What to pack?

[collingsbob]

If my rehab continues to improve I plan on flying to Ottawa in the middle of August where I’ll meet up with the shipping company who will be meeting me at the Ottawa Airport with my bike, riding 3 days to Nova Scotia for a few days of visiting with old friends…then riding 6 days back to Winnipeg.
My question is - what do the experienced multi-day riders among you pack?
How many days of socks etc.? Do you wash the basics out every night?

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

I wear quick dry under garments that I can take a shower with and wring dry in a towel. I bring three of each and then a few casual shirts and a pair of lightweight slacks that I can zip the legs off so I have a pair of shorts too. That’s basically it for me. YMMV

 

[lee]

I bring three of each and then a few casual shirts

Our shirts are also quick dry material so we can wash them in the sink or tub.
A lot of motels have guest laundry but most of our trips we can get by with washing in the room.
Sometimes back east in high humidity areas we have to wait for times we'll be in a room 2 nights to make sure stuff will dry.

 

[DavidR8]

If my rehab continues to improve I plan on flying to Ottawa in the middle of August where I’ll meet up with the shipping company who will be meeting me at the Ottawa Airport with my bike, riding 3 days to Nova Scotia for a few days of visiting with old friends…then riding 6 days back to Winnipeg.
My question is - what do the experienced multi-day riders among you pack?
How many days of socks etc.? Do you wash the basics out every night?

On multi-day trips with overnight stops we pack in threes: three pairs of socks, three pairs of underwear, three shirts. One pair of off-bike pants and a jacket.

 

[brownie0486]

Moto-Skivees underwear x2; Moto-Skivees compression socks x2; long sleeve heat out shirts x2 in summer and long sleeve cold out x2 in colder weather x2; 2 pair boot socks for off bike; pair of dungarees for off bike; 1 cotton long sleeve for off bike; extra neck gaitor and skull cap.

The x2 items means one worn, one taken. They are washed in the motel room at days end and ready to go the next morning. On the other occasions when we're staying a few days at one place [ always top shelf places ], we do laundry in the coin machine.

 

[kbasa]

If my rehab continues to improve I plan on flying to Ottawa in the middle of August where I’ll meet up with the shipping company who will be meeting me at the Ottawa Airport with my bike, riding 3 days to Nova Scotia for a few days of visiting with old friends…then riding 6 days back to Winnipeg.
My question is - what do the experienced multi-day riders among you pack?
How many days of socks etc.? Do you wash the basics out every night?

Figure out how often you'd like to do laundry and go from there. For us, it's 4 days of clothes in the bags and one day on us, so we stop every fourth day or so to take a break and do laundry. It's a good day for a hotel so you can do laundry and laze around the pool or see the local sights.

We don't pack jeans or anything cotton aside from underwear or maybe a couple T-shirts. They don't breathe well when it's hot, they hold moisture and will try to freeze you when it's cold and they don't pack very small. Synthetics all the way, tops and bottoms, so they'll wick moisture away from us.

 

[skibum69]

I'll pack 2-3 t-shirts. My off bike pants are pretty quick drying Schoeller fabric. I pack a decent pair of
(usually synthetic) shorts and sometime swimming shorts/ 2 different. I usually wear bicycle shorts on the bike, similar to the Moto Skiveez. If I pack gitch it's Patagonia silk weight boxers which dry very quickly ad pack tiny but 2 pairs max. I always have a mid layer underway jacket. Living in Newfoundland it can be cold any day of the year so my down jacket always travels with me, at the very least it's my pillow stuffed inside my mid layer. I wear ski socks under my boots and will pack maybe 1 pair of light socks in case I want them. A lot of people pack flip flops but I hate the idea of wearing them with socks. I pack lightweight Sanuk shoes which are just as packable with a closed toe. No jeans or other bulky cotton clothing.

 

[lee]

Our shirts are also quick dry material so we can wash them in the sink or tub.
A lot of motels have guest laundry but most of our trips we can get by with washing in the room.
Sometimes back east in high humidity areas we have to wait for times we'll be in a room 2 nights to make sure stuff will dry.

I'll add that I also take a button shirt and Debbie takes a nice top to have if we go out to a nice place to eat. Nothing fancy but something better than a T-shirt.
Unless it's a short trip where we're confidant of the weather' we also take a long sleeve shirt and heated jacket liner.
When you're near the coast it can get cold in the mornings and nights.
Not near the coast, but one trip in August we had three nights in the low to mid 40s in Northern NY.

I carry powdered laundry soap in a zip-lock on trips. Even if you plan to use guest laundry at a motel you can't count on them to have laundry soap.

 

[kbasa]

Also, over the last few years, "puffer jackets" have appeared and can keep you warm down into the 30s pretty easily, but pack up to a really tiny size that easily slips into your saddlebag. They're far more easily compressed than a heavyweight fleece and if they have a hood, that's one less woolly cap to carry.

I've got an LL Bean that's super small when packed and is my regular winter jacket here in NorCal.

 

[lee]

Also, over the last few years, "puffer jackets" have appeared and can keep you warm down into the 30s pretty easily, but pack up to a really tiny size that easily slips into your saddlebag

Good suggestion. We carry thin down jackets on some trips.
Here's Debbie on the left. Oct 2016 in Arkansas.

First week of Sep 2020 in Colorado we forgot our down jackets and stocking hats
I now keep a packing list

 

[kbasa]

I have one with a hood. Super convenient.

Great for convertibles, too, if one is also into 4 wheel fun.

 

[skibum69]

Yeah, I throw in a toque too. As for soap I carry Dr Bronner's liquid soap as you can use it for anything even brushing your teeth!

 

[natsmada]

I pack these bad boys inside my riding boots. They may contain an extra ignition key, cash, a spare Credit Card, etc.

https://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-greg-frazier-stash-pockets.html

 

[52184]

Two of my regular pack-alongs for spot cleaning and doing laundry on the road:

1. Useful for spot cleaning to get another day from a shirt.

2. Laundry soap/dryer sheet, no spillage ever. I usually pack one or two in a ziplock on multi-day trips, handles both wash and dry.

Best,
DeVern

 

[glenfiddich]

Kibble. Grooming gear. Rubber balls. Poop bags. Leash. Harness. Bedroll. Claw trimmers. Tick removal tool. Food and water bowl.

 

[pglaves]

Unless it's a short trip where we're confidant of the weather' we also take a long sleeve shirt and heated jacket liner.
When you're near the coast it can get cold in the mornings and nights.

You can be a long way from the coast in southwest Texas and still need cold weather gear in the spring and fall, and even in summer. Forty degree or even 45 degree temperature swings from high to low are common in the Texas Big Bend so an electric jacket liner is very nice if you plan to ride early in the morning.

 

[akbeemer]

Bob, I suggest a bottle of Irish in each sidecase. Really hope to see you soon.

 

[kbasa]

You can be a long way from the coast in southwest Texas and still need cold weather gear in the spring and fall, and even in summer. Forty degree or even 45 degree temperature swings from high to low are common in the Texas Big Bend so an electric jacket liner is very nice if you plan to ride early in the morning.

We've had people come visit us here in NorCal and when I suggested they bring their heated liner in the summer, they scoffed, but brought it. In the summer you can be on the coast where it's 50F and fogged in and ten minutes later, you're 5 miles inland and it's 90F. Good call on the liner.

 

[DavidR8]

We've had people come visit us here in NorCal and when I suggested they bring their heated liner in the summer, they scoffed, but brought it. In the summer you can be on the coast where it's 50F and fogged in and ten minutes later, you're 5 miles inland and it's 90F. Good call on the liner.

We went down the Oregon Coast in July 2018. Inland it was 30+C but on the coast it was often 8 or 9 C in the morning and only reach the low 20s in direct sunshine in the afternoon. Very challenging to gear up for those conditions.

 

[collingsbob]

Bob, I suggest a bottle of Irish in each sidecase. Really hope to see you soon.

My libation of choice for motorcycle rally’s used to be tequila - in the form of a down & dirty margarita. For this event I may alternate between some form of sparkling water because my endocrinologist recently commented on my kidney disease..I’m very much looking forward to seeing you in person too!