Search found 397 matches

by Mattie
3 Nov 2013, 8:16pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Any tripod tourists?
Replies: 19
Views: 4173

Re: Any tripod tourists?

I took a SLIK Sprint Mini II, it is compact and light but still a proper tripod with a ball head.

Used it for this and many other pics:
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by Mattie
23 Oct 2013, 8:42am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Netbook for touring
Replies: 114
Views: 67026

Re: Netbook for touring

I am not sure what part of Italy you will be visiting, or what time of year. But to give you an idea, when I was in Venice the temperature reached a new record at 38'C on Monday 22 August 2011.

And that is northern Italy, by the coast ! it must get much hotter further south. On the rest of the trip down to Greece I saw temperatures of over 40'C.

As an example our computers servers at work are kept cool, with air-conditioning, at a constant room temperature of 16'C .

Hot temperatures must have an adverse effect on all computers, when asking them to perform tasks, not just the MacBook Air. It is just that coming from cool Britania I had never encountered it as an issue before. I am sure you will be fine. :)
by Mattie
22 Oct 2013, 10:24pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Netbook for touring
Replies: 114
Views: 67026

Re: Netbook for touring

Always taking pictures !

A change of plan in Switzerland and decide to head south because of the constant rain - so here loading the eTrex with Italian maps and campsite data - no trouble as the whole of europe is on the MacBook Air.

Date: 06 August 2011
GPS: N 47 29.442, E 9 33.931
Campsite, Lake Bodensee, Switzerland

Andy - the whole overheating thing was a bit of a surprise as it had never happened in the cooler temperatures. There were ways around it but I guess this could be an issue with other devices in hot temperatures when asking them to perform duties other than a bit of web-surfing.

Anyway all this was 2011, and I realise that tablets have moved on, and a MacBook is an expensive option. But no regrets with taking the MacBook, plenty of people advised against netbooks and GPS. But 2 years on I have my whole route still recorded - the whole route from day one, excellent pictures and a log - it will probably be even more valuable to me in 10 years ! :)

I promise no more MacBook Pictures to bore you with !

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by Mattie
21 Oct 2013, 1:06pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Netbook for touring
Replies: 114
Views: 67026

Re: Netbook for touring

Found a picture of my MacBook Air !

Updating blog on Crazyguyonabike, handling pictures, online banking, email and mapping. I still use it now and updated the operating system to mountain lion a few months ago.

Date: 16 August 2011
Place: GPS: N 45 29.75, E 010 30.660
Campsite on Lake Garda, Italy.
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by Mattie
20 Oct 2013, 9:49pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Netbook for touring
Replies: 114
Views: 67026

Re: Netbook for touring

I took my MacBook Air on my trip to Greece. The only problem with it was that it did not like the summer heat and I remember the fan blowing hard and even shutting the machine down altogether when it got hot.

I figured it worked best in the evenings or in the cool of an air-conditioned room ! It did not like working in a tent in Italy in August !
by Mattie
14 Aug 2013, 6:11pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Touring drinks
Replies: 38
Views: 10025

Re: Touring drinks

On my trip down to Athens in summer 2011, I drank huge amounts of Powerade from petrol stations. It is an expensive way of doing it as you may drink 6-8 of them a day if you are going to cycle the heat of the day in Italy and Croatia.

So lets say EUR 2 each 500 ml bottle x 6 = EUR 12 per day. Only when it gets really hot and you are drinking more. I cycled through the heat of the day like that.
by Mattie
9 Jul 2013, 8:45am
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Hilleberg nallo 2gt footprint
Replies: 8
Views: 2861

Re: Hilleberg nallo 2gt footprint

pjclinch wrote:
Mattie wrote:In favour of footprints - they do give you a nice clean dry patch to pack your tent up. As with other tents that have separate footprints it is nice to be able to have a dry patch to roll the tent up, when surrounded by wet grass.


Without the footprint... get overthing over the sewn-in groundsheet, fold that over so you have a tent between groundsheet at the top and bottom that encloses everything, and then roll or fold or whatever from there. Yes, you have a damp groundsheet, but is that really worse than a damp footprint?

Pete.


The main difference is that the footprint is a separate detachable item - so you roll your tent up as you describe - but the footprint stays on the ground. Nice dry tent into the bag - fold up footprint removing slugs and other wildlife ! and put it in its own little bag.
by Mattie
8 Jul 2013, 8:47pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: extreme heat concerns
Replies: 42
Views: 2905

Re: extreme heat concerns

Hills are the killer in the heat. I have ridden through +40 C in the Negev with no real issues as it was not particularly hilly. Spain in August was worse because of the hills.

Shane is right about how much water can be absorbed by the body - which is different to how much you can drink. Myself I reckon the body can only absorb 1 litre per hour into the blood stream through the gut. You can probably drink more than that but it will not be absorbed by the gut into the body.

Sooner or later you will have to find shade and rest and sip a litre of drink slowly for at least an hour. It is an equation - you sweat so much water but you can only replace it at the rate of 1 litre per hour. Cycle touring is different to a game of footy or a marathon as it lasts over a longer period and even many days. Some salt is also important when drinking lots of water.

If you start cursing and swearing and becoming irrational and bad tempered - this is a bad sign !

Take it easy !

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by Mattie
30 Jun 2013, 10:29pm
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Hilleberg nallo 2gt footprint
Replies: 8
Views: 2861

Re: Hilleberg nallo 2gt footprint

In favour of footprints - they do give you a nice clean dry patch to pack your tent up. As with other tents that have separate footprints it is nice to be able to have a dry patch to roll the tent up, when surrounded by wet grass.
by Mattie
29 Jun 2013, 9:27pm
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Pictures of your tents.
Replies: 698
Views: 94424

Re: Pictures of your tents.

pjclinch wrote:
Mattie wrote:
While I am here - picture of first use of new tent taken on a very windy weekend at Rozel Campsite, Jersey; tent Hilleberg Nammtj 2


If you fancy some tips on taking the Nammatj from being "merely" bombproof to the Exocet-upgrade level then Hilleberg have a handy wee film of tips for pitching in serious hoolies, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eFAyKMz314&feature=player_embedded&list=PL9140026372CAD2B8

A little bit of it's Hille specific but there are some handy tips on guying etc. that should be generally applicable.

Pete.


Thanks Pete. Useful that they confirmed that it is best to pitch it vestibule into the wind. I have noticed that if it is pitched tail into the wind then the inner and outer tents can touch. To get round this you can open the little internal vent and reach down to disconnect the inner from the outer. But in future will pitch it head first - thanks for the info :)
by Mattie
4 Jun 2013, 7:26pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: hand pump for touring
Replies: 52
Views: 16819

Re: hand pump for touring

ANTONISH wrote:
4 Bar? - that's around 60 PSI - I be mostly inflating mine to around 7 Bar (when I can be bothered to check with a pressure gauge what my thumb has already told me)
I suppose that means lots more of those frustratingly short pumps. :D



4 bar for a 26 inch road tyre - sorry this link is to a Dutch shop, but that is where I bought my bike in Amsterdam, and also advice : http://www.vakantiefietser.nl/accessoires/

Maybe different for a 700c road tyre ?
by Mattie
31 May 2013, 8:05pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: hand pump for touring
Replies: 52
Views: 16819

Re: hand pump for touring

bikes4two wrote:
stephenjubb wrote:topeak road morph and has a gauge

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/topeak-road-mor ... tAodDjgAHQ


+1


+1
Compact size, has a gauge, can put 4 Bar in a tyre no problem, has a hose connector to stop you from ripping the valve out of the tube. Very convenient size.
by Mattie
21 May 2013, 8:13pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Touring without cooking equipment
Replies: 42
Views: 3966

Re: Touring without cooking equipment

....and Bocadillos de Jamon :)

I have found that I am not keen to go to restaurants and the like in the evenings as a solo traveler. Lunch time is different as there are any number of single drivers and workmen at tables eating lunch, but in the evenings that seems to change to couples and families and you stand out a bit more.

I can do without tea in the morning; a can of coke is fine in the summer, and quite happy to munch something uncooked in the morning.
by Mattie
15 May 2013, 7:40am
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Pictures of your tents.
Replies: 698
Views: 94424

Re: Pictures of your tents.

RobMac wrote:Hover your cursor over the pics :wink:


Doh, didn't think of that ! thanks.

While I am here - picture of first use of new tent taken on a very windy weekend at Rozel Campsite, Jersey; tent Hilleberg Nammtj 2

Image
by Mattie
14 May 2013, 1:46pm
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Pictures of your tents.
Replies: 698
Views: 94424

Re: Pictures of your tents.

rualexander - is that a new tent you have there ?

Great pictures, would love to know where they were taken.