Outer Hebrides; Barra to the Butt Bike Packing List.

Bicycle Accessories (attached to bike)

*Ground Effect Tardis Bike Bag
*Handlebar Bag
*Keys for Handle Bar Bag
*Two Rear Panniers
*Rack Bag
*Back pack rain cover for bike rack bag to suitably waterpropf bag when over-filled
*Two water bottles
*One Trangia fuel bottle
*Rear Mounted Kick Stand - usless, ended up throwing away as it never really fitted the bike correctly so was scratching/damaging the frame
*GPS bracket and mount - not taken as no GPS maps available for the Western Isles
*Bike lock and key - light weight cafe lock taken to save weight on plane
*Bungee cords as required to tie down rack bag
*Bike seat cover


Shelter/Sleeping

*Tent
*Tent stakes
*Tent Poles
*Tent Groundsheet
*Sleeping Mattress
*Sleeping Bag
*Sleeping bag inner
*Thermarest Pillow

Camping (in various stuffsacks)

*Trangia stove
*Trangia fuel bottle
*Trangia fuel (buy in Scotland)
*Waterproof Matches (buy in Scotland)
*Cooking Pot with lid
*Foldable plate/bowl
*Mug
*Utensils; Knife/Spork
*Two water canteens
*Clothes line - forgot to take
*Clothes pins for drying riding clothes after days ride - forgot to take
*Tea Towel


Cycle Clothing

*Helmet
*Cycling gloves 1/2 finger - x1 pair
*Cycling gloves full finge - x1 pair
*Cycling shirt short sleeves - x2 each
*Cycling shirt long sleeves - x2 each
*Chamois shorts - x2 each
*Cycling Shorts - x2 each
*Socks - x2 pair
*Inner socks - x2 pair
*Shoes - x1 pair for on/off bike


Foul/Wet Weather Clothes

*Ground Effect Storm Trooper Rain Jacket
*Ground Effect Two Timmer fleece jacket
*Rain pants


Camp and Town Clothes

*PJ shorts x1
*Merino T-Shirt x1
*Long pants x2
*Tracksuit pants x1
*Casual shirt x1
*Thongs x1 pair
*Jocks x 3
*Garbage bags to hold clothes in panniers


Food Bag (in ziplock-bags)

*Buy all food in Scotland
*Ziplock bags

Documents

*Wallet
*Passport
*Travel details wallet
*Travel Sim details
*International Drivers Permit
*Rohloff Manual
*Thorn Cycles Manual


Gadgets or Electrical Items

*GPS and cable - did not take as no GPS maps for Western Isles
*Phone with Travel Sim
*Phone charger
*I-Touch
*I-Touch charger
*Camera in case
*Camera charger
*Camera batteries
*Camera SD cards
*Camera tripod
*UK adapter
*Headlamp
*Rechargeable batteries (for headlamp)
*Journal and pen


Bike Tools and Spare Parts

*Air Pump
*Multi Tool
*Leatherman
*Spare tube
*Sapre tyre - did not take
*S&S spanner
*Open ended spanner for pedals
*Open ended spanner for Rohloff drive pin
*Open ended spanners for rear rack bolts
*Allen keys as required
*Spare zip ties
*A small roll duct tape
*Tent repair kit including sleeve and seam grip
*Air mattress repair kit
*Spare garbage bags
*Spare zip lock bags
*Tube patch kit
*Tire pressure guage
*Chain lube
*Rag for lube removal etc

Toiletries

*Travel towel
*Toilet paper
*Toothpaste
*Toothbrush
*Razor
*Shaving cream
*Soap
*Body washer
*Shampoo
*Deodorant
*Sunscreen
*Lip balm
*Chamois cream - did not take as saving weight on plane

First Aid

*Bandages
*Saline ampoules
*Antiseptic ointment
*Absorbent gauze
*Compression bandage - excess baggage became such an issue that I did not take all the first aid items listed above
*Mobic
*Panadol
*Zanex
*Temax


Post Trip Comments

All up the weight was just a fraction over 40kg including the bike, panniers and Tardis bike bag. To meet most airline weight restrictions in the future I need to cut 10kg's from the above list. I'm not sure this is possible on a camping tour however a credit card tour would not be a problem.

A significant amount of the weight comes from the steel framed bike so that is something I cannot change. Excess baggage costs are horrendeous so the next trip that involves air travel will need some serious thought. 10kg's of excess baggage internationally costs around $80/kg so that amounts to $1600 return - ridiculous. I saved a large amount of money (around $700) by posting my excess luggage back home once I had finished the trip. Qantas saved me a little bit (around $240) by graciously not charging me for 3kg's of the 10kg's in excess baggage on the trip over.

Darling Downs Tour; Postponed Again!

This is starting to sound like a broken record but this ride is now postponed indefinetely. Recently I had decided to use this ride as a shake down for the Outer Hebrides Trip, but a week of wet weather means that it would be just to miserable to ride.

So what does this mean? Firstly, it means I am heading of to the Hebrides without shaking down my bike or my set up. Not a particulary great idea! Secondly, I am now unsure when this ride will take place in the future. When I get back from the Hebrides I have the Mt Solitary hike and a possible partial ride on the Mawson Trail still kicking around so this trip will be on the back burner for a while to come. It will happen eventually, I just can't be certain when.

Mt Solitary Traverse Blue Mountains

My plans for this year still include the two day traverse of Mt Solitary in the Blue Mountains via the Ruined Castle. I'm not sure when exactly but it will be some time during the winter months. The plan will be to jump on a plane to Sydney, catch the train to Katoomba and start the walk the next day. There is a slight chance I might do a 2 day bush navigation course while I'm down there but it will depend on the timing of the trip.