[clarkjh]

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Need some advice on the bare nacessities needed for two people, (Crys and I) to carry on the bike for an over nighter this weeked. I do some camping but all my stuff is sized for carrying in a car or truck.

I have a three man tent, sleeping bag, colman stove (two burner) that I'm thinking is too big. Need to get an lamp to have, my big colman will not cut it.

Just trying to figure out what can fit in a tank bag, and on the back rack of the CB550.

Thanks
James

 

[Cousin Jack]

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Is yours a three-person backpacking tent? If so, should do..... Red and I, who usually camp all the time, carry a four-person Eureka. Yours should fit crosswise on the rack.....

The two-burner stove is overkill...... get a Coleman one-burner, or the nifty little Jetboil system.....

Don't you have sidebags? If not, put your sleeping bag and mat in a waterproof bag and tie it on top of the tent.......

Lantern? Overkill..... get a LED headlamp and a candle lantern......

Here's wifey, and our ST set up for a month long trip.... the yellow bags are PVC dry-seals, a sleeping bag each in the sides, and the Eureka and a Coleman air mattress on the rack..... one burner Coleman 535 andone pot are in the hardcases.
As I said, we usually camp all the time, but this year I couldn't sleep on the Coleman air mattress because of a shoulder operation in March.... so we motelled it a lot......

For just an overnighter, why take a stove at all? Coffee, breakfast, and dinner in a fastfood belcher is probably just as cheap, and you don't have to pack the stove....

 

[norton]

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The minimum?????

....a tent.

 

[clarkjh]

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Thanks for the reply CJ
I have bags for the 550 but the 30 something old plastic has seen better days and I haven't had a chance to fix them with working on the GL1100. I'm not sure how close the nearest breakfast joint is from where we will be camping. I have borrowed Baja Deck Bag that I can strap to the tank and a medium KANUK bag to put on the rack from a relative that says they will stay water proof even after being in the drink for 20 minutes or more.
This is the first over night with the little bike so just need the bare minium. When I was younger I would have just said that all I needed was cold beer to last me the night, but have wised up, a little at least.

James

 

[clarkjh]

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norton wrote:

The minimum?????

....a tent.

lol
Need to feed the wife in the morning, and if she doesn't have her morning coffee, look out.

James

 

[norton]

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sometimes you just gotta suck it up, to get what you want.

I can camp pretty light, even with the ol'lady. we dont cook, just pick up some pre cooked chow (KFC, ect) and enough brew to get us through the night.

I also never camp with a fire, my maglight is always handy, but we only turn it on when necessary. you would be suprised how well your eyes adjust to the dark and how much you can see with just a little moonlight.

Lately my woman has been carrying a french press and if there is hot water, she makes coffee. If not, well, that just motivates us to get back on the road sooner.

 

[clarkjh]

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The only problem when eating out on the road is that I have to be very careful because I have a food allergy, (cows milk). A lot of the fast food joints foods I can't eat.

I figure we should be able to pack everything we need in the two bags. That will include a change of dry cloths and rain gear. I just wasn't sure on what I would need for a small stove and light.

James

 

[Cousin Jack]

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Yup.....

We brew coffee (actually, just boil the water in our pot and throw in three or four coffee singles) in the morning and drink it while we're breaking camp....

We then ride 100 miles before stopping for more coffee and breakfast either in a McDonalds or a local cafe, "Mom and Pop"...... we enjoy cooking one pot meals at night, although our time down south this summer maybe ruined us forever...... They really know how to cook and eat down there!

Dubswing and his wife fed me sausage, gravy, and grits at one of their favorite Knoxville restaurants and I nearly ate myself dead......

Here I am on the road in Nebraska with our morning "Cowboy Coffee............"

edit: re the stove..... go visit your local climbing or backpacking shop. Amazing gear now, at reasonable prices......... take a look at the cartridge stoves available. For an overnighter, a single cartridge will do you just fine!

 

[norton]

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Rain gear?
Are you planning on camping in the rain?

Personally, I would just check the weather channel and if it looks like crappy weather, I wouldn't go.

 

[Winger77]

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Like said before, your eyes adjust better then you think. And the headlamp is a great item. Single burner stove and a small pot to heat about 2-3 cups of water. Folgers singles for your morning coffee goes well till you can make a stop later.

 

[clarkjh]

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It's a vintage bike meet, I have got to go. That and it's only a 5 hour ride one way, so not too far from home. Also, weather doesn't really matter much to Crys and I, it's all about the ride. At least the place has an outhouse on site, now that's a comfort when camping.

James

 

[kyboy67]

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norton wrote:

Rain gear?
Are you planning on camping in the rain?

Personally, I would just check the weather channel and if it looks like crappy weather, I wouldn't go.

If I had to watch a weather channel,I would never get to ride,if your gonna plan a trip, theweatherdoes'nt matterwith us,we ride....

 

[kyboy67]

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I quit using a lantern years ago and only use candle's for light (doesn't draw the bugs) and they are great if it get's a little colder at night than you thought it was going to,light up a candle in a tent and you will be suprised at how warm you will stay.

 

[norton]

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kyboy67 wrote:

norton wrote:

Rain gear?
Are you planning on camping in the rain?

Personally, I would just check the weather channel and if it looks like crappy weather, I wouldn't go.

If I had to watch a weather channel,I would never get to ride,if your gonna plan a trip, theweatherdoes'nt matterwith us,we ride....

It determines what I'm packing.

 

[norton]

imported post

kyboy67 wrote:

I quit using a lantern years ago and only use candle's for light (doesn't draw the bugs) and they are great if it get's a little colder at night than you thought it was going to,light up a candle in a tent and you will be suprised at how warm you will stay.

An open flame in a tent?? :shock:



NO THANKS!

 

[Cousin Jack]

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clarkjh wrote:

It's a vintage bike meet, I have got to go. That and it's only a 5 hour ride one way, so not too far from home. Also, weather doesn't really matter much to Crys and I, it's all about the ride. At least the place has an outhouse on site, now that's a comfort when camping.

James

Hey, James......

I can't tell your age from your avatar, but if you have reached a certain age (like me!) and your, ahem, prostrate has 3:00am issues, a tightly sealed, wide-mouth bottle will ease your way in the tent! And you only have to spill it once to know to never spill it again! (Don't ask!)

One quart gatorade bottle are just about right.... empty them in the afternoon, and fill them at night! If there are kids nearbye, I let their behavior determine what I do with the filled bottle..... If they are nice kids, I carry it to a disposal and get rid of it.... if they were little jerks, I leave it on the picnic table when we leave, hoping they'll grab it and think it's lemonade!

:cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1:

 

[Dusty Boots]

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You might want to look at this for a decenttent: http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/forum4/70637.html

Although a 2 man/person tent, it is fairly 'spacious' for a 2 man/person tent and excellent coverage/protection. Also, the tent bag that the tent comes in, will roll down to a smaller bag and with the poles removed, packs into a fairly small bundle.(see my 'slide show' in that link and you'll see what I mean. Picture 3, 4 & 6) With the addition of a Compression Sac(I would suggest the 25L one), it will shrink down is size yet again.(series of pics near the end of the slide show)

For a beauty little stove, this is what I use. I also use the Snow Peak GigaPower fuel, as it performs the best, yet is the cheapest. Might have to go to a store to pick the fuel up though(dangerous goods)

For a pot set, this would serve you well, as it has the cups /bowls included with the pot and your stove/fuel container store inside of it, so it's nice and compact.

Asmentioned, a pair of LED Headlamps will provide lots of illumination around camp and for doing 'chores'

You'll want some kind of a sleeping pad. The most 'basic' is a slab of closed cell foam. Keeps you warm, but not much 'cush'!

The 'air mattress, while the most compact, has no insulation in them and transmit the cold to your body. There are insulated ones, but would run you $80, or better.

Self inflating ones contain foam and are fairly cushy and insulate well from the cool ground to keep you warm and pack fair small. It's a matter of personal preference.



Dusty

 

[Dusty Boots]

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Or, for a bare minimum and the biting insects aren't bad, just use one of these!

Many different ways to pitch them and still have a fair amount of 'pivacy'

 

[clarkjh]

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I like the tarp idea, but don't think the wife would go for that.
Thanks for the ideas, this is what I'm looking for. Like I said, I am use to taking bigger stuff when camping because a car has more room.

James

 

[dingdong]

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Cousin Jack wrote:

Hey, James......

I can't tell your age from your avatar, but if you have reached a certain age (like me!) and your, ahem, prostrate has 3:00am issues, a tightly sealed, wide-mouth bottle will ease your way in the tent! And you only have to spill it once to know to never spill it again! (Don't ask!)

One quart gatorade bottle are just about right.... empty them in the afternoon, and fill them at night! If there are kids nearbye, I let their behavior determine what I do with the filled bottle..... If they are nice kids, I carry it to a disposal and get rid of it.... if they were little jerks, I leave it on the picnic table when we leave, hoping they'll grab it and think it's lemonade!

:cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1:

Yeah man! :clapper::shock::cheeky1::cheeky1:That's a riot.