This page is part of the PALM ARCHIVES and may include outdated information.

First, please pack in duffel bags; they pack well on the luggage trucks. Be sure that each duffel weighs less than 50 pounds. It is advisable to put all gear and clothing in plastic bags. We try to keep the luggage dry when we unload on rainy days, but we can’t make any guarantees. Some riders put each day’s outfit in a separate zip lock bag. Be sure to put your sleeping bag in a waterproof bag or stuff sack.

• Helmet – Required
• A rear-view mirror is advisable; either helmet, eyeglass, or handlebar mounted
• A small pump for carrying on the bike (the repair shops have regular pumps)
• Extra tube and tire levers
• Good to also have other simple tools, like a bike multitool or the correct sized hex wrenches for your bike
• Chain lube
• Some way to carry stuff (jacket, snacks, tools) while biking — either a handlebar bag or a back rack and straps. Much better than wearing a backpack while cycling
• One (preferably two) water bottles for the bike Lock (and cable) for securing bike
• Sleeping bag and some sort of sleeping pad Small pillow, if desired
• Tent, rain-fly (usually comes with the tent) and stakes
• Ground cloth under tent is good
• Small mallet for pounding stakes into hard ground is helpful
• Toiletries and medicines
• Sun block, lip balm
• Mosquito repellent
• Towel, washcloth (some participants use the quick dry camping towels)
• Shower Thongs
• Flashlight and batteries
• Earplugs, if a light sleeper
• Swimsuit
• Clothes line and pins
• Small packages Kleenex
• T-shirts and/or biking jerseys (one for each day or plan to wash out at night)
• Cycling shorts (make for a much more enjoyable week — at least two pair so that you can wash one at night)
• Cycling tights if prediction is for cool weather
• Regular shorts for warm evenings
• Long sleeved shirt and long pants/sweats if days or nights will be cool
• Rain gear — at least a rain jacket for cycling.
• Underwear
• Socks
• Cycling gloves (with padding)
• Camera, if desired

For toiletries and personal hygiene items, it is wise not to bring the liquids in their original containers. Use smaller plastic bottles with screw-on caps, not the flip-top or snap-on type. Baggage trucks, and sometimes handlers, are not always kind to duffel bags where glass bottles or squeezable tubes may be packed. Also, try to pack breakable items among some soft things, like socks, to cushion them.