The items you shouldn't have left home without

Ive been planning a trip across the US for some time now. For those of you with long adventuring experience (weeks at a time), what are some of the items you kicked yourself for leaving behind? Could be clothing, camping gear, survival tools, spare parts, manuals, etc.

May sound silly, but the things I had to stop and buy during the ride was a set of fingernail clippers and some lip balm!!

My first really big trip, I stopped and bought one of those skinny vinyl covered cables with the loops on each end, and a small padlock, so I could thread some stuff onto it, run it through the sleeves of my riding jacket, etc., for a bit of deterrence when stopping at nature attractions and such where a guy finds himself walking out of sight of the bike. I also purchased a Masterlock big ass cable lock to chain the bike up at a couple questionable motels..

Oh, and because I ride a KLR, I bought some oil. Walgreens Drug has the cutest little aluminum MSR type bottle for 2.99 that is sort of a stumpy version of the taller cousin, works great to carry a bit of extra oil. Or an aluminum flask from the licker store.....

But that's pretty much a given. Couple tablespoons of oil a day when pushing the 70 MPH stuff here/there.

If you are traveling in the US, the only thing you need to make sure you have is a credit card. Pack light, plan light, and enjoy. What route are considering?

The biggest thing to forget to do is reventative maintenance! Do everything possible to not ask for that breakdown deep in the unknown. Spend a day or two getting to know your steed better than you already do. Carry tools to do all regular maintenance......you'll be surprised when something stupid raises it's ugly head! Credit cars, and duplicate paperwork. But also most important a spare set of keys! No I haven't had the htrill of using them yet....but seeing as they are hidden well on my bike at all time.....murphy stays away for that possibility..

I agree with do not over plan your ride....simple day to day plans that can change with the wind are best....and take enough fundage capabilities to get home. Health ins. if that is a concern for below the border, I'm above so we don't have that issue as much from what I hear, but I also have extra just to be sure.

OH....the biggest problem is who you choose to ride with.....it could mean the end of friendships or even a ruined vacation. I have suffered both.......it's very surprising what will get under your skin after a while on the road.

I left my sleeping bag. :huh I was just camping near the coast at Laguna Seca in Monterey. How cold could it get right?

I brought one of those fleece sleeping bag liners, because that is all I could fit in my backpack. I figured it would be enough. It wasn't. I ended up sleeping in someone's truck, and it was still cold. After the third night, while packing up to go home, one of my friends hears me talking about how cold it was without a bag. He pulls out a big fluffy sleeping bag from his car, and says "you should have said something, I brought an extra."

A second credit card on a different account, hidden on the bike, separate from my wallet.

When the bank thinks your card has been stolen.
When your wallet gets lost and you have to cancel the first one.
Even if you find your wallet.

Priceless!

I agree with above!....I have had my credit card malested to the tune of $40,000 I freaked and shut it down not thinking it was the only card I had to easily buy fuel with! I was excused for the sum but the inconvienience of not having an easy to use card was extremely inconvient! Always carry two cards as stated above, and make sure they both are easily taken all over North America. American Express isn't one of them!:huh

Call your credit card company in advance and let them know you will be traveling, keeps them from locking the card down and since the call is free it's certainly cost effective insurance. Charges in multiple states in one day can look funny to a computer.

Thanks for the advice everyone! The route is yet to be determined. Judging from what I've read on this site, and based on my own desires I plan on doing exactly that. Plan light, pack light. I've got friends in California, Montana, North Dakota, Boston, NY, plus about an unlimited supply of national parks everywhere in between . I'll definitely take all advice into consideration.

Earplugs

sunscreen

ibuprofen

lip balm with sunscreen

tire pump (had plugs though!)

My music earbuds that don't fall out when wearing my helmet.

?
I've traveled all over the US and never had a single problem with the card not working. Yes that's needed outside of the US but not within.

You'll drive yourself nuts trying to think of anything you could possibly need and will end up bringing too much crap. Bring the basics such as gear, few change of clothes for different weather, tools, $ & CC, toothbrush/paste/sunscreen, special meds. and go for it.

The US has so many friggin' stores everywhere (compared to the rest of the world) that you'll be able to buy any do dad you forget within a 1/2 hr.

Err your a US citizen, close to 'home', if your not a US citizen then a separate card from a separate bank in a separate place is a good idea.
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What ever you forgot to take can be bought along the way ... if you have ENOUGH MONEY. Take plenty of that money stuff and you can forget to take the bike and still have a good trip.

Yes you're point is valid for those traveling outside their country (like I pointed out too),
but since you quoted me, that was not the point I was replying to.

The OP (a US citizen) will be traveling in the US.
I stated that he will not have problems anywhere he goes using his credit credit within the US.

There is no need to contact your CC company to let them know you will be traveling around the US.
I've used many different cards all over the US without a problem.

...I guess if you CC company is a nanny company that watches every one of your moves or you have crap credit, then they might reject a charge. I've used Chase, Discover, Amex, Wells Fargo, USAA and other CC with no issues all over the place.

Au contraire!

I have had the credit card company deny a payment at a gas station and call my home to verify that the charge was OK. Thankfully, my wife was home to tell them that I was, in fact, traveling cross-country and using the credit card. Yes, this was in the US, and the same has happened to my riding buddies. I now call the credit card companies whenever I take a trip, and I carry more than one CC in case one doesn't work.

Like most riders: for long trips my tankbag becomes my hole for all that type stuff that you may need at anytime in the length of time you'll be gone. I also carry my current area maps,days pills, water btl, snot rag, small towel on top of all for this & that use,camera,chargers,extra reading glasses,sunglasses,clear safety glasses & more. I actually keep that sort of stuff in my tank bag so I don't have to re-invent each trip. My jacket gets the more personal items such as billfold & whistle & cell phone so they are on me if I'm thrown off & need them.
It is true that my CC has some concerns when we travel out of the area and some cards place limits that you can get changed by a call to them.
The one area that I have learned by exp. to cut back on is clothing. No matter how I travel-bike,car,air, I take less clothes than the past. For MC's the newer type of "active underwear" works great & it doesn't have to be LD brand either. It can be washed out each night & same for T shirts & pants too. I wear easily washable hiking shorts or longer pants under riding pants. Socks take 2 pairs at most & wash as you go. TYhis stuff about throwing away underwear to save space is not needed-simply wash them out at night. Tools is a choice based on what you know how to do & the type of trip. Spare parts are the same idea. I carry oil with me even in the USA based on ease not that it's hard to find. HL bulb same thing.

Put a couple of very large maxi pads in your first aid kit. They are the best for stopping heavy bleeding. No lie...

My word of advice would be to do 2-3 day rides prior to the trip with all stuff packed up as if you were going on the main trip. This will help you work out random issues; small things you wish you had, maybe you discover that your packing job is not very stable, or that things are hard to reach, or that you are carrying too much stuff. If you have helmet cam, make sure it's adjusted the way you want it. Basically, try to use your stuff on the road and see what is annoying you. I remember riding for months and months with my electric pump and then one day I wanted to use it at home and that is when I find out it was completely dead.

The most important thing is to have multiple forms of payment because you can always hit up Walmart, but doing this usually sucks. You waste half a day looking for a store that has what you want and then you end up buying the uncomfortable earplugs because that's all they had in stock.... It will do as backup, but it's nice to have your stuff to begin with.

Google Quik-Clot and check out some of the videos. I bought some of these pads on a whim, it seems amazing. I hope I don't ever use them though.