Bicycle Touring and Camping

A Dozen Comfort items I learned about on my last trip down the Erie:

1) Ear Plugs (already mentioned by a few posters) - use them - they were provided at check-in at Nichols School last year
2) Avoid tenting near the Porta-Potty area as late night users tend to be door slammers (check prevailing wind as well)
3) Bring along a bag of your favorite hard candy to get the 'trail' taste out of our mouth
4) Bring Good sunglasses for the morning 'wake-up' ride
5) Establish a 'pack' and 'unpack' routine before you go, then fine-tune it on the ride
6) Make sure your luggage is visually unique so you can find it in a long pile of hundreds of bags (Black bags rule the collection)
7) Pack wet items against themselves (like an inside out tent) so anything that touches it will stay dry
8) I carry one of those super absorbent wipes to remove most of the morning tent dew - works great (no, mine's  not a ShamWOW)
9) Check your tire pressure every morning before leaving the 'pumping station'
10) Before you leave the breakfast area make your self a late-morning trail sandwich (egg/bacon/sausage wrapped in bagel)
11) Be prepared to ride in the rain... perhaps all day long  (test it out at home and make adjustment as necessary)
12) Check out the prevailing wind before setting your tent especially in Burnet Park near the City Zoo
From John Shea - LazyBoyonWheelz - Morning Rest Stop slave  regarding Erie Canal Ride