Now that I posted a schedule, I thought that I should start on a packing list. The origin of this list is from Stacy at Bolty.net in a post that she did back in 2009. I also have started out with a bunch of gear from my backpacking days where weight and size is very important. The standard BMW touring cases are 33 liters each so I should have plenty of space. I also have removable liners for them. To put across the seat, I have a H2W large dry bag. For my daily commute, I use a Rapid Transit Recon 19 magnetic tank bag and I plan on bringing that for everything I want to keep close at hand. My bike also has two "glove boxes" built into the fairing which would allow me to keep things like oil and brake fluid separate from everything else.
Considering that Stacy manages to fit most of this in two 20 liter soft bags and a dry bag, I should be in pretty good shape. The trick is to stay under the 18 lb load capacity of the plastic luggage. Also since they have been known to separate themselves from your bike while underway, I have a set of sturdy straps to fasten them to the rack and not rely on the flimsy latches to hold them on and keep the lid closed. this does make them more difficult to get into while on the road so I will attempt to only carry things like camping gear, tools, clothes and food in the hard bags. Anything I may want to get to during the day such as rain gear, camera, snacks, etc. will be either in the tank bag or the dry bag. One challenge will be some medication that must be kept cool (40°F - 78°F) but I think I have a solution to that one. A thermos.
So where would you carry a wet tent or wet rain gear? In a mesh bag? Or do you pack it up wet and hope the next campground is a bit drier?
Camping Gear
- Tent
- Thermarest pad w/ patch kit
- Small closed cell pad
- Sleeping bag
- Ground cloth/tarp
- Camp chair
- Flashlight or headlamp w/extra batteries
- Small skein of parachute cord or lightweight poly rope
Cooking
- Stove - MSR WhisperLite International, multi-fuel
- MSR ½l Fuel bottle
- Pot(s) nominally non-stick
- Silverware - plastic spoon, fork
- Folding knife
- Cutting surface
- Cup - double wall Ti
- Plastic bowl
- Water bottle(s)
- Dish cleaning stuff (biodegradable dish soap, small scrubber)
- Can opener - P-38
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Hydration bladder for the tank bag
Motorcycle Gear
- Air compressor
- Spare tubes
- Tire patch kit
- Tools
- Tire pressure gauge
- 1 qt Oil 15W40
- Zip ties
- Brake fluid - DOT 4
- Funnel for oil
- Insurance cards including Canadian
- Registration
- Rain gear
- Extra visors - tinted, clear w/cleaning kit
- Cold weather gloves
- Warm weather gloves
- Mesh gear
- Heated liner
- Fleece jacket
- temperature controller
- Spare fuses
- Spare headlight bulb
- Spare taillight bulb
- Spare set of spark plugs
- Oil Filter
- Spare keys
- Leatherman Crunch
- Earplugs and spare
- Rescue tape
Clothing
- Shorts
- Long pants
- Shirts/socks/underwear
- Sewing kit
- Running shoes
- Hat
- Shampoo/soap
- Toothbrush/toothpaste
- Comb
- Towel
Misc
- Laptop/iPad
- Chargers
- Travel Outlet Strip
- Headphones
- Phone
- Portable GPS (more reliable speedometer) w/extra AA batteries
- SD cards
- SD card reader
- Camera
- Passport
- Drivers license
- Credit cards (with a great hotel points program)
- SPOT
- AMA Roadside assistance card
- BMWMOA Anonymous book & Airhead Directory
- First aid kit
- Insect repellant
- Zip-Lok bags (gallon & quart)
- First aid kit
- Prescription medication
- OTC medication (Ibuprofen, Tylenol)
- BG meter
- Extra glasses
- Sunscreen
- Snack bars
- OS juice mix
- G2 mix
- Oatmeal
- Salt/pepper
- Peanut butter
- Small bottle of cooking oil
- Hard candy
- Raisins or other dried fruit
- "Emergency food"
(Updates from the comments are in Blue. Thank you!)
For some reason this post sort of vanished. I'll blame it on BlogPress on the iPhone. Very lame app...
Holy Moly! Unfortunately, that does look about right. One thing I used on my trips were waterproof kayak bags to separate the equipment. That way you could keep stuff together that you don't have to get into every day. One thing I wanted to use on future trips are the space bags that dont require a vacuum to compress. Saves a little space. Especially for the gerbings and things that you won't need down here.
ReplyDeleteI did pick up a bunch of small stuff sacks to try and keep things separated as well as a compression stuff sack for my sleeping bag. Then it'll probably fit in the side cases. Just about all of the stuff listed under motorcycle gear I carry with me all the time with the oil and the brake fluid in one of the glove boxes. Most of the rest of the tools and spares fit under the seat.
DeleteQuite the comprehensive list Richard! Seems more than the first time I packed for a cross-country trip to the BMWMOA National Rally back in 2007.
ReplyDeleteOne thing about your system cases...one tip I read about is to tape your business card/contact info to the outside and inside, so that if someone finds them, they can contact you.
Got your ICE (In Case of Emergency) entry in your cellphone? Some riders carry a small card, inside a tiny waterproof envelope affixed to their helmet. I don't, but probably should.
Spare batteries for all devices?
The current Airhead directory? Or is that what you meant by the anonymous book?
If you use the mushroom cap shaped tire puncture repair plugs, ensure they're still "fresh".
Is the MSR fuel bottle for stove or for the bike?
dom
I have a card with contact info under clear packing tape on the wheel side of the cases. I also picked up some really sturdy straps that go around the cases and the mounts as the little clamp seems pretty flimsy.
DeleteI do have an ICE app on the first page of my cell phone as well on the lock screen. I don't have the information in my helmet either but probably should.
No spare batteries. Most recharge and the gps, Garmin 60CSx, is wired into the bike.
Thank you, I forgot all about the Airhead directory. The Anonymous book is the BMWMOA version.
My bike is old enough to still use only tubes. Even though the tires are tubeless, you still need to have tubes in them. The patch kit is new for the year.
The MSR fuel bottle is for either/both as the stove burns anything. Unleaded is preferred. If I need more stove gas, I can drain it right out of the tank.
That is definitely quite the list. Will be interesting to see what it all looks like before packing into your bags. You'll have to set out all your goods and take pictures spread out, then compacted into the cases.
ReplyDeleteI think I might be inclined to pack the wet tent and hope for a dryer stay that night. I don't think that is the best answer though.
I plan on laying it all out before packing it. Especially after seeing the list.
DeleteThe cases seem to be pretty waterproof. There are some paper notes that have been in one of them for years and many rainy trips and they are all still pristine. I was thinking that if I use the liners. which are also waterproof, can be used to separate the wet and dry stuff. Another option I was thinking of would be a mesh bag to tie on the back to hold wet stuff.
Richard:
ReplyDeleteWhere are your stylish CROCS©, you know the reddish ones? That's a lot of stuff to cram into your cases. I'm waiting for your "spread out on the ground" photo that you are going to post for Trobairitz
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube
Only if there's room. The CROCS© may get left behind as they take up a lot of space. Very little weight but volume.
DeleteI'll start the pile when I get back at the end of the week.
Excellent list!
ReplyDeleteI cross checked it with mine (not as comprehensive as yours as we are neither camping nor capable of fixing our bikes on the road): How about sunscreen and Ziploc bags?
Good idea to use a thermos for keeping meds. I was also worried about that as Roland's meds need cool temps.
Sunscrren, I never seem to think of that. I actually have some in the Ziploc bag with my soap and toothpaste and such. I was told to bring some when I went to Ethiopia but didn't use much.
DeleteI've used a small ½l thermos in the past with three small ice cubes in a ziploc bag and it would keep for most of the day. My old medication was in a pen so I would wrap it with bubble wrap with a thermometer (to check for freezing). The bubble wrap kept the pen from touching the ice cubes. I have been dealing with traveling with refrigerated med for about 5 years now.
My current med are in these rectangular "kits" so I now need a bigger thermos. I am wondering how warm it gets inside the hard cases as they are right above the exhaust.
Dear Richard M.:
ReplyDeleteTwo items you neglected are a box of frozen White Castle cheeseburgers, for the first night on the road, and a credit card (with a great hotel points program) for night #3, when unloading all that stuff off the bike becomes an undeserved penance.
Fondest regards,
Jack/reep
Twisted Roads
I guess I could use the frozen cheeseburgers to help keep my meds cool. To be perfectly honest, I had never tried a White Castle burger. Anytime I saw one, no one else in what ever group I was with wanted to stop there. I took that as some sort of commentary on the quality of the food. One of these days when I'm by myself, I'll try one. I also assumed that the frozen version would be a poor copy of a fresh one.
DeleteCredit cards are there but I don't plan on staying in too many motels especially not the 4 star establishments you just wrote about. But if it's been pouring rain for a couple of days...