Heading to Alps - What am I forgetting?

[Marc]

Heading on a self guided tour of the alps in July with my wife. Have an extensive list of items here but I am sure I am missing something. 

 

Any insight on items I am missing or tips for the area please let me know.  Thanks

LIST

Waterproof Camera

D7000 Lenses

Memory cards

Flash

Small tool kit or leatherman

Pocketknife

Flashlight

Glowstick

Sena communications unit

VELCRO for Sena

Popsicle stick or plastic to tuck wires

Go pro with mount

Neck cooling towel

Sunglasses

Villian and other charger

Cables for camera to Ipad

Dainese under garments

Jacket

Gloves

Tank bag

Liner waterproof

Waterproof Gear for both of us

Heated vest

Kevlar Jeans

 

[Charles Elms]

Zip ties, duck tape, credit cards. Charging adapters and cables for all electronics.

[Lester V]

Maps? superglue to fix things like parts on the visor?  Euro through your bank ahead of time to get the best rate? 2 camera batteries fully charged? It is a pain to find a place to charge the one you have after taking 1,000 pics. Positive attitude?  How about a quick review of the road signs over there and the times where m/c's are allowed or not? 

my quick .02 cents canuck 

[Marty Hill]

What would you take on a 1k trip in the states Canada?  That will work.  Have fun.

 

[Bill_Walker]

15 minutes ago, Lester V said:

How about a quick review of the road signs over there and the times where m/c's are allowed or not? 

 

Yeah, this, especially if you haven't been before, or for a while.  And don't forget to review default unposted speed limits for the countries you'll be visiting.  For example, in Germany, when you see a yellow sign with the name of the town, that's the start of a 50 km/h speed limit.  Also study how traffic circles (AKA roundabouts) work, and where you can and can't park, and how you pay for it.  Google's your friend on this.  There are plenty of resources online.

 

And speaking from personal experience, a GPS, whether a dedicated unit or a map app on your phone, is a godsend for actually getting to a destination, because gridded streets are a rarity in Europe.  That being said, there's an occasional catch: speed limits on EU roads are generally set according to the road classification, local, regional or national, rather than with regard to what speed is safe, as in the US.  My US Garmin Zumo 660 with added European maps would happily route us on "shortcuts" down supposedly regional roads with 80 km/h limits where anything over 50 was insane (a single lane winding road with two-way traffic and ditches on both sides, in one case!).  It seemed to only know about the speed limit and not actual traffic speeds.  I think Google Maps does better with this, but you can't download complicated pre-planned routes onto GM.  So I'd say use a dedicated GPS for your pre-planned routes (and double and triple check that the GPS doesn't mess them up.  I had so many problems with that, I think because the Euro maps don't exist on my computer, that on our last trip I just downloaded the waypoints and then built the routes on the GPS), and use your phone for point-to-point navigation, if you can.  If you're renting a bike, it may be that your rental company provides, or can provide, a GPS.  Or, if you're not downloading routes, just bring a RAM mount for your phone.  

 

Do you have a rain cover for your tank bag?  

Are you sure your tank bag will fit the bike you're going to ride?  

If your gloves aren't waterproof, do you have rain covers (Aerostich Triple-Digit Rain Covers are great)?  

Stuff to clean your helmet shield, and also your glasses if you wear them?

Maybe a retractable cable lock or two to lock your jackets and helmets to the bike

Paper maps in case technology fails you

Make sure you have health coverage there

Medical evacuation service like MedJet Assist (BMW MOA offers a discount)

Translation app on your phone

European data and voice plan for your phone (verify your phone will work there.  AT&T phones do, and I would assume T-Mobile as well.  At one time, Verizon and Sprint phones didn't, but I don't know whether that's still true).

Guide books so you don't miss out on great sights.  We like Rick Steves' books the best, and use them primarily, but have supplemented with Lonely Planet or others.

If you're renting a bike, I assume they'll provide a roadside assistance plan.  If not, look into one.

 

Disclaimer: I've traveled in the EU a bunch, but never on a bike, so these recommendations are based on European car travel and US bike travel.  I'm sure @Marty Hill or @drswift or somebody else with more European riding experience will chime in if I've gotten anything wrong.

[Marc]

Wow these are all excellent comments!

thank you so much 

[Tri750]

First aid kit, and depending on the bike, a tubeless tire repair kit with tiny 12v compressor as flying with C02 will be a question. 

For the Sena's don't take Velcro except for inside the helmet use. For mounting the unit use the 3M Dual Lock clear plastic Velcro so you won't hear the wife bleating that the box keeps falling off (because she keeps using it as a handle to put her helmet on and off with ) 

 

one of those cloth bags/ neck wallets is handy to keep your passport, intl drivers license and stashed $ inside your shirt for safe keeping is nice and impossible to lose in a bathroom or rest stop .

we took several tubes of Airborne with us to NZ and drank it before the trip and everyday there .

A good number of our group got some sort of cold etc there or when they got home but we were sniffle free. 

It was cheap insurance plus, it tastes terrible as a bonus. 

 

[Selden]

International power adapters are available in a cube format, with at least one 110V "North American" outlet and 2 or 3 USB ports. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=international+power+adapter

 

A USB charging cable with embedded LEDs can double as a night light. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KKB2Q5Y

 

If you bring a cell phone, and stay in places that have WiFi, you can use Google Duo, Skype, etc. to make video phone calls back to the states without needing a local SIM card.

[Marty Hill]

Very late answer.  Just returned home from a 2 week trip with almost no computer time.  Have nothing to add other than have fun.

[Hosstage]

Your Meds.