Back to touring (soon)

If I actually have any regular readers, you will have probably noticed the absence of a ride report last weekend. This can be explained in simple terms -- there wasn't one. I had family visiting from interstate and there just wasn't the time. The practical upshot of this is that I'm now getting itchy feet all over again. A couple of post-work evening rides this week have basically told me one thing, I really need to go on a bike tour of some description soon.

I need the feeling of setting up camp in the bush and having nobody to disturb me for an evening, I need the feeling of riding to an unknown destination and finding my own way, I need that self-sufficiency, I need to escape from the trashy suburban culture that surrounds me. Fortunately, I know just the place to go (I think) over Easter, but more on that later. I'm in the process of putting together a big program of rides over the next six weeks, including two weekend tours and a 600k on May 4-5.

I also dropped a large amount of money on airfares for the Scotland tour later in the year last weekend. There was a little bit of guilt there -- so far it's more money than I've ever spent on any single item before. I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end, however -- even if it does leave me broke for a while. I don't have many day to day expenses, so it shouldn't take long to recover.

I plan on spending a little more money before then, however -- I'm investigating the feasibility of a water filter for touring. I noted on my Minyon falls tour earlier in the year (where it hit 40 degrees C) that sometimes it's handy to have access to more water sources than otherwise. I've noted a number of taps on water tanks these days have "do not drink" signs attached to them. I'm not sure what the point of having such taps is, but I see a water filter as a way of utilising that water. I'll see what develops over the weekend in that respect.