you re-assemble the bike, which is a bit of a hassle if
you have
index shifting.
One nice thing about bike boxes is that you can pack a lot of your extra
gear
(and presents) inside the box. I have traveled to Europe using
just the bike
box as my only piece of luggage!
I also bring a roll of the 2" wide clear packing tape. This stuff
can be used
to reinforce or repair any damage to the bike box that might have occurred
in
transit.
One note of caution here. I would try and obtain a bike box that
closely fits
the size of you bike(i.e. if you have a 58cm frame get a box for a
58cm frame
bike). You want to minimize movement in the box and the box should
be packed
tight enough so that you can stand it on end or even possibly upside
down. I
would not recommend getting a box that is too big and trying to cut
it down to
size. I tried this one year and suffered minor damage to the
bicycle because
when I cut down the top of the box, I could not get it to fold over
very well
and lost some of the structural integrity of the sides of the box.
A heavy ite
m
was placed on top of my box and the sides of the box could not support
it.
Different bike manufacturers use different strengths of cardboard with
their
boxes. And the same manufacturer can change the strengths of
their boxes from
year to year. Suffice it to say, the stiffer the better.
I have had poor results using the soft sided bags (both padded and unpadded
versions) and I would not recommend them. I think the foam padding
gives a
false sense of security to the consumer, but more distressingly to
the baggage
personnel who may attempt to place heavy items on top of the bag.
Another method is to use minimal packing and minimal padding to force
the
airlines to handle your bike with care. This method entails removing
the
wheels, crankarms and rear derailleur. Turn the handlebars and
lash the
wheels to the sides of the bike frame. Enclose the whole package
in a
sturdy plastic bag. I have never used this method, it works for
some
but necessitates some tools like a crank extractor and crank bolt wrench.
Hard plastic cases are becoming popular. However, I am not particularly
fond of them. Besides being expensive, their weight empty(i.e.
no bike) is
between 25 and 30 lbs. Ouch! In comparison, an empty cardboard
bike box
weighs only about 5 lbs. The extra 20-25 lbs. can be a real factor
if you
have to carry your baggage any substantial distance.
In any event, if you would like to begin and end your trip from the
same
airport, you can leave the bike box in "checked" or "left" luggage
and pay
a small daily fee for storage. One nifty trick if you have multiple
bike
boxes is to tape them together and check them as a single box.
Hotels near
an airport may also allow you to store your bike box, usually for a
small fee.
PRE-TOUR BIKE MAINTENANCE
In general, the availability of bike parts varies greatly from bike
shop to
bike shop. The larger European cities contain well stocked shops,
however the
smaller towns(as you find in the mountains) are not as well stocked
and parts
may be hard to find. This goes for service as well. It
is a good idea to come
prepared to be able to deal with about anything, or have a bike that
is low
maintenance (sealed components).
Here is my pre-tour bike preparation:
1) new chain
2) new tires and tubes
3) 4 new cables(2 - brake,
2 - derailleur, esp. if STI)
4) repack or replace bottom
bracket
5) repack or replace headset
6) repack hubs
7) clean derailleurs
8) check brake pads for
wear
9) true wheels
10) oil/grease freewheel/freehub
11) wash bike thoroughly(check
frame for any cracks!)
I would recommend soldering the ends of your brake and derailleur cables.
This
keeps the cables from fraying and you can take them in and out of their
fitting
s
and housing when packing and unpacking the bike or doing maintenance
and you
don't have to worry about losing those silly little aluminum end caps!
EQUIPMENT
This portion deals with the equipment that I take. Note that my
lists reflect
that I am doing lightweight "credit card" touring where I sleep in
hotels at
night and eat food at restaurants. Some of this equipment may
also be
appropriate for fully loaded touring, but that is not discussed here.
Also, since the riding clothes that you will be wearing during the day
will mos
t
likely get washed every night, an important consideration is that they
be made
of a quick drying material.
Cycling Footwear
When it comes to cycling footware, I think the best option seems to
be one of
the walkable clip-in shoe systems such as the Shimano SPD. Having
a shoe that
you can walk in has two big benefits. First off, if you have
never toured, you
will be surprised at the amount of off-the-bike walking that is done
during the
course of the day in order to buy food, take photographs and check
out historic
sights. Secondly, having to carry a pair of walking shoes means
extra bulk and
weight.
I would not recommend Look cleats for touring. I do a lot of walking
which is
unavoidable. It has been my experience that even a little bit
of wear on the
Look cleat can make it behave differently in the pedal. While
Look cleat cover
s
are available to protect the cleat during walking, during a normal
day on the
road you do so much on and off the bike activity that it seemed like
too much
bother to take the covers on and off and on and off, etc.
Baggage Systems
There are many options to holding gear on the bike, I will describe
two that I
have used.
The first method of carrying gear uses the Quix brand Max Contour Trunk
rack an
d
bag in one. A small clamp slips onto the seatpost and the bag
clicks into the
clamp. One restriction is that the seatpost must be round (i.e.
non-aero) to
hold the clamp. Another restriction is that the bag must ride
high enough to
clear the rear wheel by 2-3" as the bag may bounce a bit up and down.
The Quix
bag is incredibly stable, it is easy to attach and detach and it does
not
require a rack(just a small seat post clamp). It is a very nice
system for
ultra-light touring.
The Quix system is ideal for carrying about 550 cu. in. of gear, however
severa
l
easy modifications to the bag should be made. First, I removed
all the foam
insulation from the bag and replaced the two side pieces with .8mm
ABS plastic
pieces cut to the same dimensions as the foam pieces they replaced(round
off th
e
edges to prevent abnormal wear). Adding the side stays gives
the bag some
integrity and allows it to stand up making it easier to pack.
I purchased a
small tool bag shaped like a pack of cigarettes and added some velcro
tabs whic
h
allowed it to be attached in front of the Quix bag, giving about an
additional
50 cu. in. and bringing the total carrying capacity up to about 550
cu. in.
This is enough space for a multi-week tour, see my equipment list below
for
details.
One nice advantage of the Quix bag over the standard rear rack mounting
systems
is that for rain protection you can slide a waterproof sack completely
over the
bag.
For occasions where I needed to carry over 550 cu. in. of gear, I have
used a
Blackburn SX-1 rack and rear trunk bag. I have a racing frame,
so I had to use
the "eyelet mounts" which worked fine. I replaced the outer washer(black
neoprene) with a wider one, (get them at a plumbing supply store) and
used a
piece of bicycle innertube as padding between the frame and the aluminum
piece,
which worked well. I had to file off the protruding tongs on
the bottom of the
rack so it would not contact my seatstays; I left enough of the tong
so that a
bungee cord could still be hooked onto it.
The bag I use with the Blackburn rack is a Cannondale rear trunk bag.
This is
one of the multitude of shoe box shaped bags that sits on top of the
rack.
Unfortunately, most of these bags are foam lined(for 6-packs) and they
do not
have the 800 cu in. minimum capacity that was necessary for my gear.
I removed
the plastic liner and sewed nylon sleeves into the two sides(not front
or back
side)of the bag. I made two 5"x12"rectangular pieces of 1/32"
plexiglass (or
.8mm ABS plastic) that fit into the sleeves to hold the bag up and
give it some
shape. I also sewed some lash points on top of the bag in case
of overflow.
The Cannondale bag listed at 800 cu in., it had one big compartment,
two side
pockets, a rear pocket(with reflector) and a top pocket. All
my medical stuff
fit inside the rear pocket, eliminating the need for a toilet kit/stuff
sack.
I put my long sleeve shirt, hat, gloves, leg warmers and jacket in
the side
pockets so they were easily accessible. The camera, map(s) of
the day, money,
road food go in the top pocket. I hit upon a great way to pack
the tennis shoe
s
which takes up minimal space. Rather than crunch them together
and lose the
dead air in between, pack them to each side and stuff clothes in between.
A friend has used a rack top bag made by Lone Peak of Salt Lake City.
It was
a 1200 cu in. top loading bag and worked well.
I bought a plastic "rack top" that snaps onto the top of the Blackburn
rack to
provide a flat surface for the pack and also, some rain protection.
I made a
rain cover which fit over the entire bag, since panniers are notorious
for
leaking.
Another option for holding a rack top bag is the new rigid, aluminum
racks whic
h
attach to the seatpost. Headlands is one popular brand.
These racks weigh in
at about 1 lb. and offer an interesting alternative to a full rack.
They
require an aforementioned rack top bag and a non-aero seatpost and
may provide
a good alternative to the Quix system if more than 550 cu in. of gear
is
required.
Equipment List
My normal equipment list(7-8lbs. total weight) is the following (assume
you
are starting with a completely naked cyclist). The current miracle
fabrics
are Thermax, Coolmax and Capilene. Polypropylene is no longer
recommended.
1 pr. cycling shorts(with quick drying synthetic chamois)
1 short sleeve cycling jerseys (quick drying synthetic)
2 pr cycling socks
1 pr cycling shoes(SPD type)
1 helmet and/or cotton cycling cap(washable)
1 pr leg warmers(Pearl Izumi are the best!)
1 medium weight Thermax long sleeve top(converts SS jersey to long
sleeve)
1 waterproof jacket (Gore-Tex, etc.)
2 pr gloves 1-cycling, 1-warm(Patagonia Capilene)
1 pr sunglasses
1 pr lightweight pants(North Face North Shore)
1 polo shirt or t-shirt (Patagonia Capilene)
1 pr walking shorts(Patagonia Baggie Lites are light and not bulky)
1 pr undershorts(or Speedo swimsuit, doubles for jacuzzis and swimming)
1 handkerchief/bandana(for cleaning glasses and neck protection from
the sun)
1 rain cover for pack(panniers are notorious for leaking)
2 spare tubes(new)
1 patch kit with 8 patches and new glue + several tire "boots"
1 tool kit(spoke wrench, tire irons, chain lube, screw driver, chain
tool,
3-4-5-6mm allen wrenches,
Swiss Army "Classic" knife)
2 water bottles(20 oz. or 27oz. depending on your preference)
Maps(see below for brand recommendations)
Toilet kit(aspirin, cortisone cream(saddle sores), neosporin, toothpaste,
toothbrush, shampoo, razor,
soap, sunblock, comb, fingernail clippers)
Camera + film(see below for recommendations on type to purchase)
Small "hotel" type sewing kit for emergency repairs
1 extra derailleur cable (a must for those with STI)
1 extra brake cable
Notepad and pen
Passport
Cash(Traveler's Checks)
Credit cards(Visa or Mastercard, not Amex)
ATM Card
Driver's License (and extension if expired)
Health Insurance Card
Earplugs(for sleeping at night)
Watch with alarm
Wallet (leave the stuff you don't need at home)
Some optional items may include (if you have the space!):
second pair of cycling shorts
second short sleeve cycling jersey
1 foldable clincher(can be shared with another rider)
1 pr Tennis Shoes(get something with good support for days off)
Bike cable and lock(5/16" X 5' coated Flexweave(TM) cable)
1 pr pajamas
1 Freewheel puller + spokes - if you have a habit of breaking spokes
10-15' of thin cord to use as a clothesline
Electronic language translator (see below)
Miscellaneous notes
Having a cyclometer can help to keep from getting lost. A cyclometer
that can
be switched to kilometers (standard unit of distance in Europe) is
a big plus.
Also, I like having an altimeter function as well. On the big
passes it really
helps me to know how much climbing I have done and how much I have
left before
the top.
The synthetic material used in Federal Express envelopes, called Tyvek,
makes
great thin, lightweight tire boots. Cut them to fit the size
of your patch kit
.
"Fiber Fix" makes an inexpensive kit for use in an emergency to replace
a broke
n
spoke.
If you are going to begin and end your trip from the same destination,
you can
bring extra clothes for the flight over and the flight back which can
be stored
in your bike box while you are on your tour.
The "going light" method does not leave much room in your bike bag for
momentos
or gifts. However, if you find something you really like, it
is quite easy and
not expensive to mail the item back home. Most post offices sell
an assortment
of boxes so finding the correct size is easy. Also, if the item
is valuable,
I would suggest sending it air mail. For smaller, more valuable
items like
film I put everything in one or two well-sealed plastic bags before
placing it
in the box. That way, if the box somehow springs a small leak,
you won't lose
that one roll of film wth the killer photos.
Brakes
I would recommend a good set of brakes, some of the descents are long,
steep
and quite tricky with off camber and decreasing radius turns, usually
accompanied by lack of guard rail. Make sure your brakes are
working well!
Gearing
For gearing a 39x26 or 39x28 seem to be a reasonable low gear for the
sustained
climbing in the Alps. Some people prefer triple front chainrings.
Your mileag
e
may vary.
TIPS WHILE ON THE ROAD
This section deals with the basic trip details, road conditions, weather,
food,
hotels, changing money.
Maps
The yellow Michelin regional maps are the best. There is so much
detail, it
is almost impossible to get lost. Having the elevation of the
towns helps
plan out the climbs and having the different types of roads(see below)
marked
out helps me stay off the more heavily traveled arteries. The
Michelins are
only available for France, Switzerland and, parts of Italy. Also,
note that
these maps now bear a date(on the back at the bottom) as to when they
were last
updated, get the latest version. The yellow maps are in 1cm:2km
(1/200000)
scale.
Michelin is now making green regional maps that are 1cm:1km (1/100000)
scale
and are much more detailed than the standard yellow maps. They
are also more
expensive and larger which makes them great for pre-planning a route
before you
leave home but maybe a bit too bulky for taking with you on your trip.
These
maps are also date labeled and have numbers in the 100-200 range.
For Italy, I would recommend the Touring Club Italiano (TCI) maps, they
are
almost as good as the Michelins and come in 1cm:2km (1/200000) scale.
Also recommended are the Institut Geographique National(IGN) maps, which
are
marked with contour lines. There are three flavors green is 1cm:1km,
red is
1cm:2.5km, and blue is somewhat finer than the green (blue is usually
used by
hikers).
Roads
First, there are different classes of roads, delineated by the color
of the
signs. For example, in Switzerland, the freeways use green signs
(verboten for
bicycles), the blue signs are for primary roads(bikes OK) and the secondary
roads are in white (bikes OK). Primary roads tend to be a little
more direct
than secondary roads, but they have more traffic as well.
The colors for road signs may differ from country to country.
Note that in
France, freeway signs are in blue and primary road signs are in green.
One important sign to note is that in Europe, a red circle with a bike
in the
center means that the road is closed to bicycles. In the US we
are more
familiar with a red circle with a red slash through it meaning the
activity in
the sign is prohibited, but in Europe, just the red circle means the
activity i
n
the center is prohibited.
Many tunnels in Europe do not have lighting, and some are very long.
For the
most part the road surfaces inside are OK, but it's best to play it
safe and
slow way down, don't forget to pop up the sunglasses.
The mountain roads are generally good, but deteriorate as you go higher.
Also,
the width of the roads can change dramatically from 2 lanes to 1 lane,
etc.,
tunnels spring up out of nowhere, and the turns are not marked.
However you
can avoid just about anything by being careful.
The roads in Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein are the best.
France, Ital
y
and Spain are very good as well.
Guides to Paved Climbs
Written guides to paved climbs in the Alps and Pyrenees exist.
There are four
separate guides to the mountainous regions in France that describe
the paved
mountain passes which may be of use to anyone planning a trip.
The guides are
written in French, but each pass has a sort of topographic layout of
the actual
climb, giving the percent grade for each kilometer, which is very useful.
The four guides are(denoted by the subtitle "ALTIGRAPH Edition"):
1) Atlas des Cols des Alpes - North(everything north of the Col du Galibier)
2) Atlas des Cols des Alpes - South(everything south of the Col du Galibier)
3) Atlas des Cols des Pyrenees
4) Atlas des Cols du Massif Central
They cost about 110ff($20 US) each (they take credit cards!) and are
available from:
Au Vieux Campeur
14 Rue des Ecoles
75005 Paris France
Telephone # +33-1.43.29.12.32
(magasins/shops, librairie/book shop)
Fax : +33-1.60.11.89.66
& +33-1.60.11.70.38
POINTS of ENTRY to EUROPEAN MOUNTAINS
Choosing the correct port of entry can depend on a number of factors.
If you
have lots of time and resources, but not much money, you might try
to fly into
an airport that has great fares, but is relatively far from your starting
point
.
Frankfurt is a good example, with lots of reasonable fares from the
US and with
rail service right out of the airport to many of the starting points
for popula
r
tours.
If you have a time constraint, you may want to try and get as close
as possible
to your starting point. Another option is to get a one-way rental
car so that
you can drive directly from the airport to your starting point.
Be warned that
with gasoline prices in Europe between $4 and $5/gallon and with freeways
in
France and Italy charging tolls to use their roads, the oveall cost
of renting
a car can be much greater than the actual car rental charge.
Below is a list of points of entry to the various mountainous regions
of Europe
:
1) Geneva - good for the Alps and the Jura mountains. There is
a train station
in the airport to get you out of town fast.
2) Milan - good for the Italian and Swiss Alps. You can leave
luggage in the
airport. The airport is a fair ways northeast of the city, there
is bus servic
e
to the train station downtown.
3) Nice - very nice starting point for the Maritime Alps and Provence.
You can
ride your bike right out of the airport.
4) Barcelona - about 100 miles south of the eastern end of the Pyrenees.
5) Paris - you can take a TGV (bullet train) south to the Pyrenees or
east to
the Alps.
6) Zurich - close to the Swiss Alps.
CHANGING MONEY
First off, it should be noted that Europeans are embracing credit cards.
One
big advantage to using credit cards to pay for everything is that you
get a muc
h
better exchange rate than by changing your US cash (or Traveler's Checks)
into
local currency. In 1996, using credit cards gave about a 7% savings
over cash.
ATM cards are also becoming popular. They offer similar savings
as credit card
s
as long as you are not charged a high fee by your bank for using it.
I have
heard that sometimes the transaction fee can be as high as $5.
Interestingly,
most banks charge about $5 for exchanging money!
If you are in the Alps, you should keep a good supply of the local currency
as
banks are not always easy to find(except resort towns). Hotels
will change
money, use this as a last resort as the exchange rate is not always
good.
I have found that most banks have the same exchange rate, so shopping
around is
seems to be a waste of time. Remember, you can change your current
currency as
well as your US stuff when you change countries. However, if
you are in France
and want to change US currency into Italian lire, you will most likely
be
charged two transaction fees, one for changing from US to French francs
and one
for changing the French francs to Italian lire.
As a general rule, you cannot change small denomination coins.
If you are
anticipating leaving a country be sure to use up all your small change
or be
prepared to just give it away at the border.
DEALING WITH JET LAG
Jet lag is a problem, especially if you are coming from the West Coast
which
means an 8-9 hour time difference. It is advised that you try
to get on the
local time standard as soon as possible. If you arrive in Europe
in the mornin
g
try to stay up and sleep when night comes to Europe rather than taking
a nap
right away and then lying awake when it is dark outside.
GENERAL STUFF
Except in big cities, everything in the towns shut down from 12pm(noon)
to
around 3pm. This means markets, banks, basically everything you
need.
Restaurants are open, but a big meal is a no-no. I found it was
better to buy
food at a super market in the morning and just munch a bit about every
2 hours.
Typical road food was fruit(bananas, nectarines, peaches), cookies,
candy bars
and bread.
In Spain, everything shuts down from 1pm-4pm and dinner is not usually
served
until 8:30 or so. In Italy and France, everything shuts down
from about 12:30
pm to 4pm and dinner is not usually served till 7pm.
FINDING HOTELS
The "Office of Tourism" is a good place to start looking for hotels.
The
tourist office can provide a list of hotels graded by stars and may
also make
recommendations. I prefer the 2 and 3 star hotels(out of a possible
5), the
firmness of the bed and noisiness of the street outside were the major
factors
influencing my decision.
The average price of 2-3 star hotels for 2 twin beds and a toilet with
shower
was $40-$70. I have found that in France and Italy, 3 star hotels
are quite
nice and 2 star hotels are adequate. In Switzerland 2 star hotels
are very
nice.
It should also be mentioned that since most hotels do not have air conditioning
,
you need to do everything possible to get a cool room. If you
need to keep the
windows open, try and get a room away from the street side of the hotel
or the
noise will keep you up(believe me, this is important). Earplugs
help somewhat.
A couple of tricks to stiffen up soft beds are to put the mattress on
the floor
or you can take a door off of a closet and put it between the springs
and the
mattress.
Many European hotels use down comforters instead of blankets on their
beds. If
you sleep hot, like me, you can remove the comforter cover and use
it as a
blanket.
FOOD
Breakfast
Most hotels in Europe are now charging ($5 to $7) for their continental
breakfast (le petit dejuneur). If you are unsure if there is
a charge it is
best to ask. If you don't need a latte to get going in the morning
a less
expensive alternative is to buy some pastries at the local bakery the
night
before and eat them in your hotel room before departing. Most
hotels are open
for breakfast from 7:30am to 9:00am.
Lunch
Most bars and restaurants offer simple sandwiches at reasonable prices.
A
cheese sandwich runs about $3, while ham and cheese is around $4.
In Italy,
these simple sandwiches are called paninis.
Dinner
I'm not a big food gourmet. For dinner, I stick with the basics.
Spaghetti,
lasagne, pizza, grilled meats, etc.. If you try something exotic
and your
stomach gets upset, you won't be able to ride. If you are looking
for good
food, get some recommendations before you leave or be prepared to swig
some
Pepto. As we say in America, "If you can't pronounce it, you
might not want
to eat it".
WEATHER
You should come to Europe prepared to get wet. Yes, it rains there
in the
summer.
It can be hot at the lower elevations in the summer, if you sleep at
higher
altitudes(>1000 meters) you may be able to beat the heat.
Some regions have predictable weather conditions such as the 15-20mph
wind that
seems to always blow up the Sion valley from Maritgny towards Brig.
The best month to tour in the Alps is July. The weather is reasonably
settled
and the days are warm. September is a good second choice, though
the weather i
s
a bit more unsettled and it can turn cold and actually snow.
Also, in
September, it is possible that the hotels at major ski resorts, like
Sestriere
and Isola 2000, may be closed as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Check
before heading up that next climb.
I would not recommend going to the Pyrenees Mountains during the month
of July
(possibly even August). Even though there are a lot of 4000'
climbs, the passe
s
are for the most part low altitude compared to the Alps(1500-2000 meters
versus
2000-2700 meters) and because of this it is quite hot. A better
time for the
Pyrenees is May, June or September. Also, I found the Pyrenees
to be quite
beautiful but, I really like the ruggedness of the Alps and the roads
in the
Pyrenees did not pass by much of this type of scenery(though it does
exist via
hiking trails).
August seems to be a bad time for a tour. All of Europe goes on
vacation. Thi
s
means that the roads and accommodations are crowded and the air pollution
is
also bad.
BEING IN SHAPE
Because I am on vacation, I am not going over to Europe to suffer on
every
climb, so being in shape is of tantamount importance. Plan your
pre-trip
riding depending on the type of trip you are going to do. I live
for
switchbacks so I go to Europe to ride the passes, so I try to do a
lot of
climbing on my rides in the US.
PEOPLE
I find everybody pretty friendly. In most countries, the people
attempt to
speak English once you attempted a conversion in their native tongue
(especiall
y
the French). Try to respect the native customs.
TAKING YOUR BIKE ON THE TRAIN
I would avoid checking baggage(this includes bikes) on a train unless
you
can afford to be separated from it for up to a week after you reach
your
destination. This is because on European trains, the baggage
cars are not
necessarily hooked up to the passenger trains which means you can wait
for
days for your luggage to arrive(I saw this happen to a Canadian guy
in 1990).
I have been told that there are some trains in Italy that include
a special
baggage car the will hold bikes. You may want to check into this
if your
proposed itinerary includes travel by train. The key here is
that you want
to make sure that both you and your bike are on the same train.
On Swiss and German trains there is space at the end of most cars where
you can leave baggage, which is where I put my bike. In France
and Italy,
I suspended the bike above the seats in the two opposing luggage racks(great
trick!). There is a chance that a conductor may be displeased
by the bike
and start making all sorts of gyrations about the bike having to be
sent
as baggage. Just play dumb and as long as you are not taking
up too much
space they will usually let you slide.
Unfortunately, in 1992, I came under the wrath of every train conductor
in
Europe. I never got separated from my bike, but I had to pay
an extra charge
for having my bike with me on the train($30 US). However, I would
rather be
verbally abused than be separated from my bike!
On interesting thing about bikes on passenger trains, in 1992 I took
the
TGV from Paris to Pau and was not hassled about my bike because it
was
still in the box and in the back of the car. You may be able
to cut
down on your hassle quotient by keeping you bike in your box until
you
really need it. Just a thought.
Train service is not available in all towns (especially in the mountains).
However, bus service usually is available and you can use the bus to
connect
to a train station. Your bike has to travel in the baggage compartment,
it is a bit risky since the bike may move around a bit with all the
luggage
so take care in helping the driver put it in a good location.
MISCELLANIA
1) I have a ritual for taking care of necessary business (most notably
washing my cycling clothes) when I arrive at my day's destination and
get into my hotel room:
a) take off all my cycling clothes and place them in the sink
with soap
to wash
b) after 5-10 minutes rinse soap out of cycling clothes and use
the fresh
clean bath towels to ring them as dry a possible.
A quick way to help
wring out your freshly washed riding clothes is to spread the
wet garment
on a dry towel. Roll the garment up in the towel and use
your knee to press
the rolled towel. Unroll the towel and hang the garment
to dry.
c) hang the clothes to dry, if done properly they should be ready
for the
next morning. Theft proof hangers may present a problem.
One trick is to
bring some thin clothesline to hold the hangers.
d) take my shower and use the slightly wet towels to dry(this works fine).
e) there are some really good, super-concentrated laundry soaps
such
as ultra-strength Wisk which work well for washing clothes and
are
concentrated enough so that a little goes a long way.
2) Be careful when buying film in Europe. Some of the film prices
include
processing charges. It is best to ask what's what.
3) I did not find it necessary to take a travel guide(such as the Michelin
Red Guide), but it may be helpful for pre-trip planning.
4) There are a number of pocket calculators that serve as language translators.
I have one that translates between English, French, Spanish, German
and
Italian. It also converts miles to kilometers, degrees farenheit
to degrees
centigrade and currency rates(you enter the ratios) and all for about
$40!
5) Beware of national holidays. Once I was out of francs in France
during
Bastille Day, not pleasant.
6) Many mountain passes have restaurants on top which is great for getting
a soda or candy bar. However, be forewarned that a can of Coke
can cost
3-4 times as much at a bar than at a supermarket.
7) If you need to make long distance phone calls you can save a significant
amount of money by using a pay phone and your calling card rather than
using the phone in your hotel room. Most hotels use a computer
to estimate
the actual phone charges and these estimates can sometimes be over
three
times the actual charges. The calling card method bills you for
only the
actual charges.
8) Phone cards are becoming the norm in Europe. You can buy them
at newstands
and at Bar/Tobacco shops.
9) Some countries may require a separate Visa(like France used to),
be sure
to check with your travel agent or the State Department.
10) When buying stamps for postcards, make sure you ask for Air Mail
stamps
otherwise it can take up to 3 months for the cards to arrive in the
US.
Also, it is much cheaper to mail postcards in France ($0.80 US) than
Switzerland ($1.80 US), so if you are sending lots of cards you can
save
quite a lot of money by mailing them in the correct country.
11) If you are shipping and parcels to Europe(or vice versa), allow
8 weeks
for delivery if sent surface, about 2 weeks for air mail.
12) If you have Shimano Hyperglide shifting, I would consider also carrying
a chain tool. In the past several years, with the popularity
of STI,
I have noticed more and more people stopped by the side of the road
with a broken chain. Some emergency versions of a chain tool,
such as
the Ritchey CPR 5 are very light.
13) If you buy bus or train tickets, you should specify up front if
you
would like a one-way or round trip ticket. Some locations assume
the
default is one-way, others assume round-trip.
14) Staying hydrated(i.e. drinking water) is really important.
Most towns
have fountains or pipes flowing into water troughs. The general
rule is
that unless there is a sign that says the water is not fit for drinking
("eau non potable", "verboten") then you can drink it.
15) Instead of carrying lots of medicines that you may or may not need
like cold medicines, write down the name and amounts of the ingredients
of your favorite US medicines so that you can compare and buy the same
products if needed.
16) Plastic bags can be your savior in wet and/or cold weather.
Plastic
bags placed on your feet before putting on socks, plastic inside your
leg warmers or on your chest can help cut the cold dramatically.
17) Food labeling is not the same as it is in the US. For example,
the Nutrasweet label is not found on diet soda, so beware.
18) I take 2-3 energy bars for use from the time my plane touches down
and I have my bike together and have hit the road. There are
a lot of
things to do when you arrive at the airport and before you reach your
first town. Having an easy source of food makes those hectic
moments
much easier.
19) if you are going to leave your bike box at the airport (or hotel)
you can stash things like extra clothes, et. al. to make the trip over
and the return a little more comfortable and hygenic.
20) rather than change your foreign currency back to US money when you
return home, save it for future use when you return for your next adventure.
21) There is an interesting effect that seems to occur in Europe.
Early
in the morning the combination of low light and some haze can make
it look
like a bad day of weather is coming. However, once the sun climbs
a bit
in the sky, everything burns off and a glorious day arrives.
22) In Italy, it is cheaper to mail packages back to the states if you
give the customs officials the permission to open the parcel when it
is
leaving the country.
23) One way to make a great vacation with a short amount of time is
to
arrange a one way drop-off car which can be used to get you to the
prime
cycling territory quickly. Arranging for the car in the states
can save
a lot of money.
24) People like to smoke a lot in Europe, especially in their hotel
rooms.
If your hotel room is filling up with smoke, place a towel against
the
floor of the door jam to stop the flow.
25) If you anticipate doing any cycling in your street clothes, you
might
want to think about including a seatcover. The seatcover keeps
any
grease, grime, etc. on your saddle from transferring to your good clothes.
26) A neat trick for drying out wet cycling shoes is to pack them tightly
with dry newspaper. I have had totally soaked shoes dry out overnight.
27) Some antibiotics increase your sensitivity to sunlight. Be
certain that
you know what the side effects of your medications are before you leave
on your
trip.
28) On the top of many of the mountain passes, the shop(s) selling postcards
usually has a rubber stamp. Geting your postcards stamped on
top of the pass
makes them more "official" ("you were there") in some circles.
DAY TRIPPING
If someone wanted to avoid the hassles of carrying gear and just wanted
to find a nice town for some day trips, my first choice would be
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Situated in the heart of the Dolomites,
Cortina
has incredible, and I mean incredible, scenery and many great passes(don't
miss the ride up to the Tre Cime de Lavaredo, it's a great walk to
circumnavigate the base as well). You can plan trips from 30
to 150+ miles
of some of the best riding in the world.
My second choice would be Andermatt, Switzerland gateway to the Susten,
Furka, Gothard and Oberalp passes and close to Wilhem Tell's birthplace(he
didn't really exist but, there's a monument anyway). The day
rides here are
longer and more strenuous but, you won't be disappointed.
Also recommended is the northern Italian town of Bormio. The Stelvio,
Gavia, Bernina, Foscagno and Mortirolo are all within a day's ride.
------------------------------
Subject: 4.7 More information on Amtrak and Bicycles
From: tkunich@smtpgate.diabloresearch.com
Date: Fri, 07 Nov 97 13:31:13 -0800
In the summer of 1997 a group of us decided
to take Amtrak to the
northern Californian town of Dunsmuir. This
is the last stop before
Oregon and we wanted to ride from the California
boarder to Sacramento
through the Central Valley since we had never
heard of anyone doing
that before.
After several calls to Amtrak we finally found
out that we could take
the train from Fremont to Dunsmuir with only
one transfer in
Sacramento. But since neither Fremont nor
Dunsmuir had passenger
services (which allowed baggage loading and
unloading) we couldn't
take the bicycles with us.
We made other plans for the bicycle transport.
We had a sag wagon
going up there but most people would probably
opt just to send the
bike via Greyhound which is cheap, reliable
and goes more places than
the train does.
The train was a bit late at Fremont but we
finally got out only a few
minutes off of their schedule. The view and
the trip to Sacramento
were very nice. The trains are extremely comfortable
in the seating
position though the overhead luggage section
isn't suitable for normal
sized carryon stuff. This line had bicycle
carriers that would accept
ONLY single bikes. Tamdems would definitely
not fit.
The connecting train was a real problem. It
was 2 hours late and the
Sacramento station is something built around
1925 or so and extremely
uncomfortable, drafty and cold at night. Moreover,
Amtrak personnel
generally know nothing at all about what is
going on, what the delays
are or when you can expect the train to arrive.
This isn't because
they are stupid or don't want to be helpful,
it is because no one
knows what is going on and the railroad won't
tell them.
There was another bike rider there who was
going between major
stations and so was loading his bike into
a box provided by Amtrak.
However, they had no tape and it was late
evening and there was no
place for him to get tape. I don't know how
he resolved the problem
since he was gone when we got back from dinner.
But if you intend to
take your bike on Amtrak be aware of this
possible problem.
Amtrak loads passengers into cars in some
manner that keeps most of
the passengers getting off at any specific
station in the same car so
that it is easier for the conductor to remind
you to get off. The
problem with this is that the more popular
stations will crowd some
cars while others will be almost empty.
If you want a good view the upper levels are
best, but that is also
the level though which the children run continuously
fore and aft as
the train is traveling. Because of this you
will get no sleep
whatsoever if you seat yourself at either
end. The doors are
continuously opening and closing and have
air mechanisms that are very
annoying.
Instead sit near the center of the car. The
lower level seating is
very quiet in this regard though there is
more track and traffic
noise. I would sit on the lower levels in
the future since our trip
was almost exclusively at night and there
was nothing to see anyway.
We had other members of the tour arriving
the next day but that train
was 8 hours late and no one knew where it
was stopped. This was a
nightmare for the people involved and it took
the sag wagon away from
the ride for the entire day trying to recover
these riders. Without
the sag wagon to wait for and sag these late
riders up, we would have
had to lose a day of the tour and we would
therefore have had to
reroute the trip missing the most scenic portion
of the trip.
Be aware that while there are some advantages
to taking Amtrak, there
are a lot of disadvantages and you cannot
count on time schedules
being kept. I would always allow at least
an extra day for travel to
or from an event knowing what I know now.
We had planned on a day to recover from the
trip and booked rooms at a
local motel for the day after the trip and
that was definitely the
&n