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First Solo Trip Questions

Greetings,

New member here with recently purchased 2014 f700GS. I'm going through my 3/4-life crisis and have decided I want to trek solo to the GS Giants Four Corners Rally in Colorado in a couple of weeks. Traveling from the front range, I'm looking at a reasonable day-long trip. I have plenty of experience riding a sport bike at speed and in the twisties and am actually looking forward to this maiden voyage on my GS. My options for travel are: 1. Ride and camp, 2. ride and cabin, and 3. drive with my small toy hauler trailer. I'm considering option 3 only because I am Celiac and will totally have to feed myself, which would be infinitely easier with the trailer kitchen.

For the 2 riding options, aside from the expected clothing/sleeping/toiletry/rain gear items, I'm wondering what else I should consider taking along for safety and/or emergencies. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

(By the way, what is the Anonymous Book?)
 
Were I in your situation I’d be going for option #2, the cabin. While it is possible to find many eateries with gluten-free offerings nowadays, you will still likely end up prepping much of your own food. You mind find a cabin with a stove or hot plate for cooking, and if working from a packable camp stove it’s just easier to deal with in a cabin setting. I’d hate to see you miss out on the enjoyment of the ride, especially with the countryside you’ll be traveling through.

The Anonymous Book has been a fixture of MOA membership forever. It is an anonymous listing of phone numbers, by state and city, of MOA members offering emergency support with things like tools, maintenance or storage space, camp space, and more. And some even offer just good old coffee and conversation with fellow BMW and BMWMOA enthusiasts. Each listing is coded as to services offered, and the code is listed in the front of the book. It’s a great resource and membership benefit; I’ve carried one in my tank bag or pannier for 29 years now. You can read a better and more thorough explanation here:
https://www.bmwmoa.org/page/abook

Good luck and enjoy the trip!

Best,
DeVern
 
It sometimes take a few weeks to receive your Anonymous Book after joining. The online version can be downloaded to a PDF file to carry on a smartphone, tablet or computer, so there is no further need for internet access and it takes up no space on the bike. Click the download symbol on the top left to save the file.
Annotation 2019-07-17 012407.jpg
 
Oh, the fun you'll have!

Since it is just a one day trip, I hope you can find a way to ride and camp. I'd hate for you to miss the comraderie of spending the night camped at the rally. And as to what to be sure to bring, remember they have stores almost everywhere now so if you forget some essential, you can buy it along the way. Enjoy!

Voni
sMiling
 
Here is a list of most of the "safety" items I pack when going on a trip (fwiw, I don't camp, so others might want to add to the list):

quart of oil
jump starter
replacement oil cover
battery replacement for motorcycle key (P/N: CR 2032 3V lithium)
safety wire
leatherman knife
tire repair kit
tool kit
rain gear
extra gloves
toilet paper
scrunchies
camelback
CO2 canisters (6)
lighter
electrical tape
flashlight
wire cutters
tie wraps (various sizes)
earplugs
change fuse in battery charger cable.
tire pressure gauge
map(s)
spare motorcycle key
bungee cords
ponchos
first aid kit
motorcycle lock
GPS
enter GPS locations
GPS case
BMW support phone number
insurance
registration
 
Here is a list of most of the "safety" items I pack when going on a trip (fwiw, I don't camp, so others might want to add to the list):

quart of oil
jump starter
replacement oil cover
battery replacement for motorcycle key (P/N: CR 2032 3V lithium)
safety wire
leatherman knife
tire repair kit
tool kit
rain gear
extra gloves
toilet paper
scrunchies
camelback
CO2 canisters (6)
lighter
electrical tape
flashlight
wire cutters
tie wraps (various sizes)
earplugs
change fuse in battery charger cable.
tire pressure gauge
map(s)
spare motorcycle key
bungee cords
ponchos
first aid kit
motorcycle lock
GPS
enter GPS locations
GPS case
BMW support phone number
insurance
registration

This is great. Thanks.
 
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