My return to touring --- 6 days riding in Downeast Maine

[DeniseGoldberg]

Great name for your journal, Denise!

Can I ask what are probably stupid questions? In picking your route, do you also look at topo maps so you'll know the climbing to expect? What gear do you take for a credit card tour -- do you use the trailer?

I'm glad you like the name - I had fun coming up with it!

Your questions aren't stupid at all. It probably would have been smart to use topo maps, but I didn't. I just assumed that coastal Maine would have some ups & downs... From the state road map it doesn't look like there are a lot of roads to choose from, so I just used a combination of the state map, the Maine bicycling map (which really doesn't show much more - they have good cue sheets for specific rides, but only 1 is in the area that I am planning to wander in), and a confirmation of distance by using AAA's online TripTik.

On the panniers vs. trailer front, I'm planning to use just 2 panniers for this trip. And I'll be using my front panniers (because they are smaller than the rear panniers) on the rear rack. I haven't tried to fit everything in them yet, but I don't think I'll have a problem.

Are you asking just because you're curious, or are you planning a tour yourself? If you're planning a tour, I've written a couple of articles about my decisions between using a trailer or panniers, and about the gear I take with me on my tours. Here are links to the articles in case you're planning your own tour - but I'd be happy to try to answer any questions you have, just keep asking!

"Panniers, a trailer, both?" can be found at http://PanniersOrTrailer.crazyguyonabike.com
and
"What's in that trailer? Or in those panniers?" can be found at http://DenisePacks.crazyguyonabike.com