Waypoints, Pedialyte, Merino Wool, Riding Gear & Bags
More thoughts on the Tour of Idaho . . .
I’m still trying to determine when I will “unwind” from our 2018 Tour attempt. Honestly, the time I spend dealing with it in my head has ratcheted down a bit over the past three months but not as much as I’d expected. Part of this ongoing contemplation has confirmed a few things. For example, there were several items that I’d consider “standouts” as it relates to the Tour. The overview below highlights some of those standout items.
First off, lets deal with the waypoints that Martin provides. Folks, each one is on the mark. Especially, where there is a turn involved. He must have tweaked these from time-to-time to get them just right. If Jeff and I overshot a turn, it was just because we weren’t watching our GPSes close enough. Creating tracks or routes from what he’s offered is not a problem if you take the time to do it right. Don’t download some “variation” of the waypoints or tracks from some other source. Get what he’s got and move on from there. Realize that there is no shortcut on this part of your Tour prep.
Ok, I’ll be the first to say that I can’t stand the taste of Pedialyte as comes right out of the bottle. It’s like it has a “texture” that I can’t handle. But, the packets that can be used to mix your own are awesome. I took 24 with me and used 2 or 3 every single day. Mornings and evenings for sure. On top of that I stopped drinking beer a few days before the Tour and during the full duration of our outing. Jeff figures I drank about a 55 gallons of Powerade Zero though. Hydration was key! Typically I’ll get leg cramps on long rides, but not on the Tour. You should start hydrating days before your departure and although it was tough for me, laying off the beer before and during the adventure was well worth the sacrifice. Get you some Pedialyte folks!
A buddy of mine is an avid Elk Hunter and there were several things I learned from him while preparing. One thing he brought up early on was Merino Wool, which has natural anti-odor properties. There were two companies that he mentioned, KUIU and FirstLite. I then learned there were other companies that offered Merino Wool clothing. Bottom line . . . I’m sold on this stuff. I ended up buying a couple Royal Robbins base layer shirts, three pairs of IceBreaker Cool-Lite underwear, and two pairs of KUIU over-the-calf hunting socks. All of these performed flawlessly on the Tour. I’m very impressed with the KUIU socks . . . they’re simply the best sock for long days in the saddle and multi-day use. The Royal Robbins shirts are long enough to stay tucked in and the underwear never chaffed me or bunched up. None of this stuff was cheap, but it was worth every single penny!
Ok . . . I’m a bit biased . . . but I really love KLIM’s riding gear. The first couple lines of their gear incorporated topographic maps into the design. Being a geographer/cartographer I just had to get some. I’m way into it all now, with over a dozen pair gloves, 4 pairs of pants, 9 jerseys, 4 back packs, two goggles, 3 jackets, 8 sets of socks, and one helmet. As recommended, the Dakar gear was well-suited to use on the Tour. The Dakar Pro Jersey is simply my favorite of all time, their gloves held up well, and the Traverse jacket was wonderful on the cool mornings. Based on our experience, you must prep for the cold and warm extremes that are encountered on a trek across Idaho. KLIM’s gots the goods to keep your comfortable and safe on the Tour.
The Giant Loop Mojavi saddle bags fit very well on my WR450. They stayed put, had ample space, and I never felt like they were in my way. I’ll use them again on my next attempt. The only thing I’ll do different is get some of the dry bags they make specifically for the Mojavi bags. Some of the items that weren’t already in a dry bag did get damp on Day 7. Randy recommended a Kriega 10 liter bag for the rear fender and it performed beautifully! The mounts are really cool, the integrated dry bag kept my clothes dry, and the zippered pocket on the top was great for items that you need to keep handy. I could see adding one of the Kriega 5 liter bags on top next time though. Everything else was ported in my KLIM Krew Pack. It is large, but comfortable, tough, and great for organization.
Take all this for what its worth. Jeff and I had a great time and learned a great deal. This knowledge will be very valuable for our next attempt. There are many aspects of the Tour that you just cannot prepare for. I think it was Martin that stated “The Tour of Idaho is really an adventure that requires the use of a motorcycle.” Keep that in mind as you get your act together..
See you on the Trail!