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		<title>What are you packing</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Packing for a cycle tour is a major event and somewhat stressful simply because there is always that &#8220;what if&#8221; and &#8220;do I really need that&#8221; moment.
Yes you can repack again and again and even do various mini tours to help to sort you out. But I&#8217;m sure that even the most seasoned tourer will be carrying something that they haven&#8217;t used for a while. Great way to figure out what to pack is to talk to people on various online forums, read other people&#8217;s tour write-ups and talk with people you meet while touring. 
They all will pack differently from you, so what one person is carrying might not be what you need, as we all have different needs. But from that talk you will learn some tricks of the trade and along with doing a few long weekends you will find your comfort zone/needs for your touring.
There are a few questions you can ask yourself which will help you narrow down what you pack.
Where you are going : is it a developing country, mountainous, flat covered in forest?
Time of year : holiday season where you are going, will you be fighting over the campsite with all the other ...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/09/what-i-have-learned/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: What I have learned while cycle touring'>What I have learned while cycle touring</a> <small>This is a little list in no particular order of...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/12/coolclasp-the-greatest-strap-in-the-world/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: CoolClasp &#8211; the greatest strap in the world.'>CoolClasp &#8211; the greatest strap in the world.</a> <small>I always find something to use them for. Like strapping...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/04/review-of-ortleib-panniers/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Ortleib Panniers Set'>Ortleib Panniers Set</a> <small> Description: (From their site) With its classical lid closure...</small></li>
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		<title>What goes down must come up</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Great paths, great food and company and it turned into our hardest 75 miles we have ever done.


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/08/leaving-luton-direction-lancashire/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Leaving Luton, direction Lancashire'>Leaving Luton, direction Lancashire</a> <small>We set off from London St. Pancras towards Luton, simply...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/04/route-planning-with-google/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Route planning with Google'>Route planning with Google</a> <small>We are about to go on a small tour of...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/05/blue-bells/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Blue bells'>Blue bells</a> <small>We got up and ate our left overs, since we...</small></li>
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		<title>Leaving Luton, direction Lancashire</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We set off from London St. Pancras towards Luton, simply because that would allow us to avoid riding out of London, and also because our friend lives there. Dave then led us out for 25 miles north on quiet and pleasant roads.


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/08/what-goe-down-must-come-up/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: What goes down must come up'>What goes down must come up</a> <small>Great paths, great food and company and it turned into...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/09/what-i-have-learned/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: What I have learned while cycle touring'>What I have learned while cycle touring</a> <small>This is a little list in no particular order of...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/04/in-search-of-a-cup-of-tea-part-i/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: In search of a cup of TEA, Part I'>In search of a cup of TEA, Part I</a> <small>24th of April.Work, rush hour and aiming to get a...</small></li>
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		<title>Open Street Map and Garmin</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I have now been using OpenStreetMap for a few months. Yes there are some features that Google has on their maps that is not on OSM. But what makes OSM so much better is that you can update the maps yourself, which is very addictive, OSM is also updated right away on the online map. I have already uploaded a few corrections from some errors I have found here in London. It is rather nice to see them live and on your GPS a few days later. 
Where I&#8217;m still waiting for Google to update an error I spotted. Yes there is the so called &#8220;copyright errors&#8221; but this one is not just one road it is many roads in the same area.
Garmin has made so that the Dakota 20 (and others) are able use these free maps on these units. Yes OpenStreetMap is not fully up to date and is not covering the whole world yet. Some areas are in more details than others, but since people like me (and you) are out there every week, the maps are updated all the time with more and more roads, track, POI etc. 
I have tried out a few different maps ...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/06/gps-and-osm/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: GPS and OSM'>GPS and OSM</a> <small>A few weeks ago I got a Garmin Dakota 20...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/02/social-networks-please-unite/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Social networks please unite&#8230;'>Social networks please unite&#8230;</a> <small>&#8230; well at least make it so that your users...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/12/the-o2-arena-london/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The O2 Arena London'>The O2 Arena London</a> <small>Last night we went to the O2 Arena in London...</small></li>
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		<title>The on/off ride with GPS</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We went out on a 53 miles ride today joined by five of our friends. Never been in that part of London before and it really didn&#8217;t feel like London. Even though we were within the M25, pretty much London still, we enjoyed some rather nice country lanes. 
The weather meant that we had to put on our waterproofs four times before we managed to get home as we enjoyed four rather hard showers. During one downpour we had to pull over and wait under a bridge as we couldn&#8217;t see where we were going. At least it was not cold so we didn&#8217;t end up freezing our bits off.
It was the first time I have really used my new Dakota 20 from Garmin. Before I have only played around with it here in London where I know the roads.
There are two ways of using the Dakota (I think), one which is very close to the typical DumDum erm TomTom where it will tell you when to turn with a beep and show you a big fat arrow on the screen. You can plot a route that way but you are limited to 50 points which made our route impossible ...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/06/gps-and-osm/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: GPS and OSM'>GPS and OSM</a> <small>A few weeks ago I got a Garmin Dakota 20...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/12/boxing-day-ride-4-0/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Boxing Day Ride 4.0'>Boxing Day Ride 4.0</a> <small>Well we didn&#8217;t see any boxing but there was plenty...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/08/open-street-map-and-garmin/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Open Street Map and Garmin'>Open Street Map and Garmin</a> <small>I have now been using OpenStreetMap for a few months....</small></li>
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		<title>Riding north</title>
		<description><![CDATA[On Saturday the 21st we are jumping on a train here in London and head north to Luton. No we are not flying out, we are cycling away to save around 30miles of the worst and not so fun London. It will also give us a good start to the next 235 miles we are planing over the next six days.
This is the route as it stands right now and hopefully on the 26th of August we will have arrived. 
We are planing to do around 35miles the first day and to shssss don&#8217;t tell anyone to wild camp, simply because I have given up on finding a campsite in that area. 
The more we manage on the first day the less we have to do on the second day. So hopefully less that 55miles as we are staying at Whatoff Lodge Farm just north of Leicester for one night.
Then we are cutting right over to the bottom of the Peak District where we will be joined for some of the ride by our friend whom we are staying with that night. That would be around 43miles unless our friend knows a good short cut :)
The next day is our ...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/08/what-goe-down-must-come-up/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: What goes down must come up'>What goes down must come up</a> <small>Great paths, great food and company and it turned into...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/08/leaving-luton-direction-lancashire/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Leaving Luton, direction Lancashire'>Leaving Luton, direction Lancashire</a> <small>We set off from London St. Pancras towards Luton, simply...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/04/the-roads-have-gone-pots/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The roads have gone pots'>The roads have gone pots</a> <small>Well the trip to Cardiff went well and I spent...</small></li>
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		<title>Shimano XT HollowTech II bottom bracket</title>
		<description><![CDATA[When I was reading up what to get when we were building up our Surly Long Haul Truckers I came across the Hollowtech II&#8217;s. I did only find good reviews about them and everyone I spoke to highly recommend these bottom brackets. 
I have now cycle just a tad over 5,700 miles on my LHT, mostly commuting, touring to come. But yesterday I started to feel some play when pedalling. At first I was thinking that this was the Crank Brothers pedals which were playing up again. They were so I swapped my pedals over so that I can fix them later, thinking that that would be it of today&#8217;s fettling.
Though today I decided that it was about time to give the Surly a good scrub behind the ears and a check over, since I got rather dirty when swapping pedals yesterday. While scrubbing I found out that the Hollowtech II was rocking and that the left hand side, or is it leg?, bearings were very loose, or rather gone. I could move the whole thing around very easily and there was much black grime, muck, dirt which felt like there were metal bits in it.
I&#8217;m sure that I fitted ...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/12/exploding-balls/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Exploding balls'>Exploding balls</a> <small>The other day while cycling home from work. I heard...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/12/rolling-rolling-rolling/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Rolling rolling rolling'>Rolling rolling rolling</a> <small>I managed to change the dead ball bearing in the...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/02/falling-out-of-love-with-crank-brothers-pedals/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Falling out of love with Crank Brothers&#8217; pedals'>Falling out of love with Crank Brothers&#8217; pedals</a> <small>A few years back when I decided to go clip...</small></li>
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		<title>Biting bastards</title>
		<description><![CDATA[No I&#8217;m not sorry for this swear word because I totally have reason for it and when you have read this post you will understand why.
I tend to be eaten alive when it comes to any kind of blood suckers, gnats, mossies etc. The best way to describe it is that I&#8217;m everyone else&#8217;s insect repellent. For some reason they just love me. It&#8217;s like one smells me and then calls its extended family around for dinner. Yes, and long lost uncle Bob who lives on his own is invited too.
It is not really the biting that annoys me, yes I get bitten (though way more than others) and it doesn&#8217;t itch that bad. What the main annoyance is, is that they swell up like no tomorrow and then become very warm, really burning. And then there is the oozing of what ever it is, looks a bit like amber on a tree, but it is not nice to look at either.
Years ago I was on holiday in Sweden with me old folks, while my dad was setting up a picnic my mum was busy applying protection on me. She first sprayed something on me and then she used the ...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/11/isle-of-tea/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Isle of Tea'>Isle of Tea</a> <small>I vote for a name change for Isle of Wight...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/11/anne-mustoe-a-remarkable-woman/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Anne Mustoe: a remarkable woman'>Anne Mustoe: a remarkable woman</a> <small>I have never heard about Anne Mustoe until I was...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/02/sheldon-brown-07-14-1944-02-03-2008/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Sheldon Brown 07.14.1944 &#8211; 02.03.2008'>Sheldon Brown 07.14.1944 &#8211; 02.03.2008</a> <small>Today is the sad anniversary of the departure of Sheldon...</small></li>
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		<title>For sale, Dahon Speed Pro TT 2008</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Sad to say I have to let go of my Dahon Speed Pro TT, 2008, simply because the Surly LHT have ruined all my bicycles as it is just way to comfy and I can&#8217;t ride the Dahon any more. 
Bad parts :
- I&#8217;m selling it, since I can&#8217;t raise the handle bars enough to make it comfortable for me.
- I have never been happy with breaking abilities of the Dahon.
- For some reason Dahon decided to fit some &#8220;great tyres&#8221; on it.
Great parts :
- It is a fast ride and great fun.
- I managed to climb Tourmalet, Hautacam and Luz Ardiden on it.
- It is mango coloured.
So the state of the Dahon :
- Some scratches, but else it looks good, it have been loved and I will give it a good clean before you take it of my hands.
- The hods and leavers have some scratches.
- New tyres (Conti sport contact) very few miles on them.
- Cut down cable outers so not so easy to fold, but you can rectify that.
- Extra bar layer of tape and bar phat.
- It have done around 1800 miles.
- The thread on the left hand side crank are for the pedal is bust.
The ...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2008/08/meet-chutney-a-dahon-speed-pro-tt-2008/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Meet Chutney, a Dahon Speed Pro TT (2008)'>Meet Chutney, a Dahon Speed Pro TT (2008)</a> <small>Me and Chutney (a Dahon Speed Pro TT, 2008) on...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/08/dahon-speed-pro-tt-2008/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Dahon Speed Pro TT, 2008'>Dahon Speed Pro TT, 2008</a> <small>Me and Chutney (a Dahon Speed Pro TT, 2008) on...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/06/the-long-haul-trucker-ruined-my-bicycles/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The Long Haul Trucker ruined my bicycles'>The Long Haul Trucker ruined my bicycles</a> <small>I&#8217;m now coming up to 5,000 miles on the Surly...</small></li>
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		<title>Massive LEGO update II</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Yeah I&#8217;m getting a wee bit lazy and therefore only put my LEGO news in one post now and again, so here is Massive LEGO update number II.
For you Facebook addicts here is a LEGO version of it, Facebook literally in lego.
Over on theoatmeal.com they have made a graph about their memory of LEGO. As much as I agree with it I still have to disagree with it, if you are a real LEGO fan you will have LEGO harden feet. A bit like walking on hot coal you get used to it and never feel that you are stepping on a piece of LEGO. If you are an elite you will be able to tell what size LEGO you are stepping on. 
My biggest memory of LEGO is after a long break away from LEGO. The rush down memory lane which was brought back by the sound and the feeling from me running my fingers through the LEGO.
With background as a graphical, mechanical designer etc I have played plenty with various plotters and printers over the years. But this one is probably the coolest I have seen &#8211; LEGO printer for mac
If you haven&#8217;t heard about TED (Technology, Entertainment, ...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2010/05/massive-lego-update/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Massive LEGO update I'>Massive LEGO update I</a> <small>Sorry I have been a bit slack on posting about...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/11/lego-sorter-wrong/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: LEGO sorter, wrong.'>LEGO sorter, wrong.</a> <small>Sorry this is showing my age. I&#8217;m from the old...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://www.woollypigs.com/2009/11/lego-soul/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: LEGO soul'>LEGO soul</a> <small> What ever you say Lego does have a soul....</small></li>
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