Bigdog's Roadtrip Camping.....

[Bigdog57]

Most folks travel by car or truck, many tow a camper trailer or haul a big cabin tent. Some hike miles with the bare necessities.

Being an old Dawg of 51 summers, I can't hike far - especially carrying a heavy pack. But, I like riding my bike - good comradery, and just fun to be in the open air riding the highways and forest roads!
So me and a couple buddies have been doing rides and camping at night.
Gas is a lot cheaper when a tankful (five gallons) is under twenty bucks!

Here are some pics of my camping experiences.....

Camping at Camp Indian Springs - a YMCA kids camp we use each MLK holiday weekend for a big Dual Sport bike meet:
[img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-...tscampsite.jpg[/img]


My buddy Robert's wife brought his Teardrop TT over by car, and my tent is snuc under the triangle tarp covering our doorways - really nice touch when it rained later!


Here's my little Bivytent at a campsite on Forest Department grounds in Lake City, Fl.
[img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-1/93045/IM000518.JPG[/img]


Our fire pit with our cook stoves......



My three-man tent at the Cherohala Motorcycle Resort in Tellico, Tennessee......



Arrival at a State Campground in Auburn, Al.



And moi, the Big Dog himself - resting after a long ride.....

[renodesertfox]

Bigdog's roadtrip

Howdy Bigdog,

Thanks for posting and all your photos are very informative and impressive! Looks like a nice camping spot! Fantastic...keep those coming this is great!

[renodesertfox]

Road Trip

Howdy Bigdog,

I went back to peek at your story and photos again. Hey, when you were at Tellico, TN did ya see that waterfall near there, Bald River Falls? And did you know my wife was born not to far from Tellico Plains in TN? Still liked your story and would like to see you post some more photos. Did ya know you can even do albums here of up to 60 photos. I did one of Las Vegas.

[Bigdog57]

Yep, the Falls are a big hit up there!
I was up there in May of 2006 - our KLR forum site has a camping meet there every year since then - but I made only the first one.
Befor that, the guys met in Ducktown - I missed that one, as I was still too 'new' getting back on two wheels. But they didn't have enough room for the guys wanting to meet later - the Cherohala MC Resort is really nice! Right on a river - the owner's wife's only rule was - "Don't whiz on the grass - tinkle into the creek!" :D
Late at night, rolling out of the tent - the bath house was just too far to go when the Call of Nature is screaming. :rolleyes:
I love the Tennessee and North Carolina mountain areas - gorgeous territory! I envy folks that live up there!
I figure when I retire, I'll probably move to Northern Georgia though. Lower cost of living, and still close to the Blue Ridge!

[Bigdog57]

More MC Camping Pics!

Here is the entry road to the Cherohala Motorcycle Resort campground - our 2006 Tour de Tellico meet, with over thirty of the forty-odd KLR650 bikes in the pic!


Later that year, in October, we had Tour de Pisgah in Cruso, North Carolina, on the side of "Cold Mountain" (as in the book & movie!) - it lived up to it's name on the final night!
Here is the cabins area - they rent out fast!


I stayed in the tent area....


As we had a bidge into camp, and we had a river on three sides - it was almost like being on an isolated island!

[Bigdog57]

And a later camping adventure.....

In the early spring of 2008, we motored over to Lake City, Florida and camped at a Forestry Department Work Camp with some friends - they were in a big RV. We camped in their 'back yard'.
The camp....


And my bike & bivytent:


Floyd and his wife Kathy (NC natives who are retired and travel a lot) were in this RV:


And this is me during the ride back....

[Scrib]

That looks like a lot of fun! Used to ride and camp on various Honda enduro bikes when I was growing up.

[jpurdy]

That looks awesome.

[renodesertfox]

BD roadtrip

Howdy BD,

Could you take the time to explain how you pack your bike for camping? Your photos are just like a story that is wonderful to read! And you photos look great! We always leave our jeep packed as much as possible all the time so we can leave on a whim if we like. Paula has a Honda and I tool around in a Sebring convertible. So Old Red is ready to go just about any time. Not many people that we know can do that but we can, fortunately. I'm curious as a cat to now more about bike camping? Oh, by the way if we get any new campers say hi(if you subscribe to that sticky in general chat then you'll be the first to know when a new camper says hi here).

[Bigdog57]

Actually, I am always changing and optimizing my loadout. As I 'farkle' the bike, I try to make it do things more efficiently.
I started out on early trips, packing everything on top of the self-built larger cargo rack. On the second long trip - the rack broke! I jerry-riggeed it to work, and did alright.
Now, I have two locking plastic "Sportsman's Dry Boxes" that bolt onto the sides of the rack - these hold my camp stove, fuel cannisters, food packages, road tools and spare parts, etc. This also provides a wider support for the top load - a foam sleep mat rolled up, folding camp chair, and on top of them, the gear bag with blanket, air mattress and bivytent - I found a 'soft cooler' at WalMart that works great - though NOT water tight! Two velcroed top panels mean I have to put a poncho or tarp over it. It has two bottle pockets for MSR fuel bottles for my new Dual Fuel stove.
I also can clip on two soft side bags (12X10 inches with additional pockets) for clothing. A weekend trip means a spare pare of jeans, a couple shirts, three sets of underwear & socks, a good thick sweatshirt, bath towel and kit. And, light slip-on camp shoes are a MUST! Most bike campgrounds have gravel roadways - hurts the bare tootsies! But it's so gauche to wear boots to the shower room.
I have two tank panniers holding a one-quart canteen each, and some emergency gear. Two small cheek pouches on the lower fairing contain a mini-survival kit on one side, and a personal first-aid kit the other side.
A handlebar bag (from my old mountainbike) holds day-to-day essentials.
My bike is a veritable pack mule!
I love going shopping - the bagger looks at my cartload of 'stuff', then my helmet.....
They get a surprise as they watch me make it ALL disappear into various bags!

I am planning to install a better rack/trailer hitch system, and build a single-wheel trailer to haul a bigger load safely. Several KLR riders have done so. Mine will carry basically a narrow top rack with a couple side pannier bags. It will still be off-road capable, as this is my "Bug-Out Vehicle" for hurricane evac!

I do have a small car (Toyota Tercel) but the bike is so much more fun!

The front bags:


The rear end, with big cargo rack and soft camo bags:

[renodesertfox]

BD roadtrip

Howdy Bigdog57,

I can never remember the year(57 looks younger than 52, that's me)! Hey man, thanks for responding so quickly! It is a pleasure to know you here! Next year, I think June my wife who is from the area near Tellico Plains(can't remember the township where her parent's have this big farm (300 acres). Anyway, I think we are talking about a trip, I would drive old red back to TN and she would fly because she wouldn't be able to get that much time off. For Speciality advance practice nurse she deals with the icky stuff like wounds of US veterans that won't heal. Diabetic ulcers and junk like that. :eek:Anyway, June, thats a long way off and we both might get bored with this site and never meet up. But if we are still around in June 09, I'm also planning a side trip to the southern blue ridge area in northern Georgia. Perhaps we could meet up? Its just a thought now cause we might not stay interested in this site that long. It is a slow moving site, but the blue ridge trip will be camping. Paula has this family reunion in June and we are strongly considering on attending. Anyway, it's just a thought! Start that photo album while I'm gone camping this week, it'll give you something to do. We are about it for now communicating escept for purdy and I think he's a neighbor.:rolleyes:

[jpurdy]

you mentioned Cherohala Motorcycle Resort campground. I'm guessing this is near the Cherohala skyway. I am told this is a very popular bike route with many tight turns. Have you been across it in the fall. I wondered if this would be a good area for fall color?
John

[Bigdog57]

Hi John,
Yes, it's awesome in the fall! Late September to early October is best - it'll be past it's prime now, with most leaves fallen. I was in that area in mid-October in 2006, and the mountains were on FIRE! The reds, yellows and oranges in the leaves were unbelievable!
If you can get up there next autumn, you'll enjoy it!

[jpurdy]

thanks, I'll have to put that on the list for next fall.

[renodesertfox]

BigDog Roadtrip Camping

Howdy BD,

Thanks, Man! Your Photos are great! Got More?