What if.....

What if, what can happen, in which case do I need what? As I mentally put together my gear, of course various eventualities came up in my mind, so I put together to be ready for anything. bullshit! Unfortunately, the mental "worst-case scenario" I sucked up with the mother's milk. Accidents, muggings, whatever could happen to the poor kid in the big world. Beware! Control! Even as a teenager, I wasn't allowed to enter pedestrian underpass alone, motorcycle driver's license? The all die! It goes/went so far that when I was over 40 I would be bought a bicycle helmet with an automatic emergency call, and the warning of Serbo-Romanian muggers, who would surely kill me after the robbery, was given along the way. Well, it also has its good points. For example, I don't install any devices which crashes from the wall, everything will be double and triple secured and checked. In any case, with this "mind set" you put your equipment together, the awakening happened when packing. Weight and volume. Everything would have fit on it, but almost 45 kg of luggage without provisions, isg. 150 kg system weight + another 10 kg? The English version here is constantly being improved. Please excuse the bumpy English (the automatic translation has to be retranslated and revised manually again and again).

Then it would really tough for my condition and material. I`ve learned at some point that I shouldn't jump off the high curb with luggage on my bike, but do you have to challenge it? Well, meanwhile I'm on my way. And maybe half of the originally planned equipment is still with a board. Unfortunately, the "kitchen" with the coffee maker didn't make it. This was a tough day of selection, however the trade-off between travel comfort and weight was necessary. And I'm still determined, even without provisions, "overweight" but not so drastically. And with the planned first-aid kit (e.g. 4 different disinfectants) and kitchen as well as luxury items, every hill would have become a challenge. Up and down and the daily packing and unpacking. No matter if something is missing, it is bought later, or? I wanted to drink less coffee, anyway. And to be honest, the main argument against the travel kitchen was that you travel through foreign countries and then still cook your own stuff. One can enjoy the local culture, right? Who knows how long we'll be around, right? Fuck the few pennies more, cooking yourself is even not for free. And the coffee?

Well, stopping somewhere always offers the opportunity to go to the toilet, maybe even scrounge energy and WiFi, and nice conversations and local tips? But still, I should probably be a few kilos over the system weight, but not dramatically. It's also difficult to estimate, there aren't that many left of the original parts on the bike and I've always opted for the better equipment in recent years when I've been given the choice. What remains of the original bike are the frame, handlebars and rear brake piston. If the aluminum frame is gone now, well then, other dealers also have nice bikes. You can find something new on the go at a respectable price. I would bring parts with. But Blackmilehole would still remain, somehow, right? A steel frame would be nice. I have also used this thought log for almost all other spare parts and luggage. I have a hose, patch kit and wrenchs to tighten all kinds of screws, cable ties & tape (MacGyver Classics), chain oil and 2 (!) air pumps.

Why 2 air pumps? Well, on the one hand I have a new electronic compressor, which has yet to prove itself to be reliable, on the other hand I once stood there in the Black Forest with a defective air pump (China export) pushing for kilometers with flat tires on gravel with luggage, no fun. Screams and wishes had flown through the area. For hours, until a really nice couple of pensioners with e-bikes "accidentally" noticed me and gave me their mini pump (thanks), I have it with me again today. I have a lot of equipment in the basement at home, including two wheels, which my wife will certainly be happy to send me, I should not be able to get the used spare parts anywhere on the way (yes, that's how it is in my head). My greatest strength is even improvising :D 5 minutes before each exam was the best time to teach yourself the material, afterwards you forgot anyway, why waste time preparing :D. I also have so much weight with me, including the bike, that I can carry it for several kilometers, if necessary. Why do you run to the gym every second day? Because of the women in jog pants or to calmly stare at the cell phone for 30 minutes between sentences? I swapped my front luggage rack (Lowrider) again yesterday. Even on my last tour, I thought to myself that I hate the permanent re-centering of the front brake as soon as the luggage was redistributed a bit. But then I suppressed it and yesterday during the assembly I remembered it again, so quickly , got something new and assembled it. Unfortunately, a shortcoming is that the bags now hang relatively high, which means that the bike can now be steered like a Dutch bike. And in my head everything is happening again that will never happen. Actually, it rides well in a straight line, but I have to adapt the new center of gravity first. The handlebars hit fast with the low-rider, if you're not careful. I just have to take it slower on a mountain bike trail and maybe skip the jumps, right?

It'll be fine, in a week I'll be buttering bread again while driving, but carelessness is the little brother of stupidity. I might change my configuration during the tour, maybe I'll rearrange it a few more times and leave out the front pockets. I have enough space. And in the two pockets at the front there is voluminous but light luggage, that should be easy to grab, rainwear, helmet during train transport, tension net, shopping bags, dirty laundry bag, light lock, sunscreen, shoes etc. I will still have enough opportunities to repack. I still have room in the back. Maybe I'll put the solar panel on the front, who knows? And greetings to the 3 who asked me if I could do something with the term "system weight" or if I knew what that means for my bike....... Friends, neighbors & smartasses, this isn't my first tour ! Does that answer your question? At least in theory? Do you lack the courage for the bike tour practice? :D Was also briefly with my new bicycle mechanic around the corner, who has my trust thanks to a conversation, who said it looks well thought out! With this in mind and shortly before Stuttgart, greetings, starting tomorrow it really starts. In Italy, with glorious weather (cold and rainy)! Good planning is half the battle.