RE: [pct-l] ADT

["Brett Tucker" <blisterfree@hotmail.com>]

>From: "Welter, Ed" <Ed.Welter@nike.com>
>It occurred to me that ultralight could really be
>applied to long distance bike touring: even on the most scenic of routes,
>you pass towns, stores, motels, etc. all the time.  The safety factor is
>much less severe than ultra light thru-hiking.

My longest bike ride has been under one hundred miles, so I can only 
theorize, and agree with you, that lightweight hiking-type principles should 
work for a long distance bike trip. The big difference would definitely 
involve food weight, which would be far less when biking across our urban 
nation.

As for safety, I think statistically long distance hiking is safer than long 
distance road cycling, mainly because of the absence of multi-ton steel 
vessels speeding by all day. I don't have the figures, but am almost certain 
that serious injuries and especially fatalities are far more common on the 
roads. But in terms of safety from nature's vicissitudes, yes, cycling 
should allow one a greater opportunity to dodge trouble. Every building 
passed becomes a potential "bomb off."

>But I've looked around
>the net and can't find anything that applies the ultra light >principles to
>touring...everyone seems to lug around a lot of stuff ...odd.  Any
>ideas/thoughts on this?

Swapping backpack for panniers, I would probably take along shelter, 
sleeping bag, clothing, alcohol stove, and a few other essentials, and then 
add cycling-specific items. I wouldn't imagine my base weight would exceed 
that for backpacking. With this approach, I would intend to camp for free 
wherever possible, KOA or hostel where available, and motel every now and 
then.  Those wishing to really live it up could probably go far lighter. Why 
are the masses traveling more encumbered? No idea. It seems to me that bike 
touring is automatically a lighter profession than long distance hiking, for 
a given approach.

Enough vague theorizing. If I actually bike cross country after my hike, it 
will be a trial by fire, learn as I go, sort of thing. I simply lack the 
time or energy to investigate now, what with the major hike looming. But if 
anyone on the list has done a long bike trip, especially following a long 
hike, then that might make for interesting reading. Anyone else thinking of 
tacking on a bike trip to their PCT journey this year?

- Blisterfree


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