Dalton Highway Packing List

[captainwelch]

So I'm doing 1030 mile solo ride From Fairbanks, AK to Deadhorse, AK on the Elliot and Dalton highways. This is my packing list. Any recommendations on what to add or leave behind?

Unicycle
Tube Repair Kit
3 Extra Tubes
Air Pump
Pedal Wrench
Allen Wrench
Crank Wrench
Extra Cranks

Shotgun
Slug Rounds
Shot Rounds

Backpack
Tent
Sleeping Bag
Water Filter
Camel Pack
Stove/Cooking Kit
LP Gas Canisters (3)
Locater Beacon
Sunglasses
Watch
First Aid Kit
Headlamp/Solar Charger
Field Knife
Journal/Pens
Lighters/Waterproof Matches
Dr. Bronners (Soap, Toothpaste, Dishwashing)
Maps/Map Case
Camera
Ipod
Rope
Bug Repellent

3 Pairs Socks
2 Pairs Underwear
2 Pairs Pants
2 Pairs Thermal Underwear
2 Shirts
Boots
Hat
Gloves
Fleece Mid-Layer
Jacket
Poncho
Ski Mask

[Émile5]

Obiviously the shotgun and the shotgun rounds...

Sunglasses

EDIT: oops, nvm about the glasses.

[Wheel Rider]

What about food?

Have you done a practice ride with all this stuff? That is a LOT of equipment to be carrying on a unicycle.

I don't think Gracie Sorbello carried a shotgun on her ride across the lower 48.

[siafirede]

I have no idea how you are going to carry all of that stuff on a self-supported unicycle tour.

[captainwelch]

I haven't included food in my packing list. But it will be primarily dehydrated foods/rice. The gun is for bears. and yes, I have been training with 55lbs on my back. With the right pack, it's not that bad. One thing I forgot to put on the list was bear pepper spray.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by captainwelch

I haven't included food in my packing list. But it will be primarily dehydrated foods/rice. The gun is for bears. and yes, I have been training with 55lbs on my back. With the right pack, it's not that bad. One thing I forgot to put on the list was bear pepper spray.

Hopefully the pepper spray saves on shotgun slugs.

[saskatchewanian]

Some suggestions

If you bring pepper spray leave the gun behind, If you have a gun leave the pepper spray at home. having both is redundant.

A shotgun seems way to heavy and bulky to bring on a ride, Do you have a hand gun (and a license for it?) I was thinking that I should bring my 38 when I was thinking of going with you but I wasn't sure what the rules were for bringing a handgun into the states (licensed and registered in Canada)

instead of three tubes ride a coker tube and have a 29er tube spare. Bring a chunk of rubber about 8"x2" incase you have to repair a blowout. This would be much lighter than three tubes.

Dual drilled cranks would be nicer than two separate sets, If you are worried about breakage I would build up a splined wheel with the dual drilled Moment cranks.

If it is just you going forget the tent and look into getting a bivy, it would be much lighter and compact than a tent.

You will need a sleeping pad, I would suggest a down filled inflatable.
For a sleeping bag you can save weight by using one that is meant for children for you lower body and wearing a down jacket on your upper body. Combined with a bivouac sack that should keep you sufficiently warm without weighting you down to much. You should have a good warm jacket anyway.

I wouldn't worry about a locator beckon you are going to be on the road.

Get an insulated tube for you camel pack and get in the habit of blowing air into the tube after having a drink, this should prevent it from freezing. Leave the filter behind and buy some Pristine, it is much lighter and takes way less downtime and effort.

A headlamp is nice but it will not get very dark up there, have fresh batteries in it when you leave and I would bring one set of spares.AAA batteries are a whole lot lighter than a solar charger. The light is probably most useful as a signal.

I would have a cycle computer on my uni so a watch is redundant. Most cycle computers tell you the time, time doesn't mater out there anyway, eat when you are hungry, sleep when you are tired.

I would bring mechanical pencils instead of pens to rite in you journal, they don't freeze or run.

I always have three lighters, one in my pocket, one in my jacket in a small zip-lock bag and one in my backpack. If one gets wet there is always another one.

I know they are on your list but I am not sure you know how important they are, SUNGLASSES ARE ESSENTIAL! Snow blindness is not fun at all.

Bring a good compass with a mirror and adjustable declination. Know how to use the mirror to signal aircraft in an emergency. Know the declination for the different parts of your trip (rite it on your maps), it will change quite a bit with distance that far north, the needle will point almost east. You can also tell the time quickly and accurately with a compass if you need to know the time (an hour is 15˚ of sun movement, when the sun is due south it is noon)

Topo maps are very nice to have but you don't need the info beyond the first mountain over, you can cut the sides off your map to save weight. Only keep the maps you will need that day in the map case, keep the rest in a ziplock in your bag.

Your iPod will run out of batteries then be dead weight, leave it at home

For rope go to an army surplus store and see if you can buy class 3 or 4 Parachute cord. 30 feet would be lots especially since 30 feet of class 4 cord =330 ft of core strings and 30 ft of casing.

They stopped selling it in Canada and am not sure of the availability in the states but I recommend getting 98% deet insect repellant, sure it gives you cancer but it works better than anything else, especially if considering weight and volume.A 150ml bottle should do you fine but make sure it does not leak out of the bottle, it will destroy rubber and many plastics.

For clothing I would have a pair of wicking liner socks with two pairs of merino wool socks.

Two pairs of merino wool longjohns and merino shirts. Use one set during the day and keep one set dry and clean for the night.

Polar fleece is good but wool is better, it is hard to find a good wool mid layer though.

For a shell I would bring a jacket and bib pants made of two layer goretex or similar waterproof breathable material.

You only need one light pair of pants, dress pants actually work really well. If your legs get cold put on the rain-pants.

Have a poofy down jacket for emergencies, really cold days and sleeping

a couple other things that I would add to the list are a balaclava + toque, a spoke wrench and a couple replacement spokes


wow that got way longer than I anticipated, I guess I want you to have fun

Good luck!

ERIC

edit: I forgot to add snare wire, a bit of duct tape and a stick of hot melt glue. The kind used for arrow knocks is stronger than the clear stuff used for crafts.

[forrestunifreak]

Yeaaah I would definitely swap the shotgun for something much smaller if I were you. Unless you've got an extremely short sawed off barrel or something.

And as far as bears go, bear pepper spray is probably much more effective then a handgun. If protection from wild animals is all you're worried about, then I'd say just stick with the pepper spray. Although you can't exactly hunt small game for food with pepper spray...



Keep in mind that pepper spray is a one-time use, if you encounter a bear on more then one occasion.

[zfreak220]

have you considered using wearing a bear bell on your pack? that way bears know your coming and you won't have to use the pepper spray.

[vanpaun]

hows'about an AK-47? Or a tommy gun? seriously no need sor a gun like that.

EDIT: i forgot the nuclear balistic missile

[captainwelch]

Some suggestions

If you bring pepper spray leave the gun behind, If you have a gun leave the pepper spray at home. having both is redundant. Agreed, I will choose only one

A shotgun seems way to heavy and bulky to bring on a ride, Do you have a hand gun (and a license for it?) I was thinking that I should bring my 38 when I was thinking of going with you but I wasn't sure what the rules were for bringing a handgun into the states (licensed and registered in Canada)
The only other firearm I own is a .44, which may be excessive, even for a bear. THe reson I was bringing a shotgun would be do have a dual purpose firearm, shot for small game (emergencies) and slugs for protection.

instead of three tubes ride a coker tube and have a 29er tube spare. Bring a chunk of rubber about 8"x2" incase you have to repair a blowout. This would be much lighter than three tubes.
Believe it or not I'm doing this on a 26" Muni. I thought 3 tubes would be reasonable, but perhaps 2 plus a patch kit.
Dual drilled cranks would be nicer than two separate sets, If you are worried about breakage I would build up a splined wheel with the dual drilled Moment cranks.

I actually am using an ISIS hub, with dual hole moment cranks. With the cranks I've been bending lately, I'm just paranoid

If it is just you going forget the tent and look into getting a bivy, it would be much lighter and compact than a tent.
I have a great 1 man tent, 2lbs, 2oz

You will need a sleeping pad, I would suggest a down filled inflatable.
For a sleeping bag you can save weight by using one that is meant for children for you lower body and wearing a down jacket on your upper body. Combined with a bivouac sack that should keep you sufficiently warm without weighting you down to much. You should have a good warm jacket anyway.

I wouldn't worry about a locator beckon you are going to be on the road.

Get an insulated tube for you camel pack and get in the habit of blowing air into the tube after having a drink, this should prevent it from freezing. Leave the filter behind and buy some Pristine, it is much lighter and takes way less downtime and effort.

A headlamp is nice but it will not get very dark up there, have fresh batteries in it when you leave and I would bring one set of spares.AAA batteries are a whole lot lighter than a solar charger. The light is probably most useful as a signal.

The Solar Charger is also for my ipod. and camera batteries.

I would have a cycle computer on my uni so a watch is redundant. Most cycle computers tell you the time, time doesn't mater out there anyway, eat when you are hungry, sleep when you are tired.

Good call

I would bring mechanical pencils instead of pens to rite in you journal, they don't freeze or run.

I can't believe I didn't think of that
I always have three lighters, one in my pocket, one in my jacket in a small zip-lock bag and one in my backpack. If one gets wet there is always another one.

I know they are on your list but I am not sure you know how important they are, SUNGLASSES ARE ESSENTIAL! Snow blindness is not fun at all.


Bring a good compass with a mirror and adjustable declination. Know how to use the mirror to signal aircraft in an emergency. Know the declination for the different parts of your trip (rite it on your maps), it will change quite a bit with distance that far north, the needle will point almost east. You can also tell the time quickly and accurately with a compass if you need to know the time (an hour is 15˚ of sun movement, when the sun is due south it is noon)

Topo maps are very nice to have but you don't need the info beyond the first mountain over, you can cut the sides off your map to save weight. Only keep the maps you will need that day in the map case, keep the rest in a ziplock in your bag.

Your iPod will run out of batteries then be dead weight, leave it at home

For rope go to an army surplus store and see if you can buy class 3 or 4 Parachute cord. 30 feet would be lots especially since 30 feet of class 4 cord =330 ft of core strings and 30 ft of casing.

They stopped selling it in Canada and am not sure of the availability in the states but I recommend getting 98% deet insect repellant, sure it gives you cancer but it works better than anything else, especially if considering weight and volume.A 150ml bottle should do you fine but make sure it does not leak out of the bottle, it will destroy rubber and many plastics.

For clothing I would have a pair of wicking liner socks with two pairs of merino wool socks.
I have a sock sponsor
Two pairs of merino wool longjohns and merino shirts. Use one set during the day and keep one set dry and clean for the night.

Polar fleece is good but wool is better, it is hard to find a good wool mid layer though.

For a shell I would bring a jacket and bib pants made of two layer goretex or similar waterproof breathable material.

You only need one light pair of pants, dress pants actually work really well. If your legs get cold put on the rain-pants.

Have a poofy down jacket for emergencies, really cold days and sleeping

a couple other things that I would add to the list are a balaclava + toque, a spoke wrench and a couple replacement spokes


wow that got way longer than I anticipated, I guess I want you to have fun

Good luck!

ERIC

edit: I forgot to add snare wire, a bit of duct tape and a stick of hot melt glue. The kind used for arrow knocks is stronger than the clear stuff used for crafts.


Dude, thanks for the great advice!

[unicyclist.ca]

I am so stoked you are doing this and I can't wait to see pictures from your ride. good luck!

[unicycle6869]

Mind giving us an update of what you actually brought with you from your orginal list? And what things you wouldn't bring with if you did it again just for future reference if any one has this crazy idea to do what you did again?! Did you bring/use your ipod?