4days, 3 nights, 600 miles, no hotels

[alanmcorcoran]

Did my camping/touring "dry run" this weekend. Took expert advice and planned two overnight loops connected by my house. First was to Los Padres National Forest/Solvang (daughter is working there this summer at PCPA Theaterfest) and second was Doanes Family Campground in Mt Palomar State park (voted one of the best campgrounds in CA.) Here are some photos of my stops, my bike, my gear and my meals...

[pbss:3ir2po9l]http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd7/alanmcorcoran/LosPadresSolvangMtPalomar/?action=view&current=2aff46ae.pbw[/pbss:3ir2po9l]

For complete narrative, read http://alanmarkcorcoran.com/blog/2010/08/03/first-motorcycle-camping-trip-los-padres-and-mount-palomar/

[Moedad]

Right on! Looks like a couple of good trips. Need more tent pictures though. :biggrin:

[alanmcorcoran]

Here you go...
http://s1.postimage.org/vGE5r.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxvGE5r)

[dhgeyer]

Great pictures! Not sure I'd call that a dry run. Looks like the real thing to me. Also looks like you've got a great setup for touring.

[alanmcorcoran]

Thanks dh. Given I only spent one night away from home at a time (Los padres, home, Mt Palomar, back home) it seems like it doesn't really count as a "tour." We'll see how multiple days on the road goes a week from Saturday. If anyone is interested in my opinion about the various gear or the plusses and minuses of the non-hotel part of the experience, I'll be happy to share. I will say that I spent almost as much time planning and acquiring stuff as I did on the trip itself. I figure a lot of this groundwork (and gear!) will amortize itself if I end up going two or three more times.

[Sarris]

Found a little camping gear to aid in your endeavor.

http://s2.postimage.org/5RCD9.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Ts5RCD9)

:lol: :poke2:

[dhgeyer]

I've seen bikes, trikes, and now a quintike. Or, as they would have said on "A Prairie Home Companion" back in the 70's, it's a Goose Liver Down Filled Swiss Army Bike.

[alanmcorcoran]

It'd be fun to see that come careening around the corner halfway up South Grade Road! Wonder how many cc's you need to pull that?

All kidding aside, I've seen a lot of little MC trailers in RoadRunner Magazine and Motorcycle Camping books that popup and look pretty nice compared to my tent. Not sure I really want to go that route - might as well just take the car at that point.

[Sarris]

Brother, that's NOT a trailer, it's a V-8 powered trike (quadrike?) that has a camper (OK, trailer home) on the rear.

I'm still laughing.......... To each their own.

:lol: :jawdrop:

[BusyWeb]

Great report and photos, Mr. Alan.
Your smile shows how much you had fun out of the riding....
Thanks for the sharing !!!

[alanmcorcoran]

Thanks Mr. Web, but I bow to the master. I was thinking as I went up the 70 turns on South Grade - "This must be the road Busy wrote about!" And then... "I think he's been everywhere before I've been there." One day I hope to (figuratively speaking) bump into you at one of these backroad biker holes. (Had you been to Ye Cold Springs Tavern already?)

[alanmcorcoran]

FYI, this is the little beasty that takes you from Pauma Valley to near the top of Mt. Palomar...
http://s1.postimage.org/ysp40.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxysp40)

[BillInGA]

That looks like an awesome ride. Looks to me like you're fully checked out on motorcycle camping.

Bill

[BusyWeb]

One day I hope to (figuratively speaking) bump into you at one of these backroad biker holes. (Had you been to Ye Cold Springs Tavern already?)

I surely gurantee that there are more fun from riding dirt (trail) bike...
As I'm still very beginner status, I do ride very carefully and slowly on the dirt.
And having some techiques from each practice riding.

No, I haven't been Cold Spring Tarvern; actually don't know where it is .. ha ha ha
I do try to find easier ones close to Los Angeles area first.

[alanmcorcoran]

Update: for some reason Photobucket dropped my slide show on the first post. It's fixed with a hasty replacement.

[Water Warrior 2]

I like your hasty replacement.

[alanmcorcoran]

Water, I had revisited cause I've been goingback and giving my camping trips the full blog treatment.

Here's where I'm at with My First Motorcycle Camping Trip: http://alanmarkcorcoran.com/blog/2010/0 ... t-palomar/ (http://alanmarkcorcoran.com/blog/2010/08/03/first-motorcycle-camping-trip-los-padres-and-mount-palomar/)

[Water Warrior 2]

Alan you have a way with words. A very enjoyable tale that leaves me wanting more. I (we) are more the hotel type old folks that need more of a civilization hit at the end of the day. No beds to make, no food to cook and no dishes to wash. Gas, cash and meds and we are on our way.

[alanmcorcoran]

Glad you liked it. I fixed up my initial run at moorcycle camping gear somewhat. I'm mulling doing more equipment gadget reviews. This one is short and sweet and has the links to most of the products mentioned:

http://alanmarkcorcoran.com/blog/2010/0 ... ping-gear/ (http://alanmarkcorcoran.com/blog/2010/08/22/motorcycle-camping-gear/)

[Water Warrior 2]

Good evaluations of the gear. Also the tip about large nails is a good one. Figured out that one myself in the 70's and trying to set up a tent properly on rocky ground. 2000 miles in 9 days is just about right for riding and relaxing. Lynda and I must have been due for a slowpoke award 2 years ago. We managed 90 miles a day for 9 days. Stayed where we found hot tubs, good food and T-shirts of course. The best part was not rushing to a destination. More time to play look in small towns and meet folks. And find more T-shirts. No I didn't buy the one in the window.

[alanmcorcoran]

I found what kept me interested on my trips was a sense of "discovery." Unfortunately, this means I can't go to the same place twice, or at least I can't take the same route to get there. And I have to spend a lot of time trying to find places where there is something to discover. I may have to move eventually as I will soon run out of places I haven't been here in So Cal. Or get a Toy hauler, or a trailer or van setup.

[Water Warrior 2]

A trailer to haul the bike is probably best overall and doesn't tie up buckets of cash. A lot of folks scoff at trailers and say ride all the way but it isn't always possible with time restraints and weather concerns. I would love to haul the bike south in the winter for 2 or 3 weeks and wear summer gear. Hit the super slab and log some long miles to a new area with new friends to meet.

[alanmcorcoran]

I'll buy you a coffee when you come down. And send you off to some of the best riding in the world!

Here's part one of one of those rides: http://alanmarkcorcoran.com/blog/2010/1 ... al-forest/ (http://alanmarkcorcoran.com/blog/2010/10/09/the-day-i-almost-got-killed-in-cleveland-national-forest/)

(Note: it's half done, right now, a but of a cliffhanger!

[anruari]

i m currently thinking of going right round ireland on the gz