This morning's commute and other commuting stories

is there not a 'show us your commute pack-up' thread?

I would have loved that.

Near the end of my last job I was going in two days a week and playing 5-a-side near the office one night. The routine was:

• Thu am: Cycle in with panniers stuffed
  
• Thu pm: Play 5-a-side, pub, train home late
  
• Fri am: Run in
  
• Fri pm: Cycle home
  
  

I never got used to running with a big rucksack so I wanted to run in with the minimum of stuff on a Friday, this was simply keys/wallet/phones/work-id. And that all fit in a tiny 3L running rucksack.

I had a pair of Altura Dryline 2 (56L) panniers that were stuffed to the gills. On Thursday they'd contain:-

• Fresh towel - the old towel used after post-run shower on Friday was used for post 5-a-side footy that night
  
• Lunch for Thu/Fri (we had a fridge we could stick stuff in during the week but it was emptied at weekends)
  
• Two coffee mugs (No access to a sink other than in the toilets and that's hideously unhygienic)
  
• Clothes for Thursday during the day (also worn post 5-a-side but fresh socks/underwear), clothes/underwear for Friday *
  
• Tubes/tools/etc for bike
  
• Keys/phones/wallet/work-ID/etc
  
• 55L Kipsta football bag that packed down quite small (like this: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/55l-sports-bag-essential/_/R-p-309659?mc=8558317&c=GREY)
  
• Astro boots
  
• Football kit (shorts, socks, light and dark top)
  
• Set of Decrackalon bibs
  
• Football pump
  
• Two footballs
  
• Shower gel, deodorant, etc for post 5-a-side shower (office shower stuff stayed in my locker in the changing rooms)
  
  

It was a hell of a job packing all that stuff into the two panniers, but it usually just fit. If I really had to take my laptop in, or had any overspill, I'd just carry it in a rucksack.

It was also a hell of a job remembering everything I needed to bring in. I had spares of most things in my locker (socks, underwear, t-shirts, etc) just in case. That and remembering which towel to use and which to take later that day.

The worst day was forgetting my work keyring (bike cage key, locker keys, bike lock keys, etc). No way around it but had to do a morning call (luckily just audio) sat on a bench outside work then cycle 8 miles home, pick them up and then 8 miles back into work. Couldn't even dump the panniers at work as security wouldn't look after them.

* I had two pairs of smartish work jeans I'd alternate so they'd get washed every couple of weeks