5/5/2014 Asunción, PY

I have a bit of spare time, so here’s an up to date list of my gear. This may be of interest to anyone reading who is touring, has toured or is trying to get organised to go.
The way all this has been set up and what is carried seems to work well for me at the moment.

HANDLEBAR BAG

·         Franklin electronic translator

·         Ipod

·         Go Pro camera

·         Samsung S4

·         Sony Walkman

·         Post it pad

·         Pen

·         Sunglasses in soft bag

·         Reading glasses

·         Earphones

·         Map in the map holder

·         Teaspoon

·         Bombilla

·         Purse

·         Knife sharpener (thin hone)

·         Side pocket, thin spectra line, petzel mini headlight, rescue knife

·         Other side pocket, allen keys, small swiss knife with tooth pick, scissors etc, tape, lip balm

PORT FRONT  PANNIER ( the kitchen)

·         Floppy cutting board

·         Coffee filter

·         Wind shield for MSR stove, base aluminium heat shield

·         MSR stove
  • MSR seagull bowl for porridge

·         Knife, fork, spoon, can opener, small Opinel knife, cigarette ligher x2, MSR pot clamp, MSR spatula, quick dry mini towel.

·         These things are stored in a MSR 2L pot with lid, the mini towel stops things rattling

·         Porridge

·         Honey

·          Raisins

·          Chocolate powder

·          Garlic, pepper, chilli,salt

·         Tobasco suace in a plastic bottle

·         Plastic glass for wine

·          Sponge and scourer

·         Milk powder

·         Coffee

·         Soup

·         Tea bags

·          Sardines, tuna

·         MSR Whisperlite International

·         Alcohol to prime it cleanly without black soot

·         Insulated stainless steel cup

·         Mate

·         Old material from a tent to lay on the ground to place things upon about 1m by .5m

·         Tea towel

·         Spare plastic shopping bags for rubbish

·         In the side pocket is: small pliers, allen keys, puncture repair kit, spare tube, chain oil, spare cable ties, more insulation tape, brooks saddle oil and rag, Pinead key for axles etc

ON THE BIKE

·         2 water bottles

·         2 fuel bottles 600ml and 300ml

·         Small head light

·         Pump

·         Tubus titanium racks

·         Odometer

·         Opinel #12 in a pouch

·         Sweat towel on handlebars

·         Two neoprene stubby holders for sweet wrappers and my camera, Cano Powershot SX240HS

·         Seat bag with spare MSR pump and a small bottle with water from the headwaters of the Mississippi, the mouth of the river and water from the Beagle Channel in Ushuaia

·         Small tail light

·         Pepper spray

·         Small shock cord lopps on handlebars to lock brakes when parked on Clic stand

·         Rubber straps coming from front rack below bar bag for support of the latter

·         Small thermometer

·         Eagle feather gifted to me by a Native American elder


·         Tape covering the frame.

·         Stereo speaker in the middle of the handlebars

·         Brooks waterproof  cover under the saddle

·         Power Grip pedals

·         Shimano Deore XT cassette 12-36

·         Front chain rings 22,32,44

·         Deore XT derailleur

·         Planet bike guards

·         26 inch Rhinolite rims, (27,000km, no problems yet)

·         Schwalbe tyres, Dureme/front,  Mondial/ rear 15,000km on the front about 8-10k at the rear

·         Spring to dampen the steering and stop the wheel pivoting whilst parked.

·         European touring bars

·         Brooks flyer with springs, thankfully!!

·         Spare spokes

TENT BAG

·         Yellow Ortlieb 20l bag, I think?

·         MSR hubba and footprint

·         Tropical sleeping bag

·         Exped Down mat

·         Exped inflatable pillow

·         Hennesey hammock hyperlite Asym zip

·         Dry bag for sleeping bag

·         Runners

·         Spanish books

·         Plastic bags

OTHER DRY BAG

·         Primus fry pan

·         Small plastic bottle cooking oil

·         Small backpack

·         Spare tea bags and spices

STRAPS

·         6 occy straps

·         3 cargo nets

·         Various small aluminium carabiners

·         Camp stool

·         MSR 6 litre bladder

·         Empty soda bottle

·         Bike cable lock, kryptoflex

NET BAG

·         Thongs

·         Small pot to boil water

·         Also a dry bag is attached to carry cracker biscuits for lunch

·         Clik-stand

·         Mate

STARBOARD FRONT PANNIER

·         Computer

·         Gortex Marmot minimalist rain coat

·         Power Cord for computer

·         Recharging gear for electronics

·         Ice Breaker 200 sweat shirt with hood

·         Passport etc

·         Swimmers

·         Day food

·         Side pocket: rubber bands, monocular camera case and spare battery, 2nd battery for phone

·         Patchouli oil

·         Energy gels

·         Halls mint sweets

·         Egg headlight

·         Fishing nylon

REAR PANNIER PORT

·         First aid, Amoxylin, Flaygel, Ciprol, Secnidizol, rash creams, Endone, Paracetamol and other minor items

·         Spare bottle stove fuel

·         High country dehy food packs in a dry bag

·         Washing powder and pegs

·         Ortlied folding bowl for washing clothes

·         Spare folding Mondial tyre

·         Pasta

·         Spare milk powder and coffee

·         Resistencia ( boiling water in motel rooms)

·         Croc shoes

·         Carnita (soy meat substitute)

·         Repair kit for airbed and tent

·         Spare lube

·         Sewing kit

·         Spare bottom bracket bearings

·         Spare rear hub

·         Toilet paper, always keep plenty of this

·         Stove maintenance kit

·         Waterproof phone cover

·         Country maps

·         Beany

·         Spare windshield for stove

·         Peak hat with flap over the neck

·          Note book

STARBOARD REAR PANNIER (clothes)

·         Normally now I wear: peak hat, tee shirt, (Ice Breaker or synthetic), Patagonia shorts, Ice Breaker boxers, fingerless  leather and synthetic gloves, Keen Sandals, neck warmer.

·         Quick dry towel

·         2nd pair IB boxer shorts

·         Pillow slip

·         Long sleeve shirt

·         Long sleeve quick dry top

·         2 pair IB socks

·         Checked shirt for going out

·         Cotton dress shorts for going out

·         Outdoor Research longs

·         Toilet bag: soap shaving gear, face cream, small mirror, scissors, earbuds, deodorant stick, shampoo, toothpaste and floss, tooth brush

·         Large rubber floppy plug for all basins

·         Spare shoe laces

·         Alpacea jumper for going out (very lightweight)

·         Second pair of Patagoniashorts

·         Toolkit: hose clamps, multi bike tool, tubing, nuts and bolts, cassette remover socket but no tool, large cable ties, chain links, small shifter, light weight multi grips, spare cables and brake pads. Multi purpose glue ( cant do without this)

·         Spare tube

·         Spare Power Grip straps

·         Petzel sports headlight

·         Body moisturizer


·         Spare chain

·         Deet insect spray, it has been with me since the Mississippi

·         Ortlieb pannier parts

So that’s my gear, the panniers are Ortlieb Roller Back Classics.

I am now going to use plastic bags to store gear in the bottom of them. During the rain and surface water the other day, the lower portion was wet inside.
When in motel rooms,the panniers are placed in different spots and the gear removed from them is always at the respective pannier. This way everything goes back into the same pannier. hence the apparent mess in my rooms.



PictureTypical state of my rooms, an organised mess!
PictureSecond fuel bottle fits in this drink bottle holder infront of the rear rack
Picturewater bottles, fuel bottle with pump permanently attached. The plastic is to keep debris out of the mechanism. Small thermometer near tyre pump. Note black tap on frame, this covers the branding labels.
PictureStereo speaker, Go pro mount, two stubby holders, 1 for the camera, the other for sweet wrappers, pepper spray right side of stem, Opinel #12 left side, grey strap to hold speaker, shock cord loops on bars to lock brakes, bell and towel hanging below odometer.
PictureThe glue comes in handy on so many occasions. It is available throughout South America. In Chile it is called Agorex, best bought in tubes, though in Peru it is only available in small tins. It has saved me so many times.
PictureOrtlieb tent bag
PictureI could not do without these Keen sandals. Used most days. They have had some stitching repaired and just had new shock cord fitted. A perfect combination with the Power Grip pedals. They even go well with thermal waterproof socks in the Andes. Three years old and still got a bit left in them I hope.
PictureMSR bowl, there is a lid for this, in here are stored the stove, these utensils, soup packets, tea bags etc.
PictureSteering dampener and small headlight
PicturePower Grip pedals, so good for riding with all kinds of foot wear, the straps are original, though the original pedals had worn bearings after 25,000km. Very good considering most riding south in the Andes involved heavy pedaling.
PictureHydraulic hose split length wise to hang panniers on as the inserts have gone missing on the pannier hooks. These support them much better.
PictureLife would not be the same without my chair and Click-stand (click-stand.com)
PictureOrtlieb folding bowl, always used for washing my clothes.
PictureA couple of other things I can't do without. The glue again proved invaluable, here stopping the water from leaking from the base of the spout.
PictureBencina Blanca has been used almost the whole time here in South America, it burns clean and doesn't stink like gasoline. MSR Whisperlite International, brilliant piece of gear!!