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 cold night.

Take sandals : or flip flop / lose and easy shoes to get in. When you are getting in and out of your tent, or when you are just kicking back after a long days ride.

Baby wipes : Comes in handy for when you have “pressing matters”, clean up after you have had something to eat, they are even brilliant in removing muck and chain oil of your hands when you have done some fettling.

Exped Downmats & down sleeping bags : I’m so glad that I spend a few extra bobs on my Exped DownMats and my down sleeping bag. Yes they weigh a bit more and take a bit more extra space. But I know I have a warm, soft and cosy bed with me and I will have a great night sleep no matter how hard, stony the ground is or how cold the night is turning out to be.

Get a stove and some easy cook food. : We got a JetBoil Personal Cooking System and because you can then cook up some porridge, cup of tea or even some pasta when you are cold or just need a little boost.

Take multi vitamins : You never know when you can get some good food like fresh fruit and veggies. And since you are cycling all day long, the extra boost of vitamins will help you through the day.

Let your touring bike find its rhythm : Our Surly Long Haul Truckers are heavy even when unloaded, but it will get you there safe and sound. Let it find its rhythm and don’t try to sprint the hills it will just knacker you. You will still get there where you are going ok not as fast as your titanium road bike.

Zip ties and gaffa tape : There is a saying if you can’t fix it with zip ties and gaffa tape, you are not using enough. There will always be something or a time where you will need either so bring it because you will wish you had.

Water and Food : When there is water fill up your bottles, you never how far there is to next tap. Food if you see a shop do your shopping, there could be miles to the next one or the next one is closed when you get there.

Don’t touch the walls : Even with a gap of over 20 years, the old saying do not touch the walls of your tent, comes though. Even when it does not rain and especially when it does rain, don’t touch the walls.

Be organised : Pack up your stuff and close your panniers all the time. Use it, put it back. Because you never know when you need to leave quickly, if you are wild/stealth camping. Or the weather changed over night and you end up with a river running through your tent. Make a system that suits you and stick to it, it makes it easier to find things especially in the day.

Use all the pegs and guy lines : Even on a beautiful and quite evening and days of wall to wall blue sky’s, tie your tent down. Because weather will do what weather does best, change! And suddenly you are out of your warm sleeping bag getting wet trying to keep your tent in one place because a massive thunder storm had just rolled in.

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As seen on the blog: Label : JetBoil

I cook my porridge in the micro. Mix milk and porridge together in a bowl, 1:30, stir, then 30sec extra, then add “flavour”, then eat.

We just got a Jetboil PCS (personal cooking system) and I tested it out this am.

I was sure it would be quite intense heat so I used more water than milk, because milk tend to burn quite fast.

I fired it up and set it at medium blast/heat, the milk/water mix started to steam within seconds. I then added my porridge and continued to stir it. Within 30sec I had nice and thick porridge and after yet 15-20sec it was done.

We used it quite a bit while out hunting for dragons this last weekend. Cooking two cups of tea no problem. Some Pasta’n'Sause wasn’t a problem either and even couscous.

We will probably get the pot support so that we can cook up a storm and invite other for dinner, well cook something that is not just for one person. e.g. a meal not just a snack.

It’s fast and light and fold up to a nice size “tube” which fits just fine into a pannier.

It’s been awhile since I have cooked on a stove, like other stoves this takes a bit of time to get used to. But when you have figured it out it does what it should do.

I like the cleanness of the JetBoil, just simple and solid things. We have cooked food for 3 days on it now and it is still running on the same gas canister.

As of now I have managed to cook on one gas canister. 9 cups of tea, 4 portions of porridge, 4 portions of noodles, 2 portions of Pasta’n'Sause and one lot of couscous.

Along with the above we managed to cook two lot of Pasta’n'Sause and two cups of tea before the pressure was too low. Yes we could boil a bit of water but it took forever not the normal 30 odd seconds.

EDIT: 18.04.10 The igniter on our Jetboil just died over the weekend. It can’t be wear and tear so the only way to get it started is with matches which isn’t every easy on the Jetboil. I then emailed Jetboil about the problem and shortly after got the reply, please send us your postal address.

EDIT: 13.05.10 Four or so weeks later I received a letter from the US, which included a brand new igniter and a how to fit it your self step by step guide. No matter how hard I tried to counter-clockwise turn the burner, as it said it wouldn’t budge. But with a bit of fettling around I managed to take the old igniter and replace it with the new one. And the Jetboil PCS is working again just like new.

Thank you Jetboil.

Rating:

Cooking up a storm is now never a problem. And brilliant customer service to boot.

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