Packing Notes for Bike Camping

By OOFD Adult Overnight Director and Board President Breanna Bertacchi
We’ve heard the concept ‘pack your fears’ with regards to which gear to prioritize in your camping set. I have a tendency to focus more on packing my treats – sometimes those little added goodies are just what you’ve been waiting to pull out of your pack once you roll into camp, and they have the added benefit of also preventing some accumulation of pain or inconvenience as well. Here’s my top 3 list of goodies to consider making room for in your gear pack.

1.       Sleeping support | If you’ve camped with me, you know I’m typically crawling into the tent pretty early; to try and minimize the amount of time spent tossing & turning. Earplugs, an inflatable little pillow, and years of testing different brands of sleeping pads now help prevent camping-induced restlessness. A recent addition included a Walmart brand USB mini-fan that now hangs from my tent ceiling and has made a HUGE impact on quality of sleep.
 
Consider your setup at home and try to replicate it on a smaller scale as best you can. For multiple night trips, that small added comfort can go a long way for muscle repair and joint support that’s found in our sleep cycles. Granted, I’ve found no amount of preparation will prevent you from jolting awake at the coyote howls or racoon raids.
 
2.       Entertainment | No, I don’t mean making sure your Netflix account is accessible from the campsite (though if you’re traveling with children this might be inevitable & there’s nothing wrong with that either). I mean binoculars to make sure you can see that woodpecker in the distance, or swimming goggles to be sure you didn’t miss the most colorful rocks at the bottom of the Lake. I try to have one ‘camping-only’ book designated for the summer; a slim novel that can fit in my pack (paperback poetry collections tend to be the perfect size). If you’re traveling with kids, you could get creative with glow-sticks or chalk; on more than one occasion we’ve seen Family rides burst into dance parties, with just a small Bluetooth speaker and some bubbles.
 
You might find yourself with some downtime at camp or stuck in your tent from a rainstorm, and having some lightweight luxuries in your pack can make a difference.
 
3.       Body care | Consider it nosey, but I’m always curious about the hacks that my peers have found with regards to showering and hygiene. The Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 is a familiar sight at campgrounds; though it’s not a favorite of mine. Rather coconut oil has been my preference, for its multifaceted uses; to detangle hair, to cool rashes or burns from tight clothing, as a moisturizer. Some folks in the foraging community will recommend steeping nettle leaves or comfrey plant in your coconut oil – these herbs are found to reduce joint pain. Consider other herbal supplements; the prevalence of CBD-infused products for topical application may have use among distance cyclists – as will anything with menthol (read: Carmex or Vaseline). 
 
Irritated skin tends to be a common problem on our multi-day trips, and having a few options to pull from can be the difference between a mild inconvenience and a painful experience. There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for this, but consider your concerns and do some research on common kitchen or garden items that can help. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that folks in the cycling community are not afraid to talk about their body ailments and the solutions they’ve found. My take; don’t be shy and go ask that weird question.

It's possible the things I’ve listed above constitute both fears and also treats. I do fear being exhausted on trips because I couldn’t get enough sleep, and I do fear repeating the mistake of not packing sunscreen and being miserable the day following a beach visit. And yet, when I’m packing for each getaway, I also search my place for little luxuries that could be worthwhile. Despite the added weight to my pack, I can justify some of these items for the joy they add to my outdoor adventures.