Keeping a Travel Journal

[shortythorne]

Does anyone else keep a journal of their travels, whether daily or a long trip? I am not referring to writing down when you change the oil, etc., but more of a diary of the things one might experience while on the road. I find it is good way to remember the little details one tends to forget especially on a long trip. I just wondered if anyone else does this, and if so what do you write. At the end of each travel day, I like to sit down and reflect on the highlights of the day, special people I met, good food I ate, etc. My journal is high quality leather bound and is refillable & it is small enough to fit in my tank bag. Just curious.

 

[henzilla]

Use to keep one after long bicycle rides/tours as I had a lot of thoughts rolling along.

Helen bought me one for a Christmas gift, also small enough for the tankbag. I need to take the time to jot a note or two which seems to be my weak link. I always go back to pictures to try and recall roads, people and places .That seems to get harder as the years pass.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[themayer]

I have kept a log on trips for years. At the end of the day I record, at a minimum, the roads I rode, what I liked or didn't like about them, any unusual happenings. I also record beginning mileage and ending mileage each day, along with ride time. I always regret it when I fail to keep notes and only have trip dates and beginning and ending mileage. It's like a hole in my life. Going back to my own notes years later brings the trip back to me much more vividly than photos. My journal of choice is just a 3 1/2" x 6" office memo booklet. $2.25. I keep using it until it's full.

 

[paul_f]

I make a new log book each winter for the coming summer. On one side, I have a table which tracks my fuel stops, mileage, as well food stops, and groceries. The top of the page has the day's starting and ending mileage and of course my sleeping abode. At the back of the book, I include several blank pages for additional entries. I place a plastic cover over it to protect it from the elements. I have a humongous stapler that binds the journal pages together. This book fits into either my leg pocket above the knee, or sometimes is carried in the tank bag.

The facing page is blank. On this page, in point form, I list highways travelled, people met, interesting sights visited, weather conditions etc.

I usually go back afterwards and re-read them. Sometimes I will write articles from my Journal for our local club newsletter.

However, for me, journal notes go totally out the window when riding with others. It does take me an extra minute or so at gas stops to enter the gas information, and just doesn't seem appropriate to write entries when one should be having conversations with your riding partner at meals. I've been keeping travel journals for years, long before riding.

When my wife and I travel, I usually make a journal on those trips well.

 

[royce]

Does anyone else keep a journal of their travels, whether daily or a long trip? ... Just curious.

Short answer: yes. When I completed my first 48-state adventure (took me a couple of years worth of 2-week vacations) I had a whole stack of notebooks with my notes, thoughts, musings, photographs and memories of people and places. I wrote a book for my three grandkids, sort of a coffee table style thing. Ending up printing about 50 copies because so many friends wanted a copy. That's been about 10 years ago now. I know the grandkids don't much care about it now cuz I'm still here in their lives every day, but some day I will be just a memory of "another old man" and I want them to be able to pull that book out and maybe show it to their children and grandchildren and say, "Your great-granddad was a neat old guy. Look at the things he saw and did on a motorcycle back in the olden days."

in fact, this post brought back the memories and I just pulled the book out and re-read it myself. Thx for the idea.

 

[rangerreece]

These forums have been my journal to some degree, an the occasional ON contribution. I think you read the few contributions I made in the alababeemer news letter. But as far as writing down events that happen along the way or daily journaling no, no one wants to hear about my daily commute to work. I guess that's why I get excited to write about the occasional get away. I probably should journal more.

 

[WalterK75]

I also like to keep travel notes. I currently have a 5X7 inch journal with an elastic strap to keep it closed. Printed on the cover of this one is a crown and the words "Keep calm and carry on." I usually write in it when having lunch and then in the evening. As for gas records, I write the mileage on the printed receipt and keep these together until I get home where I enter them into a data base.

 

[voni]

Paul keeps track of data and word descriptions. I like to use my camera as my diary.

http://vonig.smugmug.com/2014-Voni-Birthday/



Voni
sMiling

 

[ted]

I write them up as trip reports, then go back and add photos. I did my first back in 1996 (and yes, I'm still using that first-year Aerostich ), and have been doing them pretty much the same way since. They are indeed fun to go back and read on snowy days.

 

[brewmeister]

I buy a smaller size atlas and record the trip along the page border and the inside rear cover. Mark the as you go roads and allow friends driving along with to add comments on the journey. I keep track of weather, road conditions, bike performance, and other interesting stuff
I may do/see along the way, gas/food prices and comments, lodging/camping conditions. Along with pictures.
Then after the trip I file the atlas at home . I have a large stack of "trips" .This has worked for me because I use the maps too! I like seeing on a map where I have traveled. Atlas's are not a lot of money for the smaller size ones. I can relive the trip as I look at the map and pictures. This has worked for me .

 

[shortythorne]

Paul keeps track of data and word descriptions. I like to use my camera as my diary.




Voni
sMiling

Voni, you are a much better photographer than me! I can write better than take pictures, even though I do take a few. The memories of my travels seem to lose something when all I see is the inside of my nostril or my foot .

 

[Texpaul]

My wife keeps a journal when we do long trips. As I have gotten older I find it quite useful in remembering the details when I write a story about the journey. Someday when I'm sitting in a nursing home it will make great reading. I only hope I will realize it's me I'm reading about!

 

[paul_f]

Paul keeps track of data and word descriptions. I like to use my camera as my diary.

http://vonig.smugmug.com/2014-Voni-Birthday/



Voni
sMiling

I always have a camera with me. The data and word descriptions often provide additional information about my photographs.