This is a little list in no particular order of what I have learned while cycle touring and camping, this list will probably be edited and added to as I learn and tour more.
Take lots of plastic bags : Like the ones your get from the supermarket. They just come in useful, they just do. To wrap up your wet closing, food and as a bin bag etc. you name it.
Take zip lock plastic bags : Sometime even the best panniers with let some water in. And you want to keep that mobile, GPS or MP3 player extra dry. Also good to keep bits and bobs in, like extra screws for your bicycle.
Get a groundsheet/footprint for the tent : But make sure that it is not bigger than the tent. Because if it rains it will get wet and that water will run into your tent.
Take a full outfit of dry, loose, non-cycling clothes : Something like boxers and a t-shirt. It is easier to get into than your lycra or wet clothing. To use when you need to use the facilities at night on the campsite. Like merino wool long sleeve and longs to sleep in on that extra …

Description: (From their site) A Blacks Octane 3 technical tunnel tent that is extremely light and has a very compact pack size. Its aerodynamic shape makes it suitable for mountain use at all altitudes as well as backpacking and trekking.
As seen on the blog: Label : Blacks Octane 3
UPDATE : We took the tent out for a week touring in Croatia where it worked brilliantly, 10min or so to put up and take down, so simple. We also got to really test it out in the rain and wind, as we had two massive thunder storms. The short one lasted only two or so hours but the wind was quite strong. But Octane 3 tent stayed put though it did sound like it would take off once or twice doing the night.
The second storm, aka the great flood of 2009, had us worried for a bit but it kept us dry for the 4 or so hours of heavy down pours. Yes the vestibule got totally soaked and our Ortleib pannier bags had hard time trying not to float away. We just sat inside trying our best not to touch the walls, the most important rule of camping in …

Since I had today off and we were thinking of something to do, a ride was the order of the day.
Split between FNRttC or testing out our new tent and mats which was screaming use us, use us.We then decided to ride for 17 odd miles into a beautiful sunset and found a campsite. We rode out through Richmond Park and saw the deer’s there and did talk about doing wild camping there. But decided that we would like to have a little ride out and also the risk of getting woken up in the middle of the night by the deer’s or the park warden.We managed to arrive with enough light to pitch while fighting off mossies, oh the joy of camping.
We went to the pub next door to kill some time before bed time. The said pub took a bit of time to find since we couldn’t find our way out of the campsite. Because we where paying more attention to the beautiful full moon than the route to the pub.
We got woken up around an hour after we fell asleep to a very disturbing noise and Peli must have been deep in dreaming land. When I asked …

… to the start, of the camping season.We just got a tent and tried to pitch it yesterday. They have come on quite a bit since I last had a tent. Colour coded tent poles etc., pretty much plug and play.
We are just awaiting the down mats, they should be 7cm thick and can go down to -20c, boy we are going to sleep well.