Camping on the side of the road.

I rode from Missoula, MT to Buffalo, NY taking only back roads. Camped off the road the whole way, no troubles. Stop late, leave early. On a separate occasion I did sleep in a Walmart once, awoke to the guy buffing the floor by my head.

WOW! How did you come up with that idea? In most of the walmarts I have been in the crazies come out after 10 pm.

Did you just find a quiet corner and lie on the floor and fall asleep?

An apartment complex isn't an ideal location, but it works in a pinch. Small towns are better. In live in a fairly small town — population: 12,500 — and I wouldn't have any problems setting up a tent for a night in any of the complexes around here. None of which has a security guard. Heck, most of them have part-time managers.

I can definitely see where it would be much different in a larger city. And I agree, it would probably be a bigger risk.

I don't make a habit of it, but camping in an apartment complex has worked for me a couple times. In today's disconnected world, no one bothers you much. They all assume you're a resident, or visiting a resident.

Just as a side note; reading through this thread and saw the several pages of CCW. As a retired LEO, my point would be if your trespassing while stealth camping (Whether knowingly of not) possession of a firearm will increase your our misdemeanor indiscretion into a felony in many places. No need to loose your right to carry because of stupidity.

Yeah, it was like ten years ago. I just grabbed a baby blanket for a pillow and passed out.

Love my Hennessy Hammock! Did you know you are not allowed to hang a hammock in a state park anywhere in FL??

Got harassed by a ranger inside of a state park campground. State law prohibits hanging anything from a tree!?

Probably because they are not aware of the negligible (non-existent?) amount of damage 1" wide webbing does to trees.

Once a law like that is on the books, there has to be a pretty good reason to go through the trouble to change it. "Meh, you probably could" doesn't cut it as sufficient reason. Unfortunately.

yeah...a lot of states have that rule. CT is one im aware of. that's why i usually try to stay in forests, and wma's. or on the side of the road

I camped with my RT. The only trip I took on the new R the weather was so bad I stayed in a motel both nights.

I have the same storage as the RT. I didn't' use the top box, the tent, bedroll and sleeping bag go there. Both
have factory saddle bags.


Alabama swamps in western NY this fall.

Cavebiker,

Can I ask what camera you mostly are using?

Some of your images are quite stunning, and caught my eye, so I have to ask, what camera please?

Hope to see you some time between the northshore and Hayward.

I guess in the NE it would be good to see if there are state forests nearby your route?

I've stayed in Wal-Mart lots, grocery store lots, and Truck Stops of American lots. Just go in late, find a spot out of the way, pitch the tent in a grassy area somewhere off to the side or back lot, and go to sleep. Trucks idling are good sleep aids...seriously! I figure truckers are armed, so I'll be safe in a truck stop.
Some good places are old cemeteries. I stayed in several. Not too much traffic in a cemetery overnight. I do not disrespect the plots, but stay off the sides in the grassy areas, mostly under a tree.
You can find a good logging road sometimes and head up them. Good copse of wateroak will give you lots of shade. Just watch out for the coyotes chasing the deer through there at night!

Probably because they don't have bears. In bear country you are encouraged to hang your edible smelling gear from trees.

Also, ropes can damage the tree bark and nitwits are always pounding in nails and leaving them there.

Sometimes, if you explain to a rational park ranger how the hammock hangs with straps that don't harm the trees rather than ropes, they will let you skate on that.

I stealth camp a good bit, because I am cheap, it extends my journey(more cash for food and gas), I hate dealing with people at campgrounds and hotels ( I travel to get away from people, not to hang out with strangers) and I love the adventure of snagging "naughty camping" :)

Outside of Salt Lake in a small town park



And of course my favorite - ON the Blue Ridge Parkway




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There are bears in Florida.

Not really. Stay outside of towns a bit and avoid the interstates (interstate culture is uniform across the country, why bother going anywhere if you are slabbing it?).

get off the road as best possible. Never camp where there is a lot of trash lying around (too close to the road + trashy people+. Ditto don't camp where there is a trash can (municipal parks and similar excepted). Same reason, you are to close to the routes people travel and those things attract wildlife.

Be discreet above all. In at dusk (good time to get off the road...deer) and out at first light. Always pack up first and then if the place is cool make breakfast, otherwise go on down the road a bit and find a place to cook.

There are free natnl Forest campground. But they are usually dry. Fire pit, pick nick tables and toilet but no water. Carry a Dromedary bag or similar and fill with water in the last town you go through.

Rural landowners tend to be cool if you are respectful of their property and persons. Close gates. Don't build fires. No (visible) firearms. Don't block roads.

I usually tarp the bike (black tarp) to hide the reflective stuff and break up the outline. A lot of the west is very open country and you may find scant cover.

Keep your ID in a chest pocket and if confronted by LE, offer it before being asked. Reaching for wallet in back pocket is not so good; hands in front of you.

Don't sleep next to the bike, they fall over.

if I am carrying a tent I seldom set it up. Good for bad weather or bad bugs otherwise I enjoy the stars. A bivvy bag is better, Quick to deploy and pack, compact, fine for rain and bugs. personally I don't really "camp". it's more like I lie down in sthis place for some sleep, dide to another place and stop to cook a meal, ride somewhere else to bathe. very much a hunter gatherer lifestyle, primitive like that. (But I hunt at grocery stores and gas stations). often if the tent or tarps/bivvy are damp I will spread them to dry at breakfast or lunch.

if you usually take a dump first thing in the morning consider this when choosing a campsite. I find my life takes on a very different rhythm when on the road An laundromats, gas stations and grocery stores become the pit stop of choice.

Bears are mostly an issue in the back country. They like campgrounds for the munchies but also draw heat and get relocated. Still, do all the basic bear precautions (no food in "camp", wash anything that has food on it or spilled on it.)

Mosquitoes and especially ticks are a bigger problem. Use dope and do tick checks when camping in likely areas.

Get a guidebook to hotsprings of the west. Many are primitive and free. No soap. Carry bathing trunks for the ones where that is the norm. (also good for municipal swimming pools, another cheap clean-up).

At 5,000ft and above it can get very cold at night (frost on the sleeping bag) right through the summer. be prepared. (I use a polypro inner bag in my regular bag, gives me options).

Good list. But I don't agree with the slab comment. In a perfect World I would but...

Sadly, due to time constraints, I generally have to do a chunk or two of Super Slab miles on my way out or on the return trip. I try to mix it up a little by taking new roads... Roads I have either never been on or ones that it has been many years since I have been on.
Thankfully, not all slabs are created equal. Out here in the West there are hundreds of high speed sweeper Slab miles to be found.

I didn't say the road's the same, I said the culture. The people and their style.