"Could I get a quick picture of the bike touring gear you won't leave home without?"
I recently had a chance to bike the Katy Trail in Missouri, and had fun asking other bikers this simple question. Some people were only biking 10 miles, while others were out for a week to complete the entire 240 miles. I've always been interested in people's "every day carry," so I thought that a "Katy Trail Carry" article would be interesting. Without exception, everyone I talked to liked the idea and immediately started pondering the question.
"Hmm...I can only choose 3 or 4 things?" Almost everyone went through the same thought process (which was interesting). For about 3 seconds they had no idea what to pick, and then they knew exactly what to pick. Most of them spent a lot of time in the saddle, and have a trail-hardened understanding of what it takes to keep both bike and body moving day after day.
If you're thinking about planning your own trip to the Katy Trail, check out our Katy Trail Map. It lists everything from bike shops to breweries, and I think you find it to be helpful. I also think you'll get a few ideas for gear to bring from the pictures below.
Karen's Gear - helmet, water, inhaler, phone, sunglasses, wet wipes.Clockwise: Sunglasses, helmet, phone, lipstick, bike tool, doTERRA Peppermint Beadlets.Bear's Gear: helmet, water, Topeak Road Morph Bike Pump, bike tube.Barbara and Kenny: helmet, cooking gear, Starbucks French Roast, Goose Island IPA, GSI Infinity Backpacker Mug, alcohol for cooking.Helmet, zip ties, GU Maple Bacon Energy Gel, Epic Ride Lubricant, AfterShokz Headphones, pliers.Helmet, bike lube, Sports Beans, SLATHER Anti-Chafing Cream, Power Bar, sunglasses.Cosmo Mouse's Gear: Helmet, spare tube, CO2 cartridges, Ultraflate Plus, Park Tool TL-1, water bottle.Tara's Gear: Bell Stowaway Bag, water bottle, Easy Lube, bike tube.Rita's Gear: pump, tire tool, lube, bike tube, bungees, Arctic Radwear Cooling Towel, odometer, gloves.