Carrying stuff with you on long rides

[jobob]

As for sunscreen:

REI sells small-to-tiny plastic bottles in their camping department, I put my sunscreen in the 1 oz. cyclinder bottle, which is very easy to carry in a jersey pocket or a small saddlebag.


Story time ..

Back in the day, I also used to carry chamois butter in one of those bottles; I labeled the sunscreen bottle with an S and the chamois butter bottle with a C.

One day I was riding up Mt. Diablo and I was experiencing chafing issues so I made a quick pit stop. As I was emerging from the dark porta-potty, I glanced at the bottle. Yep, I used the bottle labeled S.

That's really putting it where the sun don't shine!

(oh, and it worked fine ... )

[RubyTuesday]

As for sunscreen:

Story time ..

Back in the day, I also used to carry chamois butter in one of those bottles; I labeled the sunscreen bottle with an S and the chamois butter bottle with a C.

One day I was riding up Mt. Diablo and I was experiencing chafing issues so I made a quick pit stop. As I was emerging from the dark porta-potty, I glanced at the bottle. Yep, I used the bottle labeled S.

That's really putting it where the sun don't shine!

(oh, and it worked fine ... )

Where is the "like" button when you need one. Cute story!~

[skywalkerbeth]

Good morning!

Thanks for the tips. I do have a "flat kit" but the bag is almost full. I could probably stuff a breakfast bar inside though. I was wondering about the Camelbak on long rides. The thing is, of course, that once you buy it, it's a fair bit of money spent and you won't know how your back will feel until you use it once. A friend told me about another system that hooks directly onto the bike with a hose coming up from near the handlebars...

Is the rule of thumb "snack every 20 miles whether you need it or not"?

Who carries TP or handiwipes? I forgot to mention I carry handiwipes because the trail porta potties are disgusting. The last time I used one someone had apparently just had a major bout of diarrhea (fresh) and my gag reflex is going right now even thinking of it.

Yes, there is TP in the potties (so far) but I still feel icky when I exit...

[tulip]

Snacking: I drink a swig every 5 minutes or so. I take a bite of a powerbar every 15 minutes. It's become a habit, and I haven't come close to bonking since I started doing this. If you wait until you are thirsty or hungry, you've waited too long.

[jessmarimba]

For those of you who pocket the cell phones, do you also ziploc it? Mine gets so sweaty in my jersey pocket that I'm afraid I'm going to ruin it. So I've kind of stopped carrying it unless I'm realllly going out in the middle of nowhere (where it probably wouldn't work anyway).

The map function is helpful, but I have no one here I could call if I needed a ride, etc. and pretty much stay in populated areas where anyone could call 911. I guess I just don't see it as necessary for a ride, but my family would prefer I carry it.

[OakLeaf]

YES. After a close call this spring when a pin-sized hole worn in my ziploc bag let my phone get damp, I double-bag both it and my car key now, with a couple of desiccant packs that came in the box with electronic gizmos. Thankfully I was able to remove my phone's battery and dry it out and it's worked fine since [touch wood].

I've told this story here before, but it bears repeating. When I had my concussion, it was 1987. We were only about seven miles from a hospital and a mile from my friend's truck - not even close to "middle of nowhere." But with me lying there unconscious and no such thing as cell phones, there was no way for him to call for help. He sat with me, terrified I'm sure, for 25 minutes, until I regained enough consciousness that he felt it was the better option to leave me alone on the side of the road for a few minutes while he went for his truck. Having checked me over as best he could for spinal cord injuries, he helped me into his truck and drove me to the ER himself.

With a phone, the EMTs could've been there with a backboard long before I even regained consciousness. [With a phone, they WERE there within minutes this past December, when I didn't have a concussion, but was once again very lucky not to have broken my neck.] If I hadn't come to reasonably quickly 24 years ago, my friend would've been faced with the even more difficult choice of leaving me alone and unconscious by the side of the road, probably to drive three miles away to a pay phone to summon the EMS.

Carry it. And if you're often in cell shadow, either alone or with others in mountains (as opposed to my area, where we're often in cell shadow but it's not a terribly long walk to the top of the hill to find signal), carry a SPOT device.

[Becky]

For those of you who pocket the cell phones, do you also ziploc it? Mine gets so sweaty in my jersey pocket that I'm afraid I'm going to ruin it. So I've kind of stopped carrying it unless I'm realllly going out in the middle of nowhere (where it probably wouldn't work anyway).

I just bought a couple of these in the smaller sizes for our phones. I'll post a review once they arrive...

[Catrin]

Since I use a hydration pack, there is a pocket inside of a pocket where I store my phone. No fast access, but I don't have to worry about it getting wet - or dropped...