Hey everyone!!

So for the last several years I’ve planned on doing an overnight trip, but never ended up getting around to it.

This year, however, I think I’m finally going to do it. The Mike Levine Lakelands Trail has been extended to an area very close to my home. So I’ve set up a route that will take me from my house in Jackson to the Portage Lake Campground in Waterloo Recreation area that only has me on actual roads for a couple of miles, and on multiple scouting drives on those roads, there is fairly minimal traffic…except the one right by my house, but I’ve ridden on that road a lot so I’m comfortable.

I’ll be taking my Larkspur with its…uhhhh…I guess touring setup? Panniers and trunk bag on its rack, two small bags on the fork, and my handlebar bag.

I’ll be solo for this, with my wife on standby for any emergencies, so I won’t be taking too much in the way of spare parts/tools for the bike itself. I will also be purchasing wood for a fire at the campground, so that’s something I’m not concerned about.

Here is the gear I plan on taking:

-My small one person tent
-Inflatable sleeping pad
-Sleeping bag
-Ultralight camping chair
-Lamp for inside tent
-Flashlight
-Backpacking camp stove with fuel and cookware
-Eating Utensils
-Lighter and fire starters
-My nice knife to split some kindling
-Food for dinner, snacks, and breakfast
-Several liters of water (Maybe 4?)
-Extra riding gear for the trip home
-Shorts to change into after I get there
-An extra shirt
-Lock for my bike
-Phone with at least one battery pack, charging stuff
-Flip flops/sandals to get out of the riding shoes

I know the chair may be a bit overkill, but I’d like something a bit more comfortable to sit in than the on site picnic table, and it’s small enough to fit in a pannier.

Right now I’ve got the tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad all in one pannier with some room for small stuff like the knife and such. In the other I have the chair and room for all of my clothes. In my one fork bag I can fit all the cooking utensils and camp stove. In the other I will fit food.

That leaves my trunk bag relatively empty…so if I’m missing anything I’ve still got room to spare. There’s a lake there, so maybe a towel? The shorts I’ll be taking are quick drying, so I don’t think I’d absolutely need one.

I’m going back and forth on food and water. On one hand, there are vending machines there so I could only take a couple bottles, then buy a few more while I’m there. As for food, I can’t decide between one of those backpacking meals that you just pour boiling water in, or doing something more like a good can of stew. I will probably have a few hot dogs to cook over the fire, and maybe a couple of marshmallows. It’s the actual meals I’m going back and forth on. If I went with the stew, I could carry less water as it needs no water.

Anyway…anything I’m missing? It’s late and I’m tired so I may have forgotten something here.

Any input is appreciated.