A bag for the bags

One of the challenges...well, minor annoyances...I've found in the past has been lugging all my gear from the bike to the night's lodgings, whether it be a campsite, hotel, or house. I enjoy the durability of my Jesse panniers (and just had a great exchange with them about some fresh parts for the 'bags), but they are somewhat of a challenge to get off the bike, and even a greater challenge to try to carry somewhere when full. So I was left corralling an armload of disparate bags and sundries.

An idea occurred to me a couple weeks ago, though: a lightweight bag that would roll tightly, consuming little room in the panniers, but big enough when opened up to carry most, if not all, of my luggage. I know...not a world-changing epiphany, but then I came across my military sea bag, which fit the bill perfectly.

Tried it out on the trip to Emporia this weekend to celebrate my birthday with family. I like it. The sea bag rolls up tightly enough to fit into the lid of the pannier and was plenty spacious to easily load everything I brought on this trip with room to spare for at least a fair chunk of what I expect to have on the Pan-American Highway.