Quote Originally Posted by ridebikeme View Post
Yes, you're right that it is indeed expensive for us to have all of the toys. Is there anyone that you could borrow some of the gear from until you get your own? Any shops in your area where you can rent some of it? EMS comes to mind...

http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com
Sigh.... Seems I HAVE all the toys, but they just aren't the RIGHT toys for bike touring. I really like my tent but it probably weighs 7-8 pounds, my sleeping bag is probably OK, really need a new foam pad but it will do for now. But it's "heavy" too. And then there's the stove... I could easily spend $500 on this stuff but that money would be better spent to replace my 8 yr old computer that crashes daily.

The nearest EMS is probably 100 miles. There is Gander Mt maybe 50 miles but their selection is more towards big car/truck camping, family sized tents, stand-up stoves, etc. Definitely not the "less is more" style of camping.