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Bicycle Touring - How To:

If you're planning a bicycle tour and want to know what to pack, how to pack it, how to plan your trip, what to wear, where to sleep at night, or anything else... then this is the place to find your answer! If your question isn't answered here, be sure to contact me and I will do my best to find you an answer.

	HOW TO SECURE YOUR BICYCLE AND BELONGINGS WHEN GOING INSIDE A BUILDING: May 25, 2008 Most of the time it’s fine to simply leave your bike locked up outside a store with the panniers still on it. You might do this when running into a fast-food restaurant to use the restroom or fill up your water bottles. You might even do this when running into a supermarket to grab some food. But this should not...
	HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SUNGLASSES & MIRROR May 25, 2008 When traveling by bike there are typically a few small items that you need to treat with extra caution so as to not damage them. Two such items that come to mind are your sunglasses and your mirror. For some cool tips on now to protect and organize these items while out on tour, check out the following video...
	SELECTING A MIRROR FOR YOUR BICYCLE TOUR May 20, 2008 A mirror is an essential piece of equipment for anyone traveling by bike. Having the ability to see behind you is of great importance, as it is something that could potentially save your life! I’ve met people in the past who have been hit by a car, attacked from behind, and pushed off the road by a passing RV. But the reason I don’t have a story like that is because I refuse to get on my bike without a mirror....
	THE ANXIETY THAT BUILDS UP BEFORE A BIKE TOUR April 19, 2008 If you’re planning a tour and that anxiety has suddenly shown it’s ugly head, don’t fret! This is normal… and the feelings will pass. The important thing to note about the anxiety you are feeling now is that it will surely go away. How long it will take to go away, however, is dependent entirely upon you and the way that you think...
	BICYCLE TOURING vs. BICYCLE CAMPING April 8, 2008 There are many differences between regular bicycle touring and the strains of bike-camping. One must do their homework, be prepared, and know what they are getting themselves into when planning a bike-camping tour. Planning and preparation are of utmost importance for anyone planning to bike-camp...
	THE SECRETS OF STEALTH CAMPING April 4, 2008 It’s called many things: stealth camping, wild camping, guerilla camping, rolling off into the woods, etc. In the end, they all mean the same thing. Stealth camping is the act of quietly finding a place away from people where you can camp for the night and then quickly slip away in the morning without being detected. The key to stealth camping is to remain hidden at all times and to leave no trace of your existence during or after you leave the site...
	WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO RIDE A RECUMBENT BIKE? March 25, 2008 Why would anyone want to ride a recumbent bike, you ask? Borrowing from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, let me count the ways...
	RECOMMENDED TOURING PANNIERS March 21, 2008 Lone Peak is a company located in Salt Lake City, Utah that has been making "the finest quality packs since 1979." Their packs are tough, reliable, functional, and good looking! Lone Peak utilizes the finest materials available, along with superior design and construction to manufacture the best packs available. You can now purchase the Lone Peak products here...
	THE BENEFITS OF ANNOUNCING YOUR TRIP TO THE WORLD March 4, 2008 For the past three weeks I’ve been wrestling over whether or not I was going to go away on a trip this spring. I don’t have enough time at the moment to get away on one of my long distance tours, but I was sure I could get away for a couple weeks and keep my business on track. I knew I wanted to get away, but was unsure how I could make it happen...
	TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOU LEAVE ON TOUR March 2, 2008 You’re two weeks away from the start of your epic long distance bicycle adventure and you’re both nervous and excited about the events that are to come. You’re excited about the possibilities, but nervous about everything that could go wrong. More than anything, you’re concerned about your ability to feel at home out on the road...
	3 REASONS TO LEAVE YOUR ODOMETER AT HOME February 23, 2008 Many bicycle tourists consider their odometer one of the most important parts of their bike. They not only want to know how fast they are going and how many miles they have ahead of them, but they (most importantly) want to keep track of the total miles they are racking up on their tour. Bicycle odometers are great and have a number of uses, but I simply can’t stand them on long distance bicycle tours...
	JOURNALING WHILE ON TOUR February 20, 2008 If you’re planning a bicycle tour, then this is an excellent time to start a journal. When you’re on tour, you’re going to have a million thoughts running through your head at any given moment. Many of these thoughts will be about finding food, water, and lodging… but then there will be times when you can sit back, enjoy the ride, and think about your life, the goals you have set for yourself, and the circumstances...
	THE TOP 8 WEBSITES FOR BOOKING A FLIGHT February 14, 2008 Many bicycle adventures start with an airplane ride. So if you’re looking for a great deal on a one-way, round-trip, or multi-stop flight for your next bike trip, I’ve put together a list of the eight best websites for booking a flight online...
	USING YOUR BIKE TRIP TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE February 4, 2008 If you are planning a tour outside of your home country – in a place where they don’t speak your native language, consider learning as much of that language as you can before you leave home. Not only will it make the tour that much easier for you, but you might just have some fun in the process. To help you get started on your road to foreign language success, here is what I recommend...
	WHEN THE WEATHER GETS BAD AND YOU'RE FORCED INSIDE February 1, 2008 It’s the first of February and the snow is falling fast. As much as I want to get out on my bike and stretch my legs, the streets are covered in snow and ice and riding now would be nearly impossible. But just like when I’m on a bicycle tour and the weather gets bad, I have two choices: I can stay where I am and wait out the storm… or I can suck it up, get on my bike, and hit the pavement...
	10 PIECES OF PAPER YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LEAVE HOME WITHOUT January 24, 2008 You’re making a list and checking it twice. No, you aren’t Santa Clause; you’re just getting ready to leave on a bike tour. If you’re going over your things and making sure you’ve got everything you’ll need while you’re out on the road, be sure you don’t leave home without the following ten pieces of paper...
	IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, WHO YOU GONNA CALL? January 21, 2008 “What would happen if you were hit by a car and the driver of that car stopped to help you, but couldn’t find the identification necessary to call your family and let them know what had happened?” It’s a topic of conversation that is often forgotten, but of great importance to us bicycle tourists...
	TOOLS FOR PLANNING A SELF-SUPPORTED BICYCLE TOUR January 13, 2008 I'm beginning to receive more and more emails from people asking me how they should go about planning for a long distance bicycle tour. “Where do you start?” many of them ask. Well, today I’m going to tell you! I’m going to show you exactly how I go about planning for my tours and I’m even going to give you some free resources that you can use to help you plan for your next self-supported bicycle tour...
	LOCKING UP YOUR BIKE December 24, 2007 I can't tell you how many times I've seen fully loaded touring bikes left at campsites, completely unguarded, not locked up... just sitting there! Even worse is when I see a bike with a lock around it, but the lock is thrown over a three foot high post - a post that anyone could simply lift the bike over and walk away with the bike in a matter of seconds...
	BICYCLE TOUR CLOTHING ESSENTIALS December 10, 2007 Today I'm going to be discussing the clothing to bring on your long distance bicycle adventure. There is no correct way to pack for a bike trip, as much of this depends on personal preference and the general location and time of year for the tour, but today I am going to show you the essential pieces of clothing that I have brought with me on just about every bike tour I've ever taken...
	DEALING WITH EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS December 3, 2007 Being prepared for extreme weather is an essential part of making your long distance bicycle tour a success. Much of being prepared for extreme weather conditions is about having the right clothing with you. Deciding what clothing to bring and what to leave at home is the tricky part. To determine what type of clothes you need...
	SELECTING A TENT November 30, 2007 There are many different ways to conduct a bicycle tour. You can camp, stay in hotels and hostels, or simply stay with friends. If you're planning to do any camping though, you're going to need a good tent. And selecting the right tent for your long distance bicycle tour is of top importance...
	SELECTING A SLEEPING BAG November 27, 2007 When you're selecting a sleeping bag for your long distance bicycle tour, there are three things to keep in mind...
	DEALING WITH ELECTRONICS WHILE ON THE ROAD November 22, 2007 On my first bike tour in 2001, the only electronic device I carried with me was a camera. And not even a digital camera! But a 35 mm camera than ran on one battery and used actual film. It's hard to believe that was only six years ago...
	HOW TO PACK YOUR PANNIERS November 19, 2007 I get a lot of questions from prospective bicycle tourists in which they ask how to go about packing their panniers for a tour. This seems like a simple question, but there is actually a lot that goes into packing your bike for a tour...
	TRAVELING WITH A STOVE - A CAMP STOVE COMPARISON November 7, 2007 It was during my third long distance bicycle trip that I began to fully understand the importance of having a good stove. Unable to fly with a tank full of propane, I landed in Raleigh, North Carolina with the intention of finding the first sporting good store I could and purchasing myself the propane/butane mixed fuel I would need for the rest of my trip...
	HOW TO PACK YOUR HANDLEBAR BAG October 28, 2007 I get a lot of questions from prospective bicycle tourists in which they ask how to go about packing their bike for a tour. This seems like a simple question, but there is actually a lot that goes into packing your bike for a tour. The answer to this question also depends on...
	WELCOME TO BICYCLETOURINGPRO.COM October 27, 2007 Hello everyone! My name is Darren Alff and welcome to BicycleTouringPro.com. This is a brand new website that I've created to help connect bicycle tourists from around the world. I am an experienced bicycle tourist who has ridden across the United States six separate times and I just returned from a tour of Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic...