I am trying to talk my hubby into buying camping gear and camping at least some of the nights on our bike trips. His memories of tent camping are not good evidently because I am making no headway. Can any of you share any info on your camping experiences, good or bad? and what tent etc do you use?

I posted this same question on the Queens forum. thought I'd see if any of you would like to chime in on this for me.

Thanks!
Dena

 

There are a couple threads in this section on camping. I myself do not camp from the bike just because I don't want/don't have room for the extra gear.
Do you know what it is about camping he doesn't like? Maybe then you can address the concerns he has?

 

I think it's great you are up for tent camping on rides, my wife surprised me by saying the same this winter! but she did throw in the caveat that it would not be two nights in a row....one night in the tent, and then the next in a hotel....lol. hell, I'll take it!

 

You are the adventurous type that likes to try this type of stuff, and your husband won't even consider it?

Time for a new husband.

 

lol, frostbite! No way! he's just the best in so many other ways.

 

My wife and I have been riding together since 1978. We have had many good camping trips together a few by ourselves and most with other couples. The comradery is great, and even our worst trip brings back fond emmories today. Pack light, plan to go out for dinner, enjoy the ride.

Our worst trip - Traveled 6 hours to a Rally, pulled in and the girls said no way.... Rode through and out the other side and went looking for a place to stay. Found a campground nearby with a sign in the drive "NO VACANCY" We went in and proceeded to convince the owner we were not like the others at the rally and needed a "Decent" place to spend the night. He said OK but the gate closed at 9:00. We were inside, spent the night by the fire along sside a nice pond, had a great time. Then rode home the following day in the rain. My 2 sleeping bags 1 on each saddlebag were like a sponge, maybe 100 lbs each by the time we got home, but we were smiling and had an excellent time. "Good Times With Good Frends" and very cheap.

 

With camping ,, did it a lot when single and now single again so just me and the bike.. Now being 57 now like a few SOFT items and not hard ground. I found that I have an older dome tent that is 6' in the center so I can stand up in the tent. Tent actually sleeps four so me and a nice queen size air mattress work great. The mattress rolls up inside my sleeping bag and does not take up much room.. so I carry my tent, sleeping bag with air mattress and chair on the bike with NO problem.

 

Our idea of camping

 

I would recommend packing as little as you can. That means the smallest tent you can fit a queen size air mattress in. The mattress should be the kind that manually inflates not the ones with the pump built in. It should also be a single tier high. You can use a garbage bag filled with air to help inflate it. Don't pack any food or cooking supplies. Plan on eating out. Use the lightest sleeping bags you're comfortable using. I use a fleece sleeping bag with my twin air mattress and it rolls up together to the same size as my pup tent. Look into inflatable pillows as well. When I travel with my girlfriend we restrict ourselves to one roll bag mounted to the handlebars and one sissybar bag for our clothes and toiletries. That with the tent, mattress and sleeping bags is all we pack. The bike will already be heavy enough with a rider and passenger. You don't want to weigh it down much more or mess with the bikes center of gravity.

Safe Travels!

 

cooking stuff etc... takes a whole new game. Tent, air pad, sleep bags, not so much. Hammock and tarps?

Still have great memories of people we met in campgrounds. I would hope it is the same but that was 20 years ago.We pulled in a campground, I started prepping to warm supper while my bud put up tent. Lady in the rv next to us was like "oh no" took our cans inside, came out with bowls of hot food, we sat around the fire and had to hear their stories of travels and give our bike tales. And breakfast and coffee the next morning was waiting.

One of many encounters. Great folks we've met in campgrounds. We split our gear between the 2 bikes so room issue was minimum. We also hit a hotel every 3rd night or so or after longer mile days. Pool or tub feels great after 500 miles