Washing clothes - Very Important!!

Date: Sep 21, 2004

Washing clothes - Very Important!!

Date: Sep 21, 2004

There are normally laundry mats near by the camp site. If not you can get a taxi to take you there. One year I stuffed my clothes in my panners and rode about a mile to the mat, another year a bunch of us got a cab Cost $7.00. Check with the welcome table as you roll into camp. They should be able to help. I have enough clothes for 4 days so I will see you there.

Date: Sep 22, 2004

On cycle tours, I usually try to bring along enough clothes to change every day, but that's not always possible. So I generally bring a small bottle of Woolite or similar fabric cleaner that I can use to wash my jerseys and shorts in a sink. Then I hang them out to dry once I reach camp at the end of riding day. It might take a couple days for your clothes to dry in October, though, particularly if it's cloudy, rainy or cool. You can dry the clothes on your bike frame or carry some nylon cord to make a clothesline, or hang them over a fence if available.

Date: Sep 22, 2004

On CNC, the shuttle to town normally includes a laundry stop.

Being prepared for the cold weather means too many cloths to sink-wash and line-dry--particulalry if we get rains almost every day as has sometimes happened. Four days of cloths with a planned laundry visit on the 3rd or 4th day has worked best for me.

Date: Sep 27, 2004

Just a comment on washing clothes on the road. If you bring one of those inexpensive medium sized dry bags (with the roll-up top) you can wash your clothes in this. Simply put the dirties inside, fill with a little water, some Dr Bronners, and (most importantly) trap some air inside the bag so you have lots of room to shake your clothes about. Roll the top closed, grab it by the handle, and shake it up and down. Rinse, repeat. Once you are finished empty the bag, turn it inside out (so it can dry), wring out your clothes and hang them up (or do this outside the laundrymat and throw your clothes in the dryer-synthetics dry quickly, so be careful). This method works much better than a machine!

Stirling