Er… AMINAL. Intentionally misspelling the title, y’all. Butt. I am actually an aminal 4reals, youse. And. Minerva — also quite an aminal — gets up, gets involved, and gets into it; proving my point, yinz.
Fast forward past where I pack and then I pack and I pack before I then pack after I pack and I pack.
It’s like levels to a video game. I think. Don’t play those. I do hear there’s levels to ‘em though and I tend to believe those people. The gamers, of course.
In short, I often over-engineer my preparation. I kinda like it and I’m probably gonna do it again.
Ad nauseam, I’m packing 3 bags for a plane ride, which then will transform themselves into 5 bags and 1 bicycle which I intend to roll up into Chicago, where a another bag — I think we’re up to 9 bags now — is gonna do the Windy City Wait. Whatever in the fuck that is. All aminal. Bags on bags on bags. Past present future, you all. I go about the intense packing operation in exactly the reverse order as described; over the course of several days; after several weeks of spreading it all out for testing and processings. It’s like that and that’s the way it is. You get what you get. Insert cliche here, you’uns.
A few Notes From The Underground: I did my best to remove brands because none of them pay me. If you’re interested in the specifics of any of this gear, please look at the photos, or message me. Also things in bag nine are off-bike clothes and footwear and thusly aren’t on this long bicycle ride packing list. As isn’t any of the massive amount of packing tape, bike part cushioning and bubble-wrap on my bagged bicycle… because, obv.
EMPTY SPACE FOR FOOD
2 small front saddle bags
2 large rear saddle bags
1 handlebar bag
3 bike water bottles
back light
3 bungee cords
crash pad
cable+lock+tie
bluetooth speaker
gps
front wheel locking gear tie
2 sun/glasses
headlamp
lighter
wallet/id/iphone
notepad/pen
power bank
charging cables
ultralight compact tent
flip-flops
rain jacket
sanitary wipes/buttr
chapstick/lotion
sunscreen
toothpaste/brush/floss
vitamin supplements
clippers/tweezer
bandaids/sanitizer
liquid soap/wash cloth
20° rated lightweight sleeping bag
liter nalgene bottle
lightweight camp towel
stove/coffee press
collapsible cup/spork
electrolytes (what plants crave)
bicycle pump
leatherman tool
multi+chain tool
gorilla tape
2 spare tubes
tour patch kit
poly grease
fiberfix repair spoke
2 vinyl gloves/grease rag
spare section chain
spare derailleur hanger + screws
10 various size zip ties
2 tire levers
thin plastic card tire boot
small scrubbing brush
2 spare gears ties
presta/schrader valve adapter
shorts
zipable pants/shorts
2 face/head gator
tank shirt
2 cycling gloves
cycling cap
knit cap w/ light
short sleeve shirt
2 long sleeve shirt
long sleeve thermal shirt
fleece lined sweatpants
2 long socks
2 short socks
long underwear
5 short underwear
ace banadage
2 wrist braces
spring grip exerciser
2 detachable, roll up fenders
