laws on sleeping outside?

Cooled off a couple of weeks ago and tonight it got under 60 for the first time though to be honest mid 80's during the day and just under 70 at night is the expected right now. Still humid as heck though.

This is awesome and inspiring, thanks Jamie. Pictures really are worth 1K words. I bought a "bivy sack" at REI, basically a sleeping bag shaped rain suit with bug mesh over the face. Crawl into that fully clothed, should be good for the predicted temps on this trip.

Mountaineers have another name for a Bivy Sack: they call it a body bag.

I've got one, I've used it many, many times and it still gets hauled around when circumstances warrant, but I've found my backpacking tent is far nicer to spend an evening in, even if it does add 15 minutes to the takedown/setup portion of the day.

I'll invest in a decent backpacking tent if I ever get permission to take another multi-day tour, or when I retire, or get divorced, whichever comes sooner.

Or you spend a rainy weekend in a bivy...

They've certainly got their place. Like I said, I own one (OR Advanced Bivy) and use it, but a tent is 100% more comfortable for just a little more weight.

Another good resource is to ask the local cops if they know of someplace quiet where you could sleep safe and undisturbed

They know anyone that comes to them is not a criminal. Thay are usually glad to help. If not, then move along, and spend your money in a friendly town

Be sure to thank them, it is not a word they hear often enough.

Rod

The best sleeps I have ever had involve pulling off into the trees/brush, throw a dark tarp over the bike and get your head down. It helps to sleep with mans best friend, the short barreled colt. I have made it cross country a couple times like that. Oh and don't be a chicken shit !

Someone mentioned Walmart parking lots, those are great and free.
I had a cool experience at a Casino campground once. At the Avi in Laughlin for Bike week there we were just looking for a place to sack out under the desert sky and pulled in to the full hook up RV resort at the Avi and asked them if they had a regular tent type site. They said "if you dont care about where, you are welcome to just crash out in the corner of the RV storage overflow area." Pefect place for us. No one else around, level and smooth firm sand ground. Quiet and a small general store in the RV area for a couple cold brews and some snacks...crashed all night just great...right up until we woke up at about sun up getting sprinkled on....we thought it was raining unto we realized we were parked right next to the hillside of the golf course and the sprinklers were wetting us....very funny. But a good nights sleep.
Never hurts to ask.

Spent today prepping: off with the shorty screen, on with the Aztec spacers, toll tag lashed to mirror, bags stuffed with clothing, food, rain suit and bivy sack. All devices charged and I picked up a nifty USB charger for $30 to keep everything juiced up.

Leaving Boston before dawn, hope to hit NYC after rush hour. I may be delusional about making Lexington, KY by dusk. I did a 9-hour day around Quebec and felt pretty fresh, but I don't know about 15-hours straight through, I'm still new to long-distance touring. If the brain gets foggy, I'll definitely pull over.

My wife has accepted that I'm going, but still doesn't get why I want to do it. I'm having a hard time articulating it myself. Mid-life crisis? Maybe. Feels more like mid-life-now-I-can-afford-the-time-and-toys. Sitting still seems more risky.

OK turning in early, hope I can sleep!

Sorry. Just can't get too enthusiastic about this one. We will all be sleeping there soon enough....

Check out the AdvRider list here, or other bike-freindly sites..lots on Inmates will let you crash in their yard for a night.

:huh

Haha, I'm in the same boat as you. I left Wednesday morning, bought a bike in Richmond Virginia and on my way to New Mexico. Thursday night I camped in a major storm. Way up in the Appalachia's on the WVA/VA border on highway 250 at 3000 feet and found a small road leading into a dead end road. The paved road about 100 yards away curved away from me so no cars could really see. I was in a good spot minus mega rain. Behind churches, barns out in pastures and hell yea cemeteries are all good.

The neighbors are quiet and you're either the least of their troubles, or no trouble at all...

My grandfather would always say to me when we passed a cemetery, "You know how many dead people are buried there?" Of course, I would indulge him, "No. How many?" "All of them!" he would say and laugh and laugh.

You're out and about now, but this is a great reference thread for small bike camping. I use the same bivy sack with a 6x8 cheapo tarp.

This is how my buddies rich and walter roll – on the way back to NJ from their divide ride – walter is a sissy and needed the air mattress on the picnic table while Rich was much more hard core.” And no hassle from anyone

This is probably too late for the OP but in the Great Plains states there are often camping sites in town parks. Every small town has a little park with a few camping spots. The price is either free or a few bucks. I don't know about back East but maybe their is the same thing.

Chad

I have done it all in my younger days. The best spot is in the woods away from everyone, but even there I was once awakened in So. Cal by sheriffs deputies with guns drawn in the middle of the night and not treated very well.

Today the situation has changed dramatically for the worse IMHO. Just about everywhere there is zero tolerance for being on someone's private property without permission. I would fully expect to be confronted by someone with a gun or a LEO who will arrest me, if I get caught.

I think you would be much better off to just ask some local if they knew of a place where you could pitch a tent for the night. Out in some rural areas many people will let you camp on their woodlots etc.

It is worthy of note that to trespass one must be given notice not to be on a property. If there is no fencing or sign saying not to do something then you cannot be charged with trespassing. If there is a sign on private property prohibiting some action, say camping, and you camp anyway some jurisdictions will take that as "notice" and you can be charged. If the area is not fenced and there is no signage you cannot be arrested for trespass on private land. If you are not acting like you did something wrong, by that I mean hiding, then it is easy to assert your rights and less likely to make people think you are of concern.

I would also say there are exceptions tho I doubt it would come up. Never camp in a field with a crop. Never camp in a plot of land that contains a residence (this is out in the country of course) without approval. Never camp inside any enclosed structure. Don't go over, thru, or around fences or gates because even without signage fencing itself can be considered "notice". There is also the possibility that a city may have a no camping ordinance which might prohibit any camping, even that on private property. You also should be aware of state specific no trespassing notices. In Texas painting a purple stripe on a post or tree indicated the area is posted. Other states may vary. On indian reservations any camping without permit is considered trespass.

The "no overnight camping" rule is usually also accompanied by "limit stay to 8 hours". If you need some shut eye, that is the very reason the rest stop exists - just don't pitch a tent and get out lawn chairs.

That said, the craziest, most desperate people I've EVER come across in my 48 years have been at rest stops on major freeways.

My rule is to be the most (potentially) dangerous person there. I'm polite and I keep to myself, but I will not be a victim.