OMG! The faff!

[rollindoughnut]

I've so much to learn.

Slept out on the South Downs last night intending on putting in two hard days riding.
Was experimenting with new ideas so slept near my van which contained backup equipment.

1st stupid idea: Just sleep in a down jacket and tights. Lasted about ten minutes before deciding this was a recipe for misery so popped back to the vehicle to get my sleeping bag.
2nd: tried a Trangia stove. Really like it but took too long to boil 400ml of water for my dinner. Reckon it'd be a liability on a windy night. Sensibly had picked up my gas burner when I returned for the bag.

Rubbish nights sleep on my squeaky, slidey bed.

At 4am before setting off I had to repack everything due to the extra bulk (cheap sleeping bag) bringing into play a rucksack to help fit everything in. Finally got going but then within minutes realised I was overheating wearing tights so stopped, changed to shorts and repacked again. Couldn't really find space for the tights so had a bit of a sense of humour faliure and returned to the van yet again. Like Yoda I went through all my gear, throwing everything I didn't need into the cab and made some space. Finally got going 2hrs after waking up, rode for ten minutes and thought 'sod this, I'm not in the mood anymore!'

Back home drinking coffee with the cat on my lap, laughing at myself.

[psling]

I've so much to learn.

And indeed that remains the case throughout your life; you will become wiser but should never stop learning!

I love the idea of just jumping on the bike without a moments faff and riding into the sunset. Of course, that is the dream, not the reality. A greater or lesser degree of preparation is required and this includes researching and trying various kit until you find stuff that works for you - this never stops and there always seems to be something additional or better we need and must have in our mind that, even with the best reviews and recommendations, doesn't always work for you.
We've probably all been there; part of life's experience.

Your biggest mistake though was having the van with other kit available close by - that gave you a get-out which weakened your mental resolve and stopped you persevering with the kit you had and seeing it through

[Bearbonesnorm]

Trangias usually cope okay with wind. Did you just have the burner and not the windshield?

Although I'm sure it was tongue in cheek, Peter's kind of on to something about the van. Once you gove yourself any kind of bail out option, it can be become harder to see things through, improvise and overcome. It's often doing that which gives you the insight for the future.

Never ask yourself 'what do I want to take' but ask 'what do I need to take'. The difference between the two is often surprising.

[RIP]

Your biggest mistake though was having the van with other kit available close by - that gave you a get-out which weakened your mental resolve and stopped you persevering with the kit you had and seeing it through

I was going to post exactly that - it's a fabulous observation and highlights a very 'deep' part of the experience (arg, can we swear-filter that word Stu ), for me anyway. Whilst it's perfectly understandable to wish for the apparent safety net, it's actually a big encumbrance. So long as you're warm/cool enough overnight (let's rephrase that as 'sheltered'?) and not going suffer [excessive] bodily damage, the rest of it is part of the learning/fun. Having no portable base gives a reason for plenty of thinking before you depart as well (no insult intended of course).

One of the reasons I prefer to use public transport for capers and japes - once I get off, I've got to run with whatever happens.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm sure I recall Aidan Harding telling me that before he departed on the TD, he posted his keys to the finish ... no choice but to ride 2800 miles and get them

[RIP]

Style!

[ootini]

We've all been there, well, I have. Realising half the stuff you brought with you was crap and the rest was pointless.
Getting in to the mentality of taking what you need, as opposed to what you can is a big thing.

Remember the scene in Mel Brook's classic Spaceballs? Lonestar, Barf, Vespa and Dot matrix are lost in the desert, the guys are carrying her Royal Highness's matched luggage. Eventually they lose their sh!t and Lonestar shouts that she should take "only what she needs to survive!". It took me a while to have that conversation with myself, but when I did, it was worth it.
"You want this hot air machine? You carry it". What a movie!!!

[RIP]

but took too long to boil 400ml of water for my dinner

How much time did you have at your disposal?

Forgive the gentle ribbing - big compliments to you in the first place for sharing your 'mistakes' and experiences .

laughing at myself

massive number of points scored here

[rollindoughnut]

I wavered about whether to drive or ride to the Downs (1 or 4hrs respectively). I hate driving to ride, much prefer setting out from home. I was swayed by the fact I was knackered after a tough day at work, (I work outside), and the worry that not taking a sleeping bag was a seriously daft idea.

I used the trangia without a windshield with my pot suspended above it from a stick, but it was inside my tent and a very still night so it worked fine. I did like it, it's just that in my mind I'd stop, pitch my tent, slam down a hot meal and be asleep in minutes! I mentioned previously I was a keen xc and cx racer. A pit stop that takes over 15 seconds is too long. Need to adjust my expectations.
I've done some lovely trips already this year, happily taking all the time In the world to do stuff and just humping a big rucksack along with bikepacking bags. For some reason I've felt the need to spoil it all by imagining myself as a lean, mean racing machine thus overthinking every facet of my setup. I'm sure I'll find a happy medium over time.

[RIP]

Need to adjust my expectations

Or just bin them completely .

Bit of a weight saving there too. Ooh this is getting far too philosophical for a Saturday morning. Get on with your chores Reg, there's hoovering to be done apparently.

Sorry, you'll get used to, or just eventually ignore, Reg

'Reg'

[BigdummySteve]

Never ask yourself 'what do I want to take' but ask 'what do I need to take'. The difference between the two is often surprising.

What I wanted to take



What I needed to take



Although the second picture was only a two day trip with pickers over the black mountains I took a similar setup across Spain for 9 days with the addition of a half frame bag. This transformation took a while there was an intermediary stage where I merely took too much, one of the problems is that there’s no right or wrong way. My setup has evolved over numerous trips both by myself and the postman Next time perhaps take a rucksack, put what you think you need on the bike and additional stuff in the pack, if you find you actually need it it goes on the bike next time?

[ScotRoutes]

I used the trangia without a windshield with my pot suspended above it from a stick, but it was inside my tent

Danger Will Robinson!

[sean_iow]

If you had a windshield so the stove doesn't need to be in the tent for shelter then the water could be boiling whilst you put the tent up, thus saving dead time.

On most trips I want my dinner hours before I want to stop for the night so I'll stop at 6 ish, cook and eat dinner then ride on until say 10 or 11 and then set up for the night.

If I'm only going out for the night after work and leaving later I just have dinner at home before setting off, added bonus is that I don't have to cook it that way

[Asposium]

Been riding with a friend introducing her to bikepacking; been handy being able to share a tent due to the weight saving.
However, we’ve been using her MSR windburner; now, not the smallest or lightest of things (and kind of offsets the weight saving of riding as a pair); but, OMG that thing is quick to boil water.
Sometimes time does matter.
Like Sean, I like to stop, eat, carry on.
Though it’s quite refreshing stopping before sunset to pitch the tent after following a leisurely day’s riding.

On the YD300 (most certainly not leisurely) had the silly idea of taking my summer sleeping bag to save some weight. Won’t be making that mistake on the dales divide.