Camping on a bike

[dazco]

Believe it or not, at nearly 60 i have never gone camping on a bike. But within the next few weekends, possibly this one, i will no longer be able to say that !!! I'm having a bit of a 2nd wind lately and trying to throw away my depressed and hopeless attitude i have been nurturing for the last 5 or 8 years. No more feeling old and like i'm just waiting for the end dammit ! A friend who has a HD, but is otherwise a good guy, :y24: said we should do this. I suddenly got a wild hair and just thought heck yeah ! So i ordered a new rear tire which arrives tomorrow or wednesday, ordered a cheap sissy bar just for a place to tie my stuff to, and bought a new sleeping bag to replace my old one that got lost in my move a few years ago. Still have my old tent. If the bar gets here in time to mod it (it's not for my bike and needs modding to fit) and there are still open spots at the campground, i'll be off this weekend. Hope to be sitting next to a fire with a cold beer in my hand Saturday nite if i get it together in time. Really looking forward to this ! If all goes well this could be the first of many. Never did this with him b4 because he was married to a woman who wouldn't let him. The just got divorced. Knowing them and thier relationship it was the best thing for them. Looks like it was a good thing for me too !

 

[DaveM]

Well done Dale you go out there and get it that is the only way. Now don't forget that camera so we can see some pics of the camp site.

 

[otherwise]

Believe it or not, at nearly 60 i have never gone camping on a bike. But within the next few weekends, possibly this one, i will no longer be able to say that !!! I'm having a bit of a 2nd wind lately and trying to throw away my depressed and hopeless attitude i have been nurturing for the last 5 or 8 years. No more feeling old and like i'm just waiting for the end dammit ! A friend who has a HD, but is otherwise a good guy, :y24: said we should do this. I suddenly got a wild hair and just thought heck yeah ! So i ordered a new rear tire which arrives tomorrow or wednesday, ordered a cheap sissy bar just for a place to tie my stuff to, and bought a new sleeping bag to replace my old one that got lost in my move a few years ago. Still have my old tent. If the bar gets here in time to mod it (it's not for my bike and needs modding to fit) and there are still open spots at the campground, i'll be off this weekend. Hope to be sitting next to a fire with a cold beer in my hand Saturday nite if i get it together in time. Really looking forward to this ! If all goes well this could be the first of many. Never did this with him b4 because he was married to a woman who wouldn't let him. The just got divorced. Knowing them and thier relationship it was the best thing for them. Looks like it was a good thing for me too !

Hey man, you have it the wrong way around .... book the camp ground then go riding .... sorry but you go riding and if a camp ground is available that's a bonus, No camping ground slots, no problem, sleep under a tree.

 

[DaveM]

What I always do is try and make sure my tent looks something like this

 

[otherwise]

That's a good tent the same as my wife likes, but it's the ride first. Cabin, tent or under a tree, it's the ride first.

 

[DaveM]

Yes I also do it with the ride first

 

[Silli]

good one Dale. Have a blast.

I will admit to preferring Dave's tent.

 

[Rocky]

When I came back to motorcycles in 1992 I did a lot of bike camping around the province. I bought a small dome pop-up tent, a new sleeping bag, an air matress, and I was off. Everything was small and designed for back-packing so was easily mounted on the bike. I ate my meals in restaurants.
In those days I rode alone most of the time as I had no friends who were retired too. I could take off anytime I felt like it and be gone for 2-3 days.
I did this for about 6-7 years, but over time I slowly graduated to motels as I picked up friends who didn't want to rough it.
Camping isn't for everyone, but should be given a try just for the experience.
Good luck dazco. I hope things work out well for you.

 

[hemibee]

We have a group that is going camping this weekend but I think I'll pass unless the tent looks like Dave's photo. It's supposed to be around 105 DegF on Saturday, not sure if I want to try and camp with them.

 

[shanered6]

i just use my waterproof ex army sleeping bag ,and crash by the nearest camp fire

 

[dazco]

I like your tent Dave, but i have one like that at home, also a one thats non movable. I've done my share of camping, just not on a bike. So i will have to rough it a bit more than cage camping. There are still a couple good campsites left, but my bar hasn't even shipped so looks like i probably won't be able to book them before someone else. If i know i'd have it in time i could book it now. This and the weekend after are looking great weather wise, but the one after is labor day weekend and every last grain of sand is booked. By the way, here are the coordinates if you want to see the campsite with google earth... 35°55'41.30" N 118°29'26.35" W

 

[DaveM]

here are the coordinates if you want to see the campsite with google earth... 35°55'41.30" N 118°29'26.35" W

Well personalty I would rather stay in the camp site looks like you guys will be staying across the road in the mountains with the bears

Are you staying at Johnny Mc Nallys or Fairview Camp Grounds

 

[hemibee]

... here are the coordinates if you want to see the campsite with google earth... 35°55'41.30" N 118°29'26.35" W

You sure you want to camp there? That sure is one crooked road leading into it.

 

[dazco]

Fairview. And i've camped there before. It's not the most scenic place but it's nice. The river is very scenic tho, and the site furthest from it is only about 50 yards. It's a river that everyone goes to for river rafting because they have some class 5 rapids. A few people a year never make it out of them. My fav place to camp is bass lake, but it's a bit far for a single overnighter. 2 nites minimum if i'm going up there. But that place IS very scenic. It's right near Yosemite.

 

[Dilligaf]

Bass Lake is nice but IMHO the farther north ya go the better it gets.

 

[dazco]

I don't doubt that, but thats about as far as i'm usually willing to travel. In fact, like i said i won't even go that far till i know i'll be staying at least 2 days or more. Bass lake used to be even nicer, much nicer in fact. I've been going up there since i was 12. Seems about the 90's it really got crowded. I was a sort of insiders resort till then and wasn't nearly as crowded.
If you've never been to the upper falls at BL, it's amazing.

 

[DaveM]

I actually had a better look at it using Google street view and it does look nice. Looks like it is an awesome road for a bike ride

 

[dazco]

It is. The road up to the lake is amazing. The road runs parallel to the river for many miles and it's gorgeous scenery. Then the last maybe 10 miles from the lake to the campsite is nice but nothing like that ride up to the lake. But the road past the campsite looks like it becomes awesome from what i remember from driving another 2-3 miles up. But thats as far as i've gone. I hear it's quiet amazing tho so i guess that little taste of it was right on. One day...

 

[keystiger]

I like Daves version of camping!

But have done the other style many times. Used to be a Boy Scout Pack leader (scary yes I know) but never did the bike thing....was always hard to keep a dozen kids balanced on the bike with the tent and cooler you know? Pesky kids keep falling off, and crying!

But I must say dazco has inspired me. I am looking to do a nice long 3 day get outta the house and AWAY for a few days ride around mid Oct. A tent plan might be just the type of mental mutiny I need.

 

[DaveM]

There are some really cool tent that you can get for bike riding these days