VFR Trip Camping Questions

I have been thinking about giving camping a try this summer. The problem is I don't know the first thing about it. I tried camping for one night several years ago in a one man tent and was totally and completely miserable. I would like to know from all you camping types

1. Where do you camp? National parks, private campgrounds or farmer's pasture?
2. What type of gear do you prefer? What type of tent, sleeping bag and pad?
3. Do you carry cooking gear and food?

My desire is to spend less to have more time on the road. Is it possible to spend less with camping?

 

Before the "necessities" start rolling in, get the biggest cases you can find, a trailer hitch and one of those trailers ya see the Wing dudes tow.

 

Here is my favorite link for my camping needs.

https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/reservation

 

Motel 6 is good. The six has been replaced by aboot 50.

 

I looked into VFR camping and while I really enjoy camping with the fam., it's a bit of a pain on two wheels. It's also not really any cheaper than a hotel/motel unless you are in the city in which case you won't find a campground anyway!

 

Pix of happy campers.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mot...Eq1YjExElXLy7RujmFioSCeE4GcEyJq7SEYEfAbBoVuAb

One place to camp free is in Wal*Mart parking lots. I figure if all those folks in RV's can do it, then us bikers should too.

 

That's what I kind of figured. If you have to pay camping fees, why not pay a little more and stay at a hotel? I was just hoping to get some feed back from people that camped all the time.

 

For one night at a Trump hotel you could buy a whole campground.

Trump hotels are high camp.

 

. . .and the security is provided by the government.

 

How do you figure? State/national parks range from like 8-16 bucks generally, even the cheapest $hithole roach infested place you can find is going to be at least three times that. Even tent space at a KOA is going to be far cheaper.

Generally speaking you can camp for free inside any national forest unless otherwise posted.

So yes, if you are planning on being on the road for any length of time, camping can absolutely save you a bunch of $$$.

 

KOA is AOK.

Their little on site stores are a little pricy. $7.99 for two Jo jo's that are a week old is not a good value.

The Trump outfits used to allow camping in the rear of the properties. Some of them turned into homeless camps. Trump's private security dudes chased em out with flamethrowers.

 

This has a ring of truth. I think if some of the campgrounds had a few of those beds that vibrated for a quarter they'd all be full.

 

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I dont know what KOA you camped at but I totally disagree with your opinion about a tent site at the KOA. I stayed at a few when I toured about in 2014 and they were not cheap. You can get cheap ma and pa motels without the frills cheaper than many KOA sites. I paid as much as $69.00 when I camped at the Fort Collins KOA back then. Managements response to my issue with the cost for me camping with just a one man tent on a motorcycle was that the KOA is considered a resort. Fuck that.

But other than that, tent camping with the bike is an adventure. Pay the money to get good quality mountaineering or back packing gear though. When I tented in Yosemite, where the overnight temps dropped to near or below freezing, I was still warm in the gear I had...too warm actually. Had to undo the sleeping back and tent fly actually to breath in cooler air. You sure woke up in a hurry when you went out in the middle of the night for a pee in those temps wearing shorts though.

I didn't pack any cooking gear as space was at a premium. Mind you, I was taking gear for three seasons. If I didn't have to do that, I would probably go out and get some back packing stove and a few other items and carry them with me. You can buy hiking rations that are compact and light (freeze dried) that are supposed to be decent flavour wise but those are quite expensive too so you might just as well eat at a restaurant rather than investing in the gear.

 

OH. Very important Jim for old codgers our age. Get an air mattress. We are far too old to be sleeping on the ground. I found that out right quick.

A hand towel is all you need to dry off. Matter of fact, you can dry off good enough using a face cloth so will save space that way

 

$70 for a KOA tent site?! Holy shit. I think the ones I stopped at were only 20-25. Obviously call ahead.

As far as camping gear I carry a cot, BV450 with freeze dried food (for places with no lockers), and biolite stove + kettle pot, decent knife, TN36 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLQ-9wvohXc) dude's a bit dramatic, the low setting is more than enough to set up a campsite, lol.

 

Seems Fort Collins has reduced their costs to $47.. But presently Santa Paula Ca is 52 and Pamona Ca is 40. Not bad sites but for what you are using there, still over prices. Beward of the loud and obnoxious peacocks in Santa Paula though. They start screaming at about 4AM . At about 6AM I start to imagine them with gravy and mashed potatoes.

 

There are networks of camp sites for bikes on the web. The simplest of terms used on the major search engines will provide. Some sites have different levels of "campsites" at different prices.

There are also sites that have tricks for packing a bike for camping. Other sites have general packing tips that apply.

All kinds of stoves and cookware too. Many choices on food too. Spin off stuff from the "space age" to little tricks like reducing the size of a pack of Top Ramen to aboot 1/8 the size of the original.

Tents come in all shapes, sizes and prices. For light duty one from Wal*Mart for a few pesos is fine. A couple of days on Mount Everest is a different story. Same deal with sleeping bags. Most are temperature rated.

Air mattresses are oot. Thermarests are in. Look for Thermarest seconds to save a few pesos.

Lights keep improving almost daily. LEDs beat all.

Don't leave out Deet!

 

So, here is the thing with camping via motorcycle: you're really looking more into backpacking gear. As a seasoned backpacker (first 30+ mile hike at age 6), I was lucky - when I started riding, I had all the gear. But basically if you have a backpacking tent, stove, pad and bag that's the basic of what you'll need. Maybe some backpacking cookware and a few odds and ends. Keep in mind this stuff is minimal, and you'll really be roughing it. Another great thing to get is a gravity fed water purifier so you can get water anywhere.

As far as cheaper? Anyone that says it's not cheaper is ignant. Camping is definitely cheaper than even the cheapest of motels (unless we're talking some scary shit you shouldn't stay in anyway). Depending on your level of comfort and time, you can in fact camp for free in any national forest (not park), which is referred to as dispersed camping. The rules are pretty simple - you have to camp like...some odd 100 feet away from a road or body of water. I honestly don't recall the exact numbers, I just fudge it. This is probably not for you just yet, but something to keep in mind.

Lastly, regarding thermarests, as badbilly mentioned, feel free to buy one used. My current thermarest is older than me. I'm not kidding. The damn thing is 37 years old (I'm 36). I have used it countless times and it has no sign of damage. That being said there are, in my opinion, lighter and more comfortable options out there now. You said you tried sleeping out in a one man tent one time and were miserable. Something to keep in mind - the first night on the ground, even with a pad, sucks. The second one sucks. The third one is okay. After you sleep on the ground 4 or 5 nights in a row, some muscles get loosened up, some others toughen up, and you sleep much, much better. One way to deal with this is to sleep on your floor on the pad at home every other night for a week before you leave. If this doesn't help, and if it just always sucks even after 4 or 5 days, then camping might not be for you.

Good luck, and have fun, and buy used! Rich white people buy wayyyyy too much stuff at REI and then sell it for a song.

 

I neglected to add the directions for reducing the physical size of Top Ramen. Easy, a plastic bag and a couple of whacks with a torque hammer.

My Thermarest is about 25.. even holes in them can be patched with tent seam sealer.

For elcheapo camping, a copy of any military survival manual is a good buy. Tents and sleeping bags from old chute canopies, bugs you can eat, how to avoid getting captured by the enemy ect..

 

Yes, you can spend considerably less camping vs. hotels ... the flipside is carrying a lot more gear.

1. I camp at camp grounds. KOA tend to be on the more expensive side but have more amenities. I usually book those as a treat. Most of the time I'm at private / state / provincial campgrounds.
2. A good light weight 2-man tent (for 1 person and gear). I use the Eureka Midori 2 and very happy with it. Any decent sleeping bag will do along with a travel pillow. A comfortable / lightweight camp chair that is compact is good to have as well. Vacu-lock bags are great for compressing clothing, sleeping bag, pillows, etc. I use a Thermarest pad .. it's VERY comfortable. Don't forget things like tools to start fires, etc.
3. Sometimes I bring cooking gear. If I do ... I select wisely what I'm taking (usually a pot or deep pan that could be used for anything and some compact utensils). Don't forget your coffee press!!! LOL!

Enjoy your travels!