rwthomas1
Site Supporter
Hahahaha! My ST is 20 yrs old, and cost me $2300. I've never set foot in a Hilton....
RT
2 newbie questions, one potentially hot button
- Thread starter STeveMcD
- Start date
Hahahaha! My ST is 20 yrs old, and cost me $2300. I've never set foot in a Hilton....
RT
Do you buy insurance..??? Are you scared? Or prepared??
Legally, you have no choice but to buy insurance to operate vehicles on the road. Owning a weapon is a choice. Life insurance is also a choice.
rwthomas1
Site Supporter
Near as I can tell, using US stats, fires and violent crime occur at roughly the similar statistical rates. No one would question purchasing a fire extinguisher, or having a plan to execute if a fire were to occur. Oddly however, some think the idea of personal protection in any form, to be an over reaction. I don't view owning a fire extinguisher and knowing how to use it a bad idea or an over reaction. Nor do I feel that way about personal protection, or at least a having a plan, even if that plan is simply running away as fast as possible. If we are willing to wear a helmet and riding gear, we are admitting there is a chance we will need that gear. We purchase fire extinguishers because we are acknowledging that fire is a risk. Why would you not think personal protection at least worthy of some consideration? I just find that odd.
RT
RT
If you're strapped for cash, sure, it includes yeoman examples of the items, and it's a reasonable value. But I agree with @dwalby that better can be had for not much more cash but with significantly higher performance.
When you're curled up just trying to stay warm along the roadside as the wind howls, you'd trade that $50 in your wallet right then and there for that better sleeping bag.
A piece of gear that I think gets almost completely overlooked is a bivy sack, particularly in combination with a tent. Mine's an REI Minimalist Bivy which I'm afraid I don't see on their site at the moment. On cooperative nights it's a quick and easy flop down - as easy as throwing your sleeping bag on the ground. But with a tent, it adds in my opinion and easy 15 to 20°F additional comfort range.
As for packing, here I am in the middle of my cross country motorcycle ride in '93.
- LL Bean rectangular bag in a compression sack in the Eclipse tailpack along with my 4 D-battery incandescent lantern, 2.5gal Reliance collapsible water jug, and a mess kit (no stove on this trip).
- EMS dome tent and Therma-rest air mattress beneath the tailpack.
- Clothes, toiletries, street wear in one bag. Raingear, first aid kit, extra gloves, tools beyond the OEM in the other. Eclipse tank bag for all the rest, camera, snacks, etc.
- A Grateful Dead, Steal Your Face bicycle water bottle clipped to the cargo net that kept my Igloo mini-Playmate cooler in place.
- A cheap, throw-away stool that was an MBNA give-way at Loudon that year on the seat (still have it).
The one downside was I lacked the ability to cook, not even boil water, so I ate at diners a lot and consumed a lot of gorp, granola bars, and beef jerky, with the occasional chunk of cheese.
I followed some of your northern route in your plan from South Dakota west. I'd urge you to go into Wyoming via the Black Hills and Jewel Cave NM. Stop at Devils Tower if you can. I didn't on this trip and regretted it. Made up for it a couple of years ago accompanying my daughter back to school on the east coast. Drive through Yellowstone at the very least. And dip down to the Grand Tetons if you can.
Best trip ever! (for me)
Attachments
Everyone defines "appropriate risk management" for themselves, regardless of the situation.
We all ride, and argue about deer whistles and their usefulness etc (when really, in most cases, slowing down before you see a deer is probably more effective, it's just also more boring).
Praise the Lord,and pass the ammunition.(Dixie chicks).
st11ray
2006 ST1300
Do you wear a helmet when riding in states that don't require one? If so, why? Are you scared?
Yes a good starting point. I like the R value of the sleeping pad. The synthetic sleeping bag is good. In theory it retains it’s heating properties if it gets damp whereas down fill does not. ( I made a top quilt out of synthetic I will try it out this year). It looks like good quality equipment and will last you for a few seasons and keep you comfortable on your proposed trip.
rwthomas1
Site Supporter
Been a few decades since I have camped, did backpack and car camping all around the US. I was a fan of Eureka tents back then, were good value for the money. Partial to fiberglass tent poles over aluminum I'm seeing now. Any gear that is backpacking oriented VS car camping oriented will tend to be lighter, smaller, and of arguably higher quality. Having never camped from a motorcycle, I'm assuming space and weight is at a premium, and the backpacking stuff is better. That REI package looks entry level.
I like to use a sleeping bag liner. I run hot so the bag is often too much, so I can unzip partially and the liner is perfect. Similarly, the liners can be used to make a 3 season bag a 4 season bag, or just use the liner alone on summer nights. Having a hot weather liner, and a cold weather liner makes the whole setup more flexible and it all packs smaller.
I bring a pillowcase. I like a pillow, my neck really bothers me without one. Stuff it with jacket liners, sweatshirt, etc. and you have a place to put your head. Packs away to nothing when traveling. Doubles as a sack to haul things, and it's free, I'm sure you already have one.
I'm a bargain shopper. Scour Craigslist, FB, backpacking forums, etc. People get in and out of this stuff all the time.
RT
I like to use a sleeping bag liner. I run hot so the bag is often too much, so I can unzip partially and the liner is perfect. Similarly, the liners can be used to make a 3 season bag a 4 season bag, or just use the liner alone on summer nights. Having a hot weather liner, and a cold weather liner makes the whole setup more flexible and it all packs smaller.
I bring a pillowcase. I like a pillow, my neck really bothers me without one. Stuff it with jacket liners, sweatshirt, etc. and you have a place to put your head. Packs away to nothing when traveling. Doubles as a sack to haul things, and it's free, I'm sure you already have one.
I'm a bargain shopper. Scour Craigslist, FB, backpacking forums, etc. People get in and out of this stuff all the time.
RT
Whooshka
Fairly faST old guy
Agree. Just like there is a huge difference between aware and paranoid.
Whooshka
Fairly faST old guy
So the thing you have to decide is if it is right for you! My tent is 9 X 7 I think. I'll sacrifice extra16 square inches of packing space because I like to have the room to bring my gear in with me. That one looks tight. And I am a restless sleeper, I can't do a sleeping bag like that. Mine is usually unzipped and used as a blanket.
correction " THE BEST " My wife and I still binge watch it every once and a while
I've camped on almost every bike trip I've ever been on and have been with dozens of different riders who have different types of gear. For me it comes down to two things, being able to haul it, and comfort when you use it.
I carry a nylon dome tent, about 7' X 7'. It's big enough that you can have all your gear in it and still have enough room to sleep comfortably. It's also tall enough to stand up in, stooped over, which is like heaven when you're trying to get dressed on a cool or rainy morning. The guys who have brought those coffin sized tents have usually hit the first sporting good store for a dome tent after a couple of days. Set up the tent in your back yard and spray it with a water proofer. The best tents have a plastic tarp like tub on the bottom that comes up a few inches on the side and a full rain fly which you'll love if it rains all night.
I carry a full sized sleeping bag, one good down to 30 degrees or so. Plus one of those fleece blankets that can be rolled up small. It's so much easier to sleep with the bag open if it's warm than to lay there and shiver all night because you are freezing to death. That small fleece blanket will add a huge dimension of warmth too on a cold night. Just roll it up in your sleeping bag. I usually sleep with a light wool cap on cold nights. Keep your head warm and your toes will stay warm. Don't forget some sort of pillow. A travel type "My Pillow" is great. Rolls up tight. Just put it in your sleeping bag when you roll it up.
Nothing is worse than sleeping on a rock all night or a pinecone that's underneath your tent. I carry a single sized Coleman air mattress. Thing is like five inches thick when it's blown up, and big enough to give lots of comfort. It makes any irregularities on the sleeping surface a non-factor. Insulates from the cold ground too. I carry a simple Coleman battery operated air pump that inflates the mattress in a minute or so. Speaking air mattresses, the biggest mistake guys do is too much air. Put enough air in it so that your butt barely touches bottom when you sit on it. That will be perfect to sleep on. Also, put your mattress and sleeping bag diagonally in the tent so that you have more head room and foot room from the tent wall. Even the best tents will get a little moisture inside.
I carry the sleeping bag and mattress and pump in a duffel bag strapped to the rear seat (tough to do if you're riding two up). That gives me room in my trunk for rain gear and jackets where I can get at them easily. Clothes, tools, toiletries, and so on go in the saddle bags. Wrap everything, especially clothes and sleeping bag in plastic trash bags. I've seen lots of high dollar saddle bags that leak when riding in the rain all day. A wet sleeping bag and wet clothes suck. Tent goes on top of the duffle bag. Use ratchet straps t keep everything secure. Guy I know used bungee cords, but it went WAY bad when his bag came loose and got down into his rear wheel on the Interstate at 75 mph. He's no longer with us. Make sure everything is secure.
I always carry when I tour. A small 9mm. I'm licensed to carry, but not all states recognize it, so I don't carry loaded. I just keep it locked in the saddle bag with a magazine in my tank bag. Then I just slip the magazine in it at night. Never had a problem, but did have something snooting around out side one night in Wyoming that had me wide awake with that 9mm in my hand. NEVER have any food in your tent. Bears can smell a candy bar even buried in the bottom of your sleeping bag. You should have seen what they did to our tents as a kid at the Philmont scout ranch to to get to a candy bar! Not being able to carry really spooked me while traveling in Canada, as they have BIG bears up there. But we camped for ten days and never had an issue.
We never cook when we tour. Eat at restaurants. Get up and ride a couple of hours, then stop for breakfast. Snack for lunch when getting gas, then somewhere decent for dinner after camp is set up. Love KOA's and such that have showers and sometime hot tubs. I do carry some emergency rations. Can of beans or jerky, can of peaches, pop tarts, etc. as we've had to dry camp with now chow eating places for miles. Hang them in a bag in a tree or on a poll or something.
If you do stay in a motel, lock the bike up. We cable ours together, plus put a disc lock on it. Helps to sleep at night. That's why I prefer camping as the bike is three feet away instead of two stories down in a parking lot.
I carry a nylon dome tent, about 7' X 7'. It's big enough that you can have all your gear in it and still have enough room to sleep comfortably. It's also tall enough to stand up in, stooped over, which is like heaven when you're trying to get dressed on a cool or rainy morning. The guys who have brought those coffin sized tents have usually hit the first sporting good store for a dome tent after a couple of days. Set up the tent in your back yard and spray it with a water proofer. The best tents have a plastic tarp like tub on the bottom that comes up a few inches on the side and a full rain fly which you'll love if it rains all night.
I carry a full sized sleeping bag, one good down to 30 degrees or so. Plus one of those fleece blankets that can be rolled up small. It's so much easier to sleep with the bag open if it's warm than to lay there and shiver all night because you are freezing to death. That small fleece blanket will add a huge dimension of warmth too on a cold night. Just roll it up in your sleeping bag. I usually sleep with a light wool cap on cold nights. Keep your head warm and your toes will stay warm. Don't forget some sort of pillow. A travel type "My Pillow" is great. Rolls up tight. Just put it in your sleeping bag when you roll it up.
Nothing is worse than sleeping on a rock all night or a pinecone that's underneath your tent. I carry a single sized Coleman air mattress. Thing is like five inches thick when it's blown up, and big enough to give lots of comfort. It makes any irregularities on the sleeping surface a non-factor. Insulates from the cold ground too. I carry a simple Coleman battery operated air pump that inflates the mattress in a minute or so. Speaking air mattresses, the biggest mistake guys do is too much air. Put enough air in it so that your butt barely touches bottom when you sit on it. That will be perfect to sleep on. Also, put your mattress and sleeping bag diagonally in the tent so that you have more head room and foot room from the tent wall. Even the best tents will get a little moisture inside.
I carry the sleeping bag and mattress and pump in a duffel bag strapped to the rear seat (tough to do if you're riding two up). That gives me room in my trunk for rain gear and jackets where I can get at them easily. Clothes, tools, toiletries, and so on go in the saddle bags. Wrap everything, especially clothes and sleeping bag in plastic trash bags. I've seen lots of high dollar saddle bags that leak when riding in the rain all day. A wet sleeping bag and wet clothes suck. Tent goes on top of the duffle bag. Use ratchet straps t keep everything secure. Guy I know used bungee cords, but it went WAY bad when his bag came loose and got down into his rear wheel on the Interstate at 75 mph. He's no longer with us. Make sure everything is secure.
I always carry when I tour. A small 9mm. I'm licensed to carry, but not all states recognize it, so I don't carry loaded. I just keep it locked in the saddle bag with a magazine in my tank bag. Then I just slip the magazine in it at night. Never had a problem, but did have something snooting around out side one night in Wyoming that had me wide awake with that 9mm in my hand. NEVER have any food in your tent. Bears can smell a candy bar even buried in the bottom of your sleeping bag. You should have seen what they did to our tents as a kid at the Philmont scout ranch to to get to a candy bar! Not being able to carry really spooked me while traveling in Canada, as they have BIG bears up there. But we camped for ten days and never had an issue.
We never cook when we tour. Eat at restaurants. Get up and ride a couple of hours, then stop for breakfast. Snack for lunch when getting gas, then somewhere decent for dinner after camp is set up. Love KOA's and such that have showers and sometime hot tubs. I do carry some emergency rations. Can of beans or jerky, can of peaches, pop tarts, etc. as we've had to dry camp with now chow eating places for miles. Hang them in a bag in a tree or on a poll or something.
If you do stay in a motel, lock the bike up. We cable ours together, plus put a disc lock on it. Helps to sleep at night. That's why I prefer camping as the bike is three feet away instead of two stories down in a parking lot.
This is a fallacious comparison.
Insurance is a contractual agreement with obligations clearly written in great detail and agreed to by both parties. If a claim is filed there exists a clear path for remedy. The outcome is not in usually in question and if it is the policy offers or bars arbitration.
When I show deadly force in response to a perceived threat I set in motion a chain of events where the outcome is far from certain. The outcome has become a gamble that will play out in a few seconds. At the least I will have to bear the burden of proving the perceived threat required showing or using deadly force, probably with the help of expensive legal counsel. At the worst I risk the loss of my health, my civil rights, my freedom, and quite possibly my life. I could take the life of another. It could go wrong in many ways, all for the need to retain possession of a few bucks in my pocket or a shiny thing that means nothing to my soul. I fear those who would kill the soul more than those that would take my life. For that eventuality I’ve entered a covenant, not a contract.
Though I own firearms and support the right for us to bear them, because I am not trained and them train constantly to use them as well as to judge situations where deadly force is justified, carrying on a cross country ride is something I judge as a risk not worth taking. Everyone makes their own choice. If you’re scared of losing your stuff then be prepared to defend it and risk the possible consequences.
st11ray
2006 ST1300
They can have my stuff but they can't beat me or take my life without me putting up a fight. Not all bad guys are just after your stuff. Some people are pure evil and it only takes 1 time to meet one and have things go south.
As to large bears, it's possible to kill one with a 9mm but more than likely you are going to just make him more angry with a 9.
As to large bears, it's possible to kill one with a 9mm but more than likely you are going to just make him more angry with a 9.
st11ray
2006 ST1300
Here's a little food for thought. My wife and I love to go hiking in the Western NC mountains. I'm sure these people thought that nothing bad could ever happen because it had never happened to them before.
Murders in our forests are still haunting a decade later
Memories of serial killer Gary Michael Hilton preying on Pisgah National Forest hikers still haunts me 10 years later.
www.citizen-times.com
Sadlsor
Site Supporter
I feel the viewpoints expressed thus far are doing / have done squat to change anyone's mind.
My primary world view is, we have rights and we have civil liberties in this US of A, and we need to recognize and remember that.
Insofar as I'm not breaking the law, independent of and regardless whether you agree -- you can have an opinion and are welcome to it, but do NOT attempt to force me to do things "your" way. That will end badly for all.
And let's remember: feelings do not supercede rights.
My primary world view is, we have rights and we have civil liberties in this US of A, and we need to recognize and remember that.
Insofar as I'm not breaking the law, independent of and regardless whether you agree -- you can have an opinion and are welcome to it, but do NOT attempt to force me to do things "your" way. That will end badly for all.
And let's remember: feelings do not supercede rights.
