Thanks for all of the info that has been posted!

Here are a couple of things I put together for my trips. Hope you find them useful.
There are two tabs on the template - trip planner and sites to see.

Also, googledrive has an intermittent problem opening the template. Might have to refresh or copy the link to a new tab.

Trip Prep checklist
Trip Planner template (excel)

Also,

LEATHER PANTS.

There’s nothing better for those cold mornings.

It's hard not to over pack. Even still is for me.
I try & stick with 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of shorts, sandals, & 1+2 for underwear/socks. 1 pair for each day before laundry day plus 2 more.
The u/s that I have that are technical fabric count as multiple in my mind. I can wash them in the sink of the hotel & hang them to dry & they're like new in the morning. Usually much earlier than that as they are wicking so they dry very quickly.
I don't pack a camera since the pictures from the phone are so good now. I need to figure out a good way to prop up my phone to set the timer though.
I don't carry a lot of tools. Multi-tool (like Leatherman), Allen wrench & wrench that fits highway pegs, jump pack, 2 pairs of gloves, first aid kit, couple of bandana (face masks, 1st aid, etc.), sunglasses, tinted goggles, clear lens glasses, microfiber towel, detailer or windshield cleaner, charging cable, sunscreen, water bottles (2, 1 liter like Smart Water) that get refilled a couple of times then replaced, & maps.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some things though.

If you are traveling with a spouse It's easy to pack only 1 tube of toothpaste, 1 shampoo, 1 bodywash, etc. You'll be fine smelling like flowers, it won't last anyway. Or use the free soap at the hotel.

Camping is fairly simple.
Sleeping bag, self inflating mattress, 2 tarps (ground cover & awning if it rains), bug spray, fire starters (toilet paper tube w/ dryer lint), & lighter.
I'll be adding a camping chair to the list & possibly an inflatable pillow.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...8a1dfbc0d3.jpg
KISS method


It's nice to get reminded of my roots every once in awhile. I find myself getting soft so I need to "rough it" on the bike every now & again. Long rides & camping are just the ticket.

You'll find you actually need much less than you think.

Saddlebags can't carry everything you want, but they can carry everything you need
- Unknown

I pack a 1 man/3 women tent, 8in queen size air mattress, a comforter and a sheet in my saddle bags. The tent is a backpacking tent off amazon. Think I paid around 175. That's the only compact gear I use. The air mattress is one of those 18 dollar ones that Walmart sells. I'll pack the tent, air mattress, and comforter in one saddle bag and in the other i'll pack the sheet, tools, and other odd and ends. I picked up one of those backpacks that slides over the passenger back rest and sits on the luggage bar to carry my clothes and stuff. The air mattress takes up the most room. I'm curious about these compact cots. are they really comfortable? how much room to they take up? with the setup i'm using, it gets pretty cold when it drops below 60

While an air mattress would be great I just can't see me having the room. What do you use to inflate it? When I packed for Alaska I overpacked and know I didn't need as many clothes so that will free up a lot of room. When I go back it will be with the wife, she will be only going one way but I will have to become creative with space on the bike because I want to keep everything on the bike. I used a self-inflating sleeping pad the first time which was semi-bulky but one thing it didn't do is keep water off me on a bad rain night and got my sleeping bag wet.
Before I left I looked at a therm-a-rest lite cot used for backpacking and didn't buy it because of cost, the price now seems like a no brainer because spending three weeks on the ground for a few hundred dollars makes sense and will keep you off the ground. Plus they pack great. I will stick with my marmot 40* sleeping bag (packs small) but will have fleece liner for those cold nights which I didn't have but wished I did.

A few years ago when I went camping with friends they had a self inflating pad (thermarest I think?) and they both loved them. However, they were in tents so when it rained they stayed dry. And it did rain that weekend.

While I like camping, on long trips I stay in hotels because my back and the rest of my bones complain much less. However, I am considering making a run at the Hoka Hey in 2022 and that requires me to camp next to the bike so I am interested in what others use.

I guess it depends on how much it rains, my therm-a-rest cot didn't keep my bag/me dry. Having a cot a few inches off the ground I believe would have been better. It only rained that bad once on us, other than that we had good experiences camping on the ground. The guy that went with me was over sixty and he never complained about sleeping in a tent, maybe it was part of the experience that made out trip so great. I did post my trip in hear if you want to read about it.

I have done long trips and stayed in hotels which is fairly easy to do when you are traveling in the lower 48 or even my Nova Scotia trip. The problem when you travel to Alaska is you have to preplan (book ahead) or be willing to ride based on your lodging, I didn't want to do either since my time was limited. It was very easy to ride to start looking for a campground at the end of the day when you were ready to stop riding. It seemed campgrounds always have room for you to throw up a tent and was never far off, we used an app on my phone to find campgrounds and it worked great. I imagine trying to find a hotel everyday could become more difficult, especially when it came to the more remote areas of Canada.

My advice to you is if you plan to camp next to your bike and you are not afraid of spending money, buy the best sleeping arrangements you can. I don't think you will regret it. You can also look into this which I think would be great option. https://www.tensaoutdoor.com/

Look into a bivy sack.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bivy-sack.html

https://www.rei.com/product/147956/r...uperlight-bivy

They look nice and a great option but I had a 3 man tent for my trip. We set up camp in the rain, the ground was already soaked and it continued to rain throughout the night and the tent floor leaked. I feel if I had the cot as I mentioned to get me off the ground it could have made a difference.

Did you seam seal your tent? You can save money by making your own seam sealing product. Google it to learn how to do it.



https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-adv...of-a-tent.html