Coast to Coast for the FFB: THE EQUIPMENT!

Now that we have finished the trip, I have updated this page to more closely reflect what we actually carried. It was constantly changing, but this is about what we ended up with. I've added notes on what was really useful, what was totally not needed, and more.

I tried to be specific as to which of us carried what, but for the most part things broke down like this. We each carried our own personal items. As far as shared items go, AK carried the maps, the guidebook, the first aid kit, the cookware, the stove, and the eating utensils. I carried the tent, the tools, the food, the camera and the pocketmail.

Feel free to email us with any questions,
Jeff

Bike Stuff:

• Jeff's Surly Long Haul Trucker (click the link to see more details)
  • Awesome bike, I loved it before the ride and now I love it even more.
• A.K.'s Cannondale T2000 (click the link to see more details)
  • A workhorse of the TransAm trail, the wheels left a bit to be desired though.
• BOB's YAK trailer (one each), complete with BOB dry-bags
  • These guys were solid. People often ask us if they became unstable at high speeds, but we never had this problem. Just be sure to pack your heaviest items low and forward.
• Adventure Cycling's Maps for The Transamerica Trail. DONATED ITEM: Please see our Special Thanks Page
  • We wouldn't dream of doing this route without these maps. AK carried them in her trunk bag.
• Donna Lynn Ikenberry's guidebook, "Bicycling Coast to Coast: a Complete Route Guide Virginia to Oregon"
  • This book is a bit out of date, but it did supplement the maps well. AK carried it in her trunk bag.
• The Famous Orange Triangle (one each, for visibility on the road)
  • We were suprised at how many other riders were on the trail in dark clothing. You should at least ride with one of these to improve your visability.
• Proteq Bicycle Cover (one each)
  • These were more useful than I thought they'd be, but you probably don't need one; I'd take mine on my next trip.
• REI Explorer Panniers (small panniers, only one set between the two of us)
  • I carried these. They were useful for things that are needed throughout the day (withiout having to open the BOB bag (i.e. food, rain gear, lock, spare tubes, chain lube, arm and leg warmers, Pocketmail, etc.). Line them with a rugged garbage back to aid in waterproofing. All in all, a good product.
• Vaude trunk bag (only one between the two of us)
  • AK carried this. Inside she carried the maps, the guidebook, sunscreen, etc.
• Jandd Handlebar bag (small)
  • I carried this bag. It worked well with my bonus brake levers and provided a place for things I always need quick access to (i.e. snacks, camera, walet), and the quick releasing mounting system was nice for quickly taking valuables when leaving the bike for a few minutes.
• Nashbar Handlebar bag (small)
  • AK carried this. She used it in the same way I used mine. The bag tended to sag and rub on her front brake cable.
• Nathan Reflective Stickers (2-packs applied to the bikes and Bobs before starting)
  • A must have for visability and safety.
• A simple cable lock
  • We only used this a few times, but even though it is heavy I am gald I carried it when we needed it.
• Halt! Dog Repellent (the same stuff your postman uses)
  • We used this more than I ever thought we would. In Kentucy it is a must have for the safety of you and the dogs. The only other states we needed it in was VA, IL and MO.
• Rearview mirror (one for each of our bikes)
  • I will never tour without one of these. It is a must have! I liked the Blackburn model that mounted by velcro onto my brake hoods, while AK prefered a model by Mountain Cycle that mounts in the end of her bar. Either way, get one!
• Reflective ankle strap for keeping our rain pants out of the chain
  • We only used these a few times when it was raining. Probably not needed, although when not in use we just strapped them to our bikes for added visability.
• Helmet: Giro Mojave (Medium, A.K.'s)
• Helmet: Bell Influx (Medium, Jeff's)
  • Both helemets were obviously very useful. We wore them everyday for every mile, and now they need a bath.

Camping Stuff:

• REI Half-Dome Tent (plus "foot-print")
  • I carried this on top of my rear rack, and I'd carry it again. It is light, packs small, did well in the rain, and is pretty cozy in the cold.
• MSR's Wisperlite Internationale Campstove
  • AK carried this, and it worked well other than needing to update the fuel pump to the newest model (our old one from the late 90's had a crack in the plastic)
• Two 22oz MSR fuel bottles
  • We each carried one of these on our BOB's. We probably could have just carried one between the two of us. We only seemed to go through the fuel fast in the altitude.
• GSI Hard Anodized Aluminium Cookset (5 pieces)
  • AK carried this. This little set was the envy of other riders we met on the trail.
• 7" Backpacker's cutting board
  • AK carried this, and we used it about twice, probably won't make the cut next time.
• REI Lexan fork, spoon, knife (one each)
• MSR Folding Strainer
• MSR Folding Spatula
• MSR Folding Spoon (with volume marks)
  • AK carried all of the above and they will all go with us next time.
• Small containers of salt, pepper, cooking oil, and season salt
  • AK carried these, and we ditched a lot of each in Cassoday. Next time, we will probaby only carry the season salt (we used everything else once or less).
• North Face Blue Kazoo Sleeping Bag (Jeff's), with compression sack
  • Nice bag, but it sure could use a washing now. AK was jealous of the pillow pouch. I was never cold when I had it zipped.
• Sea to Summit silk sleeping bag liner (for hot nights or nights without a shower)
  • Worth every penny.
• REI Sleeping Bag (AK's), with compression sack
  • Nice bag, but it didn't compress as small as the Blue Kazoo. We both carried our bags in the BOB dry-bags.
• Cotton sleeping bag liner (AK's)
• Therma-Lounger (one each, works as a sleeping pad and a seat)
  • These worked well, although I will probably just go with the lighter foam pad as an alternative next time. I just almost never used it as a seat.
• Plastic cup for warm beverages (one each)
  • Nice for oatmeal until AK put the kybosh on any more oatmeal.
• 6'x 8' Green Tarp (a.k.a. "the green dragon")
  • This guy was useful for "camping" inside on cement and provided quick emergency shelter from sudden rain. We'll bring this again.
• Blackmountain "Dork" Light (x2, Head-lamp, great for working on the bikes in camp)
  • A must have for anyone planning to do any camping. "Handsfree" lighting is priceless, especially in those pit toilets.
• Seal Line Dry Bag (x2, for the camera, cell phones, etc.)
  • I think we only needed one of these. It was nice to have to toss the camera, walet, and phone in during a shower.
• Pocket knife (with can opener)
  • The can opener was the most cruicial part of this, that and the bottle opener.
• Gerber-Harsey "Air Ranger" Folding knife (x2)
  • We used these way less that I ever would have guessed. Leave these at home and just bring a pocket knife.
• All-Purpose Camp Soap (I plan to wash my hair with this, but don't tell A.K.!)
  • This stuff worked well for dishes and bathing. Try the peppermint kind for a zing!
• Small sponge for washing dishes
  • A hand would work, but it is so light you might as well bring one.
• Matches
  • Obviously very useful for lighting the stove.
• Pack Towel (one each)
  • Don't carry a regular towel! Get one of these.
• Tent repair tape
  • I carried this. We never used it, but I'd bring it again since it is so light. Besides if you've got a hole in the tent and the skeeters are eating you alive you will wish you had carried it.

Tools and Parts: (I carried all of these except where noted, most items were carried in my BOB bag.)

• Spare bike tubes (A.K. and I will each carry four in addition to the two on each bike)
  • It is never a bad idea to have more tubes. We started with three each and added a few.
• Spare BOB tubes (A.K. and I will carry three between us)
  • With only one BOB flat we probably could have gotten away with less
• Spare tire
  • I carried this and I must admit I was shocked when I needed it. Take one, you'll be glad you did.
• Spare bob tire
  • I carried this and we never used it. I'd probably still carry it though.
• Spare brake pads
  • Leave these at home.
• Spare brake cable
• Spare derailer cable
  • We never needed these, but I'd still bring them again.
• Spare spokes and spoke nipples
  • Four broken spokes between us? You bet I'd take these again. Bring more than you think you'd need (ten for each rear wheel (5 drive side and 5 non-drive side), and don't worry about the front wheel unless you are using front panniers (but even then, you shouldn't need many).
• Spare socket-head screws, etc.
  • Bring them! Bring all sorts of sizes! We used them!
• Spare BOB pins
  • We never needed these, but I'd still bring a few.
• Tube patch kits (3x)
  • We used almost every patch we brought!
• Park CT-5 chain tool
  • We never used this because I borrowed a shop chain tool in Missoula to replace our chains. Next time we will probably just bring the shop model because I'm not happy with the limited leverage this one provides.
• Extra Shimano 9-spd chain pins (4 of them)
  • We never needed these, but they are coming next time.
• Tri-Flo Chain Lube
  • I think we went through six bottles of this stuff.
• Park Spoke wrench
  • A must have. Just expect to break a spoke. After having AK's wheel rebuilt we bought another spoke wrench that fit her new spoke nipples, and AK carried it in her handlebar bag.
• Park AWS-9 folding Allen wrenches.
• Park AWS-10 folding Allen wrenches and screwdrivers.
  • AK carried one of the folding wrenches in her handlebar bag for quick access. We used both fairly often for adjustments.
• Tire levers
  • We both carried a set of these, and we used them rather often!
• Zephal hp X3 frame pump
  • Don't even think about touring without a pump! This pump is simple and tough as nails. I carried it on my rear rack under my the tent.
• Some duct tape (approx 3 feet around my seatpost)
  • We used this to patch a leaking sunscreen bottle, tape on a rim strip, fix sunglasses, repair Rebus' shoe, and to patch the inside of my tire.
• Grease
  • We barely used this, but it was such a small amount (stored in an old asprin bottle) that I'd carry it again.
• Park Tool CC-3 chain wear checker
  • If you are super concious about chain wear, this thing provides some piece of mind. Most tourists would probably go without, not me.
• Fiber-Fix (emergency Kevlar spoke, x2)
  • We never used these. I was saving them for a situation when we didn't have time to do a full spoke replacement. That never happened. I'd probably carry at least one of these next time.
• Rags
  • We bought a pack of ten rags at a dollar store and used them for cleaning our drivetrains. We just tossed the rag once it became too greasy to clean anything. Dollar stores seem to available all over the country.
• Small pliers (with wire cutting ability)
  • We used these enough to bring next time.
• Park Pedal Wrench (shipped home after initial assembly of the bikes)
  • Yes, ship this home, you don't need it after you assemble your bike, especially if you are carrying a Cresent wrench.
• A Variety of Cable-Ties (Zip-ties)
  • Yep, bring these. How else are you going to strap random stuff you find to your BOB?
• A small 8 and 10mm wrench
  • We used these for one brake adjustment, and one fender adjustment. Bring them!
• A few links of 9-speed chain
  • We never used these, but it is a good idea to bring them.
• 8" Cresent wrench
• Park FR-5 rear cassette tool
• Park SR-1 chain whip
  • I had been carrying a Stein Hyper-Cracker rear cassette tool, but after using it once on the road, I decided I was not a fan. The next chance I had I bought a chain whip and a standard cassette tool. I had to swap my 6" Cresent for a 8" Cresent in order to use the FR-5. I realize that this was a weight costly choice, but I feel it was worth it.

Jeff's Clothing:(Except where noted, I carried all this stuff either in the BOB bag or on my body.)

• REI Randonee rain jacket (yellow)
• REI Randonee rain pants
  • Both of the above worked better than I ever thought they would. AK was jealous of the flap that could unfold from the jacket and cover your backside to keep water from running down your pants. I carried each in my rear panniers for easy access.
• REI Polartec long-sleeve jersey
  • Very nice piece of clothing, good for on and off the bike.
• Pearl Izumi Attack Cycling shorts (3 pairs)
  • I easily could have gotten away with only two of these, but I think I'll always carry three just because you never know when you are gonna bet your next shower. This is my favorite type of short though; they are "relatively" cheap and work well.
• Cycling jerseys (2)
  • I started with three jerseys and I sent one home. Next time, I'll consider bringing just one, but I doubt AK will let me.
• Burley helmet cover (for rain)
  • These things ended up serving a more important purpose than they were intended for, and as a result we used them nearly everyday. Sure, it was warm during cold rainy days, but more importantly, they worked great as saddle covers while camping. There is nothing worse than a dew or rain soaked saddle, and this thing keeps them dry.
• North Face High-Point Hat
  • I used this a few times in CO, but I also discovered that my helmet cover made a decently warm (although funny looking) hat too. I'll leave this one at home next time.
• Pearl Izumi Zephrr vest (screaming yellow)
  • I will always tour with one of these. I was amazed at how visible AK looked at a distance in hers. Plus they provide decent warmth when zipped in the cold and good air flow when partially unzipped in the heat. Get one!
• Pearl Izumi leg warmers (not in the sytle of Flashdance)
• Pearl Izumi arm warmers
  • I wore my arm warmers much more than my leg warmers. Next time, I'll probably bring my arm warmers and leave my leg warmers at home. I prefered to wear my rain pants in the cold anyway.
• Pearl Izumi cycling gloves (half finger)
  • I almost never used these. I found myself using them for warmth on really cold mornings, and then putting them away as soon as it warmed up. Next time I'll probably just bring some warm full finger gloves.
• REI Sahara Convertible Pants (light-weight, off-bike pants, sort of dorky but very functional)
  • These dealies got a lot of use. A great pants/shorts option for off bike wear.
• Bathroom stuff (toothbrush, asthma inhaler, razor, deodorant, toothpaste)
  • Yeah, I used these.
• Reef sandals (for around camp and in the shower)
  • A must have! I strapped them to my BOB trailer.
• Specialized Rockhopper SPD cycling shoe
  • I obvously wore these every day, and I am very happy with them (other than the smell that they now produce).
• Gill Energi Shirt (1)
  • Light and good for off the bike or riding if need be.
• Socks (4 pairs)
  • I could have gotten away with three pairs easily, and next time I probably will.
• Swimming trunks (1)
  • Even if you are not planning on swimming, these are great to wear on those showerless nights.
• Long Sleeve T-shirt (1)
  • I didn't really need this on the bike trip. I bought it in Kansas to wear on the flight to Rebus' wedding and I never sent it home. I doubt I'll bring it next time.
• Boxer Shorts (1)
  • I know what you are all thinking... "Only one pair of Boxers?" Well, it is not a type-o. I actually had two pairs and sent one home. If utilized correctly, only one is needed. Here is the trick, I only wore the boxers in the evening after a SHOWER. If I did not shower, I wore my trunks. Then I washed the boxers everytime we did laundry. And remember, don't wear underwear with your cycling shorts unless you are into chaffing.

A.K.'s Clothing: (I am gonna let AK comment on her own clothing when she has a moment.)

• REI Randonee rain pants
• REI Polartec long-sleeve jersey
• Burley's Rock Point rain jacket
• Burley helmet cover (for rain)
• Pearl Izumi Zephrr vest (screaming yellow)
• Pearl Izumi leg warmers
• REI arm warmers
• Trek cycling gloves (half finger)
• REI Sahara Convertible Pants (1)
• Reef sandals (for around camp and in the shower)
• Shimano SPD cycling shoe
• Cycling shorts (3 pairs)
• Cycling jerseys (4)
• Sportsbras (1): Moving Comfort (nylon style)
• Socks (4 pairs)
• Bathroom stuff
• Fleece hat (1)
• Bathing Suit (1)

Random Stuff:

• Baby wipes
  • I must admit, when AK first bought these things I never thought I would need them or use them much. I was very wrong. I'll never tour again without some baby wipes. They are great for cleaning up a bit at those campsites without showers. More imporatantly, they are good for making sure your backside is extremely clean after some serious business in the bathroom. Not making sure you are extremely clean can foul your shorts early and lead to discomfort and saddle sores. These things usually come in large plastic boxes. We ditched the boxes and put the wipes in a ziplock bag.
• Business Cards to hand to potential donors. DONATED ITEM: Please see our Special Thanks Page
• Digital camera (with 1gb of memory)
  • The larger sized memory was well worth the cost.
• SanDisk USB 2.0 CompactFlash Card Reader/Writer (for uploading photos while on the road)
  • Well, I never used this to upoad photos to the web, but we did back-up photos with it.
• Extra camera battery
  • I will always tour with and extra battery.
• Cell phone (one each)
• Cell phone charger (one each)
  • If we didn't take time off to attend friend's weddings, we would probably only need one of these.
• SolBar PF Sunscreen (SPF 30). DONATED ITEM: Please see our Special Thanks Page
  • We used sunscreen like it was our job. We had to be constantly buying it.
• Sunglasses (one pair each)
  • I actually planned to bring a spare pair of sunglasses, but AK did such a great job losing sun glasses that we never really had a spare.
• Clear-lens glasses (one pair each)
  • These were nice to have in bad weather. Rather than buy clear "cycling" glasses, do your self a favor and buy some safety glasses at your local home improvement store. You can get a pair that is shapped like a modern day pair of sunglasses and costs less than 10 bucks.
• Bag Balm (If you have to ask, don't!)
  • This stuff is good to apply after you feel chaffed. If you feel like you need a lubricant while you ride use Neosporin or Chamois Butter.
• Desitin
  • AK prefered this stuff over Bag balm for dealing with chaffage. Not me! That stuff stinks!
• PocketMail Composer (traveling email). DONATED ITEM: Please see our Special Thanks Page
  • This thing was soooooooooooo cool! Without it our website would have been super boring! The best thing about it is that it is worry free. It worked really well for updating our website, and in contrast with a laptop, I was not concerned about it getting lost, stolen or damaged.
• Two extra AA batteries for the PocketMail Composer
  • Over the course of the entire trip the Composer used only one pair of batteries completely. We are still using the second set now.
• Pen
  • A simple thing to forget but very useful. We used it to mark places we stopped on the maps.
• A map of whatever state we happen to be in.
  • Buy/find this on the route. They are nice to have because it gives your the bigger picture of your route. Plus they may help you fins shortcuts if you need to make up time.
• Highlighter
  • We used this to mark the route we took each day on the state maps.
• Soap for washing clothes in a sink
  • We really did not do this much, but when we did, it was nice to have.
• A small roll of biodegradable toilet paper
  • When you are eating that much and burning that many calories, nature can call whenever!
• 50' of Nylon Cord, 1/8" diameter
  • I intended to use this for a bear-bag but bear-boxes were supplied wherever that was an issue. we could probably leave this at home net time.
• First-Aid kit (Band-Aids, bandages, tweezers, Advil, Neosporin, etc.)
  • Thankfully we never needed this for anything major, but we did use it a lot. AK carried it in her trunk bag.
• Toe-nail clippers
  • Yep, I'm glad we brought them.
• Q-tips (a handfull)
• A few personal checks
• Misc. stuff sacks
  • These were nice to keep things organized in the large BOB bags.
• REI Backpackers Clothesline (very compact, comes with samll clothespins attached)
  • This thing was very nice to have, and was usefull just as a lenght of string as well.
• Small funnel
  • We bough this funnel in VA to help fill our fuel bottles. I started carrying it with us, and although I rarely used it, I continued to carry it. You don't need one.
• Mosquito coils
  • Do these things even work? I bought some in CO and I don't think they did much.
• Mosquito spray with 29% deet
  • After being bombarded with skeeters for several days, we finally broke down and bought some spray in Walden, CO. Of course, we never really needed it again. I think the skeeters were just afraid of the can.
• Several Ziplock bags
  • Just carry a few of these bags for whatever you might need to use them for. We stored baby wipes in them and laundry detergent.
• Powdered laundry detergent
  • Don't pack this. Just buy a small box when you first need to and transfer it into a ziplock bag. I know it sounds heavy, but once you pay 50 cents for the smallest box of powder ever at a laundromat, you'll agree it is best to carry your own. Besides, AK carried it!
• Bandanas
  • AK carried several bandanas for wiping sweat away ang blowing her nose. If you have alergies, you might want to bring a few, but don't forget to wash them when you do laundry.

Food! (Note: Other than a maybe a few bars, don't pack any of this. Just visit a super market as needed. I carried the majority of the food in my rear pannier. Keep in mind this list does not represent what we always had. Think of it more as a suggestion for food you might want to carry.)

• Tuna packets
  • The tuna in sealed packets is nice because you don't have to drain it, plus it is lighter and holds more tuna than the cans. Nice source of protien.
• Albacore tuna steaks in packets
  • These things were a nice discovery. They offer all the benefits of the packets mentioned the above but they provide higher quality tuna steaks flavored with things like lemon and pepper or mesquite and ginger. We prefered to heat them up a bit, but you don't have to.
• Ramen noodles
  • Light and very cheap. We actually only ate a four of these. We used them when we had nothing else, or to supplement a meal.
• Peanut butter
  • The miracle food! Put it on anything or eat it alone. I started smearing it on everything by the end of the trip.
• Lipton Instant Rice/Pasta meals
  • The Dutchesses called these "emergency meals", but we ate them very often. They come in packets (we usually had two between us). Just ignore the instructions to use milk or margarin, you don't need it. Stir in some tuna or a can of peas (or both) for extra goodness. Skip the rice at high altitude.
• Pop Tarts
  • AK wasn't a fan of these, but I sure was. Two come in a pack, so I smeared peanut butter between them and had a fantastic breakfast sandwich. I prefered the frosted blueberry Pop Tarts.
• Fresh broccoli
  • When we could get it near a campsite, broccoli was our usual fresh vegitable. It cooks fairly well on the campstove, and the rubber bands that bind it together are often useful.
• Canned peas or green beans
  • I really made an effort to never carry a can of anything more than a day, but sometimes I carried it for much more than that.
• Granola bars
  • We mosty ate Nature's Valley or Quaker Chewy.
• Snickers bars
  • Snickers are a good cheap source of energy, but they are a mess in hot weather.
• Instant oatmeal
  • A good start in the morning. Don't forget to add peanut butter!
• Crystal Light dealies
  • I don't remember what they are called but Crystal light makes these small "flavor packets" that are the perfect size for tossing in t large water bottle if you are sick of the taste of water or need to fight off that funky flavor that seems to be stuck in your bottle.
• Gatorade
  • We never actually carried this; we just bought it as needed. Careful, some flavors are really bad; stick to the basics.
• Bananas
  • They seemed to travel pretty well, but not more than two days.
• That is all I can remember right now.

Stuff we Thought About Bringing:

• Topek Alien 24 Multi-Tool (This thing seems heavy, and I'm not yet sure we need it)
  • We didn't need this.
• "Dealie" for mounting a small Maglight to our handlebars
  • We didn't even bring Maglights. One headlamp per person is plenty.
• Wool jerseys
  • Not needed.
• A pair of full-finger gloves
  • Next time, I'll bring these instead of half-finger gloves.
• MSR collapsable water container (for extra storage)
  • Not needed. Anytime we needed extra water, we just bought a bottle and strapped it to our BOB's.
• Cone Wrenches
  • We didn't need them.
• Sewing kit
  • So what?
• A rubber plug for washing clothes in sinks
  • We barely hand washed stuff in sinks anyway.
• Travelers Checks
  • I'm not sure many of the palce we stopped in would have even taken travelers checks. Most places accept credit cards, or you can usually always come across an ATM every so often.
• Spare set of SPD cleats
  • This just seemed unneeded. I did carry a few extra screws for the cleats.
• Other stuff that we never thought of...

Stuff we are NOT Bringing:

• GPS
• Maggie
• A car
• Our bowling shoes (The truth is we don't own any. Really.)
• A Keg of PBR
• An In-and-Out "Double-Double" Cheeseburger
• Lawn darts
• A Wiffle-Ball bat
• A chef
• Other stuff we wish we had brought or forgot to bring...