EPIC trip planning

[Chitza]

I have the months of June and July OFF. (I know. You are welcomed to hate me).  I want to do an epic road trip. I am a list maker. What should go on my essentials list? Other than clean socks 8)

[Nice Goat]

Budget $40 to ship 15 pounds of crap back home to yourself.  :)

[jrobinson]

Take old clothes, then just throw them away when dirty.

Go against your "list making".... ride and enjoy with out rules, reservations, or expectations.  :)

[Nice Goat]

In all seriousness, I used to carry too many clothes.  Now I don't carry enough.  I have a green Dry-Sil bag for clean clothes, and a red Dry-Sil bag for dirty clothes.  I think that they are 13 liters each.  Socks and underwear are the only things that I change every day.  Everything else depends on smell.  If necessary, find a laundromat to wash them ... it's better than having too much stuff on the bike.

Toiletries, obviously.  Don't forget chap stick, eyedrops, toilet paper, wet wipes, sunblock, bug spray/wipes, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, tweezers, clippers, etc.  Make yourself a small first aid kit also, with some large bandages, QuikClot gauze, waterproof tape, antibiotic ointment, Ibuprofen, Pepto Bismol, snake bite kit, etc. --- whatever suits your fancy.  The act of building one and carrying it at all times will make you more safety-conscious.

Tools -- Easy to go crazy here.  Most metric bikes only need a large and small crescent, pliers, needlenose, phillips, flathead, and a selection of wrenches/sockets from 8mm-12mm.  I don't worry about flat tires on street rides --- I've got a credit card and insurance for that.  Don't forget plastic cleaner and a couple of clean microfiber rags --- hard to see through all the bugs after a few hundred miles.  Also, get a high quality multitool and a high quality tactical-sized flashlight (one or two CR123 batteries).  I use those all the time.  I also carry a couple of green glow sticks, just to have a little ambient light when camping. 

Camping gear -- I always carry my sleeping bag and a tent/hammock, even if I am planning to stay in a hotel.  Stuff happens ... I want to be warm and dry.

Cooking gear -- Unless you are going into the woods, don't bother.  It's easier to just grab a sandwich somewhere.

Electronics -- I'm not carrying the big Nikon on any more moto trips.  Too big of a hassle.  I now carry only iPhone, handheld GPS, helmet camera, Bluetooth headset, and a 20.1mAh Anker power supply.  I can use the iPhone for phone, GPS, camera, music, note-taking, etc.  The Anker power supply can recharge my phone seven times.  Also carry 12v chargers.  Thinking about getting my wife a new point-and-shoot for Christmas and taking her old one --- it takes really nice pictures and it is tiny.

Finally -- "Concealed carry" --- the tool you hope you never need.  Avoid areas with pawn shops, strip clubs, etc.  Stick to neighborhoods that have Panera, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, etc. --- they are safer and the food is better.

[Chitza]

Thanks, Glenn. That's a great list. Made me think of things I had not considered.

[Yankee Dog]

two months...   You need to go to Alaska..

The missus and I carry two pairs of high tech quick dry socks and underwear. In most cases you can wash them at night and they will be dry in the morning. You could get by with only one pair, but sometimes they dont quite dry. Thus the reason for two sets.

The same armored, textile vented riding pants are worn every day. The jacket is armored mesh. We also carry an evaporative vest for when it gets real hot, along with a camelback full of ice. For cold days its a high tech long sleeve shirt, heated liner, wind shirt and mesh jacket. If it gets too cold for that the rain gear goes over it all. On our trip to the Grand Canyon this set up took us from 107 to 37.

Evening wear consists of a couple of a pair of jeans, a couple of t-shirts and a long sleeve shirt. The heated liner and wind shirt serve as off the bike cold weather clothing.

Throw in an extra bottle of water or two for emergencies. Dont worry if they get warm/hot. If you break down somewhere remote you will be glad for them regardless of their temperature. DAMHIK

[springer]

 Alaska would be an awesome trip. If you do not want to go that far north, at lest go west.  Budget some time for Colorado, skip as much of Kansas as you can.  ;) Like all of it.  ;D Check the coverage of your cellphone provider, if it is not good enough for where you want to go, change it. Carry a good pair of hiking boots with you. There will be some places you will want to see that you may need to hike to.

Awesome summer for you is ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Chitza]

Thanks guys. I have a trip in mind. And a running list of what I need. I will need that time to research, plan, save and buy the items I don't already have. I'm liking the Amazon wish list :)

[Gam]

Light nylon clothing like the ex officio stuff, I really like their underwear. You can get dressed then get  in the shower, You get your clothes cleaned, and have evaporative cooling for a little while. Not a joke.

[Argh Oh]

Sounds absolutely awesome!! Head West young lady.

[scrappyjon]

Don't forget to talk to locals. Ask them where to go. Some of the best places I have ridden "abroad" would have never happened if I hadn't talked to people who lived in the area I was in. A lot of the time they will come to you and start talking to you, like at a gas station. One of my absolute favorite rides of all time, in Texas would have never had happen if I didn't have the advice of local, the twisted sisters (by the way, you should go ride the hill country out there).  They can also tell you good places to stay/camp that you otherwise would have never known about. It's surprising how many places aren't listed on the internet. That's one reason why I get frustrated when people only go by trip adviser.  There's a whole world you could be missing out on.

[bblass]

Check out buying some MOLLE gear from an army surplus store. Lots of various sized pouches that you can configure to meet your needs. Everything latches down securely and it makes life easier being able to grab one thing off your pack rather than having to route through a bag.

Also, zip ties! They're one of the world's greatest field expedient tools.

[norton73]

Mount some knobbies do the T.A.T.
  ;D

some great suggestions on clothing. Depending on what you have in mind, don't pack anything cotton. Long pants that zip off to be shorts, fleece sweater,  polypro tops, fleece or wool socks,  anything quick dry so you can wear one set while washing and drying the other set.

[klaviator]

Check out the weather for everywhere on your trip and plan your riding gear for both the high and low temps along the way.  When I went out west last year I did this and got temps from below 40 to above 100 degrees and I did see both extremes. 

Don't carry all your cash/ID's, credit cards, etc in one place.  I split my stuff into two wallets so If I lose one I could continue on.

I'm guessing you are planning on camping but if you expect to stay at any motels then pick up some of those motel coupons as you enter the state.   Web based motel sites like Trip Advisor, Expedia, etc are often NOT the best deal.

Consider doing a ride report on ADV.  While your friends may be on Bamarides, there will be a lot of people from the places you are going on ADV.  I did get some valuable advice for my trip from my ride report last year.  Since you are going for 2 months, more people will follow your report and you may get a lot of advice and quite likely some invited for free meals, lodging and possible someone to ride with for some parts of your trip. 

Of course, do a ride report here.  Many of us on Bamarides have been all over the country as well.

As for where to go, my favorite is Utah, but all the western states have some great riding.

[Chitza]

Let's discuss the conceal carry thing. I know that Alabama has reciprocity with some other states. I am unfamiliar with how to handle this in states without reciprocity. (Now I do know what they don't know blah blah blah). But what is the actual legal way to handle this?