Some basics to help you pack for RAGBRAI.
You can pack more or less, but there are consequences to both decisions.
Your bag has to be less than 50 lbs!
They will weigh it. If you are over, we can swap gear into someone else's bag...but you don't want to get into all that.
Type of bag
Watch the video at the bottom of this page for one type of bag recommended by ride Organizers. Last year, my bag with rollers and a handle seemed to work exceedingly well. This is ultimately your choice, but know that there are times when we might have to move our luggage with our bikes at the same time. The wrong bag can make this difficult. The right bag, can make it no problem at all.
Camping
tent
sleeping pad
pillow
light blanket (sleeping bag wil may be overkill, but you will want something, trust me….)
flashlight/headlamp
Clothing (plan for 8 days, unless we know we will be able to wash)
shammi buttr
riding pants
riding shirts
riding gloves
socks
underwear
regular short (don’t overdo it here. Wear more than once)
shirts (don’t overdo it here. A few is plenty)
towel/washcloth
light jacket (I used my riding rain jacket)
Toiletries
Toilet paper (1 roll) essential to achieve “slut” status
toothbrush/toothpaste
deodorant
shampoo
bodywash/soap
hairbrush (optional)
first aid kit (note they handed out small ones last year)
sun screen
insect repellent
Tylenol/Advil
chapstick
wipes (for those nights when showers aren’t possible)
Bike
Spare tubes
lube/oil
toolkit/multi-tool
water bottles/camelback (a bag that travels well on bike or on foot)
helmet
tire pump (for emergency only, there are pumps at every stop)
Extra need to have items
Battery operated fan (and spare batteries)
bottle opener
Phone
portable phone charger (recommend at least 2)
phone charging cables
large bags for dirty clothes (trust me, you will want them)
small ziplock bags (essential to keep phones/wallet dry while riding if it rains)
rope (to create clothes line to dry things)
sharpie
pocket knife
Sunglasses
Party supplies – Beads (for road kill and to share with other riders),