Carrying stuff with you on long rides

[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...

[Crankin]

I've been caught in 2 torrential downpours in the last month and my unzip- locked phone was fine. So was DH's I phone.
It's all personal preference, but I don't mind stuffing my jersey pockets or my seat bag, which is not huge, but bigger than the average roadie's. I would have a bigger bag if my bike could handle it, or at least a bigger one I could use for the occasions that warranted one. I have been slightly annoyed at some of the group rides I have done (this is a purely social group with good riders who always include a lunch stop) when we stopped someplace to get food and then actually had to carry it to a different location to eat, like a park. Well, there I was with a huge paper bag full of a sandwich and drink, it was 90 degrees out and we were on Cape Cod in summer traffic. I had to ask someone to carry for me and I felt terrible. If they had warned me, I would have worn my Camelbak.

[lauraelmore1033]

I like to use a freebie drawstring bag from the Cycle the Wave ride on long rides. I probably carry too much stuff, and I'm getting better about that, but the wide variations in temp/precip throughout the day make it a necessity in my book. It is light and comfortable I must say, so I can't see a reason not to wear it. The bag also makes me recognizable on various organized rides and such. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. If I ever do something stupid/jerky on on one of those rides I'll have to look for a new bag...

[sfa]

I've got a small seat bag with an extra tube, patch kit, etc. For most rides I just have that and stick my i.d., phone, and a snack of some sort in my jersey pockets. But I also have a rack on my bike so for longer rides I attach a trunk bag to hold more food, a jacket, lock, or anything else I need. For commuting, I use a larger pannier to hold whatever I need for the day.

Sarah