Camping on a M/C?

[dmiller385]

I have been wanting to do a night or two of camping on the motorcycle for a long time, and since I have next Friday off I am thinking next weekend might be a great time to do so. The problem is I have never done anything like this before. ITT I am looking for answers to basic questions and any tips that you may have, for instance: what all do I need to bring (tent, sleeping bag, etc - I have none of these.), what are some bike friendly campgrounds in the area (N GA, W TN, E NC, etc), how much riding should I expect to do with out being fatigued (note: I have done many 2-3 day trips for 400-1200 miles, although I stayed in hotels), and anything else that might be relevant to my journey. As far as camping gear goes, I want to spend as little as possible.

Thanks for your input.

David

[Gypsyangel]

http://www.motocampers.com/forums/index.php

[Gypsyangel]

We got Lafuma Sleeping Bags, REI ThermaRest Pads and Cocoon Pillows. Oh and those REI Camp towels.All for our T.A.T. Trip:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=472744

Also shared a good bit of info here:

http://twowheelfemales.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4230

[Solace]

Paging Wheedle!

[KTM Rider]

W TN and E NC are far apart! :lol:

I think I know what you meant though....and as such, you should go here, if they are open yet for the year.

http://www.campmilehigh.com/Milehigh.com/Index.html

Bring whatever you normally bring to camp. Then when you figure out you cant carry ALL of that, bring the basics to stay dry and warm and get some sleep. Cooking at camp while bike camping is not feasible most times. The place I mentioned to you has hot showers and there are many restaurants about 10-15 minutes of twisty pavement away. Have fun and if you have allergies bring medicine:up:

Sunrise from the place at spot T-00

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s141/franklaw996/IM001467.jpg

[jtryz]

just got back from one. i did not ride there but weither way could have....

http://www.triumph675.net/forum/showthread.php?t=40817

ironhorse is right at the top of 28, hellebnder and deals gap to the west, moonshine 28 to your right and skyway right below. great location and a million miles

have fun

[Wheedle]

Go check Sports Authority for sales on gear. I bought an Alpine Designs backpacker tent for $30. I use a cheapo stuffable sleeping bag that's good to 20F. Dont forget a sleeping pad because its rare to find a smooth soft spot. For short trips I just stuff the camping gear in a side case, longer ones I strap them down on the rear seat using light duty tie-downs. You need to think about food and entertainment too. I always have an extra drink and some snack stuff with me. Usually I try to eat dinner an hour or so before I set camp to eliminate the cooking issue, but most backpacking gear works plenty well for m/c camping. A small camp saw and something to start a fire with is a good idea. Most campgrounds ( other than primitive type places ) will have firewood for sale for $5 or so. Dont forget a flashlight either. It wouldnt be a bad idea to carry some ibuprofen or similar to deal with aches and stiffness just in case. Keep tabs on your gear, as soon as the tent is up, my gear goes inside. Carry some camp clothes too, a pair of flip-flops, shorts and a t-shirt sure feel nice after a long day in riding gear. A few of my favorites in the area are TWO and High Valley in Suches, Abrams Creek ( primitive ) at 129 and Foothills Parkway, Hot Springs NC , and Davidson River on 276 just south from the Blue Ridge Parkway. As far as mileage goes... that is up to you. If your not sure, start out with a short trip, maybe 300 miles or so.

[Bryce]

For equipment, I'd say items that pack small is important... light weight is not as important since you'll be putting it on your bike and not your back. With that said, backpacking type equipment would be the ideal items to take.

Tent manufacturers lie... a 2 man tent is probably better for 1. A 3man is good for 2. Our 6man is good for 4tops. Ya, you can squeeze in the maximum capacity into them, but you'll be stacked in like cord wood and probably have someones feet at your head. Make sure you get one that you'll be happy with spending some time in if you get stuck in a storm, because you eventually will.

I like the self-inflatable sleeping pads like therma-rests. the grounds hard and you;ll have spent the day on a bike doing a lot of miles some times, so get something that'll be soft for you to sleep on and something that'll insulate you from the ground so that you don't wake up with a back ache from sleeping on the hard cold ground. I have a thing that turns my therma-rest into a camp chair (therma rester?)

I got one of the Lafuma bags that pack up really small.. but it's only good for 40+ deg, so make sure you get a bag that's appropriate for the temps you plan to camp in and adjust it to how you like to feel.. some like to sleep warm and others cold.

Cooking stuff is optional.. .this all depends on if you are going to hit restaurants or cook at camp... you can always find a stick to cook a hotdog over a fire with. bringing your own food can be hard.. I think the freeze dried food that you can buy is nasty. you can usually hit a store that'll have something, but as we found one day on the Trans-America Trail Trip, that may not always be true (anyone remember the bait shop we got the beanie weenies at???). There's lots of compact stoves to choose and you really only need one pot to cook and eat out of.

bug spray, first aid kit, flash light (head lights are nice and keep your hands free to do other things), toilet paper, clothes, towel, some rope for a clothes line to dry stuff that got wet, matches... a deck of cards for that time you get stuck in the tent in the rain.

[ROCKER]

While I love ride, and I like to camp. I just don't see me packing all the stuff I need on my bike to make it a fun camp.
Seems like too much of a strugle to buy,pack,setup and repack everything.
I'll probably just bring the credit card,sleep in a hotel and eat at a resturaunt on my next trip.
And then you have to ride with all that crap on your bike.


Maybe if I had a goldwing with a trailor.

[KTM Rider]

^^^If you are only going for 1 night then I agree.

[ROCKER]

^^^If you are only going for 1 night then I agree.

Well he did say "a night or two"

Yes, a hotel would get expensive for longer trips

[KTM Rider]

Well he did say "a night or two"

Yes, a hotel would get expensive for longer trips

2 or more nights in the same place and I would camp:up:

[ROCKER]

How do you carry all the beer and ice???

[KTM Rider]

I dont any more as I sold all the bikes but when I did I used my hard saddle bags on both the BMW and the KTM. They made nice coolers. Go to camp and set up leaving saddle bags empty. Ride into town and eat dinner. On the way back to camp stop and put beer and ice in your saddlebags and then ride back to camp to make a fire and enjoy. Thats night 1. Day 2, remove your now empty saddle bags :cheers: :lol: and go ride, unburdened by any additional weight. Ride back to camp and relax a bit, reinstall empty saddle bags and repeat. On the morning of Day 3 we would break camp and ride into town and have a nice breakfast and then take the scenic route home loaded with gear. It worked pretty good.:up:

[The Lazy Destroyer]

I thought there was already a thread on this, started by Dan/BlueLghtning maybe? But I can't find it on BSB so maybe it was on here and went bye bye with the forum crash. Maybe someone remembers for sure.

[Bryce]

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj18/bbeyler/tat09/Day5/P1010211.jpg
Those cases will hold about a case of beer on each side. Like Frank said, pick it up on the way back from dinner.

[Wheedle]

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj18/bbeyler/tat09/Day5/P1010211.jpg
Those cases will hold about a case of beer on each side. Like Frank said, pick it up on the way back from dinner.

Pelican cases FTW...
http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Miscellaneous-Wanderings/SDC13107/815441481_3NhAU-L.jpg

This was the 1450 I had on there before, now its three 1550s
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q258/jo30180/BSB%206-2-07/2007_0602misc0111.jpg

[wallypiper]

This is a good spot. They aren't doing their kitchen this year, which is sad, but they have all the stuff you need to fix something to eat if you don't feel like riding to it.

http://www.blueridgemotorcyclecamp.com/#

[KTM Rider]

This was the 1450 I had on there before, now its three 1550s
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q258/jo30180/BSB%206-2-07/2007_0602misc0111.jpg

Very good tastes:up: I like the IPA too. "The Beer You've Been Training For" :lol:

[Calimus]

Wife and I have camped on our bikes before. She found a tent that's ment for backpacking, it's stupid small when all packed up, and is perfect for 2 people. Not to mention is stays warm inside when it's in the low 40's outside. For one night, I'd just use a tent, sleeping bag, change of clothes & toothbrush. It's about all you need aside from something to eat and drink.

[Gypsyangel]

website of Motorcycle Friendly Campgrounds:

http://www.ridemyown.com/links/camping.shtml

[dmiller385]

Hey guys - thanks a lot for all of the replies. Due to a lack of excess funds for this weekend, I have decided to ditch the camping idea in favor of staying in a "cabin" in Tellio Plains, TN. The cabin is only $40/night, and since I am only going to stay out for one night, it will work perfectly with my budget! Here is a link to the campground that the cabin is located on: http://www.huntslodge.com/. I am really excited.

Here is my plan for the first day: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=1701+Dawsonville+Highway+gainesville+GA+3050 4&daddr=GA-197+N+to:Warwoman+Rd+to:N+Carolina+28+N+to:N+Carol ina+28+N%2FFontana+Rd+to:Tapoco+Rd%2FUS-129+S+to:35.347896,-83.8274+to:N35+20.889++W+084+18.452&geocode=FVOLCwIdqU4A-yn9xAzVyvX1iDE0cRDYnDx6KQ%3BFdb6EwIdzrkE-w%3BFQAWFQIdOmYK-w%3BFS4fGwIdCNIF-w%3BFfTJHAIdcD4B-w%3BFUgrHAIdThYA-w%3B%3BFbZeGwIds5H5-g&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=6&sz=12&via=1,2,3,4,5,6&sll=35.319888,-83.82431&sspn=0.217941,0.528374&ie=UTF8&ll=35.108675,-83.651276&spn=0.874031,2.113495&z=10&dirflg=d

And for the second (I also plan on doing a little bit of hiking at Cloudland Canyon):
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=1701+Dawsonville+Highway+gainesville+GA+3050 4&daddr=GA-136+W+to:I-75+N+to:Apd+40+to:TN-40+E%2FUS-64+E%2FUS-74+E+to:Steer+Creek+Rd+to:TN-68+S&geocode=FVOLCwIdqU4A-yn9xAzVyvX1iDE0cRDYnDx6KQ%3BFfhHEwIdqnPn-g%3BFYA4GAIdYDjv-g%3BFRkQGAIdSM_w-g%3BFfiOFwId0Or0-g%3BFZb3GgId4DD5-g%3BFboyGwIdLJT5-g&hl=en&mra=mr&mrcr=0&via=1,2,3,4,5&sll=34.910992,-85.402737&sspn=0.109519,0.264187&ie=UTF8&ll=34.437637,-84.156132&spn=0.110713,0.264187&z=13&dirflg=d

[jtryz]

thats a nice ride but u can do that in an afternoon. if your staying the night stretch it out. have fun, 28 all the way is super nice riding. make sure when u get close to the highlands u get a pic here
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bridal+Veil+Falls,+Highlands,+NC&sll=35.252138,-83.393612&sspn=0.049905,0.07699&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bridal+Veil+Falls&ll=35.071628,-83.22916&spn=0,0.038495&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=35.071731,-83.229123&panoid=yV6rZ-5QksCQ8uu4DVfN9w&cbp=12,40.45,,0,-6.74
water fall over the road
have fun

[dmiller385]

Yeah, I have done the ass-busting rides before (500+ miles in a day). This one is going to be more of a sightseeing/picture taking trip. Also, the route I have plotted is only a suggested route. I may venture off the plotted route.

[jtryz]

have fun either way. drive safe and take alot of pics