What ever it takes to sleep, that's what you take. I don't care if it is a pair of fuzzy bunny slippers. How much you will enjoy the next day will be almost totally dependent on your sleep. I take a small cot, foam, and sleeping bag. Collapsible chair, and cooking gear. Of course I have a decker and ride solo. So you will have to adjust accordingly. Everything I have is UltraLite (read ultra expensive) backpacking gear.
And a wool blanket I can toss over on cooler nights.
If you're still looking for tents or other camping gear, I highly recommend Campmor in Paramus NJ. They have a large store. Mail order is their core business.
I used to live in Davidsonville. Rt 50 West of D.C. is a fairly good road. Small towns merging into larger towns and then back to small towns.
Over the 4th of July Holiday i rode solo to Ohio to check on a few rental properties and vist family. From Annapolis i took 70 to 68 to 79n then I hit up the back roads along the ohio river. I just HAD to stop at "the gap" and enjoy the view, which is just a few miles west of the 68/70 inner change. and of course when i arrive at my mothers house theres no room in the garage to park so i grab some 2x8s and placed the bike in the living room. Round trip it was 793 miles.
the bike ran excellent and no problems finding gas, and of course it always rains in the mountains....if you look closely at the pic of the bike in the living room you can spot my blue bubble mask is easily accessible for when the weather changes.
I have bought items from REI, their store brand products are good as well. I especially like the quarter dome 2 tent. I have also had good luck buying backpacking items from CL and Ebay.
Don't know who to be more impressed with, you or your wife for doing long trips on the Sportie. Youth helps I suppose. I see you plan to head west on I70. If you take I70 through Kansas in the afternoon, watch out for crosswinds. They pushed my Wide Glide around quite a bit.
Like the Sportie, miss mine. Though the longest trip I ever did on my 1200C was around 400 miles or so.
This thread is definitely making me envious man. Looks like a blast. My girl hates my bike. She calls it my lady that I'm cheating on her with. Safe journeys!
Over the weekend I had some free time, after a little rideto Harpers Ferry and a stop at Roy Rogers (first time vist, long time wanting)I decided to try out a different method of packing. In early May we took a tripto Myrtle Beach ( see previous post ) and I just stuffed our stuff into abookbag and tossed a black trash bag over it. I did make sure it was contractorgrade trash bag as those are thicker and less prone to tearing. I think thesquare shape of the book bag and the tent sticking out had a negative effect onmpg, even with my wife on the back. I have a large sea bag/duffle bag and with the purchase ofour new tent it is the correct size to fit into the duffle bag. Also in theduffle bag I managed to place my sleeping bag, both sleeping pads, all the tentstuff(hammer,tent pad) and my 3 days worth of clothes. We figured a nights restin a hotel every 3 days would be a nice break from the tent. My wife wasnt presentso I couldnt account for her clothes or sleeping bag but Im pretty sure theywill fit, as there was a lot of empty space in the sea bag.
After a short ride (30miles) I feel as if the sea bag is a differentimprovement. The tall cylinder shape is easyer to bungee to the sissy bar, lessbulky then the book bag, and being able to just toss everything in will improvepack-up time. I am also hoping this will eliminate our plan for using saddlebags .
Ignore the user name, as I used to have a Road glide, still a favorite touring machine. I got a street bob that same color and went back to the old school look, ride. I had always liked that color when they came out with it and actually liked and inquired of a sporty 72 in that color, but couldn't make the deal, but months later went with the street bob, same color. I to envy you on your trip and your wife appears to be a real trooper for going with the flow of things, congrats ! Enjoy your cross country adventure and ride safe ! I will be following your adventure on here as well as many other's ! Used to work with a guy years ago, that unfortunately is no longer with us, anyhow he told me a brief story how he rode to Tx. and to Sturgis from Pa. twice on a sporty and that was a good trip for him. At the time I just looked at him as I thought he was crazy as his brother has a touring bike, but I could tell in his voice he really enjoyed it, this was on an 03 sporty 1200.
I'm in N.w. Ohio, east of Toledo, a few miles n.of st rte. 2. Not far from Maumee bay st park, which has camping, or you could camp here if needed, 5 acres, pond, and a place to park ur scooter, It's quite aways to rt 70 tho
06-30-2017, 10:05 PM
