Camping on the side of the road.

[Vanishing Point]

Originally Posted by Vankaye

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

[AlanCT]

Originally Posted by Vanishing Point

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.

[dredman]

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

[danh600]

Originally Posted by Vanishing Point

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

There are bears in Florida.

[Plaka]

Originally Posted by bigphish

I am leaving in June on a 5 or 6 week excursion through the western U.S. Solo. Should I have any concerns with undesirables finding or bothering me camping on Natl. forest lands??

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).

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by Plaka

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?)....

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.

[Plaka]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

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.

[Walub]

I can't believe I started this tread before my first big trip in 2006 and it is still going. Money is a little tight right now so have been thinking of not licensing my bike this year because of the cost. But this has encouraged me to at least plan one trip.

P.S. Manitoba is the worst place in North America to insure a bike. it is almost $2000 bucks for my WeeStrom. and I am 37 with a clean driving record.

[Plaka]

Full coverage? Mandatory medical (for rider)?

[Walub]

Originally Posted by Plaka

Full coverage? Mandatory medical (for rider)?

OK I didn't mean to side track this thread with insurance. I am pretty sure that will be the death of it To much good info here for that to happen.

But to answer your questions. The bike being insured for only $1000. If I do have an accident they will not be giving me the money to fix my bike. But at least then I am fully covered.

[Mgbgt89]

Originally Posted by Plaka

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.

This. One of the memories i'll never forget was being in the middle of the Talledega national forest, with a very bad rumbling down stairs. No toilet paper. Way too long of a ride down a way too bumpy of a road to make it to a shitter.

After weighing my options, Socks (only got one other pair for this ride), or a collection of gas station receipts. I chose the latter. Ran out and had to use the google map print out of directions to my buddys house in Atlanta.

A shitty situation for sure.