Weekend trip

Looks like this weekend will be another decently warm weekend for riding, and with an overnight low (Sat to Sun) of 41, I believe I will be making a trip somewhere to test out the kit for this year. Made a few changes, so I want to make sure everything sits well and holds up to my expectations. The two biggest will be the new sleeping bag and new top box. So far, everything but my clothes and spare battery (phone and camera) and food. I am packing as though I am heading out on a 3 or 4 night trip.

The top box is taking the place of my dry bag. When camping, my dry bag held my tent, chair and sleeping pad. I also stuffed in a couple small items. Now, in the top box I have tent, chair, sleeping pad, tarp, footprint, pillow, cigar box (leather wrapped humidor, 12"x6"x3") and pipe box (pelican 1120 case), stuff sack (spare), spare gloves and heated jacket liner. Huge difference when compared to the dry bag. It is my whole camp, minus the stove.

My panniers (25L each, not expanded) hold what is left over: tools, 2 fuel canisters (MSR 30oz), tire gauge, air compressor and puncture kit, MSR Whisper-lite International stove, coffee tin (Tupperware), tall cooking pot (contains 2 cups inside it), wider cooking pot, waterproof gloves, stainless dual-walled coffee cup (8oz), titanium spork, empty water bag, bourbon flask, fold-able shovel. There are some other odds and ends thrown in as well. I have the stuff evenly distributed for weight. The panniers will expand, but right now, as I dont have to put some of the camp site into them, there is no need at this point, which leaves me room to grow.

My clothes and towels will be going into a roll-up bag that will be stowed with my sleeping bag, lashed onto the pannier seat, along with a small fold-able table. Will have camp shoes, shower shoes, 2x each of underwear, t-shirt, socks. Pair of flannel pants, pair of jeans, pair of shorts.

In my backpack, I will have my paper Rand McNally road maps, iPad, hydration bladder (3L), plastic bags, trash bag, TP, toiletries (tooth paste, tooth brush, deodorant, soap), battery for phone, cables to charge phone and camera and iPad, 3x camp meals (Mountain House), Tabasco.

I am using this following site to plan out the items to take, and it includes (so far) everything I can think of. Some will be (and have been) left off.
Lighter Pack
My Lighter Pack List

This leaves the Frunk open to carry water and other stuff left over or last minute. But mostly water. If it is raining, I will put the iPad and battery into the frunk. I will also have a small light stowed as well for the camp site. Little LED lantern. My headlamp will also be in the frunk. But all that takes up next to nothing, really.

Top Box - Givi 47L Mono-Lock
Panniers - SW-Motech Blaze
Backpack - Kriega R20 w/ 3L bladder
Clothes - Roll-up Travel Bag

Can I cross the country on this? Sure, why not? The actual key is in the clothing and food, and with oatmeal and rice, I can easily store enough food for more than a week, and with the clothes, having 3 pairs of stuff is enough - 1 to wear, 1 to wash, 1 to be dry. I may end up packing an extra pair of jeans and a jacket, but as I can unzip the pannier bags for more room, this should not be a problem. Will it be enough to get to Prudhoe Bay, AK and back? Again, I think it should be plenty, even if I add a couple long sleeve shirts to the mix.

Oh, and I am not 100% sure where I will be heading tomorrow. I am planning on leaving around noon Saturday, probably head to Red River Gorge or Daniel Boone Forest somewhere and camp, returning at a leisurely pace Sunday. Want to spend some time documenting the whole process as well. Show on and off the bike packing. It is going to be a slow weekend.

When you get back use the three pile method to winnow out stuff you don't need. When you come back unpack into three piles. One pile is stuff you used. One pile is stuff you didn't but might next time. Third pile wasn't used, probably won't be used next time but if I need it I can get it on the road. This helped me pack lighter and lighter.

Have a good time!

The only things that get packed, and generally never get used, are the tools. the kit is mostly the tools required for chain maint and adjustment. For an overnight, no, a lot wont get used, but... as I want to make sure that a 3 or 4 night camp out is covered, I will make a point to utilize everything packed. After years of backpacking, I have been able to get paired down fairly quick and light.

It is really about testing the sleeping bag. I got the military 4-piece system. stuff-sack, waterproof gor-tex outer shell, light liner, heavy liner. All together, well below freezing, but in different configs, I can use it with just a tarp from the bike to the ground for the fastest setup/tear-down possible, which I may do, just to see. No rain is forecast overnight, so that may end up happening.

When I was a young man I backpacked with just a tarp and sleeping bag. Not any more. This old man needs his comforts.

Same here, but I need to start pushing some limits to see where I can deal. With wanting to hit Prudhoe Bay AK in the next year or two, there will be some lean times along the route. As it stands right now, the only thing I know I will need to get between now and then will be an extra gas container. Rotopax, most likely.

I just did a rotopax mount on top of the Dale rear rack. If you stay with soft panniers, mounting one or two to side racks would be easy.

I take only stuff to make instant coffee and prefer to eat meals on the road so this cut out most cooking stuff and staples. I try leave camp early and try to ride no less than 40 miles before stopping for a large breakfast, snack a lunch, then eat a late afternoon supper. I sometimes bring bagels and peanut butter or fruit to the campsite or buy a sub in the afternoon somewhere to eat later. The 40 miles comes from a mentor.

Cotton and denim clothing is bulky and takes forever to dry. Sweating in jeans will give me monkey butt one day and a rash that lasts a few more, I never wear them riding cross country. They went in the first pile, along with a sweatshirt and fleece soon after. Two pairs of convertible microfiber convertible long pants and three LS microfiber riding shirts sufficed for my trip to CA and back. Wear one set two days and wash the other in between, they'll dry quickly and can even be put on wet if it isn't cold out. I didn't have panniers on the first NC700X for two years, just a top box and a dry bag.

This is just me though and I only camp a few times a year. I'm not hardcore and will take a cabin over a tent any time. Sometimes I take a cabin the last night so I don't have to pack a wet tent in the dark.

Underwear, tee shirts, socks, riding pants, riding jacket, gloves, helmet, tent, chair, air mattress, pillow, sleeping bag, tools, and air pump. In summer months for comfort will carry a fan/flashlight.

And here are the photos for the ride and camp. First one shows the campground, next shows the bike packed completely.

Way to much underwear. One pair of shorts is 4 days, T-shirt 4 days if worn beneath another shirt, same with socks. LOL.

Too much for you, it is what I am comfortable with, and what I would take backpacking.

dduelin said:

I take only stuff to make instant coffee and prefer to eat meals on the road so this cut out most cooking stuff and staples. I try leave camp early and try to ride no less than 40 miles before stopping for a large breakfast, snack a lunch, then eat a late afternoon supper. I sometimes bring bagels and peanut butter or fruit to the campsite or buy a sub in the afternoon somewhere to eat later. The 40 miles comes from a mentor.

Cotton and denim clothing is bulky and takes forever to dry. Sweating in jeans will give me monkey butt one day and a rash that lasts a few more, I never wear them riding cross country. They went in the first pile, along with a sweatshirt and fleece soon after. Two pairs of convertible microfiber convertible long pants and three LS microfiber riding shirts sufficed for my trip to CA and back. Wear one set two days and wash the other in between, they'll dry quickly and can even be put on wet if it isn't cold out. I didn't have panniers on the first NC700X for two years, just a top box and a dry bag.

This is just me though and I only camp a few times a year. I'm not hardcore and will take a cabin over a tent any time. Sometimes I take a cabin the last night so I don't have to pack a wet tent in the dark.

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For winter, jeans are what I prefer. I dont ride in them. My riding pants are Klim Latitude Misano (with matching jacket). I have some Columbia convertible pants for the rest of the year. I have some nice shirts for riding in the warmer climbs. I am not too worried about getting wet, the riding gear has proven itself to be waterproof in a 6 hour torrential downpour (not by choice)...

I dont eat a lot if breakfast on any morning. I have a couple granola bars with the coffee and that is pretty much it. I also pack them on the bike, and eat a couple when I am filling up As for lunch and dinner, I generally want to try local places for those meals. So I dont pack a lot for sitting around a camp fire. I did this time, just to feel the weight, and I knew in this area there wasnt going to be an "local spots" to hit... out of season, and no towns big enough close enough.

I draw on years of backpacking in Colorado, so packing light and small and having multi-use items is familiar - I am just having to buy it all again (sold it when I moved back in '95). Good point, nonetheless, especially for others who may want to spend more time under the stars.

Old Can Ride said:

Underwear, tee shirts, socks, riding pants, riding jacket, gloves, helmet, tent, chair, air mattress, pillow, sleeping bag, tools, and air pump. In summer months for comfort will carry a fan/flashlight.

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Dont forget the bourbon and vodka for the sorority girls!

Had a very successful trip this weekend. Please read about it here: https://theravenbran.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/first-overnight-camping-trip/

I also did a quick video walk-through of the campsite as well, here:

[video=youtube;lZM8bnPg8Z8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZM8bnPg8Z8[/video]

Entirely too many clothes. 1 pair of shorts, 4 days. 1 T-shirt, 4 days, 1 pair of socks, 2 days. That way you improve mpg.

TN Thunder said:

Entirely too many clothes. 1 pair of shorts, 4 days. 1 T-shirt, 4 days, 1 pair of socks, 2 days. That way you improve mpg.

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Sticking with what I had. It is what I am comfortable with, and allows for getting wet and having dry to change into. The weight the clothes added would have nothing to do with mpg.