I’m off for an unsupported ride (staying in b&bs/hotels/hedgerows, not camping) for just a week (or less) and wondered if there were any useful tips from those who are silly enough to have done them before?
these tips may exclude advice such as don’t do it, travel light and don’t talk to people staggering around waving knives. I’ve already learnt the lesson of not riding on an empty stomach - you can’t walk properly for 2 days & you get bloody kness & elbows!
Thanks!
Eat lots. Buy lots of snacks that you can eat when you’re going along and don’t let your snack supply go low, as you’re guaranteed to pass loads of nice lunch places just before you’re hungry for lunch and no more for 20 miles after that. Never let somewhere selling an Ice Cream Sundae or cake go unvisited.
<http://www.tea.co.uk/tBreakN/guild/index.htm> has a list of tearooms which according to my research so far are all pretty nice. Splendid cake should always be a big part of cycle touring. If you happened to be going near Eastbourne, the tea pavillion there is particularly splendid.
I’d definately say travel really light, I’d take 1 change of clothes. If you feel skanky, then go to a launderette - if everything you’re wearing can be tumble dried that’s really handy.
Joe
Yes, definitely travel light. You can wash out everything in the sink at night, sleep starkers and wake up to it all being dry. If you avoid cotton, that is.
No harm in sitting out a rainstorm in a cafe.
Tools to everything on your uni, and a spare tube.
Be open; your adventure isn’t in what you bring with you, but what comes to you during your ride.
Re: any advice for a multi-day ride?
On Thu, 5 May 2005 05:01:00 -0500, “mikepenton” wrote:
>any useful
>tips from those who are silly enough to have done them before?
You might want to visit <http://www.unitours.org>. Although this is
for ‘organised’ tours, which seems to exclude solo rides like the one
you’re planning, there are tips, packing lists, training suggestions
etc on that site and on sites linked from there.
“When it comes to the family jewels, you won’t be having fun until they’re having fun. - Jake D”
Thanks folks,
hugely disappointed that none of the tea rooms are on my route 
but next time… 
I agree totally. After joining my father for a week on his 1,000 km walk last summer I felt the need for regular breaks from the real world! It would be great to one day go on one of those unitours, but I would need considerably more time & planning (as well as experience!)
can we look forward to regular updates from tea-rooms that double as internet cafes, or are u taking that much of a break from the world?
it’s only a short trip so I won’t be aching to get on the internet!
I’ve decided to do a diary, and shall certainly post a heavily abridged version so you all can share the saddle soreness, lost items of equipment (£180 of sunglasses & cycle computers in less than 3 months) and tranquility.
I’m wondering if it’s worth keeping a comments tally - ‘other wheel’ wisecracks versus admiration. I’ll have daily mileage & av. speed etc, what about number of UPDs? food breaks?
I’m off to do some research with The Good Pub Guide! 
Church porches are good for sheltering from rain, wind or excessive sun. So are bus shelters. If its tipping it down stopping in shelter and haveing a flapjack can make the world seem a better place.
Most people out in their garden will re-fill a water bottle if you ask nicely,ditto most pubs.
Shower gel is good for cleaning cycle shorts pads and shirts and socks as well as you. In addition to wringing out your washed garments , lay them on a towel (even a used one) and roll it up like a swiss roll, then stand on it and trample along it, even more mositure comes out and they dry better over night indoors (so long as you remember to remove them from the towel roll), the B&B can deal with the pile of damp towels, you don’t have to.
B&B owners often let you use a tumble dryer, or cloths line if you ask. YHAs often have drying rooms, but you need to check the heat will be on over night or your kit stays wet and smelly- bin there done that.
When we were uni touring unsurported I think the kit list was a along the lines of 1 each of underwear, cycle shorts, riding shirt and non riding shirt, waterproof , long sleve top & 2 pairs of socks.
Good luck and have fun
Sarah
and the details are what I like, Gild.
I’ve re-evaluated my packing & got rid of 1 spare pair of socks & spare cycling shorts. I now have an overall load of 7 kilos plus food & water, which I think is pretty good.
thanks for the drying tips Sarah, I’ll do the towel trick for sure. By the way, don’t be surprised if I come to SWUM without my Uni!
I’m pretty sure you could drop two more kilos. Ditch the luxuries, whatever they are. 
Worth repeating!!
Billy
On my south downs way ride -3.5 days unsurported, 3 of them riding alone- I had my mini tool kit and tube in a saddle bag and a water bottle on the frame to keep the weight on my shoulders down. Did much the same crossing the lakes the year before.
After the lakes trip tho I changed from wearing contact lenses and carrying spare glasses to wearing glasses and carrying spare tinted glasses, so I could chose which to wear for comfort.
Don’t forget the map, but take the cover off it so it can be folded any way you like and stuffed in a clear plastic bag.
Nowadays I carry a cable lock on the uni, wrapped round the frame, so I can chain it up when its out of sight. less relevent if your touring with another person, but if your solo its reasureing.
Butt Butter is magic, it heals all sorenesses overnight, A 35mm film canister full goes a long way.
sarah
the majority of that weight is the tool kit (I could drill out the pedal wrench…)! luckily that will be on the frame not me. luxuries are a small paper-back book… I could ditch the diary & camera perhaps… I’m planning on ditching maps once I’m past that area & buying one for the next section. I’m sure I won’t use the tools, hope I won’t use the first aid kit, and know I’ll use most of the chamois cream!
Interesting - I had the impression that this mystical stuff is just for reducing friction while riding. Does it also have healing properties then?
I tentatively bought a small sachet of it to try out, but have yet to use it, not finding friction or chafing to be a problem. I’ve done about 100 miles in the last couple of weeks on my new air seat, and it requires occasional breaks to assist bloodflow and relieve numbness. The weight and pressure leading to aching seem to be the issue, rather than any chafing.
Butt Butt’r seems to have universal acclaim, but do you need it if you don’t get chafing?
Sam
After riding in the rain for even a couple of hours you may well get sore. Damp shorts are way way worse than dry ones.
Personally I have found a good smear of butter on the affected parts sorts out the soreness over night. I think its the lanolin.
Sarah