Generic Touring Thread

mm nice, I like the idea of the bungee around the bag - will give that a go. It would solve a problem with the one pulling it down, which is that I attached it around the hook, which is then trying to pull the hook down out of the groove it slides in, so I'm a bit worried it'll ping out one day - I did lose one once even without the bungee - the screw must have rattled loose. However Vaude do sell spare hooks so I hope Ortleib would too! A ziptie for this job sounds more static/better than a bungee. I'll have a look and see if I can find something more robust than the hook to attach to.

Bungee cords will ping in your eye, do not use bungee cord. Just tightly wrap and tie an old tube, minus valve around the bag and rack

Glad you posted this as I too am off to Scotland for a week cycling at end of May, and was sat here this morning thinking 3-4 pairs of trousers/jeans for the evenings and same amount of jumpers is probs OK so I dont end up smelling like a long term park sleeper, but seems I'm way overpacking! Time for a rethink....

Keep the 'off bike' stuff clean and dry (drybag). We pack wet wipes for "showers" when no showers are available (sinks are handy too). Unless you're hoping to score, no one should be close enough to you to smell you.

Yeah got some.dry bag for clothes.

What about towel sitsuation? my home ones are bloody huge and not appropriate, do they do smaller bikepackng ones that arent a.million quid or are people just washing their plums with microfiber clothes in streams and drying in the wind/freezing them off, weather depending?
#newtothis
The wet wipes tip is good one, noted.

And I'll be fighting off the honeys with pointy stick when they see my pancake game;)

We don't take towels. No shower, no towel needed. I do have a little chamois type swimming towel that I bought in 2005 and used when I went touring (which I supplemented with a small normal towel because it wasn't very good and properly drying) but I've never taken it on another trip.

Sarong/lungi/wrap - works as a towel, scarf, sheet, turban, skirt. Super thin, light, quick drying

You can get bungee cords with carabiner fastenings, those are pretty safe.

Ok makes sense, I have visons of me swimming in lochs and bathing in waterfalls like on the adverts, but it might not be like that.

@T_Unit 's suggestion sounds the way ahead, thanks.

Taigh Seumas A' Ghlinne bothy in Glen Duror has a lovely pool behind it for bathing/washing as does Tomsleibhe on Mull. Both reachable by bike. Loads of great swimming spots in Scotland, but it’s almost never warm!

Oh OK thanks, we heading towards Skye and Torridon so that's on the way, will try and check them out.

I expecting only a few mins dip before hyperthermia sets in.

If I was going swimming I'd probably look for a towel but our trips don't really involve swimming unless it's hot enough to dry in the sun au naturale.

https://www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/smidge-headnet.html

Thanks for the reminder, ordered, along with some midge lotion, come at me little fuckers!

https://www.wildskygear.co.uk/lightload-pack-towels-1231-p.asp?v=0&variantid=1232

Got one of these a while back, works a treat also

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/swimming-microfibre-towel-size-s-39-x-55-cm-double-sided-blue-green/_/R-p-341947?mc=8751952&c=tropical%20blue_prussian%20blue_steel%20blue

One of these will also work. It looks too small but it's adequate. TvH's link looks better though.

I'm also morbidly curious as to what multiple night wild camp people do for hygiene but I think the answer is "not a lot" which is probably part of the fun for them. I'm sure nothing terrible happens so long as you can sink wash your base layers semi regularly.

Depends on the weather and the activity! If it’s Scottish winter, then it can get smelly! If it’s summer, rivers, lakes, the sea. If I’m cycling I’ll wash my riding kit and me every night regardless, if hiking then I don’t bother as much

"Not a lot" is the answer where I'm concerned, but I try to swim where I can, and wear wool undies. Longer tours try to get a Warmshowers host every few days to wash and launder. But then since I stopped showering every day and wearing deodorant I don't get anywhere near so rank ¯\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Mud is the real problem, so I make sure cover up completely in wet weather and wear long johns at night.

Cheers for link, I like the look of them so just ordered the full size beach towel one, it can double as a sun lounger, he says being optimistic about nice weather again... but also works as a spare blanket for chilly evenings in case these new fangled camping quilt things that are all the rage turns out to be not so warm.

haha, righto! Whereabouts did you pass by that tank?

I passed that M41 Walker Bulldog just outside of Aachen. There's a few more of them laying around as well. Sadly, they are post-war tanks used for training and not gnarly battle scars.

Loads of great swimming spots in Scotland, but it’s almost never warm!

...tho it is today, apparently — 10 deg warmer than here in Somerset!

How has nobody called out hippy for being distinctly unhoopy for saying that you don't need a towel?

I don't get it. You don't need a towel.

Towels are great. Especially microfiber ones.

They're small, light, can dry you and other things and then dry themselves in minutes, can also be used to sit on, or cover stuff up, make ad-hoc sun shelters or capes or a nice changing protector when you change your pants etc, can be turned into knapsacks for carrying melons

Wonderful things, never leave home without one.