10 gadgets for bike travel

There are a few gizmos that make life a bit easier for a bicycle traveller so I thought I would share my top ten

1. Thermometer: I picked this up this morning in Punta Arenas. How else am I going to brag about the extreme cold I endured in the Andes and the brain melting heat in the tropics. Also, should give me a sporting chance at some basic weather prediction.

2. SD card reader: More descrite (and therefore safer) than plugging in your digital camera etc.

3. Miniture tripod: I´m touring alone so have to be best freinds with the self-timer.

4. Flint and steel: My friend Lindsay gave me this as a going-away-pressie. It is indispensible. Works every time for lighting fires or stoves and doesn´t matter if it gets wet.

5. Swiss army knife: never does a day go by without me using this trusty tool.

6. Universal adaptor: Argentina has a combination of flat and round-pins (so you can use either) and Chile has round pins. Either way its worth having an adaptor mine will do any country in the world and also has a USB input which is ideal for charging up the ipod.

7. Combination bike lock: Cheap but hopefully enough to put an oppotunist theif off. I´ll never loose the key because there isn´t one.

8. Spork: Awesome eating utensil. Needed for stiring pasta, shoveling said pasta into mouth and then for spreading dulce de leche onto some bread. But I guess any spoon would have done.

9. Pen: Mine was a gift from CAAC and I probably would have forgotten one otherwise. Diary entries would be a bit minimal without it.

10. Toepeak Alien 2: It´s worth having a decent multi tool for the bike. This all-singing-all-dancing one is ideal.

Darren Alf is really the king of this kind of kit list. Here are links to his lists on a similar theme. . .
Top 10 Most Important Items on a Bike Tour
Thankfully, I have 8 out of 10 with me. I consider that a pretty good score, a First at uni. I don´t have a mirror or mobile phone.
10 Important Items You Should Have But Might Not Think of Bringing On Your Bike Tour
I managed 7 out of 10 with these, just a 2:1. Forgetting toilet roll (I´ve just stollen a wedge from the hostel), extra camera battery (which would be really useful) and mini USB cable (which wouldn´t).