Bill Johns' Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide

Bill Johns' Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide

This document was begun to prepare camping newbies for the first annual Greater Pacific Northwest Dryside Gather. I've been updating ever since. Many folks have offered valuable input, including, but not limited to JonM, !dk, Jeff Earls, Vic Swan, Guy Pace, Dave Svoboda. Possibly more, I've forgotten.

Hey troops, we're putting on teacher's cap now and gonna chat about camping out. More than one person asked about various camping techniques. Invariably all these requests start off with "Help! I've never camped out and need some advice with...... " We'll share some ideas with you, ideas that we've learned over years of hiking/ backpacking/touring. This document is written in first person singular, yet a bunch of guys have had input. Ideas were individual ideas, and always writing _we_ got a bit clumsy. This is a group effort, all those contributing are acknowledged at the end. When you read that differences of opinion about anything start off with I, chalk it up to the vagaries of the English language. As my daughter would say, "Deal with it!"

This write-up is primarily aimed at folks who will be camping out while touring. If you're planning on just cruising motels, adjust accordingly.

If you want to learn about equipment and techniques, a good place to start is in books about back packing. Back packers are very careful about what they have to carry. Weight is all important and every item should have 2-3 uses to justify being carried on a trip. In bike packing, weight isn't all that important, but I find that bulk is. Small, tight luggage makes for pleasant riding, and better mileage.

BAGS FOR THE BIKE

Hard Bags or Soft Bags

Some folks like hard luggage, and other like soft. There is a case for both. Good, well-designed hard luggage, such as GIVIs for the BMWs, make excellent repositories for your gear. They keep your stuff dry and take more of a beating than soft luggage. However, the cost can be a major roadblock to some. Of course, the hard bag manufacturer has to have the right stuff for your particular bike--like frames and mounting gear. When you take the bags off the bike, though, you have a bike with mounting brackets sticking out all over the place. Hard bags can be painted to match your bike, if they aren't color-matched already. TEAL is always the color of preference.

Some folks like soft luggage. I'm one. I like the fact that when you take the gear off the bike, you have a bike ready for some unburdened, fun riding. No brackets sticking out to catch clothing or whatever. Soft bags are the color you get when you buy them. You can't change that.

Good soft bags keep your gear pretty dry. Sometimes things will get a little wet, but outside of a monsoon-like downpour they stay dry. Soft bags can be packed away into a small space (one of the bags, for instance) when not needed. Also, some sets come with a tank bag. Some people don't like tank

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bags, but they have their purpose. They can hold a dry map for ready reference in a top pocket, coins for the toll booth in a side pocket, extra batteries for he fuzz buster in another side pocket, first aid kit, rain gear, extra gloves, tools and other handy items.

Other Luggage

Also really handy are a good tail pack (not much harder to make than a stuff sack, just use heavier material) and a tank bag.

CAMPING GEAR

Tents or Other Shelter

When people think of camping, the first thing they think of is a tent. Actually, a tent is probably one of the least important items. A tent offers two things well; privacy and bug protection. Privacy is not that big a deal in that you can always change clothes inside of a good sleeping bag or the local toilet if need be. Judicious selection of a sleeping spot _is_ important. For rain protection, a large plastic sheet is far handier than a tent and more enjoyable when you are stuck in an all-day drizzle.

Yes, I use a tent. What can I say, I'm getting soft in my old age. I also go to commercial camp-sites a bunch while on the road and the privacy issue does become important. When using a tent, make sure that you have enough room so that you do not touch the inside of the tent while in your bag, even with a lot of enthusiastic thrashing about. Good tents invariably have a breathable inner shell and a rain fly (DON'T BUY A WATERPROOF TENT). Even so, natural condensation on the inside of the tent will cause it to become very damp. Leaning on this with your sleeping bag will cause wicking and your bag will get wet. That makes for uncomfortable sleeping. Not fun.

Get a _big_ tent, as big as you can afford. Avoid tents with fiberglass poles. They break with alarming regularity. If you do, make sure that replacement poles are available at nominal cost. Aluminum poles cost a bit more, but are worth it.

Good tents invariably have screened windows/doors for cross- ventilation and a few hanging pockets for glasses and watches. Avoid tents with interior poles. Tents which hang from some sort of external framework are nice. Dome tents are nice in this respect and there are a bunch of them on the market.

Always use a good ground "cloth" or ground sheet with a tent. This is nothing more than a heavy duty piece of plastic, but it will dramatically increase the life of the tent. It'll also make the inside of the tent a bit drier.

Sleeping Bags

Now here is an important item. Go by the philosophy that if you can get a good night's sleep, you can put up with a world of grief during the day. A good sleeping bag and sleeping pad or mattress are vital.

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There are lots of good bags on the market at reasonable prices. Goose down use to be the only way to go. I've got one I never use. If it gets damp, you're gonna be uncomfortable. Go with one of the new fibers, I use Holo-Fil II. I have two bags. When space is not an issue and I am not worried about bulk I use the biggest I could find, a rectangular model that can open into a comforter for a king size bed. For trips where bulk is an issue or I want to easily get the bag inside of a smallish stuff sack inside my luggage, I got a high quality REI bag. Sale price was about $75.

A bag with nylon inside and out is easier to maintain. A damp rag will wipe down the inside of the bag and 15 minutes in strong sunlight will do wonders to freshen the bag up. Plus, it makes washing and drying back home easier.

Mattresses or Pads

This is also vital stuff as far as my tired old bones are concerned. You tough, young kids can sleep on the ground, but I want _comfort_. If it is warm, a standard air mattress will be just fine. In cold weather they act like a heat pump, circulating warm air into ground contact and make for a cold bag. I now use a self-inflating, insulating air mattress and love it. These are not cheap, mine cost something on the order of $50, but did come with a 3-year warranty. Lots of them are available for far less. Newer options for the self- inflating air mattresses are a range of thicknesses. For bike touring, get the thickest you can afford. Also a good option, but far bulkier are the foam rubber pads. I understand that they can be even more comfortable, and warmer, and are less expensive. They don't pack down as well. Take your pick.

Hint on using any self-inflating air mattress. Store it open. When you use it, unwrap it and give it a chance to inflate by itself. Sometimes it will take 20 minutes or so. When setting up camp, I will set up the tent, and then unroll and start the air mattress inflating. Blowing into the air mattress to inflate it will introduce moisture into the air mattress which can lead to cold sleeping if enough gets inside.

Stuff Sacks

Handy as anything you can take. Make them, don't buy them. Purchased they cost about $5 to $8 or more. With material, on almost any sewing machine, I can make one in about 2 minutes or less. Nylon is nice, but old denim (I use the legs from my cut-off's jeans) also works well...and looks mellow. What! You don't know how to use a sewing machine! Shame.

Stoves

Stoves are handy. Don't plan on cooking over an open fire. It might be raining, it is slow and fire restrictions may forbid it, it leaves unsightly scars on the ground and it attracts lions and tigers and bears (Oh My!).

There are bunches and bunches available. I use a Coleman model that burns unleaded regular. It is easy to fill at gas stops and has saved Vic's butt once. A good stove can boil water faster than you can use it and is handy as all get-out. Makes morning coffee a meaningful experience. I even got an espresso maker that works over a small camp stove. Right up there with pneumatic tires, I tell you!

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Other types of stoves are available. Using unleaded gas can be tricky, if you aren't used to it. I prefer to use stoves that burn butane or propane. I have a butane stove that folds into a pouch no larger than a cigarette box. The butane cans are about the size of a coke can. The butane can be had for about $3.00 per can. You can get these stoves from outdoor outfitters for about $15 to $20.

Propane stoves (Coleman makes a nice single-burner for about $15.) are another alternative. Propane cans are larger, and disposable, and cost about $4 to $5--depending on source. These stoves are nice for a hot fire and even, reliable cooking. The propane stove and fuel can are no larger than a 32-ounce drink from Taco Time.

What I like about butane and propane stoves is that a can of fuel lasts a long time. I've cooked over one can of butane--meals for two--for three days, and still had fuel.

When packing a gas-fueled stove for travel, depressurize the fuel. Also make sure that it's never more than about 3/4 full. The heat of the day and altitude changes might otherwise make for a nasty surprise.

Unless you're riding a bike with easy access to the petcock hose, carry spare fuel. Get a good backpacking gas container. Do not skimp here. You can get a good one, anodized red, from REI for about $10. Make sure you mark it's contents with a big black indelible marker. It's also much handier to fill a bottle at a pump than it is to try to fill the stove from the pump nozzle.

What? You were thinking about a camp stove that only burns white gas or butane? Shame.

(ed. comments. See, I told you this would happen.)

Utensils

Here is where a lot of folks go way overboard. You need surprisingly little. I have a very elaborate kit consisting of 2 nesting pots (stainless steel- a SIG Tourister model), one cup (plastic insulated) and a spoon. Yes, I always carry a knife, but rarely use one for cooking.

A scrub pad, a small bottle of dish soap, and a small device to lift hot metal pots (came with the cook kit) rounds out this part.

FOOD

I am having a hard time shaking off my old back-packing habits here. When back packing you have to learn to carry everything, not so bike camping. When I started moto-touring, I packed as though back- packing. I quickly learned that is dumb. It is no big deal to carry little if any food. Buy what you need as you go. There are any number of great, one pot meals that can be had in modern markets. If you need meat, there are lots of small tins of various types available, otherwise boxes of one pot casseroles, cheese and noodle mixes, etc. are always handy. I found that Top Raman or other dehydrated soup, in mixture with instant lentils or beans or some such dish is filling, easy to cook and tastes pretty good. Explore any good supermarket for ideas, remembering to keep it simple.

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I must fully admit the more bike touring I do, the less cooking I do. Lately I've taken to getting up early, and after perhaps a cup of coffee I break camp and try to get on the road by 6:45-7. I ride until 10:30 or so and find a smallish town with a little cafe that normally serves the local farmers. I've had great meals well prepared and relatively low prices. Hitting places like that at odd hours puts you there between local peaks and assures (usually) good service. I will then ride until maybe 4-5 and hit someplace with a salad bar. A bowl of soup/can of ravioli or some other such one-pot meal in the evening ends the day.

Don't forget a Bic lighter or equivalent for lighting your stove. I gave up on matches a long time ago.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

Always an exciting topic. After a day on the roads with temps in the 90's in the shade and no shade, a shower or bath is essential. In many campsite these days showers are available. Not in others. We do _not_ have one at most GPNDGs. When out camping I will invariably change into my cut-off's, or swim suit, get my largest pot and grab some soap and towel and head out for the nearest pump. Knowing that the water coming out of the ground is usually about 32.0001 F, I simply screw up the courage, pump out a pot full of water and pour it over my head. I keep doing that until I stop screaming. Then you soap up and do it again until you are rinsed off. The bright blue color tends to frighten off the mosquitoes. We have also gone swimming in local lakes or streams.

Another consideration: When you use soap, you're generating wastewater, and most water sources at campsites are NOT set up to handle the wastewater generated by lots of campers. The basic rule is to dump wastewater (generated by cleaning your body, washing your dishes, etc) at least 100 feet from a water source. That includes the stream that Bill likes to camp nearby, and that includes the common-use water pump in the campsite.

This makes a certain amount of sense. The dump-a-bucket-on-your-head strategy is perhaps appropriate when using those regular faucet-type water sources you find on concrete aprons at most camp grounds these days.

You could also think about using an environmentally friendly soap. It's hard to believe that anyone will actually walk 100 feet for every bucket of water they will need to wash. Also in some popular campgrounds 100 feet from one water source puts you within 100 feet of another. Since many of them are simply underground pipes coming from a pump house someplace, I'm not convinced this is always or absolutely needed. Use good judgement and remember to pay attention to the environmental concerns.

If you accept the simple fact that you might not have the same opportunity for cleanliness that you have at home, you can stay quite comfortable on a camping trip. I don't think I have ever had to walk more than 100 yds for water. I carry several water bottles with me on each ride (several are easier to pack and if one leaks, you can chuck it and still have water.) I found a plastic coated folding bucket is handy for washing people, bikes, clothes. Avoid the canvas models as they can take awhile to dry.

I also have been carrying a product called Baby Wipes with me. These come in a rectangular plastic box

http://www.wetleather.com/reference/camping.html (5 of 15)18/04/2006 21:43:36 Bill Johns' Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide available in every super market I've been in, near other baby and child care products. These are damp paper towelettes, moistened with water and other soft things. They are great for a last wipe-down of arm pits and other vitals before crawling into a sleeping bag. Your sleeping bag will love you if you do. They are also hand when using outdoor toilets. Invariably these outdoor potties have something akin to wax paper for TP. Using Baby Wipes makes life mellower. The moisturizers/lubricants also makes sitting on a bike for miles a bit easier to take.

Of course you should also take a towel with you in any case. It is the single most important piece of traveling gear you can name. :-) HINT: When using an outdoor toilet, always tap on the seat before you sit down. On one occasion I did this and a _large_ juicy spider came running up to the seat rim expecting its next dinner. Gave me a moment's pause.

THOUGHTS ON PACKING A BIKE

I try to have everything in a bag of some sort. Strapping a sleeping bag or pad open to the wind and rain is _asking_ for trouble. Waterproof/coated nylon is cheap. Custom made stuff sacks are easily made. In a pinch, heavy duty plastic garbage bags will protect gear, but will shred with time at speed. Go to someplace like Costco and buy their box of 24 bungee cords for $8. Use lots of bungee cords and strap everything _to the bike_. Do NOT bungee one bundle to another bundle. Make sure everything is super solid. It won't matter most of the time, but that one time when you gotta do a hard swerve to avoid a chunk of debris, or stupid cager, or hit a rock or some gravel or sand, it will. If you make a hard move with a loosely bound load, it shifts and you go down. Not fun.

Make sure that your seams are not pointing into the rain and that your rain suit and camera is somewhere near the top of something.

Put anything that will be ruined by water into baggies of some sort. The style designed for freezer storage are made out of a heavier, more durable polyethylene.

Finally, you might want to pack all your bags about 3/4th or 4/5th full (you were planning on taking too much stuff anyway). Then, when out in the field you can repack easily. You can never repack as carefully out in the field as you can in your living room. I like the _Toss and Stir_ method of filling bags.

CAMP SITES

Camping is where you find it. National Parks are beautiful to ride through, but a zoo. It was only a miracle that in 1993 after the Joust, Blaine, Vic and I found a spot a short walk away from a magnificent stream in the bottom of Zion NP. Usually, reservations are necessary well in advance. Forest Service campsites may charge, and then again they may not. Charges are typically $5-$8 per site. In some locations they limit the number of vehicles per site. Usually 2-4. It is nice to pick a campsite that is off the beaten path to anywhere. You do not want to be between a bus full of kids and the only toilet or water pump in the camp grounds. I like campsites next to a stream. The sound will muffle other noises of the campsite and aid in a good night's sleep. State and county parks are a gamble. Sometimes they're great, and sometimes they're a dive.

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I generally plan on spending 2-3 nights in forest service camp grounds and then hit a KOA or similar commercial spot. They have laundry, showers, swimming pools, pool tables, beer, and other things that are real nice to visit/use while on the road. Often KOA's are a couple of bucks more expensive, but with the discount card you can get via AMA (cost $3 and provides a 10% discount) plus their usually higher standards of cleanliness and maintenance and the _unlimited_ hot shower time, they are worth it. Typical KOA charges are $14-$18 before discount.

Maybe once every 7-10 days or so, crashing in a motel, sleeping in a real bed is a nice reality check. Hard rain and cold weather will drive me into a motel so fast it ain't funny.

MAPS

You gotta have'em. I finally found a good source of cheap maps. Many of the discount stores like COSTCO will sell you the latest US Road Atlas by AAA or Rand McNally for about $6. Buy two. Use one by the home toilet for dreaming. From the other cut the maps you need for any particular trip. On the road maps will cost you $2 each. The Road Atlas will also list all the toll free phone numbers for the tourist bureaus for each state. Call for the tourist package which most always includes the official state map. Some state maps are great, Utah's is in a class by itself. Some are useless.

INSURANCE

A really handy option for folks who are doing any sort of touring is MTS--Motorcycle Touring Service. This is a road-side emergency service designed for and run by riders. They guarantee help anywhere in the US with any sort of mechanical problem. I've had to deal with them on the road. They are good.

MTS breakdown insurance: $49/year 1-800-999-7064

WHY DO IT?

May 26, 1992 I was motoring along at about 5500 feet elevation in Utah. I came to one of those marvelous "scenic byways" that fill that state. I started up over a local mountain range. I left early summer and immediately hit late spring, then mid spring then early spring. Soon I was at the very first days of spring. The aspen were giving forth the leaves, that with the light from a setting sun glowing through them looks like they were all a fluorescent yellow-green. They were all waving in the gentle breeze as I headed up into winter. It was cold at 10,000+ feet. The road was lined with snow and I had everything I brought with me on and the heated grips on high and still felt the bite of the wind. After about 10 miles across the top, I started down the other side, once again greeting a new spring day, then mid spring. I camped in late spring next to a small stream and slept well.

I've seen the sun set from 9,600 feet in the Sierra Nevada's and watched the alpenglow in the Bitterroots.

If you gotta ask more, I'm not sure I can explain.

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Ride Free,

The fine Folks of WetLeather & GPNDG! Bill Johns Fri, 06 Jan 95 10:13:07 PST

This list was compiled by Vic Swan with input from rec.moto. It is as big a list as I've seen, yet I doubt that it is necessarily complete for _you_. There is no suggestion that each person take everything on this list for each trip. This is a list of all the possible things you may be interested in taking. It is formatted so that you can print it off and use it as a check-list. I invariably will print off the list and, working with the whole list, decide what I want to take. Next I will prepare a smaller list and work with that as I pack.

231 + 1 ITEM BIGGEST BIKE-CAMPING LIST EVER

Note that this is an old version of the list. Vic keeps the updated version elsewhere online.

The Categories of Items

CAMPING/SLEEPING EQUIPMENT COOKING/EATING EQUIPMENT CLOTHING PERSONAL EFFECTS BIKE PARAPHERNALIA TOOLS

CAMPING/SLEEPING EQUIPMENT

___ air mattress ___ bivouac bag/sack ___ candle lantern ___ candle lantern candles (spares) ___ compass ___ ear plugs ___ feces shovel ___ flashlight ___ flashlights (magnilites (2)) ___ flashlight batteries (spares) ___ ground tarps (1 per 2 days - split and trash 1/2 each day)

http://www.wetleather.com/reference/camping.html (8 of 15)18/04/2006 21:43:36 Bill Johns' Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide ___ knife (Buck) ___ knife sharpener ___ nylon cord ___ pillow (travel) ___ poncho liner & stuff sack ___ sleeping bag ___ sleeping bag waterproof-bag ___ sleeping hood (hat) ___ sleeping pad (insulated) ___ sleeping pad chair/sling ___ sven saw ___ tent ___ tent rain fly ___ tent waterproof-bag ___ waterproofing spray and seamlock

COOKING/EATING EQUIPMENT

___ bags (plastic large garbage) ___ bags (plastic small trash, 1 for every 4-5 days) ___ can opener ___ cup & spoon ___ cup/beer stein ___ dish towel ___ food ___ coffee bags ___ coffee creamer ___ coffee mug (insulated) ___ coffee sugar ___ energy bars/raisins ___ soy (2-3 small boxes) ___ fork ___ jack knife ___ knife ___ match case ___ matches (farmers) ___ matches (in sealed plastic bag/bottle) ___ matches (waterproof) ___ napkins ___ paper towels ___ pepper ___ plate ___ pot gripper ___ pots ___ salt

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CLOTHING

___ Riding Gear

___ boot sock liners ___ boots (canvas mukluks or rubber type) ___ chaps ___ gators ___ gauntlets ___ gloves (cold weather) ___ gloves (electric & wire harness) ___ gloves (hot weather) ___ gloves (rubber) ___ gloves (wool liners and dish washing rain gloves) ___ hat (wool) ___ helmet ___ jacket ___ jacket (polypro ski) ___ jacket (wind breaker) ___ jacket liner & stuff sack ___ neck warmer/long scarf ___ pants (leather) ___ pants for riding (Levis) ___ rain gear (boots, vest, etc.) ___ rain totes & stuff sack ___ rain suit ___ sailor hat for riding without a helmet on hot days ___ shirts (long-sleeve, turtle-neck T-shirts) ___ ski goggles for riding without a helmet ___ ski warm-ups ___ socks (cotton) ___ socks (neoprene) ___ socks (wool) ___ spandex shorts ___ sunglasses ___ sunglasses (spare) ___ underwear (insulated, long johns)

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___ Camp Clothes

___ camp shoes/slippers ___ changes of clothes (3-5, rolled up) ___ down vest ___ jeans ___ jeans jacket ___ laundry soap ___ layers of clothing (like cross country skiing) ___ moosehead hat ___ pants ___ shorts ___ socks ___ sweat shirt ___ sweater ___ swimming suit ___ T-shirts ___ underwear ___ warm clothes for evenings/nights ___ washing shorts ___ wind breaker

PERSONAL EFFECTS

___ backpack (small) ___ book (paperback) ___ camera & film ___ campground guides ___ cellular phone ___ chapstick ___ cigarettes ___ contact lens stuff ___ DoD lighter & fluid ___ ear plugs ___ electric razor ___ fanny pack ___ first aid kit ___ fishing gear ___ grease pencil ___ hand cream ___ hand soap ___ hand/nail brush ___ hi-liter

http://www.wetleather.com/reference/camping.html (11 of 15)18/04/2006 21:43:36 Bill Johns' Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide ___ insect repellent/bug spray ___ knife ___ maps & magnifier ___ prescription medicines ___ membership cards (AMA, VRC, RPAA, Parks, campgrounds, etc.) ___ negotiables ___ cash ($25-$30/day/person) ___ checkbook ___ credit cards (gas) ___ credit cards (MC/Visa/AmEx/Discover/etc.) ___ travellers checks ___ pen ___ pencil ___ post-it's ___ radios/tape players with mini speakers ___ radios/tape players batteries (extras) ___ reading glasses (if you are over 40) ___ sewing kit ___ shampoo ___ skin moisturizers ___ sun glasses ___ sun screen/block/lotion ___ tapes ___ toilet kit ___ toilet paper in sealed plastic bag ___ toiletries ___ tooth brush & paste ___ toothbrush ___ towel ___ visine ___ wash cloth ___ watch ___ weapon (optional) ___ weather radio

BIKE PARAPHERNALIA

___ anti-fogger (detergent) ___ bags (large ziplock garbage) ___ bike rain cover ___ bug rag ___ bungee cargo net ___ bungee cords ___ chain lock ___ chain lock key (extra)

http://www.wetleather.com/reference/camping.html (12 of 15)18/04/2006 21:43:36 Bill Johns' Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide ___ chain lub ___ chain masterlink ___ chamois (to clean windshield) ___ cloth rags ___ communicators (bike-to-bike radios) ___ duct tape ___ emergency equipment ___ fork protectors ___ fuel bottle (backpacking type, 2-quart filled with extra gasoline) ___ glue (gorilla snot) ___ glue (super) ___ helmet face shield/visors (clear, tinted, & extras) ___ ignition key (extra) ___ insurance certificate (for Canadian travel) ___ insurance papers & info ___ lamp, headlight (spare No. ______) ___ lamp, instrument panel (spare No. ______) ___ lamp, taillight (spare No. ______) ___ lamp, turn signals (spare No. ______) ___ maps ___ padlocks & cables ___ radar detector & extra batteries ___ rain-x ___ saddlebag key (extra) ___ seatcover (sheep skin) ___ seat rain cover ___ shoe laces (leather -- loop at one end for strapping) ___ sidestand plates ___ stuff sacks (weather-proof) ___ tank bag ___ tarp (small reinforced or rain parka) (for gear during storms) ___ vehicle registration ___ windshield polish

TOOLS

___ duct tape (flatten the spool) ___ electrical system schematic ___ electrical tape ___ emergency blanket (Space Blanket) ___ emergency warning light (trouble light) ___ fuses (extra) ___ Leatherman Tool ___ multimeter ___ pliers (channel locks, aka water-pump pliers)

http://www.wetleather.com/reference/camping.html (13 of 15)18/04/2006 21:43:36 Bill Johns' Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide ___ pliers (needle nose) ___ pliers (standard) ___ screwdrivers (assorted or set) ___ socket set ___ suspension adjustment tool ___ tire inflator ___ tire patch/plug kit ___ tire pressure gauge ___ tire pump (small hand/foot) ___ vise grips ___ wire & alligator clip ___ wrenches (combination) ___ wrenches (crescent 4" and 10"; good ones) ___ wrenches (metric Allen) ___ wrench (spark plug) ___ gas-fired soldering iron

Tent Advice Addendum

Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 14:59:02 -0800 From: Paul English To: Northwest Bikers Social Mailing List Subject: Motorcycle Camping Tent advice Roundup

I found the tent advice very useful, and thought I'd summarize for everyone. I was looking for a tent for 2 adults and a child from REI to use my girlfriend's REI membership dividend. When we found out we could just get a check for it, that's what we did so now we have time get the tent. :-)

Based on the advice we got, we will most likely go for the Eureka Timberline 4 person, see if it works for all 3 of us plus gear in the vestibule and if it doesn't, get the little person her own tent. Campmor has these with the regular (2 door) for $159 and the Outfitter version for $269.

General advice: Buy a self-supporting tent so that it can be moved in a pinch of you find you picked a bad spot. Get one that fits on your bike. Get one with short pole segments so they can be packed in saddlebags (or

http://www.wetleather.com/reference/camping.html (14 of 15)18/04/2006 21:43:36 Bill Johns' Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide just plan on packing the poles separately) Get two doors, failing that, two windows. Get a vestibule for gear Don't worry about weight too much - you won't be carrying it on your back

Specific Recommendations: Eureka Timberline tents (3 votes for this one) - easy up, overhang on doors, vestibule available, "heavy duty" Outfitter version available, 2 & 4 person available Sierra Designs alpha - easy up, pockets, attic available REI 4 person Eureka Apex2 (good for 1 person plus gear) REI Half Dome Plus2 - cheap, solid, enough room for 2 plus gear

"WetLeather", "WetLeather.com", "wetleather.com", the "wet rider" symbol of the motorcycle rider under a raining cloud, and the logotype including the wet rider symbol and the sytlized representation of the word "WetLeather" are trademarks of Carl Paukstis. The "wet rider" symbol and the logotype are Copyright 1995-2006 Carl Paukstis - carlp at wetleather dot com

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