After three years on the team at Bicycle Adventures, I finally embarked on my first bike tour this spring. Why did I wait so long, you ask? Well, years of running, skiing, and repeated injuries wore out one of my knees so riding a traditional bike just wasn’t comfortable or much fun for me. But last summer I finally got my cranky knee replaced and riding a bike became fun again! To celebrate one year of my bionic knee, I joined guests on our first San Juan Islands bike tour of the season this year, which is the tour that started it all for Bicycle Adventures back in 1984! 

Getting ready for my first bike tour I was admittedly a little nervous. Will I be able to ride all the miles? Will I be able to keep up with the “real cyclists” on the tour? But first, and most challenging for me personally, what do I pack?! 

What do I pack for a week-long bike tour? 

Obviously, I’m familiar with the packing list that we share with guests. But what did I really need from that list? Everything? Certainly not. But definitely more padded bike shorts than I currently owned. So off I went to my local bike shop to try on bike shorts and chamois (aka shammy or padded shorts). When I didn’t find what I wanted locally, I started ordering online. The number of cycling shorts I tried on before finding “the one” (actually two) was absurd but having options ready for riding comfortably several days in a row made it worth the effort. I ended up with two liner-style chamois that I could wear under regular shorts and one full Bicycle Adventures cycling kit complete with bib chamois and a cycling jersey. For me, the most comfortable options had a high waist that wouldn’t roll down when I leaned over and soft, flexible padding. Remember that you’re wearing these as underwear. That’s right, no underwear under your chamois! You’ll get used to it and appreciate the lack of chafing from extra layers, I promise. For more on avoiding chafing read this article on how to use chamois cream from our friends at Cycling Weekly. 

The weather in the San Juans turned out to be a little breezy and cool on our trip so having layers and a good windbreaker was essential. I didn’t go out and buy a special cycling jacket just yet though, my lightweight raincoat that I’ve used for years while hiking worked perfectly. It’s brightly colored so I knew I would be easy to see on the road, and it packs down small enough that I also had room for a puffy coat that came in handy more than a few times on tour. I also got some new padded cycling gloves that were great for keeping my hands warm in the wind, protected from the sun, and comfortable on the grips. I’m not ready for clipless pedals yet so I opted to wear my old mountain bike shoes and even just regular sneakers one day. I love my bike helmet and since I wasn’t trying to fit it in a suitcase or carry-on bag, I brought it, but everyone else opted to use our helmets, so they had one less thing to fly with. 

With my cycling wardrobe decided upon I just needed to pack clothes for off the bike. Really only for dinners since my bike/activewear also worked for the hiking and kayaking included on this trip. I’m an admitted chronic over-packer so of course I brought way more than I needed (Sorry to Camille who had to heave my suitcase into the trailer)! Note to self: no one will notice or care if you wear the same pair of pants to dinner every night, especially if the weather doesn’t turn out as you expected. And you know you’ll never wear that sweater so just leave it at home! 

Can I do all the miles?  

Let’s be perfectly clear, I have never described myself as a cyclist. I love to ride my bike around my small town of Leavenworth, Washington (a stop on our American Alps and new Cascade Loop: North Cascades to Leavenworth bike tours), but I had just never gotten into longer road riding. Mountain biking is huge here, but it was painful to both my knees and my ego because it wasn’t something I’ve always done and been good at.  

To help rehab my knee I bought a used Peloton stationary bike, which I rode all fall and winter in my office to get fit for skiing (my true passion) and for my first bike tour. The Peloton is fun, and I was getting stronger but it’s not the same as riding outside, not even close. So, this spring, I bought one of Bicycle Adventures’ used e-bikes (there are still more for sale in our Gear Store if you’re interested) and I took my pedaling to the road. All the fun of grabbing my bike and heading out to who knows where as a kid came rushing back – riding this bike was fun!!  

My longest ride before I went to the San Juans was about 15 miles, so I was really nervous about being able to ride 40-plus miles in one day. But then I got on tour and the enthusiasm of the group and endorphins of being outdoors doing something new and fun kicked in and all the fears sort of melted away. Being able to lean on my e-bike battery to (nearly) effortlessly climb up hills and ride into the wind (darn Gale