GATHERING NO MOSS
Focusing on continual adventure cycling, it was time to get out of Shanghai and on the bike again. Life’s clock was ticking away and I was itching to get on the road again. It isn’t more than a few weeks at home and I’m pacing the floors and staring at the walls yearning to get on the bike and out on the road again. It was time to get my gear in order and roll.
DESTINATION: TEMPLES OF ANGKOR
As a child thumbing through the pages of dog-eared National Geographic magazines in our small western town’s dinky little library, I used to dream of exploring the temples Angkor deep in the humid, steaming jungles far into the of interior Cambodia, a long, long way from small town Idaho. It was textbook Indiana Jones stuff long before for Indy had been conceived.
Some forty plus years on and a lot of living gone by, I was still seeing the a young boy’s fantasy of traipsing through southeastern Asian backcountry in search of the temples of Angkor, only now it was a dream whose time had suddenly come. Clicking the “purchase now” but for a flight from Shanghai to Ho Chi Minh and I was headed for the mysterious temples of Cambodia.
My objectives were simple: Ride solo on my trusty Divide from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Siam Reap, Cambodia and explore the temples at Angkor. Expected result: a boyhood dream fait accompli.
THE PLAN
Keep things open and simple, which meant allowing plenty of time for leisurely travel and exploration. Limit maximum travel distance to 165 km, but focus on riding around 80-100 km/day. Concentrate on seeing the sights, meeting the people, tasting the food. Let the serendipity of the road handle the rest.
THE ROUTE
Fly from Shanghai to Vietnam. Then ride from Ho Chi Minh City northwest on Highway 22 to the Cambodian border. Cross the frontier and continue along Cambodian Highway 1 to Phnom Penh with requisite overnight stays along the way. Schedule one rest day for exploring Phnom Penh and then continue northeast along Cambodian Highway 6 to Siam Reap. Stop and explore as needed. Use several days to explore the temples at Angkor, which is near Siam Reap, and then fly back to Shanghai.
To get the family involved in the adventure, have my wife and daughter meet me in Siem Reap for Christmas, and rent bicycles and explore the ancient ruins together. What a great way to spend the winter holidays.
ROUTE BUILDING
I conducted the route reconnaissance online and build the primary route in a new GPS app I’m using called “Ride with GPS” and a secondary route in the Delorme website and downloaded it onto my Delorme Explorer. Both the Delorme Explorer and the iPhone 6 don’t require cell connectivity to navigate via GPS, so cell coverage isn’t critical.
My intent was to navigate using the GPS tracker and GPS app on my phone and if all else failed, I would ask locals. Because I’ve performed a pretty good assessment of the route, I had a pretty good mental picture on how to get from Hou Chi Minh to Siam Reap and the villages I’d encounter along the way. If things got real tough, I would stop and get a paper map. For this journey, I would be totally digital.
COMMUNICATIONS
Running the Delorme Explorer would allow my friends and family to track me along the way and I could signal help if an emergency should arise. My wife would have peace of mind and there was also medical and evacuation insurance included just in case.
Purchasing SIM cards for Vietnam and Cambodia ahead of time ensured immediate and continuous data and voice capability upon arrival in country as long as there was cellular or wifi access. For less than $10 each that includes a decent amount of voice and data, getting a SIM card for each country is the only way to go.
My intent was to maximize wifi use and limit voice and data to necessary calls and information only. With the popular Chinese WeChat app, it would be easy to stay in touch at home. The widespread proliferation of digital communications, wifi, and the Internet have forever changed staying in touch on the home front.
GEAR LIST
Listed below are the major items I brought on the trip. Intending to stay in guesthouse or hotels and to eat along the way or carry prepare foods and water, equipment came down to clothes, electronics, and bike repair kit. I’ll do a “what worked” follow up at the end of the journey.
WHEELS
- Bike: Co-Motion Divide Rohloff 29er
- Headlight: Cygolite Centauri 1000 Headlight
- Taillight: Serfas Superbright (w/standard USB charger), Bontrager Flare 3 (3x AAA batteries)
- Bell: Spur Cycle Bell
- Rearview Mirror
- Fenders: Planet Bike Cascadia 29er
- Front Rack: Surly Nice Front Rack
- Rear Rack: Tubus Cargo Evo
- Panniers: Ortlieb Front Roller Plus Bag 2x (using the smaller front panniers on the rear)
- Frame Pack: Revelate Designs Ripio
- Handlebar Bag: Revelate Designs Sweet Roll (Med), with pouch
- Cockpit: Revelate Designs Gas Tank
- Cockpit: Revelage Designs Jerry Can
- Camera: Porcelain Rocket Mini Slinger
- Camera/Notebook: Bedrock Tapeats To Go Bag
- Trunk Bag: Arkel Tailrider
- Cargo Net
CLOTHES
- Bern Macon Carbon Helmet
- Baseball Cap
- Mosquito Headnet
- Morino Wool Beanie
- Sunglasses
- Buff
- Outdoor Research Arm and Hand UV Sleeves
- Wrist Sweat Bands
- Giro Mountain Bike Gloves
- Synthetic Jerseys (2x)
- Synthetic T-Shirt (1x)
- Exoffico Boxer Briefs (2x)
- Cycling Briefs (2x)
- Shorts (3x)
- Long Cycling Pants (1x)
- Smart Wool Socks (3x)
- Synthetic Liner Socks (3x)
- Mavic Alpine SPD Shoes
- Flip Flops (1x)
RAIN GEAR
- Rain Hat
- Patagonia Torrent Jacket
- Patagonia Torrent Pants
- Goretex Shoe Covers
- Outdoor Research Waterproof Gloves
CAMPING
- Silk Liner (for sleeping in dodgy beds)
- Backpack: Osprey Raptor w/rain cover
- Black Diamond Headlamp
- Mini Blow Dryer (for drying shoes when wet)
NAVIGATION
- Delorme Explorer with Earthmate App
- Ride with GPS App (on iPhone 6 Plus)
- Garmin Edge 800
- Magnetic Compass (backup)
DOCUMENTS AND FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
- Passport (with digital photos online and on iPhone and two paper copies)
- Visas for Vietnam and Cambodia (procured via e-visa applications)
- Extra Passport Photos
- Cash ($1500 in small bills)
- Credit Cards
PHOTOGRAPHY
- Sony RX1R
- Sony RX100 III
- GoPro Black with Wrist Remote and Spare Batteries
- Micro SD Cards (32 GB, 64 GB)
- Spare Batteries
- Mini Tripod
ELECTRONICS
- iPhone 6 Plus 128 GB
- Topeak Rain Cover for iPhone 6
- Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard
- Suunto X-Lander Watch
- iPod Nano
- Ear Buds
- Kindle Voyage
- SIM Card – Vietnam
- SIM Card – Cambodia
- Storage Battery 15600 mAh 2x (to power electronics for up to 7+ days without access to a power outlet)
- 6 Plug USB charger and cables
- Electrical Outlet Adapters
MEDICAL
- DEET Insect Repellant
- Antibiotics (blood and gastrointestinal)
- Prescription Meds
- Ibuprofen
- Imodium
- Neosporin
- Bandaids
- Sunscreen
- Lip Balm
- Talcum Powder
- Tweezers
PERSONAL HYGIENE
- Towel
- Crotch Towel
- Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss
- Razor, Blades, Shave Cream, Brush
- Shampoo, Soap
- Mirror
WRITING
- Moleskine Reporter Notebook
- Gel Pens (4x)
TOOLS
- Flat Repair
- Patches (50x)
- Cement (4x small tubes)
- Lever Tool
- Roller Sticher (to apply patches)
- Schrader Adapter
- White Grease Pencil (to mark punctures)
- EK Tool Roll
- Leatherman
- Leatherman Micra
- Small Brush
- Allen Key Set
- Measuring Tape
- Spoke Tool
- 150mm Small Adjustable Spanner Wrench
- 4mm Shortie Allen Key (to adjust eccentric bottom bracket)
- Gates Belt Tension Reader
- Freewheel Cassette Cracker (for fellow riders)
- Topeak Mountain Turbo Pump
- Bontrager Air Support Pump (back up)
- Salsa Straps (2x)
SPARE PARTS
- Schwalbe Mondial Tire
- Inner Tubes (3x)
- Gates Carbon Belt
- Spokes and Nipples (6x)
- Brake Cable & Cable Housing
- Shifter Cable & Cable Housing
- Disc Pads
- Rohloff Oil Change Kit (2x)
- SPD Cleat and Screws
- Fender Parts
- Miscellaneous Rack Bolts and Screws
- Zip Ties
- Duct Tape
- Super Glue
- Sewing Kit
- Tenacious Tape
- Waterproof Patch Kit
- Lacing Wire
- Nylon Cord (25 ft)
BIKE INSPECTION, GEAR LOAD-OUT
Performing a quality technical inspection of the bike and kit is a must to avoiding problems on the road. One would think this a pretty standard part of the drill, but I’m continually amazed at other cyclists I come across who didn’t check out their bike and kit and are broke down on the road.
Make any necessary adjustments and repair any worn out broken components. If it doesn’t look right, better to fix it now than deal with it later on the road. Murphy’s Law: If something can go wrong, it will go wrong at the most inopportune time. Count on it.
Conducting a full gear pack up and load out is essential to ensuring everything will work the way you intend it to. Pack your gear the way you are going to use it. Keep the most used items on top for easy access. Ensure all your gear loads on and packs out the way you want it to. Fix any niggles on the spot. Don’t let the first time you’re doing it on the road be the first time you’re doing it.
TEST RIDE
Take your bike out for a test ride once you have it all together. This can be long or short, it’s up to you. Just make sure the bike and your gear are doing what they’re supposed to be doing the way they’re supposed to be doing it. Listen for any strange sounds or rubbing noises. Feel for any odd vibrations that could be coming from loose or rubbing gear. Tweak and adjust as required.
BIKE TRANSPORT
For $12 bucks, a local Shanghai Giant brand bike shop packed and boxed my bike. China Southern Airlines was running a special where a bike box counted as one piece of checked luggage with no additional charge. Since I was limited to only one piece of checked luggage, I would have to pay an additional 450 yuan ($75) for a second piece of luggage (a bag containing my panniers, frame and handlebar bags), which is still $125 less than most US carriers charge to take a bike box.
Upon arrival at the airport in Ho Chi Minh, I would decide whether to assemble the bike at the airport and ride into the city or just get a taxi to the hotel and build the bike in my room.
Upon finishing the ride in Siem Reap, the plan was to find or construct a bike box, pack the bike, and return the process to Shanghai.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Prepping for a cycling journey is a process that entails answering the 5 W’s and one H (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How) and checking out all of your kit. If you do a good job at that, chances are the journey will be a pretty smooth and enjoyable one.
Traveling with your bike is also a “process” like the rest of adventure cycling. Best to work out a system for getting you and your bike from one location to another.
Tight systems make for smooth adventure cycling.
Please comment and leave your thoughts and ideas. Happy trails, Johnny
