For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
http://picasaweb.google.com/11611602659 ... irectlink#We met a group of wonderful, talkative, older French pelerins on the Arles route last year. They all had an interesting home made convertable backpack/trailer. Basically they mounted wheels on the back of the pack. When the trail was too rough for a trailer, ther wore them. When they hit smoother going, particulatly the pavement, they flipped the packs over and used their hiking poles to pull the "trailer".
Here's some pictures:
I think they made them from little grocery carts which are popular in Europe.
BobM said:I want to walk from Canterbury for about 2 weeks+ towards Besancon.
However, some of the via Francigena stages are too long for me (35km+) even with my light 7 or 8 kilo load.
So, I was thinking of using one of those towed "carts" one sometimes sees pilgrims pulling along. In that way I could carry camping gear and extra food/water and be reasonably independent of shops and gites. Apart from the weight of the cart (which I don't know yet) I would be towing perhaps 15 - 20kg.
The terrain for my route looks quite reasonable for a cart but the question is how the effort of towing compares with the effort of carrying a lighter load on the back.
Has anyone got experience that might help my decision?
newfydog said:They all had an interesting home made convertable backpack/trailer. Basically they mounted wheels on the back of the pack. When the trail was too rough for a trailer, ther wore them. When they hit smoother going, particulatly the pavement, they flipped the packs over and used their hiking poles to pull the "trailer". Here's some pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/11611602659 ... irectlink#
William Marques said:Much of the original route is along roads and country lanes so would be good for a cart, the revised routes are very much cross country and for this reason I would invest in a guide by Paul Chinn and Babette Gallard or by Alison Raju (when available).
sillydoll said:I included a link to the Carrix on my blog post about backpacks. http://carrix.ch.tripod.com/
https://picasaweb.google.com/1128523521 ... xEnVoyage#
falcon269 said:Similar product with prices:
http://dixonrollerpack.com/3420.html
I am 55 years of age, about 18 months ago it became obvious to me that carrying a fully loaded pack was getting more difficult for me, so I decided to get my inventive mind into gear and come up with something that would solve the problem of aching shoulders and hips, and the shear fact of the stress on my body, I wasn,t enjoying those hikes as much any more. I thought that you might like to have a look at the Trackmate as it is quite a different concept than the Carrix trolley. They have had quite a lot of problems with the balancing of there packs on this trolley, whereas the Trackmate is totally balanced, this is because of one important fact in that your pack is vertical instead of horizontal.
Thx, Silsillydoll said:
sillydoll said:Or employ a Sherpa!!
(One that carries lunch as well)
BobM said:Corwen's post is very helpful and detailed. Much obliged.
I have a few questions:
BobM said:What size wheels did you use?
BobM said:Roughly how much weight did you have on the cart?
BobM said:How easy did you find the cart when going uphill?
BobM said:BTW, I am thinking of buying the Dixon one-wheel design. The maker can tailor the harness to my build. The cart comes apart so it can be packed compactly as aircraft checkin baggage. Also shipping costs to Australia are "only" about $A40.
Unfortunately I don't have the tools to make my own, so I am stuck with commercial designs.
Regards
Bob M
Corwen said:......The Dixon looks like the best of the commercial ones. I have a cheap one wheeled bike trailer from Edinburgh bike co-op I think I'd use to make one, just take off the hinged bit that goes on the bike, jubilee clip a couple of hazel poles to it for handles and off we go!
Great epic journeys are possible with handcarts, just check out this guy:
http://www.odysseyxxi.com/
or Rosie Swale who walked around the world, at times pulling a handcart big enough to sleep in:
http://www.rosiearoundtheworld.co.uk/
Makes our little trip seem completely insignificant!
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/camino-w ... p/Handcart
I am a great fan of the cart!
Corwen said:I'm not convinced of the need for a hands free design.......
.......the upper body, shoulders and arms are designed to pull loads and act as shock absorbers too, isolating loads from the vulnerable lower back......
......If you look at those websites you see everyone settles on the same sort of design, a wide low design with a low centre of gravity......
......If I were making one now I'd make a lightweight wheelbarrow with a small bike wheel and paniers slung either side of the wheel as well as slung between the pulling poles to keep the weight as low as possible and as centred on the wheel as possible.
How much time do you have left before you plan to leave?
A 15 kilo load on level ground or downhill will actually feel completely effortless, like it isn't there, only uphill will you notice the drag.
michaeljo said:ihave research agolf trolleys but none give a guide as to strength akak robustness to tackle a 1000k walk...
PingHansen said:Take a look at this: http://www.monowalker.com/. No terrain problems with that.Not exactly cheap - 980 €
David said:I do like the idea of a cart but am surprised that the military don't ever use such an option, what is the drawback that they see?
.....
Never having used one I do have some concern about walking near the edges of paths with drops into the void and also travelling down steep hills. I wouldn't like to be strapped to a cart in those situations
...........
The man did the pulling and he wore a harness that went down from his shoulders .... the handles sort of freely dropped into loops and he used his hands to pull and control, saying ... he preferred to not be strapped in. :|
I bought a Dixon cart but decided after a couple of trials not to use it on the VF from Canterbury and sold it on eBay.
A cart would be great on paved or very good paths but not on hills or rocky terrain or in the mud-all of which occur on the VF. They involve a lot of effort when the going is difficult.
Bob M
I want to walk from Canterbury for about 2 weeks+ towards Besancon.
However, some of the via Francigena stages are too long for me (35km+) even with my light 7 or 8 kilo load.
So, I was thinking of using one of those towed "carts" one sometimes sees pilgrims pulling along. In that way I could carry camping gear and extra food/water and be reasonably independent of shops and gites. Apart from the weight of the cart (which I don't know yet) I would be towing perhaps 15 - 20kg.
The terrain for my route looks quite reasonable for a cart but the question is how the effort of towing compares with the effort of carrying a lighter load on the back.
Has anyone got experience that might help my decision?
Thx
Bob M
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?