Quickie Shake Out Camping Trip

Haven't got my bike luggage or windshield extender, etc. yet... but I couldn't wait any longer. Loaded up what I could strap on the back, tossed some fruit, tuna, filled up my beverage bag with Jesus juice, and set out for a couple 2 or 3 nights of motorcycle camping.

Laying in my hammock over a small creek plotting my next move. So far, the only thing I forgot to bring is insect repellent & there are these little gnats everywhere. They don't seem to be biting, so I think I'll dig out the J-juice, maybe go for a swim & not worry about it.

Might stay on a second night, but most likely will move on to another campground for tomorrow night. Not really that prepared for the rain forecast for later this week, but I'll make do & try to get back before the thunderstorms late Wednesday into Thursday.

Nice! Where did ya end up going?
Mike

Now that is a good picture.the nc looks home.

Campground about an hour outside Austin, Texas ~ Krause Springs

Nice pic! I love reading the camping threads.

Well, that about does it. It had to happen sooner or later. There are small raccoon claw scratches on my seat, the wheels are covered in dirt road powder, headlight coated in smashed mystery bugs, and the rest is tricked out with bird & tree sap droppings.

The "new" is officially worn off my bike.

I've now been down some washboard grated dirt roads with patches of soft dirt, no gravel yet but the bike with stock tires is handling it MUCH better than I expected.

Beautiful, man, beautiful.

Somebody fed your camera magic mushrooms.

I'm a camera idiot! Your pictures are amazing to me! Great job!!!!!

This may sound silly, but could you list the items you brought?
For those of us who have never done this...it's a good way to learn what to bring.

1. sleeping bag
2. ....
3. ... ???

StratTuner said:

This may sound silly, but could you list the items you brought?
For those of us who have never done this...it's a good way to learn what to bring.

1. sleeping bag
2. ....
3. ... ???

Click to expand...

That about covers it. The rest is Man vs Wild style!

StratTuner said:

This may sound silly, but could you list the items you brought?
For those of us who have never done this...it's a good way to learn what to bring.

1. sleeping bag
2. ....
3. ... ???

Click to expand...

http://nc700-forum.com/forum/nc700-general-discussion/2152-camping-nc.html for a more in depth look.

This is a short trip & I didn't need everything, but when I travel I do some writing & take a lot of photos. I use the iPad for writing & editing. I ordered a SHAD 40 topbox with top cargo shelf to strap stuff to, but the fittings are on backorder.

I wanted to see just how much of the regular stuff I could pack with no extra bike luggage & discovered I could get almost everything packed without anything else. With the trunk, for longer trips... I'll be able to pack some small video gear, my Alps ultralight tent, extra clothes, small SLIME air compressor with tire plug kit & minimal tools.

I'll be getting the larger 30L sea&land compression sack for the back seat so that I only have to remove one bag via ROK straps at fill-ups (very easy) I'll use the smaller compression bag inside the topbox & it doesn't look like I'll even need panniers at all. When I'm at home, I'll just leave the large compression sack & topbox packed & ready to go at a moments notice in the garage, and just leave the bike naked for around town errands where I don't need any more storage than the front trunk.

Keep in mind, this list is just what I took to see how much I could fit without the top box with cargo shelf:

Small portable fold-up USB solar panel
Small 1-AA LED hi-power flashlight & USB AA 2x battery charger
Extra USB 10k battery
iPad 4 with Bluetooth keyboard
iPhone 5
Olympus XZ1 compact camera & combo monopod/table pod
ENO large hammock & pro hanging straps
REI Bivi sack
Silk sleeping bag liner (I use the liner & Bivi together instead of sleeping bag to save on room & still be covered for rain)
REI small combo rain tarp that has emergency solar blanket on one side
Bungie laundry line
Insect head net
I bring one very thick pair of heavy wool socks just to sleep in
Thin thermal mask & thin micro fiber thermals just in case the weather unexpectedly turns
Thin camping towel & shower kit
Platypus roll-up beverage bag
Foldable camp cup
Brought apples, oranges, bags of tuna
Lighter for campfire
Forgot insect repellent but usually bring that
Small first aid kit & sunscreen
Rafting sandals
Electric coil for heating water & Starbucks instant coffee bags
"Eatin Tool" camping spoon/fork/tool
I bring an extra couple of bungies to suspend any food away from raccoons
I don't gear up as much as others to ride but for the distance I wear long pants that dry quick & convert to shorts, exercise quick-dry tshirt, lace-up Cruiserworks motorcycle boots, multi-season gloves, joe rocket mesh riding jacket, jacket dry liner & some pull-over rain pants. I also bring one pair of quick-dry northface hiking shorts that I wash when I shower & air dry.
Alaska leather small universal seat cover
Small bottle of monkey butt powder
Its been a bit chilly around 3am so I slept in my jacket dry liner, shorts, and wool socks inside silk bag liner, inside Bivi sack, in hammock.

I put everything that could compress into a sea&land 20L waterproof compression sack, all electronics in the front trunk, and the rest in a small REI flash water resistant backpack. I then attached both bags to the back seat with ROK straps that I learned of here. Highly recommended

I'm not that far away from a town where I could get supplies if I needed. Just wanted to see what I enough room for. And the 1L Platapus roll up beverage bag was full of wine. I'll be getting a second one of those bags for more fluid storage. They pack great & roll up for easy storage.

ps. Forgot to add the most important item... roll of toilet paper.

The Olympus cameras set on Dramatic Mode take some impressive pictures. I really need to check one of those out. I know a guy with the same camera and he really loves it.
Mike

On one of my sites, I have travel galleries that were all shot with the XZ1. The first 4 galleries were shot with it: Kaleidoscope of Color - Galleria

Also the TX/LA/MS gallery was shot with it too. Kaleidoscope of Color - Galleria - TX/LA/MS 2011


All of my LithoFusion collection was made using XZ1 images: lithofusion — skip hunt + photo

StratTuner said:

This may sound silly, but could you list the items you brought?
For those of us who have never done this...it's a good way to learn what to bring.

1. sleeping bag
2. ....
3. ... ???

Click to expand...

BIKE! does that count?

Wow...thanks for making such a thorough list. It helps.

johnakay said:

BIKE! does that count?

Click to expand...

haha yes, it does... hmmm... did I bring the bike... or did it bring me? there's a ZEN question...

I made the list partly for myself to see just how much I can carry using just the front trunk, a couple bags & a set of ROK straps. You can actually take an impressive amount with no extra bike luggage at all. Certainly more than enough for a quickie 3-5 camping trip.