• Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

    We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides. Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?

    Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

  • NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

Camping Gota Have Gota Leave

chrisskor

New member
Okay, I'm just trying out this motorcycle camping stuff. Looking to ride and camp across country on my way to BMW Oregon Rally. So far I've got a tent, comfortable pad, just-okay sleeping bag. I'm also packing a small heating pad for those cold nights. I'll eat most meals on the road, ride a bit, eat breakfast, ride, eat lunch, ride, eat dinner, ride some more, camp, repeat.

What's on your list of "man I wish I had....?"
or "why did I carry bleep all this way"?


--Chris Skor
--Charlotte BMWMOA
 
Credit card and cell phone are at the top of the list. They can get you out of a lot of jams.

A pair of walking around shoes if your riding boots aren't comfortable to walk in. You never know when you may want to stop and hike, or be forced to hike. A comfortable pair of walking shoes is something I'll never leave behind again.
 
Gotta have coffee

I bought a Jet Boil to make instant coffee while packing up the tent. Starbucks's instant is very good.
 
80 bucks for a military modular sleep system on ebay. Includes patrol bag good down to 45 intermediate bag down to 10. combine them both for -15 I think. Also comes with a Goretex bivy sack if you don't want to use a tent. I own a tent and still use my MSS bivy often during cooler months when I want to sleep directly under the stars.

Water, Shelter, Food. Those are the biggies, bring stuff to make those happen then everything else past that is gravy.
 
Hands-free lighting, either a headlamp or one of those gorilla grip tripods. Definitely a good sleeping bag. Firestarters if you want a campfire; most places won't let you bring it in for fear of invasive parasites, and in my experience it's usually either green or at best lightly seasoned.
 
I might practice setting up the tent once or twice prior to the rally trip. Maybe do a weekend trip someplace local to work out the bugs if you have never camped before. Figuring out a secure packing system might be at the top of my list.

Jet boil is a great addition, with instant coffee, oatmeal, ramen noodles, minute rice, and soups. Allows for Arriving late to a campsite in the dark and or threatening weather and still having a quick meal without having to go back out.

State park info, reservations at national parks, and KOA campgrounds.
Enjoy the trip!
 
My camping and cooking gear goes in large waterproof duffle on the rear seat- held in place by 4 Rok Straps criss cossed through the handles. Leaves the bike luggage cases for clolthes, riding gear, tools, etc

Make your lights LED and fit them with lithium batteries so they will have both long storage and long use life. Not much fun in the pitch black with no light sources so have 3 or 4 different ones.


It is wise to stop and set up plenty early so you can finsih a meal before dark. Dak sert up can be a real pita for newbies.-- that's where you might want a simple bivvy..

Guerilla camping is still possible in some places....
 
Already mentioned .. but a "comfortable" sleeping bag, not just an OK one. The best tech spec bag on the market may or may not be comfortable for you so get in some before buying. A slight difference in girth makes a HUGE difference when you're zipped up.

My addition - a good pillow. Make the room for it. Neck fatigue and stiff muscles will not be your friend on an extended trip. I prefer the "Fillo" by Nemo in size medium. This blows up and has a memory-type foam covering that is comfy. Like an airhawk pad... less air is best but you can adjust to your hearts content. Packs small - like 1/2 the size of a nalgene bottle. Worth every ounce and inch of space.
 
Don't forget a good fixed blade knife. Also maybe a good backpacking hatchet (Gerber or similar). Add the Jet Boil for coffee and quick soup like meals and you should be covered.
 
:laugh
Don't forget a good fixed blade knife. Also maybe a good backpacking hatchet (Gerber or similar). Add the Jet Boil for coffee and quick soup like meals and you should be covered.

Yeah you need a Knife and Hatchet for making Chicken Soup!:eat:laugh
 
Corkscrew and bottle opener are often useful, as is your trusty rally cup. Good for coffee in the morrning, and other beverages as the day progresses. And, Roc, you can always use the knife to clip the end of a cigar if you have need.
 
:laugh

Yeah you need a Knife and Hatchet for making Chicken Soup!:eat:laugh

Or making a meal out of road kill. :hungover

Seriously, why a fixed blade knife? I usually bring one small and one large folding knife. Just curious. I bring a hatchet as well for splitting firewood into manageable pieces (much of what you can buy on site is quartered and not the best to get things started), and it serves double duty as a mallet for pounding tent stakes into overly firm ground.

Oh, and let's not forget toilet paper!
 
I always carry 4 or 5 small highway road flares. Good for what they are intended, but also great for starting fires.
Military type heat tabs for cooking. Don't need a stove with them, just open the foil pack, touch with a match and boil away!
Shorts, t-shirt and comfortable shoes.
Have a safe trip.
 
Don't forget the H2O

Don't forget to hydrate! Carry 2-3 litres of water and drink it every day. More if going thru the deserts.
 
I second the shake-down trip

I might practice setting up the tent once or twice prior to the rally trip....

Do this well before the start of your big trip. It will give you a much better idea of how to pack your stuff on your bike, how well or badly the stuff you've got works, what's missing, what's extraneous and how long it will take you to make and break camp.

An LED headlamp is almost essential.

Note that there is no standard between companies for sleeping bag ratings. Ratings assume that you are within a tent or other shelter and are on top of a sleeping pad. Many people are "cold" or "warm" sleepers, meaning they need more or less insulation than the average person. Knowing which you are will help in the choice of a bag. Down is lighter, packs smaller and will last longer than synthetic for a given rating. It will also cost you more.
 
Back
Top