When we went to Asia, we pored over our friends' packing list (Thanks Stacie and Steve!) and went through suggested packing lists on Travelfish, Lonely Planet and other resources. Thanks to these resources, we had a great idea of what we needed, what we didn't, and all the little things that fall through the cracks.
When preparing for this trip, I have the benefit of 6 months in Asia beneath my belt. Add in some experience doing backpack camping in high school and college and I had a pretty good idea of what I needed. What I didn't know is what supplies were necessary for the bike. Add in the fact that camping supplies have greatly improved since high school - 15 years will do that - and there was still quite a bit of research to be done.
There are a number of great resources online for motorcycle touring. There are route planners, camp site recommendations, and numerous blogs. I ended up researching a number of options trying to tailor the suggestions to my needs. The Unleash Your Adventure Packlist by Sherrie McCarthy and Patrick Schweizer and Adventures on a Motorcycle - Gearing Up for Touring and Camping by Richard Mawson were both incredibly helpful. Unleash is written with the idea that you have multiple people in your group, which makes the list very extensive. Adventures is written with being solo in mind so between the two you have a good idea of what you WANT on the trip and what you NEED. Both books are available online through Amazon.
I am going the bulk of my trip solo which means that I am responsible for carrying all the gear needed for the journey. In Asia, Molly and I were able to split some of the necessities, which allowed us to bring additional gear. I carried the electronics and Molly carried toiletries, gifts and souvenirs. Our division of labor gave us the ability to bring a wider variety of clothes and accessories than I can take on this trip. Add in the fact that I have to carry camping gear and I ended up paring down to bare essentials as far as personal comforts go. I would much rather wear the same pair of pants for multiple days and overload on emergency gear.
The most important gear I am carrying with me is all for the bike. I am completely dependent upon its health and wellbeing and have packed accordingly.
Motorcycle Supplies:
Tools:
BMW Toolkit - This is the standard kit that comes with the bike. It has anything you would ever want in it, in the least functional form.
Personal Toolkit -
Zip Ties
Duct Tape
Thread Tape
Electrical Tape
Extra Spark Plug
Feeler Gauge
Vise Grips
Universal Screwdriver
Loc Tite
Silicon Gasket
Needle Nose Pliers
WD-40
Tire Gauge
3/8" Socket Wrench
1/4" Socket Wrench
Bit Adapter
Socket Extension
Assorted Philips and Flathead Bits
Metric Hex Bits
Metric Sockets
Shop Towels
Chain Tool
Tire Repair Kit: Tire Puncture Plugs, Extra Valve Stems, Valve Stem Tool, Bottle of Slime, Additional Tire Gauge, Handheld Air Compressor (which you should never hold in your hand) set up for drawing straight off the motorcycle battery.
 |
| A Secondary Toolkit with a wider diversity can never be a bad thing |
Riding Supplies:
Flat Pack Bungies - Greater surface area means better grip to keep my pack on the back of the bike
Bungie Cargo Net - Borderline useless but good for a back up
Haynes Repair Manual - My bike is very simple to work on, but it is always easier to be able to answer questions in a clear and efficient fashion if I need help
Rain X Wipes
Kickstand Plate
Disc Lock
Multitool
Motorcycle Cover
Microfiber Towel
Quart of Oil
 |
| "Dexter" Kit, Check. Repair Manual, Check. |
Riding Wear:
I prefer Cordura and Nylon mesh protective gear. It is inexpensive, safe and well ventilated. I keep a pair of cargo pants for short rides and when I am going hiking. My jacket is nylon mesh with large ventilated patches front and back. It makes a huge difference while on blacktop in Hawaii.
Cargo Pants
Motorcycle Pants
Motorcycle Jacket
Boots
Helmet - Modular Helment with built in Sunscreen
Gloves
Cambodian Scarf - Lightweight, Wicking, Protects my neck from the sun. Added benefit of looking cool.
Rain Suit
Night/Rain Filter Glasses
Earplugs
Camel Pak - It is small enough that it doesn't cause back strain, but it carries 2 liters of water and still has plenty of room for my camera and snacks.
 |
| My new riding pants didn't arrive in time for the photo shoot. :-( |
That's it for motorcycle gear. No problem to big or small, right?
Camping Gear:
The biggest differences in 15 years of camping gear is size and weight. My tent, sleeping bag and air mattress are tiny. TINY. And they were inexpensive. The tent has fantastic reviews. The only issue people had is weight. My bike doesn't care, and it was 1/3 the price of a nearly identical tent that is 24 ounces lighter. I can roll my mattress around the tent and it still fits in the stuff sack.
2 Person Tent - Lets be honest. It's a 1 Greg tent.
Air Mattress
Camp Pillow
32 degree sleeping bag
Internal Frame Pack
Rain Fly for Pack
Headlamp
Battery Free Shakey LED Flashlight
Back Up Flashlight
Life Straw - Coolest thing ever. Google it. Go ahead, I will wait.
1 Liter Nalgene Bottle with Micron Filter
Trash Bags - People suck. I don't.
"Dexter" Kit - Marketed and sold as a Gerber Big Game Cleaning Kit. In reality, it is a great assortment of tools for camping and makes for a good emergency kit. It has a Hatchet with a mallet backing and a paring knife in the handle, a folding saw, a high end knife (you can never have too many knives. This will be discussed later) and one screwy punch knife. Remove the punch knife, put something useful in that pouch and you are good to go.
One thing I am not bringing with me is a camp stove. Snacks, diners, and food are readily available the vast majority of the trip. The added expense and space issues of camp cooking are a headache I can do without. I may stash away some MRE's when I hit the mainland but it is not a major concern.
 |
| True Blood Season 5 is not going on the trip |
 |
| It is not a big tent |
Travel Gear:
This category is a catch-all for all the random gear that I have grown accustomed to having while traveling. Some of it is camping specific, others just my paranoia running at full speed. Most of this falls into the "you don't miss it until you don't have it" file.
Paracord
Butane Lighters - 3 in various different places
Ziploc Bags
2 Extra Dry Bags
Playing Cards - Low tech, good time killer and a good conversation starter
Whistle - Would you rather yell for help or blow a whistle?
Assortment of Knives - I like knives. I always have. The fact that I get to play with knives and fire were very big factors in my choice of career. I keep a variety of knives handy. You can never have enough knives. Big knives, little knives, Swiss Army knives, fixed blade knives, they are scattered throughout my gear. The first thing I did in Asia? Buy a knife.
Carabiners
Extra Shoelaces
Emergency Wallet - Back up ID, Phone Numbers, Insurance Cards, Financial Info, etc... I even have a hidey hole on the bike where this fits.
Extra Keys for the Bike and the Disc Lock
First Aid Kit
Swim Goggles
Travel Locks - All Combination Locks. I have enough keys to keep track of.
Collapsible Messenger Bag
Moleskine Notebook - Doesn't have to be Moleskine but the quality can't be beat and I love the history involved.
Hand Crank Radio/USB Charger/LED Flashlight
Highlighters, Sharpies and Pens
Sunglasses
 |
| Department of Redundancy Department |
Navigation:
1/2 Size US Atlas
Compass
Smart Phone - I broke down and got a prepaid smart phone. The navigation feature alone is a life saver.
"Manual GPS" - This was a trick I learned from one of the books. Write directions on Index Cards. Basic stuff like how to get through a city to a friend's house or through a tricky set of interchanges. It doesn't have to be every turn of the journey but just enough to get you through the complicated stretches. Fill an Ipod Arm Band with the Index Cards and then strap it to your forearm before you head into the tricky area. It is much easier to pull off to the side of the road, glance at your arm and get going without having to pull out a phone or GPS unit. Low tech, inexpensive and simple.
 |
| A good mix of High and Low Tech |
Electronics:
I am not overly dependent upon my electronic toys, but there are a few that I can't live without.
Kindle Fire
Ghetto Kindle
Smart Phone
Dumb Phone
Ipod
Action Camcorder
USB Battery Pack
Travel Power Strip
2 Universal Chargers
Micro USB Cables
Lightning USB Cable - Goddammit, Apple!
Camera
Toiletries:
I bring a surprising amount of toiletries with me. Most deal with the fact that I have 50 years of miles on a 34 year old body. So be it.
Sunscreen - I've got the good Zinc Oxide stuff. It is worth the expense.
Gold Bond Foot Powder - Not for feet
Antacids
Q-Tips
Advil
Excedrin
Sleep Tablets
Sleep Mask
Sudafed
Tiger Balm
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Immodium AD
Deodorant
Baby Wipes - Molly converted me. These are awesome as a ghetto shower before bed while camping.
Disposable Razors
Floss
Shampoo
Body Wash
Face Wash
Pomade
Nasal Decongestant Inhaler
Toilet Paper
Insect Repellant - If you haven't read my post about the Philippines, you should. This is 33% DEET. I learned my lesson. JP, if you are reading this, I hope you are laughing your ass off at me. Again.
Travel Towel
Clothes:
With all that other gear, I do actually have room for clothes. Some clothes. A few. I came to terms long ago with washing shirts in a sink and hanging to dry.
Flip Flops - I need something other than motorcycle boots.
1 Board Shorts
1 Cargo Shorts - These survived Asia. Time for a farewell tour.
3 T Shirts
2 Tank Tops
1 Long Sleeve Shirt
1 Light Sweatshirt
5 Pairs Socks
5 Underwear
1 Nice Linen Shirt - lightweight, releases wrinkles well, looks nice.
 |
| See? Plenty of clothes for a month |
This sounds like a lot of gear. Hell, it is a lot of gear. But preparation is the most important part of the journey. When you include time spent visiting friends and family, this is a month long trip. I am looking at roughly 3000 miles and will be traveling from the Mexican border to the Canadian border before heading east across 2/3 of the country. A good chunk of this will be alone so I am making sure I am prepared to deal with most issues that arise, although my Pops came through for me big time as a travel buddy. He will be with me during the most remote stretches of the trip. Why? Because I begged. And he's awesome. But mostly because I begged.
No comments:
Post a Comment